The Music Department: Our Faculty Heroes

As we begin our second week of remote teaching and learning, Learning Technologies wanted to highlight the work that ESU's Music Department is doing. Faced with the challenge of trying to deliver music lessons via Zoom, they sought out advice from other music schools and discovered the settings that needed to be optimized in Zoom so that they could provide as much continuity in education as could be expected in situations like this. 

For this creative, out of the box thinking, we honor the Music Department as this week's remote learning faculty heroes!

 

Videoconferencing Etiquette

By now, you've probably participated in a video-conference or two (or maybe you're a Zoom pro!) For a fun twist, let's play a game! Take a look at the bingo card below and think about how many you've experienced...or maybe how many you've done yourself? (I'm particularly guilty of showing off my cat!)

But not to fret! There are some easy ways to ensure that you don't commit too many video-conferencing faux pas. Keep these ten tips in mind:

1. Make sure your tech works. A little preparation goes a long way. Test your software, your camera, and your audio before your meeting starts and make sure everything is running smoothly. 

2. Make sure you send out the correct link. It's frustrating to show up for a meeting and then find out you can't get in. If you need help setting up your meeting link, check out the Teach Anywhere resource page or contact Learning Technologies.  

3. Be on time! This is especially important if you are hosting the meeting. Don't keep your attendees waiting or wondering if they have the right room/date/time. If you wouldn't be late to a face-to-face meeting, don't be late to a video-conferencing meeting.

4. Pay attention to the light. Proper lighting is important. Why have a video-conference if you can't see your fellow attendees? Light shining toward you and on your face is better than light shining behind you.

5. Mute yourself when you're not speaking. Yes, this makes it tricky to jump into the conversation spontaneously but it also ensures that you don't spontaneously let your fellow conference-goers hear something you don't want them to.  

6. But don't hesitate to pipe up! The reason you are all meeting is to communicate ideas. If you have something to share, go ahead and share it. Just make sure to un-mute yourself! 

7. Wear appropriate clothing. In this era of work-from-home, it's easy to get into the routine of "day pajamas" and "night pajamas" but if you're doing a conference that includes video, make sure to put on appropriate clothing.

8. Leave the computer behind when you go to the bathroom or do things you'd like to keep private. Yes, this happened to some poor soul. Don't be like her.  

9.  Pay attention! It's tempting to check your email, or your phone, your kids, or your pet during a meeting but this can cause you to miss important information or a chance to contribute. 

10. Be flexible. Remote learning and meeting can be stressful for everyone involved. A blend of being prepared and relaxed can make everything go more smoothly for you and your meeting attendees.  

So there you have it! Ten tips for maintaining proper meeting etiquette when meeting virtually. What have we missed? Tell us in the comments!

Our Newest Faculty Heroes

The School of Library & Information Management (SLIM) faculty responded to the national crisis by moving the face to face weekend, a core component of our hybrid program, online. Synchronous online activities during the designated class weekend intensive are being redesigned to deliver a quality learning experience despite not meeting face to face. 

Elizabeth Hoffman, the South Dakota Regional MLS Director, made a wonderful suggestion to utilize both the chat functionality and the breakout room function in Zoom to allow for small group learning activities. This functionality enables us to align our weekend activities “to ensure that they remain impactful, even with this change to a temporary online environment” (Dean Wooseob Jeong).  

I would say the SLIM faculty ought to be recognized for their efforts to provide valuable online learning during this uncertain time.  SLIM is an ESU hero!

ESU Remote Learning Heros - Champions

Posted by ESU Learning Technologies
March 18, 2020


Learning Technologies would like to recognize some of our wonderful faculty champions who have volunteered to assist other ESU faculty during this remote learning transition. These are the unsung Remote Learning Faculty Heros. If you would like to contact them for advice or support, refer to the Teach Anywhere web site.

