‘I just don’t know anybody’
Uni student’s struggle with online learning
A DEAKIN student says she “never met anyone” during her three years at university because nearly all her classes were taught online.
Abby Pardew started her course in 2020, and said during three years of completing her Bachelor of Communication degree she rarely set foot on campus for her classes.
While Covid restrictions prevented face-to-face learning throughout much of 2020 and 2021, Ms
Pardew still spent most of this year taking her university classes from her bedroom.
Deakin University has still not committed to a universal return to face-toface learning for all of its courses.
Ms Pardew said the lack of consistent on-campus learning was “really hard” to deal with.
“Especially because I just don’t know anybody, because I’ve never met anyone,” Ms Pardew said.
“You just see them pop up on Zoom.
“Not knowing anyone that’s in your class, and having to do (group) assignments and still not knowing anyone, was really weird.”
Ms Pardew said finally meeting classmates in person when there was a face-to-face class was strange.
“You’d see these people on Zoom for the last two years, and you’re walking in and it’s like ‘I kind of know your face, and I’ve seen your name pop up, but I don’t know you’,” she said.
“I know five or six people from my course.”
Ms Pardew said there were many students across the university she had spoken to with similar experiences to her.
NTEU Deakin branch president Piper Rodd said she had heard “a lot more” stories like Ms Pardew’s.
“It’s impacted thousands of young people,” Dr Rodd, who also teaches in the School of Education, said.
“Their whole experience of university has been shifted. We’re going to have half a generation of students who have gone through university and missed out on the most important aspect.
“Interactions are so important. It’s pretty devastating.
“It’s important not only for skill development, but also interactions and team work, and in terms of job readiness … that’s what employers are wanting.”
Ms Pardew said she had more anxiety about finding a job out of university because of the online situation.
“I think that’s always something I’ll be worried about, and something that we’ll always think ‘would it have been different if I was on campus?’,” she said.
“But (two of my tutors) will send us an email if a job (popped) up somewhere.
“So I supposed I’ve got them … but still they’re two people when I could’ve had a lot more.
“It is very frustrating.” Dr Rodd said cost saving was the reason for the university having students learn online.
Deakin deputy vice chancellor Liz Johnson said the university had been ranked the best in the state for overall student experience.
“As a distance educator from its foundation, Deakin University has had a strong online presence since well before 2019,” she said.
“Our student cohort includes mature-age, returnto-study, working learners and students juggling family or carer commitments. As such, our blended online and on-campus course offerings provide students with the flexibility to manage their study around their lives.”
Professor Johnson said it was “too early” to know how students patterns of engagement had changed post-Covid lockdowns.
“Our campuses are now fully open and it is great to see many students back on campus in classes and using the libraries and other facilities,” she said.
“We can say that about one-third of Deakin students choose to enrol in a fully online course. Most students are also choosing to blend on campus and online learning by opting to take some units for their course online and others on campus.”