DISTANCE LEARNING: what worked, what didn’t Phoebe Gulsen Distance learning has affected every student and teacher differently, as online learning provides both positive and negative aspects. “Some advantages to distance learning are that all assignments are digital, which means less physical paperwork for both students and teachers, and the encouragement of student advocacy to schedule office hours or to communicate with the teachers through email, which are valuable skills for the future,” freshman English teacher Tiffany Jay said. Communication between teachers and students is reflected in student feedback as well, and the challenging adaptation to distance learning has not gone unappreciated. “Most of my teachers have done a great job reaching out to students and adapting their lessons,” freshman Megan Reda said. According to the George Lucas Educational Foundation, the most common issues students and teachers are coming across during distance learning are tech issues, problems creating structure to an online class, and the lack of motivation and peer work that students are accustomed to. “It is so difficult being able to check in with students. Sometimes students do not read their Zoom chat and if students have their cameras off and do not respond, I am unable to tell whether they are in the class or not. I think this broadly applies to checking in to see if students are okay, following up on missing or incomplete assignments, asking students if they need support, or just establishing a connection with students and whole classes, which is so important to me as a teacher,” Jay said. Many students feel the same way about
the disconnect between themselves and their peers during classtime. For particular students, collaboration helps them understand the content more clearly, and the lack thereof is an issue. “I have noticed that the energy level in my classes is extremely low compared to in-person school, and this can lower motivation. A lot of people have their cameras off and I miss being in class with others,” Reda said. This disconnect is leading to problems. According to the Diplomatic Language Services, teachers are having trouble catering to students’ different learning styles, and the canyon of communication is proving difficult between teachers and students that might not be reaching out. “In distance learning, students are doing the best that they can, but breakout rooms are not the same as having table groups and being able to check in with neighbors. I also think that all around, we are experiencing more technical glitches whether that is shaky WiFi, faulty mics, or Zoom kicking students off. All of us are just making the best with the situation that we are presented with,” Jay said. By this point in the year, both teachers and students have recognized the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning, and that they can be different for every person. Not every student or teacher is the same, and different things work for different people. Overall, many issues overlap between both teachers and students, from social disconnect, lack of motivation, to tech issues. “Flexibility is the key to aiding everyone in this learning position. This situation is far from perfect, but until we are able to safely return to the classroom, our reality is to do everything we can to ensure that learning happens in the digital classroom,” Jay said.
FEBRUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 37
