From the article: [...] We previously discussed this, but this seems like a better argument?
From the article:
For those who are hopeful that we can safely bring students back to campus in the fall, I present the evidence of what is happening with the students who are currently back on campus: one-third of the Clemson football team has tested positive for the coronavirus.
A single night at a single bar in East Lansing, Mich., populated by college students has triggered an outbreak of at least 30 new cases 100 miles away.
Wait, I first drafted that last sentence on Saturday. I’m reading the draft on Sunday, and we’re now up to at least 85 cases from this single incident.
I understand the desire to return to some semblance of normalcy. I understand the need for institutions to collect tuition and fees for room and board in order to stay solvent, but the thinking I see from many leaders around on-campus, in-person instruction seems downright magical to me.
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Let’s set all these concerns aside and say that we can pull off an in-person fall semester while adhering to social distancing and other guidelines. What will the experience be like?
Weird. Really freaking weird, alienating, constantly stressful, nearly impossible for students with disabilities. Think how long it has taken many of us to cobble together an acceptable new normal of working from home. How long do you think it will take for students to settle into managing the strangeness of a class of 12 being conducted in an auditorium for 120, of eating all meals to go, of trying to socially distance in spaces like dorms, which are designed for maximum socialization?
For courses like the ones I teach (writing), the things I use class time for -- student collaboration, personal consultation, peer editing and response -- are literally impossible under these conditions. I can consult with a student on their manuscript via video conference far more effectively than if we are six feet apart and masked inside the office I still have to share with two other people on a rotating basis. From a pure effectiveness standpoint, how many courses will truly be superior under the necessary accommodations for face-to-face meetings versus remote instruction?
From the article:
[...]
We previously discussed this, but this seems like a better argument?