It would not be unreasonable to say that many of us are unhappy with online teaching being forced upon us by this pandemic. It has had huge effects on the student population, both in terms of learning and socialisation. But it would be a mistake to write off online teaching because of these effects; many aspects can be salvaged and incorporated into our learning process going forward.
Online lectures, for starters, have certain strengths. It is impossible to miss a pre-recorded lecture, and even if they are broadcast live, they can still be recorded and uploaded to blackboard for later viewing. This is particularly useful for STEM degrees, where the lectures are the backbone of the degree.
Although online lectures ‘did the job’ and are preferable to communicating with a mask on and also risking COVID, seminars do not translate as well to the online realm as in person lectures. The tasks that have been used to replace seminars (and to supplement them), in the case of many social science/humanities subjects, take good advantage of the capabilities we have with a system like Blackboard. Replacing our seminars with these tasks has perhaps been a slap in the face for us by cutting our already limited contact time, but the tasks themselves are fun and engaging. Being set reading and writing tasks to answer set questions and receive feedback is a great supplement to seminars to make low-contact hour degrees more engaging.
Whilst online learning can create a sense of isolation, it has proven to be easier to speak up in class through a simple typed message or turning your microphone on compared to having to raise your hand in a lecture hall so your viewpoint can be heard more easily.
This past year has not been ideal, but it has still been a year of university. This gives credence to the idea that one can get an education through an online course if they choose to do so. The Open University too is a prime example of this. We are seeing universities start to consider ‘distance-learning’ courses, particularly MA’s, where it may be more affordable to study from home. This I think will help to make a university education more accessible for those who may be unable or unwilling to move away from home to get a degree. It will differ significantly in terms of experience, but it can still give the tools and knowledge that one would usually receive from a conventional degree.
There is still uncertainty surrounding university teaching that will commence in September; will it all be online? Will it be a mixture of in person and online lectures? Although everyone is desperate to get back into university and in person teaching, it may be beneficial for some lectures to remain online due to how it improves student attendance. It is simple to set up your laptop and learn from your bedroom compared to navigating your way round your university campus.
So, whilst not something many wanted this past year, online teaching still has elements which can and should be utilised in the future. We may be ready for it to come to an end, but we must not merely dismiss its methods.
