Figuring it out as I go… hybridizing WR 324

Posted on April 5, 2019 by rodgerss

WR 324 is an intermediate fiction writing class. The prerequisite is 224, Introductory Fiction Writing.  324 is a Bacc Core (though not a WIC) class, so it attracts a mix of students.  Most of them enjoyed the intro class and are looking to fill a writing requirement with 324.  But some are also serious about becoming better writers.

The hybrid version of the class will meet f2f once a week for 80 minutes, with the remaining components occurring online. Our program is in the process of developing a creative writing major, so we anticipate an increased population of students who might appreciate the flexibility of the hybrid course.

This term, I’m teaching 424, the next course in the sequence.  I’ve always had a pretty … basic approach to Canvas, so I’ve been trying to “up my game” as I get the 424 class up and running this week (“spring break” was spent at a conference, followed by my program’s biggest event of the year on Monday, so I’ve started the term already feeling behind… Yikes!).  I am not surprised to discover that I still have quite a bit to learn.  Tasha, who visited our Hybrid Community class, has been a huge help, as have some of the tutorial videos.

I was gratified to read the list of OSU Hybrid Instructors’ best practices, because many of us in the humanities (and other areas too, I’m sure) already approach our f2f class time with “lectures of less than 15 minutes interspersed with other class activities,” “active learning (e.g., think-pair-share, group work),” classroom discussions, and prompt feedback on assessments.  I anticipate continuing in this vein, with my “hybridzing” focusing on group activities that have both an in-class and out-of-class component, as well as integration between the classroom and online learning environments.

For example, I plan on preserving the precious f2f time by putting all reading quizzes online (they take up 10+ minutes at the beginning of class)—and in fact I’m trying that out with the 424 class this term, so I can better familiarize myself with the different quiz question options and formats.

This is what’s exciting to me about the hybrid format:  instead of simply assigning readings and hoping the students will come in prepared, they’ll do quizzes, discussions, and collaborations before they come to class, which—I hope—will mean we can take the conversation very quickly to a deeper and more meaningful level during our f2f time.  AND I can assess how well they grasp the reading before we meet f2f, which will help me figure out how best to approach discussion.

I’m also experimenting with Collaborations this term:  I’ve put students in random groups, with each group working together on a single project in Google Docs. This is something I anticipate using quite a bit in the hybrid 324, so again, I’m glad to give it a try before fall term 2019.  When I really, really hope I will not be scrambling as much as I am right now to catch up…

 

 

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Hybrid ED 340 – Supportive Differentiated Environments

Posted on April 5, 2019 by anderje3

Each year, 40-50 students participate in OSU’s Secondary Double Degree Program, a year-long program that combines student teaching with coursework and requirements for a middle/high school teaching certificate.  ED 340 is course is a required course for students completing the Double Degree Program, and focuses on philosophies and strategies related to classroom management and differentiated instruction (differentiated instruction is instruction that accommodates and adjusts for different student needs).

Initially, I thought I would “hybridize” my course primarily by a) moving some of my lecture content (which is minimal to start with) online and b) finding ways for students to analyze videos of other teachers’ work within Canvas (this is work we have typically done as a group in person).  As I’ve given this more thought and seen some of the available resources, I’ve decided to try moving some of the more support- and problem-solving aspects of the course online.  In the past, I have devoted some f2f time to student reflection and sharing of classroom successes and challenges.  This time is important for supporting the student teachers during what can be a stressful year, and helps build the community of the cohort.  We know this community is a tremendous support for a lot of them during this year.  I’ve warmed up to the idea of doing some of this work in the online classroom.  We’ll see what happens.  If I structure it incorrectly, I fear it has the potential to turn my online classroom into something resembling Facebook more than a classroom.  However, structured correctly, it could be very positive for all of us (including me!)

