After nearly three years, we’re all sick of listening to about COVID-19, but it nonetheless has ramifications on the tutorial system in the present day, each nationally and right here at JMU. The scars the pandemic left are nonetheless seen in JMU’s comparatively lenient attendance coverage and choices for digital studying. As time passes, an increasing number of concern is being raised by instructional professionals in regards to the digital studying atmosphere, and in consequence, college students needs to be cautious about choosing on-line programs somewhat than in-person.
On high of commonly scheduled programs, JMU provides winter and summer season programs that may be taken on-line. Moreover, some lessons supply the choice to be taught hybrid, with some college students in individual and a few on-line. Hybrid lessons are nonetheless obtainable from the transition to on-line studying again in September 2020, however lessons are typically again in-person.
On-line studying holds many benefits over conventional instructing, based on Bay Atlantic College. Amongst these benefits are effectivity, accessibility and extra dynamic modes of communication. Given these robust factors, it’s no surprise many instructional establishments have saved on-line and hybrid studying as an possibility for college students. However there are cons to this remnant from the start of the COVID-19 period.
Anna van der Linden, a senior nursing main at JMU, mentioned hybrid lessons permit flexibility, however there’s a draw back.
“Undoubtedly a unfavorable can be there’s not likely a lot socializing with hybrid lessons,” van der Linden mentioned. “You don’t actually have the connections with professors versus in-person lessons.”
Digital studying environments simply don’t present the identical engagement present in bodily lecture rooms. Moreover, it’s a lot simpler to get distracted throughout class as a result of extracurricular occasions that aren’t as conducive to the tutorial atmosphere.
When instructional establishments throughout the U.S. switched to a primarily on-line mannequin of studying, quite a few tutorial considerations got here with it. A report printed by Frontiers in Schooling discovered attendance and engagement within the classroom decreased when evaluating the autumn semesters of 2019 and 2020.
Moreover, again in 2020, a number of professors voiced considerations about tutorial integrity throughout JMU’s transition to on-line studying, as reported by The Breeze on the time. These considerations are mirrored in an replace to JMU’s Honor Code in regards to the administration of on-line exams and assessments, with some professors implementing new measures to subvert dishonest, akin to timed quizzes.
Past a lower in tutorial studying, the bodily and psychological well being of scholars was a priority with on-line schooling. A survey performed by Penn State College 2021 discovered that 72% of scholars reported a lower in psychological well being in the course of the pandemic, although digital studying’s affect on this discovering is debatable. What isn’t, nonetheless, is the huge lower in bodily exercise college students skilled linked particularly to on-line studying in the course of the pandemic, based on a examine printed to the Nationwide Library of Drugs.
For van der Linden, she mentioned the pandemic itself possible contributed to this.
“[COVID-19] most likely affected some psychological well being facet[s] as a result of we’re social human beings and we want that reference to folks,” van der Linden mentioned.
On-line and hybrid programs actually have their place and time and are a useful gizmo, however these programs could come at an sudden price. Whereas taking a web-based course could look like an effective way to keep away from mind-numbing lectures, college students ought to weigh the professionals and cons of on-line programs fastidiously to make sure they’re making one of the best long-term determination for his or her well being and schooling.
Ethan Jardines is a freshman geography main. Contact Ethan at [email protected]. For extra editorials concerning the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, comply with the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.
