Online classes are easy for most students to use. Access to reliable Internet, difficulty meeting with teachers and an increased tendency to cheat can all lead to shifts in classroom norms which may affect academic performance.

Many universities and school boards across the country have decided to conduct the fall 2020 semester remotely. Some expect that in-person classes will transition to an online setting as the semester progresses.

This speculation comes after UNC-Chapel Hill’s decision to send on-campus students home following a surge in COVID-19 just one week after move-in.

Students who are unable to travel for a semester must enroll in at least one course online.

63% of students plan to enroll in online classes this fall.

Remote learners make up 35% of all students. They will likely be living at home rather than on campus.

Many students will not be able to change their schools online as the states and institutions make their own decisions about how they want to proceed with the semester. Classes can be held in person, online, or in a combination depending on where students live.

Students and educators are adapting to new technologies such as mobile learning apps, remote teaching techniques, and other new technologies to help them learn.

Our findings

• 55% of students feel comfortable taking classes online at the moment. Online learning is attractive to students who value its flexibility and feel confident using e-learning tools like Quizlet or Chegg.

• 46% of students feel comfortable communicating with teachers online. Fear of awkward meetings may keep students from receiving extra support with their course.

• 51% of students don’t have internet access at all times, which can cause them to lose months of coursework.

• 52 percent of students anticipate cheating and academic dishonesty will increase when they learn remotely through the misuse of tutoring services or e-learning technology.

• 47% of students believe they can maintain their pre-pandemic grades while learning remotely. This is despite the accessibility issues with remote learning and other discomforts.

Many students are comfortable learning remotely.

Spring 2020 was the semester of remote learning. Students generally feel ready for the next semester of online learning when a new school year starts.

More than half (55%) of students feel at ease taking online classes.

Students have more confidence when learning online with tools like Quizlet and Chegg than in the past.

Allen Koh is CEO of Cardinal Education in Silicon Valley. He is also an educator and consultant. He believes that students are more productive when they have more flexibility in their school day. Remote learning offers flexibility and a more flexible learning environment.

Koh stated that high school students have the option of choosing between virtual and physical classes. “Many of our students choose virtual classes due to how efficient they are.”

Koh claims that students who learn virtually have more time to pursue extracurricular interests than students who study in traditional classrooms.

However, 31% of students feel uncomfortable with remote learning. Remote learning may cause students to be hesitant because they don’t have the necessary technology or because they have trouble managing their time in a classroom setting.

Mike Bonsignore is an incoming freshman at Towson University. He anticipates difficulties adapting to online courses with no strict schedule as he prepares to start his first semester.

Bonsignore said that online classes are quite comfortable for her. “The problem is that I am missing out on certain elements of in-person classes that keep me organized,” Bonsignore said.

Bonsignore primarily relies on the physical classes to:

• A daily routine and schedule should be followed
• Assist him in organizing his work
• Stay focused, motivated, & Productive

Bonsignore won’t be able to depend on the structure of in-person classes and will need to learn new time management techniques and motivation habits for this semester.

Students sometimes find online learning difficult. Most students are comfortable with online learning because of past experiences and the increased flexibility in scheduling.

Students feel less comfortable meeting with teachers online

Teachers are used to students asking for assistance when they encounter complex content. Students may not be as open to asking their teachers for help when they are learning remotely.       

46 percent of students said they would feel more comfortable speaking with a teacher online.

Students can usually meet with their teachers during the office hours. Students who are uncomfortable meeting with teachers online may find it difficult to get answers.

Koh stated that students are more reluctant to request help in a virtual environment, let alone schedule it.

Koh stressed the importance of students developing positive relationships with their teachers to help them in class-specific areas. Koh recommends students bring a list of questions to keep one-on-one discussions focused.

Teachers can also make themselves available to students to increase students’ comfort with asking for help.

Schools and universities need to prepare students for the possibility of asking for help online.

Many students don’t always have access to high-speed WiFi. This makes school difficult.

Without reliable WiFi, students may have difficulty performing academically.

Unfortunately, 51 percent of students don’t have internet access at all times.

If students can’t log on to their online classes or group meetings, they may have trouble academically.

When classes went online for the first time in the spring 2020, there was a gap in educational performance due to differences in technology access. Accessibility issues caused by accessibility problems led to students from low-income communities falling months behind schedule.

Emily Posyton, a history teacher in North Arlington, New Jersey found it difficult to keep students interested last spring due to some students not being able to access online courses.       