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How to Combine the Technical with the Interesting

Posted on April 5, 2019 by strowbrm

WSE 210 is a bacc core class for physical science. The goal of the class is to teach students about the anatomy and physical descriptions of wood species. Students learn through lectures and a hands-on lab that encourage them to explore and ask questions. The class typically has between 30-50 students and was offered twice per year (fall and winter term).

As a hybridized course, the class will meet in person once per week for the lab element, and the remaining time will be online learning. The online portion will be mostly comprised of lectures including slides, but also recorded portions. In the past we’ve used a lot of informational and short videos to help students grasp certain concepts and I anticipate that we will continue to do this. Students are also encouraged to visit two websites that provide additional information in relation to wood species and the structural elements of each.

One of the things that I am really excited about modifying is making the testing portions of the course less weighted and more frequent. The idea of smaller stake tests is something that I really resonate with and I think it will help students learn better, or at least help them when we run into concepts that are more difficult to understand. I am also planning on creating an element of ownership for the students in which they get to select a tropical wood species and give the other students an online lesson regarding that species. In all honesty, I am super excited about all of this!

The online content will be a build up for the species identification in lab. The goal is that the students will understand the anatomy and structural characteristics in wood and wood species and then be able to use these skills in lab while actually handling and identifying the species. Because this class is so unique, I am very aware of maintaining the thrill (this may be the wrong term) of learning the identifying skills and I want to be sure to keep this as part of the class. There has been a comradery between students in the class because the skills and the content are so different from other things they will learn during their academic career.

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Inside the Nutshell: Keeping the Nut From Cracking

Posted on April 5, 2019 by rolstoni

Focus, focus, focus. That is what I am currently trying to do, on this one blog, on this course design, on this new hybrid course, considering all the things that need to fit, how to balance online content with classroom content, learning outcomes, assessments, linkages, etc. I have to admit, I feel more comfortable with this process than any other time in the past, yet still question whether I am doing this for myself or for the students. I am both instructor and student, leader and follower, master and apprentice. The course, Anth 210 Comparative Cultures, in its new guise, covers a multitude of topics, including worldwide cultural practices, gender designations, health care, religions, political powers and human migration (and more!). Sounds like a great class, eh?

It is or will be! This particular class is referred to as a Bacc Core class in Perspectives: Cultural Diversity, created primarily for non-anthro majors. In the past and most likely to continue, multiple sections are offered each and every quarter, with most of them taught by Graduate Teaching Assistants in our Applied Anthropology Master or Ph.D program. High turnover in students; high turnover in GTAs; a constant rotation. Only one constant: me.

Students registered for this class are typically in their first two years of higher education, though some upperclass students trickle in from time-to-time. Most have never taken an anthropology course prior to this one.

Nuts and shells of the course: As a hybrid, students in this course will meet f2f once per week for 80 minutes at which time they will be involved in differing, linked activities, such as small group discussions, debates, presentations, etc. Ideally the preparation for the meeting times will be prompted online, in a weekly module that gives the student a chance to know what the expectations are in the f2f portion of the course.

Most of the content will be from one main textbook/e-book, with assigned chapter readings each week and online lectures. Additionally, students are expected to use a “fun,” interactive, low stakes, publisher program that gives them a chance to review material from the assigned readings. There is also a chance to use Review Quizzes online (open book, un-timed) to further reinforce the textbook content. Another part of each module  will include a prompt that prepares each student for the classroom meeting. For example, one prompt asks students to carry a notebook/electronic device and note particular establishments that they encounter every day that are cultural in context (e.g. synagogue, mosque, church), then bring the notes to class to share with their peers. This is one of the ways the online content will connect with the classroom content.

The assessments used in this design are the publisher’s interactive program, the review quizzes and attendance/participation in the class. One consideration is whether to have a final project/presentation or a final exam. I have not decided on this yet.

