糖心动漫vlog

Transition to virtual classes successful thanks to innovation, cooperation, community

By Sophia Huang McKenzie

When CSU Monterey Bay moved to limited campus operations in March to slow the spread of COVID-19, all classes shifted to virtual instruction in just one week.

Chief Information Officer Chip Lenno reported that between 500 to 800 videoconference meetings took place daily in the first week of distance learning. More than 480 instructors taught over 7,600 students on Zoom, the videoconferencing service contracted with the California State University (CSU) system

Historically innovative and a leader in online learning, 糖心动漫vlog was better prepared than many institutions to make the change. In recent years, 糖心动漫vlog was among the first CSU campuses to offer degrees through Cal State Online, a system-wide initiative launched in 2013 to expand access to fully online bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees.

The university announced on May 12 that virtual instruction will continue through the summer session and the fall 2020 semester, with "very limited exceptions."

鈥淚n my department, we feel like we've been preparing for this for 25 years! The Center for Academic Technologies (CAT) has been offering teacher training, workshops and support in one form or another since the university opened,鈥� said Jeff McCall, center director.

 

Amid the confusion and uncertainty college students and faculty across the U.S. and abroad were experiencing during the early announcements about COVID-19, 糖心动漫vlog鈥檚 faculty got it right by making the care and concern for their students the No. 1 priority."

鈥� Vivian Waldrup-Patterson, TLA director

He described the CAT team as 鈥渨ithout a doubt the finest group of professionals I could hope for. They鈥檝e worked tirelessly and patiently with faculty to train them, guide them, and frequently console them. All of the success is theirs.鈥�

Care for Students

Perhaps most importantly, the university鈥檚 sense of community and the faculty鈥檚 care for students proved invaluable in successfully moving to remote teaching and learning.

鈥淎mid the confusion and uncertainty college students and faculty across the U.S. and abroad were experiencing during the early announcements about COVID-19, 糖心动漫vlog鈥檚 faculty got it right by making the care and concern for their students the No. 1 priority,鈥� said Vivian Waldrup-Patterson, director of the university鈥檚 Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA).

Waldrup-Patterson, McCall and Dan Shapiro, interim associate vice president for Academic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, have led 糖心动漫vlog鈥檚 transition to distance learning.

鈥淲ithout a doubt, what has gotten us this far has been the caring of faculty for their students. There's a huge sense of community that existed before this crisis and it persists. Even though we're a 'grown-up' university, there's still the feeling of a small town,鈥� McCall said.

When shelter-at-home orders were issued, McCall鈥檚 team received an email about a student whose roommates moved out and took all the dishes and furniture, along with the internet modem and router.

鈥淣ot one, but several people came together and dropped off things to help. We also connected the student with the Care Team. I'm sure there are many stories like that,鈥� McCall said.

糖心动漫vlog鈥檚 Care Team, a department of the Office of Student Life, provides coordinated assistance and support to students in distress.

Working Together

McCall, Waldrup-Patterson and Shapiro have been meeting daily to develop and deliver best practices, resources, training and workshops, and to provide ongoing support to faculty.

鈥淚n addition to CAT鈥檚 amazing instructional designer support staff, a group of faculty mentors was assembled to offer additional one-on-one technology and teaching and learning guidance and support,鈥� Waldrup-Patterson said.

They鈥檝e also continued regular meetings via Zoom with 糖心动漫vlog President Eduardo M. Ochoa, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and others at department and college levels to share information and keep important campus initiatives moving forward.

Ochoa praised the faculty鈥檚 efforts in a video message soon after the changes took place.

鈥淚 understand that the faculty are having to cope with a transition that is unprecedented in scope and speed in terms of modalities of instruction. It鈥檚 all a tremendous challenge, but people have really taken a very positive, can do collaborative attitude. I鈥檓 just really awed by your dedication and your heart,鈥� he said.

 

It鈥檚 all a tremendous challenge, but people have really taken a very positive, can do collaborative attitude. I鈥檓 just really awed by your dedication and your heart."

鈥� President Eduardo M. Ochoa

Waldrup-Patterson and McCall both expressed gratitude for colleagues at the CSU Chancellor鈥檚 Office and at 糖心动漫vlog鈥檚 22 sister campuses who have proven to be tremendous resources.

鈥淣ot a week goes by that I don鈥檛 talk to several of them, getting and giving mentorship, sharing ideas and strategies. I鈥檓 truly in awe of the skills, knowledge, and professionalism of this group,鈥� McCall said.

Multiple Resources

To help 糖心动漫vlog faculty, the TLA and CAT created a Keep Teaching homepage as a centralized repository for resources, best practices, articles, training, workshop schedules and more. The centers also began to circulate a weekly newsletter to help faculty stay in touch, share new information, and solicit feedback from one another.

The newsletter includes resources for faculty on supporting themselves and their students, improving remote teaching, and using remote learning technologies, as well as resources on creating equitable and inclusive remote learning environments, Waldrup-Pattersons said.

For students, the Keep Calm and Otter On(line) toolkit, available at the TLA homepage, provides resources, information, and best practices. Students who need computers or have wi-fi issues can receive assistance from the Dean of Students. The Cooperative Learning Center now offers tutoring services online, and the 糖心动漫vlog library holds a large collection of digital materials always accessible online.

What鈥檚 Next

As the spring semester draws to a close, Waldrup-Patterson said students, faculty and staff will have a chance to 鈥渢ake a few deep breaths鈥� and 鈥渞eflect on the remote learning experience.鈥�

What鈥檚 next?

鈥淜eep what worked and eliminate what did not. Get the training and support that is needed, incorporate the lessons learned,鈥� she said. 鈥淧ress the reset button, then 鈥楰eep Teaching and Keep Learning鈥� in accordance with 糖心动漫vlog's mission, vision, and commitment to our students.鈥