It is back to school season. And after several semesters of COVID-induced online and hybrid instruction; teachers, students, parents, and school administrators are all eager to get back to normal. And it would be inaccurate if I did not admit that I share in the excitement. I too -- as both teacher and parent -- look forward to our students returning to campus. In fact, if I am honest, I cannot wait.
But that’s not the whole story. Something happened during those tumultuous pandemic years that we should not lose sight of. We learned something important about the way we deliver educational content, how we coordinate our activities, and what our students really want and need.
First, it is clear from the COVID experience that some content can be delivered more effectively and efficiently online than in person. We need to capitalize on this insight and integrate these new modalities into what we now regard as normal.
Second, we discovered that meetings -- the bane of all instructional faculty -- not only work better when conducted virtually but also benefit from improvements in attendance and participation.
Finally, our students found that well designed and intelligently delivered online content helped them fit schooling into their already complicated and busy schedules, providing flexible and responsive ways to complete their degree requirements.
So yes, I cannot wait to get back into the classroom and interact with my students in person. But I encourage us -- all of us -- to build on what we have learned online during those COVID years.
