Observer Department: Uncategorized
Learning with Zoom
Since the start of pandemic, we have all been trying to gather ourselves and figure out what our new “normal” is. As far as educational purposes go, schools and universities had to think of a way for their students to continue their education virtually. This is when the software Zoom…
The ups and downs of online learning
It has been a full year since Northern Essex Community College made the shift towards online learning to fit the regulations of Covid-19. Even though there has always been an option to participate in virtual classes, this is an entire new take on the idea. There are zoom meetings, and…
COVID-19 has torn apart the fabric of trade schools, where online learning fails as a substitute
The teachers and students at trade and technical high schools have been suffering over the past year due to COVID-19 and the implementation of online learning. Trade schools like Whittier Technical High School and Essex Agricultural High School have been at the tail end of the changes brought on…
NECC Knights getting back to competition this spring
As the spring sports semester begins Northern Essex Community College intends to return to competition. The first sports to get this underway will be the men’s basketball team and the women’s volleyball team along with the esports team. After COVID had canceled sports during the fall semester the plan to…
Baseball program adjusts to COVID-19 safety protocols
Ever since the Coronavirus struck the U.S. last March, the country has had to deal withmany changes in our everyday lives. From wearing masks at all times, to socially distancing in public, to not hanging out in big groups or meeting new people; it is safe to say that our…
College students are coming home for the holidays, and some are not happy about it
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, college campuses are preparing to send students home for the winter. Many Massachusetts colleges are already primarily online, but plan to transfer to remote learning after Thanksgiving. College students will stay home and complete their courses online until the second semester starting in February.…
Respiratory care professor, residents react to new COVID rules
As Massachusetts COVID-19 cases rise, Governor Baker imposed a curfew and updated mask mandate as of Nov. 6. The Department of Public Health made a statement on their website saying, “The Commonwealth’s COVID-19 related hospitalizations and COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) census have more than doubled over the past 2…
NECC hosts town hall for students to hear more about plans for spring semester
There have been many questions surrounding what the rest of the school year will look like for Northern Essex students and staff. In order to answer some of these questions and clarify what the future looks like for the college, a remote student town hall was held on Nov. 10.…
Social media in the time of COVID-19: How the pandmic has changed the way we use social media in 2020
Social media has been part of our daily lives since the early 2000s. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way many of us use it. Gyani Pradhan Wong Ah Sui, 18, of West Newbury, is in the NECC Exploratory program. He uses Snapchat, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Prior to the current pandemic he used social…
Social-distancing and lockdown affecting students’ sleep habits
Online students get more screen time and have a more flexible schedule, but this may be affecting the sleeping habits of students. An Italian study published May 15 in the Journal of Sleep Research found that, "...during home confinement, sleep timing markedly changed, with people going to bed and waking…
