Any LOs planning on staying home and studying remotely in 2020/2021?

[HannahStern]

DNephew lives in N. York and has an offer (Computer Science) for University of Edinburgh.

DSis believes university accommodation will be a waste of money next semester as most will be online. If DN makes his offer, the plan is that he will remain at home and do the first semester online.

Will this be even feasible? Are any others planning on remaining home and continuing to study remotely in 2020/2021?

Has he checked with the uni that it is all online? Most are doing online for lectures but small group face to face teaching for small groups. Is he planning on commuting up for those sessions if that is how Edinburgh is operating?

Agree with pp. I don't know of any unis that are changing to solely online. They're all doing a mix of online lectures and small group face to face teaching. Plus doesn't he want to meet people in halls? He'll have difficulty find accommodation for term 2 only, and might have missed out on having a group to get a house with in 2021/22 depending on when they start house hunting in Edinburgh.

This is my feeling as well on the issue. I really don't believe it will be feasible.

I work at another university and it certainly won't be feasible here. I don't want to butt in but if I do give my opinion to DSis, I want to make sure that I know what I am talking about first.

DD is going to Edinburgh uni in September. They haven't confirmed the format of her course yet (economics) but it's likely to be lectures online and seminars/tutorials small group teaching face to face. She's expecting a final confirmation early next month. They have said that they'd keep accommodation open for students unable to travel to Edinburgh where possible. However I think this was more for students from countries from which travel is not possible. DDs American and Swedish flatmates are coming in September (even if they need to quarantine first) so not to miss anything.

What outside subjects is your nephew planning on? Worth checking those too. DD is planning on a language ab initio which is likely to have a fair bit small group teaching.

Thank you, ClerkMaxwell and everyone.

I'm not sure what outside subjects DN intends taking. Commuting is out as Thirsk-Edinburgh is over three hours by train.

I think I will suggest to DSis that it is unlikely to be possible to remain at home.

I'm interested as my dniece should be going into final year at a university about 3-4 hours away from home. Dsil is keen for her to stay at home to save accommodation costs and doesn't see the point of dniece returning to uni city "as it'll all be online"

I think dniece will miss out and that part of the point of university is to expand one's horizons, meet new people, learn to be an independent adult etc.

Have to confess I am somewhat miffed at dsil's assumption that dh and I must be loaded as we are encouraging dd to go back to uni city 3 hours away from home also and am smiling and nodding quite a bit

On their website they mention
'You will have 24-hour access to computer laboratories and quality software support is available.'

That may or may not currently be true, but makes me wonder, would everything in comp. sci 'labs' be possible on the student's own kit working remotely?

It's certainly not an assumption which can be made without specific confirmation from the department that it would feasible.

(As to commuting for some sessions ... I used to live in Thirsk and work in York uni and wouldn't even view that as commutable by train!)

www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/degrees/index.php?action=view&code=G401

I think it is very likely that as an overseas student he would be able to study computer sciences remotely for the first trimester and potentially longer. For example overseas students could be grouped together and have their small group teaching through online meeting platforms. Of course time differences would have to be considered.

I would bet that the university will do their best to retain students paying overseas fees by making these sorts of adjustments.

I would say the only way living at home is feasible is if he switches to a local uni. But even a short commute can mean very long days on those occasions he has to go in.

Have assumed N York meant New York but now realise apparently not .

I expect Edinburgh and other Scottish unis will be clearer on format next week when the Scottish exam results are available. I read somewhere that they've been told that they need to so students can make an informed choice whether the format suits them. For DDs subject they appear to be setting up study groups so that even if no face to face lectures she'll have a small group of people in her halls to watch lectures with, chat to about the subject if she wants.

@sendsummer

Have assumed N York meant New York but now realise apparently not .

My fault entirely. How embarrassing for me .

I should have written North Yorkshire properly.

N Yorks. would have done. Meanwhile I keep translating the LOs in the title as 'Little Ones'

Even a Computer Science degree will likely have lab work - especially if it involves something like electronics/ robotics etc. Also groupwork.
If your DN can't take part in that fully then he will be letting his team down.
I think he should go.

I thought it was New York at first too and that LO's meant Little Ones

What does LO mean then? I assumed Little One!

Loved one, maybe?

LO is indeed Loved One. Since I was asking on behalf of my nephew, I needed a term somewhat broader than DC.

I don't know of any unis that are changing to solely online

DDs intercalated degree will be delivered entirely online until at least January. She is under the impression that the campus (London) is closed. She assumes that there is a desire to help overseas students.

Her course needs labs. They have sent her some kit instead. She says it is quite expensive. And she has not paid her fees yet.

Also group work will be done by Zoom. Her understanding is that external students will be in a minority, but that there will be no chance to meet the others as a group.....because not all will be in London

DD will be third year science at Edinburgh and has been told lectures on line but small groups/seminars/tutorials face to face and labs a hybrid. Her friend doing a humanities subject at Edinburgh has been told all face to face (seminar based for third year.)

DNephew has not accepted accommodation and has decided (or, more likely, his parents have decided) that he is doing the first semester from home.

He is a lovely lad and I hope everything works out okay for him. (I can't help but feel concerned though.)

Have you asked what accommodation he will get from January? I imagine most students will be in halls so ask if Edinburgh have indicated that accommodation is available for first years. Otherwise it will be very lonely when he does go and making friends for year 2 accommodation might be impossible. It’s a recipe to be Billy no mates and you are right to be concerned. It’s a shame your nephew doesn’t stand his ground and insist on going!

At least yesterday, when had a quick look, Edinburgh''s message was very much We are open!, though acknowledging that some won't be able to be there in person initially. Has the university accepted 'Mum won't let me come in' as a valid reason for 'not being able' to be there?

MarchingFrogs, my thoughts exactly. I was hoping someone here would assure me that Edinburgh was almost completely online and that I was worrying unnecessarily. He is actually doing Maths and Computer Science, rather than Computer Science, and I doubt that Maths subjects will be completely online.

I'm pretty sure that DN would only qualify for a minimum loan and would not be able to fund university accommodation himself. BIL is very keen that he remains living at home. DN helps with the family business and they are very busy at the moment due to the coronavirus situation.