Students Find the Learning Experience Provided by Schools To Be Unengaging

Executing online teaching well continues to be a challenge for many schools. A new survey shows that online class experiences provided by colleges that have shut down due to the pandemic are being contested by students. According to a survey by edtech vendor Top Hat, 78% of students called their online class experience as "unengaging". A similar share, of 75%, have reported missing the face-to-face interactions with others on campus. Around 50%of students said they were feeling "anxious," and worried about passing their classes this semester. "As the Fall 2020 semester looms on the horizon, colleges and universities are facing an unprecedented level of pressure to provide students with a significant return on investment in their education," said Nick Stein, Chief Marketing Officer for Top Hat, in a statement. "Based on the results from this survey, students are expecting a more engaging, interactive, and human experience; getting this right will be critical to the future of higher education," he added. Top Hat's survey –done among 3,089 higher education students in North America– found that 26% of students are re-evaluating their intentions of returning to school. Nearly 70% consider the online instruction they're receiving right now to be worse than what they got in person; half said they were spending less time on their coursework. The research recommends that schools should focus on enhancing the interactive experience, promoting social experiences with other students, and examining what and how learning materials are being used. "The sudden transition to remote teaching in the past few months due to the COVID-19 crisis pushed educators to piece together solutions to deliver their courses online. In many cases, the result was a disjointed experience that required professors to navigate various technology tools and platforms to bring their courses to life in a new learning environment. Although no small feat, many students developed a poor impression of the educational value they received and more than a quarter are now re-evaluating their intentions to return to school in the Fall semester," states the report.   • Top Hat's infographic with the findings of the survey.    

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An Increasing Number of Colleges Are Deciding to Reopen Campuses for the Fall

