As we wrap up an academic year like no other, it’s important to look back to reflect on our work as educators, the resiliency of our students, and the future of teaching and learning.  Last March, we were thrust into a situation which required students, faculty and staff to quickly adapt to teaching and learning in a fully online format.  Many of us spent the entire summer re-tooling the classes we teach and the services we provide to ensure the best possible learning experiences for our students.  As we draw to the finish of an entire year online, we are presented with a great opportunity to reflect on our experiences, what worked, what didn’t, and what we will evolve to carry forward into future semesters.

Lessons learned.

1. Providing academic support virtually works.  It allows us to reach more students (many of our commuter students won’t drive back to campus for support, but they will join a zoom session to access that support) and in many ways is more effective than when we offer face to face help.  Zoom has certainly allowed us to provide better service than we would have had we been 6 feet apart masked up behind plexiglass.
2. Students need access to course materials to be successful.  Our Chromebook and text book loan program has helped us to support dozens of students who may have attempted to access their online courses through their phones all year.  Students have borrowed textbooks at greater numbers than we have seen in the past and we know that having access to those materials is crucial to their learning.
3. While we miss the camaraderie of being together with our colleagues every day, we recognize that many of us have been much more productive in a remote environment where we can dress down, have access to our kitchen for coffee and lunch, hang with our pets, and perhaps even replace our commute time with wellness activities.
4. Many of us and our students (some of whom live alone) have experienced feelings of extreme isolation.  This has really messed with our mental health and made it difficult to do the things we know we should be doing each and every day.
5. Our students are incredibly resilient and adaptive.  If they have successfully navigated their educational experience this past year, they can certainly overcome any barriers they may encounter in their future.
6. Virtual book clubs and conferences were a great source of professional development.  I attended several conferences virtually which allowed me to connect with colleagues across the country to learn about how they were adapting to our new normal and how their students were responding to these changes.  Book clubs also provided great opportunities to connect with colleagues.  Ann Blakeslee coordinated a great book club this winter with a focus on Culturally Relevant and Anti-racist Approaches to Teaching Writing, with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s book, Cultivating Genius.  Other great books that served to inform practice were How Humans Learn: The science and stories behind effective college teaching by Joshua R. Eyler.  The Holman Success Center is actually using this book for our summer book club this year.  Another great read was Small Teaching:  Everyday lessons from the science of learning by James M. Lang.
7. The flipped classroom format really allowed me to spend my synchronous zoom time to engage in deep conversations with students helping them connect what we were learning to what they already know and providing frequent and detailed feedback.  I teach a 4 credit course and knew that I did not want to spend nearly two hours twice a week talking at them via lecture.  Instead I spent each class session guiding activities and conversations that allowed my students to wrestle with difficult problems and evolve the way they think about my discipline.  Even if we are fully face-to-face in the fall, I will continue to utilize this teaching format as my students exhibited greater learning gains this year than they have in previous years.

As I wrap up this post, I thought I would share reflections from my staff about their experiences working with students this past year and what they have learned from them.

“I often describe myself as a lifelong learner, and this past year has really put that label to the test. In addition to learning more about Zoom than I’d ever hoped to, this pandemic has really highlighted the inequities in post-secondary education that we’ve ignored for so long. Overall, the last year has only made me more committed to the “students first” mindset and the importance of giving ALL students a seat at the table, even when it means stepping out of our comfort zones as educators.” – Amelia Parnis

“This past year has brought me so many insights into who I am as a person: my strengths, my areas for growth and improvement, and what I need as a working professional. I feel such gratitude to have made it this far without serious illness or disruption in employment for my family. I continue to be inspired by my students and student employees at every turn; listening to them process the challenges they’re facing and the solutions they’ve incorporated into their daily lives brings me a great deal of satisfaction and joy. Once we’re able to meet in person again, I’m looking forward to enjoying a Dom’s donut in the collaborative space inside HSC with my co-worker family and picking up the mantle of “weird aunt” once again. ” – Tracey Sonntag

“Most students I success coached this semester and last are first year freshmen. Unlike upperclassmen, these students do not have a face-to-face college semester to compare their current experiences to. For them, “engagement” has taken on a whole new meaning. I always felt strongly about the importance of engagement and how physically getting involved on campus plays a huge role in students’ overall sense of belonging. For some students, I can honestly say that they probably have felt most engaged with someone on campus during our one on one Zoom calls. Knowing that virtual success coach meetings were the peak of some students’ campus-community-interaction has motivated me to really get to know students and listen to their stories on a deeper level. As a result, I have felt more connected with individual students more this semester than I had before and I have become such a stronger listener. Students are going through some real life struggles much earlier on in their college careers, and I have felt empowered to help them feel connected to EMU virtually. It’s been challenging, but the payoffs are priceless.” – Alex Kubiak

“This past year, I was encouraged by the relationships students were able to make with peers and faculty in such an unnatural college environment. I have witnessed students advocating for themselves, reaching out for help when needed, and trying their best to make the most of their college careers.” – Abby Hein

“The dichotomy between those with access and those who do not has become even more apparent during this pandemic. Students who were supported and/or able to get access to technology showed they were able to stay resilient or even thrive, while students with little to no access and without a good support structure are the students who suffered most. They didn’t have the chance to show their resiliency.” – James Tobias