UW recently announced classes would be in person during the upcoming fall semester.
“I’m very excited to be returning to a more ‘traditional’ way of learning and attending classes, as well as a more ‘normal’ college experience,” Megan Cockett, an english major with a minor in creative writing and honors, said.
“I think Zoom classes and social distancing has been really hard on everyone, especially new college freshmen, and I’m glad that UW trusts its students, faculty and staff enough to re-open and resume regular functioning,” Cockett said.
Cockett said they feel that the UW community has suffered due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“I hope that being in-person will help regain some normalcy to all of our lives and I hope that courses will be more interesting and engaging once they are in-person again,” Cockett said.
Scott Freng, a psychology lecturer, said he also looks forward to classes being face to face.
“I won’t be using Zoom unless students want to meet via Zoom instead of in-person during my office hours. I think everyone has Zoom fatigue at this point,” Freng said. “My hope is that given the rough academic year everyone just went through that both faculty and students will have a renewed appreciation for traditional in-person classes in the fall.”
Despite students and teacher’s saying they have Zoom fatigue, Cockett and Freng both said they think Zoom should remain an option for students.
“It is a great tool for distance learning, socially distanced advising appointments, tele-health, and other ‘distance’ activities,” Cockett said.
Cockett said Zoom still should not replace all options and said that in-person learning is more beneficial for teachers, students and tutors.
“Online teaching is a great option for students that can’t physically be in the classroom, but I personally miss teaching face-to-face where I get visual and verbal feedback from students and can adjust my teaching as needed,” Freng said.
Riley Bernard, an assistant professor for zoology and physiology, works at the UW branch based out of Casper. She said she is hopeful for the fall semester, but still concerned.
“I’m scared to some extent because I don’t want to get COVID. I’m an active person so the thought of getting it is still scary to me and if my students get vaccinated that’s even better,” Bernard said.
This was the first year Bernard has taught classes. Benrard said she is excited to meet her colleagues finally as well as experience teaching in a classroom.
“I’m hopefully optimistic. If we the university can get to the 70% vaccinated rate we’d have herd immunity. The faculty have the ability to choose what they’re comfortable with [in having classes],” Bernard said.
UW of Casper follows the local campus protocols as well as professors can choose to be online, in person, or have a hybrid class.
“The plan for classes is to be hybrid for in person components to be safe with the go ahead and then there will be online components. I don’t know if we’ll be at full capacity but it’s the plan we’ll know for sure by June,” Bernard said. “My classes in the fall have no lab component but it gives flexibility in case we need to go online. If something were to happen I think we could easily pivot.”
With classes returning in the fall Cockett said she thinks masks should still be required.
“And I would like to know that my peers and professors have been required to be vaccinated to attend in-person activities, events and classes,” Cockett said.
