Reflection on COVID-19

 BEING A TECH LEADER IN THE  CENTURY OF COVID-19

The confinement we are currently experiencing has turned the whole life of the University of Vermont upside down. It has now been more than 2 weeks since our university had to close its doors and try to adapt to an unprecedented situation, which radically changes our operating methods, our working relationships, our teaching. That is to say, the effort required of everyone so that our public service missions can be carried out at best; this requires a time of adaptation that everyone, students, faculty and staff, will be able to understand.

In an emergency, UVM had to develop and initiate an administrative continuity plan. It is a question of ensuring that the departments can work and guarantee essential activities (staff pay, IT maintenance and response to demand, building security, etc.) even when the university is closed. Equally important, a distance learning plan was implemented to ensure continuity of teaching and monitoring of students during this confinement period. As a tech leader, I want my students to be assured of the commitment of the university and staff to quality education. Even in delicate circumstances, everything in my power will be done to provide caring support and to ensure training is guaranteed.

WHAT TECH TOOLS TO USE? 
 These past couple of weeks have been challenging for me as a student and a teacher. Since the University switched to distance learning, I had to figure out how to still teach my classes and what platforms I could use for both of the classes that I'm teaching this semester. I am grateful for this course and to the previous ED tech course that I took with Professor Delabruere as I learned so many new tech tools that could be used in the classroom and that I didn't know existed. The challenge was finding a tool that we could use with a small class 8-14 students and a tool that I can use with 105 students. I have never been a top fan of Twitter; however, during this crisis, I become really fond of twitter as I was able to find different resources. What reassured me was that I wasn't alone and that educators all over the world were also looking for resources to use in their classrooms. I was able to find many resources, besides the ones that were recommended by the University of Vermont. I also divided the large class into groups and created journals on Blackboard where they could communicate directly with me if they had any questions. We were getting over 50 emails a day, and I found it easier to create a special place where students could communicate with me. I started using some features of google classrooms, which I found interesting. I found a tutorial on youtube that I found helpful. I also recorded my lecture and slides on PPT, but I kept it short as I didn't want it to be boring for the students. To review for the midterm, I created a Kahoot, and I shared the link with the students. That they could also play and review the content with their groups.
ON A PERSONAL LEVEL
The past couple of weeks have been hectic as I was stuck in Canada and couldn't go back to the United States since the borders were closed.
In my country, The entire school system and the daycare centers closed until further notice. This measure had severe consequences for millions of workers who will have to organize to babysit or telecommute. A shock measure to counter the most critical health crisis that the government has known for a century, according to the Head of State, who affirmed that our absolute priority will be our health.
I had so many questions, and I didn't know how to answer them, especially that everyone is busy dealing with this pandemic. What does this situation mean to me as an international student at the University of Vermont? Should I go home? Should I stay here? The University sent us an email saying that all students should go home. It's easy for someone to drive to Connecticut, Boston, or upstate New York, but I need to take 3 flights and spend about 30 hours traveling to go home.
 What does that mean when students don't have homes to go to?  Has the University of Vermont or the international student office taken into consideration the fact that airports are closed and that students can't leave campus because they can't fly home?  So many questions yet to be answered...