This site provides examples of instructional resources created in the Humanizing Online STEM Academy, a professional development program funded by the California Education Learning Lab and administered by the Foothill DeAnza Community College District.
Before I attended the Humanizing Online STEM Academy, I was a trainee in a couple of faculty learning groups. All of the learning group training underscored the importance of employing evidence-based learning techniques to enhance student engagement and facilitate learning. However, I was unsure about how to enhance my empathy for and foster better relationships with my students.
I have learned so many tools to promote the integration of humanistic perspectives into my own teaching. I engage in discussions, activities, and reflections aimed at enhancing my empathy and understanding of diverse student perspectives, as well as improving my effective teaching strategies.
The Academy has been transformative in my approach to teaching and has empowered me to become a more inclusive, equitable, and effective educator. I will adopt the tools I learned from the Academy in my classes.
Welcome to my liquid syllabus!
Hello Everyone: The left Youtube video is my liquid syllabus. Welcome to BIOL412 (General Microbiology) in Spring 2023! My name is Jianmin Zhong (you may call me Dr. Z) and I am the instructor for the General Microbiology course (BIOL412) in Spring 2023. I am very excited to begin this learning journey with all of you and invite you to jump in and get started.
This course card image sends a welcome sign that I want URMs and all students to succeed in my class. It signals that I will use inclusive teaching practices in the class to engage underrepresented, first generation college, and female students in course activities.
Homepage
I learned from the Academy that my course homepage could serve as a powerful kindness cue of social inclusion for students by incorporating several key elements. Firstly, I featured a photo of myself smiling, as this can create a friendly and approachable impression that helps to put students at ease. Next, I included a link to my Zoom office hours, so that students know how and when to contact me if they need help or support. Additionally, I provided links to support resources and Q & A Discussion to demonstrate my commitment to helping students succeed. Finally, I featured a section on my homepage that introduced students to the Week 1 Module of my course, providing an overview of the topics and activities that they will be engaging with. By leveraging these strategies, my homepage becomes a welcoming and inclusive space that encourages students to feel valued and supported as they begin their learning journey with me.
Getting to Know You Survey
I've designed a course assignment called 'Getting to Know You Survey,' which includes 11 questions. The aim of these questions is to use students' responses to personalize my teaching approach to better fit their individual learning needs. The question "what is the main obstacle that could prevent you from succeeding in this class?" helps me understand the unique challenges that individual students may face. By asking this question, I can identify potential roadblocks to learning and adapt their teaching strategies accordingly to help students overcome these obstacles. Second, I asked students a question of "how do you learn best? What works for you? What doesn't?" Asking students how they learn best and what works for them is a great way to understand their individual learning preferences. Every student has a unique learning style, and by asking this question, I can gain insight into how to structure my teaching approach to better suit the needs of each student.
The ice-breaking assignment of reflecting on personal values is a powerful tool to help students connect with one another and build a sense of belonging within the class. By asking students to reflect on their core values, the assignment encourages students to think deeply about what they believe in and what is important to them. This reflection on personal values can also help students understand and appreciate the diversity of their peers. Each student may have a different set of values that they hold dear, and by sharing these values, students can gain a better understanding of each other's experiences and perspectives. Furthermore, by explicitly conveying that diversity is valued in the classroom, the assignment creates a safe and welcoming space for all students. This can foster a sense of belonging, particularly for students who may feel marginalized or excluded in other aspects of their lives.
A bumper video can serve an instructional purpose by providing a brief and engaging introduction to my course that captures the key theme or message I want to convey. By watching the lac operon bumper video I prepared for the course, students can gain a better understanding of what the lecture is about and what they can expect to learn. This can help them feel more motivated and engaged in the course and can improve their overall learning experience. Additionally, the bumper video can serve as a reference point throughout the course, reminding students of the goals and key concepts of the lac operon. This can help them stay focused and on track as they work through the course materials.
This microlecture is designed to achieve two main goals. Firstly, it aims to identify a key learning objective that my students are expected to achieve through this lesson, which is to learn how to measure the concentration and purity of DNA using spectrophotometry. Secondly, the microlecture provides a summary of how it is expected to enhance my students' learning experience. The video includes details on the expected learning outcomes for students and a summary of the lecture. By outlining the learning objective and summarizing the microlecture, I will be better equipped to plan and deliver the next chapter's course materials to my students.
