Fellow:Christopher Forte


Name Christopher Forte School (Cohort) Michigan Technological University (2021 Cohort) Undergraduate Study Economics Graduate Study Computer Science Country United States Email cforte7171@gmail.com

Introduction

Greetings!

I am thrilled to be a member of the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) community.

As an agent of socially responsible innovation, I intend to share a contemporary approach to product development that encourages creative expression throughout the intuitive design process, while maintaining an adherence to the higher ideals that define the project in development.

A Protocol for an Improved Post-Quarantine Learning Experience

The sudden onset of Covid-19 in Spring 2020 brought upon a variety of unprecedented changes in our daily lives. One of the most significant paradigm shifts that occurred involved our ailing academic system. Global quarantine introduced millions of students to the novel reality of digital education as learning institutions transitioned their curriculum to the digital medium. Michigan Technological University, (MTU), responded in the same fashion.

A year later, students and faculty have returned to campuses across the world with lingering concerns regarding in-person education. The circumstances at MTU are no different. Easing the seismic transition will require learning institutions to actively engage with their demographics to determine next steps. This is particularly significant in deciding what quarantine-era adjustments will be integrated into course agendas and what modifications will be left out. Similarly, mounting pressure is weighing on universities to invest in improvements to their academic offerings following Covid-19. Determining where these opportunities exist to improve learning experiences beyond pre-Covid standards will require detailed introspection that is centered around student and faculty opinion.

My goal as a University Innovation Fellow is to assess MTU’s student, faculty, and administrative bodies to generate recommended measures toward developing a post-quarantine protocol that aims to ensure an effective transition towards an improved post-quarantine learning experience.