The internal dialogue around the world the past few months has been one of disbelief and lament. As many people work to social distance, frustrations bubble up. People would not sign up for this kind of disruption in their lives. Most would like to get back to a routine that includes seeing people and at least some of the things they have been accustomed to doing. For Concordia faculty and students, that would be teaching and learning in classrooms, labs, practice rooms, and athletic fields. Instead, digital platforms and screens fill their lives. How are people coping? Is this actually working? Talking to a sampling of professors and students, the situation is challenging, but we are figuring out what can be done together.
Professor of history Dr. Vince Arnold doesn’t usually have an iguana in class, but to lighten the mood in his digital classroom recently he had students introduce their pets. Arnold says that while the move to teaching online hasn’t been easy, it has been eased by tremendous support through instructional technology and students who have shown great resiliency through adversity.
“Resilient is the best way to describe the students in my ‘Hitler’s Germany’ class,” Arnold says. “They have always shown a great deal of enthusiasm for the material and, even now, students are actively involved in every class session. They have responded extraordinarily well to the circumstances with which they have had to face.”
With the impending concerns from the spread of COVID-19, the college suspended classes for a week in the middle of March to provide faculty the time to move their classes online and give students the opportunity to move home. It was a quick turnaround and called for great adaptability. At the time, the expectation was that students would come back to in-person classes after Easter, but that quickly became unfeasible and students will now finish out the semester online. For some professors, their material was easily transferrable for online learning, but they acknowledge the experience loses some of its spontaneity.
“One of the nice things about teaching writing classes is that now nearly all the interaction between students, and between students and me, is in writing,” says English Professor W. Scott Olsen. “The form of the class asks students to more carefully choose their words. But the problem is that writing is not fast. The creative spark of a classroom discussion, the many voices simultaneously eager to contribute, is more difficult to sustain.”
Had the change to online learning happened any earlier in the semester, neuroscience director Dr. Krys Strand knows her neuroscience and neurobiology courses – which both meet entirely in the lab – may not have been salvageable without having the time to preplan.
“We were fairly lucky in the timing of the transition as both of my classes had the opportunity to collect some preliminary data, so they had that to analyze,” Strand says. “The remaining assignments and projects seemed doable in a remote format.”
But Strand and other faculty note that they are all needing to look beyond the assignments right now as students, along with the rest of the world, are facing unprecedented times. Some of the support systems of friends and groups are now missing, and many students are experiencing varying levels of loneliness, depression, and challenging family dynamics.
“While we need to keep moving forward, and stay somewhat productive, I think we also need to be reasonable about what we can expect to accomplish right now,” Strand says. “If there are 20 people in a class, there are 20 unique and challenging situations to consider.”
Abbey Frauenholtz ’23 says she’s grateful for how seriously the college has taken the pandemic. She moved out of her residence hall and back to her hometown when the college transitioned to online classes. She says her ability to focus on assignments has been really positive, but she misses her friends and dormmates. And while faculty are accommodating, asking questions was easier on campus.
“I miss being able to talk face to face with my professors because if I would have a question or something I needed help on, it was much easier to just swing by their office to get it figured out,” she says.
Prashansha Maharjan ’20 agrees that she’s learning the material just fine, but the interactions that enrich the experience are harder to reproduce. “I miss being in an academic setting,” Maharjan says. “Being on campus always kept me in an academic mindset. The energy and routine that comes from physical classes is tough to replicate online. I also miss regular interactions with classmates and professors.”
Music faculty member Dr. Nat Dickey agrees that the personal interaction that makes Concordia so special is part of the reason this is difficult for faculty and students alike. Ensembles can’t sing and play together. Faculty are checking in on their students and one-on-one lessons are happening via Zoom, but there is lament for the need to be distanced and all the end-of-year events that won’t be happening.
“It’s important to be true to Concordia and our mission through this time of change,” Dickey says. “It’s perhaps even more important to be mindful of what our name means – hearts together – and remember to be our best selves to one another.”
A bit of a silver lining in this for Dr. Krys Strand is while students are away she and a senior student are sharing critter care for the biology animals. She usually wouldn’t have seen this little dune gecko hatching in the incubator – but this spring is different all around.