What Practices Will You Take With You Going Forward?

Overwhelmingly? Zoom. Here are just a few of the MANY responses about Zoom.

• Making Zoom my go-to choice for quick accessible meetings.  The format allows for great efficiency and expediency for students with immediate questions or concerns.
• I will also likely still use Zoom or similar video conferencing for a limited part of my work with students.  It is nice to see a face and be able to share screens when I am meeting a student over the Summer.  It also provides opportunities to be more accessible to students who are less likely to come in to the office.
• There were some times when using Zoom was really handy. Impromptu meetings, conduct meetings, using it for some of our CA (Community Advisor) interviews… I would not mind continuing to use Zoom in the future, but not for everything!!! I missed connecting in person, freely, with my CAs during duty and during our fun-on-one meetings. Not feeling guilty about taking mental health days to get out of the office for a breather.
• Having Zoom office hours for technology-based classes and assignments. Students sharing their screens works so well!
• Having become skilled in the use of Zoom has allowed students to attend class when not feeling well — which is something I want to have available in the future. 
• Using Zoom to record some classes.
• As a part time professor, Zoom meetings if students are finding it difficult to coordinate times with my time on campus.
• Zoom classes if campus is closed for a snow day. [Ed note: :)? or :(?]

But there were also quite a few other technological/pedagogical tools being carried forward. Any surprises?

• Canvas: I will continue to use Canvas as a teaching tool now that I finally feel a certain level of proficiency.
• Canvas – discussion forums: I think the discussion boards have really offered a way to continue the discussions that begin in the classroom. I find students who may not be comfortable speaking up in class, are more likely to engage on the discussion board.
• Canvas – online submission of homework: Definitely I would like to continue to have students submit assignments on Canvas, I used to receive torn out notebook pages from my students at the start of class each day!!
• Canvas – quizzes for practice/learning concepts: Untimed, try-as-many-times-as-you-like online quizzes for helping to learn material.  Electronic submission for some homework.
• Canvas – supplemental course materials: I have moved a good deal of paperwork from actual paper to cloud. This is a change for the better and will continue.
• Canvas – announcements: Weekly announcements through Canvas to make students aware of upcoming events and assignments
• YuJa – recording topic introductions: I’ve also like using Yuja recordings to help introduce topics so that everyone gets the same information.
• Small group discussions/breakouts: The regular, essential use of small group discussions / breakout sessions.

Finally, several participants noted new ways of communicating with students:

• Email: I will continue to have students check in with me every individually every week.
• Personal phone calls.
• Online scheduling for meetings with me and flexibility about deadlines.
• Identifying the stressors and pressures of the world outside CU and acknowledging how they influence our time together in the classroom.

So it sounds like Zoom and Canvas are here to stay and be a part of your professional practices going forward. We’re glad to hear that! With that in mind we will continue to craft materials and find new ways to help you use these great tools and more as we look towards the 2021-2022 Academic Year!