It's time to end the consensual hallucination of fall in-person classes

[spork]

Hy-Flex... if it isn't already, it will go down on the historical list of great educational fiascos.

It really should have been obvious what a terrible idea that was from the start. Heck, it doesn't even work very well in smallish meetings to have some people in the room and some on screen. There was no way in hell I was going to do that this year-- I'm teaching hybrid, but with separate discussion sections for in person and zoom, and all lectures asynchronous online. I think hardly anyone is using the fancy "connected classrooms" stuff the university hastily bought and installed this summer.

With current technology, I agree. I had the option to teach Hy-Flex, but I just couldn't figure out how to mix multiple formats into one at the same time. I dismissed it as a design for classes where the professor lectures and students listen. There are probably classes like that - just not mine.

That was the assumption made by administrators at my university about any course not labeled "lab." No recognition of any kind small-group collaborative work in the classroom.

[tuxthepenguin]

Hy-Flex... if it isn't already, it will go down on the historical list of great educational fiascos.

It really should have been obvious what a terrible idea that was from the start. Heck, it doesn't even work very well in smallish meetings to have some people in the room and some on screen. There was no way in hell I was going to do that this year-- I'm teaching hybrid, but with separate discussion sections for in person and zoom, and all lectures asynchronous online. I think hardly anyone is using the fancy "connected classrooms" stuff the university hastily bought and installed this summer.

With current technology, I agree. I had the option to teach Hy-Flex, but I just couldn't figure out how to mix multiple formats into one at the same time. I dismissed it as a design for classes where the professor lectures and students listen. There are probably classes like that - just not mine.

That was the assumption made by administrators at my university about any course not labeled "lab." No recognition of any kind small-group collaborative work in the classroom.

Something that surprised me in the pandemic (it probably shouldn't have) is the number of people working in higher education that think we're selling in-person YouTube videos. I hope that doesn't reflect a reality in which that's what we're actually selling.

[marshwiggle]

Something that surprised me in the pandemic (it probably shouldn't have) is the number of people working in higher education that think we're selling in-person YouTube videos. I hope that doesn't reflect a reality in which that's what we're actually selling.

This is an ancient problem. Consider how many institutions use "credit hours". To what does the term "hours" refer? It's the lecture time. It has nothing to do with the number and/or difficulty of assignments, tests, etc. The metric for establishing value is instructional time. (For instance, places that count "credit hours" for labs, i.e. where students are actively participating in their own learning, are usually counted at a much lower rate than when they are passively sitting in lectures.) In a pre-internet era, or even more so in a pre-printing press era, where expertise was not so readily obtainable, it may have made more sense. But even though it is virtually meaningless now, it is highly unlikely to change, because establishing any other metric opens an industrial-sized can of worms.

[apl68]

The perception that online education is at best an ersatz economy option is certainly a strong one.  Only today a staff member commented to me on how strange it feels to "pay that kind of money" for her daughter to go to her commuter campus once a week, and do everything else online.  I pointed out to her that since the online classes have real, live teachers they still cost about as much money to deliver online as they would on-campus.

[Parasaurolophus]

The perception that online education is at best an ersatz economy option is certainly a strong one.  Only today a staff member commented to me on how strange it feels to "pay that kind of money" for her daughter to go to her commuter campus once a week, and do everything else online.  I pointed out to her that since the online classes have real, live teachers they still cost about as much money to deliver online as they would on-campus.

If they want to pay me directly rather than through the university, I'd accept that! Even at half-price, and with classes capped at 35, I'd make around 250% more.

[polly_mer]

Something that surprised me in the pandemic (it probably shouldn't have) is the number of people working in higher education that think we're selling in-person YouTube videos. I hope that doesn't reflect a reality in which that's what we're actually selling.

How many course observations have you done, especially unscheduled?

How many teaching workshops have you attended and really been impressed?

I enjoyed my time with the American Association of Physics Teachers and the new similar organization out of the American Chemical Society because they applied research to their teaching and time there was well spent.

I was much less satisfied with time in generic college teaching workshops led by people who couldn't teach their way out of a wet paper sack and yet were employed primarily as faculty teaching undergrads.  I paid good money for some of those workshops.

In-person YouTube would have been an improvement.

[Caracal]

Something that surprised me in the pandemic (it probably shouldn't have) is the number of people working in higher education that think we're selling in-person YouTube videos. I hope that doesn't reflect a reality in which that's what we're actually selling.

How many course observations have you done, especially unscheduled?

How many teaching workshops have you attended and really been impressed?

I enjoyed my time with the American Association of Physics Teachers and the new similar organization out of the American Chemical Society because they applied research to their teaching and time there was well spent.