Universities and college leaders are deciding this month whether or not to reopen campuses for the fall semester. The Chronicle of Higher Education is updating a list of colleges with their plans to reopen their institutions, as well as inviting institutions to communicate their decisions. Inside of Higher Ed also wrote a report with details. The latest addition includes the university systems of Alabama, Georgia, and North Dakota. One of the most adopted approaches points to reopening, although being "prepared for a scenario in which much or all learning will be conducted remotely," as noted by Harvard University's Provost. Other institutions such as Stanford University says that "it expects to make a decision in May, but might delay fall quarter till winter."   Most universities are either sticking their head in the sand and planning for a normal on-campus/face-to-face Fall semester, or are kicking the can down the road and saying they will decide in May, June, or even July https://t.co/bt4pvrfUFW — Lorena Barba (@LorenaABarba) April 28, 2020   This is the Chronicle's List (updated on April 29):   Institution Control State Plan American University Private DC "preparing for a return to campus for classes and activities in the fall" Amherst College Private MA hopes to decide by June Baylor University Private TX "We intend to safely resume in-person teaching, learning and residential life for the fall 2020 semester." Beloit College Private WI shifting to a "module based semester" to allow flexibility to move toward either online or in-person classes Boston University Private MA leaning toward in-person classes Brown University Private RI The university is leaning toward in-person classes. Brown’s president, Christina Paxson, wrote an op-ed in The New York Times that called the reopening of college campuses a "national priority" and that proposed strict virus testing and tracing protocols to ensure safety. California Baptist University Private CA "planning to resume on-ground classes for the fall semester" California State University at Fullerton Public CA "Our goal is face-to-face, on-campus instruction," but faculty are being asked to prepare to start the fall semester teaching online. Central Christian College of the Bible Private MO plans to open campus in the fall but use online instruction if necessary Centre College Private KY block-scheduling courses in shorter segments to allow flexibility to shift toward either in-person or remote learning Chapman University Private CA optimistically planning for a safe return in the fall with social distancing and safety constraints in place" Christopher Newport University Public VA "We are planning for our classes to resume on campus in the fall" depending on the state of coronavirus and guidance from state and federal authorities. Claremont Colleges Private CA "Committed" to in-person fall classes, but no final decision expected till July 1 Clemson University Public SC exploring a range of scenarios, from in-person classes to entirely online Cornell University Private NY no decision expected until June Dartmouth College Private NH “The probability of a full residential, business-as-usual fall term is not very high,” the provost says. Drury University Private MO planning to reopen in the fall East Carolina University Public NC "We intend to be back on ECU’s campus in the fall, although we will do so while taking the necessary precautions." East Tennessee State University Public TN hopes to make a decision by early June Elon University Private NC “Elon is planning to conduct fall semester classes on campus,” but that could change “depending on the ongoing threat.” Emory University Private GA likely to decide by early May, according to the student newspaper Furman University Private SC will announce plans by mid to late June George Fox University Public OR plans to open campus in the fall George Mason University Private VA says more information could come by early June George Washington University Private DC will provide "a more detailed communication about our plans for operation by May 15" Gonzaga University Private WA “will work with the goal of returning to operations and re-opening our campus – including resuming in-class instruction – for fall semester 2020” Harvard University Private MA Will be open, but the provost says "we will need to prepare for a scenario in which much or all learning will be conducted remotely." Haverford College Private PA "We expect on-campus learning to resume for the fall semester." Iowa Board of Regents Public IA planning "a full normal operation" for its universities, including the Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa; "in person classes, reopening of residence halls" in the fall James Madison University Public VA “We are expecting to open as scheduled for in-person classes.” Longwood University Public VA exploring how it can “safely reopen for in-person learning in the upcoming fall semester” Loyola Marymount University Private CA planning for an in-person fall semester Macalester College Private MN Our strong preference is to complete two full semesters of on-campus instruction, but says academic calendar may be tweaked and — only if necessary — instruction could be online Marquette University Private WI will resume campus operations this fall if governmental and medical authorities say it is safe to do so" Marshall University Public WV The university "has begun tentative plans to have in-person classes for the fall 2020 semester." Merrimack College Private MA planning to be "residential and open in the fall" Midwestern State University Public TX intends to be “fully operational this fall for in-person instruction” Montana State University Public MT planning for the return of students in the fall, subject to guidance from a task force New York University Private NY “proceeding on the basis that it will resume in-person operations” in the fall Nicholls State University Public LA North Carolina State University Public NC "We fully expect to have our new and continuing students on campus for the fall semester." North Dakota University system Public ND intends to have students back on its 11 campuses in the fall, including North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota Northern Illinois University Public IL Hopes to announce fall plans within the next two months Oakland University Public MI "a hybrid approach" that includes both face-to-face and remote instruction" in the fall Ohio State University Public OH leaning toward in-person classes, with a final decision by late June Pace University Private NY "It is our hope and intention to resume our regular schedule of face-to-face classes across all three of our campuses for Fall 2020," the provost wrote. "But ultimately that decision will not be ours to make." Purdue University Public IN planning to start fall semester in person if testing and contact tracing allows Radford University Public VA will reopen on August 3, with face-to-face instruction beginning