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

Started by polly_mer, July 02, 2020, 05:42:49 PM

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spork

It's terrible writing, used to obfuscate the fact that the authors actually have nothing to say.

Wahoo Redux

Come, fill the Cup, and in the fire of Spring
Your Winter-garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To flutter--and the Bird is on the Wing.

spork

So . . . unofficially it looks like in-person instruction on my campus will end at Thanksgiving break, except for students in clinical practicums. Unlike other universities, mine did not start the semester two weeks early. And now college students are a main cause of increasing numbers of Covid-19 cases in my state.
It's terrible writing, used to obfuscate the fact that the authors actually have nothing to say.

spork

Looks like some students are using the "remote" option to attend synchronous classes when not on campus -- going home for a week at a time to eat home cooking or visit friends, for example. My guess is that administration isn't raising a hullaboo about it because dorm and meal plan fees have been paid.
It's terrible writing, used to obfuscate the fact that the authors actually have nothing to say.

Puget

We're still doing really well-- only 9 positive tests out of 44,000+ tests of 4,600 people in the past month (.03% positive rate vs. >1% for state)
"Never get separated from your lunch. Never get separated from your friends. Never climb up anything you can't climb down."
–Best Colorado Peak Hikes

jimbogumbo

When you are in one of these (I am) it is not good:

South Dakota: 23.6

New daily cases: 414

Tests per 1,000: 3.1



Idaho: 23.5

New daily cases: 584

Tests per 1,000: 1.4



Wisconsin: 21.1

New daily cases: 3,279

Tests per 1,000: 2.3



Iowa: 18.8

New daily cases: 969

Tests per 1,000: 1.5



Wyoming: 16.7

New daily cases: 162

Tests per 1,000: 1.8



Kansas: 16.6

New daily cases: 461

Tests per 1,000: 1.5



Nevada: 15.7

New daily cases: 487

Tests per 1,000: 1.2



Indiana: 15.6

New daily cases: 1,549

Tests per 1,000: 1.5



Utah: 14.9

New daily cases: 987

Tests per 1,000: 2.5


spork

Now I'm hearing from department chairs that some faculty have only one or two students attending class, with the rest connecting online.
It's terrible writing, used to obfuscate the fact that the authors actually have nothing to say.

Vkw10

Quote from: spork on October 14, 2020, 01:24:43 PM
Now I'm hearing from department chairs that some faculty have only one or two students attending class, with the rest connecting online.

The provost says he sees students in labs, studio arts, and performing arts, but otherwise, only 5-10% of students are in classroom. That matches what I've seen and what others teaching onsite are reporting.
Enthusiasm is not a skill set. (MH)

spork

Quote from: Vkw10 on October 14, 2020, 07:31:53 PM
Quote from: spork on October 14, 2020, 01:24:43 PM
Now I'm hearing from department chairs that some faculty have only one or two students attending class, with the rest connecting online.

The provost says he sees students in labs, studio arts, and performing arts, but otherwise, only 5-10% of students are in classroom. That matches what I've seen and what others teaching onsite are reporting.

Supposedly my employer will continue "hy-flex" course delivery next semester. I wonder what proportion of students will decide to live at home because it's cheaper. Their diplomas aren't going to say "took all courses online in Spring 2021," and I doubt being isolated in a hotel room off campus eating boxed meals is the college experience they were expecting.
It's terrible writing, used to obfuscate the fact that the authors actually have nothing to say.

Sun_Worshiper

Quote from: spork on October 14, 2020, 01:24:43 PM
Now I'm hearing from department chairs that some faculty have only one or two students attending class, with the rest connecting online.

I've consistently had less than 25% attending in person, and I'm teaching in person (with mask, social distance, etc.). I imagine that those faculty teaching remotely have very few, if any, students in the classroom.

spork

Quote from: Sun_Worshiper on October 15, 2020, 08:25:50 AM
Quote from: spork on October 14, 2020, 01:24:43 PM
Now I'm hearing from department chairs that some faculty have only one or two students attending class, with the rest connecting online.

I've consistently had less than 25% attending in person, and I'm teaching in person (with mask, social distance, etc.). I imagine that those faculty teaching remotely have very few, if any, students in the classroom.

I was referring to faculty who are teaching in physical classrooms on campus.
It's terrible writing, used to obfuscate the fact that the authors actually have nothing to say.

Hibush

Quote from: spork on October 15, 2020, 09:34:25 AM
Quote from: Sun_Worshiper on October 15, 2020, 08:25:50 AM
Quote from: spork on October 14, 2020, 01:24:43 PM
Now I'm hearing from department chairs that some faculty have only one or two students attending class, with the rest connecting online.

I've consistently had less than 25% attending in person, and I'm teaching in person (with mask, social distance, etc.). I imagine that those faculty teaching remotely have very few, if any, students in the classroom.

We had a couple of faculty whose style requires the big lecture hall. They are teaching from that hall, but all the students are remote. Just the camera operator is in the room.

I was referring to faculty who are teaching in physical classrooms on campus.

marshwiggle

Quote from: Hibush on October 15, 2020, 12:21:58 PM

We had a couple of faculty whose style requires the big lecture hall. They are teaching from that hall, but all the students are remote. Just the camera operator is in the room.


Requiring a big lecture hall with no actual students is bizarre. That's about as inflexible as I can imagine.
It takes so little to be above average.

mamselle

The preachers whose worship services I usually watch preach to an empty church from a huge, beautiful pulpit, in one case, or open, live backdrop in another--and they have been since March.

The resonance complements their well-pitched voices, and the visual surroundings invoke some of the missing symbolic reminders of the life of faith and the components of visual and musical stimulation (when the organ or piano is played in that space, likewise).

As a performer, I can say that one projects differently and with a more generous awareness of the audience's presence in larger spaces, whether others are seated there or not--one of the reasons an acting company needs a theatrical space to work in, not just an auditorium, when finalizing a play's performance.

Kudos to the person involved for not ignoring the performative aspects of speaking to a group of people.

M.
Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

Reprove not a scorner, lest they hate thee: rebuke the wise, and they will love thee.

Give instruction to the wise, and they will be yet wiser: teach the just, and they will increase in learning.

spork

It's terrible writing, used to obfuscate the fact that the authors actually have nothing to say.