Distance Education Newsletter

In a recent article in The New York Times, workplace culture guru Adam Grant explores the concept of languishing, which he posits as the dominant emotion of 2021. If you're slogging through the last days of the semester, getting things done but joylessly, you may know what he's talking about. Fortunately, he proposes a solution: flow. And we can cultivate flow by scheduling uninterrupted blocks of time to accomplish tasks and/or to enjoy ourselves, and by setting and achieving small goals. These strategies may be just what we need to infuse these last weeks of the academic year with enthusiasm and accomplishment. And they may be just what we need to help us more thoroughly enjoy time off and time spent on honing our online teaching skills this summer. Let's shake off the languishing and discover some joy in May.

For this DE Newsletter, be sure to click on the link to "View it in your browser." You don't want to miss the second half!

Take a sneak peek of the latest Student Congress Survey data. Our learners have spoken!

Will the desire for asynchronous courses continue post-pandemic? You’ll notice that the percentages don’t add up to 100%. Students could choose all that apply; therefore, the percentages are based on N (number of responses per category)/468.

Interestingly, these local results are on par with national survey results about student preference for the delivery of their classes moving forward.

Due to high demand, two TOPP modules Pre-TOPP: Course Planning for Active Learning and TOPP: Building an Online Classroom will be offered again during the Summer II Session (July 6 to August 13, 2021).

This summer, the Teaching Online Prep Program (TOPP) is being offered in modules to prepare faculty to increase their technology skills, create a learning plan, and develop an online/hybrid class using the latest learning technologies. The TOPP modules will be supported by the HEERF (Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund) grant, and eligible participants will be paid a $200 stipend for each completed module.❶❷

🗺 Pre-TOPP: COURSE PLANNING FOR ACTIVE LEARNING

July 6-July 16, 2021 (2 Weeks) | Online Asynchronous

Create a detailed plan for active learning that aligns with the course learning outcomes. This module will prepare you for the next step of creating an online/hybrid class in TOPP: Building an Online Classroom.

🛠 TOPP: BUILDING AN ONLINE CLASSROOM

July 19-August 13, 2021 (4 Weeks) | Online Mostly Asynchronous

Build an online/hybrid classroom in Laulima with guidance from the facilitators and a small group of peers. Must have completed Pre-TOPP: Course Planning for Active Learning and/or completed a Course Map. Priority will be given to those who applied to both Pre-TOPP: Course Planning for Active Learning and this module.

📆 Apply online by Monday, May 10, 2021

For more details, see the TOPP Summer II Information Sheet.

NOTES:

❶ Eligibility for the stipends: Any 9-month Kapi‘olani faculty/lecturer NOT teaching during Summer Session II; lecturers will receive stipends when they’re scheduled to teach in Fall 2021. (Please verify eligibility with your own campus if outside of Kapi‘olani.)

❷ Total stipend amount for each person may not exceed $600.

❸ Each module has a limited number of seats. Although the program is open to faculty from any UH campus, priority will be given to Kapi‘olani CC faculty. Applicants will be notified of their status by May 17th.

Email: kaptopp@hawaii.edu if you have questions.

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new professional development program focused on Digital Accessibility! Here are the important details:

Who: You! All UH employees are welcome to participate

What: A 7-module, self-paced learning resource with the option to complete a competency assessment to earn a digital credential

When: Anytime you like! It's a self-paced and asynchronous program, so feel free to hop in and complete the training on your own schedule.

Where: Laulima (we’ll add you to the site after you register)

Why: Accessibility is a highly important topic that can be somewhat technical and a bit overwhelming – our aim is to demystify basic accessibility concepts and make digital accessibility approachable and relevant to the work you do.

How: Just Register Here to be added to the training site!

Learn about fundamental accessibility concepts, digital accessibility principles, designs, best practices, tools for evaluating accessibility, and pertinent resources for creating accessible digital documents and online course sites.

Feel free to reach out to Youxin Zhang and Jamie Sickel (youxin@hawaii.edu, jsickel@hawaii.edu) if you have any questions.

The Kaiāulu Webinar Series presents free webinars in May! Join us to learn and engage with experts in the field about topics around digital tools for English learners and English learners with disabilities and assistive technology tools.

