COVID-19 created an unexpected seismic shift in education. Classrooms emptied as “social distancing” became the new normal. Students were redirected to a “virtual classroom” guided by teachers and administrators facing challenges to provide an alternative delivery method with little warning and oftentimes insufficient training.
Recently, the Chronicle of Higher Education released an article with new survey data gathered from faculty and administrators concerning remote learning during COVID-19. The survey shows that training in online pedagogy is a high priority moving forward into the fall. Faculty agree that implementing best practices and related training is critical to increasing the quality of education and maintaining confidence while delivering. Clearer guidance on grading is also important. Administrators surveyed agree that training in online teaching and more sophisticated online course design are of the utmost necessity moving forward.
Dramatic change is often painful. Having a trusted partner that supports academic teams navigating change is valuable. Five out of the ten largest universities are using APL nextED’s academic operations platform to support, evaluate, manage, and develop their faculty, academic staff and administrators. APL is uniquely positioned to support remote faculty and administrators with a comprehensive, cloud-based platform. APL provides streamlined delivery of professional development resources and tracks completion of courses and certifications. With a strong value proposition and short term payback period, institutions enjoy real savings in its current budget cycle by eliminating various point solutions, optimizing risk mitigation and implementing operational best practices.
Competitive pressures and enrollment preservation will further drive requirements for schools to deliver online education options that represent the new normal. To support faculty success and administrative teams, APL provides the most comprehensive, integrated, flexible and affordable academic operations platform coupled with remarkable service and support.
The Chronicle of Higher Education article confirmed that three-fourths of faculty and administrators are confident about teaching online in the fall. APL is proud to provide a leading platform in support of remote learning.
