Smiling into my computer camera two summers ago, I proudly concluded my virtual presentation before pasting a zoom link into my browser and joining my next class. Later that evening, I worked online with my two lab partners, neither of whom I’d met in person, to code a robot to play go-fish. As a result of the pandemic, my life, and especially my education, experienced a turn toward digital and virtual communications over the past three years. While in previous years I would have been attending the PA Governor’s School for the Sciences in person, the program was now fully equipped to run virtually. The previous year, I took an online class in Java Programming, which was taught completely asynchronously rather than by an in-person instructor. These change was mirrored by my school, which now offered virtual classes on snow days, the college admissions process, which now provides interactive virtual information sessions, and a general increase in reliance on virtual programs, like Canvas and TopHat, for education. On a much broader scale, there has been a tangible shift in the way our society learns, works, and collaborates. While the pandemic acted as a catalyst, our society embraced this change and will be remembered for its necessary leap forward into the world of virtual communications. However, while this technology has catapulted us into the future, what are the adverse affects that might fall on students?
Up until 2020, we limited ourselves through our adherence to in-person participation. It has always been the expectation that school must be taught in person and employees must come into the office. However, when forced into changing this mentality, we used the opportunity to revolutionize our industries. Now, companies no longer need to limit their hiring to their local communities, and schools can teach students hundreds of miles away. One hundred years from now, we will be remembered as the social era that proved virtual school and work are not only possible, but sustainable. But is it healthy? Before this major technological advance, students were able to achieve a better separation of school and home life. Grades were given back in class, rather than through phone notifications during dinner. Snow days weren’t accompanied by the added stress of completing additional online assignments. Quizzes could be taken in class, void of distractions, rather than busy and noisy environments that decrease student performance. This separation that used to exist allowed students to better compartmentalize their work loads and prevented constant stress and anxiety. While we have created wonderful and useful tools for the advancement of education, have we sacrificed student mental health in the process?
Even in virtual meetings, clicking from meeting to meeting, without leaving one’s desk, can be both isolating and physically unhealthy. That goes not only for students, but for professors, administrators, and graders too. The same students who have a world of information at their fingertips struggle to stay engaged through an often dark and usually muted screen. As presented by an article from the organization Education Week, research suggests that, “In comparisons of online and in-person classes, however, online classes aren’t as effective as in-person classes for most students.” Perhaps online education can be more convenient, but student outcomes are sacrificed in the process. It can be much harder to focus and process information when it is presented in an online format. Conducting class in an online meeting style also means that students are not guaranteed a supportive learning environment: they may face additional visual, auditory, or environmental distractions. Additionally, in improving our productivity, limiting our communication to only the virtual world can be equally saddening and prevent important social interactions. Students have fewer opportunities to build friendships, networks, and create support systems. They also have a harder time developing relationships with their instructors, which further hinders their learning goals.
As new legislature is presented and the public school system continues to change, it will be critical to reconcile this polarity. How can we harness the advantages of virtual communications while maintaining the engagement enabled by face-to-face contact? It is my hope that when we look back, we will remember this society for bringing forward this technological transition mindfully. Students need a balance of online and in-person education that will take into account the added stress of online grading and assignments and the difficulty of social interaction online. This can be achieved by recognizing the drawbacks of over-reliance on technology. In virtual classes, instructors can take charge of fostering student relationships by frequently using breakout rooms and small group discussions. They can also call on students and emphasize student engagement to help maintain student focus during class. To prevent some student stress, instructors can specify when exam and homework grades will be released (preferably during class time) and set due dates directly before class time, to encourage students to create a separation of school and personal life. According to Dr. Greenan from the Communications Department at the University of Indianapolis, supportive online learning environments can be created two key ways: “1) synchronous teaching and learning, and 2) self-disclosure for fostering student engagement, creating relationships, and building supportive class communities.” Prioritizing these actions will help to maximize student performance and happiness in the classroom. While we were quick to embrace the virtual environment in 2020, over the next few years, we have the power and responsibility to choose where virtual learning and communications are appropriate, and where personal interactions are critical. We have the opportunity to continue technological breakthroughs to combine and optimize virtual and traditional interactions.
Citations:
Greenan, Kathleen A. “The Influence of Virtual Education on Classroom Culture.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 5 Jan. 2021, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2021.641214/full.
Loeb, Susanna. “How Effective Is Online Learning? What the Research Does and Doesn’t Tell Us (Opinion).” Education Week, Education Week, 21 Nov. 2022, https://www.edweek.org/technology/opinion-how-effective-is-online-learning-what-the-research-does-and-doesnt-tell-us/2020/03.