Advice for Adding Active Zoom Sessions in Face-to-Face Classes

Posted on August 19, 2020August 19, 2020 by Alexis

Last week we emailed and encouraged all of you who are scheduled to teach on campus this fall to confirm the equipment and capabilities of your assigned classrooms. We are hearing that some of you are asking for classrooms equipped to let you live-stream your class sessions so that students who are unable to attend in person can attend via zoom. In the ideal situation, classes like that would be designed and taught in “hy-flex classrooms” equipped with ceiling microphones, multiple large displays to show the faces of students attending remotely, and multiple cameras so that remote students can see the instructor and the students in the classroom. We have only a handful of true hy-flex classrooms available on campus. Other classrooms in HSB and the Conservatory have been modified for specific remote teaching purposes including placing limitations on Zoom and other features.

As an alternative to hy-flex teaching, several of you have proposed to live stream from a traditional ILE classroom using an active zoom session during your class session. We want to be sure you are aware that there are significant limitations to this approach and share some strategies to consider that could help address those limitations.

Limitations of using the camera on most classroom computers for zoom during class:

students attending by zoom will see and hear only you
you will need to stay close to the camera
students attending by zoom will not be able to hear questions or discussion from students in the classroom because the only microphone is at the podium or on you
students attending by zoom may not be able to ask questions, even via chat in zoom, unless you are able to consistently monitor the zoom window while teaching

Ways to mitigate the limitations:

If using only the classroom computer’s camera, turn the camera toward the class from time to time;
When students in the classroom ask questions or make comments, repeat the question or comment so that students attending by zoom can benefit;
If you have a laptop or tablet, consider bringing it to the classroom, signing into the zoom session on the laptop or tablet, and leaving it turned toward the class for the full class session;
If students sitting in the classroom have their own laptops or tablets in class, consider inviting them to connect to the zoom session too, but keeping their speakers on mute or using earbuds to prevent audio interference in the room. Students in the classroom connected to the zoom session could help monitor the chat by letting you know if they see the chat light up on your laptop or theirs. Asking students to be part of the solution may increase their sense of being an active part the learning community.

General strategies to keep in mind if using this zoom approach:

To make the session content available asynchronously, the instructor will need to record the zoom session. If both Zoom and Panopto are enabled in your Canvas course site, then any Zoom meeting scheduled from within Canvas and recorded will automatically be saved in your course Panopto folder and will be available to all the students in your course. This is the simplest way to make Zoom class recordings available to all the students in your course for asynchronous consumption.
When you record the zoom session, select the option to record to the cloud. This generates better auto-captions than does Panopto and will automatically send your recordings into your course Panopto folder.
When setting up the zoom session for each class, consider using a recurring meeting so that students do not have to track down a unique zoom link for each session.

5 Effective, Efficient Ways to Help Your Students Succeed

Posted on August 17, 2020August 20, 2020 by Alexis

As we finalize preparations for a semester unlike any we have ever experienced, we want to highlight five strategies to consider for your classes to help our students succeed. For some, these strategies may be approaches you have already been implementing. For others, these strategies may be a new way of thinking about how you interact with students. The strength of the strategies is their interdependent nature; together, they reinforce a Culture of Care that will help our students thrive and reduce some tensions with our students. The strategies reinforce that we are all in this together. We hope you find these suggestions helpful.

As a bit of background, last May, Faculty Senate surveyed students about their experiences as learners during the pandemic. Students’ experiences, both positive and negative, hinged on two primary things: communication and ability to focus. Most positive experiences related to faculty who frequently communicated, most negative experiences related to faculty who did not communicate regularly, did not answer questions or did not communicate timely feedback. Most barriers students reported related to their inability to focus, whether due to technology, their home environment, or lack of course structure that promoted engaged learning.