All webinars are free and open to everyone! Simply register at http://go.hawaii.edu/FZJ. These webinars are held on Saturdays at 10:00am.

May 8: Digital Tools to Support English Learners and English Learners with Disabilities presented by Cary Torres, Kapiʻolani Community College

Are you looking for ways to support English learners and English learners with disabilities in online and blended learning environments? Are you overwhelmed by the number of digital tools and applications that are out there? This webinar will give an overview of how to intentionally use a few free (and freemium) digital tools to reduce barriers, increase access, and support language development and engagement.

May 15: Assistive Technology Show-and-Tell presented by Barbara Fischlowitz-Leong, Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaiʻi

Discover assistive technology and accessibility solutions, highlighting devices available for loan at no cost. Technology for vision, hearing, communication and learning will be demonstrated. Learn how your Assistive Technology Resource Center can support your student.

May 22: Assistive Technology Implementation in School, Employment, and Community presented by Barbara Fischlowitz-Leong, Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaiʻi

More information to come.

Check our Kaiāulu Webinar Series website for more information.

Whether you are just graduating from high school, switching careers, and/or have a family member starting college, this is an opportunity to learn about how Kapiʻolani Community College supports students through their academic and personal goals. “Your Academic Journey with Kapiʻolani Community College” is a 4-part webinar series providing a foundational perspective on how to get started and the support one can expect. Join us for our next two sessions where Kapiʻolani Community College counselors and coordinators will discuss support services available to Kapiʻolani Community College students and what the admissions and registration process looks like.

• May 5: Support Services from Tutoring to Counseling
• May 12: The Admissions and Registration Process

Prior webinars included Financing Your Education and How The Placement Tests Work. Get the recordings to these webinars by simply registering for the webinar.

All webinars are free and open to everyone! Simply register at http://go.hawaii.edu/FZJ. These webinars are held on Wednesdays at 5:00pm. Unable to attend these webinars? Register anyway to receive a recording of the webinars.

Questions? Contact Melissa Nakamura at mchar@hawaii.edu.

Currently, Kapi‘olani CC has a subscription with Go2Knowledge, which offers Kap‘olani CC faculty and staff free access to dozens of Innovative Educators webinars, both live and on demand (pre-recorded). Many of them are quite good! Here's a sampling to pique your interest:

Upcoming live webinars:

• Equity & Inclusion in the Online Environment (Wednesday 5/5, 7:00 - 8:00 am HST)

• Post-Pandemic Teaching & Learning: What Stays? What Goes? (Wednesday 5/12, 7:00 - 8:00 am HST)

• Maintaining a Healthy Work-Life Balance while Maximizing Online Instructional Time (Wednesday 6/2, 7:00 - 8:00 am HST)
  

Recently-added on demand webinars:

• Mental Health during COVID-19: 3 Ways Supervisors Can Support Staff Who Are Struggling (60 min)

• Alternative Online Assessment Strategies: Empowering Students, Ensuring Equity & Maintaining Rigor (90 min)

And many, many more. Sign up at Kapi‘olani CC's G2K account page and browse through the offerings.

Looking for some professional development opportunities to get recharged in Summer 2021? Here is a great one for you to consider. Adobe will be hosting a FREE three-day virtual conference called Adobe eLearning World 2021 from June 15 (Tuesday) to June 17 (Thursday). Speakers are invited on a wide variety of topics. Check out the schedule and see if you are interested.

The VCAA Excellence in Online Teaching Award (EOTA) recognizes outstanding educators who teach online courses at Kapi‘olani Community College. The award was created in 2019/20 and this is the very first time it is being offered which feels especially appropriate considering that over 60% of our faculty taught online this past year. We are excited to share that there were over 90 submissions by students and peers nominating 60 faculty for this award.

Nomination criteria focused on a strong educational philosophy appropriate to online teaching and learning, an outstanding and engaging course site with instructor-created resources, regular and meaningful interaction with students, and appropriate assessment methods and techniques for a supportive online learning environment.

