The University of Saskatchewan has begun thinking about how online learning will be used in the future. In this process, we must understand that online education is not ideal for every student or professor. 

As a first-year student, my entire university experience has been virtual. From an orientation on Webex to faceless discussion boards, learning has become synonymous with staring into screens for endless hours. In all honesty, it has been a fairly negative start, but I do not blame the university itself. 

Almost all post-secondary institutions have had to adapt to a new world of connecting virtually. Professors, university services and students are trying their best to make do with the given circumstances. I think this effort is reflected in the gradual improvements to online learning. 

My peers and I have noticed enhanced connectivity, higher quality of education and a better overall course experience in this semester compared to the last one. It is evident that professors and student services are gaining experience in remote delivery. I even had a few professors send me emails regarding their course in early December — over a month before the start of classes. 

While these improvements should be appreciated, it is important to recognize that better does not mean best. There remains a plethora of areas to improve upon to make virtual learning ideal, the most important of which is interactivity. 

Learning by doing is a crucial component of post-secondary education. Without interaction, students who are kinesthetic learners miss out on learning opportunities. 

Last term, I was enrolled in Biology 120. In that class, traditional lab experiments were replaced with short videos that did not directly relate to lecture material. This mismatch was understandable as the lab portion of Biology 120 has always been in-person. It was likely very difficult to determine how experiments could be done remotely.

This experience raises an important concern about remote delivery, one that should be addressed when we ask: how will virtual learning be integrated into post-secondary education in the future?

Virtual learning certainly has its place in the world. 

During this pandemic, virtual schooling is the primary way students can continue to learn, while maintaining public health safety. Remote delivery of post-secondary courses can also make education more accessible for learners worldwide. It allows students who reside outside of urban communities to live at home, which eliminates moving and living costs in the academic year. 

Virtual learning allows students to work during hours we would otherwise be on campus — a perk I have taken advantage of over the past few months.

It is important that post-secondary institutions continue to develop virtual learning, so the choice is there for students who want to take it — but having that choice in the first place is what is crucial. 

While some students depend on its accessibility, other students find virtual learning an impossible feat. I am one of those students. I know that if the U of S chooses to continue with a mostly remote learning approach for the upcoming Fall Term, I will be considering sitting it out. Like Marc Spooner, a professor from the University of Regina, says in a recent article on the topic, “We shouldn’t be lulled into thinking that this is somehow better than the on-campus experience.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our world in many ways. Students and teachers alike must consider how remote delivery will fit into the future of education. Both virtual and in-person classes have their advantages and disadvantages. 

As a student who struggles with learning online, I would like to return to campus as soon as possible, and I caution against the idea of depending heavily on online platforms in the future. 

I hope post-secondary institutions continue to try and get students back on campus as soon as possible and recognize virtual learning, while important, is not for everyone.

This op-ed was written by a University of Saskatchewan undergraduate student and reflects the views and opinions of the writer. If you would like to write a reply, please email opinions@thesheaf.com. Rourke Wunder-Buhr is a first-year undergraduate student studying kinesiology. She is also a founder of Project Grow Saskatoon — a non-profit organization committed to involving youth in environmental sustainability initiatives province-wide.

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Rourke Wunder-Buhr

Graphic: Jaymie Stachyruk