Posyton stated that some students were forced to share their computers with siblings so they couldn’t attend certain classes. “Some students had intermittent WiFi and used their phones to complete work, which can be difficult for multiple classes.”

Families may not have as much time to prepare for online learning environments, but the fall 2020 semester could still face the same accessibility issues. 

“While I am happy that teachers and students are safe, I worry about students who require classroom support and resources.”

Many schools are trying to provide tablets and computers to students who require them. However, these items won’t work without reliable internet access. Students who are trying to complete classwork may find it difficult or impossible to access public WiFi networks in cafes or libraries.

Many cities are aiming to offer free or low-cost Internet access to students to keep them from falling behind. However, laws in 23 States prevent local governments from subsidizing Internet services.

High-speed internet and bandwidth are not available to rural students. Students without high-speed internet access will have a harder time adapting to online learning than students with reliable internet access.

Posyton predicts that accessibility issues will be a problem for both students and teachers in the fall 2020 semester.

Posyton stated, “While I am happy that students are safe and teachers are safe, I worry about students who require classroom support and resources.”

Students who perform well will struggle to keep up with their coursework if they don’t have reliable WiFi access.

Many students believe that online classes will increase the likelihood of cheating.

Students worry that cheating could increase in the fall 2020 semester, as teachers will be able to identify academic dishonesty more easily in remote learning settings.

More than half (52%) of students believe that remote learning will lead to cheating.

Remote settings may make students feel more comfortable cheating. Yocheved Golani is an ESL teacher and exam proctor. He believes students will cheat less often because they are less likely to be caught.

Golani stated that cheating behavior is lessened or stopped when an instructor or proctor can move around the classroom and observe student behavior. Remote learning can frustrate the whole one-on-one interaction between an instructor and one or more students.

Teachers can’t see students when they aren’t in class. It is also harder for them not to pick up texts and calls. Students have attempted to cheat tests by contacting Masoud Namini, the general manager of Hack your Course.

He said that he had received calls from parents and students asking for assistance with online exams. It’s against our policy but it is possible to find a tutor who will do this.

Although attempts at academic dishonesty can rise in remote learning, experts believe that teachers still have the tools necessary to spot cheaters in virtual settings.

Remote learning can frustrate the one-on-one interaction between an instructor and one or more students.

Bobby Chernev, the founder of MarkInStyle an educational platform, frequently assigns take-home essays while lecturing. He believes they are a common practice on many campuses. To detect dishonesty, he encourages teachers to become familiar with the writing styles of their students and use online plagiarism checks.

Quetext can scan a paper to find plagiarized content online. This service is available for free to both students and teachers who wish to examine their coursework. 

To prevent academic cheating in the fall 2020 semester, teachers should inform students. 

Schools and universities need to remember that students may believe that cheating will increase in remote learning environments.

Students Expect To Maintain the Same Grades While Remotely Learning

Students believe academic cheating in remote settings will be more prevalent. Many students aren’t aware that remote learning could affect their grades.

Online learning is not affecting nearly half of the students (47%).

Although remote learning will have its challenges many students believe they can navigate them and still be successful academically.

Ella McCarthy, an incoming freshman at Ursinus College is ready to adjust to college and online learning simultaneously.

McCarthy stated that although remote learning won’t affect my grades, it will make it harder for me to remember information.

Fatigue could result from Zoom meetings or spending many hours online. This can cause problems with the retention of new information. Teachers won’t be able to use in-person methods so they will need to find innovative ways to engage students in course curriculums.

McCarthy and others feel confident that their grades will not be affected by remote learning, thanks to the flexibility and availability of online classes.

Students Approach Remote Learning with New Expectations

Students have had to make the transition from in-person learning to online learning due to the global pandemic.

This has led to a variety of learning trends that have been created for teachers and students:

• Online classes are popular with students, despite the changes it brings to their lives.

• It is less common for students to reach out to teachers for additional help when they are in need.

• In the spring 2020 semester, students were not able to access reliable WiFi or other Internet resources. This problem will likely persist in the fall.

• Despite technology that can detect cheating, students expect academic dishonesty to rise as they learn remotely.

• Students feel confident that they can maintain their pre-pandemic grades in remote environments, even though there is some worry.

Teachers, students, and their families need to be prepared for remote learning’s unique benefits and challenges. They also need to be open to new trends and adapt as they begin classes.