Chapter 8: COVID and learning
Have you ever thought about how a virus could change the habits of the world, especially in education? The crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic hit all over the world and has completely changed education. Some colleges refused to switch from the traditional teaching style to virtual classes. Many argue about this issue and how to deal with these new circumstances; some of them claim that the coronavirus is a good turning point that can open our eyes to a new style of learning. Others, however, prefer traditional, in-person learning. So, I am interested in learning how Covid-19 affects communications and our lifestyle specifically between the years 2020-2021 because our education system is impacted by this crisis and I am also interesting to find the results and the studies that people have done about this topic. I was surprised to see the number of studies discussing COVID-19 that have already been published.
The article “Online and Remote Learning in Higher Education Institutes: A Necessity in Light of COVID-19 Pandemic” by Wahab Ali discusses how higher education is being affected by COVID-19; specifically, the article describes the shift to online learning, difficulties students face, and the challenging teaching environments. Ali argues that virtual learning is more effective than traditional learning, he discuss the difficulties that faced the students, which caused a lot of challenges in the teaching environments , due to the rapid technological development beyond the crisis that led people to turn to technology in order to study and communicate with each other effectively (16). Also, some colleges give tools to the students in order to help them study effectively and give them the opportunity to study and communicate (16). He relates to Gee’s secondary discourse when he claims that in this period of time, all people, especially students, will easily adapt to online learning due to their big knowledge, skills and familiarity with technology, so he stats that the new technology affects our communications in our daily life style, and how our education under this pandemic allow us to learn a new ways to communicate (Ali 17). If, for example, students want to contact their teachers, they will have to learn how to send formal emails; but, the knowledge of sending emails and communicating online is already ingrained in them. However, some universities closed because they could not create a good environment for their students to learn. Ali encourages authorities and teachers to provide more information and to be prepared to improve the education system, strengthen their plans to provide more effective lectures, and give students the opportunity to understand their lectures (17). He refers to Gee’s article, “The Oral Mode is More Narrowly Useful,” because both mention that the development of technology has major impacts upon society and communication; Gee emphasizes in his article the importance of learning new methods and how to deal with technology. The oral mode refers to spoken language during face-to-face classes. Gee and Ali also have the same opinion about the importance of learning new technology. In addition, Ali motions in his article that some universities, such as New York University, were prepared for rapid change and met all their students’ needs for online classes by giving them tools and technology (19); successful adaptations require prior plans and an awareness of all changing circumstances (19).
Moreover, an article by Deepika Nambiar, “The impact of online learning during COVID-19: students’ and teachers’ perspective” discusses the impacts of online learning on the communications between the students and their teachers. She argues that interactions between them depend on their perspective and experiences of online learning (1); she includes a study with a survey method to collect data from universities in Bangalore to determine educators’ and teachers’ prescriptives because education has a special place and plays a big role in India (1). She observed that rapidly switching the education system in India to be online has a very big impact on the students’ interactions and communications due to the lack of required methods and apps for virtual learning (7); students were adapting to take their lecture in-person even though some colleges give tools to the students. Even so, they cannot make every aspect of online education equal; for example, not all students have access to reliable internet, which immediately puts them at a disadvantage. This rapid switch affects their performances, grades, and attendance, lowering their ability to effectively participate during class time (7). Also, online learning reduces students’ understanding of lectures and prevents them from physically interacting in their labs or researching (7). Nambiar states in her article that “the results of the survey showed that 86.9% of the teachers reported that they preferred classroom teaching method more than online teaching mode” and “11.8% preferred online classes” (4). So, online learning prevents teachers from understanding their students’ understanding of the material which allows them to know the effectiveness of their materials and method they use. Also, it minimizes their ability to individually contact their students to evaluate their levels. Furthermore, teachers had difficulty adapting to an online format while still teaching effectively (Nambiar 2). Teachers also confirmed that online learning is an evidence of the evolution that allows them to teach from anywhere, but it has harmful effects on their interactions with students and prevents them from engaging with their students physically (7). It allows students to have more absences due to the lack of internet services or poverty. Lastly, teachers must spend many more hours preparing their lectures because online learning has a more formal form (7). Overall, this study shows how online learning affects students and faculty and discusses all negative aspects that the authorities should be aware of when they are making the rules for the education systems. In order to obtain a comfortable environment for the students to learn and support the teachers, authorities must create strong strategies to improve learning under this pandemic (10).
