For a student from Côte d’Ivoire, online classes are not a new experience. Abubakar Yaro highlighted the main pros and cons of this type of education. Why he considers distance learning easier than in-person classes, whether it is possible to keep in touch with classmates during self-isolation, and how students are affected by the online format - we will learn from our interview.
What advantages of online classes have you noticed for yourself?
“The main advantage of studying in this format for me is making progress in the study of our subjects. It is also impossible not to mention that my understanding of the material has improved. In offline learning, it was sometimes difficult to in detail understand the information that teachers were providing. Now there are much less difficulties with this. I also gained confidence in colloquial speech — I'm not afraid to make grammatical errors, because I feel comfortable in front of my computer screen. As for the little things, I have time to drink coffee during class.”
Are you able to maintain contact with your classmates? How do you do this?
“Yes, we exchanged numbers in advance and we talk about very interesting psychological topics on VKontakte or Viber. I am always happy to learn from them, because many of them are already working in our field. For example, as counselling psychologists."
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In your opinion, what are the advantages of online classes? And disadvantages?
“For me personally, the advantage of these kinds of classes is the clarity of theory. Teachers can easily explain class topics using reports and presentations, and exercises and surveys provide an opportunity to consolidate the knowledge we gain. There aren’t many shortcomings, but they are significant. I miss having discussions with classmates during classes — it is always useful to hear different points of view on any issue. This format reduces my level of discipline. During regular classes I was more responsible and organized: I prepared before classes, I had worked out a daily routine, and I was more organized in the in-person classes. I think this has prepared us for professional work in the future.”
Have you had experience in online classes before?
“This is not my first time taking online classes. I studied management and communications when I came to Russia. Back then I was already able to understand the convenience of this kind of learning.”
What do you think, are online classes easier or harder than "standard" classes?
“In my opinion, online learning is easier than in-person classes, because personally for me, there were difficulties in understanding all the words and sentences in Russian. Often, teachers used scientific terms, due to this I had a hard time understanding some topics. But if there was an opportunity to translate the materials before classes, to prepare for lectures and practical exercises, then I would prefer offline training.”