The Student Perspective on Distance Learning

SYNCHRONOUS VS. ASYNCHRONOUS TEACHING OF THE SYLLABUS: BOCCONI STUDENTS TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH ONLINE CLASSES THAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS SET UP TO DEAL WITH THE EMERGENCY

After reporting those of the professors, here are the experiences that students have been relating these days, from their homes in Italy or abroad.
 
Alessandro Allò, from Crotone, 1st year of BSc in Business Administration and Management: “I am taking from home the class on Macroeconomics taught by Maria Giovanna Bosco ", says Alessandro," thanks to her preparation, it almost seems like she in in the classroom, with the possibility of intervening and asking questions. Honestly, even classroom dynamics seem to me the same as the lessons in the traditional way. The fact of uploading lessons online and being able to freely access them allows you to better balance your study and personal commitments."
 
Abel Poghosyan comes from Armenia, is enrolled in the MSc in Economics and Social Sciences, and lives in the Castiglioni University Residence. “Distance learning allows you to be the master of your own time: it lets you organize your days as you wish, without missing class. Not only the day, but also the lesson can be experienced at your own pace, because you can go back and listening again to a concept that you haven't understood propoerly and not to miss anything important."
 
Barbara Giorgi, from Brescia, 2nd year of BSc in International Economics and Management: "At the moment there are four courses that I am attending in distance learning from home," Barbara explains. "Accounting, Corporate Finance, European Economic Policies, and International Macroeconomics. I must say that the University has organized itself very well in this emergency and the lessons, as far as the contents are concerned, are absolutely complete, both in the theoretical and practical parts, the exercises, in particular. The habit of us students to communicate via the Internet helps you overcome shyness and intervene more often than in a traditional classroom."
 
Federico Malerba, from Milan, 2nd year of BSc in International Economics and Management: “Prof. Serrano Velarde has shown great flexibility for his Corporate Finance course," says Federico," both by conducting live lectures and then uploading video content on BlackBoard. This allows real-time interaction in the former mode and to be able to see the lessons when you want in the latter, with the teacher always available to answer any doubts you might have via email. Some classmates and I are in constant contact with each other via WhatsApp and we have also created a study group that is located in my home and that allows you to recreate, albeit in a smaller way, the sense of being in a classroom".
 
Pietro Paolo Bianco, from Bari, 1st year of BSc in Business Administration and Management: "I have just returned to Milan, where I can better focus on my studying", says the student. “In my so far brief experience with distance learning, I found myself well at ease with the Macroeconomics class, where Prof. Panunzi proved very helpful by uploading videos and answering all of our questions, as well as with the class in Computer science. Actually, in the latter case the online mode is particularly suitable, since it allows you to listen again to complex concepts that might escape your grasp in the classroom".
 
Tereza Boynova, comes from Zimbabwe, enrolled in the BSc in International Economics and Management, lives in the Castiglioni residence and is currently taking 5 distance learning courses: Accounting and Financial Statement Analysis, International Macroeconomics, European Economic Policy, Corporate Finance and Italian . "E-learning was a really nice discovery, it helps us navigate this period by not upsetting our daily lives and continue living our student life," she says. "The Blackboard platform works well and simulates the real-life classroom in its various aspects; it is even possible to raise your hand and ask questions, like you would do in a normal lesson, and even when teachers livestream their lectures, they are recorded and it is possible to play them back. Faculty are also proving very helpful and responsive to our needs.”
 
Francesco Citti, from Viareggio, 2nd year of BSc in Business Administration and Management: "What I miss of the traditional classroom lesson are close contact and discussion, which constitute a priceless experience. For the rest, also considering the lack of prior experience, both on our and the instructors' part, I must say the University has responded well to the  emergency and that distance learning is working," says Francesco Citti, who has decided to stay in Milan, in his room in a university dorm. “In particular, I appreciated what Prof. Rosanna Tarricone is doing in our Public Management class", Francesco continues, “After putting online the videos of her lectures, she invites us to send her our doubts, questions and remarks, and then she makes other another video in which she answers to the students' questions. A very comfortable and functional way of dealing with the situation.”
 
Gabriele Pulizzi, from Marsala, 2nd year of BSc in Corporate Finace: "I returned to Sicily because the University's online teaching allows me to comfortably follow the lessons from here, too", says Gabriele, "in particular those of prof. Andrea Beltratti on the Securities Market and those of prof. Giorgio Venturini on Accounting. They have adopted two different methods: Beltratti live broadcasts his lectures, therefore providing greater interactivity, but you can also follow the class in recorded mode. Venturini instead uploads videos and then organizes video chats where he answers your questions,” the student explains. "Both methods are effective, but personally I would like a more frequent use of live streams and above all a sort of program could be envisaged where the various activities are regularly scheduled."
 
Maria Roberti, a Law student, is following lessons from her home in Milan. "Although everything was very unexpected, the University reorganized courses in a timely manner and to date I am taking five distance learning courses: Constitutional Law, Roman Law, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Russian (which I am following as an extracurricular course). The advantage of e-learning, in addition to keeping us engaged in a particular moment like this, is flexibility: it allows everyone to follow lessons at the time of the day when they feel most productive, some in the morning, others in the evening. "

by Andrea Celauro
Translated by Alex Foti