Hope you all are doing well in this tough time 😄
While time is an expendable resource for most of us, I just wanted to share some of my experiences as a college student during Covid-19 and hopefully get a good discussion going.
3/16/2020 - I received an email from my school calling for an extension to the spring break. I was not shocked, but was kind of expecting this to happen given the precedent that we were in. So I waited until 3/18/2020.
3/18/2020 - I received another email from my school. All in person lectures are cancelled and remote delivery will be the primary means of getting material until 4/7/2020 (not the end of the semester => there is still a chance that we get to come back 😄). I was already taking a few online classes, and was ready to take a few more. However, a lot of my peers were not ready for this transition. Some just learn better if they can attach the voice to a physical presence and when they are constrained by a controlled learning environment.
3/20/2020 - Extension of remote classes to the summer semester:sad:. This is it. It is really happening. We are the next generation to experience an educational shift that carries a high degree of uncertainty.
Changes:
- increase in video lectures
- greater utilization of collaborative networks: Discord, Slack, BlackBoard Collab, Microsoft Teams, etc...
- increase # of emails from school and teachers
- test were delivered online using special browsers that block access to other applications (respondus lockdown). Professors will attempt to maintain the integrity of the testing environment by enforcing certain restrictions: no phones, your desk must be clean, no electronics, you need a webcam, the webcam has to be pointing at your face the whole time, no standing up, the list goes on... This is sometime hard to do when you are in your own living space and are not mentally situated for a testing situation (you are taking a real freaken test, but it feels like you are taking an online quiz in your spare time).
- Project presentation. This one has been the most difficult thing to do; It is sometimes hard to find a compatible time.
As a student, what are some of the issues you deal with? How have you coped with these issues? What can be done to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on student's learning?
Top comments (3)
I'm student who works too :) And now, according to the latest events in the world, I have to work and study from home. It is really hard to concentrate at home as there are so many distractions. I've decided to track time that I spending for education and work due to control my breaks and boost productivity. Now I use tmetric.com/time-tracking-for-free... and I'm satisfied. I think to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on student's learning we need to fill our days at home with a wide variety of useful information (courses, webinars, free books etc.). Also, with the correct time distribution, students will be able to find a lot of free time for their hobbies.
Hello Hieu.
I am a High School student at the age of 17. In fact, there are some materials that are given by teachers, but let me tell you how I see it from my point of view.
When you know that f.e you are keen on math and physic, you have a great opportunity to focus on it. There is a lot free materials (f.e coming from Khan Academy) and books (Openstax). If you are able to learn by yourself, you may achive more than in school.
As a student, what are some of the issues you deal with?
The biggest one problem is when you don't understand any part of lesson. In my school, we can communicate with teachers and ask them question, so in practice you are fully able to learn and acquire knowledge.
In your free time, you can learn coding and do some projects. Those are the things, for which you don't have usually time during school year.
How have you coped with these issues?
Described above. I have found some materials to learn my favorite subjects. Spending daily 3h on this saves your time, because you don't spend 6 hours in school (not including transport). The rest time you can spend coding and doing projects.
What can be done to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on student's learning?
I would be able to answer it. It depends on your character type. I think focusing on your favorite and most important subjects is the best thing you can do now. And coding of course.
Don't forget to find time for relax! Read books, watch movies if you realize that you're tired!
The great way to have contact with your friends is to find any online game and play it together.
I can 100% related. I have friends who just focus better when they are in a classroom.