U-Shimane Go Online
by Mariko Eguchi
After the Ministry of Education in Japan suddenly issued a notice on March 24, 2020, allowing the Japanese universities to go online, professors and students as well as administrators are experiencing a new mode of teaching and learning.
Despite Japan being technologically advanced, the education sector still favors the traditional methods of delivering knowledge: the teacher explaining ideas in front of the blackboard in a classroom. However, the default teaching was denied due to the serious health risk posed by the corona virus pandemic. It was impossible to stick to the familiar teaching style. Nonetheless, the decision to go online was very confusing to everyone.
The teachers and students of the University of Shimane experienced for the first time a shift from face-to-face education to online education. Except a few courses, all the classes are taught either synchronous online teaching or asynchronous on-demand teaching. Both teachers and students have a lot to say about this new mode of education. The followings are students’ perspectives toward their online experiences.
Learning effectively without stress
By Reina Yamane
Recently, a lot of university’s professors give some lectures on the network because of the coronavirus. I think online education is good because students can learn comfortably without stress.
First, we can take a lecture at home. This solves the risk of being late to the classroom, because we do not need hurry in the morning to catch a bus. It is so comfortable for me to stay home all day.
Second, online study is easy for some students to present their opinions to other students. If someone is called on during class in the classroom, she should speak in front of everyone, but some students may feel pressure, and she might not be able to say anything.
However, online participants can comment in the chat box, speak using a microphone, send stickers during online lessons. In online lessons, students don’t have to worry about what others think about themselves.
It is true it is hard to meet friends face to face, but I can contact other classmates even when we are apart. When someone feels lonely, we can meet during online classes and hear the voice of others. It brings a sense of security.
Saving money and energy
By Yutaro Mitsu
Online education has good points. First of all, as you do not need to go to school, financial burden of going to school is reduced. For example, expenses such as gasoline of a motorcycle or the bus fare became needless. Students can save transportation cost.
Also online education saves the physical strength. Going to school is tiring because students live downtown, but the university is located on top of a hill. Staying at home is more comfortable.
Difficulty in online communication
By Ruura Fukunaga
Japanese colleges currently use online class to prevent coronavirus infection, but online class is not necessarily a good way for teachers and students. In my view, the face-to-face class in the classroom is better for several reasons.
First of all, teachers and students are not well-prepared for online lessons, because they experience online class for the first time. So, we must learn to use computers. I often hear teachers and students, “It is hard to do classes through computer.”
In particular, it seems hard for teachers to prepare online lessons. Furthermore, it is difficult to communicate each other. Teachers cannot tell how well students can understand the lecture. It is difficult for students to ask questions, too. If there is a way to stop the coronavirus crisis, I want to take classes in the classroom.
Disadvantages of Online Lectures
By Saki Suyama
Although there are some advantages to being given lectures online, I prefer being taught by teachers at the university to being given lectures online. In my opinion, studying from teachers in the same classroom definitely enables us to concentrate and to spend a more meaningful time for several reasons.
First of all, it is hard for students to prepare each lecture’s handouts in advance. Students have to download them and print them. If some students don’t have a printer, they must go to Media Center or a convenience stores.
Also, we are under a big stress from being seen by others. Many people are shy, so they feel very uneasy to be seen so, they turn off their cameras, and shut down the important channel of good communication. If students turn off the video, teachers can’t see students’ faces, so teachers can’t know if students really understand what teachers said. So, we can’t communicate with each other well.
