Before the pandemic, parking lots were filled with cars at Citrus College. Students could not find a spot and would sometimes park off campus. Now, the parking lot in front of the college is rarely filled.
That is the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden increase in online class enrollment that came with it.
Like many colleges, Citrus went through considerable change with its enrollment.
On-campus education used to be favored considerably. The gap narrowed down after 2020 because of growing online enrollment.
However, the change came with skepticism and controversy.
Although the rise of online education is a good thing, some people believe the adjustment is detrimental to students in many ways.
One of the biggest complaints is that students do not have the resources to keep up with online classes.
Yet, colleges have resources like laptops for students to borrow in case they need them or even offer grants that help them buy supplies.
An example would include Citrus College’s Student Support Grant, which gives students up to $500 to buy materials that they need to complete courses.
In addition to the criticism, many people fear that the lack of in-person interaction may cause mental health issues and a decline in social skills.
However, both online and on-campus students who study a great amount of time in college are often left with a lack of social life due to how busy they are.
Also, ways to continue exercising social skills exist. Things like going out with family, friends, or even making plans with classmates online could improve social life.
Another critique is that the student’s ability to network will be taken away from them.
This critique is outdated, networking has changed in general, and the majority of it happens online, especially with the rise of social media.
According to an article from ProfileTree, “73% of students use social media in education to collaborate with their classmates on all forms of electronics, tablets, mobiles, and computers.”
In fact, one of the advantages online education has over on-campus education is time management.
Having success in an online class relies more on the ability of the student as opposed to the professor. Students do not have to do their work at scheduled times, as they have a lot more flexibility on turning stuff in as long as it’s submitted before the due date.
Additionally, one of the biggest critiques when it comes to online education is that some students are unable to focus on screens, causing a hindrance to their learning.
Yet, some homework assignments from on-campus classes that require being on a screen anyway. If the issue is the environment and students have trouble focusing at home, coffee shops are available to stay away from the distractions that they face at home.
Post-pandemic college students work differently than what the critics of online education expect.
The result: traffic that used to be at the Citrus College parking lot is now additional traffic to the Canvas website.
