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Thread on some experiences teaching online:
I just finished and uploaded the final lecture for this summer, and then kept wondering: how much stuff exactly were we putting out there during this pandemic semester?
So I added it up.
I just finished and uploaded the final lecture for this summer, and then kept wondering: how much stuff exactly were we putting out there during this pandemic semester?
So I added it up.
I taught two classes plus one session of a lecture series.
That's neither especially much nor especially little, in the grand scheme of things.
Many of my colleagues have a much higher teaching load, some have less.
That's neither especially much nor especially little, in the grand scheme of things.
Many of my colleagues have a much higher teaching load, some have less.
One class was an introductory lecture class. This took the vast majority of my time.
Re-working lectures so they work as videos is neither quick nor easy. Sometimes this took several days for just one.
I put all the lectures online for students to download.
Re-working lectures so they work as videos is neither quick nor easy. Sometimes this took several days for just one.
I put all the lectures online for students to download.
The other class was almost entirely discussion-based, with both synchronous (video calls) and asynchronous components (forum posts, etc.). I only made one entirely new video for this one.
For the lecture series I created two videos, all in all a bit more than an hour of new content.
I made some videos that would work for both of my regular classes with only minor re-edits.
I made some videos that would work for both of my regular classes with only minor re-edits.
When I added up all the content (only counting once the videos for both classes) it came out at 15 hours, 23 minutes, and 57 seconds.
I didn't know what that meant. So I searched around and found:
A typical 22-episode season of a one-hour TV drama runs 15 hours and 24 minutes.
I didn't know what that meant. So I searched around and found:
A typical 22-episode season of a one-hour TV drama runs 15 hours and 24 minutes.
I am not claiming these lectures and videos are nearly as complicated or have nearly the same production value as that, but:
I made a TV season's worth of content in four months, alone, with nothing but my laptop and a digital camera.
I made a TV season's worth of content in four months, alone, with nothing but my laptop and a digital camera.
And I'm not special here.
Whether they've produced special videos or podcasts, sat in hours and hours of Zoom meetings & classes, wrote new introductory texts, new syllabi, tended to LMSes, etc., my colleagues have created massive amounts of new content this summer.
Whether they've produced special videos or podcasts, sat in hours and hours of Zoom meetings & classes, wrote new introductory texts, new syllabi, tended to LMSes, etc., my colleagues have created massive amounts of new content this summer.
They've done this while juggling home life with work, contending with technology, less than ideal working spaces, slow internet speeds, family responsibilities, noisy neighbors, etc.
What's striking to me:
My university has a program through which scholars working there can apply to create one teaching video on a subject of their expertise that will then be made available to everyone teaching a similar topic.
My university has a program through which scholars working there can apply to create one teaching video on a subject of their expertise that will then be made available to everyone teaching a similar topic.
These are around 15 minutes long. Making one comes with the help of a whole media production team which supplies everything but the script.
When you're picked to do one, you get to teach one less class that semester.
When you're picked to do one, you get to teach one less class that semester.
You make one video. With a team. And you are given time off that equals pretty much half a postdoc's working load.
Our expectations have shifted massively in just four months.
Our expectations have shifted massively in just four months.
