# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My names Jacqueline and I am really excited to start these modules. I have had online learning experience since this whole pandemic started, and it has not been the greatest but it is the worst either. I would rather have class in person because I feel like I learn more in a classroom setting rather than through a screen. Nevertheless, online learning has its benefits, because you can complete work at your own pace and it can fit in your schedule. I, myself have never taught an online class but I would love to learn. Finally, a fun fact about me would be that I am a passionate guitar player.

# data[].attributes.body
Prior to last semester I had No experiences with online learning. Something that I did not like about online learning was the lack of face to face interaction that was going on. I think that establishing a personal connection with your peers and educators is very important. So far this semester I would say that it has improved because teachers have had time to prepare. One thing that I like about online learning is that you can go at your own pace depending how the class it set up.

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken a few online courses that I needed to take and they were only available online. I felt that they were explained very well and that the information for the class was displayed and easy to follow. However, I work for the school department and have had to do online instruction with my students. I have had to produce lessons plans and monitor his involvement in the program and make sure assignments were being handed in in a timely fashion. Overall, I have been able to focus and maintain my grades during the pandemic. I am also a mother of an 8 year old and have had to do online instruction with him. At times it has been very challenging. I like being able to do online instruction because I can work at my own pace and that is usually very helpful for me.

# data[].attributes.body
My first experience taking online classes was last semester when we had to go remote due to COVID. Prior to that I had only taken face to face classes, and did not necessarily have plans to take any online classes in the future. Personally I found online learning more difficult than face to face classes, when you are in class you are in a way forced to pay attention, but when you are online it is much easier to get distracted. The one positive thing about online classes is that I got better with time management, I would block out times to focus on my classes and classwork and did not procrastinate as much. I think that it is important as a teacher to try and structure online learning the same as you would structure your face to face classes, this is something that I will definitely keep in mind for the future.

# data[].attributes.body
My experience with online learning so far is going well, however I much rather in person classes. Organizing myself for online classes is a bit of a struggle for me. I have taken a few online classes, because after spring break last semester all my classes moved to online. Although there seems to be more cons then pros with online learning/teaching, they are beneficial for public health during these times. It is also a great incentive to get more comfortable with technology considering today's society is quickly moving in that direction.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi everyone!
I have taken a couple online courses at URI. I felt that they were organized for the most part. Online learning is a challenge and is not for everyone. It takes a lot of focus and motivation, especially when you're doing your work from home. I had difficulties managing my time at first and staying on task, but soon got the hang of things. I personally don't mind the whole online learning thing. Online learning gave me a different perspective on learning. Although class/ group discussions and projects are different online than in-person, but I got used to it.

# data[].attributes.body
I have never taken or taught an online class before. Some challenges that may come with online learning are students lack of motivations. A benefit of online learning is having a flexible schedule.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone!
I have taken a few online classes at URI, and some of them were very well organized, others I felt were not. For example, one class I had last semester was Drawing and the class on campus was around 3 hours long of just drawing. Since we had to start the class online, my teacher put together a Facebook group where we would post our assignments and get feedback from the teacher and other students, that way we were all engaged. This was an example of a well-organized online setting.
For me, online learning gave me a chance to learn in a comfortable setting where I could focus in my own environment and have access to everything I need right in my own home or dorm. Discussions online are a little more difficult, along with hands-on projects and activities, but learning while online is still working for me!

# data[].attributes.body
Have you ever taken an online class? Have you ever taught one? What are some challenges with online teaching and learning? Some benefits? Upload an appropriate image of yourself or something that represents you and then click anywhere on the padlet outside of your post to save it.
Avatar of Mary Moen
Mary Moen
 +  26
●
2h

# data[].attributes.body
Over the course of the last few years I have taken several online classes offered through the TESOL program. I have never taught an online class but might encounter it at some point this year during my student teaching. I have heard that a big struggle with online learning is getting students to log on. A benefit that I have personally experienced with online learning is asynchronous class times. Rather than being present in a classroom at a specific time every day, I am able to complete classwork and assignments at a time that works best for me.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Ashley Morehouse. I have plenty of experiences with online classes! I enjoy online classes very much. When you take an online class you have to have motivation, organizing and planning skills. You need motivation because with an online class you do not have someone looking over your shoulder or a teacher telling you to do your work. You have to have the motivation to do the work. You need to have organization skills because you must keep all your papers, homework's, etc. etc. If you are not organized that can lead you to stress and anxiety. Lastly, you need to have planning skills because since this is an online class you can do most things when you have free time. But i suggest planning out certain days/times to work on your class. All three connect together!

