In January I started a project looking at how we can offer enrichment opportunities for distance learning students. As we all know, the New Academic Teaching Year will include ring-fenced periods for enrichment activities, but I noticed that everything being discussed would be campus-based. What about our growing number of distance learning students, who may never come to campus but who also want an enriching and community-oriented learning experience?
With these questions in mind, I set up a series of monthly, online events, which ranged from a watch-along of a theatre recording, to a live-broadcast about dissertation planning, to online discussions with arts practitioners. And then Covid hit… and suddenly everyone became a distance learner. From this point forward I created weekly, one-hour meetings where students could log on and connect with their tutors and peers. We talked through concerns they had, shared news about helpful resources, and eventually started running special activities once again.
There are two important things I learned from this project. First, regular, informal, community-oriented contact makes a huge difference – which is why I think weekly tutor group meetings this year will be so valuable. Second, sessions that allow students to connect with their tutors, course mates, and subject area all at once – that build a sense of intellectual community – were especially popular. I’ll be taking these lessons with me into the new teaching year.