Lessons from the Virtual Classroom
As Chatham transitioned to a fully virtual learning environment for the first time this past March, there were a lot of unknowns. How would it work? What would a lecture look like? While we’re still adjusting and assessing what works, we do know that virtual learning (like any kind) looks different for everyone, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. We chatted with students and faculty about their major takeaways and lessons from inside the virtual classroom. Below you’ll find bright spots, learning curves, and a whole lot of commitment to ChathamU.
Find photos below from B.S.D. (before social distancing). We miss you & hope these remind you of your favorite Chatham memories. 💜
maintaining a sense of community
“The thing I have valued most is the sense of community that has transferred into the virtual environment. My Political Psychology class meets synchronously once a week and they seem genuinely happy to see one another. I like putting them into smaller breakout rooms and giving them a problem to solve together. It's exactly what we'd be doing in the classroom and the silliness and laughter that ensues is good for my heart—and hopefully theirs too. It feels very Chatham.”
—Dr. Jennie Sweet-Cushman, Assistant Professor of Political Science
Placing equity at the forefront
“My strategy for virtual delivery has been to be the least annoying part of my students’ lives. There is truly nothing I care about more in my classes than equity, and I could not ask anything of my students that I could not be certain was going to be available to all of them. I thought about what I must ask of students to meet our learning outcomes, the absolute non-negotiables. I decided that all I needed them to do was read, demonstrate that they understood what they read, and to make progress on their major writing assignments due at the end of the term.
I've been thinking a lot about something my mentor, Laura Pogue, said to me when I was a green adjunct and I wanted to follow a policy to the letter that would have negatively affected a student's GPA for an honest mistake. She told me to ‘err on the side of grace.’ Maybe I'd do the wrong thing and the kid would get away with something, but at least I was doing the wrong thing with compassion and empathy. I'm really letting that guide me in these last days of the semester when students are clearly under a lot of strain. These are extraordinary times, and I think they call for extraordinary grace.”
—Dr. Carrie Tippen, Assistant Professor of English
Sharing our experiences
“One professor shared a poem that he is writing day by day throughout the pandemic with the class. This poem showed moments of joy and laughter with his children, the fear and struggles of our new ‘normal’ and moments of optimism and strength. As he read the poem aloud, I realized we are all feeling similar emotions and that each day brings a new challenge or adventure to us all. I found this to be reassuring for myself and the rest of the class.”
—Laura Allston, Master of Sustainability ‘21
Creating new ways to connect
“I've spent time in the last few weeks thinking about how I could adapt events I wanted to do this semester into an online format. Instead of hosting an in-person event to screen design documentaries, we used Netflix Party to watch Abstract, a design documentary series, while we had a live discussion. I have also been holding virtual office hours regularly, which has actually given students more one-on-one time with me than they would normally get in my office. This is a hard season but we can keep finding ways to connect, share our passions, solve problems, and take care of each other.”
—Doug North Cook, Assistant Professor of Immersive Media
Checking in on each other
“Most of my assignments have been readings and forum post discussions. I believe that requiring students to participate in synchronous learning right now is unfair. This crisis is bringing vast inequities to the surface, inequities that are maybe a little bit less drastic when everyone is at school.
I just had an optional Zoom class for the first time. It was a chance to ask questions about the final, chat about the state of museums, and just check in. Some of my students came and stayed to talk with me the entire time. It was really sweet.”
—Meg Scanlon, Adjunct Professor of Arts Management
Taking Time to Acknowledge the intensity of the moment
“All of my professors have been really flexible. No Zoom meetings are mandatory for me and many of my professors have implemented no deadlines until the end of the semester. One professor said, ‘The world is not normal right now and we're not going to act like it is.’ Another professor sends us inspirational emails once a week where he includes resources about what is going on, scholarships we can apply to, and always ends it by saying how much he misses us.”
—Abbi Kneuss, Communications ‘22
Emphasizing Self-Care
“I've tried to keep a consistent yet relaxed presence with students. I keep them updated on programmatic information, telling them what I know, what I don't know, and what is yet to be determined. I try to end each class with something positive like asking each student what they are thankful for and what their favorite song is right now. We all laughed yesterday when a student said, ‘Don't stand too close to me’ by The Police.
I have also tried to self-disclose a bit more about my own struggles, like hitting a wall last week and some of the self-care strategies I’ve been using: exercise, time with my daughters, good sleep. I have relaxed some course policies such as due dates and altering assignments to let students know that I support them in their self-care.”
—Dr. Anthony Isacco, Professor and Director of Training, PsyD Program
Empowering students & mitigating loneliness
“The nursing programs have always been online; however, I’ve adopted Zoom for engaging the student population about clinical planning over the past couple of weeks. In the past, this communication would typically be by video, phone, or email. I feel the students are more willing to participate in using this technology now than before the pandemic. During my virtual conversations with the students, I have found many of them live alone. Using Zoom is not only one way to help students feel confident they can continue with their studies, it is also helping them not to feel lonely, providing a sense of empowerment, the experience of esprit de corps.”
—Jennifer Wasco, DNP, RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing and Practice Experience Coordinator
If you’re looking for ways to connect with Chatham virtually, visit our Always ChathamU webpage, follow us on social (@ChathamU),
or keep coming back to Pulse@ChathamU—we’ll be here!