Please join us in recognizing the following faculty and lecturers who have been selected as finalists for the inaugural Excellence in Online Teaching Award:

• Amanda Candens - Religion, Arts & Humanities

• Kahelelaniokahakai Cruz - Hawaiian Studies, Arts & Humanities

• Phoebe Hwang - Community Health Worker, Health Sciences

• Justin Kong - Math, Math & Sciences

• Rachel Lindsey - Anatomy & Physiology, Math & Sciences

Congratulations and mahalo to these outstanding and dedicated educators at Kapi‘olani Community College!

The winner of the award will be announced at 2021 Fall Convocation.

Name: Dayna Kitsuwa

Department: Math & Sciences

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

I started teaching online when most of us started: March 2020. Luckily, though, I was already in the process of learning how to teach online. I was approached to help create an online version of MATH 111 and 112, so I was just finishing TOPP when we got the orders to go remote.

What courses do you teach online (and what format do you use)?

Over the past year I taught seven different courses online:

• MATH 100 for liberal arts students

• MATH 111, 112 for prospective elementary teachers

• MATH 82, 88, 103 - College Algebra, along with its foundation and companion courses

• MATH 241 - Calculus I

Each of these courses was formatted differently because 1) I was still learning how to teach online so I experimented quite a bit, and 2) what my students needed was often determined by which pathway they were on along with what level they were at. The more "traditional courses" (i.e., the ones that cover high school math content) have plentiful resources: lots of how-to online videos and interactive learning platforms through the publishers. For those courses I was a bit more asynchronous, reserving any Zoom meetings for Q&A or flipped classroom activities. For the more "obscure courses" (like MATH 100 and 111-112) that had fewer ready-made resources available, I created more content and held more synchronous classes.

What is your favorite part about online teaching?

Being able to teach while wearing shorts! I feel like one of those news anchors who secretly wears board shorts behind their desk. Joking aside, my favorite aspect about online teaching is the flexibility it gives to some students who otherwise would have had trouble coming to campus. I had several students who had to be off-island for whatever reason, I had mothers who were doing schoolwork while watching their young kids, students Zooming in from work, and even students Zooming in from their cars! If we had not been online, these students probably would not have even registered for the class or there would have been an empty seat during their absence.

What are your biggest challenges during COVID-19 remote/online teaching and how are you overcoming them?

Teachers know that teaching is a lifestyle choice; we often do not walk away from work once it hits 5 pm. Teaching online during the pandemic has further blurred the line between work time and personal time; I feel like I have to be "on" almost 24/7 now. Following a daily schedule seems to help. I actually have my breakfast, lunch, power nap, and afternoon tea time all penciled into my day. I also turned off all email push notifications on my phone so that I would read emails only when I was in the mindset to read emails.

I still have the challenge of what to do with those "Help me, Ms., my [technology] is not working" emails from students. I feel like I am tech-savvy, but I am definitely not a tech expert and I often cannot see what they are seeing or doing. It feels like the blind leading the blind sometimes.

What surprised you about teaching online?

How much social etiquette makes or breaks an online learning environment. As kids, we learned how to socialize with each other in person, but I do not think many of us have learned how to socialize properly online. I have had some students talk to me one-to-one that they were upset because they would try to interact with their classmates on Zoom and all they got was silence and blank screens. I asked them if they called anyone by name. "No." "Hm... well, maybe try that next time." It was a surprise to me that, as a college instructor, I had to basically teach people how to interact with each other. Thinking back on it now, though, it makes sense.

What is your favorite web tool/technology?

My favorite bit of technology is Windows Ink Workspace combined with an XP-Pen. Zoom has a whiteboard feature, but, when you share it, that is all students see. I enjoy being able to share multiple windows at the same time. When working out math problems with students, I typically have the Windows Ink Workspace whiteboard open along with wherever the problem came from or whatever online resource is helpful to refer to. An XP-Pen is a drawing tablet with a specialized stylus, so its benefits are obvious: I can write math and draw pictures with it! Pre-pandemic when I was in the classroom, I often had something projected on the screen while I would write on the classroom whiteboard, so this set-up works well for me. The best part is that the XP-Pen does not run out of ink!

Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) is a requirement for our DE classes, and it’s an essential part of the federal DOE’s definition of what makes a class or program “Distance Education” (as opposed to “Correspondence Education”). Recent federal negotiated rulemaking sessions have revised the federal definition of RSI, and accrediting agencies (including ACCJC) are coming out with revised regulations to take this newly-revised definition of RSI into account. ACCJC’s revised DE regulations are set to take effect in July of 2022.

In preparation, Kapi‘olani CC has drafted an institutional definition of RSI in alignment with the federal definition. This RSI definition passed the Faculty Senate on April 5 and was approved by the administration on April 12. Now it’s time to share it with the Kapi‘olani CC DE Community:

Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) is a requirement for Distance Education (DE) classes at Kapi‘olani Community College. In meeting this requirement, instructors are responsible for interacting with students on a predictable and regular basis. They monitor students’ academic engagement and success, and proactively engage in substantive interactions with the students. These interactions occur in at least two of the

following ways:

• Providing direct instruction (ie. instructor-created videos, slide presentations, or other instructional materials or meeting with the class synchronously online)

• Providing feedback on assignments (preferably individualized)

• Providing information and/or responding to questions

• Facilitating group discussions (including discussions that utilize Web 2.0 tools such as Padlet, FlipGrid, collaborative creation tools, etc.)

• Engaging in one or more of the following instructional activities:

• Sending announcements, reminders or nudges to students
  
• Holding synchronous group or individual conferences
  
• Assigning and facilitating peer feedback
  
• Assigning and facilitating group projects
  
• Assigning and facilitating student-led instruction (student presentations, student-led discussions, etc.)
  
• Sharing individualized course performance, progress, and/or early-alert reports with students
  

If you have questions or comments about this definition, or about RSI, we’d love to hear them! Contact Leigh at ldooley@hawaii.edu.

When we are teaching face to face, it’s easy to connect to students in some way, like using their names. Using their name conveys an important message: I see you. You are important to me. I care about you. So how can we show that when we’re teaching asynchronously online? We can easily use students’ names in discussion forums when we are addressing their contributions. We can also directly address them in the gradebook comments. However, did you know that we can program our Laulima lesson pages to personalize it to each student?

Add the two braces/curly brackets then firstname (one word) and end with two braces (no space); it will pull the Laulima user's name. Isn't that an amazing way to connect with your students? You can use it anywhere in your Laulima Lessons Page including the headers and in text. If you want to be a bit formal, you can use first name and last name like this: {{firstname}} {{lastname}}

Are you getting bored with Zoom meetings and looking for ways to make them more engaging? Zoom released a new video feature called Immersive View that might help spice up a meeting (up to 25 participants). With this feature, the meeting host can set up different scenes and place participants in a realistic-looking location (e.g., office, conference room, classroom).

There are several steps you need to take in order to implement this cool function in your Zoom room. First, the meeting host (you) need to sign in to your Zoom account and enable this feature first.

Second, go ahead to upgrade your Zoom client to the latest version (e.g., version 5.6.4) and ensure your participants would do the upgrades too. (See How-to from Zoom Help Center if needed.)

Start a Zoom meeting (with your host privilege), click the “View” button on the upper right corner, and choose the “Immersive View” option. You will receive a pop-up window (see a screenshot below) on your screen to choose a scene from the eight default ones. If you’d like to have a custom scene, click on the plus icon and upload your own from your local drive. Hit the “Start” button in blue.

Have Zoom Meetings!

As faculty navigated teaching online, the Faculty Senate Distance Education Committee (FSDEC) continued to discuss the issues that impacted us all. The following are some highlights and initiatives of our work this academic year:

• We continued to work through proctoring options, researching and suggesting alternatives and requesting funding for proctoring services.

• A subcommittee was convened to award the very first Excellence in Online Teaching for Kapiolani Community College!

• We updated the Peer Evaluation - Teaching Responsibilities (Fully Online). New form coming soon!

• We also updated the DE eligibility form to make it easier for all to document a department’s decision on course format.

• The FSDEC reviewed and contributed to a new campus definition of Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI).

