The perils of online learning

‘Anybody out There’: Teaching in Lockdown

Dr Pádraig Lenihan, School of History and Philosophy

My personal reactions to teaching-at-adistance do not, I hope, sound whingey. I’m getting paid, I’m out of the rain and no one is coughing or sneezing over me.

When we were told to lock up and go home back in March we were in the ninth week of a twelve week term so what remained was devising coursework assessment instead of essays, frantically scanning chapters for reading material to ‘put up’ on Blackboard and grading. My preference for a hard copy and a biro isn’t just old fogeyism. Grading on a screen is wearying on eyes, neck and mouse arm, but paper is so much easier to count and keep track of essays so there are fewer mistakes.

I’m not sentimental about face-to face lectures. When they are bad they can be very bad. As a student many years ago I made a false start in preMed and I will never forget a professor in, let’s say one of the core science subjects, happily conducting a mumbled conversation with the blackboard as he chalked up Greek letters and a diagram of a cylinder. On the other hand, to hear a skilled lecturer perform is an unforgettable experience.

It’s early days in autumn term but virtual lectures are not dauntingly difficult to set up. I favour robust and simple technology. It is easy to record, stop and ‘export’ to MP3 format on ‘Audacity’. I press record and don’t stop until the end because I haven’t worked out yet how to pause, to cut, or to edit. The result is an authentic sound that may include ringing telephones, my neighbour’s hedge-strimmer (she favours the ruthlessly pruned flat-top) or a barking dog. If I say the wrong word (I blurted ‘incest’ rather than ‘incense’ today when talking of Archbishop Laud) it can’t be unsaid. The recorded work may retain some of the immediacy and, dare I say, variability of the lecture in a theatre. Ah theatre! That reminds me that a lecture is a performance that feeds of the energy of a live, present, audience.

As a ‘moderator’ of face-to-face tutorials and seminars I’ll try to kick-start a discussion of some problem that is relevant to the module maybe by posing a specific, targeted question from a document that the members of the group should have studied beforehand. Everyone will look fixedly down at their notebook, laptop (displaying the class documents, you hope) or smartphone except for that mature student at the front. Then ask a question of one person and usually find that they’ve nailed the problem. Reluctance to speak in response to a general invitation is puzzling: Fear of looking foolish? Fear of seeming to show-off? My point is that the face to face encounter demands

The face to face encounter demands social skill, emotional intelligence and ‘cop-on’. Push one student a bit harder? Back off and switch to someone else? The virtual encounter is one-dimensional, thin and rigid by comparison. I daren’t throw out a general question into the silence because I won’t know if my internet connection has crashed, your microphone isn’t working or no one wants to be the first to break the ice.

social skill, emotional intelligence and ‘cop-on’. Push one student a bit harder? Back off and switch to someone else?

The virtual encounter is one-dimensional, thin and rigid by comparison. I daren’t throw out a general question into the silence because I won’t know if my internet connection has crashed, your microphone isn’t working or no one wants to be the first to break the ice. And what is it about the general reluctance to switch on cameras unless the moderator makes an issue of it? I am veering towards a compromise that would let cameras stay switched off except for presentations. I really don’t know the cramped or crowded conditions that some students might have to work from. That said, the habit of replying by typing into the ‘chat’ feature (something like WhatsApp) rather than speaking will be gently discouraged. The experience is already quite far enough removed from the real as it is.

But sure together we will make it as real as we can.

“Sit in front of your laptop, pay your €3000 fees, watch these videos, do your assignments, don’t see anyone and don’t complain about it.” —The perils of online learning

By Ellen O’Donoghue

By the time this issue comes out, we’ll be into week 6 of our first ever fully online semester.

Halfway there. I’ll be six weeks into my first experience of online learning, because I was on work placement last year when the pandemic struck, and all went online.

This experience, for anybody, would be hard.

The uncertainty, the stress, the deadlines, the final year of college.

The most important year of my academic career to date.

And I’m doing it in the middle of a pandemic.

Love that for me.

In the beginning, I really thought that it was just me, that was struggling with the workload of final year, doing it from the spare bedroom in my home house in Donegal where I now reside. But I started talking to people and they feel the same. Even those who had done their final weeks of college last year online, said that they were struggling.

All arguments seem to be the same, and everybody seems to think that they’re the only one going through it.

I asked people, across all colleges and years in NUI Galway, to tell me how they’re doing, to see if it was just my course, just my final year of college, or just me struggling to get into the swing of things again.

This is what I got:

“This online learning craic is so intense. They’re putting far too much pressure on us. Hopefully it eases off as the weeks go on (week 6 and it hasn’t).”

I feel as if some lecturers don’t realise how heavy some of the content is to get through. Some pre-recorded lectures are taking 2+ hours to get through when you factor in the extra stuff going along with them (videos, further reading etc.), which in isolation is okay but when it’s every week and more than one module does it, it really starts to add up. I don’t think it’s intentional, but I think work is being piled on us.

