Distance Education Newsletter

November is a month of hospitality and connection; how will you celebrate and affirm your relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and students? Maybe this is a good month to let everyone in your life know what, in your opinion, they're doing well: give them all a virtual pat on the back.

You distance educators deserve a pat on the back, too! Online learning numbers continue to rise, and from now on, we'll be featuring one of you amazing online teachers in each Newsletter.

In addition, this is clearly a good month to connect with colleagues while learning: check out the long list of professional development options below!

Thank you for all that you're doing, whether you're supporting your students or you're deepening your own learning. We can't imagine better partners for conceptualizing and delivering quality distance education than you.

Just in from OFIE: Comparing fall-to-fall, the past three years have seen an increase in both the number and percentage of students taking at least one online class. The graph clearly illustrates that the number of students enrolled in at least one online class is rising, even as the overall enrollment is continuing to decline.

Name: Caroline Torres

Department: LLL

What courses do you teach online?

I teach SLT 102 (Second Language Teaching: Language Learning), and I will be teaching SLT 103 (Language Teaching), SLT 203C (Language Learners with Disabilities & Universal Design for Learning), SLT 203E (Supporting Language Learners with Writing). These are all part of an online licensure program for current K-12 teachers who want to add ESL to their teaching license.

How long have you been teaching online and what made you decide to teach online?

This is my first semester teaching online. I decided to teach online in order to meet the needs of K-12 teachers who have very busy schedules as well as K-12 teachers on neighbor islands who do not have the option of coming to campus for a face-to-face class.

Favorite part about online teaching?

There are so many things that I really enjoy about teaching online, it is hard to choose one. I love instruction design, so I am really enjoying trying to find innovative ways to present content in different ways and allow my students to use different modalities to engage with the content. Because I am teaching teachers, I also feel that I have to model for them how they can provide multiple ways to engage with content and multiple options for demonstrating their understanding of the content so that they can see how to do that with their students as well. As crazy as it sounds, I also really enjoy designing my Laulima site and trying to make it look fun and engaging by creating a theme and adding visuals!

Most challenging part of teaching online?

The most challenging part of teaching online is finding all of the idiosyncrasies in Laulima and learning the quirks of all of the tools the hard way (sometimes multiple times, but that's my fault!). For example, my view of feedback on the quizzes tool is much clearer than the student view, so initially, I thought that they were getting much more helpful feedback than they were! I know add descriptive feedback for all correct and incorrect answers to ensure they know, but that took a while to figure out! I also learned the hard way that you can allow unlimited attempts at a quiz, but even if you allow late submissions in the settings, anything after the deadline only allows a single submission! Who would have guessed that?!

What surprised you about teaching online?

My biggest surprise was how challenging basic technology and navigating Laulima could be for a few students. A few students were so overwhelmed by the online environment that it was really difficult for them to get assignments in regularly or submit them correctly for the first couple of weeks. For example, several students emailed me their first few assignments because they couldn't figure out how to type in the submission box or attach on Laulima. Meeting over Zoom, sending screenshots, and having phone calls eventually helped, but it definitely surprised me! I did an initial survey about everyone's level of comfort with technology, but I think that I should have paid more attention and offered support in the first week to the few who indicated limited confidence and experience with technology. Also, the amount of email correspondence that I have with my online students took me a bit by surprise, especially in the beginning of the semester. I really needed to schedule time to check and respond to email each day.

What is your favorite web tool/technology?

I have learned about a lot of new technology, and I have 2 favorites! Flipgrid is one of my favorites because it allows students to record a short video response to a prompt and then reply to each other. It is a great way to feel connected to your students and for them to feel connected to each other because you get to see and hear everyone. I have also been surprised at how meaningful their interaction has been through this tool. My other favorite is EdPuzzle. You can use this tool to embed comprehension questions in any video, including narrated PPTs, Youtube videos, TED Talks, Kahn Academy, etc. You can select certain points throughout the video and create multiple choice or short answer questions to help the students see how well they are understanding. If they get the answer wrong, it will give them the option to re-watch the last part again and try the question again. This is really helpful online since you can't gauge anyone's understanding. EdPuzzle also allows the teacher to see how everyone answered, how much of the video they watched, how much time they spent watching it, and how many times they tried to answer the questions. This is really helpful because if you see that someone has watched the video a lot and is still not understanding, they might need additional help from you in contrast to someone who is struggling with an assignment but didn't watch the video and just needs a reminder to view the video lesson. They are both free too!

What's your favorite quotation?

I like this Hawaiian proverb "Ma ka hana ka ‘ike." In working one learns. I feel like this really captures my experience because I am learning so much every day from learning how to design and teach an online class and through the mistakes that I am making. I always tell my students that they learn through mistakes and that has been so true for me on this journey! I also have learned a lot from the amazing facilitators and my colleagues in TOPP as well as the very patient IT help desk, and of course, my students.

