By Kaylee Johnson
Campus News
The severity of the current coronavirus pandemic has forced K-12, community colleges, SUNY/CUNYs and private colleges to shut down their campuses and transition to online learning for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.
Students are shifting their environments and learning styles in order to complete their coursework effectively, and for some, the mental toll of this sudden change has been detrimental.
I have spoken to New York City acting and theatre majors who had shows and film premieres cancelled suddenly; now being forced to write a few papers from the confines of their home as an awkward formality. Close college friends who suffer with ADHD, anxiety and OCD are having immense trouble adjusting to such drastic changes halfway through the semester and feel clouded with self-deprecating thoughts. Some professors are technologically inept or unacquainted with Zoom, Canvas, Blackboard and other educational alternative websites, and they are scrambling to deliver content that tries its best to match the schedules bolded in syllabi.
Let’s face it, online learning is not suited for all types of learners. Students with time management deficiencies need the structure of a class and studying schedule in order to strategically tackle meeting deadlines and communicate areas of struggle to professors. Students without access to technology also lose in this situation, as libraries are closing and access to academic computer labs is taken away.
At my college, advisors place emphasis on comparing and contrasting online versus in-person classes so that students can assess their own learning types and what their needs are on based on their strengths and weaknesses.
Many students simply can’t retain information over a laptop screen because the feeling is so foreign and detached. The pandemic is not giving students a choice.
As somebody who has taken multiple online classes, and struggles with attention, here are some pointers:
- make folders for each class in your email and reach out to each professor at least once a week to clarify what the new expectations of the course are and how to submit your work;
- make sure assignments are being submitted on time by setting reminders in your phone;
- complete work in a distraction-free room and keep your phone out of sight while completing important assignments and joining in on Zoom conferences.
If these recommendations are not enough, make yourself a class schedule (two or three hours per day) and stick to it. Not only will this help you regain some sense of structure and motivation, but it will also put you back in the academic routine.
This transition is affecting all types of learners, as even the high achievers and technologically advanced could not have seen such an extreme shift coming.
Many classes will now be graded on a pass/fail scale due to the circumstances, but that does not mean you should slack or give up on the objectives of your classes. Try to retain as much information as possible during this quarantine period and remember to communicate with your classmates.
Create group texts to communicate about upcoming assignments, lectures and confusion. Some of your professors may already be frazzled, but that does not mean your grade or understanding of your craft has to be affected. Set up webcam study circles with friends and ask as many questions as you feel need answering; your professors are ready to answer them.
The lack of traditional structures and organization that has been affecting campuses has been rough, but the future seems promising. Hopefully, the campuses will be booming with the lush vitality of students and socialization by summer session! Until then, stay grounded and keep a planner!
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