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.
I have learned so much while taking this course, including the importance of video and voice in creating an online experience for my students where they feel connected, have a sense of belonging, and are enriched by my class. I appreciate the patience of our instructors, who were so encouraging. I want to emulate that for my students. I also know how to create an exceptional online experience using new tools. I also did not like Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday due dates, but when you read "Where I am going," you will see a different point of view.
I was very nervous about the course because it has been quite some time since I have used Canvas in-depth. I was also apprehensive about learning how to use new technology, including Google Sites and Adobe Sparks. I had some knowledge about making my classes inclusive, but I learned so much more.
Because of the thorough instructions, I could create videos with the new platform. I also learned even more about how to use YouTube. Uploading videos from my phone using the YouTube app is a cinch, and holding the phone correctly makes all the difference. I love how the Liquid Syllabus was scaffolded by adding a little every week. Now I feel more comfortable with Google Sites. I sent my daughter the link to my syllabus so she could see how she was featured in my Intro Video, and she loved it. I also learned so much from my colleagues and instructors. My teacher was patient and should receive an award for his wise and helpful feedback. I want to emulate him in my future classes.
I am eager to implement much of what I learned in class and have already started. For example, I changed the homepage for three courses this semester. I also hope to see a reduction in equity gaps among students from historically underrepresented groups. I am excited that these course improvements will translate into success for my students moving forward. I plan to build upon the work I have learned from this class. Though I did not initially like Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday due dates, I will change the due dates to the same format for my classes. I also valued the video feedback and weekly videos, and I know my students will also. Whenever I encountered something that struck a chord with me, I added it to a file called "Humanizing Stem Ideas." I will review my notes to prioritize additional changes I plan to make.
Relections
I am excited that my new Liquid Syllabus will set all my students up for success in my class, from the First Week Success Kit to the Pact to the Resources. Additionally, I hope that the effort and time I spent creating this website demonstrate that I genuinely care about my students' learning before the course begins.
I chose the bright floral fractal flower because math is beautiful, like the flower, and I am excited to show others its beauty. I picked the bold color because I am bright, energetic, and full of life. The flower is also reflective of my students, diverse and beautiful, who come together to make a beautiful bouquet. Also, many students come to me as tight rose buds, but they bloom into beautiful flowers while in my class.
The information on this homepage is welcoming, inviting, and organized while providing the information necessary to get students off to a great start without overwhelming them. Before this academy, my home page was a mishmash of information. Now it is streamlined. Because of one of the tips in a discussion about homepages, I change it every week, so it has the most current week's agenda and last week's schedule.
Since I plan to have students create a "Getting to Know You Video" in class using Flip, I plan to survey them during the second week. I figured out the best way to record myself watching student videos and responding while pausing during their videos. I plan to use the same method again. Since the recording takes a little time, placing the survey in the second week allows me time to respond to the videos after week 1. The two questions I can use to determine which students need encouragement and pinpointed resources are: use one word to describe how you feel about this class, and if you could use an animal to describe yourself, name the animal and why? You can also include if you have animals or would like to have one.
This assignment is one of my favorites because it is something many of us already do. For example, when we make a dish for the first time, we might say the next time I make this dish, I will change this or that. For our classes, we also do the same thing and course-correct right in the middle of the term. That is why I believe the responses are truly helpful. Asking students which tip they would use from the "Wisdom Wall", helps them to use strategies that have worked for their peers.
This bumper video on a Business application serves two purposes. The first is to calm their fears about word problems and the second is to reinforce key terms in calculus such as rate of change and how it compares to the first and second derivatives.
The microlecture gives students a visual representation of the relationship between derivatives and their respective graphs. Visually seeing the tangent line traverse the curve and seeing the value of the slope change reinforces the connection between the sign of the slopes and going up and down on a roller coaster. Students will be prepared to apply this problem-solving skill for an assessment that they will then use to create their "Teach Me" video.
