Some courses in the Department of Urban and Inner-City studies at Merchants Corner were offered in-person in the fall of 2021. I was fortunate that mine was one of them. My class was very small, we were all double vaccinated and able to safely space as the pandemic raged on.  Things weren’t entirely back to normal.  Students were discouraged from hanging out before and after class as we did our best to minimize contact. We missed the lively buzz in our student lounge, and those of us who were present kept our interactions to a minimum. We managed to get through the term without a single case of Covid-19.

Despite some challenges that came with the increase in precautions and restrictions to keep us all safe, it was invigorating to back.  Classroom discussions were lively as students took full advantage of their ability to engage with me and their peers in the kind of exchange that simply didn’t happen through online platforms.  Assigning small groups to “breakout rooms” can help address the feeling of being lost in the crowd, but it just isn’t the same.

By the end of the term our class developed a trusting, relaxed relationship and we had wonderful conversations about real world issues and challenges. Although we understood the necessity, we were dissappointed to learn that Omicron, the latest iteration of COVID-19, would require us to return to remote learning this January.

Nonetheless, here we are:

During my first remote class this term, I did the usual go around. I asked students to introduce themselves and say a bit about why they chose to take the course and what they hoped to learn. I also asked students to share, as much as they were comfortable, how they are doing.

There is little doubt that Covid-19 is taking a toll on mental health. For example, this Statistics Canada Survey

“ indicates that one in four (25%) Canadians aged 18 and older screened positive for symptoms of depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in spring 2021, up from one in five (21%) in fall 2020.a’I wanted my students to know that it is okay to talk about it.

I wanted my students to know that it is okay to talk about this. There weren’t any surprises, but I was encouraged by their openness. They are all managing. Some said that although they are disappointed to be taking the course remotely, being able to take a course at all is better than being completely isolated and falling further behind.

As an instructor, I’ll do my best to create a safe, dynamic space for learning, but I am mindful of the long-term impact of remote learning.

Like Robert Danisch, as they describe in this article, I am concerned that:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even easier to reduce teaching to knowledge dissemination and to obscure other, equally important, forms of education that help students be better citizens, thinkers, writers and collaborators.”

As Danisch notes:

“These other forms of education are the cornerstone of human flourishing and democratic participation.”

The Department of Urban and Inner-City Studies prides itself in providing a safe environment for people from diverse experiences to learn about and discuss urban and inner-city issues and injustices. Students are encouraged to become actively engaged citizens, challenging the systemic racism, social and economic and environmental injustice that we know to persist. Those of us who have had the privilege of attending university during ‘normal times’ know that this kind of critical and active engagement often percolates organically among students before and after class.

When studying remotely, students have a more difficult time connecting in this way – they typically sign in, take their breaks solo, and leave when the class is over. There isn’t a natural opportunity to just hang out and chat. I argue that this form of learning contradicts what we teach students about the importance of active engagement beyond the classroom.

As the world becomes increasingly divided, made worse by the pandemic,  we should all be concerned about the implications of learning platforms that allow us to avoid respectful and sometimes difficult conversations that are essential to healthy democracies.

In the short term, remote learning for postsecondary students may be necessary for public health. But I fear we will all pay a heavy price if we don’t get back to the classroom as soon as we are able.