English Modern Languages & Journalism Dr. Kat O'Meara	Communication & Theatre   Dr. Heidi Hamilton
Biological Sciences Dr. Melissa Bailey	Biological Sciences  Dr. Erika Martin
Art Morgan Willingham	Art   John Decker
Interdisciplinary Studies Mallory Koci	Math & Economics Dr. Brian Hollenbeck
Music Dr. Gaile Stephens	Nursing Lynette Schreiner
Physical Sciences Dr. Marcia Schulmeister	Physical Sciences  Dr. Alivia Allison
Social Sciences  Dr. Michael Smith	Sociology, Anthropology & Crime and Delinquency Studies  Dr. Rochelle Rowley
University Library & Archives Bethanie O'Dell	Elementary Education, Early Child Education Dr. Lendi Bland
Elementary Education, Early Child Education Dr. Lori Mann	Elementary Education, Early Child Education  Dr. Melissa Reed
Elementary Education, Early Child Education Dr. Beth Dobler	Counselor Education  Dr. Damara Paris
Counselor Education Dr. Carrie Boettcher	Counselor Education   Dr. Alice Hinck
Accounting, Information Systems & Finance Dr. Liz Diers	Business Administration  Dr. Joyce Zhou
School Leadership/Middle & Secondary Teacher Education Dr. Amanda Lickteig	School Leadership/Middle & Secondary Teacher Education Dr. Nancy Albrecht
Library Resources Center  Brady Johnson	Health, Physical Education & Recreation Dr. Erin Blocker
Gifted Dr. Connie Phelps	Special Education  Dr. Marj Bock
Special Education  Dr. Kelly O'Neal-Hixson	Special Education    Dr. Catherine Ayantoye

ESU Remote Learning Heros

Posted by ESU Learning Technologies
March 18, 2020

As you are well aware, Emporia State University has transitioned from in-person teaching and learning to remote teaching and learning. However, the university and its faculty have adapted in amazing ways to our current national crisis. As a small gesture to recognize and celebrate some of the success stories, we are launching this weekly series called Remote Learning Faculty Heros. Our first hero is Dr. Don Miller from the School of Business who eagerly embraced the online format. Don was one of the first faculty to stop into Cremer Hall Learning Commons this week to visit with the Learning Design team regarding moving his courses to Canvas. The Designers installed a special 8-week Canvas template into his course shells and taught him the basics of getting up and running. Don is an ESU hero!

Watch this space and follow more ESU Remote Learning Heros over the coming weeks! You can follow us on Twitter and Linkedin as well.

Learning Technology's Response to the Coronavirus

By now, you've heard about the Coronavirus and learned that Emporia State University will be moving all face to face classes to remote access classes starting Monday, March 23rd (for more information, go to ESU's Coronavirus information page). But if you're a faculty member, what does this mean for you?

What if I've never taught online?

Don't panic! Learning Technologies and ESU IT is here to help. We've established a university-wide continuity website that is your one-stop shop for information on how to move your courses online. Here you'll find top tips for this process, some strategies you can use to help you migrate, tutorials on how to use different technologies, contact info for LT staff, contact info for someone in your department who knows how to teach online, and a schedule of upcoming F2F and online trainings being offered by Learning Technologies. 

Focus on quality...but not too much

While we all want our classes to be amazing and utilize best practices and be engaging for students, in situations where you have to change modalities quickly, the emphasis needs to be on getting the material online and usable for students, rather than building out a fully online course. Stop and think about the tools that you're using, your comfort-level with them, your students comfort-level with them, and the amount of time you all have available to put toward learning new technology. There's a lot of great tech out there (trust us, we know!) but don't get so bogged down in trying out new things that you overlook simple solutions. 

Keep communicating with your students!

Any trepidation you may feel about teaching online rather than face-to-face is probably also being experienced by your students. Combine this with stressors from having to relocate mid-semester, lack of access to technology or broadband internet service, illness, food shortages, employment issues, social isolation, and general upheaval and students will be on the edges of their seats...and not necessarily in a good way. 

Keep up a steady flow of communication with your students via email, web-conferencing, chat, text, phone calls, etc. and let them know what's going on in your course. This is especially important if due dates, course requirements or expectations, or course content changes.

Reach out to us

There's lots of ways to keep in touch with Learning Technologies who will be working tirelessly to make this period as painless as possible. Keep up with changes via our LinkedIn page or follow us on Twitter (@esulearningtech) to get our newest updates.

And remember to wash your hands!