Yes, Virginia, Teaching Online Is Effective

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that many of us remember where we were when we found out that our school was transitioning online in the spring. For me, it was around 4:00 p.m. on March 11, and I was standing in line at the pharmacy to get my epileptic cat’s medicine refilled. That seems a very mundane thing to remember, but I’m betting you and your colleagues remember odd details too—especially if you supervise or supports faculty who have little to no hybrid or online teaching experience. As someone who teaches almost exclusively online, I cannot imagine what went through the minds of colleagues in a pretty opposite situation, or those of their department chairs and deans. Labeling the moment and what followed as “stressful” was just the tip of the iceberg.