Andy Wong, a full-time student at Seattle Central College, experienced a frustrating situation during virtual learning. The campus remained closed due to the pandemic. “Additional Lectures” were added to classes that are marked “not required.” However, Wong seems to lose track of class due to such factors as their schedule.
Wong had live lectures that were at a specific time daily. However, his professor usually goes over time, and Wong described making it through his daily lectures as “time-consuming”. Generally, students will pick their classes according to their schedule. These additional lectures, although well-intended, can lead a student to miss out on other resources that they’re unable to maximize.
Wong explained that he has additional lectures for homework that are four hours’ worth of time. “I understand that the lectures are well-intended, but we students have other responsibilities daily that are difficult to get through.” Wong also mentioned that when registering classes through the MyCentral website, instructors do not list their virtual times, making it difficult for students to plan their schedules ahead of time.
During a student discussion at the Associated Student Council Board Meeting on January 11, students shared their experiences with professors adding additional lectures. Like Wong, most students expressed that additional lectures mess with their schedules because it is hard to know what material will be on there and sometimes that material is on the exams. Students also mentioned that additional lectures should not contain essential information to pass the class.
Conversely, some professors are incredibly upfront about having additional lectures and take care to explain to the students that if these lectures do not work with students’ schedules, they should select different classes instead with schedules that might work better .
Wong suggested that the additional lectures should be covered in the live lectures that help with the homework assigned. He also mentioned that forum posts should be there for students to access help from other classmates rather than constantly emailing the professor.
Students also suggested that professors put the details of live lecture times on MyCentral so that students registering for classes can better manage their schedules. Some students indicated that professors should upload their syllabi before class starts since some students struggle with planning for additional course materials. Further details such as “purchasing required course materials” should be included as well. A quote from a student was, “sometimes the bookstore recommended stuff is not required, and additional material was added without notice.”The Dean of STEM, Dr. Wendy Rockhill, mentioned that the students’ experiences were carried further into discussions with the instructional deans and vice-president for instruction at Seattle Central College. A meeting was scheduled with faculty leaders and the instructional deans to look further into how courses are posted and the information included on the quarterly schedule. As Dr. Rockhill stated, “Overall, we are working to have more clarity and detailed information for students”.
Author
A young STEM student aspired for Mechanical Engineering and a staff writer at the Collegian. She's interested in design, machines, and the advancement of technology. Her dream is to use her design and technology skills to achieve a significant role in a dominantly male field. She enjoys playing video games, cooking, and mostly spending her time studying.
Be First to Comment