Due to the increase in the amount of people using zoom during this quarantine, I think university environments could change drastically after the world returns more to normal– whatever that means. Almost every college is now using online video chats to hold classes and I think they could be incorporated into our new normal back on campus.
I think a lot of universities will find the online method sufficient to face-to-face learning. If GPAs stay steady or even increase during this quarantine, colleges will have good reason to keep doing online learning to some extent. Colleges could offer more online courses, but still keep the personable feel of face-to-face classes if the student wants. Even if the internet becomes a bigger part of college campuses, students will still benefit from conversing with fellow classmates and professors in a physical setting (Fuscaldo, 2019). Some might think this is a bad thing. Who wants more online classes when we are back on campus? For some people this shift is exactly what they need.
This shift can be beneficial to those attending college after us. The price of a degree has risen significantly since our parents have been in college. So much so that the average person has $31,172 in student loan debt (Issa, 2019). These numbers deter a lot of people from attending college or going to a college that was not at the top of their list. Some people get online degrees because they are a great deal cheaper, but there is a stigma against getting an online degree.
It is seen as the easy way out, but for many people pursuing a higher education, online school is the only option. Online degrees are often discredited, but now that every student is doing online learning right now, online school might become less of a joke.
Online learning is better for a lot of people for a few reasons. For a lot of students online learning is easier. The format allows every student to work at their own pace by pausing lectures and rewatching lectures to make sure they get all of the information. Online classes can also provide the flexibility that some working students need to make ends meet and to stay in school. With the workforce moving more online, online schooling prepares a student for a potential future job on the internet more than traditional schooling does (Sammer, 2020).
Online classes could actually be even better than college campuses. If the instructors care about their students and are held to as high of a standard as any other professor, then students will get a good education and feel like they are valued. “Unfettered by physical location, and the compulsion to erect ever-shinier buildings, universities suddenly find themselves free to reimagine their place in society” (Jones, 2020). With no sports, dorms, stadiums, or new buildings to spend money, resources, and time on, administrators can really focus on the education they are providing their students.
Generally, college is a huge betting game for a lot of people when it shouldn’t have to be. Transitioning to online schooling could benefit millions of people who want a degree but cannot afford one. After all, education should not just be for the wealthy.
Works Cited
Fuscaldo, D. (2019, September 11). What Will Higher Education Look Like 5, 10 or 20 Years from Now? Retrieved from https://www.goodcall.com/education/future-of-higher-education/
Jones, S. (2020, March 31). Covid-19 is our best chance to change universities for good. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/mar/31/covid-19-is-our -best-chance-to-change-universities-for-good
Issa, N. (2019, September 4). U.S. Average Student Loan Debt Statistics in 2019. Retrieved from https://www.credit.com/personal-finance/average-student-loan-debt/
Sammer, T. (2020, April 24). 8 Reasons Why Online Education is Better than Traditional. Retrieved from https://www.nitrocollege.com/blog/online-college/why-online-education-better
-Maddy Mengel
ENGL110 Spring 2020 11:15-12:05 
This was a very interesting take. When I read the prompt, I immediately thought of how the world would generally be impacted, but I never thought of impact due to the change in education. You had a very good point in your fourth paragraph; online school will be a new norm after this pandemic. Overall a well written piece that I enjoyed reading.
-Jack Renz
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This is definitely drastically different than what I have been hoping for when school resumes, but you bring up some excellent points. It is entirely possible that online school will be the new normal. That thought kind of terrified me at first, but your piece has me thinking about the idea in a new perspective. I really enjoyed the truth in your final sentence, “After all, education should not just be for the wealthy.”
~ Helen Dotchel
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Although your writing was centered around the theme I fear so much, it was superb writing. Your integration of quotes gave it a very compelling argument. Focusing on the monetary side of the argument was a very strong choice. I like your closing paragraph. Especially the first sentence “Generally, college is a huge betting game for a lot of people when it shouldn’t have to be.” I feel like it goes unnoticed how much extras that go into college that do not necessarily need to be. Even though I am on the other side this was a very well written piece.
-Conner Polizzi-Gullo
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Definitely an interesting spin on how education resumes after the pandemic. I agree that there are many positives that can come with online school. You provided a lot of good quotes that support your opinion. I think in-person schooling is also beneficial, but it is cool to see your point of view for how school should continue. I enjoyed your quote: “college is a huge betting game for a lot of people and it shouldn’t have to be.” Overall, well written piece and there may be a chance that online school will become more normalized.
-Emily Pellegrino
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