I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again. ~attributed to Etienne de Grellet~
This week, I've been writing about the work of teaching a course you didn't design. Sometimes this happens because a department has mandated a rigid syllabus for all sections of a course. Sometimes it's because a faculty member takes leave without much notice, and the class must be taught as it was already planned. And... Continue Reading →
My least favorite part of online teaching is the possibilities for intellectual freedom and freedom of speech to be curtailed in online classrooms. Online teaching produces a number of records (almost all student interactions, except those conducted by phone or video conference and not recorded) that can be reviewed, and faculty have little control over... Continue Reading →
Regular readers of this blog know that I'm a fan of the possibilities for online teaching and learning--but I also recognize that different disciplines face very different barriers in creating successful online courses. In particular, science labs, theater classes, studio arts, and other classes that require physical engagement with tools can be a challenge.Today I... Continue Reading →
One of the realities of teaching online is that students have to be highly motivated to succeed. Drop-out rates at public colleges are an injustice that reflects broader inequities in American society, but they are even higher in online programs. What that means for Fall 2020, when many otherwise traditional students will be online students,... Continue Reading →
If you haven't taught online before, you may never have used an online gradebook (though many who do teach only F2F still use the gradebook in their LMS). In terms of helping me manage the unpleasant tasks of teaching, I think the gradebook is especially helpful. It will likely save you hours (like, many hours)... Continue Reading →
This post is part of a series to help you prepare for and navigate online teaching. While you can read the posts in any order, if you are just now building a class, you might want to start here. In online courses, creating careful feedback is even more important than in F2F classes. This is... Continue Reading →
This post is part of a mini-series on preventing cheating in online classes. You can find more posts in this mini-series by searching for "academic integrity" or "cheating" in the search box on the main page. Understanding why students cheat in their schoolwork helps us design courses that makes cheating less of a temptation. For... Continue Reading →
This post is part of a series to help you design an online course quickly and effectively. If you begin at the beginning, you will already have build your syllabus, created your policies, and framed your online course. We're taking a small detour now to focus on how you can curb cheating in your classes.... Continue Reading →
"Be kind to your sibling." "I AM being kind--they're the one being a jerk!" "Be kinder. Be kinder. Be kinder than you think you need to be. Be kinder than you think they deserve." It's a regular interaction in my household. Someone--possible more than one someone--has been a jerk, a meanie, an obnoxious brat. Probably... Continue Reading →
Whether you have recently pivoted to remote teaching or are thoughtfully crafting an online course for fall or summer, you are probably discovering how difficult online course design and teaching are. Because few professors have taken online courses, we don't have the experience of being online learners. And few of us have training in pedagogy... Continue Reading →
Rebecca Barrett-Fox 