Unexpected Transitions: From Lifeboats to Online Learning

Abstract

At the height of the pandemic, schools across the country shut down, shifting classrooms to a remote learning modality. While the use of emergency remote teaching (ERT) provided an alternative for schools, it was a difficult transition. Online learning is often compared with ERT, although the two are different. Where ERT is a quick and temporary resolution, online learning is a long-term investment developed to provide a quality educational experience for students. Both are necessary lifelines to learning, but online education is vital in multiple ways. Rather than a substitute, it is a core fixture on the higher ed landscape, with more and more students, faculty, and administrators recognizing online education's benefits. This essay explores remote and online learning as lifelines in different contexts. It reflects on the impact of online learning from three views: a personal account, growing demands for contingent faculty, and the diverse needs of non-traditional students.