Does Dana’s Schedule Change Do More Harm Than Good?
As of the nineteenth of April, the students of Dana attend school four days a week after a virtual Monday. If one was already hybrid, they have automatically been enrolled in the full four days a week in person schedule. If one was 100% virtual, they remain 100% virtual unless they request their name on a waitlist to attend school in person. But does the new schedule do more harm than good?
The change goes both ways. Dolphins have to either choose one or the other. Completely different forms of learning with no in between. Either virtual only; no on campus activity unless for sports and/or other happenings, or either in person almost full time, just as it had been this fall. With two absolutely dissimilar forms of attending schools comes two unreservedly different forms of learning.
Most are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of being in person versus online when learning. In person, students are more likely to understand material and become better educated in their subjects than those online. They are surrounded by peers and can reach out to teachers with more ease.
Online, students tend to seek the internet when troubled. Though they can shoot a text to their friends or email to their teachers, the internet has its benefits in holding innumerable answers and lessons. It’s immediate feedback may make it reliable for online students, but all the same, not enough to develop the same understanding in person students get.
In person, students must complete most of their work in person, including tests and quizzes. For the majority, students completing assignments virtually have much less the burden of the pressure that comes with certain work.
At home, in a comfortable place with access to various needed resources at hand can make online work a no brainer when it comes to pressure. But sooner or later, the socialization aspect comes to play. In person four days is four days of some much needed socializing after all of these months in lockdown.
Online, socializing is at a budget. Many maintain the preference of being online because they get enough out of extra-curriculars where they do come to campus or because they are simply okay with less social interaction.
Maybe they prefer to stay home. Home can be a safe haven to some. Online can also be nice given that preparing for school is not as prolonged as preparation for in person learning. Specifically, the extra sleep can be nice. Students can complete work on their own time more so, improving efficiency and minimizing homework. Sometimes though, having eyes on a screen for such a large chunk of the day can be blight. Glasses that make the blue light easier on the eyes are a fair idea that many students already partake in.
Overall, Dana’s new schedule does both harm and good. The dependent variable is an individual’s preference on how they want to go about school for the remaining weeks.