Frankfurt / Main (dpa / lhe) – Hesse’s universities could again offer lectures and seminars on site after the latest decisions on corona loosening – but for the time being they are still relying on digital courses or examining how to proceed. “There is a lot to consider here, for example – as an example of many – how the strict hygiene and distance rules that still apply should be implemented,” said the Technical University of Darmstadt (TU) for a survey by the German Press Agency. The summer semester, which started in mid-April, has so far been largely online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to a spokesman, the Frankfurt University “continues to design the semester responsibly in digital form”. One shares the assessment of the university rector conference, which had warned of a “hasty” resumption of the face-to-face operation. “Even for didactic and logistical reasons, a quick changeover does not seem to make sense to us,” says the university. The digital semester was planned with enormous effort.
Teachers and students had accepted this challenge “with great commitment”. “In terms of planning security, the semester planning is therefore not completely changed again at short notice.” We welcome the opportunity, where necessary, to complete courses in accompanying face-to-face events.
The country announced on Thursday that the universities will be able to decide on their opening on May 9 (today). “Attendance events are fundamentally possible again from this point onwards, at the same time online offers should continue to be used,” the guidelines stated.
According to the current status, the TU in Darmstadt wants to adhere to the focus on digital teaching. Courses for which digital formats are not possible are expected to take place on June 1. Any changes will be considered in the coming days.
The make-up exams for the winter semester are currently underway at the University of Marburg. According to a spokeswoman, these take place “in face-to-face operation with comprehensive protective measures for teachers and students”. Events with attendance should not start until the catch-up dates have been completed. “At present, only events that require special classrooms may take place in presence: for example, practical sports exercises, laboratory events and field internships.”
The University of Gießen wants to inform its employees and relatives at the beginning of the week about “how research and teaching should be organized in the course of the summer semester 2020 as part of the new official order”.
The University of Kassel welcomes the prospect of “allowing further face-to-face events in the foreseeable future,” said a spokesman. When and in what form this is possible should now be advised and prepared. Despite the difficult conditions, the university had got off to a good start in the digital semester. “The students and teachers have adapted to these teaching formats as far as possible.” A changeover of individual courses for classroom teaching should therefore take place in advance and in advance. “A complete return to face-to-face operation is not possible anyway because the necessary space is not available as long as the hygiene regulations apply.”
The restrictions on curbing the coronavirus pandemic hit universities during the holidays. The semester then started in April with a colorful variety of digital teaching formats. These include live video conferences, educational videos from students or podcasts of lectures.
For a physics lecture at the University of Frankfurt, for example, videos are uploaded to a learning platform. There are also live online question hours and exercises with an online quiz. In short: “Creative formats are allowed.” At the TU in Darmstadt, a virtual building physics laboratory, developed some time ago, can be used, in which VR glasses are used. And a Kassel music lecturer created a virtual choir leader seminar.
Even if online teaching poses challenges for universities – the advantages are also evident. Evelyn Korn, Vice President of the University of Marburg, reported: “I am often even asked by teachers:” When do I have to go back to classroom teaching again? I would like to continue working with the digital tools. “Of course, this will remain possible for the entire semester.”
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