Let’s listen to some students and on-line learning…you know my concerns about on-line learning and the rather disturbing variations in the ways education is being approached during this pandemic. Remember that all forms of schooling were suddenly shut down in March because no one really knew what to do because there was not a solid understanding about the Covid-19 virus. The idea was to get through the Spring and then do a re-set.

Well, that re-set didn’t happen then. During the summer semester at universities it was simply more lockdown. Of course, elementary & secondary education was on an extended summer holiday. As well we were being told that a Second Wave was coming and we should get ready for that. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem that universities and colleges got the message because they have basically chosen to stay locked down. Now you may say that they are only following the directives from the health authorities; but my response is — where is there some evidence that these hotbeds of intellectual & research capital actually tried to come up with a Plan B to present to the health authorities that could dynamically change the way we all could deal with the Second Wave more productively that in the First Wave?

Oh I know we were told that since they had time to better prepare and re-tool their approaches to on-line learning, there would be a much better educational experience come autumn, and certainly by winter. Well, as far as primary, elementary & secondary education is concerned there is at least in-classroom teaching/learning taking place. There is some social and emotional development taking place in addition to the mental learning and the physical imperative of getting out of the house and into the fresh air. But the word from post-secondary settings is far from encouraging. Reading in the G+M the other day, a report prepared by students of an Ontario post-secondary institution confirmed what I personally had feared. Students were being mugged by the system — charged the same tuition rates (if not higher ones) and given sub-par instruction and even poorer learning.

So I decided to share this information with my grand-daughter who is in fourth year and is locked out of her physical classroom at her institution. Here is what she had to say…

Hi Grandpa, 
This is going to be quite long as I definitely have thoughts on this as you already know. 
I would have to say down to every last word I agree with the points those students raised in that article. I have not met or fostered one single new friendship this semester. I am lucky because in my fourth year in a small program I do know most of my peers, but it makes me feel bad for first years who were robbed of the chance to really establish those life changing friendships. Thankfully I have the natural Sinclair ability to make friends wherever I may be, but it is not the same online and I am sad I didn’t get the opportunity to meet more of my classmates.  I met my two now life-long best friends the first week at UVIC through various social events that definitely would not be safe to proceed this year. You and I have spoke a few times about how your first year is essentially just for friends and less for academics and it makes me sad so many students are missing that opportunity.      As well, my friends and I were just having a discussion the other day about how much we miss the library. There was nothing quite like staying there for hours with multiple coffee breaks, chatting and giggling to my friends as we all grounded through work that we should’ve done weeks ago.. definitely a place where you can really connect and get your work done. UVIC has reopened the library but it is only individual study booths now so I haven’t been as I can work fine from home (which I am very privileged to be able to do) but I do miss the community sense of working together very much so.   Also, the classes themselves and how they have been conducted is mediocre at best. I have one class that has been two short papers, a big paper, and a final. No lecture no communication, no *learning* about the content of the course.
The disparity between the the quality of education I have received this semester versus previous  years is vast. Again, simply because I have experience in Uni already I have been able to manage as I have essentially taught myself all of my courses but I empathize for newer students who are having to deal with the dramatic shift from grade school into university from a computer screen.       Claire, my roommate/best friend and I were speaking a few weeks ago about how we never feel like we have completed anything because of it all being online. There is a certain sense of relief when you hand in a paper or finish an exam in person and leave the classroom immediately ready to celebrate. Now we are met with submission confirmation receipts and no real gratifying sense of completion. 
   Overall, this semester has not been amazing, but as always we have learned to find hope and joy where we can.  I don’t think I could’ve handled this semester without Claire by my side to air our frustrations and drink lots of wine to soothe them, this has been a very unique challenge for us. Again, just makes me so sad to think about all of the developmental delays across all ages of students that will be caused by this for YEARS to come. Just speaking with my Mother the other day and she was telling me about how some of her grade ones don’t even know basic reading skills because of online school and how difficult it is to teach proper speech dialect through a screen….   On the bright side, I have a running list of possible Masters Thesis topics because of this….. 
  Objectively speaking I realize the amount of privilege I have if University during a Global Pandemic is causing most of my qualms, but it makes me sad for younger kids as I have truly enjoyed University and the in-person aspect is entirely the reason why. 

  She says she could go on longer, but decided to cap it here and get back to her unfinished and seemingly never ending online school work which she described as a lot less invigorating than getting to complain about it to me )  In a subsequent phone conversation she mentioned that two of her courses have been completed without her ever seeing either prof, nor either prof seeing her even on a screen. And this is supposed to be intellectually compelling; this is supposed to reinforce personal connections between instructor and student?

I’m hoping to hear soon from my grandson who is actually in a program in the USA that has most of his classes live & in-person… If you have any stories, let me know and I will include them (blocking out names or other identifiers…)

tnx,

g.w.