As we head into another semester of crisis-based teaching, we can assume that students will again be experiencing a variety of challenges with attention, focus, stress, and anxiety. As faculty and academic leaders, we will be experiencing many of the same challenges and uncertainties. The strategies we suggest below are a few steps we can take to support student success, manage student expectations, and help mitigate student and faculty frustration with this less-than-ideal learning context.

stick figure holding a box labeled covid chaos

Be a role model. Students will be looking to others for cues to handle being a college student during a pandemic. Many will look to their classmates and to their professors to determine their behavior. Instead of the pandemic being the elephant in the room, go ahead and discuss it with your students. Have a conversation about norms that include things like masks, remaining flexible while upholding standards, managing stress, and tips for staying focused.

stick figures illustrating communication

2. Communicate with students regularly, precisely, and directly.

3. Set a schedule or a routine for teaching. Consistency helps students know what to expect – Monday morning announcements, assignments due a particular day and time, and grading and feedback completed by a certain number of days. Many students are goal-oriented. They enrolled in the course to attain a specific goal. Students appreciate organization and clearly defined assignments. Show them how your course will help them reach their goals – even the ones they do not know they have, yet.

4. Build-in time for community. We will not be able to do some of the things we often do to build and sustain a sense of community. Be creative and find ways that suit you and your students. The most effective adult educators may be unwitting neuroscientists who use their interpersonal skills to tailor enriched learning environments. Our brains learn through shared experiences. Throughout the life span, we all need others who show interest in us, help us feel safe, and encourage our understanding of the world. Brains grow best in this context of interactive discovery and through co-creation of stories that shape and support memories of what we are learning. (Cozolino & Sprokay 2013)

icon depicting a teacher illustrating a strategy

5. Let students know your reasoning or strategy behind various aspects of the class. Students need to see a reason for learning something new. Helping students see how they can apply their learning to their lives, employment, and other courses, helps them see the relevance of what you are asking them to do. “Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand.” – Confucius, 450 B.C.

The Long Summer Issue

Posted on August 17, 2020August 19, 2020 by Alexis

As I have been walking each morning, I sense changes in the air and light that ordinarily make me want new pencils or a new notebook. Late August is a time of transition – the new academic year – even though summer continues to blaze. Back to school is not a thing this year and I find myself searching for a more grounded symbol for the transition we are making. I am reminded of the Traditional Chinese Calendar (with 24 solar terms and one of the first elements identified UNESCO intangible cultural heritage). The weeks between mid-August and the end of September on the U.S. calendar correspond with Late Summer on the Chinese calendar. This is a time of transition when we return to the middle between the expansive growth of spring and summer and the more inward energy of fall and winter. We are making a big transition from meeting outdoors and virtually to meeting indoors and socially distant for class. We are focusing on being safe and healthy as part of living our Culture of Care.

This issue of the Faculty Affairs Newsletter features resources and information for you as you return to campus and begin fall semester.

-Alexis

Interested in data viz? Check out the UNESCO ICH constellation:

https://ich.unesco.org/en/dive&display=constellation

Compliance or Community-Building?

Event Details

Compliance or Community-Building? How to Help Students Hold One Another Accountable for Covid-19 Safety in the Classroom

Description – This session will offer tips for establishing classroom community for safe and conducive learning environments. Focus will be on norm-setting and establishing expectations in which students hold one another accountable for meeting the norms (including mask-wearing and physical distancing). Strategies for setting classroom norms for small and large student populations will be shared.

Presenter: Jennifer Waddell, PhD, Director, Institute for Urban Education, Sprint Foundation Endowed Professor in Urban Education, Interim Chair- Undergraduate Programs, Associate Professor, Teacher Education & Curriculum Studies

Academic Unit: School of Education

Bio: https://education.umkc.edu/directory/waddell-jennifer/

Facilitator: Candace Schlein

Event format descriptions are available at UMKC PROFFCourses.

Registration Link

After signing up for this event, you will receive an email confirmation. Prior to the event, you will receive a second email containing the Zoom invite link.

Making Courses Format Flexible for Fall – Seriously?

Event Details

Student Success

Posted on June 29, 2020 by Alexis

by Kristi Holsinger, Ph.D., Interim Senior Vice Provost for Student Success

I joined the Criminal Justice & Criminology faculty in 1999 and over the last five years have gradually transitioned into administrative work. My research and teaching focus has been on interventions for at-risk and incarcerated youth (particularly girls), youth mentoring programs, and teaching innovations that prepare students to challenge and transform “justice” systems. This work provided a logical pathway to work in the realm of student success, as Associate Dean for undergraduate students and programs in the College of Arts & Sciences and now as Interim Senior Vice Provost for Student Success.

One of my goals has been to amplify student voices and be responsive by addressing barriers and sending emails of appreciation to faculty and staff. I have loved being part of the development of a new student newsletter, Roo Connection, designed to support and encourage students, tell their stories, and provide updates and access to needed resources. Our 100-plus volunteer staff, faculty, and alumni outreach Phone-A-Thon to more than 6,000 students with individualized follow-up was an important part of our response to COVID-19. Several outreach efforts to advisors, staff, and faculty have been useful in learning about current student experiences and guiding various action plans to both attract students and better support them. For example, we enacted policy changes (e.g., Credit/No Credit options, raising thresholds on cashier’s holds, re-evaluation, and changes to course fee structures, extending scholarship deadlines) and worked with various offices to develop a distribution plan for student CARES Act funds and UMKC-raised emergency funds for COVID-19 related expenses. We gained many insights from students who participated in our recent virtual open forum, Beyond the #Hashtags. They shared profound ideas on achieving greater racial equity at UMKC that have already motivated action.

Other work that I am excited about includes the expansion of the First Gen Roo CAS pilot program to the entire university and the development of a centralized advising model, which will add more frontend career guidance and faculty mentorship. Leading UMKC Forward’s Team B Subcommittee on Student Success was time-consuming yet productive in identifying new strategic plans for improving both student recruitment and retention. These new initiatives will serve to strengthen our RooSTRONG Student Success model and our Culture of Care.

Finally, I want to acknowledge that these accomplishments were only possible due to the commitment and dedication of the directors and staff in the Office of Student Success, the other Offices in the Provost’s Office, and collaborative work across many units and teams. It has been my privilege to be a part of the UMKC family these past 20 plus years, and it is my dream to serve in a leadership role that revolves around student success!

Student Input on Spring Semester

Posted on May 28, 2020June 1, 2020 by Alexis

The Teaching Evaluation and Teaching Enhancement Task Force asked students and they told us how faculty communicated, offered support, continued to provide the structure of courses amidst uncertainty. This qualitative survey has had over 500 responses where students told their stories. The survey closes at the end of the week.

Representative quotes:

“3 of my professors were very successful in making transitions to online learning. They tried to find the best way to deliver lectures online and kept making positive changes. They bought or brought devices to their remote work location and used them efficiently. They were always open to questions and quick to respond to emails. Though it was hard for everyone to make such transition those professors didn’t complain about how hard it is on their end.”

“A lot of my teachers have been very gracious and supportive during this time and as a student, I really needed that. My most positive experience has been seeing how much some professors truly care about their students and their well-being, rather than grades and success.”

“A lot of the lectures are being held on Zoom. This is very helpful for me because I have the confidence to speak up now that we have the option to post our comments, questions, and concerns in the chat bar rather than having to speak up in front of 100 students in a lecture room. Also, for one of my classes, the lectures are recorded which is so helpful in referring back to when completing assignments.”

COVID 19 Impact: High School Students and Finance

Posted on April 30, 2020May 28, 2020 by Alexis

The transition from high school to college during the COVID-19 crisis is bound to be rough. In thinking about teaching and learning for the incoming first-year, first-time college students, a study by Junior Achievement and Citizens Bank has useful information.

Junior Achievement and Citizens Bank funded a survey of 1,000 13-18 year-olds about their financial concerns due to COVID-19. The survey showed that 69% of respondents are concerned about the financial impact of COVID-19 on their families, and 72% said they have discussed finances with their parents/guardians.

“These survey findings show a disconcerting lack of confidence among teens when it comes to achieving financial goals,” said Jack Kosakowski, President and CEO of Junior Achievement USA. “With a strong economy, you would think teens would be more optimistic. It just demonstrates the importance of working with young people to help them better understand financial concepts and gain confidence in their ability to manage their financial futures.”

The survey revealed that 48% of the teens who work say their family depends on their income to meet expenses and many of the teens who work have lost their jobs, whether babysitting/pet-sitting (21%), lawn-mowing (25%), or outside employment (18%).

Nearly half (44%) of high school juniors and seniors said that COVID-19 has impacted their ability to pay for college and many will take out loans. Almost one-third (30%) said that COVID-19 will affect when they start college.

