Image
File
X
Matthew Fraser
Opinions Editor
cc Oz is an accident, twice is
coincidence—but a third time is
habit.” With this adage in mind, we can
examine our honorable Prime Minister’s
ethics violations. In just three years Justin
Trudeau has succeeded in amassing an
equal number of ethics blunders and
misdeeds. When we peer into the office
of our nation’s parliament and we look to
the leader of our country, we expect to see
someone of strong character and morale
rigor. If they fall short once, they should be
forgiven; if they stumble a second time, we
should be critical but at least extend them
a last chance; but a third infraction leaves
us with no choice but to see their credibility
as irreversibly tarnished.
Maybe the most troubling question
that we as Canadians can ask is how our
Ox
Prime Minister can have
such demonstrably shaky
judgment? In 2016 when the
Aga Khan took the Trudeau
family on an all-expenses
paid vacation to his private
island, PM Trudeau thought
that there would be no
conflicts of interest seeing
as the Aga Khan had been
a family friend longer than
he had been (openly) lobbying Trudeau
and his government. How could a prime
minister not know full well that a lobbyist
of any sort offering him a vacation would
cause a backlash? How could a politician
not see how that was a blatant attempt to
curry favor?
Fast forward a single year and PM
Trudeau was in hot water again for the
SNC-Lavalin bribery case. In no uncertain
terms, ethics commissioner Mario Dion
wrote, “The evidence showed there were
many ways in which Mr. Trudeau, either
directly or through the actions of those
under his direction, sought to influence
the attorney general.” Simply put, our
Prime Minister exerted pressures on then-
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to
reverse a decision on deferred persecution
agreement. Further reporting concluded
that while claiming to be protecting
Canadian jobs, Trudeau was plotting and
Illustration by Athena Little
Have an idea for a story?
M opinions@theotherpress.ca
laying groundwork for the impending
2019 election. If nothing else, the SNC-
Lavalin debacle exposed our PM’s cold,
chess-like maneuvers to keep voters
on his side. Trudeau has now exposed
himself as uncaring or even unwilling to
recuse himself with something as naked
as promising a $900-million contract to
an organization that has his own and his
finance minister’s family on the payroll.
Another question that we the voting
public must ask ourselves in earnest is
whether or not we can afford to give Justin
Trudeau the benefit of the doubt once
again. His wife hosted a podcast for the WE
organization. His mother has been paid
an estimated $250,000 by WE in speaking
fees. His brother Alexandre has cleared a
reported $32,000 from WE as well; two of
finance minister Morneau’s daughters have
had public ties to WE over the years (one
of Morneau’s daughters is currently on
contract with WE until the end of August)
and PM Trudeau was aware of all of this.
I do not see any reasonable way to excuse
our esteemed leader for falling into what
is clearly an avoidable ethics violation. The
fact that he and his wife have been publicly
tied to WE through speaking engagements
and representation should have stopped
him in his tracks with marked abruptness.
There is little to no reasonable way that |
can find to excuse this third (and hopefully
Online learning this quarantine
is unproductive
> It may have helped, but it is not enough
EG Manilag
Staff Writer
I is important to understand that no
type of learning model is ever perfect.
Even the traditional model (classroom
learning) has a lot of drawbacks. But, it
is the best option available—whatever
level of education you are in. However,
because of this pandemic, post-secondary
students have had no choice but to move
into asynchronous online learning. This
new type of learning model has been
more of a pain than a gain—especially for
me. Although I learned many things, it
could have been done better through the
traditional classroom model. There are a
few reasons why I think distance and online
learning are unproductive:
Lack of interpersonal communication
We all know that in our online lectures we
have a discussion board/thread. The main
purpose of this is to provide us students a
place to interact, discuss components of
the course, and post relevant questions.
Clearly, this is extremely helpful. But one
thing to keep in mind is that only a few
students use this function, unless the
professor makes it mandatory (which
hasn't happened often to me). Why is it
that only a small percentage of students use
this function?
