Items

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  2020-06-04

  COVID-19 puts National WWII Museum 20th anniversary online

  This article details the holding of the 20th anniversary of the opening of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans on June 4th 2020. This is significant because thousands of people were supposed to attend, but now had to watch the ceremonies online as a result of the spread of COVID-19. This is an interesting contribution to the museum collection of the archive not only because the size of this event, but due to the fact that there are few military history museums mentioned in the archives. This is important to me as someone who studies military history, and because I was one of the many people spectating this ceremony online.
• 2021-10-13

  Zoom University

  While my life has changed significantly due to the covid-19 pandemic, I would say that the biggest adjustment for me was adapting to the different methods of instruction at my university. As a college student, I was used to and grew comfortable with in person instruction. This was the method of learning that I partook my entire life; the sudden change to strictly online had significant effects on my academic performance and overall retention of material. For me, it was remarkedly more difficult to grasp concepts that I would have comprehended under normal study conditions. Taking science heavy courses such as organic chemistry, instrumental analysis, physics, and molecular biology were all much more difficult than they would have been normally. It is also prudent to note the inconsistencies of professors during this time period, as they had to adjust just as much (or even more) than students. Old-school professors that did not have experience with the newest technology were forced to orient their lecture material in a format completely foreign. Needless to say, professors who were very effective instructors in person often struggled in the zoom format. Specifically, issues related to zoom that affected the quality of teaching included connection issues and students having incentives to not pay attention. For example, I took biostatistics 1 completely online, where the professor was older and not technologically adept. Every class the professor would write notes on a paper and and show it to the class. This strategy for teaching proved to be ineffective because the quality of video was not definitive, the lighting was poor, and the handwriting was small. All of these combined factors led to an entire class who had no idea what was being taught to them. While this is unfortunate, I adapted by reading more of the textbook than I would under normal circumstances, and met with the professor during office hours to work out material that I did not understand.
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  2020-04

  Sounds of a Spring Lockdown

  On March 25, 2020 Governor Polis ordered a state-wide stay at home order for Colorado. By this time, my family was already limiting our time outside the house to work or errands. My daughter, Kat, has severe asthma, so we knew we had to limit our exposure as much as possible. Previous midnight trips to the emergency room were full of her wheezing out tiny gulps of air, the beeps and blips of the machine keeping track of her heart rate, and the guttural growl of the blood pressure cuff as it tightened around her arm. These were the sounds I first heard when the stories of a new, novel virus came out, the sounds that stayed most in my mind the more I heard about rising cases. The first week in April the movie theater where Kat worked closed down. My son, Gabe, left his job a few days later. I cried that day, not from sadness but relief. And not a quick cry, but the loud sobs that make your shoulders shake. The next day was a major shift for us. Instead of leaving the house to work, they came to work for me instead. My cross stitch shop was already a full-time business. Now that many people were staying home, the US saw a return to basics (baking and crafting), and my shop exploded with more orders than I could fathom. There is something that satisfies most of us in having that tactile experience, whether it be the feel of flour (soft and powdery) as you knead your bread or the stabstab of your needle piercing your fabric. Though there was the stress of craft stores closing and supply chain delays, long work hours, and boxes of hoops stacked in the living room, there was mostly the sound of the Beatles and loads of laughter. Kat has a high-pitched giggle (she snorts when she really gets going), Gabe a deep laugh rich in tone. Someone came up with the adage that laughter is the best medicine. I couldn’t say who created the saying, but the sound of laughter in my house during the April 2020 lockdown in Colorado kept myself and my children in positive spirits. In fact, our lives have been forever changed by that April. They are back to their old jobs, but we still keep mostly at home and with each other. We have family game nights and cook together and keep the laughter going strong.
• 2021-05-10

  Discord Friends

  I became very close to my friends at the time of second wave of covid in India. I was studying in Chicago at the time and keeping in touch with my Indian friends was difficult until covid hit. It seemed like the whole world was online, and I could not see anyone in person. I started going on discord a lot more. I and my friends played GTA 5alot and I remember distinctly recognizing that Covid had helped me get closer to them in a weird way.
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  2021-11-30

