If you do not like sports analogies, how about war? Two sides can be stuck fighting in a war that is costly, but neither wants to lose. Except that SARS-CoV-2 is not willing to negotiate an end to the war or even an armistice.
I think the headline that LA County will continue SAH orders until August is a bit misleading. We may not move into Stage 5, but some things will be gradually opening.
Then 90% of students are, to be polite, not very smart.
Yes correction: The UC campuses are still considering whether to be online in the fall.
So far only the CSUs have definitely announced that their classes (with some exceptions) will be online in the fall.
Why would you say or think that? I honestly want to know. From our perspective, the smart kids are trying to participate, trying to make the most of it. It still sucks. Our teachers rock, but they’re lucky to get three kids out of 15-20 showing up to their video class. I can’t imagine an argument where that could be considered a quality education for everyone. Even the teachers say it is not working.
@TatinG We are in San Diego and UCSD is going to test everyone and they are planning to have classes here in the fall. They currently have 5,000 people on campus they are testing and they will be testing everyone that works there too. I saw a report yesterday that said they would have a dorm dedicated to people who test positive so they can isolate. We will see if they are really able to do it, but it does sound like they are really trying to be able to have kids on campus in 4 months.
Sorry if this has already been covered.
2 questions:
- Does a cloth face mask (non N95) work because it basically catches a sneeze, cough, etc. before it gets airborne therefore protecting others. It does not protect the wearer from airborne particles from others who do not wear one? Yes or No
- I cannot get over the neighbors who are intelligent yet ignoring most safer at home/stay at home guidance. One rang my door Sunday with a probably recently baked loaf of bread in his hand. I thanked him through the glass window. Another neighbor talked to me (I stayed my distance) about going to Home Depot to get plants, and her husband going to the grocery store. I could go on. All these are neighbors in their 70's with no masks. I first thought it was lack of executive functioning, but I read an article by CNN that talked about lack of computer skills in ordering online anything, let alone getting an app for instacart delivery, etc. The 'I don't mess with the computer' I used to hear from them is now a liability. Are others seeing this in the 70's age group and above?
Going by the number of posts on various student forums I see in the fall along the lines of “can I skip lecture/tutorial” that 90% figure might be a bit high. When DH attended school he much preferred taking courses by correspondence rather than in-person. He completed half of his degree that way. And while DS19 wouldn’t say he prefers on-line classes, he did mention that one of the advantages was the ability to view recorded lectures at a faster speed so there can be an upside. Also I don’t think we should conflate the quality of instruction many students just experienced when schools had to quickly pivot to on-line instruction to finish out the semester to properly designed on-line courses (which hopefully given the amount of prep time over the spring/summer will be better come fall).
Look at what you said. “90% of students think online learning is garbage.” Really? You speak for 90% of students? And none has had an online experience above “garbage?”
If so, I think all these students should rethink college. The reality is, this virus isn’t going anywhere and most schools will have to offer an online component to many of their students. This mythical 90% isn’t ready for reality.
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It does catch some particles, but more importantly it stops/disrupts the airflow. If a sneeze or cough is unimpeded, those particles are blown out for 20+ feet away from the sneezer/cougher. But a mask disrupts the airflow enough so that the particles don’t travel as far. It can also mean that some of the particles even that have escaped fall to the ground more quickly because there isn’t a steady or strong blast of air to keep them aloft, the eddies start to fall.
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Around here, there is no one age group that does or does not wear masks. Most people of all ages are wearing masks, but when you see the people not wearing masks they’re of all ages.
This hit me as funny for some reason, i.e. trust the Atlantic to give us a full manual. (They tend to the long-winded.)
My son reported that remote learning was more challenging simply because professors knew everyone was stuck inside, so they piled on extra work. He spent significantly more time doing papers and other assignments.
Interesting.
I’ll add, learning online and being productive while working online is the future.
And college kids better get on that beam, because the workforce will expect them to learn and perform online - not just in college - but once they’re employees as well.
I teach writing, which is probably an easier subject to convert to online than many. I shortened and simplified the major papers that were due in the second half of the term. And graded them generously. Took lates without any penalty, and spent countless hours entreating lost lambs to come back in the fold. And am giving out incompletes to any who just haven’t been able to.
That said, I did add “required” discussion boards which stood in place for the three hours of time we would have met together, as a placeholder for attending and participating. So I suppose a student could have called that “more work” when honestly it took much less time than in-class attendance would have. And again, graded for participation only (and waived, when necessary.)
So when students say they got “more work”, I wonder if that’s what they are referring to.
Today was a good day for my son, we just got off the phone with him.
First, and most importantly, his Covid-19 test result came back negative, which was a relief. In other news, he just got his grades. He made the Dean’s List with a 3.7 GPA working remotely and taking four classes in his major and one class in his minor.
@sryrstress, thank you for the link, it’s very detailed and informative.
For those that think online learning is “good” or the “wave of the future,” what do you think about online education in K-12? Do you feel the same way?
Indeed a day of good news! Congrats to your son, which is of course also a congrats to you. Time to celebrate, GKUnion!
To be clear, I don’t think that online IS all that good, but I do believe it will be increasingly the future. I have pretty old fashioned ideas about education, I still mourn the lack of Latin in public high schools 
I really feel the personal touch is crucial for the younger grades K-8 and maybe higher. There are so many interpersonal skills best taught in person and nuances that don’t translate nearly as well online.
Personally, I prefer in person to online for my learning and hearing lectures but often participate in online webinars with speakers all over the world. Traveling for learning, training, meetings is cost prohibitive and has new dangers in our covid-19 world.