https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4 Please post your questions to inspire and inform our conversation open to all faculty and with our guest, Nancy Chick. (participation here is part of the financial incentive for Reflection 2021). What questions are you left wondering after this year? What questions do you want to ask other teachers? We are still in a long stretch of time marked by great uncertainty. What questions will we have answers to someday, but cannot know answers to yet? en-us 2021-05-04 16:57:25 UTC 2021-06-15 19:31:37 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f6c0.png rivierej https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1496434345 Link below]]> 2021-05-06 02:24:43 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1496434345 rivierej https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1496438935 Here is where you can write a longer reflection and submit it to the Hub.]]> 2021-05-06 02:26:46 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1496438935 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1516193786 I've been working on a project exploring "students as partners" over the last several months. Of course, students and faculty are all dealing with burnout and in need of restorative [fill in the blank--I'm not sure just what] in order to recover from this past year+. I'd like to learn more about ways to work *with* students as partners in recovery as we return to campus this fall. I find many aspects of "students as partners" to be enjoyable and rejuvenating, however, such collaborative partnerships can also be very time consuming for all involved. How do we work with students without adding to the burnout (for everyone)?  (Maya Barak)]]> 2021-05-12 03:46:22 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1516193786 bdklein1 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1528563668 As we reflect on the past year plus, one question I am beginning to ponder is the role of institutional change to support innovation in teaching and learning in the coming years.  One assumption of many people during the past academic year has been that some of the adaptions we made during the past year will be with us in the future.  At the same time, organizational change is normally messy, difficult, and slow; and resistance to change is generally an aspect of organizational development.  Faculty have a great deal of freedom when it comes to pedagogy, but some aspects of organizational design and strategy can either encourage or discourage innovation and change.  It is possible that we will observe small, incremental changes when we look back in say 2025 or creative and larger changes when we look back.  This all seems very uncertain to me as I reflect on the past year in the summer of 2021.]]> 2021-05-16 15:10:30 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1528563668 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1530890738 Before the pandemic I had been teaching about half of my classes online (asynchronously), and nearly all of the students in my online courses were taking most of their courses face to face on campus. During the pandemic I altered my online courses by dialing back on some of my activities in an effort to address & mitigate my students' fatigue  - since they were taking all of their courses online. I get the sense that many students are now reacting (emotionally?) against online courses, whereas other students who wouldn't have considered online courses pre-pandemic now think they're not so bad. When I resume my "normal" async online courses this fall, I'm not sure if I should ramp back up to my level of activities (e.g. discussions) as I would have taught my online courses in pre-pandemic times. I sense that students electing one of my online courses going forward will have a different set of expectations and preconceptions than students who would have signed up for my online class in, say, 2018. (from Pam Pennock)]]> 2021-05-17 12:21:41 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1530890738 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1536774225 Over the last several years, and then dramatically with the pandemic, I've been exploring what it means to teach with compassion.  I've become more and more struck by how it just feels right to interact with students as fellow human beings (I know, right?) who deserve care, compassion, and consideration, who come into the classroom as already whole people, and what it means to teach like I believe it.  And as I have tried to teach and behave more and more like this, I have found students learn more and contribute more to my classes, that they have so much to say, that they are so capable and competent, so much more than I ever gave them room to show me before.  But as I've tried to make this transition in the classroom, I'm struck by how many of our institutional processes don't treat students as whole people, and also how many processes don't treat faculty and staff as whole people.  And I just wonder how we can extend all of the amazing pedagogical work out there on how to empower our students to do their thing in the classroom, to how we interact with each other within (and beyond) the university.  How can we use the lessons from caring and compassionate and fun and fulfilling classrooms beyond the classroom?  (I think fits closely with Barbara's reflection, too).  (This is from Emily Luxon...I cannot figure out how not to be anonymous?  I guess my secondary question is: can someone explain to me how to use padlet!?  It's such a cool tool, and I want to learn more!).  ]]> 2021-05-18 17:39:01 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1536774225 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1536839113 How can we reflect on past teaching mistakes, without being overly weighed down by regrets that our previously (thoughtless?) pedagogical practices might have harmed students?  ]]> 2021-05-18 17:51:56 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1536839113 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1538288848 We talk a lot about creating learning communities in our classroom, but what about teaching communities? I suppose that this is one of the functions of the Hub, where faculty interested in developing their pedagogy self-select into workshops and activities where such ideas are discussed. From the perspective of the pandemic, most of us instructors were also siloed in our own Zoom/Canvas classroom, with little interactions with others about how each is adapting to the online format. What ways can we share our reflections on how our teaching went, both the mistakes and the successes, so that we can learn from and encourage each other? I guess this is the point of this series! But it is also something that I had been pondering, e.g., in my dept of math and stats we haven't had the change to have conversations about what we think the role of testing is, especially given the failure or difficulties of successful test administration especially in the virtual setting. Do we pivot back to the usual test-based pedagogy? What other possibilities present themselves? (Tian An Wong) ]]> 2021-05-19 04:44:05 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1538288848 nchick https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1540357248 See the "whiteboard" for this session by clicking below.]]> 2021-05-19 16:26:39 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1540357248 jinwang1 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1555537257 I had not had the opportunity to teach online before the pandemic. I was happy to see that it is possible, but I don't think the students get as much out of it. I think the students are missing some of the student to student interaction, and also the opportunity to ask live questions in class. I was not able to create any demonstrations to show the class how physics works. I am interested to see what digital equivalents to the things like face to face interactions are available. I wonder if it would be helpful to use virtual reality 3 dimensional technology to get closer to what it is like in real life. Maybe the ability for students to have private chats with each other in the classroom meetings. I also found that I miss writing on the whiteboard instead of the current situation of using a stylus and touch pen. One nice thing about the digital learning experience was the time savings from not physically commuting to the school and back. Students also were happy for the asynchronous courses to be able to listen to the lectures when it was convenient for them. I also have heard students are happy to have a recording of the class they can review and replay the parts they didn't get the first time. Normally we don't allow video recording of our courses. Maybe that should change... ]]> 2021-05-24 22:59:21 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1555537257 rivierej https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1558061302 Hi folks, just a quick note - thank you for your lovely reflections this far (5/25). You may notice we've turned off commenting on posts - and that's on purpose. We're asking big questions that don't have easy answers. Thank you for your open-ness to asking and reading questions and then sitting with them, letting them stay open to all kinds of answers... at least for now. ]]> 2021-05-25 15:25:07 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1558061302 zhizhan1 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1575049053 2021-06-01 03:21:41 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1575049053 zhizhan1 https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1575054534 2021-06-01 03:24:34 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1575054534 ptodorof https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1586538371 The 2020 pandemic closed us in and confined us to our own thoughts. Social animals, we felt caged. The pundits moaned, and we absorbed their (manufactured?) angst. The world's blood pressure rose to dangerous levels. Parents of youngsters became teachers. So did my students. 