In the Fall 2018 DE Faculty Survey, you told us what teaching practices have been effective in your DE classes:

• [Providing] online resources (links to websites, PDFs, articles, etc.) (77.8%)

• Clear learning objectives for each module or unit (64.8%)

• Clear learning objectives for each assignment (53.7%)

• Content-related forum discussions (51.9%)

• Individual projects (51.9%)

• Instructional videos (51.9%)

• Grading rubrics for projects or assignments (50%)

• Interactive learning modules (31.5%)

• Peer evaluation / peer review (24.1%)

• Field work or service-learning (18.5%)

Other effective teaching practices you suggested:

• Giving immediate feedback

• Voice-over lectures in powerpoint presentations

• Civic engagement questions

• Only group project and service learning (with paired analysis and reflection assignments) have been effective for most students

• Publication of student-generated essays as models or examples

• Clear instructions for assignments.

See the recently completed 2018 DE Faculty Survey report, Insights into Distance Education, by OFIE.

About the Program: The Teaching Online Prep Program (TOPP) prepares faculty to develop and facilitate a high-quality online class. During the intensive 8-week session, you’ll learn about effective online pedagogy and current state, federal and ACCJC requirements for online classes, practice maximizing key Laulima and Web 2.0 tools, and begin developing your online class site in a supportive community of practice. TOPP will be delivered completely online Spring 2020 from January 21 through March 13.

Eligibility: Individuals teaching online for the first time or experienced online teachers interested in teaching a new online class or revising one may apply. There are a limited number of seats in the cohort – selection into TOPP will depend on meeting the eligibility criteria and the priority of your course.

APPLY HERE: The application deadline for the Spring 2020 cohort is Friday, November 11.

Questions? For more information about TOPP or the application process, please contact Jamie Sickel (jsickel@hawaii.edu) and/or Helen Torigoe (htorigoe@hawaii.edu), your Kapi‘olani CC instructional designers and TOPP developers/facilitators.

A note about TEs: As part of the reduction in non-instructional Teaching Equivalencies (TEs) to address the College’s budget, TEs for participation in TOPP for all faculty have been cut. There are limited Title III funds available to provide 3 TEs to full-time faculty and lecturers to take TOPP for courses that are not already online and that are needed to complete a fully online certificate, concentration or degree. Leigh Dooley (ldooley@hawaii.edu), Interim DE Coordinator, is contacting individuals who teach these courses and are eligible for TEs this spring. Questions regarding TEs for TOPP participation can be directed to her. All faculty who have not yet completed TOPP and wish to (re)design an online class are welcome to apply for this professional development experience, regardless of their eligibility for TEs – please be aware that this is an intensive online professional development course that requires a significant time commitment to complete successfully.

New this year to the Hawai‘i Student Success Institute (HISSI) is a dedicated strand for Online Teaching & Learning! We know our Kapi‘olani CC DE faculty have a wealth of insights and creative teaching strategies to share and we hope to attend YOUR session at HISSI this spring! Consider sharing challenges you or your students have faced and how you overcame (or are working to overcome) them or effective ways you’ve married pedagogy, content and/or technology in your DE classes. Buddy up with one or more colleagues or go it alone, but get out there and share! The deadline for proposals is Dec 6, 2019. Submit a Proposal

As many of you know, TOPP + 3TEs was recently awarded a 2019 Campus Technology Impact Award in the category of Teaching and Learning. Congratulations to the Instructional Designers Helen, Jamie, and Youxin, DE Coordinator Leigh Dooley, and our History faculty Kelli Nakamura who nominated the team and was interviewed for the article! Check out this full-length article honoring TOPP that appeared in Campus Technology!

Above & Beyond! Workshop Series: Join the vanguard and boost your effectiveness with student engagement and personal productivity.

• Friday, Dec. 6 at 1:00 - 2:30 pm in Lama 116: Creating an Introduction Video

SPOTLIGHT Online Teaching Sharing Sessions: For Fall 2019, we’re asking teachers in specific disciplines to share an overview of one of their online classes. We’ll get to see the amazing work of our colleagues!

• Friday, Nov. 22 at 1:00 - 2:30 pm in Lama 116: Sharing Online MATH Classes

Featured Free Webinar: Kapi‘olani CC faculty and staff can take many webinars for FREE when they register with a KCC code.

• Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 8:00 - 9:00 am HST: 10 Technology Tools to Promote Active Learning and Engagement

If you cannot attend the live webinar, a recording will be sent to you.

Registration Instructructions:

1. Visit event page and choose “Go2K” as your payment method and register.

2. Fill in your information. On the right, use the following code: KCC17. Click “Apply” and ensure the total is $0.00 before clicking “Continue to Payment.”

