Alfie Scholars gives a Civility Shout-Out to UNC Professor Brandon L. Bayne
Alfie Scholars gives a Civility Shout-Out to Brandon L. Bayne, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Professor Bayne rose to the challenge of revising his course syllabus by first drafting some guiding principles that provided a civil and compassionate lens to moving the entire course and learning experience online. Bravo Professor Bayne for recognizing the power of acknowledging that business is not as usual and that everyone has to be humane and flexible as we do our best to meet our most significant mutual objective: Providing the best educational experience as possible under these crisis circumstances and ensuring that students can complete their education degree requirements as close to their anticipated completion date as reasonably possible. He posted the syllabus, which has gone viral. Thank you Professor Bayne.
Here is his Religion in America, Spring 2020 Syllabus:
Adjusted Syllabus
Spring 2020
Brandon Bayne
UNC - Chapel Hill
Principles
1. Nobody signed up for this.
Not for the sickness, not for the social distancing, not for the sudden end of our collective lives together on campus
Not for an online class, not for teaching remotely, not for learning from home, not for mastering new technologies, not for varied access to learning materials
2. The humane option is the best option.
We are going to prioritize supporting each other as humans
We are going to prioritize simple solutions that make sense for the most
We are going to prioritize sharing resources and communicating clearly
3. We cannot just do the same thing online.
Some assignments are no longer possible
Some expectations are no longer reasonable
Some objectives are no longer valuable
4. We will foster intellectual nourishment, social connection, and personal accommodation.
Accessible asynchronous content for diverse access, time zones, and contexts
Optional synchronous discussion to learn together and combat isolation
5. We will remain flexible and adjust to the situation.
Nobody knows where this is going and what we’ll need to adapt
Everybody needs support and understanding in this unprecedented moment
See also: Beckie Supiano, ‘Nobody Signed Up for This’: One Professor’s Guidelines for an Interrupted Semester, March 20, 2020 https://www.chronicle.com/article/Nobody-Signed-Up-for/248298