Furthermore, Settha Kuama in “Is Online Learning Suitable for All English Language Students?” begins by explaining how online learning affects students who are studying the English language. Kuama states that, despite all the advantages of online learning due to its flexible environment, English learners have faced many difficulties throughout online learning such as the “cognitive challenge,” which includes understanding apps’ dynamic functions in order to succeed (65). Students also have trouble organizing their time to ensure they never miss their due dates and watch their lectures, which don’t include any attendance grades. In addition, according to Aydin (2011), students may have “computer and Internet anxiety,” anxiety caused by a poor internet connection or slow computer, which also prevents them from having a comfortable space to study. Also, students are used to asking instructors questions and studying with their peers, and online learning prevents them from having these opportunities (Kuama 65). This article divides students into two groups: the students who succeed and those who struggle Kuama states in this article that successful students have a high level of self-regulation, know how to study effectively, and are aware of their responsibilities. They check their homework daily and use the internet to learn new studying strategies in order to study effectively. On the other hand, the students that do not succeed in their studies do not learn any strategies to help them during their studies (69). But overall, both kinds of students agree that face-to-face learning is an opportunity to interact with each other, especially because the English language depends on conversations between students and their instructors and group work. Additionally, students will get more motivation from their peers (73). Moreover, Kuama discusses through the article that, in order to give all the students a quality online education, they have to have the opportunities to learn about the online programs and apps (74). Also, students who have a low efficiency in English have to improve their English skills in order to communicate and participate with others (74).
James Gee’s article “What is Literacy” attempts to describe literacy by describing discourse, the effective way of using words to communicate with each other and write our own thoughts (23). Gee defines literacy as being able to use a set of words for multiple purposes and in numerous settings (23). Where these settings are defined as discourses, and they are categorized into primary and secondary discourses and even these types of conversation can be broken down. For example, a primary discourse is that way of speaking that you mostly acquire from your family and the people around you at birth. An example of some primary discourses includes being in a certain country, playing with a friend, or speaking with family members around us: these examples are described as languages a person acquires for free (22). Secondary discourses are uses of a language that people actively and primarily; it requires effort, practice, and experiences, and a person does not grow up speaking in the dialect. Examples can include the way we speak when working as a team in our workplace or if we want to engage in a new community with a new group we have to learn their language and their styles in order to deal with them.
Ali, Wahab. “Online and remote learning in higher education institutes: A necessity in light of COVID-19 pandemic.” Higher Education Studies 10.3 (2020): 16-25.
Gee, James Paul. “What is Literacy?” Negotiating academic literacies: Teaching and learning across languages and cultures (1998): 51-59.
Kuama, Settha. “Is Online Learning Suitable for All English Language Students?. “ PASAA: Journal of Language Teaching and Learning in Thailand 52 (2016): 53-82. Nambiar, Deepika. “The impact of online learning during COVID-19: students’ and teachers’ perspective.” The International Journal of Indian Psychology 8.2 (2020): 783-793.
