Reimagining Fall Semester (Revisited)

Colleges hoping for a normal Fall semester are having to reconsider their plans, as the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic continues to sweep across the world. While colleges need to bolster admissions and increase revenue, there is no doubt that this semester will not be business as usual.

While the Spring semester saw colleges having to make sudden changes to programming, with many moving to Zoom lectures, this quick, innovative online approach will not suffice going forward. To engage current students and bring in new students, colleges need to turn to creative approaches to learning. Here are a few ways that colleges are reimagining fall semester 2020.

Online study

131 USA universities have chosen to continue studying entirely online. Miami Dade College, one of the largest higher education institutions in the USA, announced it would begin the fall in a remote format on September 1, and maintain that model at least until September 28. Occidental College in Los Angeles, Emory University in Atlanta, and Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, among other institutions, also announced they would carry out more online learning than previously planned.

Small classes

Of the universities that are holding classes on campus, some are taking extra care to ensure social distancing measures are in place. A study by Cornell found that college administrators should plan for only 13 to 24% of student capacity.

Less students on campus

At least 481 universities across the USA are adopting a hybrid approach to learning. The University of Texas is planning on offering a mix of remote and in-person classes with a move to gradually reintroduce all on-campus learning. Other institutions, like Stanford University, are adopting a creative approach and rotating student groups through the campus one quarter of the semester at a time. Others, like Bowdoin College, are engaging their newest learners by only allowing first-year students on campus while providing some flexibility for higher-level students.

Social isolation

Universities are also implementing various social distancing measures for those on campus, including separated seating, boxed food, and other measures according to each state’s rules.

Health checks

Some universities are taking advanced measures to ensure the health and wellbeing of all people on campus. Cornell is undertaking daily health assessments for all of its faculty, staff and students. This is being phased in via an online tool called “Daily Check-in,” to capture information from all members and visitors of the college community. Other measures include encouraging all those on campus to wear face masks and receive regular testing for COVID-19.

Quarantined residential communities

A key facet of college life is the social aspect of living on campus. While this may not be a viable option for many colleges at the moment, isolated communities could be an alternative. In this case, small groups of students, faculty and staff could live together in clusters for an entire semester or a few weeks at a time without having to worry about social distancing. This could be possible after conducting extensive testing.

This kind of model would provide revenue for colleges while allowing students to look forward to enjoying the socialization they expect from the college experience. Creating a socially distanced cohort could also help to increase retention and maintain a sense of belonging during this challenging time.

International partnerships

There has never been a time like this before where universities from across the entire world are simultaneously trying to figure out how to innovate and move forward. With this in mind, faculty could take the opportunity to connect with teaching partners from around the world or from different states. Course conveyors could create student projects with partner universities or create internship programs with organizations. With the halt of many international exchange programs, universities could devise a virtual exchange program, providing students a look at life in another country. Alternatively, course creators could simply facilitate conversations around specific topics with students from different states or countries to increase the sense of connection and community.

Think strategically

While challenging, a crisis affords college administrators and course conveyors the opportunity to think differently. The entire way colleges have conducted learning has been shaken up by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has forced people to evaluate the success of current programs, as well as the content that has been included in them. Course conveyors have also had to workshop the student experience to figure out what best engages students who are now accustomed to studying from home. Now is the time to reflect on these learnings and ensure that future program delivery not only meets the needs of society’s current landscape, but that's reflective of the way education is evolving. With new data, behaviour, and market conditions, universities can create powerful solutions to current and prospective student needs now and in the future.