Virtual Learning Challenges Students to Be Self-Directed

GRAMBLING, LA – December 7, 2020 The effect of the global coronavirus pandemic on college campuses was the topic of a student Transformational Conversations panel this past week led by Dr. Monica Flippin Wynn.

The session was one in a series sponsored by the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education.

Grambling State University Freshman Thyme Turner of Raymond, Mississippi, served as one of three student panelists for the series. Her major is Child Development and Early Literacy with a concentration in teacher certification.

Turner, who is a member of GSU’s World Famed Marching Band, said she “didn’t expect to be in school during a pandemic.”

She chose to take hybrid classes, but all but one was entirely online.

That wasn’t completely new for her. “High school ended virtually,” she said. “When we were doing virtual work, I had way more work than I would have by attending classes.”

“You would think it would be easier, but it’s really not,” she said. “And it’s hard to sit there and be disciplined enough to do your work.”

But she found the college experience, even during a pandemic, to be exciting.

“It actually was a dream, to be honest,” she said.

For more information, please contact mediarelations@gram.edu.

About the John N. Gardner Institute

The John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education is a non-profit organization dedicated to partnering with colleges, universities, philanthropic organizations, educators, and other entities to increase institutional responsibility for improving outcomes associated with teaching, learning, retention, and completion. Through its efforts, the Institute will strive to advance higher education’s larger goal of achieving equity and social justice.

About Dr. Flippin Wynn

Dr. Monica Flippin Wynn  is an Assistant Vice President at the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. Prior to joining the Institute staff in October 2019, she was  Associate Professor and Director of undergraduate and Interim Director of graduate communication programs at Lindenwood University and she served as Associate Professor of Mass Communications at Jackson State University.

Dr. Flippin Wynn earned her PhD in Communications from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, a Master of Science from the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater, and her undergraduate degree from Southern University.

About Grambling State University

Grambling State University, located in Grambling, Louisiana, is a historically black university founded in 1901 that combines the academic strengths of a major university with the benefits of a small college. This combination enables students to grow and learn in a serene and positive environment. The 590-acre campus offers 43 undergraduate and graduate academic programs. A member of the University of Louisiana System, Grambling State University has been accredited by 13 accrediting associations and holds accreditations in all programs required by the Louisiana Board of Regents. With a longstanding tradition of excellence, Grambling State University continues to emphasize the value and importance of each student, exemplified by our motto: Where Everybody Is Somebody.