How did the switch to online learning impact you?
How did you adapt to it?
T: My school rushed and closed during spring break, when a lot of kids had already gone home or gone on vacation. It was stressful to go pack my dorm and to be on two flights so close together. Online learning wasn’t bad since most of my classes had me using my laptop anyways. I just set myself into a routine like I would at school.
K: My school decided to close during spring break. I was away when it happened but I knew I would be home before classes started so I wasn’t that worried. Online learning wasn’t terrible, I have done online classes before so it was a familiar experience.
C: When my school decided to close, they did not go about it the right way. Students and teachers found out about the closing mid day during classes from a news channel notification. So the media found out before any employee or student. It all happened very quickly, which in the end I guess worked out for the better but should have been handled differently. I fortunately was not impacted by this swift change as I have taken many online classes before.
N: We also closed during spring break. All my classes were able to get things in order pretty quickly. It wasn’t much fun as being in class everyday and seeing my friends. I wouldn’t want to go back to online though.
What could’ve been done better about the switch to online learning, had there been more time?
T: Not kicking us out in 48 hours, give professors more time and structure for them to plan their classes since they’ve never taught online, and consider refunding tuition. This is especially for NYU’s art school, who relies on studio and performance time. Professors could have also been trained with Zoom better, to better decide how group projects and presentations would work.
K: My school could have prepared us or provided materials for us to take home. Adobe programs are expensive and not everyone has a computer to use at home. Since, there aren’t any dorms at Villa Maria, I think that really saved them from making any potentially harmful decisions for students out of state. Also, not every professor kept the same schedule as our inperson studios/lectures which made the switch confusing. Lots of emailing and not understanding how class was going to run gave me a lot of anxiety. Plus, my tuition rate was the same, I paid for studio time, materials, etc. and never got a refund for the wasted money.
C: Making sure teachers are taught and prepared for the switch to ensure that students would still be receiving the best education. Also making sure all students have access to a computer and internet before sending them home.
N: Everything worked out pretty well this time. If it happened again I would like our tuition to be less. There should be no reason that we had to pay full price.
What were some aspects that you liked/disliked about online learning?
T: My attention span dropped a lot, I wouldn’t pay attention at times because my teacher can’t see or hear me. It wasn’t the same level of seriousness, which was good and bad. We had more flexibility, but not a lot of incentives to do the same amount of work as pre-Covid.
K: I liked my schedule a little better because some of my classes were cut shorter and we usually only met once a week and the rest we used for projects. My motivation did drop for school and I felt rushed to complete assignments. I also really missed interacting with my peers and professors. The lack of a fun atmosphere made it harder to concentrate as well.
C: Many teachers were not certified or had any background in teaching online when everything happened, this led to many students passing classes on the fact of teachers not knowing what to do. Thankfully, all of my classes had started to become quite close with each other and we all really enjoyed helping one another so we were always in contact. We still got to meet by Zoom every Monday and Wednesday. I like that by having a class online you can still have deadlines and responsibilities, while having the freedom to do that work on your own time.
N: I liked the fact that I could do some of my classes on my own time. I also liked being able to be in class in bed. I didn’t like how some teachers would just post the lecture, and you had to figure out everything else.
For the fall semester, would you prefer to go back to in-person or stay online?
T: Go back in-person because I’m used to a different pace of life in the city and I’ve become accustomed to learning in that environment.. There’s a loss of community and communication, and not everyone may have the same resources at home.
K: I would prefer to attend in person, online classes lack a lot for art majors. I liked being in a studio, having materials, and doing hands on projects. Plus, it is way easier to get feedback in person than online. I do see the health downfall of going back to school so I would be more than happy with a hybrid schedule.
C: I would prefer to go back in person if the school feels they are able to keep us safe. Although I enjoy online classes better, you get a much better education by attending in person. The first hand experience that professors , who have been in the business, offer is like no other. Also the chance to work in a team environment with your classmates, prepares you for what it is like when you land a job in the real world.
N: It being my last year I really want to go back to campus in the fall. It will be my last time experiencing everything.