The Great Hack of 2020… I continue to be amazed at how quickly that we, as a human race, have adapted to the present COVID 19 crisis. We’ve learned many lessons about social distancing, hygiene, and the difference between needs and wants. (You don’t really need that much toilet paper…) In the same vein, we have - as faculty, adapted very quickly in response to the COVID 19 crisis. Within a very short time, instructors have made the adjustment to teaching online. Just how have we done so? Well that’s a question that Viola Manakore and I hope to investigate in the coming weeks and months. And Viola and I are not alone, I know of several others, both inside and outside the college, who have an interest in studying this phenomenon. It is a fascinating and historic time in teaching, this “Great Teaching Hack of 2020”, and it is worth studying. This past weekend I spent time thinking about the factors that made the transition possible (Thanks Clara!). At first look I had to say that the transition could only happen because of 1) the urgency of the situation, 2) the teamwork mentality of instructors and leaders, 3) the professional support through workshops videos and tip sheets, and 4) the fact that NorQuest had IT capacity and timely IT support. But, digging deeper, I would have to say that the heavy lifting in making this transition was really upon the shoulders of our instructors. Our faculty stepped up, and I would suggest that many of you did so on the basis of four factors: Agency, Assurance, Adaptive Capacity and Authenticity. The COVID 19 crisis pushed our college in ways we never even imagined. It was like the perfect storm. In the past couple of years, we had been talking about disruption and innovation, but change comes slowly when things seem to be going just fine. Why change what is already working? At the same time, we have been going through a cultural change at the college, one that advocates for giving our employees more autonomy and the freedom to “work from anywhere”. People leaders were/are being challenged to stop micro-managing, trust their colleagues and empower them. And now COVID 19 forced us all to be innovative, work from anywhere, trust and empower! Whether they were comfortable with it or not, many instructors were given the agency to make changes to their delivery approach, planning and assessments in order to make whatever changes necessary in shifting their delivery. This newfound autonomy allowed you to take on the daunting but exciting challenge of re-thinking your whole approach to teaching. It asked you to use professional judgement, which is extremely empowering. Closely linked to this agency is the need to be intentional and reflective. Our present circumstance forced us all to visualize just how an online environment might be used to generate interest, provide support, build collaboration and conduct assessments. And, as the weeks progress, we will need to be very reflective, asking questions about the efficacy of our online practices. Along with this newfound agency and autonomy, most NorQuest instructors needed to be given some assurance that they could and would get through this transition. Anxiety and self-doubt do not promote professional learning, and instructors who are insecure about their technical and teaching skills, need an ear, some reinforcement, permission to make mistakes, and the courage to ask for support. Those messages had to come from Norma and the leadership team, from the deans, chairs and associates, and from faculty supports like our department, the library, curricula, IT, and the learning/assessment centre. I believe those messages were relayed and reinforced and this helped with the transition. As instructors, you were also forced to tap into your adaptive capacity – the ability to make adjustments minute to minute and second to second. In the classes, workshops and meetings that I was involved with this week there were all too many of those “unplanned for” moments. There were connectivity issues (How can I teach if my WIFI keeps popping in and out?), technical problems (I had students whose microphone sounded like a jackhammer.), unfamiliarity with the environment (One of the apps I was using only allowed 10 participants, I wondered why 5 didn’t show up…), and the overwhelming responsibility of teaching through technology (How do I respond to the chat, upload poll questions, provide insight, work through the presentation, and check if people are actually listening – all at the same time?). I’m guessing that many of you were working through the very same problems and many more. And that you are still working through these issues on a daily basis. But you can, and you will. And finally, I believe that many of you found ways to make your new teaching environment reflect a little of who you are and how you connect. Our teaching is an extension of our person. That’s why I’ve always bristled when educators sling around phrases like “best practice” and “research says”. I know that every classroom comes with its own unique set of circumstances and that there is as much an art to teaching as there is a science to it. That’s why it is important to remain authentic. I know firsthand that our NorQuest faculty is a diverse bunch and that different instructors are successful for very different reasons. While one instructor makes connections through anecdotes and stories, another uses group activities, discussion boards and debates. Some instructors are uproariously funny, while others are “all business”. There are instructors who show their concern for their students through regular email and conversation and others who do so by providing a wealth of resources and support. But, regardless of what type of instructor you are, you have to find a way to live and breathe in this new teaching reality – a way to make your new environment a vibrant, engaging and personable space.
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AuthorJeff Kuntz Ph.D. ImagesExcept where indicated, images used in the blog posts are personal photos, images from NorQuest College or images from Pixabay. Pixabay is a vibrant community of creatives, sharing copyright free images, videos and music. https://pixabay.com/ Archives
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