Technology is playing a huge role in how schools teach students this year, even with them opened back up. Some students were excited to get back to school so that they could have a better learning experience.

“I did not like virtual learning because it is needlessly repetitive and tiring,” junior Josh Connors said. “This is why I chose to go back to school. I learn better and the teachers teach better in person.”

Other students decided that it would be better to stay home and stay safe.

“I prefer being at school, but I stayed at home because it is safer,” junior Stephen Bassey said. “The only reason I might have gone to school would be because I enjoy being in a classroom environment.”

No matter if a student goes face-to-face or stays virtual, technology has its effect on them both. For in-school students, it is not as hard to “stay connected.”

“When you are at school,” junior Mia Linnex said, “you are able to help the teacher with some stuff and ask them to explain it without having to interrupt the Zoom/Google Meets meeting.”

For at-home learning, things can get a little tricky. “Staying connected” becomes a hard task.

“If we have a question, we cannot interact with the teachers and students personally,” Stephen Bassey said. “Another thing is not having my stuff loaded because of bad internet connection.”

Although technology affects in-person in a positive way and at-home learning in a somewhat negative way, the tables turn with school and homework. In-person learners have negative feelings about the workload.

“Unlike at home,” Mia Linnex said, “you have a limited time to complete it (considering you might not be able to finish it at home), so you have to rush more.”

The at-home learners are pleased with their workload.

“In some classes when we finish work early,” Stephen Bassey said, “we can leave the Zoom or Google Meets.”

Both types of learning have the advantages and disadvantages of using technology. At-home learners have to use more tech than in-person, but it pays off when they work hard and complete their assignments early. In-person learners do not have to use technology as much, but they have more work and a smaller amount of time to complete it. Either way, they both rely on technology to help them learn.