By: Linda Yoo
I began graduate school in late 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. Although I knew that online schooling would be used at the beginning of my PhD journey, I had no idea it would continue for nearly two years. Throughout high school and college, I had IBD related accommodations, such as taking bathroom breaks. These accommodations often left me missing portions of classes and sitting in areas that would not disturb others. Although my accommodations were never perfect, I could actively participate and enjoy school.
Before the pandemic, I thought that the traditional in-person classroom setting was the best place for learning. However, the pandemic completely changed my views on education. Even though online schooling came with some struggles, overall I was thriving in graduate school with remote learning. With online school, I could use my bathroom, take my own breaks, make lunch at home, and decompress in a place I had control over. In many ways, this gave me more options to create a learning environment that fit my needs. I was often able to watch recorded lectures over and listen in on lectures even during my breaks. My time attending school virtually proved to me that I could be as productive, if not more, in an environment that I felt was supportive and tailored to my needs. Although the pandemic gave me a newfound liking for virtual school, I acknowledge that this form of education is not suitable or easy for everyone. There was difficulty connecting and naturally forming relationships with others, and the college experience was restricted in terms of socializing with others. However, we tried our best to create virtual hangouts and support groups to build new friendships.
Post-pandemic, we are now in-person for classes, but we still utilize virtual meetings for research projects to collaborate with colleagues all around the country as well as locally. Virtual meetings often save time on the commute and allow for flexibility with childcare. As someone with IBD, virtual meetings often give me the security of being in my own home and decrease my anxiety about being in a new place where I need to search for the nearest bathroom. I find that virtual meetings are helpful for large seminars and lectures, as many individuals might simply be listening to one person. However in smaller groups, discussions can be less natural and stunted because only one person can speak at a time without overlap, and body language is restricted.
All in all, we need to embrace technology and the ability to provide education in various forms to accommodate different needs. Online schooling presents opportunities for equity within higher education. Particularly for students with disabilities, online schooling can provide many benefits that traditional classrooms might not be able to provide. Online schooling is not a new concept for higher education; many online resources were available before the pandemic that students used to supplement their learning. There needs to be a continued push to make education accessible and affordable for all, and online school can be a part of that solution. As someone with IBD, online schooling has opened my eyes to how technology could improve the current education system by creating supportive and accommodating learning environments.