COVID
AND THE CLASSROOM By: Frank Piegari Staff Writer College is a time of great transition. For most, it is the first time that we are ever really on our own and away from our parents. We are in charge of our own laundry. We have to wake ourselves up in the morning. Essentially, it means that we are on the verge of adulthood.
But, there is a light in all of this. The Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, announced that, as of February 28, 2022, the mask mandate that has been on and off for the past few years has finally been lifted. This news is major for students, as it finally marks a return for normalcy within the classroom and is a bold step in showing that schools may be what they once were again.
An article published by www. thirdway.org presents the fact that 72% of students agreed that, "The way my institution handled the pandemic this past semester made me trust its leadership more.” This can be viewed as great news to universities and colleges. With the rise of e-learning, it has never been easier to stay connected University of St. Francis sophomore, to a classroom and your professors, no Carter St. Clair, (VP of Philosophy matter the circumstance. Club and President of Scientific Research Club) stated, “It’s definitely However, this new way of learning been very different. You never really comes with its downsides. It know what will happen next and the affects college students in big ways unknown is scary. I’m just thankful to considering how the culture of college be here and healthy.” has massively transitioned from school years prior. Students still want to learn. They want to place themselves in an Author and professor Stephanie Riegg environment where they can succeed Cellini explains her stance regarding and master skills that they will use for e-learning by stating that studies the rest of their lives. They want the conducted by Third Way found, authentic college experience. Given “Online education lowered a student’s how quickly times are changing, that final grade by about 0.2 standard possibility keeps feeling more and deviations.” more likely.
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April 1, 2022
Photo courtesy of webmd.com
College is an essential experience that many might feel they have missed out on due to the COVID-19 pandemic. How has this affected the relationship between students and their schools?
“Their work also confirms the results of previous papers, finding that the negative effect of online learning was driven by students with lower academic ability,” Cellini explained. This data effectively shows that despite e-learning being convenient and the best option for the times we find ourselves in, it is not the same as the full-fledged college experience.