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken only a few online courses during the pandemic last semester, but haven't taught any yet.  I've learned through the time that I've been taught remotely last semester that I actually do better academically at home due to feeling more comfortable there.  However, I'm a bit nervous about teaching online since I've always felt comfortable with teaching students face-to-face.  I'm looking forward to online instructing though!

# data[].attributes.body
	My first experience with online learning was when students went entirely remote during this past Spring 2020 semester. I wasn’t sure what to expect when switching over the online learning, but I tried to remain optimistic that it would run smoothly. I was really happy with how online learning turned out and thought that my professors did a wonderful job at keeping everything organized. I’m doing online learning again for this semester, and, although I do prefer in person, I feel good about this upcoming school year. I’ve never taught any online course, but I am both excited and nervous about being introduced to it during practicum. 
	 Some challenges with online learning and teaching is getting to know one another without meeting face to face and technological issues. I know that the uncertainty of technology definitely left me nervous while trying to complete online courses. 
	Some benefits of online learning that I experienced were the ability to space out time to do my work throughout the entire day, and not just the specific class time, and familiarizing myself with online platforms that are now becoming more relevant, such as zoom. 

# data[].attributes.body
My first experience with online learning was when students went entirely remote during this past Spring 2020 semester. I wasn’t sure what to expect when switching over to online learning, but I tried to remain optimistic that it would run smoothly. I was really happy with how online learning turned out and thought that my professors did a wonderful job running their courses. I’m doing online learning again for this semester, and, although I do prefer in person, I feel good about this upcoming school year. I’ve never taught any online course, but I am both excited and nervous about being introduced to it during this class.

Some challenges with online learning and teaching is getting to know one another without meeting face to face and technological issues. I know that the uncertainty of technology definitely left me nervous while trying to complete online courses.

Some benefits of online learning that I experienced were the ability to space out time to do my work throughout the entire day, and not just the specific class time, and familiarizing myself with online platforms that are now becoming more relevant, such as zoom.

# data[].attributes.body
The only time I have taken an online course was last semester. I have never taught one. Some challenges with online teaching include technology, not being in-person to get the best. instruction, and and the inability to interact with the professor face-to-face. Some benefits include lots of time to get your work done if the due date isn't during that class, having to learn time management, and flexible schedules.

# data[].attributes.body
I have never taken a course that was entirely designed to be online, so this spring was my first experience with online learning when all of my classes went remote. Although I liked how sometimes I was able to work at my own pace, it was difficult at times as I feel like some classes are just more productive in person. I have never done online teaching, but I did nanny for a family starting in May of this year and helped out with the kids online learning. One child was in Kindergarten and one was in First Grade, so although their assignments were not as time consuming or strenuous as I imagine they would be for older children, there were still some challenges. For examples, the kids were often reluctant to do their work on days that they did not have zoom meetings as it did not feel like they had school work to do as they just had to complete it on their own. I definitely learned a lot, getting more comfortable with the online learning resources as well as new strategies to keep them on topic and such. They were definitely excited to be able to see their friends on zoom and to play around with new online resources, but it was hard to see how disappointed they were that they could no longer see their classmates. I think that there are many pros and cons to online learning, but it is a learning process for sure adapting to complete online learning.

# data[].attributes.body
My first experience with online classes was this Spring when all of our courses were forced to be online. I had very mixed feelings about this as I feel some classes are difficult to transfer to entirely online, but that is also because none of those classes were supposed to be online so many aspects had to be altered. I have never taught an online class, but I did nanny for a family starting right after my own classes were over, helping the children with their online classes. One child was in Kindergarten and one was in First Grade, so their work was not as time consuming or strenuous as I imagine it would have been for older children, but it was definitely different than what I was used to from previous practicums. It was also a bit difficult as I was new to online learning as well, so I was getting used to their online programs at the same time that they were. I feel that they adapted fairly well, although it was definitely hard to keep them on task when they were given challenging assignments to do outside of their zoom classes. It was also hard to see how sad they were when they had days where they did not have an actual zoom meeting as it was clear that they missed the social interaction with their classmates. It was nice to see how excited they were to attend their zoom classes, and to be exposed to new online resources, but it was challenging at some points. I think that some benefits were that they were exposed to some new online resources and also able to choose when they did certain subjects, specifically ones they were not necessarily as strong in. I think there are many pros and cons to online learning, but unfortunately during this time we must adapt to these new strategies.

