By Martha Taumata Faavae
Senior college students studying from home during the COVID-19 emergency lockdown are having a hard time learning outside the normal classroom environment with a teacher present.
Complaints tumbled out freely from a group of Faleata College students called in to collect their assignments set by teachers this week from the school office secretary.
The 12-13 Year students group have very important exams at the end of the year.
The loss of valuable learning time to the disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic is a major worry. The students complain of the difficulties from the temporary arrangements with home assignments and online learning
“Learning at home is not the same as sitting in a classroom with the teacher to make it easier to understand and learn,” Sabrina Tomua agonized.
The Faleata College Year 12 student made the long trip from her Faleasi’u home to collect her assignment.
“The teacher makes sure the class is clear on the exercise before it moves on to something new.
“The assignments you take home are easier from the learning in the classroom. Without the teacher to explain ‘blurs the channel’ and online learning is little help also.”
Tomua also bemoaned the juggling or schoolwork with home chores like all other students in her group.
The need for data cards to access online learning is cause for added problems with the students if or when they are unable to buy cards.
Technical online issues like slow connections when too many people hooked up at the same time is a source of frustrations.
Parents are a hassle also when they suspect students spending too much time on the phone to be doing any school work.
Having to catch the bus from home with the limits set on passengers means a long wait for Tomua be allowed to travel to school to collect her assignments.
Year 12 students Pelesasa Viavia has to sit an entry exam into the National University of Samoa in this his final year at Faleata College.
He is not a happy student with all the problems he is going through including online learning that is not working for him.
“ I’m sure the people in my village at Alamagoto are tired of seeing me on the road walking to some of my friends already at the University to help me with my school work when I’m stuck,” Viavia quipped.
Home chores, data cards and struggling with assignments without the normal help of teachers in class are also added problems Viavia is facing the same as Tomua.
National University student April Ulberg of Vaimoso is on her first year of studies for a Bachelor’s in Art degree.
Her concern with online learning organized by the university is having to download notes left by the lecturer to work on without the help of normal lectures to help.
Her assignments are emailed back to the lecturer when it is done.
The general consensus for all the students is a return to classroom learning that they would prefer to the temporary arrangements made for them during the lockdown.