I feel like trying to make up for the lack of contact hours lecturers are piling on the work left, right, and centre. I’m very fortunate that I have all live lectures, but I hear a lot of people are getting pre-recorded lectures which I don’t think is a great idea. I think to improve on these lecturers should be given a set number of hours. For instance, my lecturers have two-hour slots, so we get a full two-hour lecture. Not even ten minutes of a break. We’re falling asleep after one hour never mind two! And then there’s piles of reading and pre lectures to watch before the live one? Please tell me how that makes sense!

I feel like lecturers are putting far too much of their content online which is putting a lot of stress and anxiety on students. I feel like some lecturers don’t realise we have other modules as well as theirs. Getting loads of blackboard notifications in the middle of the night doesn’t help things either. They are giving so much work it’s hard to keep up.

My course has moved online for the most part but they shoved all of our faceto-face learning so they can be done by the 20 October, and they did this by changing the timetables really frequently. But you were penalised if you missed a face to face learning session because of the timetable change. I know someone who had to work when he had free time off on his timetable, and then the timetable switched so he had a session during his work, and he couldn’t go and was penalised for it. Along with this, the material we are doing is really heavy, but it’s just with the lack of any social interaction and having to study all day in our rooms, me and my friends have been finding it extremely hard to stay motivated and to have interest in the course anymore.

It’s not fair. That’s one thing that we can all take away from this year. None of this is fair.

Third-level students are being royally shafted right now and I am so sick of trying to explain this to people.

Teachers in schools can see their colleagues. Students can see their classmates. Construction workers can see their colleagues. Anybody who is working with anybody right now, or is in a different level of education, can see people and continue to grow socially because of this. Because it is important. Third-level students can’t see anyone. Except their housemates, or family members if they’re living at home. Here we are, simply being told no.

Sit in front of your laptop, pay your €3000 fees, watch these videos, do your assignments, don’t see anyone and don’t complain about it. Literally asking us to do exactly what they complained about something we were apparently always doing before. Instead of “get off your screen and talk to us”, it’s now “get on your screen and be quiet”.

Social interaction is one of the most important aspects of life, for growth and for mental wellbeing.

That’s what we grew up being told. But now we’re grown, and we’re being told to go completely against it.

So, I hope this answers your question.

Has college this year been a more stressful experience than previous years?

Yes. Yes it has. Give us a break, and for the love of God, don’t think we don’t deserve it.

Body Shaming Online Is Still A Major Issue — And the Media Is Enabling It

By Róise Nic Dhonnagáin

The body positivity movement has made huge strides over the years, leading to many breakthroughs, such as the more widespread use of plus-size models in advertising, and the normalization of body hair and stretch marks in print media. However, it seems that some people didn’t get the memo.

In the age of social media, we are all well aware

By Katie Barragry

We’re back in lockdown. The gyms have closed, and many sports clubs have been suspended for the foreseeable future. What do we do now?

Over the last few months, many of us have learned how to adapt. We can do this! Here are a few tips and tricks in keeping fit while adhering to the new restrictions.

SET A TIME: Between online classes, assignments and work, you might find it difficult to squeeze exercise into your daily routine. Pick a time a few times a week and try to stick to it! Whether you prefer to work out early in the morning or late at night, establishing a routine will help you commit to getting your regular steps in.

GYM GEAR: Having nice gym gear can make the idea of exercise more appealing for some people. Whether you like colourful co-ords from Gymshark or GAA jerseys and shorts, pick something you feel comfortable in. Remember with sites such as Unidays, you can get student discounts on many online outlets including Asos, JD Sports and Sportdirect.

EQUIPMENT: You don’t need a fully equipped gym to keep fit. An exercise mat and a few weights can go a long way. Alternatively, use what you have at home for your home workouts, for example water bottles instead of dumbbells. Foam rollers, resistance bands

By Oisín Bradley

Under the current level-5 Covid-19 guidelines laid out by the government at the end of October, gyms are deemed non-essential businesses along with the likes of barbers and clothing stores. They therefore required to shut their doors until December 1st

There have been many who flocked to praise the government’s decision to close gyms across the country as part of their new lockdown restrictions to combat Covid-19. That said, it is a regulation which splits many and polarises opinion, with a significant degree of the population advocating for gyms to remain open.

Many gym owners believe that gyms are essential and thus should be remaining open. Speaking to SIN, one gym owner expressed their disappointment at the decision announced last week.

The impact that the closure as had on the sector was described as ‘hard to take’ by the gym owner, especially considering the stringent measures put in place to ensure the safety of their clients.

