Online Learning In The Midst Of Pandemic, Its Effects and Such.
Struggling to understand what is Online Learning? And have no clue on how to start? Here’s what I got for you. Online Learning. Class Online. Synchronous Learning Base.
Pandemic’s Quarantine Changes Students…
I am student who is used to physical learning. I have experienced most of my classes throughout my life in face-to-face situations. Back then, I thought that a physical meeting was the only way the student and teacher could do their class. Well… that’s what I thought.
It started in the last school year of mine, so it has been almost 2 years since I’ve been doing school online. I have been a student for eleven (11) years now, so at this date I’m at my senior high school age. The days of my high school are where the pandemic hit.
I am a student in the Philippines. I remembered I used to wake up early because the discussion starts at 7 am (that’s early for me), so I have to be in a hurry before the bells start.
Changing times…
The pandemic really hit my school’s learning a lot. It is not just the classes that have changed; the entire environment has changed. The schedule got changed, so we had to get to the meeting with the principal, where they checked on us. And, of course, the students and the teachers.
Here are my thoughts about school learning, in particular, online. At first, it felt weird to me. It’s like something changed all of a sudden, and I have no choice but to go with it. My setup and schedule were changed — I didn’t have to put my best effort into waking up, because the school is literally on my laptop. The way I look is different — I didn’t have to think much about what I look like. As long as my upper half of my body looks presentable, my lower part will be as it is.
How Online Schooling (Pandemic) changed my high school life.
Generally speaking, it quite helped me with my problems with waking up late and being nervous about my appearance. However, every day is not rainbows.
Difference on Learning Virtually and Physically
Teaching and learning go hand-in-hand. Effective teachers continually improve their skills by learning about the latest trends in the field of education. But what exactly is teaching and learning, and how do you foster a relationship between the two that is synchronistic and fluent? The following guide offers teaching principles, learning examples, and the importance of a healthy relationship between student learning and teaching (facultyfocus., November 2021).
Physical learning or face to face class
Learning environment is regarded as the ensemble of the intellectual, social, and physical environments where students develop and learn. The learning environment supports the student’s development into an independent and active learner, carries the basic values of basic education and the school’s mental attitude, and preserves and refines the traditions of the region and the school community (scholar.lib., 2013).
It is where the students perform for their classes physically and interact with the teacher. Commonly, schools do this because it is convenient for students to consult with their professors when they need to.
Virtually or online interaction
A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a set of teaching and learning tools designed to enhance a student’s learning experience by including computers and the Internet in the learning process. The principal components of a VLE package include curriculum mapping (breaking curriculum into sections that can be assigned and assessed), student tracking, online support for both teacher and student, electronic communication (e-mail, threaded discussions, chat, Web publishing), and Internet links to outside curriculum resources. In general, VLE users are assigned either a teacher ID or a student ID. The teacher sees what a students sees, but the teacher has additional user rights to create or modify curriculum content and track student performance (whatis techtarget.com., March 2011).
As from the header, it is an online class, which is common right now due to the pandemic. Its results are also convenient and efficient. Because the class is within reach, and students and teachers do not have to worry about their transportation problems.
Where Pandemic Begins…
It may be easy for some, however it is also hard for others. The the impact of online school to other students is a problem.
The impact of COVID 19 in terms of health:
20% of college students say their mental health has significantly worsened under COVID-19. (activeminds.org 2020)
There are rates where, closely looking at the table given, most of the students’ mental health has changed in a negative way.
This is the time for young people to be aware of what’s happening throughout the world right now. Let this blog not scare you, but rather inform you.
Thoughts and opinion of students towards learning online…
When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a sudden shift to online learning in the middle of the 2019–20 school year, a majority of first-year college students faced academic challenges, and many had trouble accessing proper resources. The report measured the responses from 1,164 students who took the ACT as a junior or senior between 2017 and 2019, graduated from high school in 2019, and enrolled in a postsecondary institution for the 2019–20 school year.
When students were asked to rate how easy or challenging their coursework was, 52 percent responded “somewhat challenging” and 14 percent responded “very challenging.” In an open-ended question, students cited lack of motivation, difficulty retaining information and trouble understanding concepts without “hands-on” experience as their biggest hurdles. (Maria C., August 2021)
“Somewhat challenging” — is what we can also say it still gave an impact regardless of what the result are.
