Humanizing Showcase
1. Reflections
Where I Was:
Beginning this program, I considered myself to be knowledgeable in Humanizing concepts and meeting student needs. I got my first course passed following the OEI rubric where I learned a lot about making my course user friendly and accessible but I felt there was more I could do that would improve my courses further. I hoped to learn about new technologies that would streamline these processes and expand my knowledge in best practices to make my classes more welcoming and accessible. I have been playing with these ideas for the last several years but have not been able to get a firm grip on the concepts. I hoped by inviting several of my fellow faculty members that we would all get excited about these ideas and that we would be able to take what we learned back to the rest of our department.
Where I Am:
I know have the tools to more fully implement techniques that will make my course more accessible and welcoming. I have already implemented some of the ideas in my current courses and now have a template to refer to so that I can continue to implement these ideas. I have learned several techniques (liquid syllabus, word wall, ice breaker) which were ideas that I had interest in but wasn't sure how to implement. I now have the tools to add these to my courses and make these a regular part of my classes.
Where I Am Headed:
As I prepare for upcoming semesters, I plan on reviewing the things I have learned here and implementing these techniques into my courses. I will start by implementing these in my Summer courses and then will review the process and tweak the assignments for my fall courses. I plan on continuing to share these ideas with my coworkers and look forward to having several of the faculty in my department who can help facilitate the discussion.
2. Liquid Syllabus
Click Image Below to View Liquid Syllabus:
3. Course Card
I chose this course care because I liked that mathematics imagery while still showing how math can be applied to different concepts (scaling shapes, physics, graphical design). I also felt that the images were somewhat fun. I wanted to focus on a statement of encouragement so I added the phrase, "your class, your education, your adventure." I felt this would give the students a sense of ownership and show that I care about them.
4. Homepage
I have reduced my homepage greatly due to my involvement in this Humanizing Stem project. I kept my welcoming message, added a welcoming video, and still have my overview video where I explain first assignment expectations. All three of these things focus on welcoming the students through a message, advice, personal touches, and allowing them to immediate share with me about themselves through the introduce yourself assignment (ice-breaker activity). This shows that I value them as individuals and that I am interested in them as a person first and foremost. It is a definite upgrade from my previous homepages which were filled with lists of assignments and rules. I still have the lists of assignments (imbedded in the modules for clarity), but now it is not the first thing I present to students.
5. Getting to Know You Survey
This survey is something that I have done in the past but not formally and not in a way where they are communicating with me directly. In the past, I would have them to an introduce yourself assignment where they'd meet me and one another but this could be intimidating to students and doesn't encourage them to contact me directly. Adding the survey to the start of my course is an easy way for me to get additional information about the students, help me focus on student concerns and needs, and is another way of showing that I care about each of them individually.
I explain in the video above about each question but I especially like the idea of encouraging them to review the liquid syllabus and respond how they are feeling about this course using a likert scale and then later on having them response using a word. In the past, I wouldn't have asked students their name preference or how to pronounce it, but as I think about it, a student's name is very personal and if I can share an interest in learning it and pronouncing it correctly, I believe this shows the students that I care and respect them enough to focus on things that are important to them.
6. Ice Breaker Assignment
This was a tough assignment for me. I was very excited to learn how to use Flip but I had a lot of difficulty getting it added to my assignment. The main issue was that, in the past, my ice-breaker was in discussions but to use Flip, I had to make it an assignment. By having students record responses, I am encouraging them to actually get to know one another beyond how they type and answer questions. I included two questions that I believe will tell me about the students and help me relate with them. Fir first question about a super power is less about the power and more about how they would use it. It is a good chance to find out what the student is like as a person. The second question opens up a good discussion on what are good things you can do to lower your stress or help you study. This allows for me to open up about the music I like to listen to when I am studying/working. This encourages students to take time for self-wellness and shows that I care about their self-wellness.
7. Bumper Video
In the past, I had covered elements that are in my bumper video, but they were a part of a 30-40 minute introduction to the course and overview of the syllabus and expectations. As I think about it, this long video covered all of the boxes but was really only convenient for me. By separating the video into smaller sections, I am able to give the support in a specific section where it makes sense and allows for student to seek help on a topic they need without having to review a longer video. Though I am giving a quick tour of the course, I am also emphasizing the care I have for the students, encouraging them to reach out to me, and letting them know their first assignments are to share with me about themselves. This shows that I care about the students as individuals and celebrates their individuality and the diveristy that they will bring to my course.
8. Microlecture
The microlectures are much like the bumper videos in that I always had an introduction to a topic and an anticipatory set, but I always included it as part of a larger video of notes. By putting these elements into a separate microlecture, it allows student to do a quick review of the topic if they find they are struggling with it without havign to review a huge lesson. This also focuses the students attention on applications about what they are about to learn and helps give them a sense of value to what they are learning. By keeping the video shorter (a particular challenge for me), it makes me focus on what I am going to say and makes me prioritize what is said and what is left out. That makes it a more valuable tool for students who just need a quick overview or a quick review of a topic.
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.