Humanized Online Teaching Showcase
Dr. Joe Krulder, Ph.D., Historian, 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.
When COVID struck mid-semester in 2020, the face-to-face courses suddenly became online courses. Panic did NOT set in. I knew in an instant that I had to transition. The reigning question was, how do I take a face-to-face class, fully functioning with a thriving community, and bring that to an online modality in just a day or two? A related question cropped up: why and where do students spend their time on social media sites? There is a reason for their social media involvement, the community that “they” built. While I recognized the challenge right away, and the questions above seemed fair, I felt limited given the parameters of Canvas LMS. I did have my imagination, but that, too, was limited by an immediacy of time.
I must have done something right. After that semester, it was pointed out to me that my retention rate during that COVID transition was much higher than the average. At another community college, I was tasked with teaching the Math Department, Police Department, and Agricultural Department how to create Canvas sites that work AND build community.
Yet, despite this recognition, in my gut, I knew I needed to do better. No matter how hard I tried to create that sense of community with my online students, I kept falling woefully short. The glass may have been half full, but after each semester my heart felt half empty. My own expectations did not come close to full achievement.
Where I am.
After this intense six-week academy, I now know where I fell short in creating a strong sense of online community learning that always seemed to elude me. The big key for me was getting students to talk to other students about their learning in ways I had not envisioned. The FLIP website has certainly matured over the years. My wife, also an educator, used it in 2020 with her high school students. Back then, FLIP had some limitations, and thus I chose not to use it. But the academy’s tutelage demonstrated that if FLIP can evolve, so can I. The academy also taught me the true meaning of “student-centered;” from the creation of the “card” to altering the banner on my Canvas site’s home page, creating warmth and welcomeness will pay off.
Where I am going.
I once had a student call me “Dr. Open-Ended,” and that’s true, that’s been my style ever since 2011 when I began teaching at the collegiate level. Taking this academy course, though, opened my eyes to how this chosen methodology can blindside an online student. I literally have to demonstrate what that means to students, carefully unfold this method, share my reasoning for employing it, and scaffold exercises early on for eager (hopefully) buy-in. I know have multiple tools to engage with students about the power (and love) of open-ended learning.
Liquid Syllabus
I cannot wait to employ the Liquid Syllabus next semester. How will students respond? Will they respond? While I have "the bones" of an LQ, I still feel as if something is missing, some element that engages, perhaps something more interactive.
But I love that it allows me to put the essential "Dr Joe" front and center; that affable, corny, funny, goofball of a Historian who really cares about students and their learning well before the semester begins. That's precious!
I also found the expectations pact intriguing and team-oriented, a "we are in this together" sort of section that when repeated on Canvas will do much to set a friendly tone while remaining super professional.
My liquid syllabus does need a few touch-ups, but the bones are here and I am excited to employ it next semester.
Course Card
Kind of says it all. A handmade and colorful "YES!" is posted on a signpost not too far from where I live. A great neighbor done did the opposite of a "NO TRESPASSING" sign. That's the kind of folks I want to hang around with. I figured if I feel that way about a simple signpost then maybe my online students will, too.
A "Yes!" is power gifted. A "Yes!" is permission granted. A "Yes!" is proof that this is a shared online classroom.
Yes!
Homepage
I've designed a home page to be welcoming, showing me as someone approachable, you know, a real live human being. My grandson makes a cameo! That little quote, "passing the baton," conveys what the discipline of History is all about.
I believe this home page is a good start. But I will poke around and take a look at what my colleagues are doing and modify as I go. We have the technology!
Getting to Know You Survey
The Survey Questions located in my survey are fairly standard. There is an interesting twist to one of them.
I also allowed YouTube to perform voice-to-text captioning. That was funny! Won't do that again.
Overall, though, I do believe that such surveys are the important beginnings of getting to know the students enrolled in a class.
Surveys should be repeated throughout the semester.
Ice Breaker or Wisdom Wall
To the left, I have linked my Self-Affirming Ice Breaker. What a fantastic assignment! Not only for getting to know the student but ... getting to know the student when they are ready to make that first impression!
This student-to-student interaction indeed "breaks" down barriers. The assignment allows students to see each other as individuals, human people of depth and character.
The link also demonstrates an object that defines my inner core. Enjoy!
Bumper Video
One of the lessons I learned in the academy is the value of brevity. My initial "bumper" (to the left) video was too long. What these videos are supposed to do is just as it is advertised, give a wee bit of a bump explaining the tasks for the week. A bump, Joe, not a mini-lecture.
Over the years I have compiled a few of what I call, "Concepts in History." Introducing students to unfamiliar historical terms and concepts can be exceedingly helpful.
Just keep it short, Joe!
Micro-lecture
The micro-lecture link to my left was the culmination of all that I have learned in this academy. I believe it's also my best work.
For years, our tiny History Department has struggled with a particular SLO. In short, it tasks both students and teachers to tackle three things simultaneously. The kicker is, this SLO portrays what it is that historians actually do! The sad part? Because it's so demanding, some of my peers choose to ignore it or only take on a portion. Boooo.
So I took the time to write a lecture to students about SLO #4, the objective that is massive but lays out precisely what we historians actually do for a living. In the video, I give an example of my own work when I wrote and published my own book in 2021.
The Humanized Online Teaching Academy is adapted from the Humanizing Online STEM Academy, by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, Mike Smedshammer, and Kim Vincent-Layton. This website was created by Karen Nissen and is shared with a Creative Commons-Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 license.