I think this happens because students
are afraid to post something permanent—it
is easier to simply ask a question to the
prof. We also tend to see the boards as
unimportant because it is mostly just
students interacting and discussions can
easily go sideways. It is much better to direct
questions to the professor via email—or
just look to the internet for answers. This is
viewed as a problem by many, considering
that students miss out on gaining
communication skills through conversations
with other pupils (and the professor).
Skill-based and hands-on learning
translates poorly
This hassle is especially tiresome for
nursing students, for example, who usually
spend a decent amount of their time
learning in labs. Many courses require a
hands-on learning (e.g., food management
courses) so learning them virtually simply
won't be as effective (or viable). Just like
the types of learning styles, some learn
better when experiencing or doing things
(tactile learners), while others learn better
at seeing things (spatial learners). For
tactile learners, learning virtually could be
a hassle. Furthermore, instant feedback
is essential for many of these courses—a
thing that is not consistently possible in
asynchronous online learning.
Lack of motivation
It is really hard to learn (or spend time
on education) during difficult times.
In extreme circumstances, it is like
opinions // no. 17
¢ Online learning this quarantine is
unproductive
¢ Dealing with the rapidly growing
interest in guns
..and more
Three years and three
ethical violations
» Why is it that Justin Trudeau must stumble
from infraction to infraction?
final) ethics violation.
Tam cynical enough to believe that
Trudeau masks his corruption behind his
handsome face and progressive wordplay;
our PM knows that in the age of social
media news cycles, being “softer” and
better behaved than Trump is enough to
keep one in good standing on the world
leadership index. For all my cynicism there
is no doubt that Canadians should demand
much more from our Prime Minister than
simply being better behaved on Twitter
than Trump. Our Prime Minister should
demonstrate sound judgment and respect
for our ethical code at every turn; he
should do more than “press pause” when
a potential violation rears its head, and he
must certainly not be caught violating our
ethics standards three times in as many
consecutive years. Our PM should inspire
confidence and respect through a track
record of good governance and sound
decision making—not just an airtight
photo op game and sloganeering.
PM Trudeau has been a great face
for Canada, on the condition that your
inspection is never more than skin deep. It
is high time for our country to firmly assert
that we value ethical behaviour at every
level of society and that we will not stand
for this habitual disregard for the integral
practices of good governance.
studying for a midterm while mourning.
Unfortunately, this extreme scenario is
true for some. This pandemic has really
hit some hard. Not having a physical
classroom makes it harder to focus.
Computer illiteracy could pose a
challenge to learning
To attend class online, you need to have
some basic computer navigation skills:
the ability to log in, participate in virtual
classes, submit homework digitally,
and communicate with professors and
students. Taking a quiz online can bea
disaster—accidentally clicking the wrong
button could instantly end it. It is not like
a test paper; if you make a mistake you
cannot necessarily easily erase it.
Learning in a new environment, especially
in these times, feels like being a lab rat.
Online learning, although long attempted,
is not yet as effective as it should be. There
is still a lot of room for improvement.
Edited Text
X
Matthew Fraser
Opinions Editor
cc Oz is an accident, twice is
coincidence—but a third time is
habit.” With this adage in mind, we can
examine our honorable Prime Minister’s
ethics violations. In just three years Justin
Trudeau has succeeded in amassing an
equal number of ethics blunders and
misdeeds. When we peer into the office
of our nation’s parliament and we look to
the leader of our country, we expect to see
someone of strong character and morale
rigor. If they fall short once, they should be
forgiven; if they stumble a second time, we
should be critical but at least extend them
a last chance; but a third infraction leaves
us with no choice but to see their credibility
as irreversibly tarnished.
Maybe the most troubling question
that we as Canadians can ask is how our
Ox
Prime Minister can have
such demonstrably shaky
judgment? In 2016 when the
Aga Khan took the Trudeau
family on an all-expenses
paid vacation to his private
island, PM Trudeau thought
that there would be no
conflicts of interest seeing
as the Aga Khan had been
a family friend longer than
he had been (openly) lobbying Trudeau
and his government. How could a prime
minister not know full well that a lobbyist
of any sort offering him a vacation would
cause a backlash? How could a politician
not see how that was a blatant attempt to
curry favor?
