On February 2, 2022, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) returns to carry out lecture activities for the Even Semester 2021/2022. Based on UPI Chancellor’s Circular Number 7 of 2022 to build the lecture activities Even Semester and to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at UPI campus, Computer Science Education Department release a circular letter about provisions and methods that will be carried out in lecture activities. The methods used, include: offline, online, and hybrid.

Picture 1. Software Engineering Class Offline Lecture

With the existence of several practical classes that will be carried out by students, then the students of the class of 2021, 2020, and 2019 are prioritized to take part in lectures offline. The students who take part in offline and online classes are arranged and agreed upon at the beginning of the lecture by lecturers and students. And for students before the class of 2019, lectures are conducted online.

“Quite excited, because finally after two years I can meet and experience learning again directly in the classroom. Although there is a bit of worry, because we have to readjust some things that were used to being online then turned offline. We can meet face-to-face, can discuss more and freely than when we meet online,” said one of the students of the class of 2019 when asked how it feels to be back conducting offline lectures.

As for the expression of one of the students of the class of 2021 who is carrying out offline lectures for the first time, he said “It’s definitely nice to finally be able to experience offline lecture and to meet friends even if you’re not in the same class as to be able to learn directly. In terms of learning, it feels better offline, because you can directly interact with the lecturer. If you’re online, you’re usually alone in your room, so if you’re in an offline class with your friends, you can discuss questions, you can talk too.”

Picture 2. Education Management Class Online Lecture

On the other hand, there are also students who believe that offline lectures during this pandemic are still full of worries and prefer to study online, “I prefer online lectures because the spread of the virus is also fast, although not severe. If there is one student who tested positive, one class can be a suspect. Plus, students come from various cities, don’t know if we will bring the virus home or not. Actually, there are many considerations for going online again if you look at its safety, not from the productivity of teaching, if we intend to learn there must be knowledge that we can get or we can learn on our own.”

The lectures with the hybrid method were enthusiastically welcomed by the students, especially the 2020 and 2021 classes, who were experiencing offline lectures for the first time. But many students are also worried about the spread of the virus and prefer to return to online lectures. Students also hope to be able to go back to normal lectures again with the addition of health protocols and better facilities so that lectures can be carried out safely and comfortably.

Writer: Zahra Hanifa