A student testimonial on the return of face-to-face classes

By Ma. Kristine Buenafe

Lecture halls are filled once again with students listening to a professor discussing a lesson. Students are more focused in class, now that they can be called to recite any moment. While the workload may be heavier, the exams more comprehensive and challenging compared to the online setup, nothing feels better than having the opportunity to meet with friends after class to unwind.

Luis, a sophomore medical student, shares that going back to the campus presents more opportunities for learning than the screen. “We’re able to learn more of the practical skills since there are real-time demonstrations and the professor to help out,” he says.

The difficulty, if not impossibility, of conducting skills-based classes properly are among the limitations of online education. The teachers had to adjust the way they taught certain lessons at the expense of providing the students with the complete experience.

Something old, something new

While many things are just as they used to be, there are just as many changes, such as the health and safety protocols in place and the full integration of hybrid learning, a combination of online learning and physical classes. Learning Management Systems such as Canvas and Moodle continues to give students direction and provides structure to their learning in and out of the virtual classroom.

We’re finally going back to school. Whether you’re a freshman beginning your university life or a senior longing to see your schoolmates for one more year, there’s something different about being on campus. But things aren’t what they used to be.

Unlike before when lectures were delivered in person and in real time, pre-recorded lectures are now available online for students to watch anytime. Paper and pen tests are a thing of the past, as exams are now done online in favor of speed, automation, and accuracy.

An opportunity for change

The return to physical classes does present brand-new experiences. To Luis, more can be done to improve the effectivity of classroom learning. “There was a lot of great things we discovered that worked well online, so why not adopt them? I believe that students should still be presented with options with regards to their mode of learning,” he says.

Many difficulties are being encountered, as slowly we return to face-to-face classes. One of them is the need to change our routine for studying. While some students prefer structured learning and a schedule to follow, students like Luis appreciate the flexibility offered by the online setup, which allows them to study at their own pace and in their own time.

This flexibility enables them to pursue other things, or even to help their families, whether with household chores or with extra income.

The decision to bring back face-to-face classes is a step in the right direction in our struggle to return to some semblance of normalcy. But the lockdowns of the past have brought us new lessons as well.