Fast forward a single year and PM
Trudeau was in hot water again for the
SNC-Lavalin bribery case. In no uncertain
terms, ethics commissioner Mario Dion
wrote, “The evidence showed there were
many ways in which Mr. Trudeau, either
directly or through the actions of those
under his direction, sought to influence
the attorney general.” Simply put, our
Prime Minister exerted pressures on then-
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to
reverse a decision on deferred persecution
agreement. Further reporting concluded
that while claiming to be protecting
Canadian jobs, Trudeau was plotting and
Illustration by Athena Little
Have an idea for a story?
M opinions@theotherpress.ca
laying groundwork for the impending
2019 election. If nothing else, the SNC-
Lavalin debacle exposed our PM’s cold,
chess-like maneuvers to keep voters
on his side. Trudeau has now exposed
himself as uncaring or even unwilling to
recuse himself with something as naked
as promising a $900-million contract to
an organization that has his own and his
finance minister’s family on the payroll.
Another question that we the voting
public must ask ourselves in earnest is
whether or not we can afford to give Justin
Trudeau the benefit of the doubt once
again. His wife hosted a podcast for the WE
organization. His mother has been paid
an estimated $250,000 by WE in speaking
fees. His brother Alexandre has cleared a
reported $32,000 from WE as well; two of
finance minister Morneau’s daughters have
had public ties to WE over the years (one
of Morneau’s daughters is currently on
contract with WE until the end of August)
and PM Trudeau was aware of all of this.
I do not see any reasonable way to excuse
our esteemed leader for falling into what
is clearly an avoidable ethics violation. The
fact that he and his wife have been publicly
tied to WE through speaking engagements
and representation should have stopped
him in his tracks with marked abruptness.
There is little to no reasonable way that |
can find to excuse this third (and hopefully
Online learning this quarantine
is unproductive
> It may have helped, but it is not enough
EG Manilag
Staff Writer
I is important to understand that no
type of learning model is ever perfect.
Even the traditional model (classroom
learning) has a lot of drawbacks. But, it
is the best option available—whatever
level of education you are in. However,
because of this pandemic, post-secondary
students have had no choice but to move
into asynchronous online learning. This
new type of learning model has been
more of a pain than a gain—especially for
me. Although I learned many things, it
could have been done better through the
traditional classroom model. There are a
few reasons why I think distance and online
learning are unproductive:
Lack of interpersonal communication
We all know that in our online lectures we
have a discussion board/thread. The main
purpose of this is to provide us students a
place to interact, discuss components of
the course, and post relevant questions.
Clearly, this is extremely helpful. But one
thing to keep in mind is that only a few
students use this function, unless the
professor makes it mandatory (which
hasn't happened often to me). Why is it
that only a small percentage of students use
this function?
I think this happens because students
are afraid to post something permanent—it
is easier to simply ask a question to the
prof. We also tend to see the boards as
unimportant because it is mostly just
students interacting and discussions can
easily go sideways. It is much better to direct
questions to the professor via email—or
just look to the internet for answers. This is
viewed as a problem by many, considering
that students miss out on gaining
communication skills through conversations
with other pupils (and the professor).
Skill-based and hands-on learning
translates poorly
This hassle is especially tiresome for
nursing students, for example, who usually
spend a decent amount of their time
learning in labs. Many courses require a
hands-on learning (e.g., food management
courses) so learning them virtually simply
won't be as effective (or viable). Just like
the types of learning styles, some learn
better when experiencing or doing things
(tactile learners), while others learn better
at seeing things (spatial learners). For
tactile learners, learning virtually could be
a hassle. Furthermore, instant feedback
is essential for many of these courses—a
thing that is not consistently possible in
asynchronous online learning.
Lack of motivation
It is really hard to learn (or spend time
on education) during difficult times.
