How will college classes be taught this fall?
High school seniors have been robbed their senior top-dog activities like formals and proms, and most won’t be able to walk at their high school graduation with their classmates in May or June. What’s worse is that college-bound students don’t know if their colleges will have classes on campus this fall. Current seniors/soon-to-be college freshmen, may also be robbed their “freshman experience” if they are taking online classes from the bedrooms at home. With the May 1st deadline quickly approaching, seniors need to make final decisions about which college they plan to attend this fall.
The coronavirus pandemic has taken the nation by surprise and colleges are scrambling to announce how they will offer the fall term. Most colleges transformed onsite classes to some version of online classes when they sent students home for spring term. And, they’re getting heat from students and parents about housing and meal refunds. Colleges are struggling with financial obligations (paying professors and staff) while balancing difficult decisions about sheltering in place (at home) and exacerbating a pandemic that is nowhere near running its course.
Here are the 10 possible scenarios colleges may offer this fall.
#1. Classes back on campus
… See you on campus! Everything back to normal.
#2. Late start in October or November
… After there are vaccines or better testing, students start classes later.
#3. Skip fall term and start up in spring
… Then, move spring term to summer.
#4. Freshmen only
… Sophomores, juniors, and seniors would take online classes at home, while freshmen would be on campus following social distancing guidelines so they have their freshmen experiences.
#5. Graduate Students only
… Just grad students would be on campus to continue their research while undergrads take online classes only.
#6. Targeted Courses
… Students take some on-campus classes that require that face-to-face interface while other classes are offered online. Housing may be an issue for dorms and dining halls.
#7. Block Courses
… Students take one course at a time for 3-4 weeks and complete the same number of courses over the term. This gives flexibility should students be ordered to move back home while giving them full credit for courses completed on campus.
#8. Low-Residency Model
… Students take online courses from home, but participate in on-campus face-to-face classes with a small portion of the class and the professor for short periods of time. This allows for making friends and improving on-line discussions with people they met on campus.
#9. HyFlex Model
… Classes are offered both online and on campus. Students choose which works best for them. Professors and TAs teach on campus and online classes.
#10. Online Courses only
… All classes are taken online from home, similar to the structure used this spring term.
Colleges will announce their decisions about how fall term will be conducted. For many freshmen, this decision may determine which colleges they start this fall. This will be interesting to see how each college develops their plans to retain their reputations while offering what students need.