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"Pre-recorded lectures are no substitute for live classes" - Ógra Aontú

Ógra Aontú have expressed their concern that many students are being presented with pre recorded lectures as opposed to live classes.

Spokesperson for the group, Becky Kealy, said:

"Everyone is struggling with the lack of personal contact during this lockdown. Students are stuck at home on their computer when they’re supposed to be making friends and meeting other students. Moving from 2nd to 3rd level is a big transition, and first years have had very little chance to meet fellow students. Many students are suffering from loneliness or isolation. Meanwhile, some college lecturers are uploading pre-recorded lectures rather than conducting live classes with their students".

Becky continued: "This reduces what little personal contact was left between lecturers and students, and hurts students’ performance too: there’s less possibility for interaction between teachers and students, and no opportunity to ask questions during the class. Lecturers who only give pre-recorded lectures are also less aware of the situation and difficulties of their individual students and are therefore less well disposed to help those who are struggling with the course content or the academic workload"

"Of course lecturers should make recordings of their lectures available for students to watch later, but there should still be an opportunity for students to attend the original online lecture live, ask questions, and generally interact in a more personal, direct way with their professors. As part of the graduation conferring ceremony, the dean says that he can personally vouch for each of the students graduating. While there is little connection between students and college deans today, lecturers at least should still have some knowledge of their individual students: a practice of screening pre-recorded lectures only is a step in the wrong direction, as they make students even more like an anonymous end-user rather than an individual person to whom the professor has a duty of care. We call on colleges to make sure that lecturers are making live online lectures available to their students wherever possible and also publishing the lecture or notes, so that students may watch or read back over the content at a later stage", concluded Becky.

By Aontú Press | 8 February, 2021



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