Bridging the Divide - Summer Series Course Descriptions

Week 1: June 28 – July 4

Facilitator: Jake Dugard

Digital literacy became apparent during the COVID pandemic. Both teachers and students had to instantly shift their work from an in-person setting to an online setting. Those who had experience with basic tools and software for presenting their content online were able to migrate relatively smoothly; while those who didn’t, struggled and possibly disengaged completely from the class. Alternative education sites like Skillshare, Lynda.com, and even YouTube instantly became viable options for students looking for high-quality education at an affordable price. Teachers in higher education must be able to compete from a quality standpoint when a class is delivered online. This not only goes for content, but also the delivery mechanism. Content is king, but distribution is queen — and she wears the pants. 
 
From setup (webcams, lighting, etc.) to video software and other online tools, participants will learn a variety of ways for designing their online classroom.

Week 1: June 28 – July 4

Facilitator: Glenn Lo

H5P is a free technology that allows instructors to easily create visually appealing interactive content enriched with audio-visual components and embedded assessments. H5P content can be useful for preparing students for class, especially when utilizing flipped instruction, as well as for providing review materials for exams. H5P is also the perfect tool for authoring cross-platform future-proof content. In this workshop, participants will explore various H5P content types and learn how to create their own. Participants will also learn how to set up an H5P assignment and collect student work/feedback from within just about any LMS (Moodle, etc.), or simply make their content available on the web with no login required.

Week 1: June 28 – July 4

Facilitator: Joanna Hunter

This course seeks to inform faculty, staff and administrators how to support transfer students. It will discuss the different types of transfer students, communication practices, and retention efforts. Through discussions and a few short learning assignments, it will provide an opportunity for participants to share their experiences and best practices in working with transfer students and retaining them through degree completion. Transfer students may be face to face students, or online students. It is important to have a better understanding of who they are, their needs and how to best communicate and serve them as if they were any other student on our campuses.

Week 2: July 5 – 11

Facilitator: Sherri Voebel 

Description: Higher education institutions across the world strive to provide equitable, inclusive, accessible learning environments for all students. The amount of scientific and medical research and the number of research articles published since 2010 has increased exponentially, compounding the research challenge for professors and students alike. Research in a disruptive time is challenging. We can no longer expect research to take place in a place such as a library. Research is wherever resources are distributed. This course aims to provide the student researcher or professor with a less stressful method of collecting, analyzing and systematically reviewing articles during the research process – thereby creating a greater student experience! 
Educators must focus on a more inclusive and empathetic approach to online and hybrid teaching methods as we navigate pandemics and trying times. This is especially important as we have an increased awareness and usage of medical and behavioral science e-Resources to navigate. Along with an increased amount of information we must synthesize, we have a mandate to drive inclusivity and engagement with nursing, allied health, psychology, sociology and behavioral sciences. This course highlights a move toward electronic asset thinking. Moving away from research as a place – i.e. Library to utilizing library electronic resources more productively. Moving from collecting information to synthesizing, analyzing and managing information—more effectively. The trainer will model a well-focused research framework students can follow and imitate within CINAHL, PubMed, PsychInfo, AltHealthWatch, Abstracts in Social Gerontology and Violence & Abuse Abstracts. Students will work collaboratively in groups on group projects where they will learn to share, review and analyze information within the Rayyan.AI — artificial information framework. Students will research articles in one of the above fields, use clustering snapshots to review articles, compare results and synthesize data. Completed group projects will demonstrate successful engagement and learning. 
The course aim is to provide a high-quality digital learning experience for all students: 
• Limiting potential academic disruption if the course modality unexpectedly shifts 
• Providing students course materials in efficient and accessible ways: Database, WebEx, PodCasts, LibGuides
• Giving students more flexibility, control, and options regarding when and how they learn
• Allowing faculty to engage in the process of building their courses over time

Week 2: July 5 – 11

Facilitator: Mirla Enriquez 

Description: This course will cover the fundaments of Blended Learning, including face-to-face and online/ virtual instruction to deliver a learner-centered environment for course delivery.  This class will offer a foundation for blended mode course instruction, explore a variety of tools and techniques that can be used when delivering classes, and explore some tools from Google apps for sharing and collaboration. This course will also offer ideas for using mobile devices as an integral part during the class.   

