Covid-19 Response: Evidence of How Higher Ed Can Be Completely Restructured?

[sprout]

Envisioning a day in the life of an undergraduate student in Fall 2020.

That seems optimistic... As does the companion piece:  A day in the life of a remote instructor: Fall 2020

But then again, it's nice to see some optimism every now and then.

[picard]

Chronicle of Higher Ed has released a searchable database of US colleges and universities' reopening plan for Fall 2020 semester (ungated, at least for now):

https://www.chronicle.com/article/Here-s-a-List-of-Colleges-/248626

Hope it's useful.

[OneMoreYear]

Envisioning a day in the life of an undergraduate student in Fall 2020.

That seems optimistic... As does the companion piece:  A day in the life of a remote instructor: Fall 2020

But then again, it's nice to see some optimism every now and then.

I agree that these seem pretty optimistic. I also note that both pieces were written by an "academic technology specialist," and I wonder if the author consulted any students or professors who expressed such optimism.

[Wahoo Redux]

Lurching Towards Fall, Disaster on the Horizon from IHE.

[marshwiggle]

Lurching Towards Fall, Disaster on the Horizon from IHE.

Two worthwhile, succinct quotations from the article (I reversed the order because I think one explains the other.):

I am among the crowd who both believes that online learning can be done quite well, and that there is something irreplaceable about the experiences of face-to-face learning, when that learning is happening under reasonable conditions that is.

These are not reasonable conditions. Do not get me wrong. This is a loss. The experience of community is not the same at a distance or over the internet. It is not necessarily entirely absent, but it is not as present.

All of this is why I believe that an early commitment to online courses, coupled with support for students who lack access to the necessary technology and resources to learn online, will result in more and better learning than the hodgepodge of F2F, HyFlex, hybrid and online instruction many institutions appear to be attempting.

I totally agree with all of this.

[spork]

^ I agree too. I've been beating this drum on my campus since it closed in mid-March. But once again I feel like Cassandra.

[apl68]

^ I agree too. I've been beating this drum on my campus since it closed in mid-March. But once again I feel like Cassandra.

I can just see spork, the newly-chosen President of his college, delivering his inaugural address:

"As I look out on all your smiling faces, I'm reminded of why this college is flat on its back!"

[waterboy]

At my R1 there's an increasingly strong groundswell from faculty to do on-line only, if at all possible. Viva la revolucion?

[spork]

At my R1 there's an increasingly strong groundswell from faculty to do on-line only, if at all possible. Viva la revolucion?

UMI professor weighs in, via The New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/business/college-campus-coronavirus-danger.html.

^ I agree too. I've been beating this drum on my campus since it closed in mid-March. But once again I feel like Cassandra.

I can just see spork, the newly-chosen President of his college, delivering his inaugural address:

"As I look out on all your smiling faces, I'm reminded of why this college is flat on its back!"

Actually I would be saying something like "Whoever is first to figure out an realistic business model that does not require dorm and meal plan revenue for financial viability wins a prize of $50,000."

[spork]

Some colleges cancel fall sports for 2020.

Good riddance, I say.

[Bonnie]

Some colleges cancel fall sports for 2020.

Good riddance, I say.

+1

[Cheerful]

Some colleges cancel fall sports for 2020.

Good riddance, I say.

+1

+1  Now that is great news!

[onthefringe]

Some colleges cancel fall sports for 2020.

Good riddance, I say.

+1

+1  Now that is great news!

Though I tend to agree, the schools in the US that are (so far) canceling are top 20ish SLACs where sports are probably as well controlled with the least negative impacts on academics as anywhere. It's not like we are (yet) seeing Clemson or Ohio State, or Michigan, or Alabama cancelling fall sports.

And I have a child who will be a new student at one of the SLACs that canceled fall sports and you would not believe the extreme levels of whining happening on the parental facebook page.

[Cheerful]

Why would Michigan continue with fall sports, etc. yet cancel its hosting of a Presidential Debate?

[onthefringe]

Why would Michigan continue with fall sports, etc. yet cancel its hosting of a Presidential Debate?

(In roughly ascending order of cynicism)

Because with fall sports they can control the audience and with a presidential debate they can't?
Because if they lock down the audience and impose distancing/face masks the people at risk in fall sports are just the athletes, while the attendees at a debate might put the whole university community at risk?
Because they make money on sports (sort of, anyway) and lose money on hosting a debate?
Because they want to lock in the incoming class before cancelling fall sports, but nobody cares about the debate?