Students adjust to online learning

Historic pandemic forces students to use Canvas to take their classes.

Last+year%2C+everything+was+normal+until+COVID-19+forced+a+shut-down.+Students+must+now+take+classes+online+using+the+learning+management+system+Canvas.

Tatiana Martinez

Last year, everything was normal until COVID-19 forced a shut-down. Students must now take classes online using the learning management system Canvas.

Tatiana Martinez, Reporter

As the COVID-19 pandemic endures through the world, students continue to work hard to move forward. Last year, classes ended a couple of months earlier than expected. Due to the pandemic, we began our school year on Chromebooks and laptops.

So far, students have finished a semester of schooling and are looking to see what the future has in store. They have had four months to adjust to the new school, which has been good for most students. CJ Enriquez, 12, has been able to adapt and work with the new curveballs.  

“The first quarter has been cool. I get a lot of my work done quickly, and I can easily communicate with my teachers,” Enriquez said. “Honestly, switching to online has been very easy. Next quarter will be great because I have been able to adjust quickly.”

As we continued into the second quarter, students were now familiar with the technology. The only difference was that deadlines have now been put on to assignments, with some courses docking points for late work.

Leila Larivee, 12, has been able to make more time for her hobbies, and is ready for the rest of the year. 

”The first quarter was actually great, because it made it easier to manage my hobbies, job, and schoolwork,” Larivee said. “I’m feeling good about quarter two now that I know what to expect. It’ll be easier and better.”

 Although we have begun to adjust to virtual schooling, there have been talks about switching to hybrid. The CCSD Board of Trustees is meeting Jan. 14 to discuss and vote on a plan. Some students are excited about this while others are not.

As students have just finished up semester one all online, the possibility of switching to  hybrid schooling means that we would have two days at school and three online. This’ll create more work for teachers as they would have to make paper assignments and electronic assignments. 

Students also worry that it will affect their new schedule, since they have more time to have a job and focus on their hobbies during distanced education.  

”Hybrid learning isn’t going to be my thing because I enjoy distance learning much more,” Enriquez said. “My schedule is working with school, so if I chose hybrid it would just make issues, and I’d have to spend more time trying to solve it.”

Students do have the option to stay online if they choose to, and many do prefer to stay online. They have created their new routine and schedule that works for them.

Hybrid does mean that our “free” Wednesdays will be taken away, and the plan is to have students take two classes in person. The third class of the day will be taken online. Students who do decide to stay online will have to follow the schedule of the in-person classes, as teachers will have to try and teach both classes at the same time.

Clubs wouldn’t be able to be held after school like normal; meetings would still have to be online, and sports are still up in the air. Students will most likely eat lunch at their desks and would not be able to speak with each other unless their mask is on. Teachers and students must strictly adhere to the six feet distance rule as well as only have CDC approved masks. 

“I would choose to stay online because I like working in my little space and it keeps me motivated,” says Kara Roberson, 12. “I actually prefer being online a lot more, and I get my assignments done quicker.”

This affects teachers just as much as students. The teachers will now have to schedule two lesson plans, which would double their work amount. They will need to create in-person and online assignments.

Some students would like to go back, however, and try to get an in-school learning experience, including seniors such as Austin Moler and Zackary Smith. All students learn differently, and many learn better in person. 

“For me it helps me with learning because I’m a hands-on learner,” Moler said. “I’m tired of being at home, and I just want to be sitting in a classroom learning so that I can really understand the subject. It provides a better learning experience for me.” 

For seniors, their final year of high school was taken away. They didn’t get a homecoming or a senior sunrise. Graduation may still be up in the air, so perhaps this new system of schooling in person will be their way of getting normalcy and genuinely feeling like they are having a senior year.

“I am a hands-on learner, and in classes like video production and yearbook, it’s easier to do the classes in person rather than online,” Smith said. “In a lot of classes, it’s just easier to be in school learning. Being with others helps with learning as well since you get some type of interaction.”

 

Last year everything was normal until COVID protocols were put into place this year. Student must now take classes online on canvas.