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Started by bacardiandlime, January 30, 2020, 03:20:28 PM

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ergative

Quote from: kaysixteen on July 20, 2020, 11:46:37 PM
Anyone done any research/ seen any data, on what colleges did during the 1918-9 flu pandemic?  They had no access to high tech virtual teaching, of course, so what exactly did they do?

I seem to recall seeing a newspaper article about holding classes outside, with black-and-white photographs of people sitting in a circle on some grass, but I can't find it now.

nebo113

Quote from: ergative on July 21, 2020, 01:05:05 AM
Quote from: kaysixteen on July 20, 2020, 11:46:37 PM
Anyone done any research/ seen any data, on what colleges did during the 1918-9 flu pandemic?  They had no access to high tech virtual teaching, of course, so what exactly did they do?

I seem to recall seeing a newspaper article about holding classes outside, with black-and-white photographs of people sitting in a circle on some grass, but I can't find it now.

Vague recollection that was a K12 class.

Caracal

Quote from: Anselm on July 20, 2020, 09:32:58 PM
Got this in an email from the admincritters:

A faculty syllabus statement to consider using:   Masks or shields will be required in our classroom unless we are all able to social distance. The aforementioned requirements, assignments, evaluation procedures, and other contents of this syllabus are subject to change. Students' experiences and needs, as well as emerging knowledge, will be considered in modifying this course syllabus. Also, please know that in this time of COVID-19, if I become ill, the course will continue even if I cannot. 


Huh?  How does a class continue without the teacher?

Class will always continue without me, I don't really have to put that in the syllabus. That's how institutions work.

Economizer

#873
COORECTION: ADMINICRITTERS

Also, folks above a certain age are governmentally determined to be at risk. Is it possible that educators that stand above that threshold will be blocked from classroom/campus work? Couldn't happen?
So, I tried to straighten everything out and guess what I got for it.  No, really, just guess!

mahagonny

#874
Quote from: Economizer on July 21, 2020, 07:23:41 AM
COORECTION: ADMINIICRITTERS

Also, folks above a certain age are governmentally determined to be at risk. Is it possible that educators that stand above that threshold will be blocked from classroom/campus work?

At risk of contracting the disease or of dying from it? It ought to be my decision how much risk of death I can tolerate. At present, it is 100%.
I hope the decision will be the individual's.
Older people are more cautious than young people.

the_geneticist

Quote from: Anselm on July 20, 2020, 09:32:58 PM
Got this in an email from the admincritters:

A faculty syllabus statement to consider using:   Masks or shields will be required in our classroom unless we are all able to social distance. The aforementioned requirements, assignments, evaluation procedures, and other contents of this syllabus are subject to change. Students' experiences and needs, as well as emerging knowledge, will be considered in modifying this course syllabus. Also, please know that in this time of COVID-19, if I become ill, the course will continue even if I cannot. 


Huh?  How does a class continue without the teacher?

So students don't demand an automatic A if their professor drops dead?
Sort of like the urban legend that if your roommate dies you automatically pass/get all As/etc.  We know that's not true or else half of our pre-med students would be offed in every Fall.

onthefringe

Quote from: mahagonny on July 21, 2020, 07:31:37 AM
Quote from: Economizer on July 21, 2020, 07:23:41 AM
COORECTION: ADMINIICRITTERS

Also, folks above a certain age are governmentally determined to be at risk. Is it possible that educators that stand above that threshold will be blocked from classroom/campus work?

At risk of contracting the disease or of dying from it? It ought to be my decision how much risk of death I can tolerate. At present, it is 100%.
I hope the decision will be the individual's.
Older people are more cautious than young people.

A couple points:

The current CDC risk assessment simply states that the older you are, the higher your risk for severe disease/bad outcomes. There's no longer a bright line age at which you suddenly are defined as "high risk"

Where I am we have been very firmly informed that while people can self identify as high risk and seek accommodations we can under NO circumstance even sort of suggest that specific people should teach online because of our perception of their risk.

