In my discipline, teaching small seminars typically depends on students sharing their weaknesses and vulnerabilities in pairs and small groups, gradually building trust while the teacher moves through the room, listening and joining in and backing away as appropriate. Masked students who are 6 feet away from each other will have to shout their failures from behind their masks, which is a totally different dynamic than having students put their heads together over the same text.

Microphones and gadgets will work fine if your pedagogy is to lecture at students and have them participate by answering multiple-choice questions or do matching exercises.

Will we be able to adapt small discussion seminars to the new format in-person classes will have to take?

Good morning ☀️ A friend of mine shared this video of social distanced salsa and it’s how i’m tryna be.

Enjoy. pic.twitter.com/xTtr3lO5my

— Bianca Padró Ocasio (@BiancaJoanie) June 29, 2020

Or will our social constraints lead us to dance like these boring stuffy people from Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century?