# data[].attributes.body
Leading up to last year I have not taken any online classes. I have not taught a online either. Last semester was the first time I have taken part in an online class and my experience was sub par. My teachers were not as prepared as I would have liked. I thought as if they were learning how to do all this as we went along. Which is expected because we have never faced something like this before. The reason why I was disappointed was not because my teachers didn't know what to do, but they did not really seem to care. I had one teacher who didn't give me any work which sound fun but my grade suffered due to lack of work. One of my teachers did an online lecture but we did not do a zoom. We could only hear him talk and we sat there. There was one meeting were a student was sleeping and he did not mute his microphone so for the whole class we listened to him snore. A major challenge I found last semester was the lack of knowledge when it came time to make the switch. Also the teachers not really caring and getting rid of all of the assignments leaving me with very little room to get better grades. A benefit however I like was when my teachers would upload the weeks work and I could go at my own pace and complete the work I needed to do for that week.

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken a few online courses in the past, but I have never taught one. Some challenges I have faced with online learning is time management and focusing on the work I am given. When classes switched to online in the spring I found it difficult to actually sit down and complete my work often getting distracted. A benefit of online learning is being able to complete your work at your own pace and it helps students become more organized. Once I organized my work and found a less distracting place to work, completing online classes was beneficial. Online learning gives students the means to work at their own pace and allows them to retain the information at the best of their ability and can lessen anxiety about completing an assignment.

# data[].attributes.body
I have never taken an online class, other than last semester when all of our classes were forced to be online. So I have not taken a class that was originally designed to be 100% online. I have never taught an online class. The closest experience I have with teaching an online class was this past spring. After I was done with my classes, I helped a family I babysit for with their online school for the last two months of their schooling. The family has a boy who was in 5th grade and a girl who was in 3rd grade. Even though I was obviously not teaching their classes, I got a lot of exposure to, and a feel for, how both a 3rd and 5th grade classroom operate through virtual learning. I learned a lot about all of the different programs that are used with virtual learning. It was also very helpful to me as a teacher in training to see what worked, and didn't work, for these kids with online school. That brings me to the next question: some challenges with online school.
For these younger students, it was very hard to motivate them to get all of their tasks done for the day, especially when they were at home and had the distractions of each other and electronics. A benefit is that these kids were able to do things at their own pace. If it was a subject they excelled in and were motivated in, they were able to complete their assignments quickly and be done for the week. But if it was something they struggled in, they could take their time getting it done, and only had to do a little bit each day.

# data[].attributes.body
My experience with online classes began at the end of semester. I have never completed or taught an entire online course from start to finish, leaving me anxious for this upcoming semester. Potential challenges with online teaching and learning is definitely time management. When the learning is completely up to me, the student, I can see myself putting off finishing assignments. As a teacher, it must be much more difficult connecting with students when you never meet them face to face. However, benefits include a flexible schedule. I have more time in the day to focus on school rather than commuting to and from class. I cam learn at my own pace.

# data[].attributes.body
My first experience with taking an online class was last semester. With the news about going completely online I was very nervous, being a student who excels in an in-person classroom setting and loves social interaction. Once we began online learning during though, I was pleasantly surprised with how organized many of my professors were and how much I actually enjoyed online learning. A benefit I found of online learning is learning how to be organized, manage your time wisely and problem solve on your own. I think I am more nervous about student teaching online for myself as a teacher in training and for student who are learning. I am looking forward to this challenge about teaching online and I am excited to go through this course to learn some tips and tricks for online learning!

# data[].attributes.body
I've taken a few online classes before, and I actually enjoyed them. I especially liked being able to pause the videos and re-watch them to make sure I understand all of the material. I did struggle a little bit with procrastination because we were able to work on our on time instead of a "set schedule". I've never taught an online class, but I feel that it may be a tad more difficult with younger children because they might not be as attentive as older kids. Also it can definitely feel less personal by teaching online instead of in person.  However, I am extremely excited to start this semester and find out what's in store for us!

