In Ukraine, distance education has existed for more than ten years. Back in 2004, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine issued «Regulations on Distance Learning». The first large distance school «Optima» opened in 2015. However, no one has heard of remote universities. Therefore, it was impossible to assume that due to the coronavirus distance learning will be in all Ukrainian higher education institutions, including Lviv Polytechnic. And if students of humanities do not have any difficulties to study at home, for those who are in technical programs, it is not so easy.
Today, those who study architecture, finance and chemistry share their experience of such learning.
«We can be taught lectures and theory online», says Karolina Uziel, a second-year IARD student. – It’s even better, because you can record them and then watch them if you missed a lecture, didn’t hear or didn’t understand something. As for the practical application of knowledge, the distance learning is much worse, because it is very difficult for teachers to teach drawing or to explain some drawings or technical points through the screen. For example, when we work on paintings, the difficulty arises that the camera transmits the image differently than the human eye sees. Making edits in pictures is also not very convenient while distance learning.
– How do students feel about the fact that for two years now they have spent most of their study time remotely, and not directly in the classrooms?
– Students who intend to learn something want lectures to be online, and practical classes offline – to ask questions, consult, etc. And those for whom learning is not a priority, want learning to be online so that they can at the same time get an education and work.
– In your opinion, how will the current situation with the dominance of distance learning affect your profession in the future? It is not uncommon to hear jokes that architects will design upside down after distance learning.
– I am afraid these jokes will become relevant, because, in my opinion, technical specialties should be taught in person, at least practical classes, because we are responsible for human lives. If the building collapses because the architect has designed something incorrectly, it is his fault. It may seem to someone that our task is only to draw a beautiful building, and the calculations will already be made by designers and engineers. There is even a joke that an architect’s dream is an engineer’s nightmare. However, this is not the case at all. In fact, here, at Lviv Polytechnic, we study not only all the subtleties of a beautiful drawing, but also many technical points, because a real architect must have an understanding of his own business. And it is dangerous to trust an architect, as well as a doctor who studied during distance learning. Of course, diligent students in any form of education are trying to absorb more useful information, but I still hope that soon we will study offline. Distance learning does not mean that learning has become impossible, but I will not deny that it is much more difficult.
