After the university closed, Mason students took their computers and continued their studies from a variety of remote locations. Photo by Ian Shiff
Secrets to Success in Virtual Classes Mason Engineering professors helped students crack the code to successful virtual instruction this year. From March 23 until the end of the spring semester, the university offered distance education instead of on-campus classes because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The classes were taught by the same professors with the same content as in-person classes, says Daniel Garrison, director of Mason Engineering Online for the Volgenau School of Engineering. Some classes involved synchronous delivery, in which there are specific meeting times for virtual classrooms, or asynchronous delivery, in which there is no specific meeting time and flexible learning with deadlines the instructor provides, he says. “We had comprehensive plans in place to ensure students continued to have the best quality of education,” says Kamaljeet Sanghera, associate professor of the Department of Information Sciences and Technology. She and Garrison were VSE’s representatives for Mason’s Instruc tional Continuity Working Group, convened by the Provost’s Office. Students had continued access to Mason’s excellent services and support including online peer mentoring, the virtual writing center, and e-library resources, she says. Adapting to an online environment was a learning experience for everyone, says Michael Buschmann, chair of the Department of Bioengineering. Successful students challenged themselves to keep a high level of engagement with the professor and the material and looked beyond the virtual instruction for additional discussions with the professor and teaching assistant, he says.
4 VOLGENAU SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING ANNUAL REPORT 2020
