With spring 2023 class registration now open for students, many Wilbur Wright College students feel troubled when trying to decide what classes would be best for them.
Prior to COVID-19, many would have been thrilled with the idea of not having to get out of bed for a class, but now more than ever, students want to be in the classroom learning.
Of the seven out of 10 students at Wright that feel more comfortable with the traditional classroom setting rather than online Zoom classes, the most common reason is in-person classes force you to pay attention.
“It is just way harder to pay attention to online classes,” Wright freshman Kathryn Mcloughlin said. Compared to her current experience in a Zoom class, she said she “prefers in-person classes.”
Wright professor Brendon Zatirka said he “enjoys in-person because of the energy in the classroom.” Zatirka furthers this by explaining the energy in the classroom is “just much more fulfilling than over Zoom.”
However, after surveying over 70 Wright students, nearly a third of students answered Zoom classes as their preferred method of taking classes. When asked why they prefer online classes, many of these students had a similar answer of the classes being “easier in all aspects.” One reason that easier-to-manage classes might be preferred is that for many community college students, school isn’t the full-time job it is for many four-year college students. Many Wright students have full-time jobs, scheduling difficulties due to outside obligations, as well as possibly having families to take care of, which often determines the next semester’s course load.
One part of being in a remote setting is that students can turn off their cameras. Teachers found this frustrating not only due to the irritability it causes them when teaching to blank screens, but also as they don’t know whether students are obtaining any knowledge.
Student-initiated withdrawal from each semester is an option for those who may feel like they do not have the right fit for their classes. Although peers can be helpful in these stressful times, reaching out to Wright’s full team of academic advisers is another option for students. Not only will reaching out help students make sure they are not overwhelmed, but their advisers can also help them decipher if they are taking the right course load or the right courses for the degree they are trying to obtain.
Wright’s Spring class registration is open until Jan. 13. If one changes their mind about a class they are in, student-initiated withdrawal for the spring 2023 semester ends on April 14.
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