Ep. 004 - Active Learning and Student Engagement in Science Classes

Guest Host: Chelsey William, Faculty - LBCC Communications Department. Chelsey and I discuss the role that EQ plays in student success and retention. We explore the many ways in which faculty can implement key features of EQ to promote student growth and resiliency. Episode Notes.

Guest: Michaela Willi Hooper, Faculty member with LBCC's Library.  Michaela began at LBCC in 2017 and is the college’s OER and copyrighted material expert .  She also co-chairs the Textbook Affordability Steering Committee and leads the effort to provide students with low or no cost course materials.   Michaela joins me to discuss Open Educational Resources (OER).  Open Educational Resources (OER) are “any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an open license.”  OERs provide faculty with options to customize course material while reducing or eliminating textbook costs to students. "While there is no definitive definition of open educational resources (OER), OER Commons’ definition is widely accepted "Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost. Unlike fixed, copyrighted resources, OER have been authored or created by an individual or organization that chooses to retain few, if any, ownership rights. In some cases, that means you can download a resource and share it with colleagues and students. In other cases, you may be able to download a resource, edit it in some way, and then re-post it as a remixed work. How do you know your options? OER often have a Creative Commons or GNU license to let you know how the material may be used, reused, adapted, and shared (2015)".  LBCC OER Guide.

Guest: Kellie Sturgeon, Accessible Technology Specialist with the Center for Accessibility Resources (CFAR) at LBCC. Kellie earned a nursing degree in 1979 and worked as an  Emergency Room nurse for 25 years before returning to school and earned a Master’s Degree in Family Counseling. Kellie's role at the college is working with students and faculty in reducing and removing barriers to student success through the implementation of accommodations and other strategies that "level the playing field" for diverse learners. In Part 1 (of 3) of this series - Boundaries with Compassion: The Journey Starts with You, Kellie and I discuss self-reflection and self-understanding around the issue of boundary setting - both in our personal lives and in the classroom.As educators, it is important to begin with ourselves by asking - what does that look like in your life? How does it translate to work as faculty? There are those who abide by ‘letter of the law’ boundaries and those who practice ‘spirit of the law’ guidelines. In supporting students, the most effective space may lie somewhere between the extremes of being too rigid and too lenient. Join us to explore your own boundary-setting approach and determine what style makes the most sense for your courses and to support student success. Ep. 011 - Notes .

Guest: Javier Cervantes, Director of the Department of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion  (EDI) at LBCC. The title of this episode is from Dr. Josephine Mendez Negrete’s Pedagogical Conocimientos: Self and Other in Interaction”.   In this work, she examines ways to unpack inequities (race, ethnicity, gender, class, etc.) and "build a sense of belonging or inclusion when we realize that we all carry knowledge, have the capacity to know, and have variant ways to express it, we asserted that no one single individual can possess all knowledge—we all carry knowledge".A key factor in creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment is being open to, and making room for, the knowledge and experience that students bring to the classroom as vital to the learning process - that learners/teachers are "co-creators of knowledge" (per Josephine Mendez Negrete and Paulo Freire).In this episode, Javier and I discuss and debunk the idea that students are empty vessels and we explore the ways that faculty can enhance their teaching practices to deepen engagement, create meaningful connections, and support the success of diverse learners. We examine the barriers that students of color experience and provide strategies to reduce/remove unnecessary obstacles. Episode 010 Notes.

Sonya James, Guest: Sonya James - PT Faculty and Academic Planning Specialist with LBCC University Partnership Program joins me to discuss a student population who aren't talked about much - those who are experiencing incarceration. Sonya and I explore the barriers, challenges and successess of students who are taking college classes while housed in an adult or youth detention facility. We examine the ways in which inclusive  instructional design, equitable content delivery and assessment practices can improve and support the success of students experiencing incarceration. Ep. 009 Notes

LBCC Faculty Member, Rob Priewe - Journalism Department, joins me to discuss flexibility with assignment and project deadlines. Rob and I talk about the diverse needs and experiences of students in the college learning environment. Flexible due dates can remove barriers and increase the opportunity for students to succeed. Rob shares the evolution of his teaching practice as he prepares students for post-college careers. He provides examples of when and how flexibility with deadlines benefits students without creating a grading nightmare for instructors. Flexibility with deadlines is supported by evidence-based adult learning theory and Universal Design for Learning Practice.Ep. 008 Notes

LBCC Faculty Member - Lisa Hoogesteger, Advising Center - joins me to discuss tips and strategies for supporting students who experience stress and distress during the academic term. We explore the needs of diverse learners and identify barriers that may arise. Lisa talks about how the advising center can provide services and support for both faculty and students. We examine various scenarios and offer techniques to address real classroom situations. Faculty tips include building in flexibility, effective communication, setting boundaries (with compassion), clarifying expectations, and holding students accountable. Episode 007 Notes.

LBCC Faculty member, Mike Randolph -  with the Distance Education Program, joins me to discuss 3 key methods to engage students and enhance online instruction. Mike draws on his extensive experience of instructional design, content delivery, and virtual/online teaching to offer tips and strategies for increasing engagement, participation, and student success. 

LBCC Faculty member Michael Lopez (Mathematics Dept.) joins me to discuss the unique and meaningful strategies he implements to engage students in his math courses. Michael is passionate about, and committed to, building relationships with students and connecting them to mathematics in ways that promote participation, belonging and inclusion. Episode 005 Notes.

Join LBCC faculty member Deron Carter and I as we discuss the magic of active learning, evidence based teaching practice, and adult learning theory. Deron is passionate about student success. He skillfully engages his students in both in-person and virtual learning environments. His students come to class prepared and ready to participate. Furthermore, they are submitting "good, quality work which is as good or better than the in-person classes".  Episode 004 Notes.