Profs prepare

Virus changes class structure

BY PAIGE CHESTNUT

Pierce College professors are preparing their online coursework for the upcoming semesters as courses are expected to remain online at least through spring.

As a result of COVID-19, the past two semesters professors have adapted their in-person courses to be taught online.

Benny Ng, an assistant professor of chemistry, said in a phone interview that adapting his chemistry classes to an online format has been difficult, but has its upsides.

“Chemistry is a pretty handson discipline, you have the lab component and observations are better to make in person, so it’s been challenging,” Ng said. “But it also gave us the opportunity to go back and think about the current situation and what we really want our students to understand from the lab. So in terms of analyzing data, thinking about how to do the experiment, coming up with an experimental her daughter on a schedule that also worked out with her own class schedule.

“It’s been nice to have the support from the Child Development Center,” Day said. “They’ve always been wonderful on campus and online. They’re doing their absolute best, and the fact that my daughter is still able to continue on semi-normal in what we have going on right now is extremely helpful.” tanas.roundupnews@gmail.com design procedure, I think there’s new stuff that a student can do using computer software, for example.”

For inquiries about the LAPC’s Child Development Center, parents can either email the center’s senior office assistant Jacqueline Pacheco through the center’s website at http:// www.piercecollege.edu/offices/child_ development_center/.

Howard Schwesky, a professor of mathematics, said during a phone interview how difficult the transition has been for students and faculty.

“Not only is it challenging for us, the faculty, but it's very, very challenging for the students,” Schwesky said. “As far as me being a teacher, it's definitely more challenging because one thing I'd like to build is a rapport with my students. You can sort of do that with Zoom, but I'm used to having actual live people, faces in front of me.”

Schwesky included that he now makes multiple versions of exams for his courses, as one of his classes recently underwent a cheating scandal.

James McKeever, a professor of sociology, also taught all in-person classes before the pandemic. He explained in a phone interview how he had to make major adjustments to convert his classes to fit an online format.

“I made assignments on Canvas for them and videotaped my lectures that I usually do face to face,” McKeever said. “I created quizzes and had a once a week discussion section so they could come in and we could discuss the material further. I wanted to create something that felt a little bit more like a classroom to them so that the students who hate being online and all the extra written work would have an option in my course.”

“I have been staying in contact with friends by messages, facetime, and in person,” Urrutia said. “We get tested for COVID before we hang out to make sure we don’t have it and spread it. When we hang out we tend to watch movies, do homework together, and get something to eat.”

Aileen Salazar has also been taking precautions to prevent catching the virus.

“I have been in contact with friends, mostly through social media,” Salazar said. “But when I do see friends in person we get tested first, unless it’s friends that I’ve been in contact with consistently, which is only about 4 people, and we know we are all being safe.”

Some people, such as Michaela Manacheri, have struggled to stay home. Manacheri said seeing friends physically is better for her mental health.

“In the beginning I didn’t see anyone,” Manacheri said. “I stayed at home and then eventually I got over it and started seeing my friends at their house or going on hikes with them or going to the beach.”

Others, such as Hailey Sanchez, have been seeing friends virtually.

“For hanging out or contact with friends it would be no more than 5 of us with our masks on in an open area,” Sanchez said. “The pandemic really unmotivated me to do stuff since it changed my life somewhat so when I’m with friends we still take precautions.”

Josie Trinidad keeps in touch with her work friends under many rules and regulations and with other friends through FaceTime.

Trinidad said her friends distract her from the pandemic.

“I believe it’s safer to see them virtually under some circumstances,” Trinidad said.

“The only time I see my friends face to face is at work, but at work, we’re constantly washing our hands, but most importantly we always have our masks on, as more should as well.”

Some people can’t see their friends because they have busy schedules, such as Yvette Perez.

“I’ve been texting my friends,” Perez said. “It’s been hard because we all have different schedules. We don’t FaceTime because we can’t find the time to because we all picked up jobs or dedicated more time for school. But when I talk to friends it feels like a sense of relief, like a break from what’s happening and it’s just nice to talk to friends again.”