# data[].attributes.body
Previously, I have only taken online classes within the second half of Spring semester 2020. From my experiences, I feel that I had my fair share of likes and dislikes about online learning. I realized that I much prefer in-person classes, and that any chance to interact with my peers and professors were beneficial to my understanding in the class. In that sense, it made me feel like I was "in" the classroom and helped me maintain my focus on my assignments. From the previous experience, I learned that it takes a different level of focus to stay on top of my assignments especially if there were no virtual meetings. The biggest challenge I think that comes with virtual learning is maintaining a connection with students. With online learning, I feel that it is beneficial to give students the opportunity to try learning on their own but it can be challenging to maintain focus on their expectations. I am excited, though, to challenge myself in being able to work online with students and make sure I do my best to make a positive classroom experience for them (in-person and online)!

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken a few online courses in the past, but I have never taught one. The biggest challenge I face with online learning is building up motivation. Being at home and taking a class that is not in person requires more independence and self motivation in my opinion. Further, I am not great at using technology. There are many things I do not know about it, which is sometimes a hassle as it takes a lot of extra time for me to figure out how to navigate through it. Online learning is beneficial in that oftentimes there were not set times for me to work on online classes. This allowed me flexibility in my schedule. This is important to me since I work and have other things in my life going on.

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken one online class which was over this summer. It was my first online class that I have ever taken. I really enjoyed the organized layout of the agenda and how my professor posted videos of herself teaching us a lesson. I think the videos were my favorite part because it was as if I was learning in-person. I also loved how I could rewatch the videos so that I could refer back to important parts. Still, I enjoy in-person classes much better because I feel "in the zone" and less distracted opposed to learning from home. On the other hand, I have actually taught one online "class" which was through my internship at PeaceDale Elementary School last semester. I helped a student one-on-one with writing assignments on Google Meet. I shared my screen with him so that we could work on his essays together. A challenge with online teaching and learning is that there is a level of disconnect for forming personal relationships through interactive experiences, building social skills, and group work. The benefits are being able to teach and learn from anywhere which can be helpful for students who cannot attend class due to illness, etc,.

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken 2 online classes in the past, one last summer and one this summer, as well with finishing up this past semester online. Personally I learn better with face to face classes because I like being able to ask questions and interact with my professors and peers in class, and I am also a very visual learner. I find it very helpful when professors hold zoom calls and classes because it gives us the opportunity to interact and ask questions if needed, but when we are expected to almost teach ourselves, is when I start to struggle. I work as an aide during the summer for the pre-school extended school year program which was virtual this year, it was very interesting and different to teach and help students online rather than in person. I had a lot of fun recording videos of myself doing crafts and experiments for my students, but I definitely can see how it is difficult on both ends. I am nervous about potentially teaching online because I know it is difficult and it is also difficult for the students to really understand to retain all of the information, but I am looking forward to learning a lot and being able to help students succeed to the best of my ability.

# data[].attributes.body
The only online classes that I have taken were the ones that were transferred to online instruction due to the pandemic last semester. I honestly liked taking them online at first, but then came to realize that I learn a lot better and retain the information more effectively through in person instruction. Some benefits to online learning was being able to do things at more of my own pace and it made my schedule a lot more flexible due to not having to be there in person. One main thing that I did struggle with was staying focused and on task. Eventually I did get the hang of it and managed my time well to complete the courses! I will definitely be enrolling in more online courses in the future:)

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken 2 online classes so far as well as finishing up the rest of last semester online. Over the summer I worked with a family who had children finishing up the year with online classes and I was responsible for helping them. When working with the kids I saw how difficult it was of a setting for the teacher and the young kids. In my opinion for older kids in higher school and college online is a little more manageable than it is for the younger kids. In my opinion the only benefit that I see to online learning is the ability to record the lesson and rewatch it. However if you set up a camera In a classroom and record the lesson you can do the same thing. You are loosing so much from online learning and in my opinion it is hurting the students rather than helping them.

# data[].attributes.body
Hey y'all,

I've taken a few online classes over the summer and during the quarantine transition period last Spring semester. I've never taught an online class before and am slightly worried for practicum, but excited for my opportunity to teach!

I'm particularly worried since I am a music education major and cannot directly make music with my students. While I've taken EDC 312 & MUS 235 (Intro to Music Ed), I'm not quite sure exactly how to make the transition to online teaching, and am excited for this course!

