As the University of Idaho announced they would move to online-only classes departments across UI have had to figure out how to adjust.
The Theatre Arts Department has offered online classes since 2009.
Chair of Theatre Arts Robert Caisley said teaching will resume with recorded lectures, but Theatre Arts professors are finding more creative ways to teach this semester.
“I’m scheduling students who are in the program to share particular skills that they have developed with other students in the program and our students on campus,” Caisely said. “We will be doing a virtual play read, and this is where a director and a group of actors rehearse a play in different roles across the country. We do a reading of it and invite our students, our faculty. If we can get the licensing and rights for the play, then we can invite the community.”
Graduate MFA Theatre Arts student Tanya Thompson and sophomore MFA Theatre Arts student Emma Pace said they had experienced online classes through the Theatre Arts program, so the transition hasn’t affected them as much as other students.
Thompson said she was sad with the cancelation of Theatre Arts plays for the rest of the semester, but she understands the decision.
“My heart goes out to all my fellow actors and actresses who worked hard for these plays, and to see them canceled is heartbreaking,” Thompson said. “I understand the decision, but it is too bad that seniors will not be able to perform in their last year.”
But other departments, like the College of Art and Architecture, specifically students in Art and Design and Interior Architecture and Design programs, may face challenges with studio classes having to move entirely online.
Architecture Program Head Randall Teal said online studio classes had been offered in the past, but they were more limited.
“We’ll be applying that model to all classes now which will involve a lot of posting of work digitally, commenting via email and Zoom conferences,” Teal said. “The studio is a bit more challenging because many people haven’t done an online studio before.”
Other challenges for these students will be their Design-Build project, which involves students physically building a project in the community. Teal said that the Design-Build project would be delayed two weeks because of local businesses closing due to COVID-19.
Program Head of Art and Design Gregory Turner-Rahman said the department is also concerned about studio classes with UI going online only.
“With studio classes in ceramics, printmaking and sculpture, we are trying to change the mode of delivery, and some of the coursework might be a little different, but they will still deal with some of the same topics as some of the other classes,” Turner-Rahman said. “They just won’t have access to the equipment.”
During spring break, faculty in the program came up with alternate assignments and created social media accounts for their students to share work and receive feedback.
Turner-Rahman said he wants students to reach out to professors to talk about any issues they have adjusting to the COVID-19 outbreak that goes beyond schoolwork.
“We have an Instagram and a Facebook page for the college, and they can share information,” Turner-Rahman said. “They can talk to their professors, and if they have any concerns, they can come talk to me as well. We’ll work with the college and the university to help them in any way we can.”
Armin Mesinovic can be reached at [email protected]