As we shifted to remote teaching this spring, we have (hopefully) been reminded to think about humanizing online learning, which Michelle Pacansky-Brock has conceptualized as encompassing not only facilitation (creating a lively, approachable presence that cultivates empathy and awareness) but also course design. Okay, I thought, I’m human. I can humanize. Yeah, well, I’m also […]
We received such positive feedback on part one of this series and understand that folks are eager for the sequel. Below, we continue to share what we learned from first-year composition students at CSUCI as they interviewed one another about their experiences. What fears did you have about college that turned out not to be […]
As 2019 Teaching and Learning Innovations Fellows, we set out to look more closely at how we could better support students’ transitions from high school to college writing and propel students to success at the university and beyond. As part of this work, we asked students in our first-year composition courses to interview one another, […]
One of the aspects of teaching in the world’s largest public university system that I love the most is the CSU’s bone-deep commitment to an equitable education for all. While most of us can point to a seemingly tone-deaf initiative or two, at its core, the CSU was created to be the people’s university. For […]
Grace was failing. We were near the semester’s halfway mark, and Grace still hadn’t passed a single reading quiz. She had perfect attendance, and was always eager to contribute to group discussions. She was also one of the most positive students I’d ever had in class – one of those people who seem to slosh […]
At Convocation, President Beck shared how the North Star guided her to safety. I have to admit, in light of recent events, I have felt a bit lost. Classes are suspended. Our hearts are broken. We want the best for our students emotionally and academically. How do we proceed? Wednesday morning, several of our Teaching […]
While robotic technology is astounding these days, most robots are still programmed and continue to lack their own emotions and spontaneity. I entered into teaching as a robot. I lacked emotions. One of the first courses I ever taught was an online, undergraduate statistics course with over 200 students at the R1 (research intensive) university where I received my PhD. It was […]
Welcome to my first installment of a monthly series, Wired for Presence. High-touch humanized and connected course facilitation is essential in supporting positive student outcomes (course completion, grades, and student satisfaction) for historically underserved and socioeconomically disadvantaged students (Kaup, 2012; Jaggars & Xu, 2016). However, balancing strong presence with a manageable instructor workload is of […]
This week, I was honored when one of my CI colleagues, Safa Khan, gave a fabulous little book, “Together is Better: A Little Book of Inspiration” by Simon Sinek. This book is about teams, leadership, goals, and innovation. The following quotes helped me get up and get going today. They helped me go back to […]
Dear Colleagues It is with mixed emotions that I write this post and share that Michelle Pacansky-Brock has decided to leave CI. Michelle has accepted a new position as Faculty Mentor, Digital Innovation with the California Community College system. She will be coordinating professional development efforts related to emerging technologies in online teaching and learning […]
