Since Covid Began, How have Online Classes Affected Students’ Learning?

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Since Covid Began, How Have Online Classes Affected Students’ Learning?
After the Covid-19 outbreak, significant health measures were enacted in response. In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared, “The disease a global pandemic, following adverse health implications and a high rate of the disease spread” (Armstrong-Mensah et al.). Protective measures like social distancing and temporary closure of educational facilities paved the way for distance learning to allow students to continue with education. However, “The introduction of online classes during and after the pandemic has not been without impacts on the learning process like difficulties for most students to understand concepts, isolation, and limitation to technology efficiencies” (Bolliger and Halupa). From what I have learned in the media, some college students like Daniel Goldberg said that remote earning was a game-changer. In this paper, the aim is to address how online classes affect students’ learning by enabling flexibility, adverse interruption of attention, and lack of social contact with peers.
Classroom Flexibility
Online courses allowed more flexibility, especially for part-time students, in scheduling studies and acquiring the autonomy to choose more comfortable learning environments. Morris and Anthes said, “Distance learning, mobile studying, or online learning is a form of education that physically separates instructors and students during the teaching process.” According to the authors, such studying is facilitated by many technologies and tools that enrich the learning experience, facilitating communications. “Among the major arguments associated with e-learning, like its affordability and accessibility, flexibility is an exciting aspect whereby learners can schedule and plan time for the completion of courses. Instead of attending classes as a requirement, students can decide and allocate their own time for learning. Such control allows learners coordinate education around individual commitments and ensures learning at the best time. Students can learn at their own pace, alleviating too much pressure” (Dhawan). The case of Daniel Goldberg, a 24-years old law student at Arizona State University, is an exemplary scenario of the relevance of online classes in terms of flexibility. Before the pandemic, Mr. Goldberg, who had a painful, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, missed classes whenever he needed medical attention. But over the past academic year, he didn’t miss a single class, and he said he had become a better student. His health condition left him immune-compromised and more vulnerable to the coronavirus. As in-person classes resumed, Mr. Goldberg opted to ask for online accommodations(Morris and Anthes). Due to his physical illness, the student could not attend in-person courses on time. The flexibility of online courses helped him attend classes even in the hospital room.
Chiu notes that “There has been a dramatic change in how schooling is done, due to the increased usage and application of technology as a result of online learning.” Furthermore, blended learning environments give ...