Pub. 2 2020 Issue 3

tools and materials. Not being able to touch that car and feel what it’s like to do certain repairs. That part will need to wait. What we did as a faculty was short of a miracle. We all fig- ured how to use the learning management system we call Canvas in which the Zoom app is embedded. On there we can post assignments, homework, quizzes, even videos and other information. One instructor set up a camera, microphone and computer in his garage at home, bugged his own cars and runs virtual labs from there. Pretty cool. Another one of our adjuncts has a shop and he has been using Zoom for his “lab” class. He does demonstrations and he has asked students to video themselves doing some of the procedures on their own vehicles. There is so much we have all come up with to keep the training moving forward. For me, it has been a real eye opener as like many people, we get in a routine and we tend not to do things outside of our comfort zone. I have spent each day sitting in my makeshift office at home searching the internet for helpful information to assist me in getting information to my students. It is amazing how much there is out there. For instance, companies like 3M, Polyvance, SEM and scores of others have videos and training materials at no cost listed on their websites and YouTube. And because of the COVID-19 virus and the stay at home orders, there are others that have stepped up and are providing training materials and webinars for FREE! Organizations like I-CAR and Collision Hub are hosting free webinars weekly and posting them online for future use. Textbook publishers have reached out to instructors to help in providing assis- tance in setting up PowerPoints, quizzes and other materi- als on the learning management systems at no cost. I take these videos and post them for students to view and answer questions I put on Canvas. I host Zoom lectures with them a couple times each week. It’s almost like being in the classroom. So, what started out as a very stressful situation has actually turned out to be a great learning experience for me and my students. I know that the way we teach will be changed forever. Now, to just get back in the shop to get some hands on experience … FOR ME, IT HAS BEEN A REAL EYE OPENER AS LIKE MANY PEOPLE, WE GET IN A ROUTINE AND WE TEND NOT TO DO THINGS OUTSIDE OF OUR COMFORT ZONE. N E W H A M P S H I R E 15