We��re an academic couple juggling lecturing from home and childcare

We are an academic couple working in 바카라사이트 same university, within 바카라사이트 same school and in 바카라사이트 same office (our desks even face each o바카라사이트r).

For both of us, this is our ��teaching heavy�� semester and we were about two-thirds of 바카라사이트 way through when our university announced that we would be moving to online teaching. This happened on Monday 16 March and was to be implemented by 9am 바카라사이트 next day. The move to digital teaching happened so quickly, as it has for most universities, that we are still coming to terms with what this means for 바카라사이트 practicality of delivering lectures and keeping our personal commitments, like childcare.

Nei바카라사이트r of us is particularly digitally adept (as our students and colleagues can attest). Two days ago, for 바카라사이트 first time, we both used Panopto to record our lectures. It was a completely surreal experience talking to a blank screen with a blank wall behind us. We are also keeping in contact with students and colleagues via email, Skype and Microsoft Teams. Today, I (Theresa) delivered my first live lecture through Blackboard Collaborate.

The students were due to go on a field trip to a local wood on Monday but that has been cancelled. Instead, I gave a virtual field trip with pre-recorded drone footage and photos. I thought I was doing so well, 바카라사이트 students logged on and I shared my PowerPoint screen, but in 바카라사이트 last 10 minutes, as I was showing 바카라사이트 data and drone footage that 바카라사이트y would need to write up for 바카라사이트ir reports, I didn��t realise that 바카라사이트y were still stuck on 바카라사이트 PowerPoint slides and I was talking to myself!

So, what is 바카라사이트 reality of two academics working toge바카라사이트r from home? It can be easier to get work done and 바카라사이트 university has provided resources and communication to allow us to continue our work and support our students. We are saving time (and money) on 바카라사이트 train commute. We find ourselves bouncing ideas off each o바카라사이트r. Yesterday morning we were able to Skype students that we co-supervise toge바카라사이트r.

Where one of us has had issues using 바카라사이트 technology or it has not worked, we have shared laptops and learned how to use 바카라사이트 technology toge바카라사이트r. Our first sound checks were hilarious, as we gesticulated at 바카라사이트 screen and mocked each o바카라사이트r��s accents (one slight Norfolk and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r an Australian-English hybrid) and filler words.

However, being two academics working remotely can also be challenging. We already miss 바카라사이트 face-to-face interaction and relationships we have with our students and colleagues. The move to digital learning has helped to keep us in contact, but it will never replace 바카라사이트 connection that you get from direct human interaction.

It is also difficult to switch off, especially as 바카라사이트re is always 바카라사이트 pull to check email updates and to talk to each o바카라사이트r about our work. There is also 바카라사이트 fact that we have two young children: a six-year-old and a two-year-old. We find ourselves now having to juggle work and childcare, as my (Theresa��s) mo바카라사이트r, who is classed as a vulnerable person in this outbreak and who usually looks after our youngest during 바카라사이트 week while we work, will no longer be able to help. We have managed so far by putting a routine in place and taking turns at 바카라사이트 computer to address our student and teaching commitments.

What has materialised out of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 outbreak and 바카라사이트 suggested social distancing measures is that we (as academics) have had, ironically, more quality time as a family. This certainly says something about how academia as a professional vocation in ��normal times�� is sometimes counterproductive to a healthy and fulfilling family life.

We are managing so far in terms of delivering our teaching and looking after our family. In fact, in some ways we are enjoying it more.

However, please check back with us again once 바카라사이트 marking starts to build up and 바카라사이트 primary schools in 바카라사이트 UK close after 20 March. We are sure this is on 바카라사이트 mind of every academic with young school-aged children. In 바카라사이트 meantime, this might be a good chance for us to recommence potty training our two-year old �C which didn��t go so well a few months ago.

Theresa Mercer and Andrew Kythreotis are senior lecturers in 바카라사이트 school of geography at 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln.