Coronavirus. Polish universities report not preparing

During the conference of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and representatives of several ministries, it was announced that on March 12-25, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, Minister of Science and Higher Education Jarosław Gowin suspends teaching activities conducted at all universities in the country. At the same time, it was announced that it would be possible to conduct classes remotely. I decided to check if it was possible at all.

This is probably the first such situation in the 21st century - the virus effectively changes the schedule of classes at universities. At all universities in Poland. It didn't really start today. Anxiety associated with the spreading coronavirus has been affecting both students and lecturers for a week. The question is who is more for.

Lecturers run away from students on L4

We receive information from various sources that lecturers, not wanting to risk infection, have been sending sick leaves to their workplaces for several days (after all, L4 is now sent electronically) and resigning from conducting classes. No wonder: the work is poorly paid, and there are hundreds of students at the university, and it is not known who just returned from Italy and whom the cousin from Great Britain visited. Everyone can be bearers of not only extensive knowledge (acquired at the university, and how), but also coronavirus.

For this reason, many lecturers recognize that it is not worth risking your health for an idea (contrary to what the former Speaker of the Senate says, who by the way worked himself for the idea ... but for the money).

Toilet paper has disappeared

Even a kind of anxiety (which is close to panic), fueled by appearing online photos of empty store shelves and powerful queues, also affects the centers of education of future elites. How? Students report to us the widespread lack of ... toilet paper in college toilets. However, it has long been known that a student is a resourceful man and can take care of himself.

Students living in dormitories are also preparing for longer withdrawal from public life.

We know that in some cities letters are sent to dormitory residents that will need to be signed. In these documents, the student resident confirms that he is aware that in the case of quarantine, the dormitory may be closed together with its residents. You will not be able to leave it then and you will have to comply with sanitary services. People who do not sign these documents will need to find another place of residence.

It is dread to think what supplies students living in dormitories make, but they will certainly cope with the lack of classes and the excess of free time. The student is a creature adapted to life during the suspension of classes at the university.

The minister recommends e-learning

During the conference, Minister Jarosław Gowin said that classes conducted remotely can also be conducted in studies, in the program of which no e-learning classes were planned so far. The only question is whether any university is prepared for this.

University spokesman Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań told me that the university authorities are currently considering implementing classes in a remote form, although it is already known that this will not be possible in all fields of study. College students have been informed that classes have been suspended until March 25, and will be kept informed of any changes.

Universities report not preparing

Just 200 km south of Poznań, the authorities of the University of Wrocław are slightly more determined to take action. According to the information I have obtained, deans and managers of all non-faculty units within a few days are to specify, by the end of the week, which classes and to what extent can be carried out remotely. It is worth noting here that the university has decided to extend the period of suspension of full-time classes to April 14, which is almost 3 weeks more than the ministry recommends.

The University of Warsaw, on the other hand, announced that the heads of teaching units are to announce a weekly list of classes that will be carried out in the e-learning system from March 23. The only question is whether the university is prepared for this. College students indicate that during periods of particular interest (during sessions or enrollment for classes), university's IT systems very often refuse to obey.

Some have it easier

It is also worth noting that some universities - both public and private - have in their offer studies implemented largely remotely, and therefore theoretically it should be easier for them to include full-time students in the distance learning program. To check this, I contacted the WSB Academy in Dąbrowa Górnicza (until 2018 the University of Business in Dąbrowa Górnicza). Dr Paulina Polko, university spokesman, informed me that although all classes requiring the direct participation of lecturers and students have been suspended, currently the range of classes that can be completed online is underway. These classes will be available to both full-time and part-time students. Already this coming weekend, students will be able to watch some of the lectures live during the stream. Each student will also have the opportunity to play the lecture for the next ten days on the moodle platform. On the other hand, the language classes will be partly carried out by Skype and partly by the e-learning platform. Dr Polko also emphasizes that this is not only about top-down suspension of classes at the university, but also about respecting students who have concerns about coming to buildings filled with people.

It can therefore be concluded that many universities take the burden of the situation and try to face the coronavirus problem, especially since it is not known for how long this state of suspension will last.

Once online. Always online?

It is also worth noting here that although at first glance the opportunity to study online seems attractive, there are voices indicating specific "threats" from e-learning.

Professor Wojciech Sadurski, lecturer at the University of Sydney and the European Center of the University of Warsaw noted today on Twitter that the currently planned transition to online classes may be a temptation to continue classes in this mode after the suspension period. According to prof. Sadurski would lead to a significant reduction in teaching standards, because nothing can replace direct contact with the teacher and student supervision.

https://twitter.com/WojSadurski/status/1237786329930502145

In the coming days, there will certainly be more information about the solutions offered by subsequent universities in the country. We will keep you updated on how the implementation of the above plans and plans being developed by other universities today is underway.

Coronavirus. Polish universities report not preparing