The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected multiple aspects of life across the globe. It has also fostered skepticism and uncertainty and triggered several ethical challenges.

In this brief account of my experience, I would also like to say the positive impact on our education. Dubai began the campaign of sterilization on 22nd March as an effort to contain the Coronavirus. Night curfew was enforced days later, as disinfection began in every part of the UAE. The closure of the school was first announced on the 8th of March.

My experience of distance learning

The current situation has driven us to study and to work from home. It's a new thing for all of us, and so far, everyone has their own opinions, points of view, and experiences. Not everybody is going to have a positive one, though. However, I enjoy e-learning, but at the same time, I don't like it. My experience with distance learning has been exciting and enlightening. Time management is the challenge that I have faced in this way of learning. I have struggles coping with the schedule, so occasionally I 'm late in applying my course research. It is sometimes difficult to attend all classes because of household chores. However, I try my best to accomplish the work and not miss anything. We're conducting distance learning using the "Microsoft Teams" app, where we talk, interact, and learn in real time. We have live sessions for an hour which helps us stay connected. We have evening lessons from 6:50 PM until 10:10 PM.

These are advantages and disadvantages that I have to face during online classes.

Sometimes there's too much disturbance in the background, not always in my end, but in others as well. Nevertheless, I also appreciate how to work at home. Not being motivated as I used to be is one of the disadvantages I 'm facing. But I'm still trying to stay motivated. Many of us are sometimes unable to attend classes due to network issues, which is a big loss for us since that means we will miss important lessons. Not being able to stay connected with teachers, in the sense that we used to communicate and share our doubts in the classroom, and now it is a bit challenging.

Difference between traditional and distance learning

A major difference between traditional and distance education is that it is not place-bound or time-bound for the students. A traditional class is developed to be an asynchronous experience, meaning, students meet in a regularly scheduled place to complete the course at a regularly scheduled time. Often, pupils are not guided by professors, like they were in conventional schooling. That can result in the student's lack of concentration. Most pupils, teachers, and parents enjoy conventional classroom facilities. I prefer to learn the traditional way.

Using various technology is a major difference between traditional and distance education. The use of the internet and videotapes supplements content in a traditional classroom, but the use of technology is the way that the major content is delivered in the distance setting. My experience/opinion on this is that classroom learning is much better than classes online. Most students wouldn't be asking teachers to clarify their doubts because of what other students will feel. In traditional classrooms, I think it was easier for them to ask because there was privacy (say, after classes). My personal experience of learning online has its ups and downs. In virtual classes, one positive feature is the availability of the mute button, which helps remove all the noises in the background and allows us to hear more clearly. This is not possible in a normal classroom.

Overall experience

Virtual courses are no better than classes offered in the conventional classroom environment and can be much harder in some situations. There are multiple reasons for that. Courses taken online need greater self-motivation. Some students may find it hard to stay motivated when they'd rather do something else. Online courses can be very helpful for a busy student, particularly online courses at the college. Sometimes, they can be more cost-effective than conventional courses, and can be conducted at a speed with which the student is confident. The younger generation has never witnessed this kind of thing before. I 'm sure most of us weren't prepared for this. Disadvantages aside, there are several benefits of online courses and classes. You get everything when you study at home, without the burden of carrying your books or study materials from one place to another.

For the majority of us, online classes may not work. We are hoping that it would go back to what it was before the pandemic.