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Abstract:
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Yes, there are plenty of reasons why the teaching and learning of statistics may have been compromised during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, rather than dwelling on the negatives that we can let go when the pandemic ends, here I focus on the (actually numerous!) ways in which the pandemic, and in particular the shift to remote learning, may have changed our teaching for the better. The shift to a new format prompted me to rethink my pedagogical approach. The fact that my students are online anyway prompted an embrace of technology during class time, rather than an avoidance for fear of distraction. The fact that students are all taking exams online prompted a more seamless integration of technology on exams, and more innovative thinking about academic integrity. Chat allows many students to reply to open-ended questions simultaneously. Polling in Zoom allows for real-time active learning with nothing additional needed. Lectures are recorded so students can review or make up missed classes at their leisure. The list continues! My point is that pedagogically it wasn't all bad, and there are aspects we may want to retain as we look forward to a post-COVID era.
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