Humanized Online Teaching Showcase
Dr. Amanda Runyan, English 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.
Before the Humanizing Online Teaching Academy, I considered myself a present and thoughtful online instructor. I designed my online courses with the online modality in mind and I sent regular announcements that spoke directly to the specific class and not the course in general. I now understand how many different ways there are to engage students in the online learning community.
Where I am.
I see the different ways to engage students in the online space - bringing their voices into the space through tools like Flipgrid. I am also increasingly aware of the significance of my voice and presence in the online learning community. The most significant assignment for me was creating a welcome video - I felt that I was a thoughtful and empathetic online instructor, but the students did not have an opportunity to see me as a person. Moving forward students will have the chance to "meet me," and I believe that will lead to better interactions.
Where I am going.
Moving forward, I want to continue evaluate my assignments and consider how adding choice for creating video or audio can support online students. I can not wait to create bumper videos for challenging topics, and overall avoid the reliance on reading as the only mode for the introduction or reinforcement of new concepts. This academy is supporting me in making my online classes better reflect the dynamic environment of the classroom. I have also been supported in introducing myself as a full person and a participant in the online learning space in an entirely new way!
Liquid Syllabus
The Liquid Syllabus will be the first thing that students see for this class, and possibly for the semester! My goal is for students to find course information that will support their first day.
More importantly, my goal is for students to see - through the language and the content of the page - that this is an instructor that welcomes them, and that they have every opportunity to be successful in this course!
Course Card
Online learning can feel like an isolated learning environment. I want this course, beginning with the Course Card, to feel like a learning community.
Homepage
Previously, the Home Page served as a place to communicate information that is best placed in the "About this Course" section of the syllabus.
This homepage has the goal of making a student feel welcomed and providing links to important resources both on the course Canvas page and throughout the college website.
Getting to Know You Survey
The culture of a class varies based on who is in the class, and knowing who your students are is the best way to know what kind of supports you might offer.
In addition to questions about how many semesters they have been in college, or at Butte College, I ask questions that communicate their excitement or apprehension to be in a writing course. Talking about writing, and writing about writing, are ways to build confidence and support the further development of writing skills.
Ice Breaker or Wisdom Wall
A Wisdom Wall offers valuable information to the students in the class leaving responses as well as to the incoming class.
Students completing the semester have the opportunity to practice their metacognition and consider their work over the semester. Students entering the class have students to reflect their potential.
Bumper Video
This is a tool I am very excited to use throughout my course!
A Bumper Video explains an assignment or a complicated concept. The use of short video will keep students engaged, and also be a great tool for them to return to as needed. It also breaks up the amount of information that is communicated through writing!
Microlecture
The Microlecture is one tool I was using prior to the academy - however, this use of video comes with the reminder that video is human and should refer to the students, the course goals, and the specific take aways from the video.
Reconsidering and evaluating my use of video will support my course, and help me to make videos that students will clearly understand why they are watching and what they should do next!
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 Amanda Runyan and is shared with a Creative Commons-Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 license.