What have you learned from remote teaching?

Hello colleagues, We've learned a great deal as a consequence of remote teaching about what works and what doesn't work. Many programs are thinking about the best way to structure classes as we move forward.

Are you teaching a synchronous class, an asynchronous class, or some combination? What do you see as the pros and cons of the way you are teaching? For those teaching asynchronously or through some combination, how do you structure the class for learners?

Some of you are teaching in-person and --at the same time-- serving learners who join your class remotely. What can you add to the conversation about meeting learners' needs?

What can you share with us about what might work well as we consider program structures in the coming year?

Cheers, Susan Finn Miller

Moderator, English Language Acquisition CoP

 

 

Comments

Doing remote tutoring .... I'm seeing far fewer students in the more basic classes.  Maybe it's the tech -- or maybe it's the "what if they see just how much I can't do???"  so I'm thinking in the fall -- tho' we expect otbe more face to face -- of tellign students that sometimes really basic stuff is often what holds folks back ... and that's what I do .... 
     (tho' we'll have ... challenges... b/c they cut 'way back on people on campus and ... not sure they're going to put any of those positions back when the students come back and they're expecting to do that in the fall!   Even more alarming to me is that their response to questions has been, morethan once, the quaint phrase "we'll see what happens!" ) 


       

Hi Susan, It's pretty clear that what you are seeing is a pattern across the country, i.e., fewer lower-level learners are being served. My hope is that when more programs are able to offer in-person classes, these learners will be motivated to attend. 

Could you tell us more about your experience serving low-level learners remotely, Susan. What have been the successes and the additional challenges you've experienced?

Cheers, Susan Finn Miller

Moderator, English Language Acquisition CoP

 

Welp, now I *am* sure.   They literally said that student support services would be gone end of fiscal year.   I get to stick around, I think.... but we had a whole "Center for Academic Success" that was seen as a model and people still occasionally call our director about (not sure what she tells them; they cut her position because there will be no Center For Academic Success to direct.)   

What did we do that was successful?   We built a community.  This is the part that either people "don't get" ... or they do get it and it scares them.   We had academic coaches -- I forget which flavor training, but it was very good.   They could draw students out and help them discern their strengths, challenges... create a flexible path for their future.   The coaches set up peer mentoring, and they got together and did projects... 
    I was in my computer lab and helping work w/ students on the reading and math academics, and students could come back and ask *anything* at whatever level.   
    We had a writing lab where you went and there were writing faculty there to help you; from 10-1 every day there was a math teacher out there.
    Mainly this was a big ol' space where you were welcome to just come in and use the computers... then warm up and figure out ...  and ... I just had 3 students!! It's bittersweet to do my work knowing that ... it's going to change drastically soon... 

Hi Susan and all, We know how important student support services are to the learners we serve. These services are even more important for our population of adult learners than for other learners. It's so sad to hear these supports are no longer available.