Schools and colleges across the world have changed their systems in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. School administrators and teachers are finding ways for students to receive the same level of education they normally would in class. Classes are being taught online for teachers and students to interact with each other during the coronavirus pandemic. Schools are starting to become familiar with a variety of online communication platforms such as Google Hangouts, Google Classroom, and Zoom.
Teachers are experimenting with ways to interact with their students and to teach them efficiently through online platforms. With the sudden change, it may be difficult for some teachers to adapt and plan instructions for their classes. Some teachers choose to record videos of themselves and post them online for their students to watch and take notes. On the other hand, some prefer to teach their class at a specific time through a livestream so they can immediately answer questions and concerns students may have. Teachers are slowly adapting to the new teaching environment and are providing their students with important updates, such as how tests and quizzes will be graded and how classwork and homework will be assigned in the future. A main concern teachers have with online classes are exams because it is difficult to know which students are being academically honest. Teachers have set time limits and told students to turn on their cameras while taking exams, but it is still hard to monitor if students are cheating since they are not in the same room.
Many students are finally receiving their wish of not going to school. With online schools, there is a lot of time flexibility, the ability to have a self-generated pace, and access to notes online. Students are now catching up on a lot of sleep and focusing on their mental health rather than waking up early with a lack of energy. Teachers often post their notes online, allowing students to have full access to them. This benefits students since they can always go back and review the material rather than taking their own notes. Students who have difficulties with learning are able to work at their own pace since they can always revisit the online lectures. But despite these benefits, some students are not excited that schools are now online. Some kids may live in abusive households, and find safety in schools, where they are provided with meals and trusted adults. Others may be struggling financially and are not able to afford computers to learn online. Lastly, students who require face to face learning with their teachers may struggle adapting to online classes.
Since the idea of online school is very new to many teachers and students, school districts are providing teachers and staff with time to plan and figure out how they will manage their classes in the near future. When starting online classes, there is no rush to catch up with the time missed, but instead school administrators are taking this one step at a time to slowly let staff and students become comfortable with the online platforms to avoid confusion.