Humanized Online Teaching Showcase
Christine Buckstead, Instructor, Butte College
This site provides examples of instructional resources created in the Humanizing Online Teaching Academy, a professional development program at Butte College, funded by the Culturally Responsive Pedagogy & Practices grant from the California Community College Chancellor's Office.
Reflections
Where I was.
I had only taught one online, asynchronous course prior to this Humanizing Academy. During Covid, I taught a few classes that were in-person with a significant online component. I completed two self-paced courses offered through Butte College for teaching online classes on Canvas. Through that training, I learned many of the features available in Canvas and how to make the course accessible (e.g., alt-text, accessibility checks, captions.) I did not have much knowledge about how to design a course that was inclusive, welcoming, and supportive. My online class had a low completion rate (70%), and I was unsure what steps to take to improve.
Where I am.
After taking this class, I realize that I don't need to know the specifics of every student's cultural background, belief systems, learning style, etc. Instead, I will design my course in a way that affirms diversity and supports the specific needs of the students. I will reach out to them in a timely and friendly way so that they will trust me enough to ask for help. A few of the takeaways from this course are that it is pretty easy to record video lessons and video feedback, give prompt feedback, and craft feedback language that is kind, specific, and sets high standards. The warm demander lesson was particularly helpful. I have confidence now that I have tools and skills that I can use to design a better course and be a more approachable instructor.
Where I am going.
I would like to continue to integrate brief, focused video lessons into each module. While it does take more time to make a video lecture compared to relying on the text readings and outside media, I will use it to pointedly connect the course materials with the learning goals. I also plan to complete a DEI training course that is offered through one of the professional organizations I belong to to deepen my understanding of culturally responsive teaching. Other areas I need to keep working on include features of Canvas and Audio/Video editing skills. In the personal realm, consistency with feedback and course communication is a long-term goal of mine.
Liquid Syllabus
I will email the liquid syllabus a few days before the course begins to ease some of the anxiety the students may feel about how to get started in the course. The tone of the syllabus will be more than just professional and polite; it will be friendly and provide information about common questions that students have, particularly about the textbook and what to do on day 1. I will present myself as a real human who is interested in them as people, rather than an unfeeling robot-teacher. The images that include diverse people will support a feeling of belonging to all students.
Course Card
I chose this image because it shows two female students smiling and enjoying playing musical instruments in an outdoor setting. Images of nature are supposed to be calming. The friendship reflects the community that I hope to encourage in the class. I also hope that the two girls will seem welcoming to diverse students.
Homepage
In addition to the concerns students have about starting a new semester, many people are intimidated by the unfamiliar language used to talk about music. I wanted to present a home page that is fun and non-intimidating - particularly through the style of the banner.
The kindness cues include a smiling, silly photo of myself with encouraging words that I'm here to help the students and answer their questions. Instructions for how to contact me are easy to spot. I also included links to support information. The link to the first activity, the course orientation module, is easy to spot. This should help them feel like they know what to do on the first day.
Getting to Know You Survey
This survey will show students that I am interested in them as people and will be flexible in my instruction to support their needs. For example, I ask for their name and how to pronounce it. Names are really important, and since one can't hear written text, going the extra step to ask about pronunciation shows that I care about them as individuals. I will be able to pronounce their name correctly when I give audio/video feedback or meet with them on Zoom. I also ask about their preferred mode of feedback and instructional delivery (phone or computer.) Asking these types of questions will help students realize that I recognize that everyone has a different situation and needs, and that all students are welcome. It will help me be more accommodating if they encounter a tech difficulty, and remind me to check how my content appears on a phone.
Ice Breaker
In this assignment, students will reflect on two or three of the core values that guide their day to day experiences. They will choose a favorite song (or other piece of music) that embodies those values. In Flip, the students will record a video (or audio) where they share their values and the song, then respond in a video (or audio) to two other posts. The goal is to foster a sense of belonging through video interactions where they connect with classmates that have something in common with them (either the values or the music). Using video/audio reminds everyone that we are all humans.
Bumper Video
This video is in the first module in a lesson explaining basic music terms, foundational knowledge for the rest of the course. The video focuses on the difference between pitch and timbre, because these two concepts are often confusing to students. The term timbre also has two different meanings that will be used in the course, so students will need a thorough understanding to be able to analyze the musical content.
Microlecture
This microlecture is in the first module which is an introduction to the variety of music we will study, and how the course will work. The students will be learning how to analyze music and connect it with the sociocultural context of the women who were involved in creating the music. In this lecture, they will learn why we are taking this approach to the topic, and some skills for listening to music critically. I briefly model how to use the listening guide in the text while listening to the musical examples. Learning objective: Analyze a popular song using a music-cultural model (sociocultural model with music analysis.) Listening to music analytically is a new skill for many students. This lecture is to help draw awareness to, and practice critical listening.