Coronavirus: How Students’ Grades are Being Affected
Now that all schools and universities in Pennsylvania have been closed indefinitely and switched to online classes, students have been seeing a decline in their grades and an incline in their stress levels.
Students, as well as professors, are adjusting to the new normal. Being that the nation has never faced an issue like that of COVID-19, there are bound to be a couple of bumps in the road.
“I think my professors are doing the best they can. It’s just as hard for them as it is for us. I personally don’t learn well in online classes because I lose focus and motivation way faster. Even though I’m getting my work done, I don’t feel like I’m actually learning any of the content,” Kirstin Budney, a sophomore at Bloomsburg, said in an interview.
Bloomsburg University has given its students the option of pass/fail grades, in hopes to relieve some stress. However, students are having a more stressful time when it comes to their professors.
A BU student, who wishes to remain anonymous, said in an interview, “I feel like [professors] are making the work harder and not explaining things because they assume we are going to cheat.”
While most professors have been adjusting well, such as creating a class GroupMe chat, meeting weekly and holding extra office hours, some are naturally still getting used to the new process.
CNN reports that universities are now looking into the possibility of online classes being the new normal for the 2020-2021 school year.
BU sophomore Nancy Bucci says if Bloomsburg withholds in-person classes for another semester she will be taking the semester off. She understands, if things are the way they are now, that would be the best option, however, she just can’t go through another semester of online classes.
Professors and students alike are feeling the overwhelming stress induced by the virus. Colleges around the globe are planning ahead and are trying to do what is best for their students and faculty.