  Mario A Trevino Oral History, 2021/11/30

  In order to get a better understanding of the situation in schools during these trying times I felt that we needed to talk to teachers. Getting their side of the story is just as vital as talking with students because in many cases they were just as new to this virtual world as us. So I sat down with my dad who has been a teacher for 20 plus years. I wanted to get his perspective on the situation and talk with him about how teachers felt during this period of transition.
• 
  2021-11-11

  Commuter Student Perspective on University Changes

  Chelsea Osorio is a commuter student at St. Mary’s University and among the many personally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In her interview she highlights key points about what changes she noticed around the university that were used to protect our community. From a student perspective, she explains how safe she felt at school, especially with all the guidelines that were put in place. This goes to show how St. Mary’s students, faculty, and staff were committed to ensuring not only a healthy online environment but also making sure we returned to a safe and healthy community.
• 
  2021-08

  Zaragoza Orientation Program

  This orientation program shows the different accommodations that have been made to ensure a safe experience during Zaragoza days. Prior to the pandemic, the events scheduled for students would be held in person so that students would have the opportunity to interact face to face and make new connections with other students. However, the Zaragoza days held in August 2021 integrated both in person and online orientation events. This program shows that some of the scheduled events were held on Zoom during different sessions. This was to ensure that students were provided with safe and easy access to learn more about being and undergrad at St. Mary's while not completely limiting their orientation experience by still holding in person events that adhered to Covid-19 guidelines.
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  2020-04-02

  HIST30060: Birthday Zoom!

  HIST30060: This screenshot of my auntie's birthday celebration on zoom would be a familiar scene to many. This is one of the many ways my family had to adjust to "covid normal". Birthdays always involve a big gathering and a way for everyone to catch up; losing this was really disheartening . However, this photo also represents the resilience of my family in still being able to find a way to be together, even if zoom felt like a poor substitute. Zoom was and still is a crucial part of many people's lives in the pandemic, yet can create a barrier for those who find the interface challenging to use. Elderly members of my family often found zoom quite tiring and hard to use, creating a further barrier to connecting in lockdown.
• 
  2021-08-01

  Messenger Video Call Screenshot - HIST30060

  During each of the lockdowns the popular way for my friends and I to stay in touch was through video calls to each other on the Facebook messenger app. Pictured here is myself and four other friends on a Saturday night all talking to each other. Two of the participants were wearing suits as they had previously attended a video call for a football presentation. It was not uncommon for people to jump in and out of calls as the calls themselves could last a number of hours.
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  2021-10-11

  HIST30060: A Secondary Teacher's Chronicle

  This is an image of a week from my mother's chronicle. She is a secondary teacher in regional Victoria who primarily teaches Theatre Studies, Drama and English. During the time that the photograph was taken (October 2021), the school she is working at decided to stagger teaching different year levels to reduce the threat of a Covid-19 outbreak in the lead up to VCE exams. As highlighted in the chronicle in different colours, some classes would be taught in-person and others online in one day. As my family does not live in the same town that my mother teaches in, she would often have to stay at school the entire day regardless. Due to the nature of rapid changes in health information and additional directions from the school itself, every week in the chronicle looks very different to the next. The image shows an element of the chaos that is present in the everyday lives of individuals during covid and the ability for plans to rapidly change from day to day.
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  2021-10-05

  COVID-19 vs. Me

  My story is raw and surely relatable by many of my peers. It captures the pandemic driven adversity I had dealt with during my senior year of high school as well as through my freshman year in college. It also includes a reflection that highlights our recent societal progression into a more normal and pandemic-free near future. This submission was simply meant to be another story regarding how COVID-19 has promoted upheaval and destruction in the lives of so many while reflecting on the current somewhat-improved state of the pandemic.
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  2021-09-20

  COVID-19 Interview (Global Pandemics)

  A classmate and I interviewed each other about our first-hand experiences with COVID-19 in the past year and a half.
• 
  2021-09-01

  How online gaming has become a social lifeline

  Gamers have known for a long time something that everyone else is starting to figure out: there’s community connection on the other side of a screen.
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  2020-03-31

  Social Distancing for Teens: Helping Your Kids to Stay Connected

  A blog post from Banner Health offering suggestions for teens to stay connected during social distancing.
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  2020-03-30

