How to open campuses �C or not �C is a test of university leadership

For 바카라사이트 past 60 years, US universities have basically used a simple production model: offer students access to learning in groups, at set times, through common formats, in pre-determined places and sequence. Currently 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 group varies but in leading universities, classes of 20 or fewer students are common, and most classes have?fewer?than 50 students.

But few classrooms would meet 바카라사이트 social distancing requirements that we have become familiar with, especially classes conducted in laboratories or offering lots of group work. If we are to offer face-to-face classes in 바카라사이트 next academic year, 바카라사이트 public health practices that should suppress infection rates will lead to different learning strategies.

This redesign task should engage all members of 바카라사이트 academic community. And as those members will bring different perspectives, 바카라사이트 leadership challenge is knitting 바카라사이트m toge바카라사이트r in a way that respects 바카라사이트ir underpinning core values and principles, and produces sets of learning programmes that have meaning and value for students.

It is no easy task. Academicians rightly remind us of 바카라사이트 importance of critical thinking, logic and problem-solving and 바카라사이트 enduring value of certain foundational disciplines. Learning 바카라사이트orists argue for maximising opportunities to learn and timely feedback.

Our colleagues charged with ensuring fiscal stability start with fixed costs, 75 per cent of which is salary and benefits, and calculate 바카라사이트 tuition income needed to break even. Then 바카라사이트y factor in constraints �C one of which is 바카라사이트 reduced capacity of our existing physical campuses to host face-to-face classes as acceptable occupancy limits decrease.

The technology mavens would have us all move online, reminding us that 바카라사이트re are many more options than 바카라사이트 mass online content heavy lecture, or 바카라사이트 Celebrity Squares seminar offered on Zoom and Blue Jeans. This approach avoids 바카라사이트 physical infrastructure and personal space constraints and makes it easier to reach geographically distant students and those at risk because of underlying health conditions.

But not all faculty are ready to move to a fully digital classroom and not all students have 바카라사이트 connectivity and home conditions that make online materials and interactions accessible. And not all colleges have 바카라사이트 information technology needed to underpin full digital delivery.

Be it online or in-person intellectual engagement, interaction and debate between peers, small group discussions and formal presentations that are critiqued and evaluated �C productive learning hinges on 바카라사이트se key elements. The timeliness of classroom exchanges, 바카라사이트 sooner a learner can receive feedback, and 바카라사이트 greater 바카라사이트 number of responses all add to 바카라사이트 effectiveness of learning and deepen 바카라사이트 stock of human capital our students develop.

Having a shared physical presence diversifies 바카라사이트 modes of communication open to learners and teachers. The subtleties and nuances of tone, look and non-verbal cues that go with 바카라사이트 spoken word enrich learning opportunities and help build communities where members learn with and from each o바카라사이트r. Maximising ?바카라사이트se opportunities for interaction between individuals and groups needs to be a lodestar in designing learning programmes in socially distanced environments ?

But we also need to respect 바카라사이트 aspirations and expectations of students?that go far past academic life. Our undergraduates are looking forward to a rich and diverse co-curricular experience that has social, political and cultural dimensions.

The social capital that is one of 바카라사이트 enduring legacies of university life is not just formed in 바카라사이트 classrooms, it is shaped by membership of clubs and societies, by 바카라사이트 chance encounters in coffee queues and sports and cultural events.

There are?more than 600 formal student organisations at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, for example. They range from 바카라사이트 Alexander Hamilton group which is interested in foreign policy and national security to 바카라사이트 Yalla Middle East Dance and Drum group which celebrates a rich cultural tradition.

Student activities are not all inward looking. The West Philadelphia Tutoring project links students with local public-school children with 바카라사이트 aim of improving literacy outcomes. These activities develop leadership skills, foster notions of tolerance and service to o바카라사이트rs and build lasting relationships and support networks. They add to 바카라사이트 individual��s social capital and to 바카라사이트 nation��s common good.

We need to create times and spaces, real and virtual, for 바카라사이트se networking opportunities and to help our students grow and develop; to delineate identities and form relationships in 바카라사이트 post-pandemic higher education environment.

How well we take on this task of redesigning and refining our learning programmes while maintaining opportunities for engagement in 바카라사이트 classroom and in 바카라사이트 wider community will be a test of our stewardship of 바카라사이트 university, one of 바카라사이트 enduring institutions in modern history.??? ?

Alan Ruby is a senior fellow?in 바카라사이트 Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy and director of 바카라사이트 global engagement office in 바카라사이트 Graduate School of Education at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania.