The coronavirus has changed the everyday lives of people around the world. The virus has caused workers, students, teachers, and many others to mandatorily remain 6 feet away from one another, and to quarantine within their homes. When society was expecting 2020 to promise big things, nobody envisioned this.

However, just because the virus has forced everyone to stay home doesn’t mean that everything is put to a stop. Online schooling is now being used so students can continue their learning experience without the threat of catching the virus. Although at first, students jumped at the idea of not going to school, over time, everyone has realized the disadvantages that online school brings. Besides the obvious advantages of shorter classes, less work, and no early mornings, virtual education is not all perks.

Apart from the point that not everyone has access to electronics, one of the primary factors that virtual schools can not provide is face-to-face communication and interaction. In school, students are put in an environment that forces them to communicate with their peers and teachers. However, with online schooling in place, the quality of communication has lowered. Face-to-face interaction between the students and teachers is something that Zoom calls cannot replace. Talking in person creates clearer and more effective conversations, and students who need help on specific topics do not get the hands-on learning that they need.

Another thing to take into consideration is student participation in class. Online schooling has caused teachers to struggle to get their students to participate in class. Without the structure of regular schooling, kids do not feel the motivation to be active in class. Students are in the comfort of their homes, not sitting at a desk on campus. Student work ethic is decreasing as they do not feel the same pressure as they would feel in the physical setting of a classroom. 

The beginning of 2020 has definitely not been ideal. Numerous occasions such as prom and concerts have been canceled, and school and work are now being done at home. However, for the safety of society, this is a precaution that must be taken in order to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. 

It has been a huge adjustment for everyone, especially from an educational aspect. Schools are doing the best they can with the resources they have. However, if we really focus on the quality of education that students are getting, pushing aside the reasons behind the journey of virtual learning, online school is convenient, but in-person school provides the face-to-face interactions that make students’ learning experiences more effective.