  How to Stay Connected with Your Loved Ones While Social Distancing

  A blog post from Banner Health offering suggestions for staying connected with family and friends during social distancing.
• 
  2020-07-22

  Online dance classes

  Trying to pivot to online dance classes. Pulled my very old ballet shoes out to try to keep up with classes during Melbourne's long lockdown in 2020. Sadly it didn't really work due to a lack of space and the fact that I have carpeted floors, but it was nice to be able to connect with friends and feel like we were doing something together.
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  2021-08-07

  Diane Ramirez Oral History, 2021/08/07

  How one Hispanic female dealt with the cooking challenges that took place in the early months of the pandemic. In particular, one meal she prepared on September 26, 2020.
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  2021-05-25

  Stephanie Oral History, 2021/05/25

  I am a victim of online pedophilia. My experience discusses how that has effected the switch to online school.
• 2021-03-06

  A Niche Online Community of Writers

  It feels a little strange to be sharing this on this platform since it’s not typically on the hobbies-to-try lists. It’s roleplaying. It’s like acting, but with writing. Instead of on your own, it’s with a partner, a community, and so on. I’ve been roleplaying for over five years now, and I’d always find solace in joining the community of writers. If one group didn’t work out, there was always another that was a quick search away. I started because I wanted to live vicariously through my characters. Everyone has different reasons for doing this, and a common one is just to escape from real life. With the pandemic, it’s easy to see people cling onto this hobby if they already had it or wanted to start. There’s been a lot of escapism behaviors during the pandemic, and this is easily one of them. What I noticed, however, was many of those groups closing their doors. Some long-running communities with likely a hundred different writers just stopped because they couldn’t find joy in it anymore, it got too hard to manage, or otherwise. I’ve also seen a great deal start brand new groups only to close down within a month, or not even get to open (one of which closed due to the group manager getting covid-19). As a result, these writers have been left “homeless” in a way, because now they have lost their safe haven to get creative and use the groups as their stress-relief. I’m sharing this because I know many roleplayers wouldn’t even share this hobby with others who don’t share it. I feel like it’s a niche that’s neglected in the mainstream world. I also think this is a part of fandom culture that doesn’t get talked about because it’s so common nowadays that we’ll simply assume that it’ll always be there; that we’ll always know without any context.
• 
  2021-03-04

  Remote Learning

  learning online was very distracting for me and i'm glad we get to go back on campus so I can focus more and get my work done. I think work is easier online but like I said i get distracted more.
• 
  2021-02-16

  Mini Oral History with Lila Jue, 02/16/2021

  I recorded a mini oral history with my mother in law about silver linings during the pandemic. The photograph is a family Zoom, as this is a positive of the pandemic year to her.
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  2021-02-16

  Mini Oral History With Susan Hill, 02/16/2021

  I recorded a mini oral history with my mom's old friend about the positive aspects she experienced during the pandemic
• 2021-02-07

  New Routines in Education

  The face of education has changed is an understatement. It is not even recognizable as it once was a year ago. We spend more time on hygiene than we have ever before. Most students in my school district have opted to stay online while the handful comes in small cohorts. We are required to keep the socially distanced, masks on, no circulation around the room, teaching them from the Zoom screen even if they are live in class. This has caused me as a teacher to be sad as I thrive on being able to teach my students face to face and interact with them however, I understand. This pandemic I feel has changed K-12 education forever and not for the best in some ways. The new way of teaching has caused many teachers to leave, change their attitudes, and have made us focus on just the basics of student's needs in many cases.
• 
  2021-01-31

  Having fun Online

  Due to Coronavirus I was not able to see my friends so long so we had to come up with ways to have fun online like these self timer photo competitions. They were really fun and it is how we spent a lot of our time at home alone.
• 2021-01-25

  Statistics and Final Thoughts

  The statistics of Covid-19 is that there are 99.4 million cases worldwide and there are 2.13 million deaths worldwide. In the United States, there are 25.2 million cases and there are 240 thousand deaths. I have been affected by someone represented in these statistics because two of my teachers have or have gotten Covid and they have to be online now since they have to quarantine. My final thoughts of Covid-19 is that it is a unique experience and we just have to learn to adapt to it. My experience living through this pandemic is that it is pretty repetitive but very unique.
• 2021-01-15

