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If true - and the timetable remotely realistic, then lots of parts of society are going to be tempted to "wait until April". It will be the answer to everything. And carrying on rather than pausing in Jan/Feb/Mar will be deeply unfashionable. HE needs to think that through now. https://twitter.com/HSJnews/status/1329795301897613314
What you start to explore is the idea of a break for both students and staff in HE - to catch a breath, catch up, recharge etc in Jan and Feb - and then an online only March. You do push the trad year in the summer but maybe push back start of next academic year by 6 weeks or so.
That helps with post-16 exams etc. If you MUST keep September starts you move it slowly back over 2-3 years. Loads of practical issues to think about. But why subject everyone to another very complex and miserable Jan/Feb/Mar when you could "leave it til April"
The whole thing will be like as follows. You've been driving for hours. It's dark. It's raining. You're tired. The motorway services are coming up. If you stop for another hour, you'll be even more late. But if you don't and you drive past, you may crash. So you should stop, eh.
Don't drive on. Stop, get a coffee. Stick some coins in here.
If having a Jan/Feb/Mar pause in the sector is too mind-blowing, I can easily see staff taking industrial action and students refusing to re-enrol to force it. Leave it til April is going to be the phrase on EVERYONE'S lips.
Right now is a good time to invest in bunny costumes. With apologies to Christians, it looks like Easter is the new Christmas.
If nothing else it suddenly makes lots of things that people are bodging or cancelling suddenly look viable if delayed. Practical components. Work experience. Lab work. Studio work. If all that is suddenly possible after Easter and we don't delay...
... just imagine how hard done by this student cohort is going to feel!
Just imagine the joy at being able to give people a proper break and time to prep next term. Don't have to pause all three months, but wow. The sheer potential relief of it all. Even if it slips we have a bit of time to get testing right to enable a hybrid March.
It's a really good bet, it ticks lots of boxes, it saves the year for students, I could go on and on. Imagine us carrying on when loads of the rest of society is burning off all its annual leave in January and February!
The sheer volume of students worried they've not learned enough this term warrants the pause as a catch up period if nothing else. And as a way of allowing students on practical courses the ability to get the hands on experience they deserve, its a "no brainer" as they say.
If anyone can think of practical problems or benefits I've missed, let me know!
I'm so excited about this that I might design a twibbon @jonwillchambers
The Times has written it up i see
