One of the major challenges that the coronavirus outbreak presented was the question of how school would continue. With very little warning in regards to the quarantine, teachers struggled to find a way to continue educating over long distances. So far, the most popular strategies include periodically uploading assignments on Google classroom and meeting students through a Zoom chat room. These methods come with a fair share of problems, from concerns about cheating to difficulties with technology. While online learning can and probably will be improved, I believe that our current system is serving its purpose effectively for now.

Personally, I vastly prefer online learning to the traditional style. I love being able to learn and do work at my own pace without sitting through the less interesting portions of class, and extra free time is always a good thing. The downsides to distance classes are clear, but given the current situation, they have been dealt with as much as possible. Students can’t ask teachers for help face to face anymore, but most teachers are doing their best to find time for questions over the internet. Many students, especially younger ones, are having trouble with the technology. However, the methods being used through computers are relatively simple, and I believe the difficulties will decrease as routines are established. Online teaching is far from perfect, but it is an effective substitute for school while we wait for quarantine to end.