  Remote Learning

  Due to Covid-19, instead of learning in person everyone learned online or distant learning. The day before everything went online, at school we prepared for school online. We prepared Zoom, which is the video call that we used to learn. We would spend a lot of time on Zoom, in order to learn the same as we would in person. At times Zoom became very tiresome. On Zoom during advisory I remember our class talking about how Zoom is tiresome. The main thing online school lacked is social interaction, you could not really talk to friends at school like you normally would. Remote learning did have some positives, though. For example, it was nice to be at home at times rather than at school. All in all I am grateful that we were able to continue learning even through Covid-19.
• 2021-01-12

  Who started it

  I actually truly don't know who started it cause I haven't been looking and that much information about Covid. I have been just living the same life but online. I still go to the beach every weekend and still play with my friends. I haven't really been that affected by the virus and that's why I never looked it up. All in all not everyone will be all-knowing about what's going on around them.
• 
  2020-11-27

  Virtual Gaming With Family

  The pandemic has been hard for all close families. Mine was not able to see each other much at all due to quarantine and most of my family members having major health problems. Due to the fact that my family was not able to spend time together in person, my cousins and I decided to play games over Zoom together. My laptop was very helpful with doing this and was a necessity to keep in touch with family members.
• 2020-06-11

  How I stayed connected with Friends online

  When Covid-19 first started, I could no longer see school nor church friends. Yet through the help of Discord, the best online voice and video chat service, me and my friends were able to play games together while still following the quarantine mandate. It's great that we are able to hang out safely.
• 
  2020-12-01

  Graduation pack

  Since the graduation has been canceled due to COVID-19, the graduation package had to be shipped to students and let us keep it until it is safe to hold the actual ceremony on campus. I received mine on Dec. 1st, the ceremony was supposed to be hold on Dec. 12 online. I don’t know if the ceremony will be hold in the near future, but I believe that it won’t be what we’ve imagined it. I won’t be able to see all my friends together again, some of us graduated and went to other countries because of the unfriendly policy to international students, and I don’t even know if I will ever see them again.
• 2020

  What COVID has been like.

  In February my life was pretty normal. There were no signs of life changing. It was in March when everything started to pick-up. School shut down on Friday, March 13 and from then on we've been online. This experience has been a very odd experience.
• 
  2020-03-19

  Online Courses to Help with Anxiety Amidst the Pandemic

  During the pandemic, I was an intern at a nonprofit, LEAD Inc., where we created online courses and webinars that give people tips and tricks to dealing with anxiety, working from home, and things to do during the pandemic. I think this item amplifies the voices of a marginalized group, people who struggle with anxiety already, and who struggled even more during the pandemic. It is also a great example of a small non-profit who took an advantage of the pandemic, and worked to try to help people during an unprecedented time. A lot of items I found were just things people did during the pandemic to pass the time, but at LEAD, we actually put together an online course to inform and help people who struggle with the anxiety of uncertainty, and we give lots of information and tips in the course.
• 
  2020

  Jewish Melbourne: Jewish Care blog post - Remote Learning

  Blog post for Jewish Care by Cassandra Barrett – Program Manager, Healthy Communities, writing about how to support students during online learning
• 
  2020-10-14

  Jewish Melbourne: UJEB Hebrew Immersion Program online

  "Our Hebrew Immersion Program (HIP) is up and running online for term 4 at 5 primary schools. We had some great feedback from parents at the end of last term: “I’ve actually been amazed how engaging each lesson has been. Our daughter loves learning Hebrew with you. Thank you for making it fun. She is learning so much!” (Andrew P, parent of 2020 grade 1 HIP student at Caulfield South Primary). Pictured is a Caulfield South HIP student receiving an award for "wonderful ongoing participation in Hebrew class" at their Rosh Hashana Zoom assembly from Coordinator Shira Golombick and teacher Sigal. To find out more or sign up for one of our HIP programs visit www.ujeb.org.au"
• 
  2020-09-06

  Jewish Melbourne: NCJWA (Vic) Fathers Day during Covid Facebook post

  The NCJWA (Vic) posted on facebook for Fathers Day, reflecting on how fathers have coped during lockdown.
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  2020-09-14

