OTL301 – Online Teaching and Learning

May 8, 2021 / 0 Comments

TRU TEach – OTL301 Post 5

Throughout this course I engaged in each of the phases of the critical inquiry process. I noticed that the courses were well designed to include a triggering event that then led to my own exploration, integration, and resolution. Rather than resolving dilemmas, this course has revealed issues that I had not yet identified as issues when I first began teaching online.

In my future courses, I will prioritize creating a community of inquiry to help students work through the entire learning process. My plan is to incorporate more student-led reflections, discussions, and summaries into my classes to supplement and depart from the lecture style of teaching. I will also aim to include more assessments – especially self- and peer-assessments – throughout the term that are not high-stakes to help students feel in control of their own learning. I like the idea of a portfolio assignment that acknowledges learning as a process, so I may try this as well.

I think that there are some valuable aspects to learning online in an open platform like WordPress. It has provided me with a place to work through thoughts in writing and to see how other new faculty members are addressing these same issues.

May 8, 2021 / 0 Comments

TRU – TEACH OTL 301 POST 4

I’ve had long conversations with various colleagues this pandemic year about online teaching.

One of my primary questions for more experienced faculty has been how they promote community and connection in the class. I had colleagues tell me to put together a Student Cafe online forum for students to socialize, a Course Q&A for students to ask each other questions about the course, and a Wellness Check forum to periodically ask how students are doing. I’ve found, however, that students prefer to connect over their own social media, using discord or even Instagram. My colleagues and I have typically encouraged this social contact outside of the classroom as a way of creating community cohesion. Within the class itself, I have sometimes found that students enjoy posting funny gifs to the wellness forum rather than a serious post which at least allows students to feel as if they are going through the course together.

I have also asked colleagues how they create back and forth around class content. Some have told me that they put together an online forum where they ask students to periodically post either 1) 2-3 major takeaways from the unit; 2) 1-2 confusions from the unit. This allows the instructor to then address and clarify these issues within the forum for the benefit of all the students working their way through the course. This also helps to create a sense of belonging to a community of inquiry, especially when students comment on each other’s posts and help one another come to conclusions about course content.

Finally, colleagues have told me that students come into these courses with varying degrees of experience with online learning. Having a forum where we can discuss and establish course norms is helpful to make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to online learning. Since each course is designed differently, we need to also help the students navigate through the course design.

May 8, 2021 / 0 Comments

TRU – Teach OTL 301 Post 3

Learning Objectives:

Define neoliberalism in the context of the construction of a self-governing neoliberal subject

Discuss how the concept of neoliberalism impacts feminist thinking about choice and agency

Learning Activities:

Read Eva Chen’s article

In your small discussion groups: 1) define the concept of a self-governing neoliberal subject; 2) discuss how this concept impacts feminist thinking about choice and agency; 3) discuss how contemporary debates about whether women can “have it all” relate to this discussion.

Write a personal reflection where you: 1) summarize the major points raised by your group; 2) discuss how you are personally implicated within neoliberal ideas about freedom and choice.