Distance Learning: As the World Stops, Our Education Continues

The spring semester came to halt in the middle of March when New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced that all CUNY and SUNY schools will be moving to a distance learning model starting March 19^th in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after, public schools around the country began to follow suit. Although this was a huge adjustment which affected students of all ages, the overall feeling of gratitude from students, parents and teachers resonates.

How are students adjusting to distance learning?

For many, especially younger students, who have never taken an online class before, transitioning from face-to-face instruction to online learning, has been quite an adjustment. Ten-year-old Jaimee Soto who attends public school in Kissimmee, Florida, shared it has been difficult to figure out how to work online and not having the ability to ask questions when she does not understand something.

Similarly, Queens native Dayanna Valencia who is a biology major at York College, explains that she has never experienced online schooling before either as she feels like she learns better inside a classroom. “One of the many challenges that I have faced is lack of motivation,” Valencia said in an email interview, clarifying she gets easily distracted at home. 

How do we find the balance?

Finding the balance is perhaps one of the hardest parts of distance learning, especially for parents with school aged children. Even harder when you consider some young families have other kids in the household who aren’t in school yet. Many parents also have other roles that they already held before adding “teacher” to the list.

Kimberly Sequeira is a mom of three young kids, the oldest which was midway through kindergarten when this pandemic hit New York, and two younger kids aged 2 and 6 months. She expressed the difficulty of turning off play time and focusing on schoolwork, “The work gets done, but it has to be throughout the day. [My son] is 5, so he can sit for about 30mins at a time to work.” Sequeira also shared that on the brighter side, she believes this is a once in a life time experience that she is optimistically taking advantage of, “There will never be another time that my kids will be able to have both parents at home with them. There are definitely less rules and more play time.” 

Milaya Wilson is also a parent who did not expect to be adding teacher to her many titles which already include housewife, mother, and student, during this pandemic. Wilson has two children who are currently in public school as well two who are younger. She shared in an email interview that having two different kids in two different grade levels at the same time has been difficult. “It is more time consuming, but [working with them] one at a time is easier, at least for me and my family.”

Every family is taking a unique approach and figuring out day to day what works for them.

Gratitude and Resilience

The president of York College, Dr. Berenecea Johnson-Eanes said in an email to the York community “we have all had to reengineer how we live our personal, educational and professional lives to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.” Having the alternative option to protect ourselves while not having to put education on the back burner has above all spoken volumes. Sequeria shared she is proud of the work her and her son have been doing together, “I will cherish this extra time we have been given.”

Biology professor at York College, Dr. Louis Levinger shared in an email interview that he has heard of at least one college where online instruction has collapsed leaving students with approximately nothing educational for the rest of the semester. “My impression is that [York College] has done well,” said Levinger.

“It takes a village.”

A cliché that is very much prevalent during this time of separation.

Although we are all quarantined, having a strong support team is imperative. Parents Sequiera and Wilson both commend their kid’s teachers for the adaptability they have shown. Sequiera shared her son’s teacher has been keeping them engaged, “We definitely [have] received enough work, assignments, videos, websites and optional projects to keep us busy.”  

Valencia spoke about the vast amount of emails she has received from CUNY regarding updates on COVID-19 and how you can get a computer or iPad if needed for distance learning. “I do believe we are getting enough support because even if the college is closed, most offices are still working from home and you can easily set up a [virtual] meeting and speak to any office if needed.”

Dr. Levinger also expressed that the support to help with the transition has been outstanding. “[York College] ran very worthwhile [virtual] sessions to help the faculty get adjusted and continue to have a real-time Q/A session that I have used a couple of times.”

How do we move forward?

CUNY has already announced that all summer classes will be offered completely online. Valencia explained that distance learning for the fall could be a viable option although she would be disappointed.  “I am still adjusting to distance learning and I struggle quite a lot, but there is a pandemic going on and I would rather not expose my loved ones or other people,” said Valencia.

It was also recently announced that public schools will be closed throughout the end of the school year. One worry that is on the back of everyone’s mind is that education may be compromised.

Adjusting to these non-ideal circumstances

We are clearly not living in ideal times. For both Dr. Levinger and Valencia, the hardest adjustment has been the lack of laboratory instruction. Dr. Levinger shared “My reservation is that lab instruction should be done with real molecular biological samples, [while] walking through previous semesters’ results has a lot of benefits, it also has real limitations.”

Wilson ended the email interview by stating, “I feel like this transition is going to be a challenge for all parents and guardians who aren’t used to being a “teacher.” I know we teach our kids’ stuff all the time, but it is very different when it comes to schooling. Wanting to make sure your child doesn’t get left behind and has a successful school year next year.”

Ensuring no kid gets left behind is something that Cuomo and New York City mayor Bill de Blasio have been thinking about. Talks have even been in the works regarding distance learning continuing into the summer, a consideration for students who are not meeting standards or who had a delayed start to distance learning because of lack of technology.

In addition, CUNY has implemented a credit/no credit policy, which offers students the option to opt out of receiving a letter grade on their transcript that they are not happy with due to the unforeseen conditions the semester took.

At the end of it all, we do not know what the near future has in store for us, and this pandemic has taught us all that we must take it one day at a time. One thing that everyone has proven during this time is that we must remain resilient and be thankful for the option to stay safe and continue our education.