Week 2: July 5 – 11

Facilitator: James Gilley 

Description: Using the free application Open Broadcast Software (OBS) and discord, this course will help create a more engaging learning environments. OBS will allow you to make more engaging video content. Discord provides a single, deeply customizable voice, video, and text chat system for your students to help them feel part of a learning community. 

Week 2: July 5 – 11

Facilitator: Eboni Brown 

Description: Robust instructional strategies and culturally sensitive curriculums are critical, however more important is an educator or instructor who is sensitive and responsive to the unique differences of each student. Recognizing the need to strengthen specific competencies to reach and teach all students requires an understanding of new ideas and a willingness to view instruction through varied cultural lenses. This course helps promote critical thinking through mindfulness, which in turn helps instructors to recognize personal viewpoints and emotional reactions culturally to reach a diverse group of students.

Week 3: July 12 – 18

Facilitator: Sherri Voebel 

Description: Higher education institutions across the world strive to provide equitable, inclusive, accessible learning environments for all students. The amount of scientific and medical research and the number of research articles published since 2010 has increased exponentially, compounding the research challenge for professors and students alike. Research in a disruptive time is challenging. We can no longer expect research to take place in a place such as a library. Research is wherever resources are distributed. This course aims to provide the student researcher or professor with a less stressful method of collecting, analyzing and systematically reviewing articles during the research process – thereby creating a greater student experience! 
Educators must focus on a more inclusive and empathetic approach to online and hybrid teaching methods as we navigate pandemics and trying times. This is especially important as we have an increased awareness and usage of medical and behavioral science e-Resources to navigate. Along with an increased amount of information we must synthesize, we have a mandate to drive inclusivity and engagement with nursing, allied health, psychology, sociology and behavioral sciences. This course highlights a move toward electronic asset thinking. Moving away from research as a place – i.e. Library to utilizing library electronic resources more productively. Moving from collecting information to synthesizing, analyzing and managing information—more effectively. The trainer will model a well-focused research framework students can follow and imitate within CINAHL, PubMed, PsychInfo, AltHealthWatch, Abstracts in Social Gerontology and Violence & Abuse Abstracts. Students will work collaboratively in groups on group projects where they will learn to share, review and analyze information within the Rayyan.AI — artificial information framework. Students will research articles in one of the above fields, use clustering snapshots to review articles, compare results and synthesize data. Completed group projects will demonstrate successful engagement and learning. 
The course aim is to provide a high-quality digital learning experience for all students: 
• Limiting potential academic disruption if the course modality unexpectedly shifts 
• Providing students course materials in efficient and accessible ways: Database, WebEx, PodCasts, LibGuides
• Giving students more flexibility, control, and options regarding when and how they learn
• Allowing faculty to engage in the process of building their courses over time

Week 3: July 12 – 18

Facilitator: Johnette Magner 

Description: Communications technologies have become an essential and valuable tool in higher education instruction. They allow virtual teaching, provide access to vast resources, and enable communication with ease outside classroom hours. But housed in these same devices are a myriad of apps, such as social media apps, that are designed to divert and maintain user attention and create patterns of usage that many of us would consider excessive.

This course will begin with an explanation of why excessive technology use has become a major societal problem. Participants will learn about the Attention Economy, the Hook Model, and Surveillance Capitalism. 

In the second module, participants will learn about creating and breaking habits. Using research from the Stanford Persuasion Lab, Dr. Wendy Wood, and Dr. Cal Newport, participants will learn about the science behind many apps and how they can use that science to improve their usage.

In the third module, participants will be given specific strategies developed to curb and manage usage of the most common “slot-machine” apps. Participants will then apply at least one intervention to their own use and evaluate its efficacy in helping them improve their technology usage. 

