English
Classes at online universities offer outdoor activities. This also aims to reduce student stress levels.
Colm Fitzgerald, Associate Professor at University College Dublin, came up with the idea of conducting online courses in nature. He teaches classes from the forests at the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. He advises students to up their game.
"I am very worried about the state of the students - due to the migration of courses to an online environment, they lack basic human communication experience, can't interact with the teacher, and they absorb information worse. To reduce the harmful effects of online learning, I believe it is necessary to conduct classes outdoors", says Kolm. He uses the 4G signal coming from the nearest base station to connect to the application on which the classes are conducted. Internet speed in the forest, according to Fitzgerald, is "even better than at his home."
The teacher's approach resonated with his students. According to them, Colm "motivates us to leave the house," "calms those who are afraid of the future" and "helps to remind them of the importance of our health." Fitzgerald himself is not going to stop: "The problems associated with transferring classes online will only proliferate, and therefore I would like to create more initiatives like this."
