This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/23/education/learning/coronavirus-ccri-rhode-island.html

The article has changed 36 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 8 Version 9
How a Rhode Island College Was Forced to Adapt How a Rhode Island College Was Forced to Adapt
(8 days later)
Meghan Hughes is the president of the Community College of Rhode Island.Meghan Hughes is the president of the Community College of Rhode Island.
This article is part of our latest Learning special report, which focuses on the challenges of online education during the coronavirus outbreak.This article is part of our latest Learning special report, which focuses on the challenges of online education during the coronavirus outbreak.
Forty-eight miles long and 37 miles wide, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country. With a population of about a million people, we’re made up of towns and small cities, and that means you almost always see someone you know when you go to the grocery store.Forty-eight miles long and 37 miles wide, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country. With a population of about a million people, we’re made up of towns and small cities, and that means you almost always see someone you know when you go to the grocery store.
We had our first confirmed case of Covid-19 on March 1, and that day changed our college forever.We had our first confirmed case of Covid-19 on March 1, and that day changed our college forever.
C.C.R.I. is the only community college in Rhode Island, and the largest in New England. What I learned right away is that my team and I would need to make decisions quickly, with imperfect and incomplete information, to maximize the safety of our 13,000 students and 1,300 employees.C.C.R.I. is the only community college in Rhode Island, and the largest in New England. What I learned right away is that my team and I would need to make decisions quickly, with imperfect and incomplete information, to maximize the safety of our 13,000 students and 1,300 employees.
As the number of coronavirus cases in Rhode Island and nationwide grew, we announced on March 11 that we were moving to remote teaching and learning beginning March 23.As the number of coronavirus cases in Rhode Island and nationwide grew, we announced on March 11 that we were moving to remote teaching and learning beginning March 23.
It’s hard to describe to outsiders the kind of effort that was required to make that move in just 12 days. Well-run colleges are known for thoughtful planning and intentional execution. The pandemic forced us to work in a new way and to do it instantaneously. This semester, our faculty members are teaching 2,400 sections of 600 different courses.It’s hard to describe to outsiders the kind of effort that was required to make that move in just 12 days. Well-run colleges are known for thoughtful planning and intentional execution. The pandemic forced us to work in a new way and to do it instantaneously. This semester, our faculty members are teaching 2,400 sections of 600 different courses.
Before March 23, just 13 percent of our courses were delivered online, and only 19 percent of our faculty had taught an online course before. That’s true for a lot of American colleges. What makes it even more challenging for community colleges is that many of our students come from low-income families.Before March 23, just 13 percent of our courses were delivered online, and only 19 percent of our faculty had taught an online course before. That’s true for a lot of American colleges. What makes it even more challenging for community colleges is that many of our students come from low-income families.
More than 900 students let us know they didn’t have access to Wi-Fi at home, or a device like a laptop to attend classes remotely. Half of our students had never taken an online class.More than 900 students let us know they didn’t have access to Wi-Fi at home, or a device like a laptop to attend classes remotely. Half of our students had never taken an online class.
So we had faculty who needed to learn how to teach their courses in a new way, and students who needed to learn how to go to college in a new way. We had administrators, including me, and staff members who all had to learn how to work entirely from home. And we had to learn it while doing it.So we had faculty who needed to learn how to teach their courses in a new way, and students who needed to learn how to go to college in a new way. We had administrators, including me, and staff members who all had to learn how to work entirely from home. And we had to learn it while doing it.
The faculty spent the week before we launched doing virtual training with our instructional design team and getting support from our I.T. group. Our student services team started doing video meetings with students for services like admissions coaching, advising and tutoring, and our finance team figured out how to move a 50-year-old paper payment system online in a week.The faculty spent the week before we launched doing virtual training with our instructional design team and getting support from our I.T. group. Our student services team started doing video meetings with students for services like admissions coaching, advising and tutoring, and our finance team figured out how to move a 50-year-old paper payment system online in a week.
We had wanted to adapt our work in this way for a long time, but the urgency imperative to do it hadn’t been there, and other priorities took its place. The foundation board, our executive director and his team went into overdrive to find the money to pay for the new student devices, the wireless access, and emergency student support. Our union leadership reached out right away and asked how they could help.We had wanted to adapt our work in this way for a long time, but the urgency imperative to do it hadn’t been there, and other priorities took its place. The foundation board, our executive director and his team went into overdrive to find the money to pay for the new student devices, the wireless access, and emergency student support. Our union leadership reached out right away and asked how they could help.
Community colleges educate nearly half of all American college students. We spend our lives jury-rigging solutions with limited resources. We know what’s at stake in this crisis: our students’ ability to stay in college so they can graduate and get good jobs. The economic crash in our state now means unemployment numbers exceeding those of the great recession.Community colleges educate nearly half of all American college students. We spend our lives jury-rigging solutions with limited resources. We know what’s at stake in this crisis: our students’ ability to stay in college so they can graduate and get good jobs. The economic crash in our state now means unemployment numbers exceeding those of the great recession.
