Since March, students from Ukiah High have attended school online. From Zoom glitches to social isolation, distance learning has posed numerous problems. UHS News interviewed three Wildcats to learn more about the experience of learning through a screen.
Many Wildcats feel lonely with the pivot to distance learning. According to junior Damien Amaya, “I feel distance learning, in general, feels like a form of solitude. It’s hard to connect with the people you are working with and the teacher.” He explained that “I also feel that is partially due to the teachers and students not used to this.”
Junior Elise Martinez felt similarly. “It has definitely limited classroom interactions with my peers/classmates and teachers.”
Distance learning has been dogged by technical glitches that make it challenging to learn. Amaya said, “It also is difficult to connect when you randomly are booted out of class. The small parts where students and teachers are kinds of connecting are easy to miss.” He continued, saying, “I mostly get booted out of class, lag horribly, sometimes my entire Chromebook freezes.” He added that “The most stressful is when it takes half an hour to turn in an assignment or when we have to use another website, and it takes twenty minutes to load.”
Like Amaya, junior John Livingston has internet issues. He said, “The technical glitches that I face most are due to weak internet. My whole family is on the internet, so it strains it.” He also said, “Some days I can’t get into the class, but it makes it hard to communicate to the teacher.”
Martinez elaborated on this concept, saying, “I get kicked out of calls, or I can’t always hear what the teachers say.” She continued, saying, “A lot of times I get called on and I try to answer but my mic doesn’t work, or I cut out, and I can’t answer or ask any questions.”
Despite its flaws, distance learning has been a cause for some good. Amaya said, “Distance learning has made it feel a bit less stressful since I’m in a more comfortable environment, although it has made it difficult for me to feel involved with the subject.”
Martinez added to this, saying, “Even though there are difficulties, online learning has given me more time to work on myself, getting my license, and I got a job.”
