College tackles challenge of teaching online during crisis

Staff and students at the South Eastern Regional College have been adapting to a new way of studying as the college took its classes online.

Steven Lee, Performing Arts Lecturer and Course Coordinator of SERC’s BTEC Higher National Diploma Performing Arts said that it has been a challenge but have been making sure the students are well during this difficult time.

“For Performing Arts students online learning is the antithesis of what they signed up for and we are all adjusting,” he explained. “From my perspective, it is all about being here for the students, as you would in the class, except now we are all online. My expectation is that students come to class, continue to learn and if they need to speak one to one, clarify a point, raise and issue, ask a question, they know that this is all still possible.

“Teaching and learning via platforms such as Microsoft Teams is challenging us to be creative in how lecturers like myself deliver courses. Take for example, teaching our Level 3 students Devised Theatre – a method of theatre making in which the script or performance originates from collaborative, often improvisatory work by a performing ensemble – we’ve really had to think outside the box. You have probably all heard of TedTalks? Well, we’ve come up with BedTalks to deliver Devised Theatre. The students must think of a subject that they are passionate about, then they must deliver, in character, an improvisation from their bed. All the students watched online – we weren’t physically there, but all the emotions of the performance were very much alive and connected.

“Of course we are very concerned for all our students’ wellbeing. We are constantly checking on how they are doing. Keeping with our creative side we have been setting little origami challenges – this allows our students to take time out and focus on something else for a bit. It is all part of looking out for our mental health and keeping our brains active.”

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