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Community college students are more likely to come from underserved populations and are inclined to feelings of self-doubt in academic settings. When learning online, our students need to know they have an instructor who cares and is there to support them, and that they are part of a vibrant learning community. Effective online teachers mindfully cultivate their presence at the course level and one-on-one with students. These interactions foster a relationship based on trust, which is the foundation of a learning community.
Reflections
Reflections
Where I was.
Where I was.
Before taking the Humanizing Online Teaching & Learning course, I was very self-conscious about posting personal videos in my class to demonstrate my presence. I also was not aware of all the free available resources instructors can use to create videos for our classes. I often used YouTube videos and Ted Talks from other speakers and there was not enough of my own personal voice and presence in my classes. In addition, I often linked videos rather than embedding them directly in my Canvas course.
Where I am.
Where I am.
Now, I feel very comfortable creating and posting videos purposefully to humanize the learning experience for students and to create a more personalized presence in my online classes. I regularly send out welcome announcements with a welcome video and also include short lecture videos in our learning modules. I am more personal with my instructor comments and provide personalized feedback with every assignment. And, I use student-centered language in my grading rubrics and assignment instructions.
Where I'm headed.
Where I'm headed.
During the humanizing class, I was introduced to FlipGrid and decided not to use it right away because I created another assignment where students create their own videos and video replies directly into a discussion in Canvas. However, I do see the value in using the FlipGrid platform and want to create an ice breaker assignment in my orientation module using FlipGrid. After students have used FlipGrid and also completed a video discussion, I want to survey them and see what they prefer to modify how I use videos in course assignments that also humanize the class and allow students to generate their own content.
Examples
Examples
Adobe Spark Video
Adobe Spark Video
Using Adobe Spark, I have learned to create short two minute videos that introduce students to course concepts. The video features my voice and images that help reinforce the concept being discussed. This type of video humanizes the class by allowing students to hear me speaking to introduce a concept that they will explore more throughout learning modules.
Screencast-o-matic Video Lecture
Screencast-o-matic Video Lecture
In addition to short Adobe Spark videos, I also use screencast-o-matic to create lecture videos that include closed-captions to ensure they are accessible to students. These videos allows me to establish an online presence and also provide students with an opportunity to see and hear me discuss course concepts. In these videos, I strive to create a positive immediate learning environment by using a friendly tone, using student-centered language and remembering to smile to show students that I am approachable and relatable.
I also ask students to create their own short videos in a video discussion prompt. This further humanizes our learning environment by providing students an opportunity to see and hear each other discuss their own experiences and how the course relates to their personal and professional lives. Students post an initial response addressing the discussion prompt by posting a two-minute video and then reply to at least two peers by posting video responses around one minute. At first, students share that they feel a little apprehensive about posting videos in class. Knowing this is a concern, I make sure to post a lot of support and suggestions in our orientation module for recording videos. At the end of the semester, I ask students to write a reflection paper. In this paper, students often report how the video discussion component of our class really allowed them to open up more and feel comfortable in the class. This also serves students who express themselves more comfortably verbally rather than in written communication. Finally, videos are becoming persuasive and are a big part of how we communicate. Whether participating in a Zoom conference or posting a video on social media sites, such as Instagram or Tick Tock, many of our students are use to consuming and creating videos, and this allows them to practice how to do so effectively. In future classes, I hope to revisit FlipGrid and how to use it in addition to these video discussions.
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