In extreme circumstances, it is like
opinions // no. 17
¢ Online learning this quarantine is
unproductive
¢ Dealing with the rapidly growing
interest in guns
..and more
Three years and three
ethical violations
» Why is it that Justin Trudeau must stumble
from infraction to infraction?
final) ethics violation.
Tam cynical enough to believe that
Trudeau masks his corruption behind his
handsome face and progressive wordplay;
our PM knows that in the age of social
media news cycles, being “softer” and
better behaved than Trump is enough to
keep one in good standing on the world
leadership index. For all my cynicism there
is no doubt that Canadians should demand
much more from our Prime Minister than
simply being better behaved on Twitter
than Trump. Our Prime Minister should
demonstrate sound judgment and respect
for our ethical code at every turn; he
should do more than “press pause” when
a potential violation rears its head, and he
must certainly not be caught violating our
ethics standards three times in as many
consecutive years. Our PM should inspire
confidence and respect through a track
record of good governance and sound
decision making—not just an airtight
photo op game and sloganeering.
PM Trudeau has been a great face
for Canada, on the condition that your
inspection is never more than skin deep. It
is high time for our country to firmly assert
that we value ethical behaviour at every
level of society and that we will not stand
for this habitual disregard for the integral
practices of good governance.
studying for a midterm while mourning.
Unfortunately, this extreme scenario is
true for some. This pandemic has really
hit some hard. Not having a physical
classroom makes it harder to focus.
Computer illiteracy could pose a
challenge to learning
To attend class online, you need to have
some basic computer navigation skills:
the ability to log in, participate in virtual
classes, submit homework digitally,
and communicate with professors and
students. Taking a quiz online can bea
disaster—accidentally clicking the wrong
button could instantly end it. It is not like
a test paper; if you make a mistake you
cannot necessarily easily erase it.
Learning in a new environment, especially
in these times, feels like being a lab rat.
Online learning, although long attempted,
is not yet as effective as it should be. There
is still a lot of room for improvement.
X
Matthew Fraser
Opinions Editor
cc Oz is an accident, twice is
coincidence—but a third time is
habit.” With this adage in mind, we can
examine our honorable Prime Minister’s
ethics violations. In just three years Justin
Trudeau has succeeded in amassing an
equal number of ethics blunders and
misdeeds. When we peer into the office
of our nation’s parliament and we look to
the leader of our country, we expect to see
someone of strong character and morale
rigor. If they fall short once, they should be
forgiven; if they stumble a second time, we
should be critical but at least extend them
a last chance; but a third infraction leaves
us with no choice but to see their credibility
as irreversibly tarnished.
Maybe the most troubling question
that we as Canadians can ask is how our
Ox
Prime Minister can have
such demonstrably shaky
judgment? In 2016 when the
Aga Khan took the Trudeau
family on an all-expenses
paid vacation to his private
island, PM Trudeau thought
that there would be no
conflicts of interest seeing
as the Aga Khan had been
a family friend longer than
he had been (openly) lobbying Trudeau
and his government. How could a prime
minister not know full well that a lobbyist
of any sort offering him a vacation would
cause a backlash? How could a politician
not see how that was a blatant attempt to
curry favor?
Fast forward a single year and PM
Trudeau was in hot water again for the
SNC-Lavalin bribery case. In no uncertain
terms, ethics commissioner Mario Dion
wrote, “The evidence showed there were
many ways in which Mr. Trudeau, either
directly or through the actions of those
under his direction, sought to influence
the attorney general.” Simply put, our
Prime Minister exerted pressures on then-
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to
reverse a decision on deferred persecution
agreement. Further reporting concluded
that while claiming to be protecting
Canadian jobs, Trudeau was plotting and
Illustration by Athena Little
Have an idea for a story?
M opinions@theotherpress.ca
laying groundwork for the impending
2019 election. If nothing else, the SNC-
Lavalin debacle exposed our PM’s cold,
chess-like maneuvers to keep voters
on his side. Trudeau has now exposed
himself as uncaring or even unwilling to
recuse himself with something as naked
as promising a $900-million contract to
an organization that has his own and his
finance minister’s family on the payroll.