(BTW I play the oboe and below is a picture of the instrument!)

# data[].attributes.body
My experience with online learning started last year when the covid outbreak started. My spring break turned from a week off to a five month-long vacation, and my community college was not prepared for the change in learning style. It was clear my instructors were ambitious at first in trying to transition their teachings onto an online platform, but i'd be lying if i said it wasn't handled well. While I had no problem with how classwork was distributed, the education-aspect of it was lacking, i more or less educated myself in preparation of every assignment, and I was really missing that teacher-student connection. I'm sure the lack of professionalism can be blamed on the last second-transtition, I have complete faith that an online college course can be done smoothly, and am looking forward to the upcoming semester!

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken a few online classes, luckily the TESOL program at URI is exclusively online so it gave me a lot of experience with virtual learning before this Spring. Since then, I have obviously seen the switch from in-person classes to online, and there were a lot of challenges that came along with that. I found that focusing on classwork was more difficult as I was used to interacting with others and not having to look at my screen all day. It was also a challenge staying engaged in content that was not intended on being delivered virtually. One of the main benefits that I have seen throughout my entire online-class experience is that it has helped me become much more comfortable with online platforms and tools.

# data[].attributes.body
My first experience taking an online course was this past semester. I was nervous because, generally, I am someone who thrives in a setting where I am able to communicate with my professor/classmates directly. I enjoy discussion based lessons where I am able to ask questions and hear other people's perspectives. I found that I enjoyed my classes when they were online, but still over zoom at least once during the week. This allowed me to maintain and develop relationships with my peers, but also gave my flexibility to work on my own time. I did not do well with a course that was entirely individual work, as I felt unmotivated and disconnected from both my professor and the material. I have never taught a course online, however this past semester I was a TA in a course that was forced to go online due to COVID. As someone who graded students' work, I definitely noticed that students became much less motivated as the course went from in person to online. I am excited to progress through these modules and learn ways that I can be better prepared to help students succeed while learning online, especially in today's world.

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken a few online and hybrid classes, but this is the first class I'm teaching online. I like taking classes online because of the flexibility. It's helpful for me to be able to learn on my own without having to be "in class," but I'm not sure this would've been true for me as an undergraduate. I think it would have been difficult to stay motivated if I didn't have somewhere to be! All of my teaching has been F2F so far. One of the benefits of teaching online is that it really forces you to be organized and clear about your assignments, since you're not "there" all the time to help the students in person. In this way, it can make you a better teacher, as you have to be really attentive to expressing your objectives and explaining the material.

# data[].attributes.body
My first experience with online learning was during the Fall 2019 semester, I took a single class entirely online. I enjoyed the class and the instructor and teaching assistants were very helpful when it came to questions and assignment clarification from the students. From this experience, I realized I prefer in-person instruction. I have never taught an online class. Challenges I’ve witnessed with online learning and teaching come from different skill levels of online capabilities. Additionally, I’ve seen many students, my peers and even my younger siblings, struggle with the techniques and programs chosen by their instructors. The drive to stay focused and entirely comprehend the material is a struggle I saw my siblings face. A benefit of online learning is the flexibility it has, it allows for students to complete the assignments at their own pace.

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken a few online courses myself, although I think I prefer face-to-face instruction.  In one of my educational courses last year, we had the surprise assignment of teaching our lesson plan during our virtual zoom sessions.  It was nerve wracking to say the least, trying to figure out how to deliver the material effectively and in an appropriate pace, all while trying to determine whether students were following along or had completely checked out.
I witnessed this first hand during distant learning with my three children. I constantly had to monitor them to ensure they were completing their work, paying attention, understood the material, etc. I suppose one of the benefits was it allowed them to select which subject they would complete first. Although a major drawback was the technology. This was both difficult for my young children and myself to get a handle on at first.

# data[].attributes.body
I have taken many online courses in the past, but have never taught one. Some challenges I have faced with online learning include technology... I feel as though I need to relearn so many things, and need to learn all of the new technology coming out. My son was in Kindergarten this past school year and I found technology to be the most difficult aspect of the virtual learning experience. One of the benefits for me learning online is the asynchronous aspect of most courses, this allows me to time the courses to my benefit. Another benefit is being able to take breaks when necessary, which is hard to do in in person classes.