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1-Here's a proposal for Fall's emergency distance learning: any course in any field required to be taught online MUST dedicate one week on the syllabus to students and instructors discussing how the course content applies to the global catastrophe we are going through together.
2-My reasoning: if it is catastrophic enough to rearrange everything else ab college, why aren't we taking our role as educators seriously and insisting everything, every field, is relevant to solving, addressing, assuaging, this health, social, economic, political disaster?
3-And I'm also assuming there is literally no subject matter that is irrelevant in this crisis, it is healthy for students and faculty to think through enormous problems together, it is even healthier to feel like you spending time and money learning because knowledge is power.
4-I challenge anyone to come up with field that isn't relevant. Ancient Mesopotamian Literature? Gilgamesh's search for the secret of immortality after his friend's death is certainly poignant and powerful as 140K die and students are being treated like test dummies . . .
5-Giving students agency and knowledge is best antidote to cynical "gap year" malaise. If I were a university president, I'd find a way to reward all faculty who were willing to do this and I'd make it my university's theme for the year. Great ex: p.s.
6-One doesn't need language of trauma: "what have we learned this semester that is most relevant and urgent in your lives at this historical moment and in the future we will all rebuild together?" Meta-Cognition before exams (so much research) ideal for retention, applicability.
