Safe Things to Do This Summer

By Saoirse Higgins

With exams looming over many of us, summer can feel like a million years away. However, in a month’s time you will be free from the grip of those mind-numbing essays. So, how are you going to spend your time this summer? Covid-19 has made this question significantly more difficult for most of us. To ease your worry, SIN has the answers to a Covid-friendly summer.

Camping in Achill Island

Under the idea that travel restrictions will be lifted by summertime, Achill Island is an ideal spot for many campers. There are several campsites across the island for you to enjoy. A beautiful island with many scenic adventures to share, it is ideal for those who want to stay safe from Covid-19 but also enjoy their summer. If you go with a limited number of friends or family members there is no reason why camping in Achill shouldn’t be on your list this summer.

Connemara National Park – Diamond Hill

A bit closer to home, I urge people to go out West and witness the beautiful scenery of Connemara. Since April 26th , outdoor amenities such as parks and zoos have been open to the public. I visited Connemara in November and the sight was something to behold. Even a drive around Connemara is breath-taking in its own right. However, if you want to keep it more concise, I recommend visiting Connemara National Park. Within the confines of Connemara National Park is Diamond Hill, a mountain 500ft high that rises above the town of Letterfrack. Stunning views can be captured from the top as well as along the trail. Not only will the views be magnificent, but it will be a great bit of exercise for you and a small number of friends.

Cliffs of Moher

There is never a better time to see the main tourist attractions in Ireland than now. With a lack of tourists due to Covid-19, I recommend going to see the Cliffs of Moher. Only a two-hour trip from Galway, the Cliffs of Moher offer amazing views over the Atlantic Ocean. Along with the view the Cliffs of Moher offer, if you follow the trail out it brings you out to the quaint town of Doolin. With its colourful houses, it’s the perfect place to grab a takeaway coffee or some food if some places are open.

Drive-In Movies

Depending on where you’ll be this summer, there are loads of Drive-In Movie places popping up over the summer. Since April 26th, Drive-In Movies are allowed to operate as normal. The Retro Movie Drive-In is the company that largely offer the service and they have seven locations around Ireland. Although currently only offering Drive-in movies in Dublin, it is likely they will start popping up somewhere near you in the summer.

Wind Down

SEACHTAIN SCÍTHE CHOMHALTAS NA MAC LÉINN

Week 2

Relax, Unwind, De-Stress and Breathe Faigh faoiseamh ón strus agus lig do scíth

Mon 3rd – Sat 8th May / Dé Luain an 3 Bealtaine – Dé Sathairn an 8 Bealtaine

More information from / Tuilleadh eolais ar fáil ó studentsunion@nuigalway.ie

One Year On: Lecturer and Students Share their Thoughts on Online Learning

By Saoirse Higgins

March 12th 2020 marked the date that in-person lectures ended for most of us. Since then, we have been subjected to Blackboard lectures, breakout rooms and trying to read the blurry words of an E-Book on laptop screens. However, the question must be asked. Did we love it or hate it?

This answer seems to be mixed across the board. SIN conduced a Twitter poll back in February of 2021 that showed, out of 153 respondents, 80% found exams more stressful this year than previous years.

That same poll showed that out of 148 respondents, 77% believed that their final grade would be worse than previous years due to online learning.

Final year arts student, Tom Molloy, reflected these sentiments, “I was just getting assignments done rather than learning anything. I found it hard during the year to have a routine.”

However, some students who spoke to SIN felt there has been some positives to virtual learning.

“I find that with all teaching methods there are always advantages and disadvantages. My personal experience with online learning was positive. I found it to be efficient and mostly flexible in terms of time. I was able to replay some of the material and work more hours at my job as a result. My college attendance has dramatically improved,” explained third-year arts student, Michelle Gallagher.

Third year science student, Sarah Molloy, similarly found positives in online learning, “one thing I do like about online teaching is that our lectures are recorded.”

In saying this, Michelle also pointed out the issues she encountered, “I did experience a few drawbacks. For example, when my WiFi connection wasn’t stable, the sense of isolation from being distanced from peers and campus, and the lack of tutorial classes.”

Lecturers have also had to adapt to this new online experience and law lecturer, Eoin Daly, shared his thoughts, “Overall, I liked online teaching and found it to be a good learning experience for me as a teacher.”

Eoin explained that being forced to teach online changed his teaching style, “It prompted me to adopt a ‘flipped’ format, i.e., where the students get asynchronous materials in advance and the ‘live’ sessions are spent on consolidation, application, and discussion.”

Sarah Molloy expressed that she has liked the approach that many lecturers have taken to online learning, “I have been really impressed with how my lecturers have gone above and beyond to make this year engaging and interactive. They have been just as disappointed with how this year turned out as we have, and I feel very lucky that they’ve dedicated so much extra time to us.”

Sarah and Eoin both shared the opinion that the issue with this year online has less to do with online learning and more to do with other factors.

“It has been a difficult year for students,” Eoin explained, “but in my view that is probably more due to the social isolation than to the teaching format.”

Sarah felt the issue lay more within the University, “I feel totally let down by the University management. We’ve been given so many false promises and have been totally abandoned.”

Overall, the students and lecturer Eoin Daly would both like to see some online learning formats like recorded lectures adapted into future teaching.

“I did enjoy my experience of online learning,” Michelle concluded, “and I hope that colleges will use both methods of teaching synchronously in the future.”