Semester 1 had many challenges associated with teaching and learning in the Business School (and indeed - the entire university). To say it was stressful is an understatement; in one reflection interview, it was said that it ‘shaved 5 years off’ the CEs life!
Throughout the first semester we have spoken with a number of educators and CEs and this post is a summation of many conversations that took place, in order to to help you - Semester 2 CEs - to avoid the sink-or-swim nature of Semester 1.
Point 1 - Keep it simple
The Take away
- Minimise the types of tasks given each week (but keep them meaningful!)
- Make sure there’s a clear path for the students to follow each [with regards to what activities to do, and in which order, including checks of understanding through quizzes, H5P, etc]
In Detail
The false-start nature to Semester 1 had a huge impact on everybody -The students started off one way, mentally gearing up for a particular mode of delivery and experience - but then having to suddenly change tracks. As for the teaching staff - many had to come to grips with new technologies and approaches that they had not tried out yet;
Online is much more exhausting and mentally involved; Clear information is critical, and repeating and re-emphasising also ensures students understand and are directed to what they need to know or do. Of course, there will always be some students that do not read, or seemingly miss all the information.
Something that has explicitly been mentioned by students is having a good clear layout - that is consistent from week-to-week - and one that includes high quality resources.
Lectures should be broken up; ideally, in lecture packages - but, even if that’s not possible - breaking up the videos into smaller chunks makes it more manageable and ‘easier to digest’ for the students.
Make the assessment pathway clear and unambiguous. Weekly check-ins (quizzes) and then the assignments. Where traditionally you might have lots of smaller tasks littered throughout the semester - in class - it can get complicated online, and thus can cause stress and anxiety for the students.
Stick to trying only 1 new ‘big’ thing; for example, using polling, Coggle, or Kahootz. These take time to integrate (pedagogically) into the unit, and then to integrate it into the students activities in a meaningful way.
Point 2 - Management is key
The Take away
- Communicate, communicate, and over-communicate - but make it clear which channels and what frequency will be used (for direct communication, and responses to the students)
In Detail
Not just managing yourself, and time; but managing your own - and your students - expectations. Ensure you have introduction to the week (short video, or paragraph of text, introducing the week and anything else relevant to the students understanding of the upcoming topic); A end of week ‘recap’ in a similar vein would also assist the students to reflect and ensure they have understood all they needed to.Make it clear to the students when you will be available for consultations, or when - and how - you plan on responding to emails.
Eg. Please ensure you have the unit title in the subject line, with a clear indication of the nature of the enquiry. I will respond to all emails on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the afternoon. Tuesday and Thursday I will respond to Forum posts.
Alternatively, you could make it clear that the forums are the primary form of communication for the unit, and this would allow you to leverage assistance from TAs (if available to you). Whatever it is, make it known to the students, and stick with it.
One academic said to ‘undersell and over-deliver’; try not to make promises you cannot keep - or may not be able to keep. But when you can provide something ‘extra’ that really helps the student learning experience, or just makes it more interesting - students can respond positively.
Point 3 - Think - and feel - like a student
The Take away
- Showing empathy and understanding to the student experience makes you really consider the tasks and expectations being placed on the student
- Be sure to provide direction to support services if students are indicating they’re struggling
In Detail
In particular, those registered with DSS – they have a much harder time adapting. One academic reached out to each of these students at the beginning and prioritised consultation with them. This has been a tough year so far - and it’s only going to continue (and, perhaps, get tougher). We need to show that we care, that we can understand what students are going through - or show that we are willing to try to understand.Some of the positive feedback that came from students indicated that they knew the CE cared and wanted - encouraged - the students to learn, and to learn more.
Especially during these times, students may voice that they’re struggling with anxieties, or other mental health issues - but most are typically not registered with DSS. Make sure you encourage the students to do so - making them aware it is there, and the support available to them through the university.
Point 4 - Maintain connection
The Take away
- Give students the opportunity to ‘connect’ and communicate in a variety of ways; including face to face as appropriate / possible
- Also consider other tools - particularly where they can voice frustrations or concerns
In Detail
For some academics - particularly CEs - they felt more distant from the students than ever before. However, some felt even closer. This seemed to depend on the role the CE played; in some cases, they became a primary point of contact; others leveraged their TAs for day-to-day teaching.Many of those I spoke to mentioned having specific consultation with students for exam preparation; and these were well received by the students. It’s important that the students feel a connection to the CE - as it’s very easy to get lost, particularly in large classes - and especially during online delivery. In larger units - where possible, TAs should spend the time with smaller groups of students, to ensure they’re learning and have a point of contact with the unit.
Some form of synchronous activity really helps with this; Zoom has become a popular tool, but the Moodle Chat Activity has also proven to work well, as has Forums (where properly scaffolded and supported, students thrived in these environments!).
Also, be sure to get regular feedback from students; let them know you are learning and adapting (as much as possible) and reflect that in little changes based on the feedback given to you.
Even if you don’t take on the feedback immediately - let them know that their voice will be heard and considered for future iterations of the unit. This will make the students feel like they’re being listened to, and feel a greater sense of connection to the unit, and being agents of their own learning - and impacting future students' experience in the unit.
Point 5 - Leverage your support networks
The Take away
- Although mostly remote - we have many people around us in the department and faculty - be sure to leverage them for brainstorming ideas and trying to resolve issues.
- The TaLT is also here for a chat should you ever need it
In Detail
Clint Eastwood said “A [person]s gotta know [their] limits” - know what you are capable of and work within that. Seek advice or suggestions from colleagues - or just use them as a sounding board to explain an idea. The TaLT is also here for you - even if you just want a chat, or want some thoughts on how you might improve some element of your unit.And above all, look after yourself: It’s very easy to get caught up in the teaching - especially those of us more empathetic and really wanting to support students to succeed. You are but one person, with your own life and challenges. Be sure to try and set clear boundaries with your own time - for your sake, and your students.
Overall many felt surprised and empowered by what they were able to achieve and accomplish throughout the semester. We hope that many of you - who may be teaching for the first time this year - will have a similar experience.
Good luck and stay safe!
