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Impact of Covid-19 and Online Lectures
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The reasons for why students preferred online or physical lectures presents as follows:
In favour of Online Lectures; ● Less Travel and avoiding traffic and thus decreasing stress that comes with commuting ● Physical lectures often result in fatigue due to having long hours at university with most hours being free hours between lectures. ● Online lectures can be recorded and rewatched after.
Against Online Lectures; ● Too difficult to concentrate. Zoom fatigue was an issue brought up a lot. ● Physical lectures allow for more participation. ● Productivity decreases with online lectures. ● Student’s social life is greatly impacted. ● Online learning is less stimulating.
Other points; ● Online learning should not be eradicated but not be the norm, as it does have some positives to it. ● If online learning must persist due to the situation, at least tutorials and lab sessions should be physical.
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Impact of Covid-19 and Online Lectures
Do you feel that your university experience has improved as you have been promoted from one year to another or has your experience diminished? Why?
While a few did feel like their experience improved or remained the same, most responded that their experience had diminished. The reasons for this consist of; ● A great increase in stress, ● not much of a university experience to be had this year, ● online lectures, ● many cancelled events.
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How helpful do you feel that the faculty of science has been in light of the current pandemic?
All things considered, students did compliment the shift the faculty made to online learning as a swift and efficient one. Many of the staff were also helpful and supportive. Problems tended to result from miscommunication and on a case-by-case basis where students felt as though they were treated unfairly such as having their opinions disregarded and being refused extensions on an assignment during a very busy week.
This is a question for first year students. How has the pandemic impacted your settling into University?
When first year students were asked how the pandemic affected their settling into university, they felt that they had barely experienced university at all, not even knowing what the campus looks like or had any familiarity with their classmates or lecturers. Academically, it was not that bad, yet it was strenuous on the student's mental health. International students found it even more difficult, not being able to meet new people and being stuck at home knowing very few people in the country.
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