Where Do We Go From Here?

Musings of graduate students on their online learning experience

Words by Chris Noel Hidalgo

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to online learning for the entire country — a shift that while necessary for educational continuity, has been marred by undeniable social, psychological, technological, and socioeconomic implications, among other issues of inequity and inaccessibility.

But what do graduate students think of remote learning? Juggling both work and their education, graduate students have a unique point of view. Not only do they return to the academe armed with real-world knowledge, their studies are also more advanced in nature, preparing them for higher-level specializations and critical analysis of their fields of expertise.

Curious about the online learning experience in the postgraduate world, I interviewed some of my friends — Wen, a communications officer in a Philippine banking institution; Cap, a Philippine-based virtual program coordinator for a Thai social impact startup; Trix, a marketing communications officer at a European financial services company; and Dadat, a Philippine-based marine science researcher. Here’s what they had to say.

Juggling Work and School

Classes in graduate school are done either during the weekends, or as I have experienced, during weekday evenings as the assumption is that students are working during the weekday. It was exhausting having to beat the morning rush to clock in to work at 7:00 AM, put in my 8 hours for the day, hurry to my in-campus evening class, and finally commute home — all these up to three times a week. Coupled with having to catch up on tons of reading and research work up to and even during the weekends, graduate students practically have no time for themselves.

The mainstreaming of online education and remote work arrangements changed all this. “Since everything is remote, I save a lot of time because I don’t have to commute anymore,” said Trix. With her freed-up schedule, Trix has been able to focus more on self-care, as well as attend online classes even when on a vacation.

Cap also took the opportunity to find virtual work opportunities alongside his graduate schooling. “When I started my master’s degree, I did not have work as I was a full-time student. Remote learning gave me the time I needed to consider virtual work opportunities. Since I don’t have to think about transportation, I could dedicate my energy to efficiently juggle both work and school.”

On the other hand, while Wen also acknowledged that the flexible learning and work environment is easier on the schedule, the setup does have its pitfalls: “It is not for everyone.”

A Different Kind of Responsibility

Unfortunately, online learning did not bring just joy to these graduate students.

Despite the time he regained, Wen found the online learning process to be quite challenging, saying “I had a hard time managing my focus. I couldn’t seem to regain that learning readiness that I had in-campus. I struggled to the point that I noticeably performed poorly in online classes throughout this pandemic.”

Likewise, Cap mentioned that on top of Zoom fatigue, asynchronous class activities necessitated additional effort on the part of the student. Using discussion boards (akin to social media posts and their comments) in an online learning platform as an example, Cap explained “In synchronous classes, whether virtual or face-to-face, people can get feedback immediately. For asynchronous activities, you do not need to immediately respond. You do it at your convenience. Therefore, it takes much longer for students to see through discussions.”

Dadat also noted that student evaluation activities, such as exams, have evolved. “Looking back to pre-pandemic classes, in-campus exams were quite objective. Now, exams are more creative. They are no longer based on memorization; rather, they now focus on testing our application of what we learn in class. Instead of asking ‘what,’ exam items are now asking ‘how’ and ‘why’.”

Hybrid is the Preference

Given these advantages and disadvantages, what mode of learning do these graduate students ultimately prefer moving forward?

Trix mentioned that although she does miss in-person interactions with professors and classmates, as well as time in the library, the benefits of online learning ultimately outweigh the downsides. “Remote classes have been very effective for me. My lifestyle has changed for the better. I have been able to rededicate all the time and energy I save towards taking care of my physical and mental health,” explained Trix.

Conversely, Dadat, Wen, and Cap prefer the hybrid scenario for their future studies. This is most especially true for those in the hard sciences like Dadat. “We need hands-on laboratory experience. Our experiments and field work require access to special equipment that are only accessible in-campus. At the same time, there are classes which can be done remotely.”

Wen said “I miss the campus ambiance that just gets you in the mood to learn. Plus, library resources, student-friendly meals, and the camaraderie of being with like-minded learners. As such, a balanced execution of remote and in-campus learning could be very beneficial to all students.”

Cap also highlighted his preference for connecting with people in person. “I would personally prefer a hybrid learning setup moving forward as education can continue to integrate aspects that give the best of both worlds. You can get the conveniences of virtual education, while also being able to meet with teachers and fellow students in-campus and establish connections that you just can’t get online.”

With Philippine education apparently bound to fully return in-campus in a few weeks, one wonders whether schools — specifically those that have invested heavily into making the online learning experience work — will completely revert to an exclusively face-to-face setup. In my experience, the experiences written above, as well as the unwritten experiences I have heard from graduate students from various walks of life, it seems that the ideal scenario is to ensure options in the future. Full face-to-face, fully online, and hybrid options should be made available to ensure each student can utilize the mode of learning that works for their personal situation and the kind of learner they are.

No matter the mode though, the challenge always remains—how can we make education work better?