My students are primarily sophomore through senior level. Too many of them were thrust by the pandemic into unfamiliar roles of care-givers rather than more carefree collegians. They taught younger siblings. They tended to gravely ill parents. They buried grandparents. I listened. I gave them compassion, prayers, and extensions.

But my colleagues spoke of their guilt. Zoom-produced guilt. "I can't seem to connect to my students anymore" worried one. Why not? thought I. "My students aren't really 'there' so how can I teach them?" complained another. "They're distracted by illness and can't see the value of learning to write well," argued still another. But...isn't that our job? thought I.

They spoke of their own guilt. They bemoaned the "societal guilt caused by the pandemic." 

And I sat there wondering. Why don't I feel guilty? I know how to teach online. ...been doing it for years before I came to UM-Dearborn. I know how to connect, though Zoom was new to me. 

So I began to feel guilty for not feeling guilty. 

I offered compassion when it was called for and extensions when they were needed. Some of my students required generous Incomplete schedules. Some  required advice to drop and resume later. 

But I kept going. Content in my little home with my dog and my computer and my books, I didn't bemoan my situation. I attended church online. I shopped online. I had Zoom cocktails with my girl friends (and some UM staff) and laughed and talked and connected. 

But I'm still puzzled. Should I feel guilty for not feeling guilty?

]]> 2021-06-05 02:01:19 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1586538371 nchick https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589683586 From the May 19 Chat: "I’m not sure I can sustain that level of attention and time and care and checkins (which feels yucky to say)"]]> 2021-06-07 11:45:24 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589683586 nchick https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589711628 From the May 19 chat: " I worry...that we are romanticizing in person teaching.... like everything will be fine and easy once we meet in person."]]> 2021-06-07 12:03:13 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589711628 nchick https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589715250 From the May 19 chat: " I noticed how often students would apologize for their performance or for needing something extra when they contacted me  - this fits with [the] experience about them seeming embarrassed for needing help."]]> 2021-06-07 12:05:17 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589715250 nchick https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589722142 From the May 19 chat: "I'm trying to work out how to teach f2f when the typical lecture content from all of my courses is out there and available. How to attract students to attend class when the material is online." ]]> 2021-06-07 12:09:24 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589722142 nchick https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589732078 From the May 19 chat: "I do worry that there are mismatches between what we expect students to do for a 3-credit class, and what they think the work requirement is for a 3-credit class.  Thats a huge thing that the pandemic has opened up I think."]]> 2021-06-07 12:14:33 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1589732078 jasonspr https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1608327320 As I reflect on the last few semesters of online teaching, the biggest question I'm left with is: what changes will be permanent and what will go back to "normal?"  Online asynchronous teaching has been convenient and flexible.  I save time on my commute, I don't have to worry about transportation issues, and I don't have to adjust my syllabus schedule because of unforeseen inclement weather.  My students have benefited from this as well.  They are not bound by geographical or temporal limitations.  They can take my class from anywhere at anytime.  However, there have been some negative.  I miss explaining difficult concepts by diagramming things out on the blackboard, fielding questions, and facilitating group work and discussions.  My students have told me they miss in-class discussion, student-to-student interactions, and the ability to ask questions "in the moment."  Online teaching creates a sense of isolation and requires a lot of self-motivation, self-discipline, and time management for both the instructor and the students.  

So, the main questions I'm left with after this year is: when will things go back to normal?  Will things go back to normal?  How much has online teaching changed things permanently?

My question for other teachers is: how much of what you changed to transition to online teaching do you intend to implement for in-person teaching?

Finally, the question that we will have answers to someday, but cannot know the answers to yet is: how had COVID-19 permanently changed higher education instruction?]]> 2021-06-15 19:14:45 UTC https://padlet.com/rivierej/7pofi05m8op5afz4/wish/1608327320