UMASC FORUM
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“Social connection is the greatest human need after food and shelter. It predicts psychological health, physical health, recovery from disease, and longevity — it has a huge impact on our well-being.”
“The good news is that since social connection is subjective, it has nothing to do with how many friends you have or how much contact you have with people. All that matters is your perception, which you can shape by engaging in uplifting activities that help you feel closer to others.”
Citation below
With the above concepts in mind, the office staff is transitioning the Senior College website to a more interactive, participatory venue, including easy access to:
• Zoom activities,
• Discussion forum, and
• Tutorial guidance for both.
A website that promotes our campus activities is meaningless when campus is closed. For a while, at least, perhaps a long while, this shift is necessary, though it is not what anyone wanted. After all, a major benefit of Senior College is to get out of the house, away from screens, and associate with real people. But mothered by necessity, an online alternative is, for many, far better than nothing. We hope that our community of students and instructors will benefit from these new tools. Who knows? Some of them may even come in handy, combined with campus activities, once the campus is reopened!
Mike Bell Leads the Way
Mike Bell, a historian and popular teacher at Senior College, like all of us, was very disappointed when the decision to cancel spring semester classes was announced. He felt strongly that the students who had enrolled in his class were entitled to the course. Mike was determined to provide both for himself and his students the opportunity to benefit from the routine of a regularly scheduled activity during this extraordinary time. He would present the class online using Zoom though he had never actually seen or participated in a Zoom activity.
This first-time Zoom experience for Senior College has been a great success! If you are unfamiliar with how people interact with Zoom, as Mike was, click the above video to see highlights of Mike’s very first class – a few minutes of students entering the class, and then Mike introducing a bit about the class. Each of his Roosevelt classes is posted online here, though watching the video is not the same as being there!
Citation: 5 Games to Play on Video Chat During Quarantine by Micaela Marini Higgs, New York Times • Published April 23, 2020