Since Covid in 2020, online classes have been on the rise. Many students like the online
format better than sitting in classes. As a student I see the appeal. Many of my friends
who are in at least one online class enjoy it. They enjoy the freedom and the flexibility it
provides. Often at the end of sixth period, one of my friends, Oliver Zeman, brags about how
he can go home early because his last class is an online physics class. However,
freedom comes with a price.

High school students are not exactly known for their accountability. Being able to hold
yourself accountable is crucial for online classes. Without a teacher present to
supervise, some students will not be as successful as they would in a normal classroom.
This is especially the case for core subjects like math. Subjects like math are hard
enough for most students to understand in a classroom. Without a teacher present for
support students will struggle. Park High student counselor Abby Kinsey said that online
math classes have almost a 0% pass rate.

This could be for several reasons. Kinsey said that core classes are not commonly taken online unless
it is an upper-level class. So that near 0% pass rate could be because the class is hard
enough and without a teacher it makes it even harder.

BYU is an online program that many Park High students use. Kinsey said that many students get irritated with BYU because they feel “disconnected.” To get help from a BYU Teacher, a student must
email the teacher and wait for a response. Even then it is much harder to accurately
explain the problem the student is having over text. This can often leave a student
feeling frustrated.

Junior Oliver Zeman is taking an online physics class because Park High no longer
offers one. Zeman described taking the class as “stellar,” saying he enjoys the freedom
that comes with it. But he admits that its harder to learn outside of a classroom saying,
“It’s a little harder to retain the information, I would probably understand Physics a little
better if I had a real teacher.”

Although students may struggle without an in-person teacher, it is also important to
acknowledge the fact that some students thrive under their own supervision.
Zeman enjoys the class and the challenge it brings. Even though an online student may
not progress as quickly as a student inside a classroom, they are still learning and are
able to do that more comfortably because they can pace themselves. The lack of a
teacher could inhibit some student’s ability to learn while it encourages other students’
ability.