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A thread about my experience teaching small classes (~40 students) during a pandemic, in both synchronous & asynchronous modes. First, build in as much structure as you can, as this provides students w/predictability, familiarity, & helps them develop a routine around learning /1
Many students are new to online learning & some new to post-secondary studies, so holding live orientation sessions helps familiarize them w/me, each other, Canvas/Collaborate/Brightspace, course themes/expectations/activities. It also helps
email volume w/start-up Qs. /2
email volume w/start-up Qs. /2
I incorporate a 10-question syllabus & assignment quiz. This low-risk activity pointed students to important info I wanted them to know & around which I get too many emails. This activity introduced them to the 'quiz' tool & allowed them to earn a few marks in Week 1. Win-win. /3
Students want to know you are present w/ them in their learning & that their learning matters to you. Answer emails in a timely way, actively engage them in class & through discussion forums, during office hours & be encouraging in feedback you provide (we are mentoring them) /4
Make use of online & offline activities. I post short videos for students to watch before class, ones that are far from perfect as I'm not perfect in the physical classroom. Make use of podcasts & documentaries to diversify the voices they hear and to prompt discussion. /5
I include in class a check-in & a segment where 3-4 students are assigned to introduce news items related to the course followed by group discussion. If more time & space is needed to unpack complex issues (e.g. racial injustice, reconciliation), take it, it's time well spent. /6
I also find time and space to introduce students to and familiarize them with institutional resources. Bring in staff from the library and learning commons as this helps to personalize these services and increases the odds that students will use of them. /7
I changed up my assessments so students have more smaller activities to complete, ones that focus on honing reading, research & writing skills. Scaffold assignments where it makes sense so tasks are broken down into smaller chunks. This helps return some marks earlier, too. /8
Flexibility in teaching is important. We pivot all the time in the classroom, and students may seek more accommodation as they try to balance all the demands placed on them during a period of crisis. Experiences and needs vary and will be variable across the semester. /9
I encourage students to tell me what they need to be successful. Often, they need flexibility wrt deadlines, quiz/exam timing, or reassurance that missing a discussion, quiz, or class session won't blow up their final mark. Extend a lifeline. /10
I also don't burden students (or the health care system) w/providing medical notes if an extension is needed to complete an assignment. A few extra days gives them some breathing room and I get to read a less rushed assignment. Again win-win. /11
Finally, remote teaching has provided a wonderful & unexpected opportunity to further develop my own pedagogical approaches, deepen my technological skills, & partake in professional learning communities developed to share best practices, and provide mutual aid and support. /Fin
Yet, we shouldn't forget that while we all experience varying workload impacts associated with remote teaching, a gentle reminder that the burden of added work is felt most strongly by those instructors who earn the least pay & have the least job security at our institutions./fin
