Students who have attended university since before 2020 have seen their experience change through all stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
People went from an in-person teaching culture to having everything on Zoom, to a hybrid mix, and now normality is creeping back in. For many courses, some form of in-person teaching has resumed.
Mixed Feelings on Normal Teaching Returning
There are many emotions as normal life tries to return in education. There are mixed feelings for what type of learning suits people’s mindsets more. Speaking with some students across different universities allowed for a range of what people prefer to be viewed.
In Favour of Online Teaching
A student who studied history as an undergraduate at Cardiff University throughout the pandemic explained their thoughts on how their teaching changed. They said that, although Zoom was an alien platform to many in March 2020, they adapted to this new style and quite liked being able to log in from the comfort of their own home.
This way, you could access what you needed at the touch of a button. This was preferred by some, rather than having to travel to a certain location to get the same results as you would online. This student did however also state how challenging it could be when trying to get one-on-one time with a tutor or lecturer.
Online learning was also highlighted as a challenging time during exams, when in-person teaching can help to clarify issues or narrow down on what needs to be done. Some students believe their results would have been different, and potentially better, if in-persons had continued.
With online exams taken at home, external factors such as noise, neighbours, and internet problems all contributed to their final exam result.
Courses that Required Hands on Learning
A medicine student from Birmingham University also told me what it was like for them in the pandemic.
Online learning for them did not have the same engagement levels as if you were to attend in person. They found it hard to conduct their studies out of their typical daily routines.
Physical examinations and practicals were still all conducted in person. However, due to the high amounts of PPE they had to wear to keep themselves and others safe, you could hardly hear what people were saying.
Group work became more individual based practical work, meaning you didn’t get to learn from practicals as much as in previous years. This student was pleased for things to return to normal as quickly as possible.
For humanities subjects, online was perhaps easier to translate what needed to be taught. But this student has highlighted that, for medical courses, the struggles they found themselves in from 2020 to the latter half of 2021 were vast.
Is In-Person Best?
From these two examples, I think it is evident that nothing can ever really replace the benefits of in-person teaching. Having the ability to talk to your lecturer individually and discuss any issues you may be experiencing can be an unbelievable help.
Also, for more practical courses, less PPE and more group work allows for teaching to be at its finest once again.
However it does show that, for some, the convenience of online teaching helped their attendance and gave them more time to dedicate to reading around their studies.
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