With COVID-19, colleges around the world have changed how they are delivering their classes. Many colleges have limited the number of in-person classes they are offering during this time.
They have hybrid classes, which are mostly online, however, you meet for in-person classes regularly. Then, there are structured remote classes. Structured remote classes are where you are fully online, except you meet at a certain time and on certain days for face to face via video chat. Then there are classes that are fully online, where you typically do everything on your own.
Colleges moving mainly online have caused many students to form different opinions. Stephanie Dees, a student at Shephard University, says that she “HATES” these nontraditional online classes. Since they are not the traditional format, she believes the professors expect more from them than in normal in-person classes.
On the other hand, Nicholas Simpson, who goes to Virginia Commonwealth University, said that he enjoys his classes being online, as it allows him to avoid commuting to school every day.
There are many different reasons why people enjoy having online classes. Stephanie Dees said that she enjoys being able to lay in bed during class. Kaylee Stampone from Temple University said that she “enjoys the asynchronous aspect” of online classes. This format allows her to be less stressed about all the classwork she needs to do all at once.
Courtney Andrews, who goes to Frederick Community College, says that she enjoys getting all of the work ahead of time. She also likes that she can be alone where it is quiet to do her work.
There are many other reasons why students do not enjoy having their classes online. Courtney Andrews said that she does not enjoy how she cannot quickly and effectively get in touch with the professors she needs to when she needs help understanding something.
Andrew Fearing, who attends Frederick Community College, said that he feels like the nontraditional online classes being used this semester have little structure to it, as well as having more busy work, making him feel as if he has not learned anything.
As for the structure that these primarily online classes have taken on, Kaylee Stampone said that the structure has been changed by the professor, adding more busy work. There is also a lot more reading.
Courtney Andrews said that because the professors are unable to be with students and sometimes not in contact as often with students, they are unable to assign certain work to their students. Stephanie Dees said that due to the change in how students learn, professors expect more from students, because they’re not in the classroom.
Despite the difficulties with learning through online classes, however, many of these students would choose to take another online class.
