SCUPI

On November 1st, the third teaching seminar of the Fall 2024 semester at Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute (SCUPI) was held in Room N-209 of the SCUPI new building. The seminar was led by Professor Robyn Najar and focused on the theme “Post-Pandemic Conversations: Student Learning.” The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of SCUPI, Dr. TsunZee Mai, and over 30 faculty and staff members attended the seminar.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, classroom teaching faced unprecedented challenges. Some in the education sector believe that the pandemic negatively affected learning outcomes, while others think it spurred innovation in teaching methods. In this seminar, Professor Robyn Najar presented research conducted in the Netherlands, the United States, India, and through multi-country collaborations on learning outcomes during the pandemic. These studies found that home-based learning during the pandemic led to varying degrees of learning loss across primary, secondary, and higher education levels. This issue was especially pronounced among students from low-income families, ethnic minorities, marginalized groups, and families with lower educational attainment.

Considering this conclusion, researchers are actively exploring effective strategies to reduce learning loss during home-based learning and enhance learning outcomes. Specific strategies include empowering teachers to ensure they have the skills and teaching materials necessary for effective remote instruction; tailoring learning plans for students, increasing extracurricular learning time, and expanding after-school learning programs; and enhancing personalized attention for students, particularly those facing difficulties, to ensure they can keep pace with their studies.

Professor Robyn Najar also delved into the pros and cons of online learning models. During the pandemic, online learning became widely adopted. Due to its convenience and flexibility, some students wish to retain certain aspects of online learning even after the pandemic ends. However, many students are reluctant to enroll in fully online courses, believing that in-person classroom instruction is more effective. They identified challenges associated with online courses, such as increased distractions, heightened feelings of boredom, and decreased self-discipline.

To address these challenges, related research suggests improving the online learning experience through the following methods: 1) conducting surveys to understand student needs, setting clear goals and parameters for online teaching, and evaluating the online learning environment; 2) enhancing the core attributes of online courses with differentiated elements; and 3) developing clear teaching plans and management guidelines. Additionally, online teaching should incorporate clear learning roadmaps, user-friendly digital interfaces, balanced learning formats, and engaging content presentation. It should also provide opportunities for practical learning, adaptive learning, timely assistance, and robust community support to further optimize students’ online learning experiences and improve learning outcomes.

The faculty and staff in attendance showed great interest in Professor Robyn Najar’s presentation and engaged in lively discussions on topics such as enhancing teaching quality, sparking student interest, online learning and student privacy. They shared their experiences and insights from their teaching practices, providing valuable references for further optimizing pedagogy.

SCUPI will continue to hold teaching seminars that foster reflective exploration of teaching practices and philosophies, facilitating discussions to ensure the ongoing enhancement and advancement of the Institute’s teaching quality.