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What Grinds Our Gears: Courses meant for online learning shouldn’t be as disorganized as the newly adapted ones

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PHOTO: JESHOOTS.COM / Unsplash

by Paige Riding, Humour Editor

Distance education courses — not to be confused with the shitshow in-person classes now taught online — are intended to be delivered remotely. Lessons and resources appear on Canvas for the student’s convenience. In theory, the professor should have some sort of grasp on communicating the course’s goals. So why do I feel more lost in my Romantic English online course than my courses that moved online for the first time this Fall semester?

This course is an absolute disaster — and that’s coming from someone who cries nightly (and daily) to Keshi. Discussions are facilitated by students for students, and I have no idea if my contributions are fruitful. It’s week eight and I have received no feedback at all.

For our most recent assignment, the class was so confused about the expectations that the due date was extended because that many people were lost. Then, it got pushed again because no further explanations were provided and complaints were made.

I haven’t gotten my mark back (not surprised), so I still don’t know if I integrated a poem analysis, a secondary source on everyone’s favourite Romantic, Blake, and my own response to these things (yes, we had to use the first-person. I’m still shaking) within the four pages allotted. Those four pages aged me. As a fourth-year English major, four pages should take less effort than a BuzzFeed math quiz.

With no Zoom calls for questions, transparency on Canvas is critical. Was the TA confused and therefore couldn’t elaborate on the expectations? Who knows. But can students have a bit of organization during this already stressful time? As a treat?

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society