"Msemo wa 8 ""COVID na Kujifunza"" - Je, umewahi kufikiria jinsi virusi vinavyoweza kubadilisha tabia za ulimwengu, haswa katika elimu?" Janga la COVID-19 limezidi kuenea duniani kote na kubadilisha kabisa elimu. Vyuo vikuu fulani vilikataa kubadili mtindo wa kawaida wa kufundisha na kutumia madarasa ya kompyuta. Wengi wanabishana juu ya suala hili na jinsi ya kukabiliana na hali hizi mpya; baadhi yao wanadai kwamba coronavirus ni hatua nzuri ya kugeuka ambayo inaweza kufungua macho yetu kwa mtindo mpya wa kujifunza. Hata hivyo, wengine hupendelea kujifunza kwa njia ya kawaida. """Nina hamu ya kujua jinsi COVID-19 inavyoathiri mawasiliano na mtindo wetu wa maisha, haswa kati ya miaka ya 2020-2021 kwa sababu mfumo wetu wa elimu unaathiriwa na mgogoro huu, na pia nina hamu ya kupata matokeo na masomo ambayo watu wamefanya juu ya mada hii." "Nilishangaa kuona idadi ya masomo ya COVID-19 ambayo tayari yamechapishwa.""" Makala ya 'Online na Distance Learning katika Taasisi za Elimu ya Juu: Uhitaji katika Mwanga wa Janga la COVID-19' na Wahab Ali inazungumzia jinsi elimu ya juu inavyoathiriwa na COVID-19; haswa, makala hiyo inaelezea mabadiliko ya kujifunza mtandaoni, shida wanafunzi wanakabiliwa nazo, na mazingira ya ufundishaji yenye changamoto. Ali anasema kwamba kujifunza kwa njia ya kompyuta ni bora kuliko kujifunza kwa njia ya kawaida, na anaelezea matatizo ambayo wanafunzi walikabili, ambayo yalisababisha changamoto nyingi katika mazingira ya kufundisha, kutokana na maendeleo ya teknolojia ya haraka baada ya mgogoro ambao ulisababisha watu kugeuka kwa teknolojia ili kujifunza na kuwasiliana na kila mmoja kwa ufanisi. Pia, vyuo vikuu fulani hutoa vifaa kwa wanafunzi ili kuwasaidia kujifunza kwa ufanisi na kuwapa fursa ya kujifunza na kuwasiliana (16). "Ali alitoa maoni yake ya pili wakati akidai kwamba katika kipindi hiki cha wakati, watu wote, haswa wanafunzi, watabadilika kwa urahisi kwa kujifunza mtandaoni kwa sababu ya maarifa yao makubwa, ujuzi na ukoo na teknolojia, kwa hivyo anasema kuwa teknolojia mpya inaathiri mawasiliano yetu katika mtindo wetu wa maisha ya kila siku, na jinsi elimu yetu chini ya janga hili inaturuhusu kujifunza njia mpya za kuwasiliana. """ Kwa mfano, wanafunzi wanataka kuwasiliana na walimu wao, watakuwa na kujifunza jinsi ya kutuma barua pepe rasmi, lakini, maarifa ya kutuma barua pepe na kuwasiliana mtandaoni tayari ni ingrained katika yao. Hata hivyo, vyuo vikuu fulani vilifungwa kwa sababu havikuweza kuunda mazingira mazuri kwa wanafunzi wao kujifunza. Ali aliwatia moyo wasimamizi na walimu kutoa habari zaidi na kuwa tayari kuboresha mfumo wa elimu, kuimarisha mipango yao ya kutoa mihadhara yenye ufanisi zaidi, na kuwapa wanafunzi fursa ya kuelewa mihadhara yao. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya Gee, ""The Oral Mode is More Narrowly Useful"" (Mtazamo wa mdomo ni muhimu zaidi), ""Tengenezo la teknolojia lina athari kubwa kwa jamii na mawasiliano"" (Gee, 2013), ""Kufundisha mbinu mpya na jinsi ya kukabiliana na teknolojia.""" Njia ya mdomo inahusu lugha inayozungumzwa wakati wa madarasa ya uso kwa uso. Gee na Ali pia wana maoni sawa kuhusu umuhimu wa kujifunza teknolojia mpya. Ali anasema katika makala yake kwamba baadhi ya vyuo vikuu, kama vile Chuo Kikuu cha New York, walikuwa tayari kwa mabadiliko ya haraka na kukidhi mahitaji yote ya wanafunzi wao kwa madarasa ya mtandaoni kwa kuwapa zana na teknolojia (19). "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya Deepika Nambiar ""The Impact of Online Learning During COVID-19: Students and Teachers' Perspective,"" ""Uchunguzi wa online unaathiri mawasiliano kati ya wanafunzi na walimu wao." "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Mafunzo ya wanafunzi yanategemea mtazamo wao na uzoefu wa kujifunza mtandaoni"" na ""Utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti.""" "Mwanamke huyo alisema kuwa mabadiliko ya haraka ya mfumo wa elimu nchini India kuwa mtandaoni yana athari kubwa sana kwa mwingiliano na mawasiliano ya wanafunzi kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa mbinu zinazohitajika na programu za kujifunza kwa njia ya kawaida, ""wanafunzi walikuwa wakibadilisha kuchukua hotuba yao binafsi hata ingawa vyuo vikuu fulani vinatoa vifaa kwa wanafunzi." Hata hivyo, hawawezi kufanya kila kipengele cha elimu ya mtandaoni sawa; kwa mfano, si wanafunzi wote wana upatikanaji wa mtandao wa kuaminika, ambayo mara moja huweka katika hasara. Kubadilisha haraka hii huathiri utendaji wao, maksi, na kuhudhuria, kupunguza uwezo wao wa kushiriki kwa ufanisi wakati wa darasa (7). Pia, kujifunza mtandaoni hupunguza uelewa wa wanafunzi wa mihadhara na kuwazuia kuingiliana kimwili katika maabara yao au utafiti (7). Nambiar anasema katika makala yake kwamba <unk> matokeo ya uchunguzi yalionyesha kwamba 86.9% ya walimu waliripoti kuwa walipendelea njia ya kufundisha darasani zaidi kuliko njia ya kufundisha mtandaoni <unk> na <unk> 11.8% walipendelea madarasa ya mtandaoni <unk> (4). Kwa hivyo, kujifunza mtandaoni huzuia walimu kuelewa uelewa wa wanafunzi wao wa vifaa ambavyo huwawezesha kujua ufanisi wa vifaa vyao na mbinu wanazotumia. Pia, hupunguza uwezo wao wa kuwasiliana na wanafunzi wao mmoja-mmoja ili kutathmini viwango vyao. Kwa kuongezea, walimu walikuwa na ugumu wa kukabiliana na muundo wa mtandaoni wakati bado wakifundisha kwa ufanisi (Nambiar 2). Walimu pia walithibitisha kuwa kujifunza mtandaoni ni ushahidi wa mageuzi ambayo huwawezesha kufundisha kutoka mahali popote, lakini ina athari mbaya kwa mwingiliano wao na wanafunzi na kuwazuia kushirikiana na wanafunzi wao kimwili. Inaruhusu wanafunzi kuwa na kutokuwepo zaidi kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa huduma za mtandao au umaskini. Mwishowe, walimu lazima kutumia saa nyingi zaidi kuandaa mihadhara yao kwa sababu kujifunza mtandaoni ina fomu rasmi zaidi (7). Kwa ujumla, utafiti huu unaonyesha jinsi kujifunza mtandaoni huathiri wanafunzi na walimu na inazungumzia mambo yote mabaya ambayo mamlaka zinapaswa kuwa na ufahamu wakati wao ni kufanya sheria kwa ajili ya mifumo ya elimu. Ili kupata mazingira mazuri kwa wanafunzi kujifunza na kuunga mkono walimu, mamlaka lazima ziunda mikakati thabiti ya kuboresha kujifunza chini ya janga hili. Zaidi ya hayo, Settha Kuama katika <unk>Is Online Learning Suitable for All English Language Students?<unk> huanza kwa kuelezea jinsi kujifunza mtandaoni huathiri wanafunzi ambao wanajifunza lugha ya Kiingereza. Kuama anasema kwamba, licha ya faida zote za kujifunza mtandaoni kutokana na mazingira yake rahisi, wanafunzi wa Kiingereza wamekabiliwa na ugumu mwingi katika kujifunza mtandaoni kama vile "changamoto ya utambuzi", ambayo inajumuisha kuelewa kazi za nguvu za programu ili kufanikiwa (65). Wanafunzi pia wana shida ya kupanga wakati wao ili kuhakikisha kwamba hawajawahi kukosa tarehe zao za mwisho na kutazama mihadhara yao, ambayo haijumuishi alama yoyote ya