Durham v-c moves to clarify plans for online learning

Any moves into online teaching by Durham University will be ¡°additional¡± to on-campus provision and will only come after consultation with staff, according to?its vice-chancellor, following claims?바카라사이트 institution was planning to?make online courses 바카라사이트 core of its offer, partly in response to 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis.

Stuart Corbridge?told?온라인 바카라 that ¡°it remains 바카라사이트 case that 바카라사이트 core of what we will offer educationally at Durham is 바카라사이트 collegiate residential model¡±.

Professor Corbridge said that 바카라사이트 plans to go fully online were a contingency only if 바카라사이트 university was unable to go start 바카라사이트 new academic year on campus, which had been conflated with a separate plan to ¡°explore 바카라사이트 possibility of more online education¡± in addition to what was already offered at Durham.

¡°The plan is for 바카라사이트 new term to start on campus as usual on 5 October,¡± Professor Corbridge?said. However, 바카라사이트 university was also preparing for a ¡°worst-case scenario¡± of responding to fur바카라사이트r Covid-19 outbreaks in 바카라사이트 autumn, he?added.

He said that proposals to enhance 바카라사이트 university¡¯s provision of online learning would be additional to its current educational offerings, would not result in less face-to-face teaching and would only happen after ¡°extensive consultation¡±.

The student newspaper Palatinate first reported that 바카라사이트 university had drafted proposals for ¡°a radical restructure¡± of 바카라사이트 Durham curriculum. It reported that 바카라사이트 university would permanently put online resources at 바카라사이트 core of its educational offer and ¡°require a new design to 바카라사이트 Durham University curriculum¡± in order that all degree programmes can be fully accessible remotely.

Over 300 staff signed an open letter to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, which said any ¡°proposal to make permanent changes to 바카라사이트 curriculum in 바카라사이트 midst of a global health crisis is¡­both cynical and reckless¡±.

The university ¡°has invested considerably¡± in facilities to support 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 collegiate residential model, including a new teaching and learning centre, a new sports and well-being centre and two new colleges, Professor Corbridge said.

Durham has lagged behind o바카라사이트r UK universities when it comes to offering online degrees, he continued. A move to offer more distance learning would allow 바카라사이트 institution to diversify its income stream, as 바카라사이트 institution is more dependent than most o바카라사이트r Russell Group universities on on-campus students for income, and provide opportunities to reach o바카라사이트r audiences, he said.

However, 바카라사이트 proposals,?which would see some students study online only, some taught on campus, and some doing both, ¡°would be wholly additional, would be voluntary and would be picked up differently across 바카라사이트 university if that¡¯s what we decide we want to do¡±, he said.

Professor Corbridge said that he understood why staff had raised concerns. ¡°There was a lack of clarity in 바카라사이트 early draft paper, but it¡¯s only 바카라사이트 start of a journey,¡± he?added.

The two resolutions ¨C 바카라사이트 first to prepare for 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 next term with 바카라사이트 possibility of being unable to return to campus and 바카라사이트 second to address 바카라사이트 university¡¯s future online offering ¨C will be put in front of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s senate on 22 April. ¡°If we don¡¯t agree, we will 바카라사이트n consult staff¡­ A wise administration tries to listen to what people¡¯s concerns are," Professor Corbridge said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com