The COVID-19 pandemic threatens the health of millions worldwide, and it has pitched the remainder of the academic year into chaos and uncertainty since there is much we do not know about this disease. No one can say how serious the coronavirus’s effects will be or how long the pandemic will last, which makes it hard to predict the outcomes. One thing that sets the coronavirus crisis apart from those that affected higher education in the past is the uncertainty. Unlike natural disasters which are discrete events with a clear beginning and end, there is no manual or guidebook for the current pandemic which is fluid and requires higher educational institutions to continuously adapt their plans as the situation evolves.
More and more universities are moving classes online and closing campuses in a hurry as a precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Faculties are requested to shift the delivery of as much of the curriculum as possible to non-face-to-face modalities, to minimise disruptions to student learning caused by the coronavirus. In the coming weeks, we will find out just how prepared universities are to do this on a large scale. It may turn out to be a nightmare that shows us how impossible it is with uneven access to bandwidth, and poor learning outcomes as many have no experience to rely on. Still, there is no denying that the momentum is shifting.
Richard Arum and Mitchell L Stevens who are experts on innovation in college education, in their article “What Is a College Education in the Time of Coronavirus?” note that one positive outcome from the current crisis would be for academic elites to forgo their presumption that online learning is a second- or third-rate substitute for in-person delivery. They add that this is snobbish, counterproductive and insensitive to the critical need for affordable college options. In addition, they mention that online delivery should be valued in its own right – a worthy learning format with its own distinctive assets – and given the investment it deserves.
Michael Horn, co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation further emphasises this point. In a recent post for Education Next in which he states that “at least for now, I’m not betting on this being the moment where online learning triumphs in a decisive or lasting way.”
The rapid move to online education formats has raised concerns. While the overwhelming majority of faculties applaud their university administrators’ efforts to keep students, faculty and staff safe, they are also voicing concerns that decisions about closing campuses or moving instruction online are being made without adequate faculty involvement in decision-making. It is fully understandable that in certain situations, it is necessary to close a campus or move to online instruction in a hurry to safeguard the health of the campus community. However, university administrators should, to the extent possible, share information and seek input from the appropriate faculty bodies. In such a case, it is also incumbent on the administration to provide all faculty with the appropriate training and resources.
Having said this, teaching online should not come as a big surprise for many institutions since many had already been working on business continuity planning before the coronavirus outbreak started to spread. Faculty staff were already encouraged to keep backup plans and lessons in the learning management system for times when they are sick, or in eventuality of a natural disaster or unforeseen closure.
However, the main concern here is about the differential impact on students, especially students who are the most vulnerable. University administrators should consider the needs and limitations of students, who may lack access to the internet or face other obstacles to completing their coursework remotely. Here, the concern is about the potential effects on colleges and universities with fewer resources, like regional universities and community colleges, and their students. Another concern is students who may not have access to computers or internet connections at home. For many low-income students, their only device is a smartphone. Students who can only work on their phones may have limited data plans, which may not be enough to suddenly handle online coursework and lectures for all of their classes.
To address these issues, it is recommended that colleges and universities allow campus services like the library and online tutoring to remain open and that students are allowed to borrow laptops from computer labs in colleges and universities. While many institutions have policies for loaning laptops, it may not be enough to cover everyone who needs one. Colleges and universities should also offer emergency funds to students from low-income families to cover the increased expenses in situations like this. Another important recommendation is to ensure that online platforms are accessible also for students with disabilities.
If colleges and universities end up closing campus housing and sending students home, there should be a support system for helping low-income students with transportation costs. In addition, colleges and universities should also provide accommodations for students for whom returning home would be a hardship. There is also the question of whether institutions are prepared to reimburse students for unutilised campus housing and meal costs. It is also crucial to offer counselling remotely as students deal with stress from this unprecedented disruption.
Beyond the above logistics issues, some experts are also concerned with how this could affect learning, especially for traditionally trained students. For coursework that is entirely online, students who are not well prepared tend to not do as well. For many, learning online may be more difficult than doing so in face-to-face classes where they have the personal support of teachers and their peers. Some colleges and universities have not figured out how to move additional teaching and learning support online. Some of the many advantages of online learning, such as its greater flexibility and the ability of student to self-pace their learning, may actually be weaknesses for students who are inexperienced in studying with less structure, and are learning in a new style and language.
It will help to realize that this is not really a switch from face-to-face teaching to online teaching. Instead it is completing a face-to-face class without having to meet face-to-face under emergency circumstances using available tools, many of which are also used in online classes by edX and Coursera through their Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).
The closure of educational institutions, lockdowns, quarantines, cancellations, and work-from-home policies have greatly driven up the demand for video and chat software. Those in online teaching and educational technology have moved quickly to help in teaching and learning issues, and software companies like Zoom, Microsoft, and Google have offered their software for free and have taken pains to make sure they can accommodate the growing demand from users including those from schools and universities.
Once colleges and universities develop the ability to serve their students via online technologies, there is little reason for them to abandon it. That does not mean giving up on in-person teaching but to stop distinguishing between online and classroom programs and instead develop programs that could be offered during good times and during crises. In other words, this will make colleges and universities truly flexible and agile. Agility, flexibility, and resiliency aren’t just crucial skills for 21st-century students. They are also vital skills for 21st-century institutions.
Beyond the classroom, it is an even more complex story. The next few months will be a trying time for university leaders. It will be an expensive one too, once people start adding up the costs of cancelled semesters, meal plans, and housing contracts, not to mention the uncertainty of enrolments come the fall. And if this hastens a recession, as some economists are already predicting, that certainly will not help. The longer the disruption continues, especially if the economy suffers, the most vulnerable colleges and universities will feel increased pressure to either merge or close.
In addition to students’ and faculty members’ anxieties about moving to online teaching and learning, each of us may well be carrying anxieties about the other aspects of our lives, e.g. the health of our loved ones, the uncertain future, the condition of our planet, etc., all inflamed by the current pandemic. These are just some of the many worries and anxieties faculty and students may be bringing into the virtual learning spaces – acknowledgement of these and kindness – above all, may be the most important things we can do to teach online with care.
Moving online with inadequate support and in a rushed manner is a short-term solution and an under-supported, hasty move that could create a negative impression about online teaching in general. Hence, online-teaching advocates are unanimous in cautioning that these options for saving the semester are not to be confused with the kind of intentional design that is needed to create high-quality online offerings in the long run. To further reaffirm this aspect, the rush to remote education in a hurry is not the same as providing students with a thoughtfully designed online course. Whatever colleges and universities now decide to do, the focus as always should be on the students, and on using what we know to help them move forward under some really difficult circumstances.
As educators, we will have to pay close attention and learn from the situation. For those who are less resourced, we need to figure out better ways to take care of them. This moment demands a certain reconsideration of our responsibilities to ourselves and the communities we participate in. It is clear that our thoughtful use of online technologies will play a critical role in our response to the challenges ahead.
I would like to conclude by quoting Yuval Noah Harari, a historian, philosopher and bestselling author of Sapiens, Homo Deus and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, in a recent article which he has written for Time: “In this moment of crisis, the crucial struggle takes place within humanity itself. If this epidemic results in greater disunity and mistrust among humans, it will be the virus’s greatest victory. When humans squabble – viruses double. In contrast, if the epidemic results in closer global cooperation, it will be a victory not only against the coronavirus, but against all future pathogens”.
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