CONTRIBUTED: The Coronavirus pandemic has been a struggle for many people around the world. One of the most impacted groups is students. They have had to endure a plethora of changes to make sure they still received an education while staying safe from the virus. College students have been particularly impacted by the pandemic; however, there are ways college students can still succeed.
Kirkwood Community College Digital Media Assistant Professor, Randy Langel, has seen a few things that the pandemic has done to help students. He said when students have online classes that meet over Zoom, they tend to have a higher attendance. If a student wakes up late, they need less time to make themselves ready for a class over Zoom.
Although many classes have Zoom options, Langel recommended students decrease the amount of screen time as much as possible outside of class to make sure their day isn’t just spent in front of a screen, or “a bunch of pixels.”
Langel also talked about how many people described as “introverts” are succeeding during the pandemic because they are more likely to put all their efforts into online discussions. Hybrid classes are well liked from students, according to Langel, as they like to touch base once a week. This meeting makes the connection between student and instructor. He said they don’t like having to come to class three times a week and enjoy the freedom of not being on campus all the time.
There have been many guidelines and policies released by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kirkwood to protect students while continuing to provide a valuable education. “Kirkwood has done a great job making everyone feel safe during the pandemic,” said Langel.
One policy helping students succeed is the smaller class sizes needed to maintain social distancing. Smaller class sizes enable better discussion between the instructor and their students.
With all the downsides of this pandemic, many instructors are doing whatever it takes to ensure students can succeed in their classes and join their respective fields. With hard work, determination, less screen time, and more personal care for physical and mental health, college students can succeed despite the pandemic.
Categories: Contributed, Opinion
