Which classes are you teaching this semester?
I’m teaching two sections of Honors composition, a first year writing class for Honors students. That’s Honors 115. I have two sections of that and I’m also teaching an upper division writing class called ‘Advanced Copy Composition’––that’s English 438. So I have all writing classes this term. Next term I have four different classes, so I’ll have four preps next term. I’m quaking in my boots at the thought of that.
What tools did you utilize for teaching when the pandemic started? Have these tools changed entering into the new school year?
When we got sent home last March I was able to finish off my classes just with email. I’m trying to think about what else, because students have to send me papers back and forth. So I guess email and LearningHub. But I didn’t have any classes that required lecturing. My classes were more creative writing performance classes and that sort of thing. I didn’t get on the bandwagon and learn a lot of extra tools; at that point I could finish off without them. However, when I learned that this school year was going to have a very large remote component I spent all of my summer going to online classes that various people at the University offered and I tried to learn as much as I could. I was starting from scratch because I really hadn’t even learned to use the LearningHub grade book. I really had to play catch up. But this year in my classes, I am using Zoom because I have some remote students. I’m beginning to use breakout sessions for peer critiquing in my writing classes. That’s pretty much it. I rely pretty heavily on email and I find myself emailing back and forth to my students quite a bit. I just miss the conversational component and I know email is on the screen but I think everyone has zoom fatigue.
Did you find the transition difficult? What were some challenges that you faced?
I think it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in terms of my teaching career. Just because no part of it comes naturally to me. Lots of people are techie and they enjoy this sort of thing. I’m still trying to learn how to use my iPhone; I can barely use it and I have no children or grandchildren to bail me out. I would have had a half a dozen kids if I knew this was going to happen. Also my voice is just shattered from trying to talk through the mask. When I have to lecture in class that’s been the biggest challenge. I’ve been staggering around so tired this term and I finally realized it’s related to vocal stress and I’m a speech teacher so I should have been able to figure that out pretty quickly.
Did you feel that the classes on online remote teaching were helpful?
Oh yeah, those classes were really, really helpful. The only problem was that they have such a slow and impaired learner as a student. The instructors from distance education and the school of education were amazing. They are continuing to tutor us and I’d be totally lost without them. I have a new appreciation for my students who find my subject area difficult. I am just so much more sympathetic towards them now because I’m doing something that comes easy to other people but does not come easy to me.
What were some methods you found especially helpful?
I did a lot through email. I know this generation doesn’t like to use the phone a lot but I try to accomplish some of our class business through telephone as well. And I am trying to get braver with Zoom. One thing I do love about Zoom is that I can see faces. In class I just see people from the glasses up and I really can’t recognize a lot of my students, especially my first year students because we’re all brand new so when we have a Zoom meeting I can go, ‘oh that’s what you look like!’ It’s been so hard to get to know each student or even just recognize them. I do really miss that physical recognition, but I’ve noticed that I am more of a voice-attuned person so when I can hear someone’s voice a few times I can connect in that way. I’m still doing a fair bit of teaching in person. About 60% in-person and 40% online. So I guess I’m still trying to meet in the classroom. I’m lucky that my classes are on the smaller side, so we can be in the classroom and everyone can have a table to themselves.
Do you think there are any aspects of online learning that have been beneficial and should be kept in the future?
Well, I totally believe it's here to stay. Actually this is my last year of teaching and I know I’ve complained a lot about the changes but I do see the benefits for students who can’t be in the classroom. I have one student from Australia who’s there right now and there can be challenges of trying to connect with somebody with a 14-hour time difference. So from the student’s perspective and the issue of health, it’s a good and necessary thing. But I would like to say that I hope the traditional classroom never totally disappears. I loved every minute of my education that way and I would hate to see the traditional classroom disappear or even diminish. I think it’s a great invention.
Originally published: (09/15/2020)
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.