Picturing myself as a student in this hybrid course, I’m trying to make sure that I do not make too many assignment/assessments that are unnecessary or take too much time outside of the classroom. Students figure out rather quickly which assignments are necessary and which they can miss; some will be high achievers while others will just aim at passing the class and checking off the Bacc Core category. I suppose I have no control over those decisions, yet don’t want to overburden students with a course and a half.

Okay, that’s it. Time to Blog Off and get to work.

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F2F or Online for peer-review

Posted on April 5, 2019 by boudraan

The only challenge I have been facing so far is to decide whether to keep the peer-review activities in class or move them to the online part. My plan is to try both methods in my current course and see later which one is more practical. I think that’s the only way to find out.

For the sake of time, it seems more reasonable to do the peer-reviews online and use class time for more content-based material. However, through my experiment in Week One,  I discovered that students take pleasure in discussing each other’s writing in class. The 20 minutes I allowed them to complete this assignment are worthwhile. The personal feel in this activity is certainly different from the virtual version. For example, I remember in one of my online classes one student felt a bit touched by a peer’s review of his essay. The virtual “cold” aspect of this activity made it appear so. I’m certain that if they had discussed the review F2F (instead of online) that misunderstanding wouldn’t have happened. Well, it was just a one-time minor accident, so I’ll keep using Canvas for peer-reviewing and we’ll see how it turns out in the end.

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Hybrid Development of NMC 427 Digital Pornography

Posted on April 3, 2019 by padillal

Taking on controversial or taboo topics isn’t new to me. During my time here at OSU, I have designed a critical thinking class focused on propaganda, media effects and manufacturing consent. This class, NMC 419 Reefer Madness in the Media, provides an opportunity for students to examine these media studies theories through the case study of marijuana prohibition in the US. It’s proven to be a very successful class and one I’ve enjoyed being apart of. When my colleague Jeff Hale retired a few years ago, I wanted to continue his critical thinking contribution in new media and offer his course 427 Digital Pornography. My dissertation was on digital gender in 3D immersive environments and I felt like this was in my wheelhouse to pick it up.

NMC 427 Digital Pornography is part of the Science, Technology and Society Bacc Core and the main objective here is to address the immense impact that science and technology have had on all facets of modern civilization. Through the case of digital pornography, students examine the relationship between pornography and new media and the revolutionary force it had in the creation of digital media.   The challenge here is finding the perfect blend of in-class with online while being sensitive and mindful of the type of content we are dealing with. There are some challenges, as with all course development, but I see a wonderful opportunity to redesign this class as a hybrid option especially given its content.

I’ve been working with tools to help in the creative process as I redesign this class. Every week will be a blend of course materials accessed via the Canvas site followed by one weekly meeting where we will do screenings, lectures, presentations and discussions of the material we are covering. A tools sharing exercise in the hybrid workshop inspired one such example of the integration between in-class and online activity. Using the infogram tool, combined with Google Trends, students engage with data visualization by researching trending topics being searched and report back the data via the Infographic. We will then present these infograms during our in-class meeting and prompt discussion of these findings. I’m including an example below. There is still much to redesign but I can see it taking shape at this stage. Slow and steady with this process but worth the effort!

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Albuquerque Inspirations: my peers excite me … and so do theirs

Posted on February 23, 2019 by stjacquj

Greetings colleagues! I am writing this post from Albuquerque, NM, where I’ve been up to my elbows at the Southwest Popular American Culture Association conference this week. I presented my paper yesterday, and that’s the only excuse I can come up with for missing the Friday deadline for this blog post. It’s 0634 in the morning, and I’ve been up since 0430 catching up on overdue grading, but hunting makes me an early riser, so I don’t mind. The sun is just starting to grumble its way up the Albuquerque skyline, and the sky is pale grayish-blue. I grew up in this state, so coming to SWPACA always makes me nostalgic, particularly when it comes to polishing off a bowl of green chile stew.

Sorry: I just had to share.

