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C/O Georgia Kirkos

After a year of online school, McMaster gives professors the opportunity to teach courses in-person once again

For the past year, McMaster University has been completely online, with libraries and residences closed and classes taking place on Zoom and Microsoft Teams. However, as of this fall, not only has McMaster’s campus opened up, but many students now also have the opportunity to take classes in person once again.

“It was really left up to the instructors to decide how they wanted to offer their classes in the fall because we wanted to make sure that they felt comfortable,” said Associate Dean of Social Sciences Tracy Prowse.

Prowse explained that, in the faculty of social sciences, professors were first given the option to choose between online and in-person learning in February of this year, amidst the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who did choose to offer their classes in person were given the option in August to switch to a virtual platform instead, depending on their level of comfort with the current situation.

“There were a very small number of courses that were originally scheduled to be in person that were shifting online,” explained Prowse.

Prowse added that decisions to shift courses back online were made in August, so that course outlines could still be posted by mid-August, allowing students to prepare for the year.

Maureen MacDonald, dean of sciences, offered perspective on how decisions about in-person learning were made within the faculty of science.

“We did, of course, consult with the professors about their preference and we took that tremendously into account, but it was a larger conversation about the learning outcomes and the learning experience and we did try to construct it so that every science student would have the potential to have at least one in-person learning component this term,” explained MacDonald.

“We did, of course, consult with the professors about their preference and we took that tremendously into account, but it was a larger conversation about the learning outcomes and the learning experience and we did try to construct it so that every science student would have the potential to have at least one in-person learning component this term.”
Maureen MacDonald, Dean of Sciences

For courses that are taking place in person this year, numerous safety measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As MacDonald explained, along with public health measures such as masks, McMaster Facility Services ensured that all McMaster buildings had appropriate ventilation.

Further, as Prowse explained, any course that is a degree requirement must be accessible online as well. This means that, for these required courses, lectures must be recorded and uploaded to Echo 360 and assessments must take place virtually as well.

“[With] any in-person class that is required for a degree, the instructor also has to ensure that a student could take that [class] virtually,” said Prowse.

“[With] any in-person class that is required for a degree, the instructor also has to ensure that a student could take that [class] virtually."
Tracy Prowse, Associate Dean of Social Sciences

MacDonald stated that the return to some level of in-person learning will hopefully benefit students at McMaster, citing the importance of personal connection with peers and instructors.

MacDonald also highlighted the unique significance of in-person learning for the sciences.

“For science, we really believe the tactile component of experimentation, of physically trying to conduct an experiment or manipulate something in a discovery-based format, does lead to an enhanced learning,” said MacDonald.

“For science, we really believe the tactile component of experimentation, of physically trying to conduct an experiment or manipulate something in a discovery-based format, does lead to an enhanced learning.”
Maureen MacDonald, Dean of Sciences

Although the plan for the winter semester is contingent on COVID-19 restrictions, Prowse stated that students should expect a return to in-person classes.

“It's just been really nice to see students on campus. Even if a lot of their courses are still virtual or online, it's still nice to see people,” said Prowse.

We should be accommodating for inconveniences caused by time zone differences

By: Jiahe Deng, Contributor

The 2020 fall semester was drastically different from what we are all used to. Different individuals faced a unique mixture of challenges, which made the past semester rough for many.

As an international student staying in my home country where the local time is 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, the time zone difference was a huge burden to learning and sadly, there is no substantial change happening for this term.

I returned to my home country in July 2020 and decided to stay there during online schooling since I thought it’d be better for my mental well-being. As the fall semester started, I found studying 13 hours ahead of Hamilton's time more challenging than I thought.

First of all, it was tough for me to find a routine that worked. A friend of mine usually goes to bed at 8:00 p.m. and consistently gets up at 3:00 a.m. He was able to attend all his classes and it worked perfectly for him. However, this didn’t work for me. If I attended all my classes, I wouldn't see any daylight. After two weeks of trial-and-error, I finally decided to only watch one course live and watch recordings for the other classes.

Next, I needed to find ways to deal with in-class midterms and exams after 1:00 a.m. I first tried to change my sleep schedule on the date of the tests. I wrote one test at 1:30 a.m., but this resulted in three unproductive days in a hectic week since I needed to sleep extra hours the day before the test and felt exhausted two days after the test. Unfortunately, this wouldn’t work for me.

So I contacted my professors to see if I can write my 2:00 a.m. tests and 5:00 a.m. exam at a different time slot. Although my professors eventually agreed to this, I was also told that it was a university-level decision not to have a policy to guarantee accommodations for time zone differences.

However, I found this decision to be unreasonable. My family is in my home country and I chose to stay here so that we could support each other through this unusual time. I’m sure many international students feel similarly in terms of wanting to stay in their home country, but also wanting to write tests at a normal time. Thus, I believe this problem deserves a systematic solution.

Although some of us stay up late from time to time, it is unjust if students are required to attend classes or take tests in the middle of the night.

Although some of us stay up late from time to time, it is unjust if students are required to attend classes or take tests in the middle of the night.