Another question that we the voting
public must ask ourselves in earnest is
whether or not we can afford to give Justin
Trudeau the benefit of the doubt once
again. His wife hosted a podcast for the WE
organization. His mother has been paid
an estimated $250,000 by WE in speaking
fees. His brother Alexandre has cleared a
reported $32,000 from WE as well; two of
finance minister Morneau’s daughters have
had public ties to WE over the years (one
of Morneau’s daughters is currently on
contract with WE until the end of August)
and PM Trudeau was aware of all of this.
I do not see any reasonable way to excuse
our esteemed leader for falling into what
is clearly an avoidable ethics violation. The
fact that he and his wife have been publicly
tied to WE through speaking engagements
and representation should have stopped
him in his tracks with marked abruptness.
There is little to no reasonable way that |
can find to excuse this third (and hopefully
Online learning this quarantine
is unproductive
> It may have helped, but it is not enough
EG Manilag
Staff Writer
I is important to understand that no
type of learning model is ever perfect.
Even the traditional model (classroom
learning) has a lot of drawbacks. But, it
is the best option available—whatever
level of education you are in. However,
because of this pandemic, post-secondary
students have had no choice but to move
into asynchronous online learning. This
new type of learning model has been
more of a pain than a gain—especially for
me. Although I learned many things, it
could have been done better through the
traditional classroom model. There are a
few reasons why I think distance and online
learning are unproductive:
Lack of interpersonal communication
We all know that in our online lectures we
have a discussion board/thread. The main
purpose of this is to provide us students a
place to interact, discuss components of
the course, and post relevant questions.
Clearly, this is extremely helpful. But one
thing to keep in mind is that only a few
students use this function, unless the
professor makes it mandatory (which
hasn't happened often to me). Why is it
that only a small percentage of students use
this function?
I think this happens because students
are afraid to post something permanent—it
is easier to simply ask a question to the
prof. We also tend to see the boards as
unimportant because it is mostly just
students interacting and discussions can
easily go sideways. It is much better to direct
questions to the professor via email—or
just look to the internet for answers. This is
viewed as a problem by many, considering
that students miss out on gaining
communication skills through conversations
with other pupils (and the professor).
Skill-based and hands-on learning
translates poorly
This hassle is especially tiresome for
nursing students, for example, who usually
spend a decent amount of their time
learning in labs. Many courses require a
hands-on learning (e.g., food management
courses) so learning them virtually simply
won't be as effective (or viable). Just like
the types of learning styles, some learn
better when experiencing or doing things
(tactile learners), while others learn better
at seeing things (spatial learners). For
tactile learners, learning virtually could be
a hassle. Furthermore, instant feedback
is essential for many of these courses—a
thing that is not consistently possible in
asynchronous online learning.
Lack of motivation
It is really hard to learn (or spend time
on education) during difficult times.
In extreme circumstances, it is like
opinions // no. 17
¢ Online learning this quarantine is
unproductive
¢ Dealing with the rapidly growing
interest in guns
..and more
Three years and three
ethical violations
» Why is it that Justin Trudeau must stumble
from infraction to infraction?
final) ethics violation.
Tam cynical enough to believe that
Trudeau masks his corruption behind his
handsome face and progressive wordplay;
our PM knows that in the age of social
media news cycles, being “softer” and
better behaved than Trump is enough to
keep one in good standing on the world
leadership index. For all my cynicism there
is no doubt that Canadians should demand
much more from our Prime Minister than
simply being better behaved on Twitter
than Trump. Our Prime Minister should
demonstrate sound judgment and respect
for our ethical code at every turn; he
should do more than “press pause” when
a potential violation rears its head, and he
must certainly not be caught violating our
ethics standards three times in as many
consecutive years. Our PM should inspire
confidence and respect through a track
record of good governance and sound
decision making—not just an airtight
photo op game and sloganeering.
