BY: DAVID NELSON
Since the arrival of the pandemic in late 2019, countless schools across the country have been and continue to be greatly affected by it. Graduations have been postponed, sporting events have been canceled and. During this time, the college eliminated a list of programs for financial reasons. It also resulted in the elimination of positions, possibly associated with these eliminated programs. At present, none of them will even return to the school’s overall program list.
The most obvious influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on middle and high schools is the way education is imparted. Many students were accustomed to the traditional method of teaching, namely in-person or face-to-face teaching. Before the pandemic, there may have been some aspects of online usage, but that would have been minimal. Due to the spread of the virus in early 2020, schools were forced to switch to online teaching format to prevent further spread. The online school experience is now something many students have in common. However, the schedules of university students could be very different if they were to be compared. It would depend on the program. Some classes offered at MSUM can make this transition without breaking stride. Other classes that rely on a more hands-on approach should handle it another way.
Cade Solberg, a second-year political science student, said, “It was definitely a different experience than what I’m used to. It was very interesting to see which specific classes were chosen to be in person versus which were chosen to stay online.
The in-person classroom delivery method is something almost every child growing up is familiar with. This form of education requires the recipient of knowledge to be physically present for the lessons. It can be tiring for some people, but some benefits could be overlooked. Solberg outlined the pros and cons of online and in-person learning: “Obviously the big advantage of being in person is that you can interact with other people and build relationships and friendships.” own perspective, “This year I feel like I’m sitting in class a lot more and I don’t have as much free time outside of class as I did when it was more online.”
The argument can be made that online courses offer a more streamlined and faster style of education. If school were to be taught this way in the future, students would not be required to spend a certain number of hours sitting in classrooms each week.
When it comes to online learning, there are a few different delivery methods that are available to professors for their courses. The pupils of the school know the three variants. One of these options would be the hybrid option, which mixes in-person and online aspects. Another option is considered to be the synchronous online method. This format contains regularly scheduled class meetings that are usually hosted on zoom. The third and final option is the asynchronous method. Lessons are taught through videos and reading assignments, contained in a module, and can be completed at any time in the week they are assigned. This method allows great flexibility for students.
Severud argued for the asynchronous method, pointing out that “it’s good to go at your own pace more than in person”. The online variant of teaching gives students more freedom in terms of how often information accumulates in the mind throughout the week.
Solberg offered his perspective through the lens of his major, “For my major, politics, I would prefer to have an in-person class to discuss and debate with each other.”
The discussion aspect of the education format is essential to better understand the opinions of others. Without it, there would be more division and argument. Online synchronous courses can be useful for some classes, but is it necessary for others? There are courses offered that seem to be more assignment and goal oriented than others. As an introductory math or science course. Is asynchronous a more appropriate option in these cases?
Severud makes the following argument: “If there is an online option, I would always choose the asynchronous option. Some classes just make more sense as asynchronous, in my opinion. If it’s going to be synchronous online, sometimes it feels like, why am I here? It’s not progressing that much.
Two years after the start of the pandemic have passed. College students have seen several changes take place during this time. Classes have shifted, one thing is certain amid the uncertainty, it’s the human element. It will almost certainly be lost with an eventual shift to online courses.
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