Matthew Hankins, History Department

The Catalyst (TC): What do you think about the announcement to continue online distance learning until December?

Matthew Hankins (MH): “I guess mixed of course. Of course I would like to be in the classroom teaching, but I really don’t want to do that until it’s safe for everyone. I approve of the decision knowing that we should have people’s health first.”

TC: Do you prefer to be online or on-campus?

MH: “When there is no pandemic, I definitely prefer to be in person, but with the current state of affairs that it obviously is not possible right now. We are doing the best we can in a difficult situation”

TC: How has online distance learning changed your teaching?

MH:“It has made me feel a lot more disconnected with my students.I think it is a lot harder to develop relationships with students online. This is why I am looking forward to going back to school in person and working on developing relationships with students and building that relationship.”