THE MOUNTIE RESPONSE TO COVID19
“While we place our confidence in God, we must act as if success depended on our own exertions.” -Catherine McAuley
» MAC’s Successful Transition to Online Teaching When the coronavirus pandemic forced businesses across the United States to close their doors in March 2020, higher education institutions were no exception. The decision to fully shut down colleges and universities was enacted quickly and with little warning. One day, it was business as usual on campus, and the next, students were headed home and faculty were tasked with transitioning their classes to online formats. While some online tools were already in place, the vast majority of classes were taught in-person at the College, so adjustments had to be made.
» Reworking the Class Structure Many professors on campus were already using “flippedclassroom” techniques and tools like Canvas, but the challenge was greater for “hands-on” majors such as the health sciences and nursing. Dr. Nicole Custer, Nursing Department Chairperson, was in charge of the department’s transition into online teaching. Custer and her team had to get creative when it came to presenting certain aspects of their curriculum, particularly clinicals and simulations. “Our adjunct faculty worked together in teams to come up with simulated learning activities for our students
each week,” said Custer. “These activities had to be equivalent to a full day’s worth of clinical time, which ranges from six to eight hours. I am extremely impressed at the quality of the online clinical assignments that our faculty developed with such a short turnaround time.” With this new normal of spending anywhere between six and fifteen hours or more in virtual classrooms, some students were forced to find ways to accommodate their home lives in addition to their education. “Students could watch their lectures at any time of the day,” Custer said. “We really tried to take into consideration that many of our students have careers, some already in the healthcare field, and that some have children that may also be trying to utilize technology for learning.” Custer and many other professors found themselves relying on a combination of live classes via video chatting platforms like Zoom and pre-recorded lectures, while also working with Canvas’ discussion board and live chat services through apps like Google Hangouts. Dr. Sara Rutledge, Deptartment Chair for Education & ASL/EI, believes that her classes were successful, even without the in-person element. She transitioned three of her five classes into an online teaching format, and while she already used Canvas extensively in all her classes, she noticed a
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change in her students when classes were online. “I had two students who were not as engaged in the large group classroom setting in class because they were a little shy, but when we switched to online instruction, they both came alive,” Rutledge said. “For some students, the online environment is less intimidating than the typical classroom setting.”
» The Biggest Challenges Of course, while certain classes may have posed challenges when moved to an online format, one of the most pervasive problems faced almost universally by students and faculty was internet access. In response, the College opened up parking lots and some COVIDrestricted, “connected” locations for students to complete their online studies. Student engagement and mental health were also a major concern. “I gave my students my personal cell phone number so that they could text or call me at any time if they were frustrated or just needed to talk,” Rutledge said. “I did little mental health check-ins with them. Students still need that personal connection, and they need to know that their professors care about them personally, in addition to educationally and professionally.” “The beauty of a small college,” Rutledge said, “is that students do not get lost in the shuffle.”
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