To make my point, we first need to reflect on our circumstances. Right now, courses are almost exclusively online, so we should interpret our classes as "online school" instead of "taking in-person classes in digital form."

If we "take in-person classes in digital form," then it’s reasonable to expect everyone to show up for every class just like when we are attending school in-person, with the only difference being the delivery switched from in-person to online. However, this expectation is unrealistic.

Instead, we should look at this as "online schooling." This means we need to respect the fact that not everyone has a quiet place to study all the time and that not everyone is in the same time zone. If we disrespect this fact and choose not to be flexible, then we systematically make it harder for students who don't always have access to quiet space, who live in another time zone and who have limited internet access, to thrive.

Second, not giving accommodations for a time zone difference is unjust and puts students’ health in jeopardy. Without accommodations, it implies that the university expects students to write a test at inconvenient times, say at 4:00 a.m. However, it’s reasonable to assume that an average person is not able to function to their average ability at that time. Therefore, it’s obviously unjust to test students when clearly some can’t function normally.

On the other hand, without accommodations, a student may have to switch their sleep schedule often. I don’t need to over-emphasize how important a consistent sleep schedule is. Even people who work night shifts can have several days off after their shifts. However, after writing a test at 4:00 a.m., students often don’t get a break since the course goes on. Thus, I believe not giving accommodation has systematically put students’ health in jeopardy.

One argument against giving accommodations is integrity. As much as I agree that integrity is crucial, I insist it is necessary to accommodate time zone differences. After all, testing that is equitable takes precedence over integrity.

Additionally, Student Accessibility Services students have the ability to get their tests rescheduled, so there must be ways to balance rescheduling and integrity; for instance, having different versions of the test.

Another concern is that when international students write exams at time slots convenient to them, there might not be staff available to answer questions, which is against university policy. However, if the instructor can let the student know rescheduling might result in no staff available during the test, this concern can be resolved, since students waive the right of that policy.

Ideally, I think all courses should be designed to adapt for online learning and if some courses must be taught synchronized, there should be a notice on that before the semester starts. However, at this point, I think what could help is a formal statement from university officials that acknowledges that a time zone difference is to be accommodated and encourages students to contact instructors for accommodations.

However, at this point, I think what could help is a formal statement from university officials that acknowledges that a time zone difference is to be accommodated and encourages students to contact instructors for accommodations.

We need to respect people’s decisions. If international students think staying in their home country is the best for them, then what others can do is to support them. To adjust to remote learning, I selectively chose courses with lectures in the morning and during last semester, I dropped one to cope.

Those are my efforts and I'm sure others are trying their own ways to thrive. But personal efforts or merely encouraging instructors to accommodate simply isn’t enough.

There needs to be a policy change that allows tests and exams to be accommodated for if there is any inconvenience caused by time zone difference. This problem is systematic and it deserves a systematic solution.

A list of ways for students to adjust to online classes

The start of the 2020-2021 school year has been an adjustment for many students. This adjustment period may continue into the winter semester now that classes are confirmed to be online. As you start to prepare for midterms and major assignments, here are some tips to help you move forward in a virtual learning environment.

[media-credit name="C/O Tran Mau Tri Tam" align="none" width="600"][/media-credit]

Creating the ideal study space

Make sure you have a space that is relatively distraction-free, for example, free from clutter or free from people walking by.
Have a space where you can sit comfortably for a while. Try to emulate key elements of your preferred study space. Maybe this means finding a playlist that reminds you of your favourite café in Westdale or working in the same space as your housemates, just like you used to do at Mills.
Keep everything you need for the day within your workspace, so you don’t have to pause to grab things from all over your house. This also has the benefit of keeping work in one place so it doesn’t encroach on the rest of your space.
Try to work somewhere in your house that has the most reliable internet access. Usually the closer you can be to the modem, the better.

[media-credit name="C/O Gabriel Benois" align="none" width="600"][/media-credit]

Attending virtual classes

Familiarize yourself with the expectations for each of your classes, including when to have your microphone and camera on or off.
Get to know the technology you’re using and potential troubleshooting solutions. Sometimes it might be as easy as leaving the call and rejoining, while other times you may need to adjust your settings or permissions for the application.
Be engaged with your learning! Treat your virtual lectures like in-person ones as muyou can. Get dressed and set up your study space for the day. Try to attend synchronous lectures even if they’re being recorded and try to watch asynchronous lectures regularly instead of watching them all at once before a deadline. Be sure to take notes. Try to ask and answer questions if you have the chance. Turn on “Do Not Disturb” mode, limit social media or other online distractions and try not to multitask.

