A Letter on How the Coronavirus Pandemic Has Shaped My Instruction This Semester
It goes without saying that you are taking this course in unusual — indeed unprecedented — times. After much deliberation, I’ve chosen to continue my classes this semester almost entirely online. The details of the course format follow, but first I want to explain why I’ve made this decision. I’ve considered the matter from many angles and by consulting a variety of perspectives. The Accessible Campus Action Alliance’s statement Beyond ‘High Risk’ Statement on Disability and Campus Re-openings was particularly influential in my decision, as was Dr. Nyasha Grayman-Simpson’s letter Why I Will be Offering My Courses Remotely This Fall Semester. Borrowing from Dr. Grayman-Simpson, my rationale can be considered in three dimensions: public (and individual) health, pedagogical, and social equity/justice.
From a public health perspective, I cannot justify convening a three hour long class in an enclosed space. The most credible research suggests that SARS-CoV-2 seems to spread much more easily by air than previously modeled (not so much on surfaces) and the CDC estimates up to 35% of infected persons may be asymptomatic (or pre-symptomatic) carriers. Campus administrators readily admit that preventing campus virus spread is impossible and research indicates that fewer than 50% of people are compliant with safety protocols, such as face covering and social distancing. Simply stated, the risk of viral spread will be significantly higher for students and faculty who gather in classrooms for any considerable amount of time, which is about the worst scenario from a transmission standpoint.
From a pedagogical perspective, even in-person classes are dramatically altered. I typically focus on discussion-based, collaborative, and small group instruction — activities which suffer in a context of face coverings and physical distance. Furthermore, a spike in infection rates can push in person classes online at any moment. I truly believe that the most effective instruction will come from coursework and activities that are carefully designed for the online format.
Finally, I have serious social equity and justice concerns with in-person instruction at this time. I am concerned for students who are especially vulnerable to the negative impacts of COVID-19 themselves, or are caregivers to loved ones who are, and especially those from marginalized populations that have borne the brunt of the pandemic in health and economic terms. I simply cannot ask students to decide between exposing themselves and their loved ones to greater risk or accepting differential instruction. I am also concerned for the safety of students of color (especially those presenting as male) being required to wear masks in a society characterized by systemic racism, as recent events have vividly and painfully illustrated.
Of course, online coursework raises its own social equity concerns, as people have differing levels of access to technology and high-speed internet. I encourage you to let me know if you face any such difficulties. The Marriott Library has laptops you can check out for home use: as of the time of this writing, you can email the Union Services Desk with your name, UNID, phone number, and mailing address and a library laptop will be mailed out within two business days. For internet, Xfinity WiFi locations are currently free to access and you can request a mobile hotspot from the University. These resources notwithstanding, requiring synchronous (real-time) virtual gatherings incorrectly assumes equal access to high-speed internet and burdens students who’s professional, family, and personal lives remain disrupted in the context of COVID-19.
Taking these reasons into account, I’ve designed this course such that it can be completed entirely online in a flexible (few real-time meetings, either virtual or in person) manner — without sacrificing any of the opportunities, quality, or rigor of an in-person class. I’ve done so by leveraging careful digital pedagogy and the particular strengths that an online format allows, such as course “videocasts,” engaging readings, and ample opportunities for genuine (digital) interaction. I am further implementing the following to ensure a flexible, valuable, and rewarding class experience for all:
- I will maintain a sub-36 hour turn around on emails and Canvas messages, except in the case of emergencies, weekends, or times when I am “offline” for more than a day (which I will notify you of beforehand).
- I will hold regular office hours, scheduled to take into account student availability, during which I will be available in real time for online text exchanges (using this site’s chat feature), video chats (via Zoom or ConexED), or phone. I am also happy to schedule meetings via any of these methods outside of posted office hours.
- Finally, important synchronous class meetings will be recorded and posted to the course Canvas to support greater equity for of students who cannot/prefer not to meet synchronously. However, individual and small-group meetings will not be recorded, and I will proactively announce any time a meeting is.
I realize that this decision may be met with disappointment among some — and I regret this. I would like you to know that it also pains me, as the most fulfilling aspect of being a professor is interacting with the talented, thoughtful, and dedicated public servants (either in training or in practice) that I know you are. Nonetheless, I believe this to be the most (truly, the only) responsible decision for me to make under current circumstances. And, I promise you that this will not be a second-rate experience — we’ve got a great semester ahead!
Sincerely,
Prof David Carter
