James Gappy | Professor | San Diego Mesa College
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 teaching this course, I had a very impersonal approach to STEM education. I focused mainly on covering the content and testing the outcomes, and I ignored the human aspects of learning. I did not care about who my students were, where they came from or how they felt. However, after teaching this course, I realized that I was making a big mistake. My students were actually very inquisitive, diverse and motivated. They want to connect with me and with each other, and not feel that the course is just a series of lectures and quizzes where nobody cares or communicates.
This course has transformed my teaching style in many ways. I am now thinking more about how to create a more student-centered, culturally responsive and emotionally supportive course for computer science. I still have lots of work ahead of me, as now I would like to create lots of micro-lectures for my classes. I have also learned to cultivate a sense of community and belonging in my classroom. I am excited to see the positive impact of these changes on my students’ engagement, achievement and well-being.
This course has inspired me to teach in a different way in the future. I will teach in a more student-centered, culturally responsive and emotionally supportive way. I will also use more active learning, collaborative learning and project-based learning techniques. I will teach in a way that respects my students as individuals and as collaborators in learning. I will also teach in a way that builds a sense of community and belonging in my classroom. I hope that these changes will improve my students’ engagement, achievement and well-being. Furthermore, I will create a liquid syllabus that is fun and engaging for students. I will also create micro-lectures for all the course content, and caption my lecture videos properly.
How will I use the liquid syllabus?
My Liquid Syllabus is a dynamic and interactive document that introduces you to the course, the instructor, and the expectations. It also provides you with resources and support to help you succeed in this learning journey. By using a Liquid Syllabus, I hope to establish trust and demonstrate that I care about your learning before the course begins. You can access the syllabus anytime, anywhere, and on any device. You can also leave comments, ask questions, and share feedback on the syllabus. I encourage you to explore the syllabus and get familiar with the course design, objectives, policies, and assignments. I look forward to meeting you and learning with you in this course.
Why I chose this cute cat image
I chose this course card image of a cat using a laptop computer because it is cute, funny, and relatable. It shows that computer science can be fun and accessible to anyone, even a furry friend. It also conveys a sense of curiosity and creativity, which are essential skills for computer science students. By using this image, I hope to extend a welcoming invitation to computer science students who may have different backgrounds, interests, and experiences. I want them to feel comfortable and excited about learning computer science in this course.
Also, in case you are wondering, I have 3 cats (and 2 dogs).
The role that the course homepage plays
My Canvas homepage serves as a kindness cue of social inclusion for students by creating a welcoming and supportive learning environment. It features a warm greeting, a friendly photo of myself, and a brief introduction to the course. It also provides clear and easy navigation to the course modules, announcements, discussions, and other important resources. The homepage invites students to interact with me and with each other through various channels, such as email, chat, video conferencing, and discussion forums. By designing my Canvas homepage in this way, I hope to foster a sense of belonging and community among my students and to show them that I care about their learning and well-being.
How I will use the survey data to modify the course
The Student Survey is a great tool for me to get to know my students better and to create a more inclusive and welcoming learning environment for them. One of the questions I ask is how to say their names the way they want me to. I believe that this is a sign of respect and recognition for their unique identities and cultures. I urge my students to share their preferred pronunciation of their names with me, instead of settling for something less. I used to do that myself, but I learned to value and celebrate my name as part of who I am.
Another question I ask is about the personal and academic challenges that my students may encounter in their lives and how I can help them overcome them while they are taking my course. This will allow me to be more flexible and compassionate with my late homework policy and to provide alternative assignments when appropriate. I acknowledge that different students have different needs and strengths, and I want to support them in the best way possible.
How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice!
A "What matters to you" ice breaker assignment fosters a sense of belonging by connecting students with each other’s real-world experiences. This type of ice breaker allows students to share something personal and meaningful with their classmates, such as their proudest accomplishment, their dream job, or their happiest moment. By doing so, they can learn more about each other’s backgrounds, interests, values, and goals. They can also find common ground and appreciate diversity among their peers. This can help them bond quickly and feel more comfortable collaborating in the classroom. A "What matters to you" ice breaker is an effective way of starting a learning session or a team-building event.
Also here is my version of my self-affirming ice breaker.
How the bumper videos will improve my student's learning experiences
I expect that using bumper videos will improve my students’ online learning experience in several ways. First, bumper videos will make my course more engaging and memorable by adding visual and auditory elements. Second, bumper videos will make my course more organized and clear by providing structure and guidance. Third, bumper videos will make my course more effective and meaningful by emphasizing the learning outcomes and providing feedback.
How the microlecture videos will improve my student's learning experiences
A microlecture is a brief and interactive video that I make to teach a single concept or skill for my online Java course. It helps the students learn Java syntax and structure, variables, data types, operators, expressions, statements, control structures, methods, classes, objects, inheritance, debugging, and testing. It also lets them learn at their own pace and place, focus on one thing at a time, engage in active learning, and connect with me as their instructor.
This site was created by James Gappy and is shared with a Creative Commons-Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 license. The creation of this content was made possible with funding from the California Education Learning Lab.
