Difference between revisions of "Stuff Happens Symposium"

Revision as of 15:54, 14 June 2021

Abstract

As a part-time, distance student living in the United States, my experience beginning a doctoral program during the pandemic has been an unexpectedly positive one. When classes at the University of Aberdeen shifted to entirely online, synchronous learning, I was able to audit several classes and participate in relevant online groups far more fully than would have been possible otherwise. Especially in the areas of academic opportunity, peer support networks, and customer service, the pandemic has compelled academic institutions to improve their online offerings, which greatly benefits distance students (and likely benefits all students). My fear is that some of this progress could be lost when face-to-face instruction resumes, and once again becomes the predominant focus of my institution.

Presentation

A few months into the pandemic, when the entire world was on lock-down and I was desperately trying to figure out what that meant for my doctoral work, my wife tried to cheer me up: She taped a map of the world to the dartboard in our game room, handed me a dart and said, "Throw this at the map and wherever it lands, that's where I'm taking you when the pandemic is over." I'm happy to announce that this summer we are going to spend two weeks behind the refrigerator.