My thoughts and reflections just after the first semester at Brandeis International Business School
In 2018 I graduated from the Faculty of Economy, University of Tirana and got a job in banking and I thought my student life was over with a compunction: -Not being able to study at an international university and experience not only a different standard of teaching but also a cultural enrichment. Thanks to the MIP scholarship by AADF (Albanian-American Development Foundation) I was provided the opportunity to study in the United States.
I arrived in the U.S in the middle of a global pandemic, and the Universities had already adapted to the “new reality”. During the summer break, Brandeis University had followed an intensive program based on training for the professors and staff to provide hybrid classes (online and in-person) with the same quality as before the pandemic and was ranked among the best business schools in the world for the fast online adaption. Coming from Albania, at first, I felt unlucky that I would not be able to attend all the classes in person, but just after the first couple of weeks, I witnessed that using a variety of online platforms such as Zoom, Workday, Google Services, Latte, etc. made learning easier and offered some facilities that were very close subsidiaries of the in-person classes.
In my opinion, one of the most important differences in attending a University in the United States is that professors embrace innovation and adapt to it quickly. I was surprised how quick the professors at Brandeis were familiarized to use all the different features of the online platforms to increase their teaching efficiency and provide the students with “virtual reality” experiences such as:
- During most of the classes, professors used “Breakout Rooms” features in Zoom to assign classwork. This way they not only replaced the need to assign problems in class but also stimulated students to network and talk to each other.
- Aware of the difficulties to have professional discussions in a class by the online environment, professors allocated an average of 20% of the overall grade into class participation.
- To manage the class discussions efficiently, professors instructed the students on how to use “Raise hand” and other quick reactions toolbar in Zoom
- Using “Share Screen” and “Remote Share Screen” for the Host and Co-Host, professors, and Teaching Assistants provided a really easy way to teach. Students could directly see the professor’s screen and any app he/she used to solve the problems.
- Connecting a tablet at the meeting, professors were able to share with students their hand-written notes, which were very helpful to focus on the explanation of the problem and the logic of it.
- All the classes were recorded, so if I couldn’t remember something or needed to review it later, I could go back at any moment. This was also very helpful, especially during the midterms and finals.
The above and other advantages of the online platforms made me believe that online classes will be the future even after the pandemic, they offer a lot of facilities that not only help the process of teaching but also the student’s learning.
©️ Klaudio Prifti, MIP fellow, MBA at Brandeis University, Boston
