I am glad that I came across Azizah Tohiet’s article, “Back to Campus: Excitement or Anxiety?” which was published on October 5, 2022. This article gives an account of the positive experiences students have had with taking online courses, which I admire a lot. It was nice to read about both Sahira Kahn’s and Gabriela Muro’s perspectives regarding online classes.
I connected with what Kahn said about online courses being flexible during COVID-19 because they were for me as well. I preferred having the sense of control that came with my online classes, knowing that I could do things independently in my own home.
Muro’s viewpoint towards online courses also resonated with me for this reason. I also did not feel rushed when it came to reading materials and completing assignments in my online classes and liked that I only had to worry about deadlines.
I believe that it is important to hear more about the positive aspects of online courses. Too often, people have preconceived notions about virtual classes and believe that they only disadvantage students, rather than help them. Of course, online classes are not for everyone, which is fine. Some students need the accessibility of face-to-face classes because online classes might not be accommodating enough for them. However, people also need to recognize that online classes can have a positive impact on students as well.
It is also important to remember that both in-person classes and virtual classes both have their pros and cons. Neither are perfect!