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The Daily Tar Heel

How the pandemic could impact UNC's approach to higher education permanently

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Alexandra Zubrowicz, first-year student and Contemporary European Studies major regularly attends zoom class within her Ehringhaus dorm room. Virtual learning has confined many freshmen to their residence halls and limited their educational environment.

When the University made the switch to remote instruction last March, nobody imagined it would last a year. 

Yet as the anniversary of the shift to online learning approaches, many students and faculty feel more adjusted to it — and some changes brought about by the pandemic could permanently change UNC's approach to learning. 

Provost Bob Blouin said the blending of synchronous and asynchronous teaching strategies has enriched the educational experience. 

“One of the by-products of the pandemic will be that faculty can carefully design courses combining asynchronous technologies with face-to-face, residential learning,” he said. “This allows us to develop superior pedagogical strategies for a better student experience.” 

Viji Sathy, professor of the practice in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, said flexibility and creativity have been the most positive changes to come out of the pandemic.  

“I hope we don’t lose that creativity,” she said. “I hope we keep experimenting and trying new things, while giving students leeway around assignment deadlines and exam formats.” 

Sathy also said ConnectCarolina’s new Class Features tool — which allows instructors to post drafts of syllabi, reading materials and additional information prior to course registration —  was a positive addition that reflected the ingenuity of the staff. 

On an individual level, Blouin said that after the pandemic, the way he works may also permanently change. 

“I don’t imagine having as many meetings face-to-face in my office,” he said. “There is some efficiency and time-saving associated with remote interactions.” 

What's been missing

Despite this, Blouin said there are some drawbacks to a completely virtual atmosphere. Specifically, a lot of people miss the personal touch.

“When faculty and students are interacting actively and when students are engaged and interacting actively, the outcome of that is sometimes magical,” he said. “It's a lot harder to create that in the Zoom classroom experience.”

Senior economics major Pavan Chaudhari said one of the biggest drawbacks to online learning is the disconnect between students and professors. 

“Every professor has a different idea of how they conduct their classrooms,” he said. “If we were to ever do this again, I want to see professors being absolutely clear about their goals for the class.” 

Another disadvantage of a remote environment is the lack of feedback from students, Sathy said. 

“We can have small talk with students before the class session starts, I can look at your body language, I can see your face,” she said. “A lot of us are very comfortable with knowing how to read the room.” 

Sathy had previously used a flipped-classroom method, where students watch videos and learn new material on their own before engaging in practice or discussion during the class period. The transition to remote instruction wasn’t too difficult —  but the mental adjustment was hard on her and her students, she said. 

“There's just a lot about this that is not natural as a human being,” she said. “To do this alone for so long. Especially for young adults, this is just super hard.”

Overcoming obstacles 

But for some, things have gotten easier since the pandemic began. 

Chaudhari said the adjustment was stressful at first, but he has now found a rhythm with online instruction.

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“In spring 2020, I had no motivation to go to Zoom meetings or do my work,” he said. “And I could really feel it. Now, a year later, I think the systems in place have just become a lot more solidified, so students know what to expect going into a Zoom class.”

Blouin said when the pandemic began, the potential threat of COVID-19 was still unknown. The University did not have the systems in place, such as the ability to test students or provide extra masks to frontline workers, to handle it. 

The situation is different now. Blouin said the University is now much better equipped to handle the pandemic — and its adjusted approach to learning is one part of that. 

Blouin said he believes the University’s remote teaching methods have evolved over the course of the pandemic. 

“It started out as a way for students to stay on track,” he said. “When it became apparent we'd have to continue remote learning for the fall, the strategy shifted to elevating the educational product that we're trying to deliver.” 

Blouin said the pandemic has brought many changes, but providing a quality education to students is still a top priority. 

“We're constantly adapting,” Blouin said. “I think that our priorities are clear. We want to do our very best to preserve the mission of the University.”

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