Beyond finances, the students who do start college, will likely be worried about their family members becoming ill (60%). Interestingly, they were less worried about becoming ill themselves.

Read the report

Methodology: The JA Teens & Personal Finance Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. teens ages 13-18, who are not currently enrolled in college between, March 1st and March 8th, 2019, using an email invitation and an online survey.

Teaching and Learning Continue

Posted on April 22, 2020June 1, 2020 by Alexis

A Resource for UMKC Faculty

UMKC Faculty Affairs created a compilation of resources that have been appearing in our inboxes and that we have discovered online. This compilation may be useful to you as you continue to teach this semester and plan for summer and fall.

The resources are available through open access links on the FAN website. They are grouped by the following categories, with each category having several subcategories:

administration
community
coronavirus / COVID-19
faculty
health and wellness
scholarship and research
students
teaching and learning

On the webpage, view all resources, view by category and subcategory, or search. This is a curated list – to date there are 39 resources available. More are added each day.

If you have a resource you would like to share, email Alexis Petri at petria@umkc.edu

Zoom Virtual Backgrounds

Posted on April 22, 2020April 27, 2020 by Alexis

Show your style

A few faculty are showing their style with Zoom virtual backgrounds. Roo Connection published a set of virtual backgrounds featuring UMKC landmarks. This gallery pulls together a few fun statement backgrounds from collections made freely available for personal use. If like one of them, click on the image to open it in a new window and then right-click or control-click to save the image.

orange couch with purple lamp and side table

How?

https://youtu.be/3Zq-b51A3dA

Make your own virtual background

Canva has set up an online virtual background studio – you make your own background free of charge.

Sources

Three Things that Help

Posted on April 22, 2020April 22, 2020 by Alexis

The Faculty Affairs Newsletter is sharing faculty members’ unique take on the question “what are three things that help?” The question is purposefully vague so that we have a range of perspectives.

Tammy Welchert

Associate Teaching Professor, Director of Student Affairs & Academic Advising
School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
Bio and contact info

Just as important as taking care of our students is taking care of our selves and our teams! The SBC Advisors set up a Group Me in anticipation of working at home. I have been sending cards through the mail and sharing pictures and updates of me walking with Mr. Diggity, funny memes, and Bitmoji’s. Sharing helps us stay in touch to support and encourage one another.

“Sharing helps us stay in touch to support and encourage one another.”

Pictured above: Mr. Diggity

TikTok

I know, I know, what am I doing on TikTok at 50 years old. It’s my 15-minute laugh break every day — okay sometimes a couple of times a day. It’s good to see families coming together to make videos, to share stories of triumph, to hear funny antidotes, and to try some cool new science stuff. Did you know you can make slippers from balloons? I have laughed so hard I cried at some of these!

“It satisfies my soul and lets me recenter to keep going.”

Pictured above: My daughter Kristina when she and I hiked Half Dome in 2014.

There is no friend like an old book

I have always enjoyed reading but right now this is a perfect way to escape for an hour or two. Some of my favorite books are biographies of people who have hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail. I picture myself out there, making it on my own out in the wild. It satisfies my soul and lets me recenter to keep going.

Thank you to Tammy Welchert for sharing her three things. This is set up with a readers write format. Want to share your three things? Fill out the entry form and they will be included in the next issue. Even if there are many responses – we will figure it out.

Resources Mentioned

TikTok videos – an example

@neildegrassetyson
What will Martha Stewart find to be dusty where you hang out? #science #fortyou #foryoupage
♬ Star Wars – Produced – Ettore Stratta

Group Me

Free group messaging, works on any device, even over SMS

Trails

Appalachian Trail

Pacific Crest Trail

Three Things that Help

Posted on April 8, 2020April 22, 2020 by Alexis

Julie Sutton

Assistant Professor
UMKC School of Dentistry
bio and contact information

For me, personally, I find the following three things helpful in this season:

1. A sitter.

picture of Julie on webinar while daughter has tea party

One foot at home and one at work- I’m in a tea party and webinar at the same time!

