March will mark one year since most students were forced to flee their dorms. March will also mark one year since the transition of in-person schooling to online schooling. With all the challenges we’ve faced, and continue to face I have realized I haven't had an opportunity to decide whether I prefer online schooling over in-person schooling or vice versa.
After contemplating for a while, I decided it was best to make a pro’s and con’s list. As I placed my hand on the left side of the paper which read “pros,” my hand immediately gravitated towards the con’s list on the right. So I began there instead. The words “social life” were the first words I wrote. It was March, 2020 when I was forced to flee my dorm at university and go home. I wasn't the only one.
Since then, our social life has become nonexistent.
After writing this phrase, my hand navigated its way towards the left side of the page to write “my job.” This was a difficult decision. Although I was lucky enough to secure a job that allowed me to work from home and juggle online schooling, the same cannot be said for others. In the age range of 16-19 alone, the unemployment rate rose by 20.9% according to the Brookings Institution. 1
Shortly after, I wrote “inclusiveness.” This was true. Many people who hadn’t had the opportunity to receive a proper education before were now able to. As I continued to write about this, the con’s list began calling my name, and soon after, I wrote the word “accessibility.” Thoughts revolving around the countless number of students who don't have access to necessary educational resources flooded my mind. The lack of technological accessibility has led to a decline in online educational participation. In October of 2020, USAFacts reported that of the 52 million households with children, 60% received a computer device from their school district, 74% had constant access to a computer, 16% had access most of the time, and 8% had either little to no computer access whatsoever. 2 As I pondered about this subject thoroughly, my mouth began to form a slight frown. There are still millions of students who are unable to participate in online schooling because of this issue. Not only does the accessibility to technology hinder a student from participating, but the lack of stable internet access heavily contributes to this inequality as well. After all, only 73% of households have access to a stable internet connection.
Writing this list brought all the strengths and weaknesses pertaining to “Zoom University” to light. What’s your opinion?
Works Cited
1. Aaronson, Stephanie, and Francisca Alba. “Unemployment among Young Workers during COVID-19.” Brookings, Brookings, 10 Sept. 2020, www.brookings.edu/research/unemployment-among-young-workers-during-covid-19/.
2. USAFacts. “More than 9 Million Children Lack Internet Access at Home for Online Learning.” USAFacts, USAFacts, 19 Oct. 2020, usafacts.org/articles/internet-access-students-at-home/.
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