• Other topics addressed in our meeting included the class review process, DE Plan, student participation verification, office hours for online courses and improving quality of online training

Mahalo to our committed and active members this year:

1. Beryl Yang, Arts and Humanities (V)

2. Susan Jaworowski, BLT (V)

3. Leigh Dooley, Distance Ed Coordinator (NV)

4. Melissa Nakamura, Continuing Ed (V)

5. Ron Takahashi, CULN (V)

6. Leaugeay Barnes, EMS (V)

7. Michelle Dela Cruz, Health Sciences (V)

8. Kawehi Sellers, HOST (V and Chair)

9. Veronica Ogata, Inst. Support Faculty (V)

10. Allyson Ota, Lama/CELTT (V)

11. Jamie Sicket, Lama/CELTT (NV)

12. Helen Torigoe, Lama/CELTT (NV)

13. Youxin Zhang, Lama/CELTT (NV)

14. Joe Yoshida, MKC (V)

15. Rachel Lindsey, Math/Sciences (V)

16. Mindy Case, Math/Sciences (NV)

17. Nadine Wolff, Math/Sciences (NV and Vice Chair)

18. Debbie Harrison, Nursing (V)

19. Neghin Modavi, Social Sciences (V)

20. Kristie Malterre, Student Services (V)

21. Mimi Yen, Student Services (NV)

If you have questions about online education-related issues, or have items you would like the DE committee to discuss, please contact your DE department representative. If you would like to become a member of the Faculty Senate Distance Education subcommittee, let us know. You can serve as a voting member representing your department (one per department) or as a non-voting member.

• There's a Name for the Blah You're Feeling: It's Called Languishing (Article, The New York Times)

Languishing, which is not-quite-depression and not-quite-burn-out, may be the predominant feeling of 2021. When we languish, we function, but we don't strive; we slog joylessly through our tasks and days, and even our leisure time. The antidote is flow, which we can cultivate by scheduling uninterrupted blocks of time and focusing on small goals.

• 15 Mistakes Instructors Have Made Teaching with Technology in the Pandemic (Article, Campus Technology)

In the fall 2020, Educause surveyed 8,392 undergraduate students from 54 institutions across the US, and asked respondents to recall the most and least effective uses of technology in their best course. Students' best experiences were generally related to the use of the LMS, videoconferencing tools, recorded lectures and access to specialized software. Find out the top 15 instructor practices cited by students as their worst experiences learning with technology.

• Quality Online Education for Higher Ed Requires Public Investment (Article, Cal Matters)

"Online coursework must not be considered an inferior or cheaper option." Rather, it can provide an amazing opportunity for deep learning, but it is work-intensive and requires resources and support to maintain high quality learning experiences.

• Cautious Optimism about Teaching STEM Online (Article, Inside Higher Ed)

A survey of almost 900 STEM teachers in two- and four-year institutions nation-wide reveals that "the shift to remote learning forced STEM instructors to increasingly accept online education" and that many seem to be open to the exploration of digital approaches and tools. "But concerns about how to give students meaningful lab experiences remain."

• Working to Create Quality Learning: Humanizing the Online Experience (Article, The Evolllution)

"Although many institutions initially sought to simply transition face-to-face classes online in a pinch when the pandemic struck, they would do well to reimagine online learning designed intentionally for a diverse student body to deliver the best possible experience."

• Students Want Online Learning Options Post-Pandemic (Article, Inside Higher Ed)

Despite the challenges and shortcomings of this emergency transition to remote instruction, a majority of students want the option to keep studying online, according to new survey results.

• Powerful, Lesser-Known Tech Tools for Teachers (Article, Edutopia)

Ever heard of Mote, Videoant, Kialo Edu, Blooket, and Classkick? The author shares some alternative, lesser-known, and free web-based tools that are powerful supports to online learning.

• DE Newsletter - April 2021

• DE Newsletter - March 2021

• DE Newsletter - February 2021

• DE Newsletter - January 2021

• DE Newsletter - December 2020

• DE Newsletter - November 2020

• DE Newsletter - October 2020

• DE Newsletter - September 2020

• DE Newsletter - August 2020

• DE Newsletter - July 2020

• DE Newsletter - June 2020

• DE Newsletter - May 2020