Staff Report | Q&A compiled by staffers and multimedia journalism classes

A-State faculty and staff are experiencing a change in how they deliver their classes due to the university going all online for the rest of the semester. Professors have had to adapt and provide their students with new ways to learn course material originally planned to be taught in person. Faculty members in all departments have been affected and some shared their experiences so far.

Dr. Justin Castro is an associate professor of history and the department chair.

Brianna Larson is an assistant professor of theatre.

Alyssa Wells is a student outreach coordinator.

Dr. Andrea Davis is an assistant professor of history.

Q: What do you think about having classes online for the rest of the semester? Have you had any challenges?

Castro: It would have been preferable to be able to continue to offer in person classes. Most of our students and faculty appreciate in-class interaction, but the Department of History was prepared fairly well for going online since most of the faculty have some experience teaching online.

Castro

I think the biggest challenges for our faculty have been navigating the various difficulties that students face trying to work from home where some of them have limited access to the internet and computers or have to share computers with siblings and parents.

Also, many students have had to take on care taking responsibilities and are living in homes were people have lost jobs or are in difficult economic positions. This has added a lot of stress, especially when students have to navigate the transition to on-line courses. On the faculty side, this takes considerable flexibility, attention, and compassion to navigate as best as possible. But, overall, things seem to be mostly working out.

Larson: I think that in order to keep as many people as healthy as possible, and to do our part to flatten the curve (in regards to the spread of Covid-19) that it was a decision that makes complete sense.

Larson

Yes, I’ve had challenges in adjusting classes like Social Dance, but the students and I are finding ways to still make it work.

Wells: I’m glad that the institution took steps to keep everyone safe and encourage
students to practice physical distancing.  I know that online instruction can be difficult for students, especially when it’s not the format they signed up for.  But from what I have seen, the campus community has really come together to support and assist students and faculty as they make this transition.

Wells

There are so many resources available to help people who are having difficulties, including the IT Helpdesk and the Faculty Center.  I know that there has been a major effort on behalf of our nine tutoring centers across campus to transition to online tutoring to provide assistance to students who may need the extra help in their courses.  Also, for anyone who is struggling and not sure where to turn for assistance, I encourage them to reach out to Pack Support.  I’m here to help get you connected to the right offices and services to help you continue to be successful!

Davis: As historian Ian Milligan of the University of Waterloo recently tweeted, we are not “moving to online teaching- it’s remote emergency teaching.” With that in mind, I think the greatest teaching challenge this semester is not a technical one, but a human one.

Davis

Q: What do you think about the credit/no credit option for final grades for this semester? Will you offer that option in any of your classes? Is this something you would recommend to your students? Why or why not?

Castro: Considering the difficult situation this pandemic has put on students, staff, and faculty, this option makes sense, but students need to put considerable thought into what is best for them and their degree paths.

For example, unless state and accrediting agencies change their current policies, BSE Social Science majors would have to retake any course they took a credit/no credit for if it is required that the student make a letter grade of “C” or better for that class. Students should check with their faculty advisors.

Now, if these students make less than a “C” then it might be smart to take a no credit for the course so it doesn’t hurt their GPA. Again, they should reach out to their advisors. Communicating with them is important if they have any doubts about making a decision about whether or not it is advantageous to take a credit/no credit option over a letter grade.

Larson: I think that the CR/NCR discussion is a really important one to have.  As for stating if I will offer it or not, it has been decided by the university, and it is the student’s choice if they would like to keep their letter grade or opt to switch to CR/NCR.  The only thing that I worry is that some students won’t know the full implications of their choice before making it.  I hope they get all of the facts before making their decisions.

Wells: Students will have the ability to request that any or all of their grades be changed
to CR/NCR.  I think this could be a good option for some students, but I hope that students make efforts to be fully informed on the effect this would have on their overall GPA, funding status, and future plans.

It’s really important that students talk to their advisors and financial aid counselors before making the decisions to request the change.  I know this semester is tough for everyone, myself included, and the option to accept a credit for the class seems like a no-brainer.

But I would hate for a student to make the request and then run into troubles down the line because they didn’t realize that it would prevent them from meeting a prerequisite or other requirement.  If you’re not sure who to ask about whether taking advantage of the CR/NCR policy would be a good option for you, reach out to Pack Support.

Davis: A-State faculty were actively involved in establishing the credit/no credit option for students this semester. Through shared governance and open discussion, the faculty debated different grading models to best accommodate our students and their diverse—and rapidly changing—educational, professional, physical, and emotional needs.

The strength of the current policy is that it is built on flexibility and compassion. Because of this, instead of a single recommendation, I encourage students to talk to their professors, advisors, and mentors to determine which option best serves their individual circumstances.

Categories: Life