By: Dr. Mauricio Cadavid, & Amanda Taylor
The project was to develop an online, asynchronous course for faculty who would teach in the refurbished New Generation Smart Classrooms (NGSC). With the introduction of new technologies, and software, the course aimed at helping faculty learn new best practices for cosynchronous teaching and learning. The course is a self-paced, 2-hour, 3-part asynchronous course in our Canvas LMS. In the course, faculty learn about best practices for cosynchronous teaching and learning, as well as the flexible model of teaching. It focuses on keeping students learning in mind, as well as providing a flexible environment for our students to learn.
There was no immediate cost associated with the creation of the course as it already uses the resources available to us.
The course itself, as part of a more comprehensive approach to the NGSC program, contributed to making sure that students are able to continue their education in relation to the GI 2025, by allowing students to still enroll and attend classes despite potential issues with health or distance to campus.
As the project was just implemented in early September, there are not too many indications of success, although we have data that demonstrate participation in the course. We will have more data by the time of the conference. Thus far, some of the faculty data collected are based on a faculty exit survey upon completion of the course. The surveys collected are also giving us an insight into the lessons learned and what we would need to do in the short future as we modify, redesign the course.
As a Hispanic Service Institution, everything that we, as instructional designers, do to help faculty teach is geared towards our 70% Hispanic student population.