If you’ve felt lethargic since online classes became the norm, Carleton president Benoit-Antoine Bacon’s recent announcement that about 30 to 50 per cent of classes in the fall will incorporate some in-person learning may have been a sorely needed morale boost.
I fully support a step-by-step transition back to in-person classes that accommodates the various concerns raised by students since the announcement.
Carleton’s delivery of online classes was, and continues to be, a mixed bag. While its efforts whipping up completely remote courses on relatively short notice can certainly be commended, online classes have come with a host of issues. Primarily, despite the generous accommodations of the Centre for Student Academic Support and individual faculties, there is a barrier to academic engagement for students.
Your ability to take advantage of your professor’s office hours, engage in supplementary workshops, or even attend class is dependent on whether you have a stable internet connection, quiet personal space, and happen to be in a time zone conducive to scheduling the class. In the pre-COVID-19 world, students could access these services and resources on campus regardless of the conditions of their residence. Now, many of them can’t.
Completing full terms online has also taken a toll on the physical and mental health of Carleton students, as it has for students across Canada. Physically, students are now much more sedentary, spending many hours each day in class and completing coursework hunched over in front of a computer screen. Mentally, students must cope with the stress of course loads without the support of social interactions such as extracurricular clubs or everyday conversations.
A step-by-step transition to in-person classes beginning in fall 2021 is the correct approach. While the aforementioned issues would be at least partially resolved by a gradual transition to in-person learning, two main concerns raised by students in light of Bacon’s announcement remain: the risk of COVID-19 and managing living expenses only to attend few in-person classes.
A return to in-person classes must mitigate the threat of a COVID-19 outbreak on campus. Fortunately, by the time the fall term arrives, many students will likely have received a vaccine as a result of being essential workers or falling under another eligible category.
Additionally, by only allowing 30 to 50 per cent of classes to include some element of in-person instruction, there will be fewer students on campus. This means there will be more space in classrooms to allow for proper distancing between students as a precaution while vaccine rollouts proceed countrywide.
Many students also worry about the possibility that a partial return to in-person learning could mean they must travel to Ottawa, pay rent and incur other living expenses just to attend one or two in-person classes.
The solution to this problem is to maintain online sections of most classes so students who choose not to venture to in-person instruction can still meet the course requirements.
With over a year of experience facilitating online courses, this should not be an obstacle for faculty and would allow students an opportunity to choose whatever mode of learning works best for them. Students who choose to attend the in-person classes would be able to reap the benefits of physical exercise and uplifting social interaction, while students who choose online classes would retain the flexibility online learning provides.
If these recommendations are followed, Carleton students can enjoy a sense of normalcy with the partial return of in-person learning in fall 2021, while having confidence that proper safety precautions and reasonable accommodations will create a worthwhile experience.
Featured image by Spencer Colby.
