www.baypath.edu
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In March 2020, when COVID-19 emptied quads and cleared out
dormitories throughout the country, even the most reluctant
students and educators needed to pivot into the era of online
learning. Despite the fact that when the pandemic hit, thirty-
five percent of on-campus college students had already taken
two or more classes online, long-held questions and assumptions
about the legitimacy and quality of online learning remain.
For nearly fifteen years, educators at Bay Path have been
developing and applying alternative schedules and formats
to expand access to college courses, faculty, and students.
So, we're able to draw upon a toolbox of technologies and
supports created specifically for the online learner, earning
national recognition for the support we were able to provide.
For those who've been out of virtual or campus-based classroom
for some time, it's time to take another look at where online
learning is today, and where it's going.
M Y T H # 1
Zoom is a poor substitute
for an actual classroom.
Despite the experiences of frustrated parents helping young
children Zoom through elementary school, online learning is
not based on merely transferring the traditional classroom to
the virtual space, and Zoom is just one tool in an increasingly
stocked toolbox of educational technology resources.
A core concept propelling the innovation of online education
and the creation of new learning resources is Universal Design
for Learning (UDL), which looks at cognitive sciences and
examines various ways people learn in order to develop a
broader framework of learning environments, spaces, and
experiences. UDL categorizes learning into visual, auditory,
kinesthetic, and tactile modalities, allowing students to select
from and adopt a variety of approaches based on their own
preferences. So, if classroom learning is still a preferred experi-
ence, a professor can post lectures and lead discussions via
Zoom, but also, students can tap into a host of additional mate-
rials, simulations, and projects that allow them to engage more
deeply with their coursework in a more personalized way,
going beyond what a classroom can provide.
M Y T H # 2
An online degree isn't
valued at the same level
as a traditional degree.
When a student obtains her bachelor's degree through The
American Women's College, she receives a diploma from Bay
Path University. The curriculum, standards, and expectations of
our online programs are equivalent to those we offer on campus.
There is a rigorous and in-depth process and evaluation that all
institutions must go through in order to receive accreditation.
Both Bay Path University and The American Women's College
are accredited by the same organization, the New England
Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
M Y T H # 3
Online learning isn't
for serious students.
The average age of online college students
is 32, and eighty-four percent are employed. Only five percent
are first-time college students. Balancing schoolwork with
adult responsibilities requires time management skills and a
level of commitment that only the most serious and focused
students can manage. The faculty of our online program
undergo a comprehensive onboarding process, followed up
with consistent training and skills development to ensure they
are not only bringing subject matter expertise to their classes
but also, a mastery of technology and pedagogy that enables
them to promote learning, community, and collaboration in a
virtual environment.
M Y T H # 4
You miss out on
social interaction going
to college online.
The real, measurable results of a support system are intrinsic to
the women's college experience at Bay Path, both on-campus
and online. Online students go through an on-boarding orien-
tation process and are matched with peer mentors to boost
connections. In developing the virtual learning environment,
the University prioritizes relationship building, and all courses
promote a great deal of discussion, resulting in a culture in
which student groups such as the recently formed Society for
Culture Awareness and Diversity, an ambassador program
organized by women of color, can launch.
Through Facebook, online students not only participate in,
but oversee and administer a social platform for engagement.
Even before the pandemic, online education was making
college more accessible to more students. But at this point,
students and educators at every level of education are learning
new lessons about ways to learn and teaching us what's
possible if we're willing to let go of certain traditions and
embrace the inevitability of new ones.