I concur heartily with our adamsden, who spoke of how easy it is, at some point in the term, to backslide into some and even all of the bad habits mentioned St. Germain’s article. But then again, screwing stuff up is the price of going off the map, and taking chances is what makes teaching exciting. After doing this for 16 years (and I know some of you have been doing it far longer), that’s one thing I can say for certain. Anyone who teaches something the same way for decades is doing something wrong. The recipe can always be improved.

Any major cook will tell you.

Of the five pitfalls St. Germain wags her pedagogical finger at, I found myself most smitten with Pitfall #5: Ignore the ways students learn from each other. Over the years, in every class I teach, I have always been impressed (and even spiritually clubbed over the head) by how thirsty our students are to relate to each other on a personal level. Some of this thirst may be impelled by the harsh realities of attempting to teach meta-lecture classes in excess of 150+ students, where participants feel like so many faceless faces in a crowd.

Maybe it’s the fact that, since birth, millennials have been trained and nurtured to work in pods, like orcas, and there is a certain reassurance in sticking with the herd.

But I think the answer is far different. I think our students are thirsty to work with each other because it is stimulating, plain and simple. While they might, in a best case scenario, honor and cherish their educational relationships with us old teacherly types (I speak for myself, obviously), they find own interpersonal relationships incredibly exciting, as they agree, disagree, admire and/or square off with each other in the Arena of the Intellect.

And can I fault them? Look at where I am right now: at a conference in Albuquerque, arguing and reveling in adaptation theory with my colleagues, finding inspiration and motivation to bring back home to my classrooms. Making new connections and eating green chile cheeseburgers for lunch.

So reflecting on St. Germain’s nice, punchy article (I love it when pedagogical theory gets to, and sticks with, the point), I solemnly pledge to stay alert, to not remain content with mere discussion board exchanges, but to bust my hump to figure out more interactive ways my students can make contact with–and gain inspiration from–each other. There are untapped wells of energy in that process, and it is my aim in the coming terms to tap this wellspring of energy and channel it to make a more exciting classroom. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt the students learn as much (even more) from each other than they would if I try to cram my agenda of “knowledge” into their heads.

One of the most inspirational texts I have stumbled on in my career is titled “The Ignorant Schoolmaster: Five Lessons in Intellectual Emancipation,” by the French political theorist, Jacques Ranciere. I will close this missive with one of my favorite quotes, in which Ranciere critiques the megalomaniacal master-driven style of learning:

“The master always keeps a piece of learning–that is to say, a piece of the student’s ignorance–up his sleeve. I understood that, says the satisfied student. You think so, corrects the master. in fact, there’s a difficulty here that I’ve been sparing you until now. We will explain it when we get to the corresponding lesson. What does this mean? asks the curious student. I could tell you, responds the master, but it would be premature: you wouldn’t understand at all. It will be explained to you next year. The master is always a length ahead of the student, who always feels that in order to go farther he must have another master, supplementary explications. Thus does the triumphant Achilles drag Hector’s corpse, attached to his chariot, around the city of Troy.”

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Pitfall narrowly avoided!

Posted on February 22, 2019 by anderje3

The last pitfall (Ignore the ways students learn from each other) particularly resonated with me.  The course I teach, ED 340, relies heavily on student-to-student learning as a way to support students with the classroom management piece of teaching.   It’s important to get the classroom management piece right; we know that new teachers who struggle with classroom management are at higher risk for relying on more teacher-centered instruction (read: students quiet, teacher talks).  They are also more likely to drop out of the profession altogether.

Right now, this student-to-student learning comes mostly in the form of instructor-facilitated problem-solving in the physical classroom (“How would you handle ______situation?”  “How could ________situation have been prevented?”).  It’s an important part of helping them feel more prepared to take over their own class, and one of the parts of the class that the students say they most appreciate.

But in the online component to my class, I’ll be honest – I almost fell for this pitfall.  My first instinct was to load all of my course content (readings, responses, etc.) online, and to forget that some of this student-to-student learning can happen online.  Our readings and my reflection over the last couple of weeks have helped me see that a better option is to re-design my class so that at least some of this problem-solving happens virtually.

