During the Citrus College campus closure through the fall semester due to COVID-19, students are continuing their studies online through platforms like Zoom and Canvas.
In March, professors were told the campus would close immediately and to begin the transition to remote learning. This was very stressful for professors who have never taught online before, such as Ballet Professor Jennifer Allgaier.
“It’s a challenge and it’s not ideal,” Allgaier said in a phone interview. “It was a big challenge having that same energy we do in a physical class setting. You don’t have the same equipment you would usually have at a dance studio.”
For Instructors like Allgaier, the transition to online learning was not something they were ready for. However, there were a handful of professors who were quite the opposite, like History and Humanities Professor Senya Lubisich.
“I’ve been doing online classes since the 90s and since 2004 when I was first hired at Citrus,” Lubisich said on a Zoom call. “Everyone was in big crisis mode … (there was) a lot of reimagining and shifting courses.” “Everything was a blur: moving content online, training, and long webinars for faculty,” Lubisich described of her work in the position of Online Coordinator. But she said she learned a lot from her colleagues.
Campus closures caused the faculty to brainstorm different ways of accommodating students,
while the administration gave professors training in remote learning software and techniques.
“I had training in the summer as well, some of which were free, but some I had to pay from my own pocket, and they really helped,” Allgaier said. “We realized we have to focus on what we can control: alignment, Barre work, obviously some things difficult to do at home, but we manage.”
Although Lubisich had years of experience with online courses, she felt there was a large gap that needed to be filled.
“I try to take everything I can from my physical classes and transfer them to online courses, engaging with students through discussion, even adding physical media such as PowerPoints or videos,” she explained.
Although circumstances make it difficult, professors somehow managed to make their online classroom resemble those back on campus.
“Although we’re not on campus at the dance studio, many of my students have created their own equipment— some students made bars from pipes, slabs used as a dance floor; I myself use chairs and countertops,” Allgaier said. “We use whatever we can find.”
Getting students prepared for quizzes and exams is another concern among professors. New technology has surfaced to help professors by not just covering their lessons, but also as new resources for their students.
“For my Humanities course, which I usually teach in person, I’ve searched for other tools and technology,” Lubisich said. “One was Softchalk lessons, which really helped students understand the material better.” Soft chalk is an education software focusing on online lessons, usually interactive and curriculum-based.
Well-being is also very important in the transition to online courses. Questions were raised about whether professors are interacting with their students online as they would in the classroom.
“I interact with my students: I ask them how they’re doing with their courses and if they’re adjusting well,” Lubisich said. “Supporting students is something very important at a time like this.”
Staying at home has taken a toll on college students. 42 percent of college students are having trouble focusing on their studies, ActiveMinds reports. Students have trouble accessing and acquiring information, including gathering supplies and equipment for their course, making professors the only close resource for students.
“I think that the college did a great job of getting us adjusted,” Lubisich said. “It is a shifting landscape and everybody is caught anticipating and in active mode, how (students and faculty) can meet them in the middle. There is always more we can do.”
For Allgaier, her experience with Citrus during the pandemic left her astounded. On May 20, the Haugh Performing Arts Center released a YouTube video titled “Motion! 2020.” This virtual Spring Dance Concert usually takes place before the end of every spring semester. This year’s video starred dance students who showcase their talents while adding various locations, outfits, and music.
For Allgaier, this was more than just a showcase but also a memorable experience.“At Citrus everyone gathered as a family, a team, to put all this together,” she said. “I am very grateful for everyone at the Haugh who helped.”
Lubisich suggested some changes that may better suit the faculty’s abilities to meet student
needs.
“I feel fortunate enough to have my voice heard, but if there is one thing I’d recommend (it) is hearing out our students and their needs,” Lubisich said. “They need a huge amount of elbow grease to get things done (such as) more surveys on how they’re adjusting to the transition. There are many big questions which still need to be answered.”
While things change every day, there is something professors can gain from this experience.
“Dance, be flexible and be willing to adapt and be in the moment. Change isn’t necessarily a bad thing— something good could come out of it.”
