In Renée Cramer’s Reproductive Law and Politics course, students have the opportunity not only to read influential works but also to meet with the authors personally.
Jennifer Block, an independent journalist who writes about health, gender, and conflict of interest in medicine, planned to visit the Drake campus in April. Students in Cramer’s class had read one of Block’s books and were anticipating meeting her when the trip had to be canceled due to COVID-19. Despite this setback, Cramer was able to arrange for Block to speak with the class remotely via videoconferencing. Within the same week, California filmmakers Angie and Mike Sonrode, who made The MidDrift Movement, also visited the class via a virtual drop-in.
“Higher education is much more adaptable than it may appear,” Cramer said. “I’ve centered myself on serving students, and I think I will emerge a better instructor as a result of this forced move to remote instruction.”
