COVID-19 has began to reshape the way we learn. It has brought us online classes and virtual conferences, with in-person events being saved for emergencies. We’ve all probably reconsidered purchasing another WiFi extender and drank an excessive amount of coffee to keep us going as we type in another meeting password. Needless to say, we’re a bit restless, especially as the assignments begin to pile up. As we near midterm week, I have a few reminders and suggestions to professors everywhere :
- Students don’t have control over their wifi connection
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Although all of my classes have been moved online, they’re still synchronous to maintain some sense of normalcy. That being said, WiFi is my best friend and worst enemy. I couldn’t possibly live without it and always pay my bill on time, yet it lets me down at the worst times. I think I rejoin my lectures and meetings on an average of seven to ten times per week, and that’s probably downplaying it. Other times, I freeze mid-sentence and start repeating myself before getting cut off by another student speaking. I can’t control any of these things, and it’s especially embarrassing when a professor calls on me and I don’t hear them. Attendance isn’t worth risking one’s physical health, and those around us, by sitting in a coffee shop or a study lounge because professors deem participation to be mandatory.
- Mental health is at an all-time low
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Amidst the chaos that is 2020, your class may not be a student’s priority. This isn’t to say that we just ignore notifications and assignments, but academic work is becoming more of a burden and less of a learning experience. Struggling to find structure in this semester seems impossible, especially if adapting to online classes in the spring didn’t go as expected. I urge professors to be lenient with deadlines. The successes and timeliness of a few students don’t represent your class as a whole! I’m more than familiar with the “This won’t stand in the workplace; we’re preparing you for real-life” argument. But consider this- why would I willingly work for someone who isn’t concerned about my well-being? I’m not expecting to be best friends with my boss and to invite them on annual family vacations, but I do expect to be treated like a decent human being who can be overwhelmed at times. Remind your students that taking care of themselves isn’t selfish!
- Group projects aren’t always the solution
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I know that I’m not alone when I say I’ve had terrible experiences with group projects. On two different occasions, I’ve had group partners bail until a week before our final due date. It’s frustrating, to say the least. While group work certainly has its benefits, the main one being that you’re able to get multiple opinions on a matter, there are other ways! Discussion boards and peer evaluations on projects are so much simpler, while still providing students with plenty of feedback. Allow students to address an issue that they’re passionate about, and I guarantee that the end result will be worth the extra hours of grading. The chaoticness of multiple college students struggling to free up an hour of their already-busy schedule needs to end! I’ve had the best time researching relevant issues to my major and dream career, and the worst time researching something that I can’t relate to. This isn’t to be insensitive to other issues, and I’m sure that I’ll come upon projects later in life that I’m not fond of. However, that’s exactly why students need the ability to choose their topic now! College is supposed to be a time of exploration and finding oneself; the unpleasant research on uninteresting subjects can wait.
Professors, please do better in accommodating your students. We know that you’re trying your best to provide a sense of normalcy, but things probably won’t ever go back to “how they used to be”, and that’s not a bad thing. With COVID-19 comes adaption, which gives us all the more reason to redesign the college experience to better serve college students