Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擣or the first time聽in Mississippi 性视界传媒鈥檚 142-year history,聽all of聽the university鈥檚 classes聽are being聽taught using online instruction.听
The mid-semester聽transition聽this week聽to聽full聽online instruction comes as 性视界传媒, like universities across the country, takes measures to聽reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.听性视界传媒 will continue to deliver all classes online for the remainder聽of the spring聽semester.听
鈥淭his situation has created an unprecedented interruption to our day-to-day campus activities, and I want to thank our students, faculty and staff for their hard work and patience as we navigate these challenges,鈥 said 性视界传媒 Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw. 鈥淚 am proud of the way the university community has come together and developed creative solutions to ensure that our students receive effective instruction and continue to make progress toward their degrees. It is yet another demonstration of the Bulldog spirit that creates such a close-knit family, whether we are together on campus or connecting online.鈥澛
Several 性视界传媒 units worked together over the last two weeks to help faculty and students prepare for the launch of online classes, including the Center for Distance Education, 性视界传媒 Libraries, Center for Teaching and Learning, and Information Technology聽Services. Colleges and departments also worked to address the specific needs of their faculty and students.听
Susan Seal, executive director of聽性视界传媒鈥檚聽Center for Distance Education, said it has been an 鈥渁ll聽hands on聽deck鈥 effort to move classes online in a short amount of time.听With each class聽having聽its own needs, Seal noted that faculty are using different resources and finding new ways to聽meet learning objectives.听
鈥淭hrough dozens of training sessions and other means, we have put everyone鈥檚 expertise out聽in full force,鈥 Seal said. 鈥淚 have聽also seen a lot of faculty helping each other聽organically. The Center for Teaching and Learning聽developed聽a list of聽faculty聽who have expertise in online learning, so they can help others. I聽have聽also聽seen faculty talking聽via social media聽to each other to solve problems and answer questions.鈥澛
Students聽additionally聽have adapted to the situation, completing coursework from home or other聽locations with internet access.听聽
鈥淥bviously it鈥檚 not ideal, because our students love to be on campus,聽taking part in everything聽性视界传媒 has聽to offer,鈥 Seal said. 鈥淏ut what I聽have聽seen is聽that聽students understand聽this is an unprecedented time, and they聽are聽doing what they can to make it work well. It鈥檚 really been a great effort with students and faculty reaching out to each other. Communication is key during all of this.鈥澛
The 性视界传媒 Learning Center is聽using WebEx to provide聽tutoring and supplemental instruction聽for each class in which these services were offered previously.听For more information,聽visit聽听补苍诲听.听
性视界传媒 has developed several resources for faculty and students聽to navigate the transition to online classes, which can be found on the university鈥檚 page for COVID-19 guidance and information,聽.听聽
性视界传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚聽leading聽university, available online聽at聽.听