Since Covid Began, How have Online Classes Affected Students’ Learning?

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Since Covid Began, How Have Online Classes Affected Students’ Learning?
After the Covid-19 outbreak, significant health measures were enacted in response. In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared, “The disease a global pandemic, following adverse health implications and a high rate of the disease spread” (Armstrong-Mensah et al.). Protective measures like social distancing and temporary closure of educational facilities paved the way for distance learning to allow students to continue with education. However, “The introduction of online classes during and after the pandemic has not been without impacts on the learning process like difficulties for most students to understand concepts, isolation, and limitation to technology efficiencies” (Bolliger and Halupa). From what I have learned in the media, some college students like Daniel Goldberg said that remote earning was a game-changer. In this paper, the aim is to address how online classes affect students’ learning by enabling flexibility, adverse interruption of attention, and lack of social contact with peers.
Classroom Flexibility
Online courses allowed more flexibility, especially for part-time students, in scheduling studies and acquiring the autonomy to choose more comfortable learning environments. Morris and Anthes said, “Distance learning, mobile studying, or online learning is a form of education that physically separates instructors and students during the teaching process.” According to the authors, such studying is facilitated by many technologies and tools that enrich the learning experience, facilitating communications. “Among the major arguments associated with e-learning, like its affordability and accessibility, flexibility is an exciting aspect whereby learners can schedule and plan time for the completion of courses. Instead of attending classes as a requirement, students can decide and allocate their own time for learning. Such control allows learners coordinate education around individual commitments and ensures learning at the best time. Students can learn at their own pace, alleviating too much pressure” (Dhawan). The case of Daniel Goldberg, a 24-years old law student at Arizona State University, is an exemplary scenario of the relevance of online classes in terms of flexibility. Before the pandemic, Mr. Goldberg, who had a painful, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, missed classes whenever he needed medical attention. But over the past academic year, he didn’t miss a single class, and he said he had become a better student. His health condition left him immune-compromised and more vulnerable to the coronavirus. As in-person classes resumed, Mr. Goldberg opted to ask for online accommodations(Morris and Anthes). Due to his physical illness, the student could not attend in-person courses on time. The flexibility of online courses helped him attend classes even in the hospital room.
Chiu notes that “There has been a dramatic change in how schooling is done, due to the increased usage and application of technology as a result of online learning.” Furthermore, blended learning environments give students more flexibility than traditional classes. For instance, in physical classrooms, a student is expected to attend and take examinations at scheduled times and places, while online learning allows attending lectures from convenient rooms or completing assignments by set deadlines. There is however the need to handle the impacts of the transition as well, on the students. Bozkurt notes that “there has been reactions of anxiety on the students about transition to online learning.” The expected outcome ‘the education system has had is letting individuals with unique lifestyles participate in traditional education’ (Lee, Watson, and Watson). For example, working full time makes it hard to go to school unless a student lives near a college or university and has no further commitments after work. Indeed, it can be impossible for people seeking higher learning as parents to pursue college degrees due to time limits and life balance. Even without children to care for, seeking educational programs while working full-time can be exhaustive. Therefore, the flexibility of distance studies is integral to the entire focus of learning. Razavi states, “Universities can create high-quality multimedia experiences online whereby lectures can be recorded in HD and reused and more of professors.” Such signifies the value of recorded instructional videos from online classrooms that would allow learners to study repeatedly and enjoy flexibility.
Online learning offers student freedom and flexibility, as in the case of Jordan Witte, a senior Biochemistry major. The learner said, “I enjoy the freedom of being able to settle down wherever I please for my online coursework.” (Schlink). According to Schlink, with most online classes, some Illinois State students cited having freedom and flexibility in taking classes where they prefer and no longer remain confined to the same environments. Witte’s case help to support the notion of students being inclined to choose class locations freely in the digital age. Allen (p.69) notes that “freedom of online learning gives the learner an ability to be creative and expressive.” This essentially gives education more meaning, since innovation and creativity are a direct product.
Concerning negative impacts in large classes, students’ attention spans are reduced and hardly corrected when they lose focus. Agreeably, common challenges in studying online involve distractions that easily hijack students’ concentration. Attention span in class means a state of focus on tasks ahead without interruptions for a duration period. According to James Louis-Jean and Kenney Cenat, nearly 1.2 billion students were impacted by the Covid-19 virus due to school closure (1). Depending on household incomes, switching to remote learning was accompanied by benefits and challenges, including internet or device access. In the United States, 56% of people with a household income of $30000 had access to home internet, but only 17% can access the internet with smart devices (Louis-Jean and Cena). Such points out some challenges facing students in completing school tasks, where face-to-face teaching interaction feedback is not fully reflected. Even with access to online learning tools, Petra Poláková and Blanka Klímová inform that Attention span is shortened between 7 to 10 minutes, as the current generation of learners read less than 20% of text (4). Going digital was a vital alternative after the pandemic strike. Still, learners have had numerous issues of concern to worry about, as in the case of Charles Craig, who studies music business at Leeds College. He admits to worrying about the lack of networking opportunities if his program is delivered online. According to Craig, “Engaging with content and tutors is challenging online. I hate the disruption you get on video calls and awkward sound delays.” (Razavi). In that case, the student implies that there are t...