kuhudhuria. Kwa kuongezea, kulingana na Aydin (2011), wanafunzi wanaweza kuwa na wasiwasi wa kompyuta na mtandao, wasiwasi unaosababishwa na uhusiano duni wa mtandao au kompyuta polepole, ambayo pia huwazuia kuwa na nafasi ya starehe ya kusoma. Wanafunzi wanazoea kuuliza maswali kwa walimu na kujifunza na wenzao, na kujifunza mtandaoni huwazuia kupata fursa hizo. Kuoma anawaweka wanafunzi katika vikundi viwili: wale wanaofanikiwa na wale wanaopambana.Kuoma anasema katika makala hii kwamba wanafunzi wanaofanikiwa wana kiwango cha juu cha kujidhibiti, wanajua jinsi ya kujifunza kwa ufanisi, na wanafahamu majukumu yao. Wao kuangalia kazi zao za nyumbani kila siku na kutumia mtandao kujifunza mikakati mpya ya kujifunza ili kujifunza kwa ufanisi. Kwa upande mwingine, wanafunzi ambao hawafanikiwi katika masomo yao hawajifunzi mikakati yoyote ya kuwasaidia wakati wa masomo yao (69). Kwa ujumla, wanafunzi wa aina zote mbili wanakubali kwamba kujifunza uso kwa uso ni fursa ya kuingiliana, hasa kwa sababu lugha ya Kiingereza inategemea mazungumzo kati ya wanafunzi na walimu wao na kazi ya kikundi. Kwa kuongezea, wanafunzi watapata msukumo zaidi kutoka kwa wenzao (73). Kwa kuongezea, Kuama anajadili kupitia makala hiyo kwamba, ili kuwapa wanafunzi wote elimu bora ya mtandaoni, lazima wawe na fursa ya kujifunza juu ya programu na programu za mtandaoni (74). Wanafunzi ambao wana uwezo mdogo wa Kiingereza wanapaswa kuboresha ujuzi wao wa Kiingereza ili kuwasiliana na kushirikiana na wengine. "James Gee, mwandishi wa ""What is Literacy"" anajaribu kuelezea ujuzi wa kusoma na kuandika kwa kuelezea mazungumzo, njia bora ya kutumia maneno kuwasiliana na kila mmoja na kuandika mawazo yetu wenyewe." "Gee anafafanua ""kujua kusoma na kuandika"" kama uwezo wa kutumia seti ya maneno kwa madhumuni mbalimbali na katika mazingira mbalimbali." "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, mazungumzo ya kawaida hujazwa katika ""majadiliano ya msingi"" na ""majadiliano ya sekondari"" na inaweza kugawanywa katika ""majadiliano ya msingi.""" Kwa mfano, usemi wa msingi ni njia ya kusema ambayo unapata kutoka kwa familia yako na watu wanaokuzunguka wakati wa kuzaliwa. Mfano wa baadhi ya mazungumzo ya msingi ni pamoja na kuwa katika nchi fulani, kucheza na rafiki, au kuzungumza na wanachama wa familia karibu na sisi: mifano hii inaelezwa kama lugha mtu anapata bure (22). Majadiliano ya sekondari ni matumizi ya lugha ambayo watu hutumia kikamilifu na hasa; inahitaji juhudi, mazoezi, na uzoefu, na mtu hakukua akizungumza katika lahaja. Mifano inaweza kujumuisha jinsi tunavyozungumza wakati wa kufanya kazi kama timu katika mahali pa kazi yetu au ikiwa tunataka kushiriki katika jamii mpya na kikundi kipya lazima tujifunze lugha yao na mitindo yao ili kushughulika nao. Ali, Wahab. "Kufundisha kwa njia ya mtandaoni na mbali katika taasisi za elimu ya juu: uhitaji katika mwangaza wa janga la COVID-19 "" Uchunguzi wa Elimu ya Juu 10.3 (2020): 16-25." Je, James Paul. "Kuna ""Literature"" katika lugha nyingi, lakini ni muhimu sana kwa lugha nyingi, na kwa lugha nyingi, ni muhimu sana kwa lugha nyingi." Kuama, Settha. <unk>Je, Kujifunza Kwa Mtandao Ni Sawa Kwa Wanafunzi Wote wa Lugha ya Kiingereza?. PASAA: Jarida la Ufundishaji na Ujifunzaji wa Lugha nchini Thailand 52 (2016): 53-82. Nambiar, Deepika. """Uathiri wa kujifunza mtandaoni wakati wa COVID-19: mtazamo wa wanafunzi na walimu"" - Jarida la Kimataifa la Saikolojia ya India (2020: 83)"