Response of Higher Education to COVID-19: Virtual Workshops on Graduate and Undergraduate Education

Workshop

The Impacts on STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences of Higher Education’s response to COVID-19: Resilience and Innovation in Leadership and Decision-Making

October 6, 2020

12:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

About

Institutional leadership teams continue to face many challenges during the unprecedented COVID-19 global pandemic and the decisions they make alter undergraduate and graduate student learning experiences. Leaders were and are required to integrate new information, make predictions, and decide courses of action quickly and at times, with incomplete guidance and data. As leaders move forward with planning, they need to determine who they can and should consult for input as they consider their choices and analyze the potential short- and long-term impacts on students, faculty, staff, and their institutions. This workshop session will highlight voices from leaders of a breadth of institutional types as they discuss the process they undertook to make decisions for the spring 2020 and fall 2020 terms and their thoughts and planning for the spring 2021 term. Panelists will be asked to explain how undergraduate and graduate student voices and equity issues were considered in the decision-making process for their institutions and what data would be useful to have available or more directly considered. They will be asked to reflect on recent experiences and to consider how the higher education community might use this moment in time as an opportunity for sustainable innovation that could enhance STEM learning experiences and trajectories of undergraduate and graduate students now and the future. Discussions will also consider what research data and information can be compiled to inform the future planning of institutions and how leaders can ensure that attention is paid to addressing any challenges that disproportionately impact students due to their gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, nationality, learning challenges, disabilities, and/or caregiving responsibilities.

Contact

Kerry Brenner

kbrenner@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

The Impacts on STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences of Higher Education’s response to COVID-19: Resilience and Innovation in Socialization and Student Engagement

October 1, 2020

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

About

Colleges and universities are seeking and implementing strategies to assist their STEM student communities to succeed and prepare for transitions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the initial transition to college, transitions from 2-year to 4-year institutions, transitions to graduate education, and transitions to the workforce. This session will explore examples of support infrastructures and strategies provided by colleges and universities before and during the pandemic and consider the importance of providing structure and flexibility to students. Many institutions have been exploring innovative ways to maintain continuity of services by moving them online during this crisis and have discovered new approaches that will remain important beyond the pandemic. Panel discussions will consider how institutions can maintain student engagement and involvement and discuss ideas for building community in departments, disciplines, courses, and co-curricular and extra-curricular activities as well as the importance of academic advising, tutoring, mentoring, counseling/mental health care, and ensuring that students are not lacking appropriate technology, food, housing, or other supports necessary for their general wellness. This session will explore how institutional goals and expectations for undergraduate and graduate student experiences might be permanently altered by the current challenges and changes for the students. It will also discuss how student engagement experiences can be comprehensive and more inclusive for all students regardless of their gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, nationality, learning challenges, disabilities, and/or caregiving responsibilities.

Contact

Kerry Brenner

kbrenner@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

The Impacts on STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences of Higher Education’s response to COVID-19: Resilience and Innovation in Research and Mentoring

September 24, 2020

12:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

About

The changes to higher education and to society as a result of the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 impacted the ability of many undergraduate and graduate students to continue their research and learning. This workshop session will share examples, from both student and faculty perspectives, of innovative ways institutions, departments, and programs moved research—including course-based undergraduate research, laboratories, internships, practicums—online, attempted to mitigate interruptions to plans, and worked to consider (and address) the variety of issues that might prevent access by all students. The session will consider challenges to graduate students who had to alter research plans in ways that impacted their degree progression and to undergraduates enrolled in laboratory or practicum courses required for their degrees. The importance of mentoring and promising practices for supporting students as they attempt to continue their studies in STEM will be discussed, including how research experiences can be made more inclusive for all students regardless of their gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, nationality, learning challenges, disabilities, and/or caregiving responsibilities.

Contact

Kerry Brenner

kbrenner@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

The Impacts on STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences of Higher Education’s response to COVID-19: Resilience and Innovation in Online Learning and STEM Progression

September 22, 2020

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

About

The rapid transition to online learning that occurred in higher education in spring of 2020 presented many challenges. This workshop session will explore the impact of the institutional pivots themselves on undergraduate and graduate students and the continued reliance on online learning today. Using panel discussions and with input from the audience, this session will explore how institutions, faculty, and staff can assist students in continuing their studies in STEM; the extent to which student voices are considered in decision-making; and the differential effects on students from different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. The session will provide an opportunity to share strategies and lessons learned from a breadth of institutional types and for a range of student populations (from community college to graduate students). Panelists and audience members will explore ways to provide high-quality online learning experiences and consider impacts on academic progression—such as ability to complete gateway courses, to transfer from 2-year to 4-year institutions, to apply to graduate and professional schools, and to advance in graduate degree programs and careers in STEM.

Contact

Kerry Brenner

kbrenner@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

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Response of Higher Education to COVID-19: Virtual Workshops on Graduate and Undergraduate Education

Dropdown items

The Impacts on STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences of Higher Education’s response to COVID-19: Resilience and Innovation in Leadership and Decision-Making

The Impacts on STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences of Higher Education’s response to COVID-19: Resilience and Innovation in Socialization and Student Engagement

The Impacts on STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences of Higher Education’s response to COVID-19: Resilience and Innovation in Research and Mentoring

The Impacts on STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences of Higher Education’s response to COVID-19: Resilience and Innovation in Online Learning and STEM Progression