A Wish to Allow Valencia Students Face-to-Face Learning
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it” -Helen Keller
November 9, 2020
Valencia College has released plans for the spring semester and to the disappointment of many students, there will be more Real Time Virtual (RTV) learning in place of face-to-face courses.
It is no secret that COVID-19 continues to impact the education of college students, but how do students feel about it? I am among the disappointed. Face-to-face interaction has always been a preferred method of learning for me. I know many students can agree, it’s more challenging to self-teach.
In my time at Valencia I have spent an equal amount of time learning on campus and online. The option of online classes did allow me to work on a more flexible schedule, if needed. However, I have seen tremendous personal growth from on campus learning. Having access to professors outside of an email, makes learning more effective. Questions are answered and addressed in a timelier manner. Not that it’s the Professors fault for any delayed email responses — the pandemic has been a burden on all of us.
It doesn’t make sense to keep college students off campus. Even if there is a pandemic and numbers are rising — especially as we enter the winter months — elementary, middle, and high school students have been allowed on campus, but not college students. Children are assuming the responsibility of proper safety etiquette that adult college students are being denied. Like parents of these children, college students should have the option to complete courses face-to-face.
Most businesses have reopened and are required to follow CDC guidelines to take preventative measures. Some students have returned to work and as employees are expected to respect the guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone. As students, they don’t have that opportunity.
The concern Valencia College has shown for its staff and students is very much appreciated. Aid has been sent to those who qualified for the CARES Act. As a Valencia student in my second year, I’d like the option of face-to-face to overcome additional challenges money can’t necessarily fix. However, for the safety of my fellow students and my professors, Real Time Virtual learning and continued online courses will have to suffice.
Robert McCaffrey • Nov 12, 2020 at 8:19 pm
Those are understandable viewpoints, Denise. Many faculty and staff also want to return. We’ve taken a conservative approach because we saw the affects of the disruption that happened in spring when face-to-face classes had to suddenly move online. By keeping most instruction online, it makes it more likely that classes will avoid disruption even if we have a resurgence of the virus or a return of shut down orders.
I’m overseeing of the the areas that allowed limited face-to-face instruction in the fall. It’s been a lot of work to set up and maintain and because we were conservative, we’ve been able to avoid COVID transmission on our campus. People have been following distance and mask protocols and that’s allowed us to not interrupt class in the vast majority of cases.
We’ll expand slightly in the Spring…the main bottleneck being the support services needed to hold classes safely.
And as we progress, the situation changes. We should know in the spring term when a vaccine might be widely available. Between that, our improving treatments for COVID, and the slow increase of immunity following infections, we get closer each day to a time when it will be safe to return en masse to campus.
Lydia Joyner • Nov 10, 2020 at 6:50 pm
As a student with learning disabilities that does really well with in school teaching is what helps me survive. Since we have no school face to face I had to drop my Spanish class as I can’t hear very well, I am deaf in one ear. I have an amazing math teacher, she interacts and teaches and answers questions on zoom twice a week, but my other professors don’t use their material, they use other teachings from youtube, they also don’t do any videos of them talking or interacting. I want and truthfully need to see my professors teaching and interacting with my fellow classmates, it is the way we all grew up to learn. Interactions and school suddenly got taken away. It has left me depressed when I’m trying hard to maintain and at least pass three of my four classes.
I am one student of many and I am suffering. I am heading into my last semseter of my AA and I may not pass this semester which I am shocked over. I tried very very hard. I am an optimistic soul. With all my heart, I don’t understand how my own elementary and middle aged children can go to school and college students are not given a choice or voice other than at home. I truly want to go back to school, how do we make it optional instead of it being the only choice?
A student wanting class back says hi and hello to you all. I miss you.