Highlights of today included sunshine for a change, even if temperatures were a bit cooler. It was great to see the brightness of the day accentuating the greenery and the early colour changes. Technology cooperated well for the guest lecture. Sharing capabilities were managed so that I could monitor the chat box while advancing my slides -- two very useful things in virtual classrooms. <smile>
I enjoy lecturing -- though that may not be the best word for what I miss the most about this process. I loved being in a classroom with all the students and experiencing the energy that came from them that kept me going. Not seeing faces during a presentation can be challenging at best. I have no indicators of interest, confusion, or comprehension. Without the live component, all that is communicated through body language is lost. Also, the word lecture may not be what I'd like to call what I did for 20 years. To me, being in the classroom involved true two-way communication. We all spoke, nodded, looked quizzical, or leaned in to focus on part of the larger conversations. This, too, is lost in virtual gatherings. All that said, I still enjoy presenting ideas, asking questions and answering questions. The latter bring many great ideas and concepts to the conversation and show the synthesis of knowledge from many other sources to the topic at hand. While we may have difficulties with virtual learning, learning does occur. The positive outcome from the pandemic may be that greater options exist for people to attend post-secondary education from a distance, since not all people who want to attend can move to be closer to a campus.
Part of a song lyric seemed to fit what I miss well. While I was retired before the changes of the pandemic and I did miss the regular interactions in classrooms, I did know that guest lectures would occur where I could be with a group of people to think and talk. I still enjoy the remote communications, they pale in comparison to the real thing -- whether with groups or with individuals. This song deals with getting back to basics -- all those things we may have taken for granted and miss dearly now. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Six Feet Apart -- Luke Combs
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