I was much less satisfied with time in generic college teaching workshops led by people who couldn't teach their way out of a wet paper sack and yet were employed primarily as faculty teaching undergrads.  I paid good money for some of those workshops.

In-person YouTube would have been an improvement.

Forbearance, forbearance, forbearance.

[onthefringe]

Something that surprised me in the pandemic (it probably shouldn't have) is the number of people working in higher education that think we're selling in-person YouTube videos. I hope that doesn't reflect a reality in which that's what we're actually selling.

This is an ancient problem. Consider how many institutions use "credit hours". To what does the term "hours" refer? It's the lecture time. It has nothing to do with the number and/or difficulty of assignments, tests, etc. The metric for establishing value is instructional time. (For instance, places that count "credit hours" for labs, i.e. where students are actively participating in their own learning, are usually counted at a much lower rate than when they are passively sitting in lectures.) In a pre-internet era, or even more so in a pre-printing press era, where expertise was not so readily obtainable, it may have made more sense. But even though it is virtually meaningless now, it is highly unlikely to change, because establishing any other metric opens an industrial-sized can of worms.

Well, but the federal definition of a credit hour is actually about 3 hours/ week of work for 14 weeks. Most places seem to assume that a bog standard credit hour is one hour in person, plus two hours at home. But for things like labs, the expectation is that more of the hours will be in person and fewer at home. And at least where I am, if you can make a good argument (ie lots of discussion and group work) it's definitely possible to set up a "3 credit" course that meets more than 3 hours per week.

[spork]

Over 1,100 people told to quarantine at Liberty University: https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2020/09/16/more-than-1000-liberty-university-students-employees-currently-in-quarantine/.

Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it.

[apl68]

Over 1,100 people told to quarantine at Liberty University: https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2020/09/16/more-than-1000-liberty-university-students-employees-currently-in-quarantine/.

Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it.

And 184 confirmed cases so far.  That's a bad hot spot.

[Puget]

Over 1,100 people told to quarantine at Liberty University: https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2020/09/16/more-than-1000-liberty-university-students-employees-currently-in-quarantine/.

Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it.

And 184 confirmed cases so far.  That's a bad hot spot.

Meanwhile we've had a total of 4 positive tests in the past month (out of close to 25k tests of more than 4000 individuals). So it's possible, but only if you actually believe in science and act accordingly.

[Cheerful]

Meanwhile we've had a total of 4 positive tests in the past month (out of close to 25k tests of more than 4000 individuals). So it's possible, but only if you actually believe in science and act accordingly.

Sounds unusual.  How many of the 4,000 are students?

[Puget]

Meanwhile we've had a total of 4 positive tests in the past month (out of close to 25k tests of more than 4000 individuals). So it's possible, but only if you actually believe in science and act accordingly.

Sounds unusual.  How many of the 4,000 are students?

Approximately half are undergraduates, the rest are grad students, faculty and staff. We have a lot of precautions in place, and they are good kids. Community transmission is also pretty low in the area. But it's not just that because a nearby institution which was NOT testing everyone regularly (only tested students when they arrived then random spot checks) has a pretty large outbreak going on now-- there really is no way to do this safely with a robust testing program.

[marshwiggle]

Meanwhile we've had a total of 4 positive tests in the past month (out of close to 25k tests of more than 4000 individuals). So it's possible, but only if you actually believe in science and act accordingly.

Sounds unusual.  How many of the 4,000 are students?

Approximately half are undergraduates, the rest are grad students, faculty and staff. We have a lot of precautions in place, and they are good kids. Community transmission is also pretty low in the area. But it's not just that because a nearby institution which was NOT testing everyone regularly (only tested students when they arrived then random spot checks) has a pretty large outbreak going on now-- there really is no way to do this safely with a robust testing program.

I wonder if the testing has the effect of making it seem more real and so people are being more careful in consequence. Not exactly a placebo effect, but the results of the test may not matter that much; it's the reminder that works.

[Caracal]

Meanwhile we've had a total of 4 positive tests in the past month (out of close to 25k tests of more than 4000 individuals). So it's possible, but only if you actually believe in science and act accordingly.

Sounds unusual.  How many of the 4,000 are students?

Approximately half are undergraduates, the rest are grad students, faculty and staff. We have a lot of precautions in place, and they are good kids. Community transmission is also pretty low in the area. But it's not just that because a nearby institution which was NOT testing everyone regularly (only tested students when they arrived then random spot checks) has a pretty large outbreak going on now-- there really is no way to do this safely with a robust testing program.

There can also be a significant amount of luck involved. Covid really seems to be driven by super spreader events. If you happen to have an infectious person at the wrong place at the wrong time you can end up with a big outbreak really quickly. Obviously, interventions and testing and rules can play a big part in avoiding that kind of thing, but sometimes its just chance.