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Creating through Active Learning

Posted on February 22, 2019 by padillal

Photo by Alina Padilla-Miller In 2011, I found myself standing in front of a room full of 2nd and 3rd grade students lecturing about digital storytelling. I explained the power of story, narrative, scripts, production and audience. There were a couple starry-eyed kiddos listening intently but for the majority of the class I watched them fidget, look around the room, play with their shoes, stare at the ceiling and occasionally tune in to me while I was talking. Did they learn anything? I was about to find out.

Once I handed out the 2-column script template, colored markers for color coding and gave instructions, a beautiful sight unfolded. Every student was deep in their creation and applying what I had been lecturing on, as if they had heard everything even though I viewed them as looking completely distracted. The takeaway from this experience was a lasting one, there is significant importance in the learning process through creating.

In the article, “Five Common Pitfalls of Online Course Design,” Pitfall #4: Expect your students to consume knowledge rather than create it, really resonated with me. In the last eight years of teaching, this pitfall has proven to be a crucial one to consider. Much like the 2nd and 3rd grade students demonstrated to me on that day, my college students also like active learning. According to an article in the Standford Teaching Commons, “active learning is means students engage with the material, participate in the class, and collaborate with each other. Don’t expect your students simply to listen and memorize; instead, have them help demonstrate a process, analyze an argument, or apply a concept to a real-world situation.”

So, how will I avoid this pitfall in hybrid classes? Well, I plan to incorporate as much active learning as possible. Through activities, experiments and use of everyday media, there are a lot of opportunities to fold in the creation process. The process of creating is not only necessary to include in active learning but it’s also incredibly engaging and dare I say it, fun! Whether the class is face-to-face, online or hybrid, incorporating active learning will enrich the course and ultimately the student’s experience with the curriculum. Let the creating begin!

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Sage on the Stage

Posted on February 22, 2019 by rolstoni

Online Course Design Pitfall #3: Insist on being the “sage on the stage.” According to Elizabeth St. Germain’s article, “Five Common Pitfalls of Online Course Design,” she discusses how teachers, instructors and professors often teach using the pedagogy that they possess special knowledge and that their students and/or subordinates need to listen to their every word in order to understand this special knowledge. With age and experience on the teacher’s side, it is easy to fall into this habit as a method of enlightening our wards. With the advent of the internet, however, the voice of the sage has been filtered out almost entirely. How do we convey our knowledge in the midst of so much “noise”? It appears that we need to turn to the “noise” and train our students to critically question the wide berth of information from so many online sources, including academic publications that are now easily accessible with a few key words.

Collecting data via online research, analyzing and deciphering the content and preparing the information in a meaningful way that can be used in the classroom can make this a much more useful practice. Rather than students relying on their “sage” to inform them, we have the ability to transform the classroom from unidirectional communication into multilateral communications between instructor to student and student to student. Approaching this from a hybrid design perspective, using the initial collection and deciphering of data online prior to use in the classroom as, for example, small group discussions, moves the omnipotent sage into the role of facilitator, one who directs the flow of the classroom rather than dominating the stage.

For my hybrid course design, I want to enable students to pursue information prior to our class meetings and share what they have found and how they interpret it with their peers and myself. The challenge for me is to know when to “step out of their way” and how to guide the discussions so that they become a learning experience for the students. This is easier said than done, as I have been trained as a passive learner and feel very comfortable with prepared lectures. It may be more taxing to be responsible for your own learning (from the student angle) and scary to potentially not be in complete control of the classroom (from the teacher’s perspective).

It will take some practice on my part, for sure, to become more comfortable as a facilitator, rather than packing the meeting times with information that I want the students to learn and understand. Yet, this seems a necessary change, not only for hybrid courses, but for most all educational designs.

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