Also at the last part is what commonly we see once a topic talks about pandemic and students — “In an open-ended question, students cited lack of motivation, difficulty retaining information and trouble understanding concepts without “hands-on” experience as their biggest hurdles”
Pandemic changed the phase of learning…
Whether the result is positive or bad, right from the start it already changed. Physically and mentally changes were seen and experienced throughout the learnings from online.
While countries are at different points in their COVID-19 infection rates, worldwide there are currently more than 1.2 billion children in 186 countries affected by school closures due to the pandemic. In Denmark, children up to the age of 11 are returning to nurseries and schools after initially closing on 12 March.
With this sudden shift away from the classroom in many parts of the globe, some are wondering whether the adoption of online learning will continue to persist post-pandemic, and how such a shift would impact the worldwide education market. (Cathy L. & Farah L., April 2020)
Learning Online and its Positive Side
A s I mentioned above, it helps students get in charge of their schedule easily. Time is more reachable in the event of a pandemic for the students. With just a button, they are in the class.
Thinking about how pandemics help us students is quite an ironic phrase. However, there are its advantages.
Getting materials is easier because it is all virtual already. Making assignments such as research can be done immediately.
Nevertheless, online school has its own ups and downs.
Learning online helps…
It helps in the fact where the information you need is just by a click of a button. Well I meant is, it is is efficient.
In traditional classroom-based courses, there is an ongoing problem with student retention. Sometimes, students don’t connect with the course materials or instructors. You may have noticed attendance suffer, and soon enough, some students quickly fall behind their peers. While there are many reasons for the drop-off, it is an issue that continues to plague offline courses.
As online education provides a greater degree of flexibility, it can be less stressful to manage alongside other commitments. Furthermore, there is less pressure to engage the students, as you have the help of devices, apps, and multimedia tools to make learning a more interactive and enjoyable prospect.
This provides education institutions new opportunities to deliver content in ways that the students of today can relate to. Engage Students Deeper — (DigitalMarketingInstitute., May 2018)
If you need answers on your assessments or need help for your tests. There are a lot of ideas gathered in the online platform, you just have to find it.
When you start browsing through interesting online courses and programs, you’ll notice the Self-Paced label on most of them. What does this mean? Self-paced learning means that the students can start completing the targets at any time, and he can arrange a learning schedule that meets his individual needs — (Stephanie N., March 2016)
How to utilize and take advantage taking classes online?
What I mean by taking advantage is that there are pros to taking classes online, so use it. Just as when the professor is taking their lecture, while you, on the other hand, research in advance, in case you get called, you have an answer or a thought to say.
Learning Online and its Effectiveness
Online has its own ways on how it works. You have to utilize that.
Is learning online as good as face to face learning?
As a student, myself in particular, no. The basis is the same; the process is for the students to learn. However, the matter of performance is different.
The way activities were brought out and when we were presenting was on screen.
Is online learning effective?
It is effective when it is in good hands.
There are many reasons why online programs have become a popular form of distance learning in higher education today. The online environment offers unprecedented opportunities for people who would otherwise have limited access to education — (uis.edu., N. D.).
It is effective in its own ways. Such as…
Time-efficient. Students can reach out to their professors and teachers, especially classmates, via email or SMS.
Online flexibility. Students can have class anywhere, as long as the device they are going to use is accessible for having an online class.
Handling attendance. Class is within easy reach. With easy set up, by the power of a button, students can get to their class easily.
Learning environment (being comfortable). Have class in a comfortable room. No one is going to meddle in a student’s business; in other words, they can focus on their meeting well enough.
How to Deal Classes Online?
I have to be honest. Online classes can be quite a handful. There are times when I can’t focus because people are messaging me. Outside, noises are loud. How do you deal with it? What should you do when such distractions happen?
- Be patient with your surroundings. Don’t let the noises keep you from going to school, so
- Find a place where you can concentrate and focus on the meeting. Where you can have your own world, participating only in the meet.
Finishing Thoughts
All in all, online learning has its own story, meaning it can be viewed on 2 sides. Online class can be either good or bad, or both.
The point of this blog is that, to view things in a different angle. If problems occur for instance like this one, find its other side, and work with it.
We cannot let pandemic get into us mentally and physically. We have to survive in this times.
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