This is part of a roundtable on the COVID-19 pandemic and the work of history.
My career as a historian has taken many twists and turns in the past five years: countless internships; the realization that a career in museums was not my calling; finding that calling instead in instructional technology. But the COVID-19 pandemic truly has by far entailed the greatest upheaval, uncertainty, and change.
I do not think anything could have prepared me for the realities of COVID-19. My world has gone from daily face-to-face interactions to a constant barrage of video calls, endless requests for tips and support, and struggling meanwhile to manage my own emotional state. Historically, my institution has not offered online courses, so the pandemic has recontextualized much about learning and engagement. It is ironic that my job is all about helping educators with technology and pedagogy but now I find myself at a loss, more exhausted and confused than ever.
When will we return to campus, and what will that look like? For those of us whose job is to support faculty, there are more questions than answers. We are trying to find ways to maintain and foster personal connections even in a remote environment. What does the reimagined humanities classroom look like in a virtual space, especially for those who have never done remote learning in their teaching career? While learning online is not a new idea and many educators have found ways to successfully engage with their students, I do not have a great solution to this yet. A lot still feels confusing and raw.
My role as an Educational Technologist continues to change each day as we move closer to the fall semester. I find myself stepping into a much different and more complex role of supporting my colleagues to have the best possible chance in developing courses that best engage and sustain an ongoing relationship with their students. There is much more that I need to do to ensure my own capacity to support my colleagues.