사상 초유의 '온라인 개학',...학교, 학생 준비는 어떻게?<br /><br />After being pushed back not once, not twice, but three times... due to the coronavirus outbreak, it is finally back to school time in South Korea - although it will be a staggered start AND online.<br />Middle and high school seniors will kick off the online classes this week... followed by students in other grades later in the month.<br />South Korea busy making last minute preparations to ensure smooth transition to online classes - our Lee Kyung-eun reports.<br />Since South Korea decided to start classes online due to COVID-19,... the first thing schools did was make sure that all students have the basics for virtual classrooms.<br />They distributed their own smart devices like laptops and tablet PCs,...primarily to students in low income brackets.<br />Schools without enough devices of their own received extra equipment from the Education Ministry.<br />Meanwhile, teachers have spent an extremely hectic two weeks learning a completely new system of teaching.<br />"I first had to buy things like a tablet PC, webcam and microphone. I've also watched a lot of YouTube videos for tips on online lecturing. I was so busy I can't even remember what I did, and I am still anxious because the equipment hasn't all been delivered yet."<br />For parents, the biggest challenge was adjusting their own schedules to fit in a new task.<br />"Usually they have their meals at school. But now they are home, I will have to prepare the meals before I go to work and call them to check that they've eaten their lunch. That's going to affect my morning routine, and I will be getting more phone calls from the kids at work."<br />Some students have tried out test classes, and they found online classes have both pros and cons.<br />"If school is all about studying, then online classes are perfectly fine. But for me, making friends is also very important, so I kind of miss it."<br />"When I went to actual school, I didn't have enough time to study on my own. But home-schooling allows me to spend more time studying the subjects I like more."<br />All of them said they are not completely ready for the transition, but schools cannot be delayed any longer either.<br />Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.<br />
