Graduated from the Coventry University in Commercialization & Marketing, Alexandre Carton joined Vatel Bordeaux for the MBA in International Hotel Management. Alexandre shares with us his experience of studying during the lockdown and after.
How are you keeping up with your studies?
I am actually following all classes online, through the software Zoom. We needed to adapt to this new situation, but now that we are daily following remote courses, it is quite normal now.
It’s true that I personally find online classes less interactive than the usual classes we have at Vatel, as it’s difficult to exchange clearly through a screen. Moreover, it is harder to concentrate during long hours of class, because we’re at home, mostly in our room, and we don’t have the professionalism that we have in physical class.
Some parts of online classes are harder than others, for example, our Science computer classes, or Operational Auditing & Finance Analysis, which I found, personally, way too complicated and precise to be followed online. It is very difficult to manipulate numbers and understand mathematical formulas through a screen.
Nevertheless, professors are doing their best to provide us with interesting and quality courses. They are adapting, as best as they can, to this new process of teaching.
What are your activities during the day?
During the day, I spend the most of my time in my room on my computer, following online courses and working on my personal assignments.
We have a lot of work to do, so I follow classes, and when it’s over, I switch to my homework, and work on case studies and exercices.
At the end of the day, as I spent my whole day inside, in front of a screen, a go out to walk my dog during one hour, to get some fresh air. (with the appropriate certificate of course)
When I do have free time, I use to cook a lot, and spend time with my family.
Do you have any tips for students learning remotely?
If I could give advices for student learning remotely, I would say that it is important to not give up, and follow classes assiduously. Indeed, knowing how to adapt to a crisis situation, such as the coronavirus crisis, is a proof of serious and professionalism. Moreover, it’s important to attend to every class, and act as if it was a normal one.
Finally, I think that oral participation is also a good point, it helps you getting involved in the class, and it also shows interest to the professor, who is also alone in front of her/his screen. It helps getting the course more dynamic and attractive.
Can you still interact easily with your teachers?
Interacting with teachers is still easy for me. We have their e-mails and they are daily available. Moreover, we can always ask the questions during classes on Zoom. I personally feel that communication is simple and easily achievable.
Finally, I think that the online courses are well provided, and that both teachers and students are adapting to the situation.
Find out more about online classes at Vatel Bordeaux by reading the testimonials of our students Lynn Van Logtestijn & Ana Paz Sanchez Aranciba.