on August 24 Randolph College Private VA planning to resume on-campus, residential operations Rhodes College Private TN will share plans by May 27 Saint Francis University Private PA Intends to return students to campus in the fall San Jose State University Public CA planning to offer online and hybrid courses Seton Hall University Private NJ “We have a team in place finalizing plans for our collective return to campus in the fall,” but contingency plans are being made “to ensure we are prepared should the science or government guidance delay a return or require modified approaches.” Shenandoah University Private VA plans to make a decision by around July 1 Southern New Hampshire University Private NH planning to allow students to move into dorms, and is offering full tuition scholarships to incoming freshmen Stanford University Private CA expects to make a decision in May, but might delay fall quarter till winter Stetson University Private FL planning for in-person classes but will make a decision by mid to late June Syracuse University Private NY developing “multiple fall opening scenarios” with the “hope and intention that we will be welcoming students back to campus” Texas Tech University Public TX Plans to resume in-person instruction in the fall with a "phased return" Tulane University Private LA No guarantees, but “we very much hope to hold face-to-face, on-ground classes in fall 2020.” University of Alabama system Public AL "We are expecting to have a fall semester at all of our universities," the president said."We understand that things could happen that make it impossible, but that’s what we are planning for at this time." University of Arizona Public AZ planning to hold in-person classes University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Public AR plans to announce around June 1 University of California at Berkeley Public CA Some or all classes will be delivered via remote instruction. University of California at San Diego Public CA intends to offer a combination of in-person and remote instruction University of Central Florida Public FL leaning toward in-person classes University of Chicago Private IL plans to decide by the end of June University of Colorado at Boulder Public CO leaning toward a hybrid plan; will announce by June University of Connecticut Public CT no decision till summer University of Delaware Public DE “We remain cautiously optimistic that we will be in a position to welcome all students on campus this fall.” University of Denver Private CO “We plan to reopen with face-to-face classes when we begin our fall quarter in mid-September, as long as we can do so safely and responsibly. … We will make a final decision no later than July 15.” University of Georgia system Public GA The university plans a "phased, gradual reopening" in the summer and will resume in-person instruction during the fall 2020 semester. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Public IL "We are planning for in-person classes to begin as scheduled." University of Maine system Public ME planning for in-person classes University of Mary Washington Public VA intends to start in-person instruction in August but says "we should also be prepared for the unknown" University of Maryland system Public MD planning to start in-person, but some larger classes may be online University of Miami Public FL "Our expectation is to begin our fall semester on time and on campus, so long as we can do so safely" University of Michigan Public MI hoping to hold classes in-person University of Nebraska system Public NE The system "expects to hold classes on its campuses in the fall." The chancellor of the flagship University of Nebraska at Lincoln wrote in a letter on April 24, "UNL will be open in the fall for in-person instruction." University of New Haven Private CT intends to bring students back to campus in August, but is also “exploring academic contingencies for a variety of scenarios” University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public NC optimistic for on-campus classes this fall, but still considering a variety of options University of North Carolina at Pembroke Public NC "We fully expect and it is our present intention to be back in our classrooms, labs, and offices this fall." University of Oklahoma Public OK "Our intention is to return to in-person educational operations on all three campuses by this fall, offering traditional instruction and residential life." University of Oregon Public OR The university is aiming for in-person instruction in the fall, but the president says "it is unlikely that our fall quarter will look just like last fall." University of Pennsylvania Private PA “planning for a likely combination of in-class and virtual teaching.” University of Pittsburgh Public PA says "back to normal probably is not likely" for the fall University of Portland Private OR The university's goal is to operate in-person, but the president said it may adjust the academic calendar and "conduct some or all of our instruction in an online format if absolutely necessary." University of Southern California Public CA hopes to announce fall plans within the next two months University of South Carolina Public SC decision expected by June 15 University of Puget Sound Private WA "We plan to welcome new and returning students to campus in the fall and resume in-person courses … while adhering to public health guidelines." University of Tennessee at Knoxville Public TN eyeing three scenarios: in-person instruction, a fully online semester, or a hybrid of the two University of Texas at Austin Public TX decision expected by the end of June University of Vermont Public VT "Based on information currently available, I am confident UVM will be able to return to in-person status in fall 2020," the president said. University of Virginia Public VA plans an update on fall plans by mid June University of Wisconsin-Madison Public WI decision by the end of July, currently considering face-to-face, entire online, and hybrid models Utah System of Higher Education Public UT intends to resume in-person classes in the fall Virginia Commonwealth University Public VA "We have every intention of opening our fall semester in-person as long as it is safe to do so."   Wake Forest University Private NC "We plan to conduct fall semester classes on campus." Washington State University Public WA planning for in-person classes Wayne State University Public MI leaning toward starting fall classes online West Virginia University Public WV exploring a range of scenarios, from in-person to entirely online Wheaton College (Mass.) Private MA “We have affirmed our intention to deliver an on-campus fall semester” subject to the guidance of public-health experts. Whitworth University Private WA plans to reopen the campus and resume in-person classes William Jewell College Private MO intends to open for fall semester Williams College Private MA plans to announce by July 1 Yale University Private CT decision expected by early July

