Covid-19 made schools all over the world shift to online classes.

My online learning

experience is vastly different from what I am accustomed to in the physical classroom. But I'd

like to share some of the patterns, practices, and other things we do in my class. In addition to

reflections on what and how we are learning online.

I am currently in my third year of college. The class I belong, BSCE 3-1, has 54 students,

all of whom are pursuing for a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. And multicultural

education is one of our many subjects.

Online classes are, without a doubt, an excellent method of instruction. Many things are

completely different in this community. And, as Engineering students, we have our own

language that our professors in COE expect us to use – English, which we speak almost

exclusively. We use it to write essays and conduct research. Google Classroom and Google Meet

are the platforms we're using in this type of learning. We must mute our microphones during

discussions to avoid distractions, but we are not required to use our cameras throughout the class.

However, there are some exceptions; for example, in one of our major subjects, the professor

encourages us to open our cameras during exams to avoid cheating.

I totally agree with Henry Ford when he says, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide

it into small jobs.” When I'm overwhelmed by deadlines and details, I need to pause, prioritize,

and break them down into bite-sized chunks. It cleans the slate in my head so I don't sleep with

unnecessary baggage. Also, taking notes ensures an accurate record of accountability. When I

cross things off my list, I feel more accomplished than when I chase things around in my head.

This also helps me and my group when it comes to dealing with activities. We divide the tasks so

that each of us can contribute to the work and finish it quickly.

 The classroom environment conveys messages about the hidden curriculum, what we

value and consider important, as well as what is expected and encouraged. Our instructors

develop student engagement, relationships, and supportive class communities in online

classroom settings. It is critical to develop social presence in virtual education courses through

synchronous teaching and learning and self-disclosure.

Setting a practice, such as muting microphones during lectures to avoid distraction,

fosters responsibility through both the roles that students play and the expectation that everyone

contributes.

The motto that guides my studies creates conversations, activities, collaboration,

familiarity, and motivation among my groupmates and this contribute to the development of a

positive online culture. Helping each other during group activities also cultivate a culture of trust

in the shared virtual space. Furthermore, this promotes social presence which can increase

student participation and interaction, which can also boost student motivation.