Week 3: July 12 – 18

Facilitator: Michael Martin 

Description: This proposed course for the Bridging the Divide Summer 2021 Series is for a course creation. The course would would consider what University of Louisiana System schools have learned from teaching HyFlex and consider ways that HyFlex and online teaching can be used in other modalities. These modalities include synchronous in-seat teaching, with an online component; online synchronous teaching, with no in-seat component; and asynchronous, online teaching. The specific learning experiences gleaned from HyFlex classrooms might include the student-centered flexibility of modalities (in-seat or online) and the adaptability therein; the professor having multiple activities happening at once in different modalities, thus stimulating student interest; and the use of non-verbal means of direct communication (chat) between teacher and student, and students in a cohort themselves. HyFlex innovations allow for a directed learning experience, with professor-student virtual interaction; this modality can also be adapted to asynchronous online learning. HyFlex innovations also provide asynchronous learning modules, including assignments done outside of class time. HyFlex also allows for direct student interaction. These two methods of learning could be vital in adding flexibility to a synchronous classroom experience. Articles and videos on synchronous teaching will be included in a learning module that asks participants to consider ways they could teach their own classes within such different modalities. The course asks participants to theorize regarding how their teaching would change according to the modality being offered. The teaching module will be divided into a two-week section.  

Week 3: July 12 – 18

Facilitator: Diana Wu & Andrea Leonard  

Descriptions: Beyond planning and designing an online or hybrid course, instructors must also deliver the course to a live class. Many find that the process of teaching these courses is very different from the traditional, face-to-face technique. In this facilitated 1 week course, participants will learn the importance of steady, reliable communication for both students and instructors. They will then examine the most recommended methods by which classroom discussions can be best facilitated in an online setting. Finally, participants will learn how to direct students to the support they require.

To successfully complete this asynchronous course, participants will work through the following 3 Modules,

· Module 1: Communicating with Students Online

· Module 2: Facilitating Discussions

· Module 3: Providing Learner Support 

Week 3: July 12 – 18

Facilitator: Taniecea Mallery 

Description: Microaggressions are defined as verbal, behavioral, or environmental slights, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward culturally marginalized groups. This course provides participants with an introduction to the concept of microaggressions, examples of how they impact students in an academic setting, and strategies for responding to them with the goal of cultivating an inclusive campus environment. 

Week 3: July 12 – 18

Facilitator: Anita Sharma 

Description: This project will focus on strategies and methods to develop online research skills among undergraduate students (in different disciplines) to help them distinguish between valid and reliable research sources and invalid and unreliable research sources.  Particularly, the project will focus on helping students conduct valid literature reviews for research papers using online resources and open educational resources.  Participants in this project will identify the major barriers experienced by undergraduate students in conducting valid literature reviews and will identify best practices that promote good research skills among students at various stages of their undergraduate tenure.  The research skills expected of freshmen would be different from those expected of seniors.  Additionally, participants will recognize that each student has unique competencies, unique learning styles,  and unique environmental barriers.  The participants in this project will learn to identify methods and best practices that would address issues of equity in developing research skill-sets among students coming from different backgrounds and experiencing unique barriers.  Each participant in this project will focus on developing best practices for teaching research skills within their own discipline.  Consequently, this project will be a cross-disciplinary project. 

Week 4: July 19 – 25

Facilitator: Jeremy Bell 

Description: The need to combine content knowledge with the use of appropriate pedagogical methods in a technological format makes the online class somewhat complicated. The purpose of this professional develop will provide the online classroom instructor the ability to assess current skills within these areas and develop a proposal to improve online content and accomplish broader goals. Multiple technology integration models will be discussed along with application of the TPACK framework. Another important aspect of the online classroom that will be discussed is the need for authentic instruction and assessments within the learner’s current discipline. 

Week 4: July 19 – 25

Facilitator: Diana Wu & Andrea Leonard 

Descriptions: As a continuation of the exploration that began in Beyond Design: Strategies for Online Course Delivery (Part 1), this course will focus on how to identify and relate student achievement. Participants will address the subject of issuing grades and the role of feedback in enabling student success, including what constitutes effective feedback, how to deliver this feedback reliably to students. Finally, participants will analyze how rubrics can be used as a feedback tool. Participants will also take a quiz and generate a sample rubric to assess their understanding of the topics covered.

