As the coronavirus outbreak intensifies, higher education institutions are making difficult decisions about closing campuses and moving courses online. Institutions need to think not only about the current term, but also about potential impacts on strategy and finances into the summer and fall terms.
Related content: Transitioning to online learning
Current term
If your institution suspends in-person classes, there are two immediate concerns to address: coursework and operations.
Moving courses online. The biggest challenge is getting everyone onto an online format quickly. Faculty and administrators should be encouraged to:
• Offer guidance for online options. Many faculty do not have online teaching experience. Institutions should make resources available to provide guidance on developing online units and interacting with students in a digital environment.
• Align with the institution’s technology stack. If faculty use a workaround that does not align with the institution’s technology stack, the online curriculum they prepare may have limited future utility.
Larenda Mielke, David Woodward, and Julia Wysocki are vice presidents in the Higher Education division of Kaufman Hall’s Strategic and Financial Planning practice.
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