Looking across the various news stories and concerns expressed by instructors, I see far more worry that people who want to teach online may be pressured/forced to teach in person because they do not have a risk factor they can point at that requires accommodation.

apl68

Our cowboy-loving staff member dodged COVID-19 after the rodeo a while back.  But now she and her daughter are both sick with something.  Daughter has tested negative.  Mother admitted to feeling feverish and work and has been sent home and instructed to get tested.  We're really hoping she tests negative and that whatever she has is only a coincidence.

She just couldn't resist crossing the state line into one of the nation's most notorious hot-zone states to do some more shopping....
See, your King is coming to you, just and bringing salvation, gentle and lowly, and riding upon a donkey.

evil_physics_witchcraft

Faculty meeting about fall instruction. I have no words.... well, no PG-13 words.

clean

Quotenyone done any research/ seen any data, on what colleges did during the 1918-9 flu pandemic?  They had no access to high tech virtual teaching, of course, so what exactly did they do?

Well remember that this was hitting during WWI.  Not  a lot of people went to college in the first place.  Few women attended, and the men were volunteering or being drafted.  Some colleges would have just shut down for the war effort. 

Also note, that the name Spanish Flu is because Spain was neutral so there were no restrictions on publishing anything about the flu, so it seemed to have started there as that was who was reporting the cases. Actually, it is thought to have started in Kansas and spread to local training bases and then as the men were transferred around the country to the other bases and surrounding populations.
"The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am"  Darth Vader

apl68

Our city council uses our library community room for its meeting space.  Monday evening they met after we closed down for over two hours (They had a full agenda).  I did not attend.  Evidently they had a room full.  People were wearing masks, but had insufficient room to social distance.  We plan on not going into that room for the next several days.
See, your King is coming to you, just and bringing salvation, gentle and lowly, and riding upon a donkey.

evil_physics_witchcraft

Another faculty member told me that they are going to 1/4 face to face instead of 1/2. So, students will be physically present in classes about once a month. Does this make any sense to anyone?

Hegemony

In answer to the last question, it's thought that at least some in-person classroom experience is more engaging than none, and universities are all desperate to retain students. In addition, being required to come to class sometimes, even if only once a month, means students will move to campus instead of taking their courses from their parents' house. A huge part of university funding comes from the housing and the food service. Without that revenue, many colleges simply won't survive, and even the ones that do will take a huge financial hit. Hence the desperate plans to get students physically back on campus.

evil_physics_witchcraft

Quote from: Hegemony on July 23, 2020, 01:03:00 AM
In answer to the last question, it's thought that at least some in-person classroom experience is more engaging than none, and universities are all desperate to retain students. In addition, being required to come to class sometimes, even if only once a month, means students will move to campus instead of taking their courses from their parents' house. A huge part of university funding comes from the housing and the food service. Without that revenue, many colleges simply won't survive, and even the ones that do will take a huge financial hit. Hence the desperate plans to get students physically back on campus.

Right. Housing = Money.

apl68

Quote from: evil_physics_witchcraft on July 23, 2020, 04:15:26 AM
Quote from: Hegemony on July 23, 2020, 01:03:00 AM
In answer to the last question, it's thought that at least some in-person classroom experience is more engaging than none, and universities are all desperate to retain students. In addition, being required to come to class sometimes, even if only once a month, means students will move to campus instead of taking their courses from their parents' house. A huge part of university funding comes from the housing and the food service. Without that revenue, many colleges simply won't survive, and even the ones that do will take a huge financial hit. Hence the desperate plans to get students physically back on campus.

Right. Housing = Money.

That's an awful lot of money for living on campus under quarantine and attending class on 1/4 of the time.  Sure doesn't sound like a good deal to me.  How many students will find it worthwhile?
See, your King is coming to you, just and bringing salvation, gentle and lowly, and riding upon a donkey.