  Jewish Melbourne: NCJWA (Vic) online farewell to Lee Ann Basser

  "Today we farewelled our wonderful, hard-working and dedicated outgoing CEO, Lee Ann Basser. Lee Ann has been leading NCJWA Vic for almost 4.5 years. She has been an incredible asset to our organisation. Throughout the years, Lee Ann has worked tirelessly to power more women and girls to create a better world. Thank you, Lee Ann. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Please join us on a special Shanah Tova Session to thank Lee Ann and wish her well. This is also a great opportunity to meet our new CEO, Alexandra Silver. Wednesday, 16 September, 11:30am-12:30pm, via Zoom. Register now https://ncjwavic-shana-tova-session.eventbrite.com.au"
• 
  2020-10-19

  Jewish Melbourne: UJEB High zoom trivia

  As part of their online programming, UJEB hosted a zoom trivia quiz for their high school students
• 
  2020-07-29

  Jewish Melbourne: Performance of a Shakespeare monologue in Yiddish, by Kadimah

  Performed by Evelyn Krape, this monologue from Hamlet was performed in Yiddish as part of the Kadimah Theatre's lockdown programming
• 
  2020-10-15

  Jewish Melbourne: Kadimah event with Michael Gawenda and Mark Leibler

  Given lockdown restrictions, online programming was necessary for Jewish organisations. "Join Michael Gawenda – journalist, Yiddishist and author of The Powerbroker – and Mark Leibler AC – Jewish lawyer and community leader – in conversation with Kadimah board member and Sir Zelman Cowen Centre director Professor Kathy Laster. Why are so many Jews attracted to the legal profession? What shaped Mark Leibler’s – and so many other prominent Jewish lawyers’ – commitment to Indigenous people and causes? Was Mark able to shed his natural caution as a lawyer to open up for the biography? Is there a connection between pro bono contributions and Jewish values? For biographer and subject, how is it possible to reconcile the professional, public and personal responsibilities of a distinguished and multilayered life in the law? The renowned lawyer, his biographer and the academic unpack the deep, multi-layered influences on a formidable career and life."
• 
  2020-09-30

  Jewish Melbourne: TBI Sukkot Shabbat Video - Rabbi Gersh Lazarow

  This is a video produced by Temple Beth Israel for Shabbat in the Sukkah
• 
  2020-11-19

  The future of music festivals might be inside video games

  There has been multiple online festivals hosted inside video games such as Minecraft, with Lavapalooza, or Fortnite, the infamous Travis Scott event. Many of these events proceeds have gone directly to charity regarding Covid-19 relief. These digital live music events raise the question of the viability of hosting a digital festival in a post-pandemic world.
• 
  2020-11-17

  Bandcamp Offers Artists A New Paid Livestream Platform

  Bandcamp, the popular indie music streaming platform, has offered musicians a new revenue stream to replace in-person live shows. Fans can buy a ticket to access the show and purchase merchandise at the "virtual merch table". As the music industry has been turned upside down due to the end of touring and live shows, this offers another way to supplement the income of artists.
• 
  2020-11-12

  NYC Schools Might be Headed for Another Shutdown

  NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio is contemplating whether or not to shut down schools in the city again. Ironically schools would be shut down but bars and restaurants might stay open despite the very low transmission rate in public schools. Other cities have begun canceling in-person classes such a Boston. Other countries such as Germany deemed schools an essential service and has left them open. There is much concern among NYC teachers as they weigh the costs of a total shift to online school again.
• 
  2020-09-15

  Jewish Melbourne: Chabad on Carlisle Q & A with the Rabbis about Rosh Hashanah

  On Tuesday 15 September Chabad on Carlisle held an online Q&A with their Rabbis, along with musical entertainment, for Rosh Hashanah
• 
  2020-11-10