PM Trudeau has been a great face
for Canada, on the condition that your
inspection is never more than skin deep. It
is high time for our country to firmly assert
that we value ethical behaviour at every
level of society and that we will not stand
for this habitual disregard for the integral
practices of good governance.
studying for a midterm while mourning.
Unfortunately, this extreme scenario is
true for some. This pandemic has really
hit some hard. Not having a physical
classroom makes it harder to focus.
Computer illiteracy could pose a
challenge to learning
To attend class online, you need to have
some basic computer navigation skills:
the ability to log in, participate in virtual
classes, submit homework digitally,
and communicate with professors and
students. Taking a quiz online can bea
disaster—accidentally clicking the wrong
button could instantly end it. It is not like
a test paper; if you make a mistake you
cannot necessarily easily erase it.
Learning in a new environment, especially
in these times, feels like being a lab rat.
Online learning, although long attempted,
is not yet as effective as it should be. There
is still a lot of room for improvement.
X
Matthew Fraser
Opinions Editor
cc Oz is an accident, twice is
coincidence—but a third time is
habit.” With this adage in mind, we can
examine our honorable Prime Minister’s
ethics violations. In just three years Justin
Trudeau has succeeded in amassing an
equal number of ethics blunders and
misdeeds. When we peer into the office
of our nation’s parliament and we look to
the leader of our country, we expect to see
someone of strong character and morale
rigor. If they fall short once, they should be
forgiven; if they stumble a second time, we
should be critical but at least extend them
a last chance; but a third infraction leaves
us with no choice but to see their credibility
as irreversibly tarnished.
Maybe the most troubling question
that we as Canadians can ask is how our
Ox
Prime Minister can have
such demonstrably shaky
judgment? In 2016 when the
Aga Khan took the Trudeau
family on an all-expenses
paid vacation to his private
island, PM Trudeau thought
that there would be no
conflicts of interest seeing
as the Aga Khan had been
a family friend longer than
he had been (openly) lobbying Trudeau
and his government. How could a prime
minister not know full well that a lobbyist
of any sort offering him a vacation would
cause a backlash? How could a politician
not see how that was a blatant attempt to
curry favor?
Fast forward a single year and PM
Trudeau was in hot water again for the
SNC-Lavalin bribery case. In no uncertain
terms, ethics commissioner Mario Dion
wrote, “The evidence showed there were
many ways in which Mr. Trudeau, either
directly or through the actions of those
under his direction, sought to influence
the attorney general.” Simply put, our
Prime Minister exerted pressures on then-
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to
reverse a decision on deferred persecution
agreement. Further reporting concluded
that while claiming to be protecting
Canadian jobs, Trudeau was plotting and
Illustration by Athena Little
Have an idea for a story?
M opinions@theotherpress.ca
laying groundwork for the impending
2019 election. If nothing else, the SNC-
Lavalin debacle exposed our PM’s cold,
chess-like maneuvers to keep voters
on his side. Trudeau has now exposed
himself as uncaring or even unwilling to
recuse himself with something as naked
as promising a $900-million contract to
an organization that has his own and his
finance minister’s family on the payroll.
Another question that we the voting
public must ask ourselves in earnest is
whether or not we can afford to give Justin
Trudeau the benefit of the doubt once
again. His wife hosted a podcast for the WE
organization. His mother has been paid
an estimated $250,000 by WE in speaking
fees. His brother Alexandre has cleared a
reported $32,000 from WE as well; two of
finance minister Morneau’s daughters have
had public ties to WE over the years (one
of Morneau’s daughters is currently on
contract with WE until the end of August)
and PM Trudeau was aware of all of this.
I do not see any reasonable way to excuse
our esteemed leader for falling into what
is clearly an avoidable ethics violation. The
fact that he and his wife have been publicly
tied to WE through speaking engagements
and representation should have stopped
him in his tracks with marked abruptness.
