Students everywhere are facing new challenges and disappointments because of the coronavirus pandemic. With schools operating virtually and recreational facilities closing, PESH majors are particularly struggling to adjust to this new normal.
PESH stands for Physical Education, Sport, and Human Performance. The degree programs within the PESH department include athletic training, exercise science, sports management and physical education teacher education (PETE). Many students pursuing these majors want to go into sports, whether that’s being in the game, on the sidelines, or behind the scenes. And for many PESH students, it’s hard to just ‘go online’ because of the hands-on, physical nature of their major.
But what exactly is it like for PESH majors to experience strictly online courses?
“I hate it and it’s going to ruin my GPA because I take labs,” Leana Lemon, junior exercise science major, said. “I’m missing valuable in-class experience. My teacher doesn’t know how we are going to get through the rest of the work without being interactive. It’s like I want to S/U and retake [the class] when I can, but I know it will only put me behind because I did not sign up for this.”
For many the feeling is mutual. It’s hard to be a hands-on learner in this remote, ‘keep your hands to yourself’, situation.
“I hate it because I can’t do any of the physical things that are required and all I do now is quizzes, and exams and I don’t learn any fundamentals by actually doing things,” Terrik Johnson, sophomore exercise science major, said. “That’s the main reason I am more hands-on and now that it’s not, it’s kind of hard for me to actually grasp the concepts that we learn without actually putting them into practice.”
Although there are a lot of negative experiences and feelings that have resulted from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, not everything about this remote learning situation has been terrible. Some students have noticed that their professors have now become more understanding than they had been while on campus.
“The sport management courses that have all been put online, I think for me the professors have tried their best in a short amount of time to accommodate us. The professors are giving us every opportunity to contact them if we are having trouble with assignments, helping us understand the material,” Morris Buckery, junior sports management major, said.
But Buckery agrees that having to take online classes now isn’t ideal.
“With COVID-19 canceling face to face classes I would say I tend to miss face to face meeting because you’re able to get more of an understanding of the material with a professor in front of you and you’re able to get a response to questions quicker with face to face meetings.”
There may be a few quick fixes for students who feel like giving up on their classes during this remote learning period.
For PESH students who need to be hands-on and study the human body or train a client, try using a sibling, parent, or grandparent. This way you can learn about the body’s movement and spend time with that person.
For any student thinking of S/Uing a course, or a few courses, take time to figure out what’s best for you before jumping to a decision. Look back over the S/U information for this unique semester provided in a Winthrop email sent out on March 26 for guidance in your decision-making.
For any student having trouble learning their course material, contact your professor and ask for extra assistance. They understand what it feels like to be in your shoes because they are experiencing the same thing.
As all of Winthrop’s Eagles figure out how to move forward in remote learning, remember to wash your hands, practice social distancing and stay positive.
Photo: La J’ai Reed/ The Johnsonian
