Learning must go on

BYUH students say the challenges of remote learning help them develop time management skills

BY ADAM LIVINGSTON

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Fall 2020 Semester has remained remote, leaving many students at home attending classes online rather than in-person. BYU–Hawaii students, now living throughout the world, said while there are positive aspects to remote learning, such as spending time with family, there are also downsides, such as managing time differences.

Tai Strauss, a sophomore from Japan studying accounting, shared how his exercise science classwork became tedious when the Winter 2020 Semester transitioned to remote learning. “When it transitioned to online, all I did was watch the Olympic games and write information. It stank because I wanted to do more physical activities, but the class turned into tedious work.”

Chad Newman, a freshman from California studying biology, said the transition to remote learning was much smoother this semester than during the Winter 2020 Semester. “That transition was a little chaotic, especially with professors learning to teach online. I feel like things are a bit more organized this semester.”

Another downside to remote learning in Japan, for Strauss, was the time difference. Strauss stated, “There were a couple of classes I had to join in Hawaii time, which would make it 3 a.m. in Japan. [At] 3 a.m. I would wake up, put a shirt on, and try not to wake anyone up, try to stay awake and try to get any possible information in.” Strauss stated the time difference made it challenging to learn.

“Tests and presentations at 3 in the morning … affected my grades negatively,” Strauss said. “I ended up choosing pass-fail for most of my classes, which didn’t hurt me too much in the end.”

Despite the tedious online work, Strauss said remote learning had its benefits. “The benefits to [remote] school is it gives students more freedom, more self-control, more responsibilities and you learn more,” Strauss shared. “I am glad this semester they gave students the option to join in on Zoom calls, especially for a diverse school that has a student body that spans the globe.”

Newman also addressed the benefits of remote learning. “You get as much sleep as you need. Most of my classes can be done on my own time, so it’s good for my health,” expressed Newman. “It also gives students a chance to learn to be more responsible with their own time and to practice time management.”

Darren Seely, a sophomore from Canada majoring in biochemistry, said, “Remote learning has given me a lot more time with my family. I plan on leaving for my mission soon, so it was actually nice to be around my family for a little longer before I have to go.”

Seely added, “I am looking forward to school being in-person... and I am interested in seeing how the school will handle students coming back to the island.”

According to the BYUH website, the Winter 2021 Semester will offer limited in-person opportunities, with all classes still offered remotely.