When asked what were the best aspects of online teaching, instructors said:

• I can privately message non-engaged students
• students travel time is reduced
• we now have a lot of new resources (videos, websites, etc.) for the upcoming year
• this situation allowed for continuing education regardless of physical location
• pushed instructors to become better communicators
• instructors became more technically literate
• our whole department became a single team
• LMS grading saved time
• some students learned more working by themselves

Here are instructors’ comments about the worst aspects of online instruction:

• lack of student engagement
• it was hard to get to know students without face-to-face interaction or as another instructor put it, “knowing the nuances of side-by-side instruction is lost”
• some students not believing online classes are “real school”
• there was a lack of consistency in teaching across all faculty
• rubrics of evaluation of student-produced foods
• food safety and sanitation in student setting outside lab

How do these ideas compare to your experiences?

You might also be interested in these stories about culinary instructors online teaching experiences during the past few months.

Click here to read the story “Online education’s remarkable moments.”
Click here to read how culinary student Clare Ward started her own food cooking and delivery business when her classes and internship were cancelled.
Click here to read one instructor's experience with Zoom fatigue in both her students and colleagues.
Click here to read the story "Culinary Education’s Online Metamorphosis."