Policy in the classroom

“You have to be a little more mindful of how you’re going to implement policies.” Dr. Scot Thomas,Architect and Adjunct Professor at Frederick Community College, United States.

explains. Inspiring students has always been Dr. Thomas’s drive to teach. His passion for teaching was inspired by watching his mother, a local community college professor, teach communications and witness the impact she had on her students. After establishing his career as an architect, Thomas decided to follow her footsteps by teaching courses at Frederick Community College as an adjunct professor. He wanted to be able to inspire students and leave an impact just as his mother had done when he was a child. He finds teaching communications a deeply fulfilling experience. He expressed how he not only gets to meet but also connect with so many unique individuals and help them along their educational journey; even if it’s just for a semester. While teaching is a passion that Thomas fully enjoys, he also emphasises how policies in the academic setting can drastically affect not only faculty but students as well.

Policies make more of a difference than people realise. “Policy affects how much we can teach, how many we can teach, and how much we can deviate from the standard teaching plan” explains Thomas. School boards often implement policies based more on theory rather than practicality. As an adjunct professor, Thomas is paid by the number of classes he teaches. He goes on to explain how the board had implemented a policy change limiting the number of classes he was allowed to teach. The new policy restricted the number of classes down to 5-6 classes allowed as an adjunct professor. By reducing the number of classes, Dr. Thomas expressed how this policy had affected his daily life because it affected him financially due to the cuts. The board did not factor in the financial strain that adjunct faculty would have.

There is often a disconnect between the school board and those actually in the classrooms. Not only does the board fail to consider issues that are prevalent within these classes; there is also a lack of communication between the board and faculty. “These policies trickle down based on status and are trickled down later than usual” shares Thomas. He goes on to explain how last summer there had been departmental changes across the board without proper notification. Instead of being informed immediately, he found out about the change through word of mouth in the fall. This announcement came later than he was given time to prepare. He also clarifies that many of these policies are not just due to mindset but also resources and budgetary constraints. If schools are able to receive more funding, then they would have greater access to better resources. “More resources create a greater impact on students” explains Thomas.

Not all policies implemented by the board have negative outcomes. Thomas recalls the early days of the pandemic when Coronavirus first hit the U.S and lockdown order were put in effect. Many places had to shut down to help reduce the spread of the virus, including schools and colleges across the country. “During Covid, our main concern was how will we keep in touch? How can we keep classes not just practical but also human?” In an isolated time, the board implemented policies that transitioned in-person classes to online ones. This wasn’t just so students could continue their education during quarantine; it was also a way to stay connected with the world in such an isolating time. Thomas reflects, “These policies would help connect the students instead of widening that disconnect.”

The pandemic highlighted not only challenges but also opportunities. School boards turned their focus on how policies could expand on human connection in a time when it was severely needed. Once the lockdowns were lifted across the nation, many people began to slowly resume their daily lives; this included slowly returning to in-person classes. Instead of remaining entirely online, Thomas explains how the school began to transition to hybrid courses, and then eventually back to in-person learning. Along with these changes came a new policy for professors. The board had removed some of the barriers on how professors could design their classes. Instead of strictly following templates, they were given more leverage based on their expertise. Thomas explains how these changes helped students learn more effectively and communicate better within small groups. “It was more theory-based before, now it’s more practical. More hands-on,” he says.

When asked how policies can be made to be more impactful for real people, Dr. Thomas emphasises that policymakers should be looking at a variety of factors. “Look at other options, strengthen some, maybe cut others in some areas,” he says. “Offer benefits that could support faculty members,” Thomas stresses that the only way to humanise policy is to look at it from a human point of view rather than a technical one. These policies are meant to help people, so it is important that they be designed with people in mind. Dr. Thomas leaves us with one final thought: “Policies need to take in the culture of what you are designing policies for”.

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Soha is a  | Digital Marketing and Publishing Associate at PolicyCON

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