I have hired someone to help engage my children when I need to buckle down for the sake of productivity. I’m helping a high school student who is also out of school earn some money, while helping keep the right relationship dynamic with my children. Expecting them to conduct themselves as adults while I’m teaching via zoom isn’t realistic, and neither is believing I can work well while playing with them. I’m able to prioritize my most essential tasks and schedule them during time when they are busy with the high schooler who is helping me. Setting designated productive times, and ensuring I’m not getting edgy with my kids or spouse has been invaluable and offered some much-needed balance for me. Things have fallen from my spinning plates, but not as many because of this intentional step.

2. An online community to continue normalcy.

I’m in a small group at church which is meeting online now, as well as our childrens’ church, daily devotions, and weekly services. They are streamed online and available on social media so that whether I’m using a computer or just my phone, I can access community when I need to. We have chats in all of them to remain close; we express and recognize needs and help to support each other. I would venture to suggest we might have grown closer as a community this way than we do chasing children and volunteering on face to face Sundays! Keeping a sense of normalcy and schedule has been helpful and reassuring to our family.

Me as a Mom

3. Encouragement and support from my colleagues.

It would be easy to feel distant from close friends we work with and isolated in what we’re doing, but luckily I don’t. I have lots of means to communicate with my work community, and we have! Most people who were teaching face2face three weeks ago don’t have the confidence and experience with teaching exclusively online now. I feel welcome to contact the two online program directors in my division for help and guidance, and they always have reassurance, resources, and patience for me. In this circumstance, like in other troubling times, a word of encouragement, and genuine concern go a long way.

My home work space

Thank you to Julie Sutton who volunteered to go first. This is set up with a readers write format. Want to share your three things? Fill out the entry form and they will be included in the next issue. Even if there are many responses – we will figure it out.

Does it Help?

Posted on April 3, 2020April 3, 2020 by Alexis

As the coronavirus situation continues to evolve, UMKC administration continues to meet, assess, and plan. The UMKC coronavirus resources page asks us to each do our part to minimize risk and promote the UMKC Culture of Care. St Louis survived the 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic with far fewer deaths than other cities because city officials closed schools and limited public gatherings – early and at the same time [read more].

The 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic affected more than 500 million people world wide and at least 50 million died (Bristow, 2016). While a global calamity, it also remains the largest recorded pandemic with data about non-pharmaceutical interventions. In 2007, a group of scholars analyzed data from U.S. cities and several different interventions using theoretical modeling.

Through theoretical modeling, the researchers found that non-pharmaceutical interventions However, a growing body of theoretical modeling research suggests that non-pharmaceutical interventions boosted health and stretched out the timeframe of the influenza pandemic, and reduced the number of deaths. One of the reasons for these outcomes was the decreased strain on medical systems and critical infrastructure. One of the cities with the most benefits from non-pharmaceutical interventions was St. Louis, Missouri, which implemented interventions early and with layered strategies. St Louis closed school for 10 weeks and simultaneously cancelled public gatherings at each wave of the pandemic. This resulted in a reduction of approximately 50% of lives lost to the flu.

Many things have changed over the past 100 years. Education and social gathering is still a big part of our lives. Studies such as this are not predictive, but, they do show us that these strategies have worked in the past at an equally large scale.

Read the JAMA article

Levity

Posted on March 18, 2020April 22, 2020 by Alexis

As we pivot, juggle, and revise our semesters, sometimes a bit of humor or a puzzle can be diverting. To that end, each Faculty Affairs Newsletter will feature a puzzle and/or some light entertainment.

Dr. Michael Bruening, associate professor, Missouri Science & Technology History Department, rewrote the hits all about teaching online: I Will Survive, Coronavirus version for teachers going online.
The Italian band, Rimbamband, when staying at home, made a pantomime about avoiding infection.

Do you have anything fun or funny that you would like to share? Please let Alexis Petri know your recommendations. Levity is important during times like these.

UMKC Faculty Affairs

Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

coronavirus/COVID-19

Advice for Adding Active Zoom Sessions in Face-to-Face Classes

5 Effective, Efficient Ways to Help Your Students Succeed

The Long Summer Issue

Compliance or Community-Building?

Event Details

Registration Link

Making Courses Format Flexible for Fall – Seriously?

Event Details

Student Success

Student Input on Spring Semester

COVID 19 Impact: High School Students and Finance

Teaching and Learning Continue

Zoom Virtual Backgrounds

Show your style

How?

Make your own virtual background

Sources

Three Things that Help