Living through what I teach: Introspections on the COVID-19 experience and what lies ahead

Living through what I teach: Introspections on the COVID-19 experience and what lies ahead

This is a reflection based on my experiences through this pandemic

Myself

English

It would be an understatement to state the obvious that the past 12–14 months have been unlike anything most of us have ever experienced. As a faculty member in Community and Public Health Promotion at Rhode Island College (RIC), I teach courses in epidemiology and health promotion, epidemics and pandemics are common subjects of discussion in my classes—be it epidemiology, health promotion, or introduction to public health. Little did I imagine that we would all become enmeshed in a pandemic, which may have fundamentally changed our lives forever. Indeed, even with the general successes of the vaccines, an enviable coverage in most developed nations, and the pandemic being on a retreat mode in much of the higher income countries, the global picture is concerning, to say the least. On an average, the world is still witnessing around half a million new COVID-19 cases and more than 10,000–15,000 deaths on a daily basis.

The past 2–3 months have added another dimension to my experience. I am witnessing the coveted improvement in the COVID situation in the US juxtaposed with the disastrous state of affairs in my home country of India. This surreal experience of living through a dual reality—a parallel universe—is probably relatable to millions of individuals living, working, or studying in another part of the world away from home. At the same time, I am aware of my privilege of being away from the dire situation back home.

One pertinent question relates to expectations about the next few months. The risk from different variants of the COVID-19 loom large, especially when we take into account the sub-par COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates in many regions of the US amidst a very slow global vaccination rate, especially in lower income nations. It is likely that the lifting of restrictions notwithstanding, many will prefer to continue wearing face coverings when they are indoors and/or in close proximity with others. In addition, the observed co-benefits of face coverings in terms of less severe flu seasons during the pandemic can make it a long-term practice for many. I think that mask wearing will remain a common sight for a while at least. It is likely that as the proportion of fully vaccinated reach 80% or higher, we will feel more comfortable going back to the "normal". At the same time, we are already witnessing a semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy in all spheres of life. Sadly, not every part of the world is as lucky.

We may be more inclined to have professional and/or social meetings outdoors, rather than indoors. Studying or working virtually or in a hybrid format may become more of a norm. Whereas many students may be more hesitant to stay in dorms and/or use communal dining facilities like the cafeteria, a number of faculty, staff, and students may not feel at ease in settings such as classrooms. We could see more hybrid and/or completely online course offerings in addition to the usual in-person learning, as well as more virtual meetings and social events. Many campus wide events such as convocations and commencements may continue to have a live streaming component. Meetings with advisees and office hours could also have a virtual component.

It will be interesting to see whether the expectations pertaining to attendance and physical presence become somewhat more flexible. Even many students, particularly those who live with elderly members, or are caregivers for people with commodities and/or immunocompromised, or are at risk themselves may request that they be allowed to join classes virtually. I do not know if completely in-person courses may have, say, a Zoom component where students can join remotely in real time. However, we may see an increase in requests to get lectures recorded and uploaded for viewing later.

Those who would not mind being in-person may feel deprived of the best quality learning experience if many courses are virtual. Students and their parents may feel they are not getting the best educational experience for their money especially in comparison with other courses or other majors with a higher proportion of fully in person courses. In general, proactive communication will become even more important between faculty and students.

In my opinion, a welcome change in perspective might be an increased awareness of the universal learning design. The past 14 or so months have shown us that we can survive! Recorded lectures accessible to students seemed improbable on a mass scale. However, all of these were made possible and can hopefully be improved.

Perhaps, those who will be in-person whether in classrooms or in housing for the first time in fall of 2021 will feel that as their first semester! College students will have to make the transition from having the flexibility of working and/or staying at home and get used to being available for the time, say, four or five courses one or two times a week for each course.

In summary, the uncertainty is not going away anytime soon. It remains to be seen if humankind can work together to tap into the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate future emergencies. Will we learn the value of cooperation? Will we be more proactive in preventing and/or minimizing the impact of an emergency? Will the majority of elected officials and the public appreciate the importance of providing citizens with “safety nets” even during “normal times” so that they can have the means to weather a few rainy days?

Only time will tell.

Disclaimer: Views expressed above are the author’s personal and do not represent positions and/or opinions of Rhode Island College.

06/12/2021

Warwick, 02886