Written by Nanthini Suresh
One
of the most memorable years of a person's life is college. It's a very
different experience than school. College life introduces us to new experiences
and things with which we were previously unfamiliar. Students live and study in
close proximity at universities and college campuses.
The
fast spread of the corona virus (Covid-19) outbreak has recently undermined the
foundations of this unique ecology, causing uncertainty about the ramifications
for higher education.
In
response to the rising corona virus outbreak, education officials have been
compelled to cancel classes and close campuses our country due to this
pandemic.
While
class cancellations, enrollment drops at the start of a new semester, and class
closures may be temporary, it's difficult to predict if the novel corona virus
will cause long-term damage to higher education.
Basically,
not having physical lessons and activities on campus seems perfect, as it
reduces the chance of Covid-19 exposure and spread by avoiding crowds and
allowing students to learn from the comfort of their own homes. But how does it
feel in the real world?
In
most universities, online teaching methods or e-learning are currently in
place and used every semester, but a complete conversion to online learning
would present certain problems, according to the report. Students may not be
able to adapt to the use of online classes or assignments if the physical
semester is converted to totally online.
Because
of a lack of self-discipline or because they prefer face-to-face learning, some
students may lack motivation and interest in following through with online
sessions. Online learning is more akin to self-learning, in which students can
miss an online class and blame it on a weak internet connection. Although
some students may have difficulty accessing the internet, online learning will
reduce learning efficiency when compared to face-to-face instruction.
However,
there is a significant problem with internet availability, particularly for
students in remote areas of Sabah, who complain that “the line is weak” and
that reaching them by phone is difficult.
During
this MCO and CMCO time, most students had adapted to the usage of e-learning
and were performing great, except during the earlier stages when they were
familiarizing themselves with the systems and means of communication.
Some
students claimed that they struggled with e-learning owing to stress, as
lecturers tend to provide more homework in this mode.
Hands-on
courses have been replaced by virtual versions for students working on
final-year projects because access to labs and other facilities on campus is
now mainly forbidden.
This
situation puts students in the unenviable position of having to choose between
physically completing hands-on courses, which would extend their semester and
graduation date as they would have to wait for face-to-face mode to be
permitted, or completing all hands-on courses online, which would allow them to
graduate on time despite losing some practical experience.
Given
the availability of reasonable prepaid internet packages on the market,
students should consider strategies to overcome their existing difficulties,
but it is also suggested that the government collaborate with telecom to
develop affordable programs to assist students.
The
university can provide online counselling sessions for students who are
stressed out by the e-learning mode, as well as free Massive Open Online
Courses (MOOC) to allow students to learn new skills during this period of
movement restrictions. The university can also offer coupons or vouchers for
subsidies to some students for the purchase of e-learning gadgets.
There
are numerous options for public and private university administrators to
explore, including a 50% return of lodging fees or a prorated refund based on
the number of weeks the students used the services.
Universities
should examine the total fees imposed on students, keeping tuition rates the
same but lowering the fee for facilities because most students would not be on
campus to use the facilities.
With
the disease's spread predicted to intensify before improving, administrators
should move quickly to protect their schools and students in advance of
possible closures.
It's
not all doom and gloom, though. The higher education sector has survived
difficult economic times in the past, and it will do so again. Universities and
colleges are better positioned than ever before in the digital age to give
students with convenient access to complete their education online.