“For ourselves it’s hard to take, we’ve taken every measure we can to make sure we’re safe enough to keep ourselves open and it’s really a kick in the teeth of the constant scrutiny that those in the public eye face daily. We’ve never had so much access to the lives of celebrities. Often, this means we can cross boundaries and make judgements on things that are none of our business. One such issue is the constant body shaming that so many face, particularly young women. From Love Island alumni, to global pop stars, no one’s body is safe from critiquing.

Keeping fit at home: Student Edition

Take for example, twenty-one-year-old Molly Mae and weights are all readily available online.

WALKS AND RUNS: If you’re not already an avid walker or runner, you’re probably sick of people ranting about the value of getting out and about. Take half an hour to clear your head outside and choose a good playlist or podcast to keep you going.

YOUTUBE VIDEOS: Chances are you heard of Chloe Ting over lockdown. There are thousands of fitness videos on YouTube, catering for every ability. Whether you want a fun dance workout or a killer abs routine, make use of what YouTube has to offer, all in the comfort of your own sitting room.

APPS: Fitness apps like Shreddy, Nike Running Club and Map my Walk can be useful tools in mapping your daily exercise. There is a wide variety of apps available on the App Store with workout routines, pedometers, route mappers, meal plans and daily motivation.

WORKOUT BUDDY: A workout friend might be the motivation you need to get out and about. Having someone to cheer you on can help your progress significantly. If you are exercising in groups, stay safe and make sure everyone adheres to social distancing guidelines.

FITNESS WATCH: If you’re the type of person who likes to track their progress, a Fitbit or an Apple Watch might be a good investment. Keeping track of your daily steps, number of calories burned, and distance covered might be the motivation you need to keep moving during lockdown. when we’ve worked so hard.

“We’ve went above and beyond with the technology and the cost we’ve put in to make it as safe as possible for everyone we have in for our classes, and it’s tough to take this news.”

They also believe that should gyms close, it will have a truly terrible impact on the health system.

“At all times, but especially at times like we’re in now, the mental and physical health of people is extremely important, and gyms like ourselves play a big part in that. If we close, it’s going to be really hard for people to keep themselves well.”

The gym in question has gone to extreme lengths to protect its users and patrons, spraying down all surfaces after each session and implementing the correct track-and-trace procedures and putting an increased emphasis on in class sessions. They also adopted a ‘no towel, no train policy’ in an attempt to limit the risk of spreading Covid-19.

“In our gym, we had implemented a ‘no-towel, notrain’ policy to ensure that people would bring sweat towels in with them. As well as that, we’ve tried to shift our emphasis to classes so people are in at dedicated times and stay at certain stations.”

Should gyms reopen? “We’ve taken every measure… it’s really a kick in the teeth”-says gym owner.

Hague, a former Love Island contestant who made headlines in July for wearing a bikini. Yes, you read that right. After snapping some not-so flattering pictures of the star while on holiday, the Daily Mail went on to dedicate a whole article to her outing. Many comments were left on this article, with some people saying that Hague looked “average at best” and that she “reminds me of a pig”, and others advising her to “hit the gym”. The Daily Mail is infamous for its constant commentary on women’s bodies and, unsurprisingly has made no effort to prevent people from further harassing these women in their comment sections.

Another young woman whose body came under critique online recently is eighteen-year-old popstar Billie Eilish. The singer has often claimed in the past that she purposely dresses in oversized clothing so that people are unable to pass judgement on her body, saying, “Nobody can have an opinion because they haven’t seen what’s underneath.” However, when paparazzi pictures were released of Eilish in a more form-fitting outfit than usual, people were quick to take to Twitter with varying opinions on her physique. One user’s tweet went viral when he claimed that: “In ten months Billie Eilish has developed a mid-30’s wine mom body.” The author of the tweet has since gloated that despite the offending statement being mass reported, his tweet has remained on the platform.

Body shaming on the internet is far from uncommon, but what is incredibly concerning is the disregard media platforms have for this kind of harassment. Women in the public eye are expected to develop a thick skin and rise above the constant criticism their bodies are subjected to. Molly-Mae Hague recently responded to a question regarding the online hate she receives saying, “I receive that many [hate comments] that I’m genuinely emotionless to them now.”

However, it is clear that the criticism does indeed take its toll with many women, including Hague, resorting to surgical enhancements and procedures to rid them of any ‘imperfections’ they may have. And yet when these women take matters into their own hands, by either altering online images or opting for surgical procedures, so they can achieve the beauty standard demanded of them, they receive even further ridicule, being labelled as ‘fake’ and ‘unnatural’.

In this day and age, why are we still so obsessed with women’s weight and how they look? Quite frankly, it is none of our business. Whether someone is on the smaller or larger side, as long as they’re happy and healthy, nothing else matters – and that goes for both celebrities and the general public. Women in the public eye may seem unattainable and completely separate to us, which in many cases they are, but they are still human. And no human

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