Our students work in restaurants, malls, casinos and other industries that have been hit hard by what is going on, and they have been laid off in significant numbers. We hear from them around the clock through our texting tool.Our students work in restaurants, malls, casinos and other industries that have been hit hard by what is going on, and they have been laid off in significant numbers. We hear from them around the clock through our texting tool.
“This is extremely hard. My entire family got laid off this week,” wrote one. Another said, “I’m trying to take care of my two kids, ages five and seven, and figure out online schooling for all of us.”“This is extremely hard. My entire family got laid off this week,” wrote one. Another said, “I’m trying to take care of my two kids, ages five and seven, and figure out online schooling for all of us.”
Or: “We’re making the best of it. I’m juggling one computer with two younger siblings who are both trying to do high school online.”Or: “We’re making the best of it. I’m juggling one computer with two younger siblings who are both trying to do high school online.”
And because we train the most health care workers of all the Rhode Island colleges, our students tell us they’re on the front lines of the Covid-19 crisis working long hours on the front line for the National Guard, hospitals and nursing homes.And because we train the most health care workers of all the Rhode Island colleges, our students tell us they’re on the front lines of the Covid-19 crisis working long hours on the front line for the National Guard, hospitals and nursing homes.
It’s too early for me to predict what the fallout will be, but I know what wakes me up at night. First, it’s our students who won’t be able to stay in college because they just can’t right now, either because they couldn’t make the switch to remote learning quickly enough or because what they are shouldering in their own families because of the virus means their education gets put on hold. Second, it’s people in this community getting the virus — our faculty, our staff, our administrators, our students.It’s too early for me to predict what the fallout will be, but I know what wakes me up at night. First, it’s our students who won’t be able to stay in college because they just can’t right now, either because they couldn’t make the switch to remote learning quickly enough or because what they are shouldering in their own families because of the virus means their education gets put on hold. Second, it’s people in this community getting the virus — our faculty, our staff, our administrators, our students.
Updated July 27, 2020 Updated August 3, 2020
This pandemic has already changed higher education, and this fall I believe we will see early indicators of what the lasting change may be. The return on investment of a college degree will be under the microscope with college students and their families forced to reconsider their pre-pandemic selection of a college and identify more affordable options.This pandemic has already changed higher education, and this fall I believe we will see early indicators of what the lasting change may be. The return on investment of a college degree will be under the microscope with college students and their families forced to reconsider their pre-pandemic selection of a college and identify more affordable options.
Instead of going to a four-year college out of state, a student may stay in the state, possibly living at home and attending a four-year institution as a commuting student or enrolling at the local community college. Now that students have spent half of a semester going to college remotely, some will likely look to online coursework and online degrees to reduce the cost of a degree and increase flexibility.Instead of going to a four-year college out of state, a student may stay in the state, possibly living at home and attending a four-year institution as a commuting student or enrolling at the local community college. Now that students have spent half of a semester going to college remotely, some will likely look to online coursework and online degrees to reduce the cost of a degree and increase flexibility.
I agree with Patrick Methvin, the head of postsecondary-success programs at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, that some colleges will close. Tuition-dependent colleges that are facing diminished fall enrollment, running operating deficits, and have dwindling endowments are at the greatest risk. Both private and public institutions will need to quickly build a strong online presence in order to compete for students and stabilize enrollment.I agree with Patrick Methvin, the head of postsecondary-success programs at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, that some colleges will close. Tuition-dependent colleges that are facing diminished fall enrollment, running operating deficits, and have dwindling endowments are at the greatest risk. Both private and public institutions will need to quickly build a strong online presence in order to compete for students and stabilize enrollment.
How we measure learning may change. Will competency-based learning gain widespread acceptance, or will the traditional credit-hour remain in place and largely unchallenged? Finally, I think we will see continued expansion of delivery models, both hybrid models — combining in-person and online learning — and exclusively online models.How we measure learning may change. Will competency-based learning gain widespread acceptance, or will the traditional credit-hour remain in place and largely unchallenged? Finally, I think we will see continued expansion of delivery models, both hybrid models — combining in-person and online learning — and exclusively online models.
The pandemic mandated that we innovate, and I’m optimistic the innovation will be retained, adapted and, with luck, taken to scale across individual institutions and ultimately across the country.The pandemic mandated that we innovate, and I’m optimistic the innovation will be retained, adapted and, with luck, taken to scale across individual institutions and ultimately across the country.
I believe in this community. I’ve watched C.C.R.I. go from being an underperforming college graduating too few students to leading the way nationally in just a few short years. I feel extremely lucky and proud to be working here, and I know we are going to make it through this crisis stronger and better than we were before.I believe in this community. I’ve watched C.C.R.I. go from being an underperforming college graduating too few students to leading the way nationally in just a few short years. I feel extremely lucky and proud to be working here, and I know we are going to make it through this crisis stronger and better than we were before.