Earlier this summer, I made the decision to conduct all classes virtually via Zoom for the foreseeable future. And you know what? It's not the end of the world! Earlier this spring, when everything shut down in the middle of our Spring prelicense session, there was a lot of uncertainty and confusion when we started back up from our hiatus via video-conference. Many students opted to transfer the fall session in the hopes that we would be back to normal and in the classroom once again. While we had some rough moments, we all grew accustomed to the format and in the end, our spring session concluded smoothly and those who stuck it out did great with their finals! With our fall session, this remote format hasn't deterred people. We began this session with one of the highest number of enrolled students we've seen in a while. I think this is partly due to people seeking a back-up career due to uncertainty in their current career sectors, or having a bit more time on their hands, and still others who are taking advantage of the remote aspect of the course who might otherwise might not have been able to drive the distance to attend a classroom session! Technology offers a myriad of amazing resources for remote education, and since I had already incorporated a lot of technology into the course, it made transitioning into a completely remote format that must easier. So I'm excited about this new term and getting to know our diverse group of students from all over the region and beyond. Who knows what Spring will bring, whether we'll be back in the classroom or not. Either way, everyone agrees - this remote learning thing is here to stay!

With things still up in the air and the shelter-in-place order still in place, we are getting back to business the safest way possible... Classes start up again today via Zoom VideoConferencing. What is ZOOM? I think by now, most people have herd of Zoom. Some good stuff, some not so good. It's a videoconferencing platform that allows people to get together face to face. A lot of companies have already incorporated Zoom into their business models. We've been using Zoom for attending committee meetings at the state level for a while now. It's actually pretty convenient and a far better way to connect than through the older technologies offered by such companies as WebEx which allowed people to phone conference. Seeing people while talking to them brings social interactions to a higher level than simply speaking to a group a people over phone lines. As an instructor, I've taught via WebEx and I can't say it was ever a good experience. It helps to see students' faces as I teach, to gauge their reactions, read their body language or facial expressions. Okay, video will never replace live, but still, it's a step up from simply teaching into a phone. This pandemic is causing us all to regroup and rethink. I mean, who would've thought we'd have to tell people to wash their hands? Or how to wash their hands? In the classroom, we are now being forced to really embrace and utilize technologies that have been available for a while now, but it had been easier to simply go with systems and process that were already in place. Implementing new systems can be cumbersome and time consuming. But now, with COVID19 changing the way we do... everything... it's forcing us out of our comfort zone. It's not a bad thing when you think about it. Sometimes, change is good. While the reason for the change is terrible and frightening, the end result could be something truly worthwhile!

In light of the current pandemic and efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19, we are suspending all in-person classes effective immediately. We will reassess the situation in April and determine whether to go forward in-class or via live remote classes via Zoom™. Remember, wash your hands, maintain social distancing, and for God's sake, don't hoard toilet paper...