In the first episode, Brenna offers some advice for first-week teaching and interviews her boss (and also, apparently, a magpie), which results in a confusing Kool and the Gang reference.
Show Notes:
Brenna offered advice in this episode about surveying students about their needs and also setting up a group charter to establish expectations for the class. Here are some resources to consider:
- Danya Glabau’s survey template, created for NYU Engineering, is being adapted by several instructors here at TRU.
- Consider building a collaborative class contract or group charter. This Facing History resource comes from K-12, but is broadly applicable (and uses sample scenarios effectively).
- Brenna talks a lot about presence in this episode. This summary of the research, from Columbia University, explores why (and offers some practical suggestions, too).
Brian discussed resources for accessing support. Here are some critical links for all new and established TRU instructors:
- There’s still time to register for Moodle 911, Moodle Tips and Tricks, Crash Course: Gradebook, and Managing Your Workload!
- The Support for Alternate Modes of Delivery course in Moodle is a great resource with a terrible name. You’ll find all the workshops offered this summer archived there.
- The Pivot to Digital space is a forward-facing resource for rethinking teaching for the online environment.
- The Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and the Instructional Designers in Open Learning are also community resources for you to draw on.
Brian inexplicably referenced Kool and the Gang. You can click here for a link to the video in case you, like Brenna, are extremely young.
Transcripts:
Available for download as a .docx file here.
Available for download as a .pdf file here.
6 Comments
Add YoursWow! Great first podcast Brenna! Suggestion: please turn down the transition music a touch, I had to keep adjusting the volume whenever it came on.
Thank you for reminding us that we often do not teach content during the first class, or the first week of classes. We do, however, start building the relationships with our students. I will be taking that tidbit of advice and hanging onto it for dear life next week!
Thanks, Marie! We’ve taken your note to heart — tune in to the next episode for a wee shout-out. 🙂
I really liked your podcast. I enjoyed listening to your voices – the voices that have helped us throughout the summer. Very calming and reassuring. Content was good, too! Right on the money 💰
I did a quick revision of my teaching schedule and decided not to teach content on the first day 😂
Looking forward to your next one!
This makes me SO HAPPY, Karen. Thank you for sharing the impact of this conversation on you!
Thank you, that was fantastic and so positive. I have subscribed and am looking forward to the next episode!
So glad to know you’re enjoying it, and appreciating our (mostly) positive take!