What Do Students Want - Part 2

Students, or at least some student leaders, say they want "hybrid" options, i.e., online AND in-person, whenever fully-online classes resume. See the item from the Bruin below:

Student leaders believe implementing hybrid learning after Jan. 28 will promote educational accessibility and empower students who might be hesitant to return to in-person instruction.

UCLA extended remote instruction through Jan. 28 because of a rise in COVID-19 cases and staffing concerns. However, the university plans to return to in-person learning on Jan. 31. On Dec. 26, the Disabled Student Union sent a letter to UCLA administrators calling on the university to mandate that professors offer hybrid learning options for all classes after fully online instruction ends. The DSU also called on the university to provide hybrid options during fall quarter, when UCLA held classes in person. 

The DSU’s letter said expanding remote options would help ensure the safety of students with disabilities, immunocompromised students, students with dependents, student parents, commuters and students who live with at-risk family members. The letter added that UCLA’s attempt to maintain normalcy is negligent and has potentially forced students to drop out of school, quit their jobs or has left them temporarily or permanently disabled...

Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2022/01/12/student-leaders-call-for-hybrid-learning-expanded-remote-options-past-jan-28.

Editorial Comment: The problem with this suggestion is that it would involve modifying the technology available in every classroom so that everything in an in-person class would be streamed or videoed for later playback. Most classrooms are not so-equipped. Moreover, there would need to be staffing in each classroom for operating the equipment, if the classes were so-equipped. Just turning on a camera at the back of the room would not necessarily capture everything including student questions from the in-person audience. There would also need to be mechanisms whereby those students who were online could ask questions in a way that could be heard by students who were present. And what would a hybrid exam look like? 

Put another way, hybrid classes are much more complicated to mount than either in-person-only or Zoom-only classes. So, if we went that route, it would be costly and not simple.