University students unions warn of cautious approach to future online learning

Autumn LaRose-Smith never imagined being the student union president in a time when the University of Saskatchewan campus remains largely empty due to COVID-19 restrictions.

After months of Zoom meetings with students, online classes and pre-recorded video lectures, LaRose-Smith is ready to return to class in person and see some familiar faces.

“One of the things we’ve been talking about with students is when I imagine the future and online learning, what students often perceive it as is to be synonymous with the pandemic,” she said.

“Potentially, I might thrive in an online class where I was also able to go to a cafe with all my friends and study there or have more on-campus support, but I think pandemic online classes haven’t been the best for a lot of people.”

LaRose-Smith said the distinction between online learning and online learning in a pandemic when you can’t be near other people is important, especially as universities look to online learning as a pillar of planning for the future.

Gurjinder Lehal, the president of the University of Regina Students Union, is impressed with how students have managed the immediate switch to remote learning, but he’s not sure about the prospects moving forward.

“The thing is, we are not paying just for our degrees, we’re paying for the experience that comes with it — the classroom experience, the peer-to-peer connection that creates bonds. It’s not that valuable experience that students are looking for,” he said.

The benefits of online learning combined with a global pandemic have helped both the U of R and U of S see an uptick in enrolment as more people are able to enjoy the ease of access without having to be in Saskatoon or Regina every day.

There’s also the schedule flexibility for a parent juggling classes and child care — there are many reasons students enjoy online learning.

A growing issue among virtual campuses is that remote classes don’t replace typical on-campus experiences for students who want to attend classes in person.

“Online learning in its current way, I wouldn’t consider it to be the same quality of education you would receive in person,” LaRose-Smith said.

Tasks as simple as asking a question or engaging in discussions with classmates become either impossible or cumbersome as students are often left pausing the video lecture and time-stamping the moment of confusion to send an email later.

“It’s a new and shiny time, and all the universities are going to be competing to be the best online university provider,” LaRose-Smith said. “There definitely is some caution.”

While Lehal longs for the day students can celebrate Welcome Week and other traditional celebrations on campus, the past two semesters have been an adjustment for everyone involved.

“The students are finishing their programs, they’re getting their degrees. It has been a challenge for everyone, but we’re doing it,” U of R interim provost david Gregory said in an earlier interview.

Both students and post-secondary institutions are hoping that a sort of hybrid model blending both online and in-person learning becomes the way forward once crowds return to campuses in some capacity.

As an education student, LaRose-Smith said the pandemic has forced educators to take a different approach to learning outcomes now and into the future without the typical classroom setting.

“There’s actually a really unique opportunity to assess the type of learning that has been done at universities all around,” she said. “The most important thing, though, is that we really do have to listen to the students.”

What the future looks like, however, is anyone’s guess.

“The level of fear that we are having in our minds now, I think the rollout of vaccines won’t do anything to lessen (fears),” Lehal said of campuses slowly seeing crowds come back over time.

As universities prepare for the future without knowing what it holds, student feedback so far shows a desire to tweak an imperfect online delivery.

“We got a whole lot of students that tell us they can’t wait to get back,” U of S provost of teaching, learning and student experience Patti McDougall said.

“I have a feeling that the post-pandemic period will have some evidence of what it looked like pre-pandemic.”