Opinions On In school And Online Learning And How It Affects Us
As of September 2020, most schools in Ontario are reopening face to face learning until a supposable second wave occurs, where online or hybrid learning will be back in place. After 3+ months of unprepared, unorganized online learning in March-June of 2020, students and parents have high expectations of the coming year's learning plan. They hope to see improvements within the system. While we were used to in-school learning, the quick switch to online school left many students very displeased with the lack of preparation, but with all summer break, the teaching staff members should have more time to prepare for the school year. Although many people felt that online learning didn't fulfill most students' academic needs, it is still a good option. In this article, we will be going over the pros and cons of online vs in school learning and how it affects students.
Pros of online learning and in school learning:
I took an online Summer school course this year, and rather than being on google classroom, prepared by one teacher; it was on a different platform called Brightspace (d2l.com). It was developed by several teachers who based the learning on the school curriculum. Although last year's online learning provided by personal teachers was quickly put together and unorganized, the experience I had with Brightspace was enjoyable and made me learn so much in a very organized way. I also wondered if some schools would be using an online platform like Brightspace for the upcoming year. Some pros of in-school learning are that you can safely reconnect with your peers. Mental health is essential, and without seeing your friends for a long time, it can have a significant effect on how you feel. By reconnecting with peers, it may help with your mental health and help you do better in school and become more social. Not only that, but you may receive a better understanding of school material when you are face to face with a teacher. This also results in better grades.
Cons in online learning and in school learning:
With pros comes with cons, and in this situation, we see quite a few. In online learning, we face many negative factors, such as (for example) the quick switch between in school and online learning in March of 2020. The immediate transition resulted in little to no preparation for the school work that students would work on. Some classes learned little to nothing within their online school experience, and in older grades, getting behind on courses is very bad. Some cons in in-school learning were that it is a high risk to everyone's health. According to CBC News (CBC.ca), the pandemic could last 2-3 years after a vaccine is discovered. To stop the spread, we have to take mandatory precautions and stay distanced. The school system isn't following these rules, however. The last thing anyone wants is for students to get covid19 and spread it to their parents, who spread it to their coworkers who spread it to even more people. This is why in school, learning is frowned upon and is not suggested until there is a vaccine. As you may be able to tell, there are many pros and cons to this situation, but there is no right answer. It all comes down to opinions and what you think is the right thing to do.
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