The Challenges of Virtual Instruction in a Pandemic World
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges around the nation have had to struggle this fall with the choice of either offering instruction online or remaining face-to-face in the traditional classroom environment.
Bluefield College has been no different, transitioning between in-person and the virtual classroom on multiple occasions. And with the move to virtual instruction have come a variety of technology challenges for both students and professors.
For example, Dr. Shawn White, an assistant professor of Christian Studies who actually teaches in BC’s online education program, noted that the move to online instruction for traditional students was not the same.
“The problems we had with virtual learning were usually when I have online classes; they are designed to run asynchronously (not all students working at the same time). I understand how to design those classes. The virtual model seems to be a mixture of the two, which makes it difficult,” Dr. White said. “Courses ought to fit their design. If a course is designed to be asynchronous and online, great. If it is designed to be face-to-face, great. If it is designed to be virtual, great.”
Dr. White also said that technology doesn’t always work as advertised and on-demand, so he had to design courses that would work both asynchronously and synchronously at the same time. In addition, he said he is equally concerned about the student experience in the virtual environment.
“Watching a lecture over (Microsoft) Teams is difficult,” Dr. White said. “I have been in enough Zoom meetings to know that it is difficult to pay attention remotely.”
As a result, Dr. White wondered if students get what they need from the virtual sessions. Watching recorded sessions, he added, is likely even more challenging for students.
“You are simply ‘overhearing’ what is going on elsewhere,” Dr. White said about watching recordings of class sessions. “I cannot imagine that is engaging.”
Student Lamont Finley said that he hasn’t had any trouble with the virtual learning environment, but added that he has had the advantage of already taking online classes as a traditional student.
“I didn’t have any problems with the virtual learning,” Finley said, “because I’ve already been in online class since the beginning of the semester, and I got used to it.”
Dr. Thomas Kinney, a professor of history, said that the success of virtual learning is dependent on having “a highly reliable hard- and software network with speedy technical support.” He added that effective virtual learning is also contingent on having “students who are motivated and self-disciplined.”
“When any of these elements are absent,” he said, “the result is a significant diminution of educational quality.”
In addition to the technology challenges, Dr. Kinney said professors also face the challenge of keeping students honest and ethical in the online environment.
“Everyone knows massive dishonesty exists in online education,” Dr. Kinney said, “but there are no simple solutions to the problem.”
He added that oftentimes colleges and even students tend to ignore the ethical flaw of online education because of “easy college credit and easy tuition dollars.” Teaching face-to-face and offering instruction and degrees in a traditional classroom setting is best for all involved, he said.
“While I certainly recognize the utility of some online course features, particularly as an emergency substitute during a pandemic like this, I remain convinced that online education compares to face-to-face instruction like a candy bar does to a four-course meal. Both stave off starvation, but they are not equivalent. How many people would prefer to rely on a brain surgeon with an ‘eMD’ over one who actually went to a brick-and-mortar medical school?”