In the spring semester of 2021, classes have been conducted non-face-to-face due to COVID-19. On April 6th, 2021, the President of Chung-Ang University (CAU) delivered a letter about the academic management for the second half of the spring semester to students. He said that the COVID-19 current situation is serious. Since it is difficult to guarantee that the situation will improve afterward, he said that it is important to conduct all classes non-face-to-face in the second half of the 2021 spring semester. He added that it is hard to guarantee students’ health if a confirmed patient comes to face-to-face classes, so the health and safety of students will be the priority until the end of COVID-19. Of course, students’ health should be considered first, but there is also one more thing to consider. It is the problem that must be solved when non-face-to-face classes are conducted. This is the professors’ reuse of lectures. This means that lectures that were previously used are used again for the next semester without any modification. The reuse of lectures has been controversial among students since online classes began.
Controversy over Reusing Lectures
On March 25th, 2021, a student wrote a post on the university community application ‘Everytime’ saying that he/she never thought that their professor would be reusing lectures. During the lecture, the professor mentioned that it is possible for the age of 18 to vote starting from this year’s general election. However, the election was held on April 15th, 2020, and the age for election was already lowered at that time. On April 25th, 2021, a student wrote a post on the ‘CAU Community’ saying that it is so frustrating to see professors reusing lectures and he/she can’t understand it. Also, the student was amazed when the professor said to have a good Chuseok holiday during the lecture in April. In fact, some professors are teaching students using the same lectures from last year. As of May 1st, 2021, postings about the problem of reusing lectures on CAU Community ranked 1st and 3rd among the most popular postings.
According to UBS News in the 4th week of September 2020, 63.4% of 101 CAU students showed a negative response to professors’ reuse of lectures. Of the total of 63.4%, 24.8% of respondents answered that ‘it is not very appropriate’ while 38.6% said ‘it is not appropriate.’ In addition, 26.7% of the respondents showed moderate responses and 9.9% replied it is appropriate. This survey showed that most students had negative view about the reuse of lectures. The biggest reason why they replied negatively was ‘it does not reflect feedback that changes every year.’ The next one was ‘the tuition fee will be a waste’ and ‘the notification date of things like assignments are different.’ Several problems occur when reusing lectures.
Problems when Reusing Lectures
Feedbacks Not Reflected Due to Professors’ Irresponsibility
On April 27th, 2021, a student attending a class in the School of Economics complaint about reusing lectures on the CAU Community. The student mentioned that a professor is reusing the lectures from the spring semester of 2020 with no modification. In particular, he/she couldn’t clearly hear the lecture sound of the 9th week class due to the sound of a radio. There was the same problem last year. Some students who took this class last year gave feedback about this. However, the professor didn’t do anything even though there was a problem in the lecture. On Everytime, other students who listened to this class argued that instead of an apology from the professor, a proper lecture should be reuploaded. One student also pointed out that the lecture sound quality of one class was poor. It turned out that this class also had feedback last year about the bad microphone recording condition. Another student said that a professor is reusing lectures even though the lecture sound is out of synchronization with the lips. The professor told students to just open two windows and make the lecture sound and lips synchronize with each other. Irresponsible professors did not reflect some feedbacks.
Delivering Wrong Class Announcements and Outdated Social Issues
When reusing lectures, students receive serious misinformation. For example, there was a problem related to the midterm exam for the spring semester of 2021 in a class in the School of Economics. A professor told students that there will be no midterm exam in the lecture, but in the posted notification, it was said that there will be a closed book midterm exam. It turned out that this class didn’t take a midterm exam last year. A student wrote a post on Everytime saying that the professor didn’t know what he/she said in the lecture when the student asked about the midterm notice problem by email. One student mentioned that a professor talked about important issues in 2020 such as the expensive cost of masks. Another student added that new research, theories, and paradigms should be reflected in lectures, but if they are not reflected and the same lectures are reused until the end of COVID-19, students will not know about the changing trends. Professors have the duty to provide accurate information. Delivering wrong information violates students’ right to learn. The reuse of lectures can be a big obstacle when delivering information.
Low Quality of Lectures, Same Tuition Fee
Although the tuition fee remained the same, the quality of the lecture was lowered due to not reflecting feedbacks and misrepresenting information. On CAU Community, a student wrote a post asking about why professors are reusing lectures even though the tuition fee is same as face-to-face classes. The student then asked, “Isn’t it right to lower the tuition fee like cyber universities?” One student also doubted whether CAU is providing reasonable services to students for the money they paid. The student added that the reuse of lectures by professors who get paid is a dereliction of duty. Moreover, the student argued that if lectures are reused, there is no reason to hire the professors next semester, so CAU can save money and the tuition fees can also be reduced. Another student mentioned that it is important to listen to high quality lectures while paying a high tuition fee and to guarantee students’ right to learn. It is not right to pay the same expensive tuition fee while listening to low quality lectures.
Alternatives for Eradicating Reusing Lectures
Due to the overflowing students’ complaints of reusing lectures, the academic team responded. On April 27th, 2021, the team said that whenever the academic affairs council makes the principles of academic management, the academic affairs office provides a class management guideline to universities. The team added that when using online lectures made in the previous semester, the guideline emphasizes and recommends that professors must modify and update those. However, it should not end only at the recommendation. Currently, the guideline is not properly followed and it is insufficient to reduce the number of lecture reusing cases. It is necessary to check frequently whether professors are following the recommendation or not. Reusing lectures is an act that violates students’ right to learn.
Students are suggesting ways to stop the reuse of lectures, too. On April 10th, 2021, a student submitted a post titled ‘Suggestions for Strong Eradication of Lecture Reuse’ on CAU Community. The student requested a report button be placed next to lectures or create a site used for reporting reusing lectures. Also, the student argued that professors who reuse lectures should be demoted and get cut salaries, and there should be a system to refund money to students. Furthermore, the student urged that there is a way like exposing the current time and date during making lectures and that students have the right to know about professors’ lecture reuse record. The student also added that non-face-to-face classes will continue which results in continuing online lectures and the problem of reusing lectures. Similarly, another student said that there should be programs to report lecture reuse or to certify that the lecture is not reused. The student mentioned that CAU’s reputation will suffer if low quality lectures continue through the end of COVID-19. Students have the right to take proper classes anytime, anywhere, and in any situation. CAU should reflect the opinions of students and apply stronger regulations.
CAU is extending non-face-to-face classes due to COVID-19. It is unclear whether face-to-face classes can be conducted in the fall semester. Even though students are in a situation where non-face-to-face classes are continuing, they should be able to listen to lectures that guarantee the same quality as face-to-face classes. However, because of the problems of reusing lectures, students’ right to learn is being infringed upon. It is insufficient to stop lecture reuse with the measures currently in place by CAU. CAU needs to consider students’ suggestions and accept some of them. CAH hopes that solutions to the problem of lecture reuse will be actively made so that students can be satisfied with their non-face-to-face classes which will last until the end of COVID-19.