There is little to no reasonable way that |
can find to excuse this third (and hopefully
Online learning this quarantine
is unproductive
> It may have helped, but it is not enough
EG Manilag
Staff Writer
I is important to understand that no
type of learning model is ever perfect.
Even the traditional model (classroom
learning) has a lot of drawbacks. But, it
is the best option available—whatever
level of education you are in. However,
because of this pandemic, post-secondary
students have had no choice but to move
into asynchronous online learning. This
new type of learning model has been
more of a pain than a gain—especially for
me. Although I learned many things, it
could have been done better through the
traditional classroom model. There are a
few reasons why I think distance and online
learning are unproductive:
Lack of interpersonal communication
We all know that in our online lectures we
have a discussion board/thread. The main
purpose of this is to provide us students a
place to interact, discuss components of
the course, and post relevant questions.
Clearly, this is extremely helpful. But one
thing to keep in mind is that only a few
students use this function, unless the
professor makes it mandatory (which
hasn't happened often to me). Why is it
that only a small percentage of students use
this function?
I think this happens because students
are afraid to post something permanent—it
is easier to simply ask a question to the
prof. We also tend to see the boards as
unimportant because it is mostly just
students interacting and discussions can
easily go sideways. It is much better to direct
questions to the professor via email—or
just look to the internet for answers. This is
viewed as a problem by many, considering
that students miss out on gaining
communication skills through conversations
with other pupils (and the professor).
Skill-based and hands-on learning
translates poorly
This hassle is especially tiresome for
nursing students, for example, who usually
spend a decent amount of their time
learning in labs. Many courses require a
hands-on learning (e.g., food management
courses) so learning them virtually simply
won't be as effective (or viable). Just like
the types of learning styles, some learn
better when experiencing or doing things
(tactile learners), while others learn better
at seeing things (spatial learners). For
tactile learners, learning virtually could be
a hassle. Furthermore, instant feedback
is essential for many of these courses—a
thing that is not consistently possible in
asynchronous online learning.
Lack of motivation
It is really hard to learn (or spend time
on education) during difficult times.
In extreme circumstances, it is like
opinions // no. 17
¢ Online learning this quarantine is
unproductive
¢ Dealing with the rapidly growing
interest in guns
..and more
Three years and three
ethical violations
» Why is it that Justin Trudeau must stumble
from infraction to infraction?
final) ethics violation.
Tam cynical enough to believe that
Trudeau masks his corruption behind his
handsome face and progressive wordplay;
our PM knows that in the age of social
media news cycles, being “softer” and
better behaved than Trump is enough to
keep one in good standing on the world
leadership index. For all my cynicism there
is no doubt that Canadians should demand
much more from our Prime Minister than
simply being better behaved on Twitter
than Trump. Our Prime Minister should
demonstrate sound judgment and respect
for our ethical code at every turn; he
should do more than “press pause” when
a potential violation rears its head, and he
must certainly not be caught violating our
ethics standards three times in as many
consecutive years. Our PM should inspire
confidence and respect through a track
record of good governance and sound
decision making—not just an airtight
photo op game and sloganeering.
PM Trudeau has been a great face
for Canada, on the condition that your
inspection is never more than skin deep. It
is high time for our country to firmly assert
that we value ethical behaviour at every
level of society and that we will not stand
for this habitual disregard for the integral
practices of good governance.
studying for a midterm while mourning.
Unfortunately, this extreme scenario is
true for some. This pandemic has really
hit some hard. Not having a physical
classroom makes it harder to focus.
Computer illiteracy could pose a
challenge to learning
To attend class online, you need to have
some basic computer navigation skills:
the ability to log in, participate in virtual
classes, submit homework digitally,
and communicate with professors and
students. Taking a quiz online can bea
disaster—accidentally clicking the wrong
button could instantly end it. It is not like
a test paper; if you make a mistake you
cannot necessarily easily erase it.
Learning in a new environment, especially
in these times, feels like being a lab rat.
Online learning, although long attempted,
is not yet as effective as it should be. There
is still a lot of room for improvement.