OTnews August 2020 | Page 29

STUDENT EDUCATION FEATURE
Supporting students
through a rapidly
changing
landscape
Staff and students from Canterbury
Christ Church University talk
about the benefits of a virtual
coffee break to help
nurture students during
COVID-19
©GettyImages/MesquitaFMS
As the ferocity of COVID-19 emerged in the UK,
Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) rapidly
made the decision to cease all face-to-face teaching
and closed all physical university sites. This sudden
move into a virtual world challenged our ability to nurture our
students.
In response, Sarah Harvey, senior lecturer in occupational
therapy at CCCU created the virtual coffee break.
As the UK entered lockdown, the landscape of higher education
was changing rapidly. Within the university changes were occurring
daily to ensure the ongoing delivery of high-quality learning and
teaching.
Module content had to be quickly re-designed to allow home
delivery and practice placements were shrouded in complexity as
occupational therapy become a frontline high-risk job.
Sarah describes the situation:’It felt like someone had tipped the
normality of university life out of the box, and it was up to us as a
teaching team to formulate order when repacking it.’
Staff worked hard to make the required changes and ensure
an ongoing quality provision amongst new co-workers (children,
partners and pets). Students were expected to study for exams,
juggle home schooling, and complete assignments.
The university was keen to maintain a communication channel
between the teaching team and students that was informal and
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