The New Normal: Adapting to Online Learning with Kate Maksyutynska
Author: Emily Nguyen
“I’m sorry, but I think your mic is muted.”
“I’m sharing my screen, can everyone see it?”
These are some common phrases that many of us have heard over the recent months as the COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted daily lives, economies, and education all over the world. Along with the new public health measures to help keep us safe, we have adapted to the reality of online learning. Although platforms like Zoom have kept us connected to others during this time, that does not exclude the novel challenges that have arose with using technology in the virtual classroom.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Kate Maksyutynska, an incoming 4th year student at U of T St. George, who is doing a triple major in Molecular Genetics, Human Biology, and Physiology. This past summer, she took PSL300 and PSL301 for her minor’s program requirements. These courses are staples that many life science students at U of T complete, and they cover a vast array of topics in neuroendocrine, reproductive, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and renal physiology. Kate and I discussed her experience with online summer school and touched specifically on U of T’s transition to online learning, as well as tips for the upcoming fall semester.
From your experience, what were some advantages and disadvantages of online learning?
The lectures were asynchronous, prerecorded, and posted as videos so I’d say that a big advantage was being able to pause and rewind them. This made it very easy to go back to review content. Any sessions that occurred live, such as synchronous tutorials were recorded and posted for students as well.
Personally, I agree with Kate that this is a great aspect of online learning. Sometimes I would record lectures but rarely go back and re-listen to them. Having high-quality video and audio lectures posted for students to access at any time provides a lot of flexibility.
A disadvantage of online learning that I faced was the lack of accountability to my learning. I was studying for the MCAT at the same time so balancing personal commitments was a bit difficult. It’s hard to force yourself to go to a synchronous session when you know that the recordings are available…it can be easy to put things off and fall behind.
Studying for the MCAT is no joke and coupled with 2 intensive courses can be overwhelming even in-person. So it seems like the lecture recordings can be both a blessing and a curse!
What is some advice you would give to a student pursuing online learning for the first time?
Be on top of your work. Do NOT put things off until the last minute and cram. Although these tips apply to in-person learning, I’d say they’re even more important for online learning.
Pacing yourself, especially for asynchronous courses with no scheduled meeting time is crucial to staying organized and up-to-date with the material.
I’d also recommend making Zoom study groups with friends in the same course to make yourself more accountable.
This is another great tip from Kate. Just because we’re online, doesn’t mean we can’t study “together!”
My last piece of advice is to set a schedule with times that work for you. Personally, I found it easier to do my assignments and studying in the evening because I had less distractions. Also, if you live with other family members, make sure to coordinate with them and make them aware of when you plan to work.
Did you find the support level to be adequate in your courses?
Yes, definitely! I went to Dr. Jeu’s office hours for PSL300 and he was very helpful. I would rarely go to help sessions in-person, but in Zoom, it’s so much easier to type out the question and it makes the nerves dissipate.
Online office hours are a perfect opportunity for first-year students who might be more intimidated to meet their professor. Meeting them online would provide a great transition to meeting in-person when such classes resume.
When the pandemic started, the shift to online learning was very abrupt and rushed, but for the summer, the university had more time to plan it out. Do you feel a difference and are you more comfortable going into fall semester online?
I think that the professors who had to deal with such an abrupt transition in the winter did a great job. I’m very thankful for their accommodations and their willingness to adapt and listen to student input throughout the course occurrence. For instance, to limit cheating during online tests, we were limited to 1 minute per multiple choice question. However, this was not enough time to process and respond to the question. Our professor was very understanding and adjusted the next test accordingly. I felt that in the summer, the response was similar; professors were still receptive to feedback. However, I’m a bit concerned for fall semester since I’ll be taking 5 courses rather than 2.
As an incoming 4th year life sciences student myself, I can attest to the nervousness of taking a full course load online. At the same time, I’m looking forward to tackling this new challenge and connecting virtually with others. Here’s to the new “normal.” Fall 2020, bring it on.
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