Kristi DiClemente has already adjusted her curriculum for next semester.
It’s one of many on-the-fly changes she’s had to make in the last month.
A history professor at the Mississippi University for Women, DiClemente typically teaches five classes in a given semester: three online and two in person. Then the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic changed everything. Non-virtual courses were no longer possible.
DiClemente was planning to offer a history of food class in the fall that requires a cooking lab, a course she says must be taught in person, but instead replaced it with something a little more timely: The history of global epidemics.
“The experts are saying there may be another spike and who knows if we can go back, so I had to make a hard decision,” DiClemente told The Dispatch. “I don’t know who’s thinking that far ahead, but as someone who’s studied the history of diseases and epidemics, there’s often a second spike in cases. It would not, in any way, surprise me if we had to switch to online sometime next semester.”
Much has changed in higher education because of the pandemic, and in DiClemente’s case, that includes when assignments are turned in. She’s waived due dates on most of the remaining assignments her students have for the remainder of the spring semester.
“I want students to turn things in when they’re able to turn things in,” DiClemente said. “They’re turning things in later than they normally would, but they’re still turning things in, which I think speaks to a level of dedication for a (general education) course, which isn’t always the case.”
Precautions have already been taken by four-year colleges around the Golden Triangle in the interim, as both MUW and Mississippi State have moved all classes to online only for the remainder of the spring semester. MSU has taken another precaution and shifted all summer courses online. MUW has yet to make a decision on summer classes.
Moving every course online is easier for some degree programs than others.
Ethan Worch studies electrical engineering at MSU, a program where hands-on experience is vital. Worch, who is on track to graduate in December, said his professors have tried an assortment of things, such as recording YouTube videos, still attempting to teach live classes and putting recorded audio over a PowerPoint presentation.
“If I had one concern, it would be how much of the practical experience is missing, some of that hands-on learning that you aren’t able to get through an online course,” Worch said. “A lot of teachers are doing their best to provide as much of that insight as they can get, but there’s still a difference between actually getting to be hands-on with something and seeing it through a Webex call, seeing it at a distance.”
Consequences of a quick transition to online
Bryan Jones, an associate professor in the MSU College of Engineering, said department faculty will do their best to replicate typical courses online in the summer.
“The beautiful thing is, there are so many things available on the web,” Jones said. “You can get pretty good instrumentation packages. … We’re looking at creative ways to get really low-cost test equipment into the hands of the students. We found a device that’s about $70 that has most of the functionality of a $2,000 machine. Our current plan is to have students spend a little bit of money on analysis tools and do the best on our end to make sure they use the same equipment throughout the entire semester so they’re not buying all sorts of different hardware.”
Jones added he’s been impressed at the work ethic of his students and their commitment to finish their projects while adhering to the recommended social distancing policies.
One of the most frustrating things for professors was having to shift some courses that were not designed to be online to virtual classes in the matter of a week, said James Vardaman, an associate professor of management at MSU’s College of Business.
“Typically if you’re an online instructor, you prepare your courses far in advance,” Vardaman said.
Vardaman said he’s seen about an 80-20 ratio of students adjusting to virtual work as opposed to students still experiencing frustrations with the new format. But he’s optimistic MSU announcing all summer courses moving online early will result in a better product.
“I think the advance notice will provide a lot of help to the faculty,” Vardaman said. “It gives them time to brainstorm materials for online.”
Despite the fact DiClemente has now taught multiple weeks of online courses, she still doesn’t feel settled. The escalating pandemic comes with a fear of contracting the illness or passing along the virus to an at-risk person, she said.
“There’s the societal stress of the fact that there’s a global pandemic happening and we’re just kind of waiting to see what will happen, and there’s the new stress of the changing system,” DiClemente said. “I don’t know that I’ll ever settle, I don’t feel settled, I keep thinking maybe this week I’ll get back into a routine, and it doesn’t happen. So I’m just kind of taking each day as it comes.”
Dispatch staff writer Tess Vrbin contributed to this story.
Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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