COVID-19 Discussion with Ric Wilson
By Nick King
Earlier I sat down with Ric Wilson, a close family friend of mine who is a graphic design professor at the University of Missouri. It is common knowledge that the pandemic going throughout the country, as well as the world, has drastically affected the overall health of people as well as the economy. But what does that look like for a University professor who has had to make adjustments in teaching style that could potentially affect the next semester as well as this one?
From this Q&A, we dove into the perspective of a professor at a prestigious university who is in the majority when it comes to making changes. This was a very interesting opportunity for me because I am on the other side of him as a student adjusting to the new way of education and it was a good experience for me to see and hear the other side of this situation. Here’s what Ric had to say on the issues.
Q: How has the pandemic affected the faculty at Mizzou?
A: The faculty were all displaced. In my program there were very few classes being taught online. So, in the span of 2-weeks we had to learn how to deliver course content virtually. The learning curve was pretty short, but it has fundamentally changed how we teach our students. While most of today’s college students are tech-savvy, being online students has been a great source of anxiety. We have meetings twice a week to critique work and just chat about how they are doing.
Q: How have you adjusted to online learning?
A: I have 12 graduating Seniors who are going to miss walking through the columns and a celebration of their hard-earned accomplishments. We have an annual show for our Seniors that will have to be online. That is the time when we get to say goodbye to kids we’ve known for 3 years and get to meet their parents. Saying goodbye and good luck aren’t the same via Zoom.
Q: Do you think the pandemic will carry over into next semester?
A: We have already moved all of our Summer courses to online delivery. As for next Fall, only time will tell. I don’t think anybody really knows.
Q: How are your students doing with the new form of education being online only?
A: Most of my students are doing fine with the adjustment due to most of my course work requiring online programs and engagement with technology to begin with, so in general, my course has not been a super taxing one to adjust to completely online. So overall, my students are doing well.
Q: You being a graphic design professor, do you think online learning has affected you more or less than other professors?
A: Everyone at the University is affected by the virus, I think the fact that most of my teaching and projects required computers and online programs is a benefit to me, but obviously having my students in the class with me, being able to provide in-person help is always preferred. But to loop back around to your question, I think I am in a better spot than some professors who had no online requirement and had to completely shift the way they teach their material. My classes are getting shorter each day because the students are losing motivation.
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