When the snow began to fall in Winter 2019, instructors across the 91探花had to think quickly about how to keep their courses on track.
Instructors such as Haideh Salehi-Esfahani and Scott Spaulding, who were already using technology tools in their teaching, were well-equipped to ride out the storm. Others, like Riki Thompson, adapted quickly.
These three instructors tell their stories and share tips about how they ensured instruction continued despite the snowfall. Their best collective advice for people who don’t already use Zoom or Panopto in their teaching is to think about starting now, regardless of the weather.
Whether it鈥檚 snow, road closures, a broken ankle, or a conference presentation, faculty are making good use of teaching technologies to keep students on track when missing class is unavoidable.
When familiar, Zoom conference calling is an easy back-up
During Winter 2019, Scott Spaulding was teaching a graduate course in which Zoom conference call technology is a regular feature.
When class was cancelled due to snow, Spaulding wasn鈥檛 sure if he was allowed to hold class remotely when campus was closed. 鈥淚 wanted to have class and the students did, too, but I didn鈥檛 know if we could,鈥� until a provost message clarified that classes could meet. 鈥淭hat was good to have that guidance from the provost鈥檚 office.鈥�
Many of the students in Spaulding鈥檚 program are teachers who join the class remotely from work. As a result, the program sets guidelines for how students use Zoom in the course.
鈥淲e ask them to connect from a place that鈥檚 distraction-free. What鈥檚 behind you? What鈥檚 your connection speed like? We emphasize this for our program at orientation, before they come to any class. Students might be running late and want to connect via phone while they鈥檙e driving. We say don鈥檛 do it.鈥�
When the snow hit, students were familiar with the tool, although they had to figure out how to set themselves up at home. Spaulding suggests patience with the unexpected, 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 prevent everything from happening鈥攁 kid walks on camera, a cat鈥攐ne day we had six cats wandering around on screen.鈥�
When Zoom is not an option, try Panopto or Canvas modules
Spaulding was prepared in 2019 for the snow, but knows what it鈥檚 like to be caught off-guard.
A different quarter, he had to miss the second day of class to attend a conference. He says, 鈥淚 thought we could meet via Zoom.鈥� But since it was early in the quarter, students didn鈥檛 know how.
Instead, Spaulding created a Canvas module. 鈥淚t was super-explicit with discussions, readings, and the need for them to comment.鈥� He made a Panopto video from his hotel room of slides and uploaded the video to the Canvas page. 鈥淚 told students to engage in discussion at the same time we would have met in class. I don鈥檛 normally use modules but it worked great this time.鈥�
Tips:
- Be familiar with how to use tools yourself before asking students to use them.
- Make sure your students know what to expect. Tell them, for example, 鈥業f we have inclement weather, we鈥檒l use Zoom.’
- Set expectations for access to a computer with a strong connection and a camera鈥攁nd a quiet place. Tell students, 鈥楧on鈥檛 call from a coffee shop.’
Seminar students led discussions via Zoom conference calling
When the snow started to fall in Winter quarter 2019, Associate Professor Riki Thompson was leading a group of graduate students doing independent study. She quickly looked for alternate ways for the group to hold their seminar discussion.
Students had prepared to discuss the reading and facilitate a conversation鈥攁 conversation that if done remotely would require conference call technology.
Thompson recalls, 鈥淲e thought about Skype but didn鈥檛 know if it had multiple screens. We talked about doing Google Hangouts, but one of the students had trouble with it. Just trying to identify the tech we could use took some time.鈥�
Thompson had a free, personal Zoom account. It seemed the best option with one important exception: sessions time out after 40 minutes. But Thompson found a creative workaround. She told students, 鈥淲e鈥檒l talk for 40 minutes and then take a five-minute break鈥攍ike in face-to-face classes鈥攁nd then return.鈥� Building in a five-minute break gave her time to start a new Zoom session, while avoiding feeling rushed.
The students set to present during the session emailed handouts, and the class took advantage of Zoom鈥檚 chat function during the discussion. 鈥淚f someone had a burning question, they could add it to the chat feature, so we could return to it,鈥� says Thompson.
While the group didn鈥檛 use the shared screen because everyone already had the handouts, Thompson reports that next time she would use that feature to highlight elements of the document.
Tips:
- Check to see if you have access to a Zoom account鈥efore the snow starts falling
- If you don鈥檛 have access, encourage your department to get Zoom or set up a personal account
- Tailor your use of tools such as chat function and screen sharing to the discussion
Posting a recorded lecture kept a large class on track
When a winter storm shut down UW鈥檚 Seattle campus in 2019, Haideh Salehi-Esfahani had not prepared but regardless was ready. Her ECON 200 Principles of Micro-Economics students鈥攁ll 450 of them鈥攚atched a video recording she posted of the lecture she had given on the same day the year before.
Salehi-Esfahani, a Principle Lecturer of Economics, uses the lecture-capture tool Panopto in her larger classes, whatever the weather, as a matter of course. Every lecture is recorded and then posted on the course web site. The video shows both the instructor and everything she projects on the screen during the class.
According to Salehi-Esfahani, posting lectures regularly supports her students鈥� learning and 鈥済ives students a chance to review the lecture, even in a small class.鈥�
Posting lectures has the added benefit of maintaining continuity when a class is unable to meet. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 really nice about this,鈥� says Salehi-Esfahani, 鈥渋f you have consistent lectures, students don鈥檛 miss anything.鈥�
For those who don鈥檛 have a handy archive of last years鈥� lecture videos or are teaching a new course, it鈥檚 possible to use the same technology to record a lecture from home. Faculty can even learn how to use Panopto remotely, as well.
That said, Salehi-Esfahani suggests taking advantage of available training鈥攂efore you need it. 鈥淚t鈥檚 worth spending a few minutes with the guys at Learning Technologies to learn how to do this.鈥�
Snow can close a campus but is not the only reason a class can鈥檛 meet. 鈥淵ou may go to a conference or you may get sick,鈥� says Haideh, 鈥渢his is not just for winter weather.鈥�
Tips:
- Plan ahead for how you鈥檒l teach when your class can鈥檛 meet
- Practice with the tool before you need it
- Attend a Panopto training by Learning Technologies