With the Coronavirus hitting the U.S. hard in recent months, schools and business alike have been on a lockdown or limited hour schedule to minimize the outbreak. While some schools have opted to end their school year early, most have switched to online classes. This change has been difficult for both students and teachers alike. From not being familiar with online platforms to adjusting to the new workload, people tend to have split opinions on the capabilities on online schooling.

Emma Ortiz, a freshman at South Broward High School, is just one of the many students feeling the strain of remote learning.

“I don’t like how I have to type all of my work. Doing things like tests and quizzes and are way more complicated than they need to be,”  Ortiz said. “Also using programs like Microsoft Teams to do live lessons is bad because the program itself has a lot of bugs. The notification system has a lot of issues and the program lags a lot.”

Many students tend to dislike online learning formats, sometimes due to unfamiliarity or issues with the program that can hinder their learning. Others may dislike it because of the loss of hands-on experience or the issues with getting help from their teachers.

Maya Malka is a freshman at South Plantation High School who personally prefers real-life instruction. “Communication is a major problem. It’s really difficult to get help with specific assignments since most teachers are on strict and sometimes conflicting schedules,” she expressed.

A large issue with remote instruction seems to be maintaining students’ motivation. Being in class gives teachers the ability to check on their students more easily, but now, the absence of the classroom environment makes it difficult for some kids to find the determination to do their work.

Victoria Henriquez is a 9^th grader at South Broward High School who has firsthand experience with struggling to find the motivation to continue her academic progress.

“I don’t really have the motivation to do my work, it makes me sadder that I still have to do schoolwork, but I don’t have my friends to get me through the day,” said Henriquez. While there are many drawbacks to remote learning, it isn’t all bad.

“The sheer fact that we get more time to do the work is my favorite part,” Ortiz admitted.

Some students enjoy the flexibility of online school. They have the option to create their own work schedule that prepares them for future experiences, like balancing a job or seeking further education that provides students the ability to control the way they learn.

Sebastien Cabrera, a 10th grader at Hollywood Hills High School, can also attest to the overlooked advantages of online instruction.

“It prepares us for when we go to college and we’re in charge of our own education,” said Cabrera.

It is unclear how long schools will be closed down, with the World Health Organization predicting a second wave of the Coronavirus outbreak in the fall. While students’ opinions seemed to be split when it comes to the transition to remote instruction, it is clear that it’s something that we will all have to adapt to for at least the remainder of the school year.