Classes may have been suspended because of SARS, but teaching continues - in a different way.
A Northern Jiaotong University professor, Jiang Xueqing, is teaching her students over the phone.Since April 20, she has been phoning 26 freshmen - only four of whom remained on campus. Every other day, the teacher informs them about the SARS situation in Beijing and tells them to be careful. She then tells them to carry on with their studies and answers any questions.This special approach to teaching is one of the many ways universities are trying to hold to the academic schedule.
Crisis learning
First-year student Liu Linde, at Northern Jiaotong, is one of the 400 students under two-week quarantine since April 26. He said he likes Jiang's one-on-one approach and it helped him develop self-study habits.He will be allowed to step out of his dorm and stroll around the campus after the May-8 release day. But, this form of learning, confined to the dorm and receiving distant aid, may have to continue."Self-study will be part of the curriculum process. Students need to discipline themselves to finish the study load," Wang Xiangping, head of the university's news centre, said."We hope to resume classes on May 21. Meanwhile the school has adjusted curriculum plans to make up for lost course time."Wang said teachers were working on papers of instruction with key course points and homework that could be sent to students via email or regular post.
At Tsinghua University, the SARS outbreak has not meant the suspension of classes, but, teaching plans have had to be adjusted.According to the school's teaching affairs office, some experiments have been made optional for science students. Students are also advised to spend more time studying in dorms and less time in the labs.
Universities in Beijing are confident that holiday time will be as scheduled despite of the SARS impact. Even at schools where all classes have been suspended, "The curriculum plan will be completed and holidays will be on time if normal teaching can resume in late May," Wang said.Some final exams will be conducted differently.More courses will involve reports or papers, according to Professor Jiang. Open tests will be used for some courses as well, she said.
At Tsinghua, papers are preferred. For those who insist on sitting an exam, online testing will be made available."Some teachers may also give more weight to attendance and class performance. Final exam scores will mean less," said Zhou Yuehong, Tsinghua's media co-ordinator.Job searches have been interrupted and interviews have been postponed. Some students have missed out on job opportunities.Northern Jiaotong graduate Xiao He was shortlisted by a company for a mid-April interview. He was turned down a week later because he came from a SARS-hit school.
Graduation and jobs
"The employment rate for our school will decline," said Chen Feng, who is in charge of career services at Northern Jiaotong.But he told graduates to be optimistic: "Do not just wait. All is not lost. Those who have had successful interviews can speed things up by signing agreements by mail. Those who are still searching for a job could try online services."Chen has also asked companies to show more consideration to job-seekers. He said the school was doing its part to help students finish papers, the last step before graduating. Additional staff have been appointed to help."Some students whose graduation needs to be supported by an experiment can skip it now and do the other parts," Chen added."Some can choose another research topic if the supervisor thinks it necessary."
(21st Century Zhang Haigang, 08-05-2003)