To successfully complete this asynchronous course, participants will work through the following 2 Modules,

· Module 1: Providing Grades and Feedback on Assessments

· Module 2: Using Rubrics Effectively 

Week 4: July 19 – 25

Facilitator: Cherissa Vitter 

Description: Lesson structure and pacing is a common evaluative indicator used for teachers to examine a well-planned lesson that moves quickly and does not allow for down-time, i.e. distractions. In the virtual classroom, faculty must also remain mindful of lesson structure and pacing through the lens of the virtual environment. Brisk pacing provides opportunities for individual students to progress at different learning rates, routines are seamless and no instructional time is lost during transitions (NIET.org). In this course, participants will explore techniques to keep students engaged in the online model. Participants will also use the Danielson framework for remote teaching to self-evaluate individual lesson structure (2021). 

Week 4: July 19 – 25

Facilitator: Charles King 

College is a period of time characterized by a great deal of stress and anxiety. For many students leaving high school, college often represents the first time in their lives that they have lived away from home. Lacking access to their former social support system, some students may feel lonely and have a strong desire to fit in. Many students are taking a full-time course load, working at least a part-time job, and trying to balance a social life. With intense academic pressure, stacked on top of social pressures, many students seek short-term relief in the form of drugs and alcohol. Countless college students drop out of school, suffer severe physical or mental health problems, or even overdose as a result of their continued substance abuse. According to the Survey on Drug Use and Health, over 6 million college-age students meet the criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). When the symptoms of a drug or alcohol use become apparent, it is important to act right away. Early intervention can make a world of difference when students are struggling with substance use. Identifying the signs of SUD early in college students can mitigate the future deleterious impact. Left untreated, substance use disorders tend to become progressively worse. This course is designed to educate college professionals on the signs and symptoms of substance use disorder among college students as well as the resources available to improve academic growth. 

Week 4: July 19 – 25

Facilitator: Rudolph Ellis 

Description: This course will cater to provide a holistic approach to special interest groups on a college campus, specifically students who are considered part of the marginalized groups on our college campuses. The course will also provide insight into the four phases of holistic development for First Time First Year First-Generation students at a university. The project will share best practices and ideas as to how academic advisors, retention officers, and mentors can use faculty, staff, students, and alumni to aid in the holistic development of students as they transition from high school to college. Through virtual applications, a live session and two interactive asynchronous approaches, this session will share 4 useful phases of growth and experience students have as they matriculate through their freshman year. 

Week 4: July 19 – 25

Facilitator: Jerry Parker 

In this course, participants will examine online teaching from the perspective of procedures for creating knowledge and in terms of the “how things are said” dimension. This workshop will introduce participants to Critical Multicultural Education’s “Knowledge Construction Process” and guide them in evaluating various instructional design models for implementing this framework for online learning. When used effectively, class assignments can act as a window into a student’s cultural beliefs. By the end of this course, you will be able to: Evaluate models critically and decide what models are best suited for course content delivery at various levels in their discipline to diverse groups of learners in their online courses.

Week 5: July 26 – August 1

Facilitator: Mirla Enriquez 

Description: This course will cover the fundaments of Blended Learning and will focus on utilizing video to deliver class instruction. The use of video will help increase student engagement in the course. The assignments in this course will help you become comfortable creating course content. Instructors will learn how to prepare course content to effectively impact their students.

