Lessons Learned While Teaching During a Pandemic

Heather Van Mullem

COVID-19 forced us to convert our classes from face-to-face to remote delivery in just a few days. While I’ve been teaching classes online for a number of years, the uncertainty of the pandemic, the rapid transition from face-to-face delivery, and the accompanying teaching experience was difficult. My students were understandably concerned about this transition and what it would mean for their class experience. Some were very worried that this change meant they would no longer be successful in class. They had purposefully chosen to take courses in a face-to-face format and wanted the classroom experience face-to-face delivery provides. Aside from revising the course syllabus to reflect the change in delivery and small changes to the scope and sequence of the course content, I shifted my attention to the key learning outcomes for the course and the students’ needs. I surveyed students about their preferences for communication (i.e., frequency, method, etc.) and course engagement (i.e., synchronous, asynchronous, or a combination of the two).

Students expressed differences in preference for course delivery. Some wanted to continue to meet synchronously both days of the week at our regularly scheduled class time whereas others wanted to move the class completely to asynchronous delivery. Reasons for these choices varied. Students who wished to meet synchronously expressed a desire to maintain a sense of normalcy and a preference for a discussion-based format. Students who advocated for asynchronous delivery did so because their work hours changed in time of day or in quantity and/or their family needed assistance with childcare. Students preferences for communication also varied. Some students wanted one email per week about class. In comparison, other students wanted frequent communication.

My goal was to create a space where students’ needs and preferences could, as much as possible, be met. Creating this space required flexibility and options for students. As a result, class sessions were split. One day a week, class was held synchronously using the video option in the Learning Management System (LMS). For those who could not or did not want to attend, course discussions were recorded and posted within the LMS for students to listen to when they were able. The second day of class “met” asynchronously through discussion boards. Students were provided the option to post either in writing, in a podcast, or using video.

At the heart of these changes was a need to simplify the course structure to make sure that the key course learning outcomes were met and that the transition to remote learning was transparent. Key to this effort was clear and consistent communication. Originally, I thought that as long as communication was consistent it wouldn’t matter how it was delivered. As the semester progressed it became apparent that it was best if communication came from one source. I chose to use the Announcement feature in the LMS. In addition to keeping a record of communication in one place within the course shell, the LMS also pushed out the messages through email.

Given that students were receiving so much communication via email, I assumed they would want less from each instructor. I was wrong. As the semester progressed, students asked for more communication. They wanted to maintain connection and did not want to fall behind. Additionally, transparent assessment was integral. This required me to revisit and, in some cases, re-write sections of rubrics to improve clarity and expectations.

While COVID-19 posed challenges to course design and delivery, the experience helped me improve communication with students and enhance teaching and assessment strategies. However, as the semester progressed, the gap in educational opportunities between students became more pronounced.  When students are on campus, each has access to health services, computers, reliable internet, and to learning tools available in campus labs and the library. Equitable access influenced my perspective on what and how students could participate in the learning process. However, the pandemic forced students off campus which resulted in many students not having equal access to learning materials. Some students did not have access to reliable computers or tablets. As a result, they were attempting to complete their coursework using only their phones. In addition, many students had unreliable internet access. Because of this, trying to stream video was very difficult and made synchronous attendance frustrating and, in some cases, prohibitive.  Additionally, many students experienced changes in their day-to-day schedule because of work and/or family. Some students had to change their work hours which resulted in a conflict with class time. Others had to increase the amount of time they worked while some students assumed primary caregiver roles for their younger siblings. These additional responsibilities meant students had less time to devote to their studies. Sadly, I had other students who did not have safe and secure housing. With the dorms no longer an option, students moved home. However, for some students, they found their home to no longer be welcoming and were forced to either live with a friend willing to take them in or, if that option didn’t exist, became homeless. These students’ basic needs were now in question and school simply couldn’t be the priority.

As we prepare for the coming academic year, it is essential that we learn from our most recent experience as we plan to effectively deliver a sound educational experience for our students. I’ve learned that flexibility is key to student success. Given that COVID-19 will continue to pose challenges, in addition to offering a flexible learning environment, I am now exploring the integration of a variety of different types of assignments to provide students with increased choice to show they have learned the course material and met the expected learning outcomes. As you prepare for a successful fall semester, consider how you might increase the flexibility in your classes as a mechanism to increase student success.