Back2BU Experience at the Pardee School
[Updated September 28, 2020] It goes without question that the Fall 2020 semester is unlike any other before it. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, numerous safety precautions have been put in place across the Boston University campus as well as rigorous and frequent testing for university students, faculty, and staff. Entering and returning students at most of Boston University, including the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, had a choice of attending in-person classes or taking them remotely under a new hybrid teaching format called Learn from Anywhere (LfA). After the first few weeks of classes, the Pardee School asked some faculty and students to reflect on coming Back2BU and how the changes at BU have effected the classroom experience.
Ambassador Vesko Garčević, Pardee School Professor of the Practice of International Relations, and Min Ye, Pardee School Associate Professor of International Relations, returned to teach on-campus this semester and have been working tirelessly to ensure that their students still have full access to a quality education. The LfA teaching experience has been unlike any other semester – full of new challenges, at times frustrating and confusing, and filled with innovations and new experiments both in technology and in pedagogy. It seems clear that the semester, as it progresses, will remain a learning experience for everyone.
“Teaching in LfA is quite different from other semesters. But students are just as eager and active in participation,” said Ye. “As an instructor, I plan to continuously observe the learning experience and modify style and content if helpful.”
“Let me quote Winston Churchill who said ‘never let a good crisis go to waste,‘” said Garčević in discussing his teaching experience thus far. “A crisis is a time of challenges and hardship, but it’s also an opportunity for innovation and transformation. LfA is a novel approach to teaching that asks us to be open-minded and adapt to the new circumstance. On a more personal note, no matter how demanding the new teaching concept is, it’s good to be back on campus.”
Adapting to the hybrid teaching model has required flexibility, patience, and determination; the same can be said for students’ classroom experiences. Learning at BU has dramatically changed, and Pardee School students have noted both the benefits and drawbacks of the “new normal.”
“I think there are certainly some things that are less conducive to the LfA environment like labs or class discussions,” said Riaz Butt-Garcia (Pardee ’22), “but overall I think that professors are a lot more prepared this semester after how unexpected everything was in the Spring semester. In a lot of my courses the professors have really adapted their syllabi to all of our different situations.”
“LfA is a great model to accommodate people who cannot be on campus, especially those with autoimmune diseases or other disabilities that prevent them from attending in-person classes,” noted Merriam Lrhazi (Pardee ’23). “The technical difficulties that come with a heavy reliance on Zoom really take away from class time, and there are many instances where Zoom is just not a useful format for a particular course.”
“The LfA model has changed my relationship with professors and students,” commented Seynedhee Avenie (Pardee ’24). “Since we do not see most of the professors in person, we have a different dynamic and a different relationship than if we could go up to them and ask them questions every week.
The all-online system has allowed students more flexibility in how they access their classes; however, like all technological solutions, there are limitations and a risk of inundation.
“I think a benefit is that the mode of experiencing classes has become a lot more flexible, since I can alternate between going to class in person or online depending on circumstances,” said Lilly Bayly (Pardee ’21). “Many lectures are recorded, which makes for easier revision. I think a drawback is the increased number of platforms that information is being conveyed through (Blackboard, TopHat, Slack, email, Zoom) and that there is a greater expectation that everyone can be reached at any time through them.”
“There is no ideal solution to the situation that BU finds itself in, but I think it has made good decisions and made accessing education here as easy as possible for everyone,” commented Bayly.
“Living on campus in the LfA/COVID-19 environment has been going pretty well so far,” said Lrhazi. “Students and people I see on campus seem to be following MA COVID-19 guidelines, and overall I feel safe for now. I really appreciate all the hard work that is constantly being put in by the Facilities Department, Custodial Services Department, and Dining Services Department to keep our campus clean, keep our students fed, and keep us here as long as we can safely remain.”