[media-credit name="C/O Estee Janssens" align="none" width="600"][/media-credit]

Keep up your good study habits

Think about how you can adapt your preferred study habits to this new situation.
Try to be organized and proactive so you’re prepared if something unexpected comes up.
Establish a routine and a study plan. Create a to-do list, and set concrete goals for each day. At the same time, be sure to build in buffer time so you have space to catch up if you need to.
Break down large tasks into manageable chunks, especially if you have asynchronous courses that are largely self-directed.
Spend extra time on courses you’re struggling with, but also don’t be afraid to prioritize courses you’re doing well in.
Sometimes you can’t do everything and that’s okay. If you can't do all your readings, aim to read the ones you complete in-depth. If you can’t do all the practice problems you’re assigned, aim for breadth in the types of problems you do.
If you hit a wall, change tactics. Don't keep trying the same things if they're not working, but also be aware of when you’ve reached your limits and need to take a break.
Utilize all the resources available to you, including professors’ office hours, the Student Success Centre, educational websites and YouTube channels.

[media-credit name="C/O Andrew Neel" align="alignnone" width="600"][/media-credit]

Ask for help

Don’t be afraid to talk to your instructor if you need extra help, whether it be for personal, family, technological or other concerns.
Make a list of support services available to you and keep it somewhere visible in your workspace. These resources can include campus services such as the Student Wellness Centre, professors, mentors, family members and friends.
Share your schedule with others in your home and communicate clearly what you need from them and when. For example, maybe you need them to be quieter on Thursdays because that’s when you do your weekly quizzes.
Set up an accountability system to help you both stay motivated and connected.

[media-credit name="C/O Annie Spratt" align="none" width="600"][/media-credit]

Cultivate community

Join group chats and online study groups.
Many clubs and events are also running virtually, so check their social media regularly to stay up to date.
Schedule weekly or bi-weekly calls with friends and family, just to check in and catch up

[media-credit name="C/O Mollie Sivaram" align="alignnone" width="600"][/media-credit]

Take care of yourself

Have a clear endpoint to your day, when you at least turn off your device and step away from the screen.
Try to leave one day of the week open for other tasks you might need to do, such as grocery shopping and laundry.
Be sure to look after your physical health by maintaining good posture, eating foods that make you feel good and taking movement breaks when you can.
Take care of your mental health by practicing community and self-care
Maintain a routine as best as you can
Pace yourself and beware of burnout. Find ways to stay motivated. Remember why you’re doing this and reward yourself. Be sure to take some time for yourself to do the things you love.

This year is going to be strange. We’re all learning how to manage this new situation and it’s not going to happen overnight. It will take the time it takes, so be patient and kind with yourself as you navigate your virtual university experience.

Photo by Cindy Cui / Photo Editor

By Taylor Johnston, Contributor

We are currently within one of the greatest eras for technology. Many jobs are becoming automated, there are online-only industries and our cell phones are so multiuse that they can act as a small computer. The appeal of online education and the concept of going “paperless” has been rising based on its flexibility and cheaper costs. Some universities are even introducing online degrees. However, is it all as amazing as it seems?

There are two types of online education: self-paced and structured. Self-paced gives all the course content to the student at once, but it must be completed within a certain number of months. Therefore, the student can work as quickly or leisurely as they like. There are ministry high school programs such as those taken through the Independent Learning Centre that have adopted this self-paced format and have been proven to be very efficient, which has been attributed to allowing students can learn at their own pace.

While structured education is also a common method of online teaching, it can also present more flaws. A structured online course attempts to mimic in-class courses by giving students access to content material on a week by week basis. While some students may like structured learning to help them stay on track of class, it can also be less beneficial for many students, as it doesn’t give the student the freedom of learning at their own pace. As a result, structured learning can add stress for students who like to learn at a different pace than the one that the course is providing.

Many Ontario universities offer select elective courses in the online-structured format, which hold many attractive qualities in terms of flexibility and the opportunity for another in-class course to be added to a student's schedule. However, do the pros of online education outweigh the cons?

One apparent difference between online education and in-person education is the amount of interaction you have with your instructors. This may have you thinking, “In non-online classes I am just one student in a lecture hall with hundreds of others, and there is not that much opportunity for a one-on-one relationship anyways. Wouldn’t online courses be the same?” However, even the experience of going to lectures holds an added level of value as you get to hear the “in the moment” thoughts and opinions of your professor that are otherwise non-existent in most online courses and degrees.

One apparent difference between online education and in-person education is the amount of interaction you have with your instructors.

Furthermore, in-person education usually gives more opportunities for office hours where students’ questions can be asked and answered. The main method of communication for students that want to talk to professors and teaching assistants throughout an online course is strictly email, where communication can often be misunderstood and unclear compared to in-person conversations. Although some people may find office hours to be a waste of time, other students find them very beneficial to their education and learning and unfortunately, you cannot get that from online education.

The main method of communication for students that want to talk to professors and teaching assistants throughout an online course is strictly email, where communication can often be misunderstood and unclear compared to in-person conversations.

Online education provides the opportunity to access education regardless of how far away you live from university. However, the benefits of in-person schooling still outweighs the online system due to the added benefits of being able to physically interact with your professors. With in-person courses, you are able to talk to classmates and meet others, which can be a huge benefit to your learning. Still, it is important to recognize that as students, we can still reap the benefits of online education as it provides a bridge for those who are unable to physically attend lectures.

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