LSUA successfully finishes first week of online classes
After a much needed spring break, LSUA students, faculty and staff has successfully conquered their first week back of classes under new measures.
“It actually went better than a lot of students expected it to go. I think first the initial thing was a lot of chaos. Like how are we going to move all of this on campus to online? But, it was an easy transition.”
Graduating senior, Whitney Jacobs, says what also helped make the transition easier was that many students were already familiar with the online format. Along with clear directions from their professors such as communications professor, Melissa Laborde.
“We had the week before spring break and the week of spring break as faculty members to get everything transferred over and kind of regroup and figure out what we we’re going to do and for a lot of classes, it’s not so hard to get stuff online. Some of them are a little more challenging.”
Discipline plays a major role when it comes to online schooling. Students aren’t relying on a specific schedule to get work done. They aren’t required to physically be in a classroom and so forth. Jacobs says its all about applying yourself.
“It hasn’t been bad. I will say its two times as much work as you would’ve done on campus but it’s still doable. You can still get it done. It’s a matter of applying yourself. Like I said, the faculty made that easier for us. It’s still been doable.”
With LSUA being a smaller school, they rely on being such a close knit community. This allows for faculty, staff and students to be more transparent with each other when it comes to catering specific needs. At a time like this, those needs are heard now more than ever.
“The main thing about LSUA is we’re small enough that we really know our students. So, flexibility and adaptability have been the big things so far. It could be something as simple as moving a deadline because a student can’t get something done because they’re sharing that computer or they’re having to go to the parking lot at Lot 6 at LSUA to get Wi-Fi to do an assignment. I think those are the challenges that I’ve heard personally from my students. A lot of anxiety about the situation anyway. Everyone’s more anxious about the situation than usual.”
“I feel like its more personable honestly. Being more close with your professors and being more small knit like that, I feel like they understand you more. They may be your professor but at least they have an understanding mindset versus something that is bigger. We’re more of a community together like a family.”