We’ve had to CANCEL our workshop on ADA Accessibility in Laulima (originally scheduled for 11/18), but please check out these free accessibility resources and training sessions.

Innovative Educators 3-part Webinar Series

Making Your Online Course Accessible: How to Meet ADA Guidelines (Register for FREE with KCC code)

Part I: Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 7:00 - 8:00 am HST (if you missed this one, the video is available)

Part II: Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 8:00 - 9:00 am HST

Part III: Tuesday, Nov 12 at 8:00 - 9:00 am HST

If you cannot attend the live webinar, a recording will be sent to you.

Registration Instructructions:

1. Visit event page and choose “Go2K” as your payment method and register.

2. Fill in your information. On the right, use the following code: KCC17. Click “Apply” and ensure the total is $0.00 before clicking “Continue to Payment.”

LinkedIn Learning Accessibility Training (FREE via UH)

Professional video series on a variety of accessibility topics. Account will be valid until Sept 30, 2020. Get Info and request an account.

Accessibility at UH

Visit the Accessibility at UH site for resources and free training on topics such as general accessibility, document accessibility, and accessibility considerations for instructional design, MS Office, and Adobe Acrobat Pro (PDF)

Join us virtually from 1-2pm on Nov. 7 & 8 for the Teaching Online Prep Program (TOPP) Fall 2019 cohort’s final presentations. Participants will be sharing a preview of their online class sites, featuring a Web 2.0 tool they’ll be using to facilitate an engaging online learning experience, and highlighting their proudest TOPP accomplishment as well as plans for development post-TOPP. All faculty, admin and staff are welcome to join one or more sessions, which will be held via Zoom.

Thursday, Nov 7, 1:00 – 2:00pm

• Louise Tatekawa (FSHE 185)

• Susan Dik (ENT 130)

• Steven Nagata (LAW 102)

• Nicole Otero (ESL 100)

Friday, Nov 8, 1:00 – 2:00pm

• David Mendonsa (MICT 162)

• Palani Kelly (HWST 107)

• Boris Bogaczewicz (ITS 144)

• Alfred Seita (BUS 250)

• Shawn Ford (SLT 203B)

No need to RSVP – just click the link (bit.ly/topp_fa19) when it’s time to join us via Zoom!

UH Online 5-Week Professional Development program launched in 2018 with the goal of serving Hawai‘i residents wishing to earn a college degree while working and raising their families. All UH faculty interested in redesigning their online courses into an accelerated 5-week format for working adults are encouraged to apply. Application for the 2020 cohort deadline is Nov. 22, 2019. This is a voluntary professional development program recommended for faculty who have taught an online course for a minimum of 3 semesters.

Priority will be given to faculty who will develop courses needed for the fully online 5-week degree programs and who use OER or $0 textbook costs.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance by December 13, 2019. Selected participants will not be eligible to teach in the first summer session 2020 in order to ensure full participation in this PD program, and will receive a stipend upon completion of quality course design review. See UH Online 5-Week PD page for more information.

Questions may be directed to uh5week@hawaii.edu or call Dorothy Hirata (ITS Academic Technologies) at 808-956-2789.

Research: Learning Intent Should Determine Online Class Size, Campus Technology: A recently published research project finds that “large classes...are best for ‘foundational and factual knowledge acquisition,’ and smaller enrollments--15 or fewer students--are better for courses intended ‘to develop higher-order thinking, mastery of complex knowledge and student skill development.’”

Teaching Online Will Make You a Better Teacher in Any Setting, The Chronicle of Higher Education: An online teacher describes the ways that teaching online has made him a better teacher overall; he’s now better at course design and assessment, and he is more thoughtful and intentional in communicating with students and in facilitating communications between students.

Building a Community of Learners in Online Classes, Faculty Focus: An online teacher shares 4 strategies for building rapport and engagement in online classes.

What Does the Research Say about Testing?, Edutopia: High stakes standardized testing may be ineffective, but that doesn’t mean we should dump testing altogether. Frequent quizzes with formative intent can be useful learning tools, for example. The article includes several helpful tidbits about testing gleaned from research.

Colleges Need to Build Digital Quads to Support Social Learning for Online Students, EdSurge: The digital world holds tremendous potential to enhance social learning in addition to formal learning. Instead of ignoring the importance of social learning, higher ed. institutions invested in online education should create digital environments to magnify “the authentic student interactions they are likely to encounter on campuses.”

Where Online Learning Goes Next, Harvard Business Review: Change is HERE. To remain relevant and prepare students for the future, higher ed. institutions need to invest more in online learning and “empower diverse learners at global scale.”

Nearly Half of Faculty Are Teaching Online - Inside Higher Ed Survey: Professors’ attitudes about online classes continue to evolve as more and more of us are teaching online. Doubts linger, but “those who have taught online overwhelmingly believe it has made them better at their jobs.”