Center for Teaching & Learning's Award Ceremony for

COVID-19 Countering TAs

▲ Photo of the COVID-19 Countering TAs for 2020 Spring Semester

An award ceremony was held at the Center for Teaching & Learning (203, CY Hall) on July 7 in honor of the teaching assistants (TAs) who have been serving as an exclusive group dedicated to providing assistance in countering COVID-19, especially in stabilizing the e-learning system during the spring semester of 2020. Director Lee Yekyung presented the awards to six TAs in person.

In an effort to ensure smooth operation in this unprecedented rollout of contactless classes, the TAs, throughout the whole semester, worked to respond to inquiries via Cyber Sogang Campus to support operation, along with 1:1 training with professors for online classes (introduction of Cyber Campus' functions, online lectures via ZOOM, production and editing of videos, etc.), online manual production, and lecture support (producing and converting class materials, etc.). Besides this, they also provided assistance in creating quality materials for professors who were unfamiliar with online classes and Cyber Campus.

These TAs were chosen from February to March and received training offered by the Center for Teaching & Learning every semester. For this last semester, in particular, they personally took intensive training focused on the use of Cyber Sogang Campus before being put to work.

The TAs said, "We tried our best to handle professors' inquiries but encountered frustrations when, due to overwhelming phone calls, our answers were delayed or there were issues beyond our authority." On the other hand, they said they felt greatly encouraged by the professors who made personal visits to the center to thank them, offered help with their own tips on the use of Zoom, or shared challenges experienced during online classes.

Choi Yu Jin, a student majoring in History Education in the Graduate School of Education, said, "I felt sorry and a bit overwhelmed when it took so long to solve an issue, and yet, it was so rewarding when professors thanked us for our efforts during the semester. It was also a good experience for me to realize what great efforts our professors were taking by seeing how they put students first in consideration for their lectures, exams, and scores."

While presenting the award certificates, Professor Lee Yekung, Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning, remarked, "I am thankful for your hard work in sparing no effort to help overcome the challenge to cover e-learning due to COVID-19 for the spring semester. Thanks to you, we have been able to bring a successful conclusion to the semester."

▲(From the top) Yang Dong Yun (Economics, 2014), Jeong So Hi (History Education Major, Graduate School of Education), Kim Su Ha (Economics, Graduate School), Kwon Gyeong Il (Business School, 2013), Lee Su Min (Mathematics, 2014), and Choi Yu Jin (History Education Major)