Being a Professor at Lynn and COVID-19

Professors at Lynn have been adjusting to the new way of life on campus. COVID-19 has forced schools and universities to adapt to social distancing rules to keep their students safe.

“That has been probably the hardest part about transitioning for COVID. And just missing those kinds of interactions or special ‘ah-ha’ moments that a student might have when we are doing something that is very hands-on in terms of learning, I miss those interactions,” said Jennifer McFarland, assistant professor.

Lynn uses block scheduling to minimize interaction between students during the semester. They also created a system where half of the class is learning in person two days a week, and the other two days, they are learning online. However, this system sometimes presents a challenge to the professors.

“There are benefits and drawbacks to it. I would say that it makes an interesting challenge to try to engage students in a classroom and students virtually. Because there are two different ways of connecting with your class and you are trying to do it at the same time,” said Kathryn Hamm, assistant professor.

Even though the way students are learning has changed from previous semesters, Lynn has done an excellent job of transitioning their campus to fit COVID-19 safety standards. They made it easy for students to learn, contact their professors, and still enjoy campus life while, at the same time, staying safe.

“I think, for the most part, we didn’t really miss a beat. We still did all of our projects that we were supposed to be doing,” said Professor McFarland. “It was just in a new channel or a new medium, and it was interesting to see how seamlessly it really came together.”

Lynn has been making the most out of the COVID-19 situation developing a safe environment for professors to work. Professors have adjusted their teaching styles and Student Involvement has been working hard to keep the campus fun, safe and lively.