04/17/2020

College News

Macaulay’s Programs Sustain Students During Distance Learning

For nearly twenty years, receiving a free laptop during orientation has been one of the most memorable moments for incoming Macaulay Honors College students. The longstanding tradition is based on the college’s commitment to technology and is just one part of a larger strategy.

Now, Macaulay’s long-term investment in instructional technology has yielded several advantages as the college rapidly shifts to distance learning necessitated by the pandemic.

“Our laptop and eportfolio programs already ensured that all our students at all times have access to the necessary hardware and web-based tools (discussion boards, research databases, mapping software, etc.) for online learning,” explains Joseph Ugoretz, Macaulay Chief Academic Officer.

Macaulay also has a cadre of graduate students (our Instructional Technology Fellows-ITFs) who are assigned to each of our honors seminars. They are experts in instructional design, digital tools, and student-centered pedagogy. The ITFs support our unique honors experience, and their skillset has been especially valuable in supporting faculty and students during this crisis.

ITFs keep Macaulay students and faculty connected to CUNY’s larger community of instructional technology professionals, and have joined a university-wide network of specialists sustaining CUNY education during COVID-19.