Stories

Engineers are agile, thoughtful problem solvers. So when, in response to a growing worldwide coronavirus crisis, faculty were given less than 24 hours to move their instruction and finals to an online format, the men and women of the Santa Clara University School of Engineering took on the challenge with verve and creativity.

Departments and chairs and deans met immediately to develop a plan. A shared Google Drive document was created to capture the faculty’s tips and best practices for using tools such as Zoom or GoToMeeting for instruction. Faculty and lab assistants restructured most of the laboratories to allow remote teamwork appropriate for the specific material to be covered. Advisors zoomed with their senior design teams to reassess the scope and determine realistic outcomes for capstone projects. With their propensity for putting students first, faculty quickly solicited student suggestions and feedback, and designed classes to be interactive and engaging in the new virtual classroom setting. 

As finals were wrapping up, early feedback was that things had gone well, especially given the short amount of lead time. And as Santa Clara adapts to instruction being conducted remotely through the end of the academic year, faculty and administrators continue to meet to discuss how to best provide the high-quality, personalized, Jesuit tradition-steeped engineering education Santa Clara is known for.

For now, it is business as unusual; but these problem solvers are fully committed to continuing Santa Clara’s tradition.