First years spend a few hours in the summer before they sign up clicking through educational modules about drinking – AlcoholEdu for college — and sexual violence prevention — Sexual violence prevention for students. Their boredom, however, discourages students from truly engaging with the material, and their asynchronous nature does not force students to internalize the information they present. Rather, workouts become drudgery despite their importance in learning how to safely navigate alcohol, substance use, and privacy, especially on a college campus. Princeton should eliminate online modules in favor of keeping such education exclusively on-campus, in-person, and Princeton-specific, so that students can better retain the knowledge that helps keep themselves and those around them safe.

Many students, without the motivation to learn, will simply browse through hours of material online. studied show that asynchronous instructions result in poorer retention of information. As it demonstrates mass email reminders touting how prompt completion of these modules “contributes to your residential college’s ‘Clash of Colleges’ score,” the University apparently acknowledges that students would not voluntarily complete these modules without an external incentive.

This ineffective presentation trivializes the importance of information such as safe drinking. The University’s attempt to gamify the modules is tone deaf given the serious nature of the material. If the material is presented as busy work, readers will treat it as such. But student health is not busy work. Communicating its importance could prevent an unnecessary hospital visit, or worse.

The modules themselves are counterproductive, including misleading and overgeneralized sections. For example, AlcoholEdu misrepresent Princeton’s politics when they approach the punishment for illegal cannabis use as unnecessary punishment, threatening the loss of scholarships, campus jobs and even housing for students. from Princeton cannabis policyin reality, it is much less severe than the module makes it out to be, starting with a reprimand for the first offence, followed by disciplinary probation.

AlcoholEdu presents misleading instructions on vaping, failing to adequately address the dangers of vaping with language such as “even though vaping products are marketed as a way to help quit smoking, the data on their effectiveness is mixed,” which doesn’t fully convey highly addictive and carcinogenic in nature of vaping. Some of these problems stem from the fact that AlcoholEdu is not specific to Princeton. For example, the module teaches this about 50 percent of students entering college have consumed alcohol, while according to The Daily Princetonian 2028 The Frosh Poll60% of Princeton students have consumed alcohol before arriving on campus.

Additionally, the asynchronous modules overlap with programming during Orientation Week, which covers similar topics related to substance use and interpersonal relationships. As such, the modules are unnecessary, serving only to increase boredom, apathy, and distorted views of substance use at Princeton. These should be eliminated in favor of presenting the same material in an on-campus, in-person, Princeton-specific format. Any kind of educational programming, safety-related or not, should be focused on quality over quantity and not simply serve as an honest service to student safety – which gives the impression that the University doesn’t really care about the well-being students, but only by appearance. to do this.

Princeton’s synchronous programming around alcohol and intimate relationships also covers much more engaging and effective material than their online counterparts. For example, one of the most memorable events during orientation week is the song “The Way You Move,” an original song produced by Office of Sexual Harassment/Assault Counseling, Resources and Education (SHARE). and made by students presenting potential problems and solutions regarding interpersonal relationships. Creative, relatable, and engaging formats like this piece convey safety information in ways that students actually remember. Online modules lack this crucial commitment.

Additionally, small group facilitated discussions are particularly effective in encouraging everyone to listen and actively participate – an important interactivity that modules cannot provide. It is essential that students discuss these issues with peers they may turn to for help so that they can respond to each other to learn skills and resources such as Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS).

It is important to note that there are many useful aspects of online courses that should be kept in mind for in-person events. One of their strengths is the emphasis on the voices of the students themselves – students in the modules offer practical safety strategies, such as carrying a Sharpie to calculate how many drinks you’ve had, sharing your location with friends when you go out, and always trying to intervene when you are in town doubt about the safety of a friend. Mini, interactive, choose your own adventure scenarios were effective add-ons to modules that can be incorporated into in-person activities. Actual details, such as how your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) VARY should also be emphasized. But discussing these topics face-to-face with fellow students is more direct, memorable and effective way to learn than staring at a screen before you’ve met any of your classmates.

When you’re trying to educate students on such a large scale, especially on important issues like safety, it’s not enough to provide unengaging digital content that’s separate from the Princeton experience. We must consciously create programs that take into account how students learn best, present accurate and concise information, and thereby truly guide them toward college life.

Ava Chen is a first-year opinion writer who plans to major in English or psychology. She is from Wellesley, Mass. and can be reached at ac5214(at)princeton.edu.

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