Dear Colleagues,
This is an update from the Faculty Hub about helping you prepare for fall term teaching.
We have been experimenting with the new classroom technology for blended teaching with students in the classroom, masked, with distancing and students participating via Zoom, synchronously. We tested four common scenarios: an interactive lecture with Q &A, a learning activity that required students to do something individually and share what they did, large group discussion, and small group discussions. We created some videos to show you these experiences—note that these are not fully polished, they are experimental, and yet we think they will help you prepare. We also made a concise list of key recommendations.
These materials are available to you here:
Blended Classroom Teaching demonstration videos: https://vimeo.com/showcase/7421113
Our recommendations: https://richmond.box.com/s/6nf6fxo5g27hcwbepp8gca5yv5lu9aju
Thank you to the faculty and staff who participated as mock students, especially Professor Dean Simpson who modeled some wonderful approaches to engaging all students, regardless of mode of participation.
We want to experiment again with the small group discussion scenario as it is an approach many instructors wish to use and we found it to be the most challenging scenario.
We are seeking volunteers for a mock teaching session on Wednesday, August 12 from 9-11 AM. If you are able to help, we will be most grateful and you will be assisting other faculty as we will communicate what was learned plus you will gain some direct experience which will be helpful to your own preparation for teaching in a blended setting.
If you are able to join us, please email us at: facultyhub@richmond.edu and specify that you volunteer to be an in-class or remote student or that you can do either one, as needed. The face-to-face (F2F) “students” will meet in Jepson 107. Other “students” will participate remotely. We will send you the Zoom link once you sign up. If you will serve as a F2F student, please remember to wear your mask and abide by the distancing protocol, bring your charged laptop to class, and please bring some type of earbuds or headset that functions with your laptop (we will not have one available for you). For all volunteers, please plan to participate the entire 2 hours.
Finally, we have mapped out some additional opportunities for support for your teaching preparations in the time period leading up to and including the beginning of the semester. In the event that you missed something earlier this summer or you want to re-visit a topic, have questions, or want to gain feedback on your ideas, please join us.
No registration is required for these sessions which will function like group office hours—they are not webinars but opportunities to learn tips and strategies and share ideas and examples.
The dates and times with a single Zoom link are here: https://richmond.box.com/s/qnnmbo3vsbn3nsi4uw941euzklodput9.
That document also includes some information about the topics you can explore in our courses (all materials still available to you this fall).
Upon request, the Faculty Hub session on Monday, August 17 will include ideas and strategies for faculty who are teaching in a fully remote mode using Zoom.
Thank you and best wishes.
Sincerely,
Linda
Linda M. Boland, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
Director, Teaching and Scholarship Hub