Week 5: July 26 – August 1

Facilitator: Ahmad Fayed 

Description: In response to restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid changes have been made to teaching environments. These changes left educators puzzled on how to achieve the same quality onsite education in an online/remote environment without losing the social, experiential, and many other dimensions of the learning process. These concerns are very serious in Science, Engineering, and Technology fields. Teaching engineering, science, and technology, in this uncertain environment forced instructors to find innovative ways of delivering the content, keeping the student engaged, and providing the required lab work and hands-on activities. In this course, successful strategies and tools applied in engineering and science classes will be shared. Solutions include integration of online simulation tools, such as TinkerCAD, CS2N, PhET, LabXchange, into class materials and using technology tools, such as online whiteboard, iClicker REEF, and some LMS features, to compensate for the engagement and assessment components missed due to the remote setting. Course will include examples and hands-on practice of some of these tools. Many tools will be introduced but participants will have the chance to learn and apply two of their choice that best fit their field of teaching and specific needs. 

Week 5: July 26 – August 1

Facilitator: Cherissa Vitter 

Description: In a face to face environment, instructors plan lessons to engage students. Sometimes, the engagement techniques are impromptu as the instructor adjusts the lesson to meet the needs of the learners. In a virtual environment, swift adjustments are not as easily made, but they are not impossible. The purpose of this session is to explore lesson design through the lens of online differentiated instruction. Participants will examine the basics of differentiation through content, process, and product against the student attributes of readiness, interest, and learner profile. Participants will examine how and what students learn against how students demonstrate evidence of learning. With this strategy, participants will model lesson structures to include grouping, timers, shared Google documents, and data driven forms. Interactive techniques will be practiced to strategically pace an online lesson. 

Week 5: July 26 – August 1

Facilitator: Jada Hector

Description: Faculty will learn how to include mental health information in their classrooms, both online and in-person to lessen the stigma surrounding the topic. The idea being that students (and faculty) will be more likely to seek help when needed and use resources available for help. Creating a more holistic classroom both in course discussions, but also with tangible resources provided will in turn create more successful students. 

Week 5: July 26 – August 1

Facilitator: Stephanie Hendry 

In this session, participants will learn how to adapt, create, and use OER/AER. This workshop will introduce participants to the benefits of OER/AER and the challenges of not establishing a student-centered learning environment.   Students’ motivation and engagement are negatively affected when tasks are not aligned with course objectives. The use of themes, technology, choice, and differentiation motivates and engages participants. It is crucial for instructors to be aware of what their students are doing well and where they should focus their efforts. By using formative assessments, instructors can identify gaps in their students’ learning. In addition to regular lessons, students can receive supplemental instruction to fill in any gaps they may have. Students who struggle with learning often need more instruction time, more flexibility in their instruction, and more repetitions or doses of instruction. The instruction that is provided to students who struggle to read must be explicit, provide scaffolding, and be tailored to the individual student’s needs. There is substantial evidence that students can succeed at high levels if they are taught at high levels. The curriculum should provide balanced instruction, emphasizing basic skills that promote understanding. One of the keys to helping learners who are struggling, or not making progress consistently, is to implement a supplemental, evidence-based intervention program that supports learning. The cycle from formative assessment to instruction allows teachers to observe how students are responding to targeted interventions and to proceed with instruction based on ongoing performance data. 

Week 6: August 2 – August 6

Facilitator: Nick T.C. Lu 

Description: This course introduces you to the basics of the popular note-taking and note-management app, Notion. It also explores possible uses of the app in the classroom. Throughout the course, we will watch videos and have discussions on topics such as how to use Notion as a tool for our own course planning and scheduling, and how to use it to help our students manage their research projects, keep their journals or other daily writing tasks. This will be an informative and hands-on course with a simple aim to incorporate user-friendly technology to enhance teaching and learning. I look forward to us getting together to brainstorm new and interesting ways to bring this useful app to our day-to-day teaching! 

Week 6: August 2 – August 6

Facilitator: Lisa Flanders-Dick  

Description: The Collaboration & Engagement with Jamboard course will introduce you to Google Jamboard and how it can be utilized to foster collaboration and engagement in a traditional, blended, or online class. You will walk through creating a Jamboard activity and receive valuable resources including numerous ready-made activities. 

Week 6: August 2 – August 6

Facilitator: Amy Washington 

Week 6: August 2 – August 6

Facilitator: Suzanne Mayo and Terry Matthews