Columbia University's TAs Say They Will Not Teach as They Face Financial Precarity

Hundreds of Columbia University’s TAs (Teaching Assistants) say that they won’t teach and grade until the institution offers them financial relief. They demand $6,000 for every grad worker this summer, cancel rent in university apartment housing, and extension of funding and time to degree, among other requests. In a letter to the university, the group called Columbia Graduate Workers on Strike, complains about their “extreme financial and housing precarity in a pandemic,” and reminds: “Columbia is a wealthy institution that has wrongly partitioned its budget. Even by the logic that the university simply cannot use its endowment directly to these ends, Columbia should take advantage of its endowment to use as collateral to borrow at nearly 0 percent interest rates in order to address the needs of its workers in this crisis.” Columbia's graduate students‘ financial struggle is similar to other private campuses. Columbia has a graduate workers’ union affiliated with the United Auto Workers. The union called a strike in 2018 after the university refused to negotiate a first contract, arguing that graduate students are not laborers entitled to collective bargaining. The institution recently said that it would provide summer relief of up to $3,000 per graduate student that are on nine-month contracts. Columbia University has a $10 billion endowment and is one of New York City’s biggest landowners. Hundreds of Columbia graduate workers are on strike to end university austerity. Demands: 1. $6k for every grad worker for the summer 2. Cancel rent in university housing. 3. Extend funding+time to degree by 1 yr. 4. Protect international students. See our letter to the admin. pic.twitter.com/VVh8ew8HfW — Columbia Work Strike/ Rent Strike (@columbiastrike) April 26, 2020

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Harvard's Credit-Bearing, Free Course on Mechanical Ventilators Has Attracted 170,000 Learners in Two Weeks

Mikel Amigot | IBL News, New York Developed by Harvard University in conjunction with the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) and released on April 6th, this free course now can grant up to three CME (Continuing Medical Education) credit hours to those who complete the course (2 to 5 hours) and pass a brief quiz. Eligible learners can claim three AMA PRA Category 1 Credit (physicians), nursing CEU credits, or a certificate of attendance for allied health professionals and other learners. The authors of the course, Dr. Susan Wilcox and Thomas Piraino, are continuously updating the course, given that the subject of mechanical ventilation and the offering of manufacturers are evolving. In addition to high enrollment, participation in the discussion forum, with clinicians sharing knowledge and tools, has made the course a valuable tool to fight to the COVID-19 pandemic and treat patients developing pneumonia. "The medical system will need clinicians that can assist in operating mechanical ventilators," wrote the authors. "We encourage all non-ICU clinicians to consider completing this course, readying themselves to best help their colleagues and patients on the front lines of this virus." With 27 million learners, the edX.org learning platform –founded by MIT and Harvard University as a non-profit venture– hosts over 3,000 courses, from over 150 universities, corporations, and business organizations. • IBL News, April 7: An edX and Harvard Course to Train Clinicians on Mechanical Ventilators for Covid-19

Google Classroom, Class Dojo, and TikTok Rank Top Used Apps

Google Classroom, along with Zoom, have benefited from a significant surge in their audience during this global pandemic. In March, the top three education apps in use were Google Classroom, Remind: Safe Classroom Communication and ClassDojo for sharing photos, videos, announcements, and private messages with families–according to an analysis by App Annie. Other apps that performed well were Zoom Cloud Meetings, TikTok, and Houseparty. The report by App Annie found that mobile education applications have experienced a 90 percent increase in weekly downloads and usage worldwide, between the last three months of 2019 and the first three months of 2020. For the United States, the overall growth rate in educational app downloads was 135 percent.