May 19, 2020
by Rich Kiley

Photo sciences student documents his distance learning experience

Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Share via Email
student driving car while wearing face mask.

Daniel Bacon

Some days required driving to the grocery store, wearing a surgical mask. 2 p.m., Thursday, April 23.

While Daniel Bacon, 20, a second-year photographic sciences major in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at RIT, did not know what to expect with the move to distance learning in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, he was not surprised his “photo tech” professors managed the shift smoothly.

“I was honestly impressed by how well my classes adapted to online learning,” said Bacon, who never envisioned his Denver, Colo., bedroom would become a virtual classroom. “I was not necessarily surprised by this. I think that's because almost all of my professors are technically savvy, and are good communicators.”

The biggest challenge, he admitted, was staying focused in a house with his twin sibling, Aaron, also unexpectedly managing learning in the virtual environment. “I definitely noticed how it’s harder to focus on work while at home,” he noted.

“It helped to have an isolated space that's dedicated to doing schoolwork, and I think I'm lucky to have that at home,” Bacon added. “It also was really important to keep in contact with my professors because it’s so easy to become detached from school and fall behind.”

The two-hour time difference between Rochester, N.Y., and his Colorado home did pose some challenges, he admitted. “My earliest class started at 10 a.m. EST, but 8 a.m. in Denver,” he mused. “I woke up with just enough time to get coffee and a bowl of cereal before connecting to the Zoom lecture.”

Sharply focused

After the shift to distance learning in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, RIT students like photographic sciences major Daniel Bacon had to seamlessly transition to classes in the virtual space. Here, in his own photos and words, is a week from late April.​

an open window.

Daniel Bacon

The view outside of my bedroom window at my dad’s house. 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 21.

 

student sitting at desk at home wearing headphones and working on laptop.

Daniel Bacon

Working on homework after a Zoom lecture. Having a live lecture in a private space such as a bedroom was strange at first, but I quickly grew used to it. 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 22.

 

a sandwich on a plate on a picnic bench.

Daniel Bacon

Eating lunch in the backyard at my dad’s house. With everyone in my household hard at work, we usually ate lunch alone when we had time. 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 22.

 

opened back end of SUV with duffel bags and backpacks inside.

Daniel Bacon

For my twin and I, living at “home” really meant living at two homes. We switched between my mom’s and my dad’s houses on a schedule once or twice a week. This meant bringing all of my stuff with me each time we changed houses. While I brought three bags, a guitar and an amp, my twin just carried his backpack. 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 22.

 

two vertical images: one of a food delivery sitting on a front step, the other of student sitting in office chair with dog on his lap eating from a bowl.

Daniel Bacon

Left image: Dinner delivered to my mom’s house. It was always left at the door to reduce person-to-person contact. 6:25 p.m. Wednesday, April 22. Right image: My twin brother, just trying to get a bite of his dinner. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 22.

 

exterior of King Soopers grocery store.

Daniel Bacon

My neighborhood grocery store. On weekends there was a line of people, each six feet apart, stretching down the side of the store behind overturned shopping carts. One person was let in at a time to avoid overcrowding the store. 2 p.m. Thursday, April 23.

 

closeup of hands holding a red video game controller.

Daniel Bacon

Playing games on my PS4. I played a lot of games to pass the extra time and de-stress. I also enjoyed playing with my brothers so we can spend more time together. 6 p.m. Thursday, April 23.

 

closeup of hand on fretboard of a guitar.

Daniel Bacon

Practicing guitar. I played most often when I needed a break from homework, or in between classes. 9 p.m. Thursday, April 23.

 

student watching lecture on laptop.

Daniel Bacon

Watching a Zoom lecture. Prior to the change to distance learning, my earliest class started at 10 EST, but 8 a.m. in Denver. I usually woke up with just enough time to get coffee and a bowl of cereal before connecting to the Zoom lecture. 8 a.m. Friday, April 24.

 

overhead view of student working on laptop and graphic calculator.

Daniel Bacon

Working on physics homework. Our homework for UP2 was always online, so studying for physics didn’t change much. 3 p.m. Friday, April 24.

Topics

creativity and innovation
student experience

Recommended News

  • November 21, 2024

    an illustrated image of a pixelated face appears next to the words real or fake.

    Detecting digital deception

    Today, artificial intelligence is being used to manipulate media. At RIT, a team of student and faculty researchers is leading the charge to help journalists and intelligence analysts figure out what is real and what is fake. Their work has more than $2 million in funding from the National Science Foundation and Knight Foundation.

  • November 21, 2024

    two men sit at a table looking at a laptop. A third man leans over the table to look at the laptops screen.

    In and out of Africa

    Africa is rich in natural resources and contains one of the most diverse ecosystems across the globe. The Sahara Desert itself is larger than the continental United States. With all the unique landscapes, wildlife, and growing urban areas, more than 30 RIT faculty have recognized the importance of traveling to the continent, all backed by RIT Global.

More News