TechTrends

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted personal and professional lives. Graduate students juggle a variety of roles and had to quickly adjust. In this article, six graduate students share their reflections regarding the influence of the pandemic on respective stages in their doctoral program. They provide unique personal and professional perspectives that depict their abrupt shift to remote working and remote learning. The intention of this article is to garner an understanding of graduate students’ challenges during the pandemic, capture their strategies for success, and provide a space for further conversation and support about how the pandemic has impacted graduate students.

During the 2018 Professors in Instructional Design (PIDT) Conference, faculty representing over a dozen institutions met to discuss curricular initiatives that were being implemented across programs, and the challenges and benefits of these initiatives. The discussion focused on several areas, including: interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary programs and courses, online programs, and undergraduate initiatives. The outcome of these conversations led faculty to gather information from across these institutions to highlight and share ways that their respective programs have promoted the field through innovative partnerships, projects, and programs within the broader community. It is anticipated that this summary will serve as a catalyst for other programs to propose and share their own innovative program plans and encourage individuals to attend future PIDT conferences.