  Life in a Digital World

  For millions of people, the blue and white logo of the digital video meeting service, Zoom, has become a familiar sight. I am sure that many of us, like myself, had to abruptly learn about Zoom in March 2020 when our lives entered a digital phase due to the pandemic. I’m sure that I am also similar to many others when I can now say that (in November 2020) I am more than proficient in my Zoom skills. Everything from school to work to social meetings are now conducted by sending Zoom invitation links. Zoom has become the classroom, the office, and the cafe…..possibly without even changing the room you are sitting in. This year has not been easy but, as I look back over these past months, I have realized that the technological world has become a surprising lifesaver. Technology has allowed people to stay connected to the world without even stepping outside their homes. Phone calls, emails, texts, Zoom meetings….they have all played a part in keeping us close to our family and friends. Even my college graduation in May was conducted over Zoom. We moved our tassels as one graduating department, even as we sat in front of our separate computers in different locations! I have started my first semester at graduate school this fall at a Pittsburgh university. My classes are conducted through Zoom, so I am not actually on campus or living in the city! While I miss in-person social interactions, I am also incredibly grateful that, thanks to digital tools and dedicated professors, I have been able to continue my education despite this year’s difficult circumstances. Interestingly, despite global lockdowns, I have been able to “visit” parts of the world I would not normally be able to, due to institutions’ and organizations’ commitment to providing virtual experiences. From our home, my family and I have watched theatrical performances, concerts, and other events occurring in different geographical areas because of the ability to livestream. We have also been exploring various museums by taking virtual tours and looking through virtual collections. Through technology, I have been able to learn about and experience events and places that I would not have been able to otherwise! Eventually, this pandemic will be over. I hope, however, that institutions and organizations continue to reach out digitally even when it is safe to resume in-person group activities. Digital programs and projects allow people to participate in events and experiences that might have been too costly in travel expenses or time commitments had they only been offered in traditional, in-person formats. Regardless, I am grateful for what digital programming and technology have already given me. This year has been incredibly stressful and filled with anxiety. Sometimes, it has made all the difference to be able to connect with a few people over a Zoom meeting. In the end, the Zoom logo has come to signify many things to me: pandemic, prevalence of digital technology, and, when it comes down to it, the importance of human connectivity and relationships.
• 
  2020-11-06

  Making Adjustments

  One thing that everyone and everything shared in common during this pandemic is the ability to being forced to adapt to the situation or fail in its path. The most important thing that was forced to have to adjust was all schooling. It made all schooling forced to have to figure out how to get their students the education they have been paying for. many schools sent out emails to their students giving them options on how to access their classes and educational resources. Of course online being really the only option for college courses universities that were not comfortable with the online process were forced to learn how to adapt to their students needs. It was just on thing that they had to get comfortable with and eventually everyone was up to speed on the process and things began to smooth out.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Jewish Melbourne: Caulfield Bubs online cooking

  In the lead-up to Rosh Hashanah, Caulfield Bubs (a children's program run by Caulfield Shule) organised an online cooking class: "Don’t forget to book in for this free cooking zoom session with the incredible Mia Stub!!!! Perfect way to get kids involved and these cupcakes will make the perfect rosh hashana gifts for family and friends!!!"
• 
  2020-09-30

  Equity: Grad School in Quarantine

  This article details 8 things that universities can do to help students have access to the necessary materials so that they could succeed in their educational goals. Many of the professors interviewed stated that there were a myriad of problems students had to deal with in order to learn online. These problems included: relocation due to the pandemic, a lack of internet at home, a lack of access to things such as printers and other items, a lack of childcare, systemic racism within academia and many others. Flexibility and empathy are the keys to navigating a COVID19 world, and recognizing your own privilege is an important step in being able to help others get access to what they need. Graduate school is hard enough already, it's important to work together to get through this.
• 
  2020

  Zoom: Grad School in Quarantine

  This meme is a visual representation of the feelings of many online students this school year. Professors have been doing their best in a situation that was handled so improperly by those in charge. However, many students feel resentment for their universities due to a lack of accommodation in such a tumultuous time. Zoom learning was offered as an alternative to in person learning but no one could say that the two are equal in comparison. The fact that many universities are charging the same amount for both types of learning is not lost on students and adds to the frustration that online learners face during COVID19. Many wonder where their money is going and if the universities actually care about their students and staff. It's important to remember that all of us in grad school are struggling with the same things, being flexible and empathetic is so important, now more than ever.
• 
  2020-09

  Jewish Melbourne: Sassoon Yehuda Separdi Synagogue newsletter before Rosh Hashanah

  Email newsletter from Sassoon Yehuda Separdi Synagogue, telling congregants about plans for Rosh Hashanah and other online events within the synagogue