I started journaling the day after the announcement that the University of Washington’s three campus’s classes would suspend face-to-face interactions and go online. Mostly posts were on Facebook. Some were on MAA Connect, the Mathematical Association of America’s member platform. Maybe it’s because I was in the leading edge of the emergency transition. Maybe itsContinue reading “Why this? Why now?”
Tag Archives: emergency remote teaching
April 16 Day 38-39: No Visual Cues
I miss my students. Today I had a meeting with three students doing a reading course. We all know each other and have shared several classes together. The interaction online is easy—not exactly like being in the same room but we trust each other enough to make mistakes and not worry about what we say.Continue reading “April 16 Day 38-39: No Visual Cues”
April 13 Day 36: Don’t Call it Online Teaching
I was struck by the words of a colleague today. He said “this isn’t online teaching, this is emergency teaching” and he is absolutely right. There was no plan, no training, no intentional curriculum development—there was only a global health crisis. We responded because we had no choice. Every day, faculty, students, and staff battleContinue reading “April 13 Day 36: Don’t Call it Online Teaching”
April 7 Day 30: Online Wait Time
Getting better at online interactivity. 24/25 present. Started with group presentations; student spokespeople sharing computer screens. We worked examples, discussed writing, and ended with a mini lecture. I ask a lot of questions. Giving sufficient wait time for student responses is harder in a remote class room than in a face-to-face one. Seven seconds seemsContinue reading “April 7 Day 30: Online Wait Time”
April 2 Day 25: Novel Zooming
Finished the first week of Zoom classes for the Spring quarter and I am exhausted. There were some challenges to be sure but for the most part, I am pleased with the students and our “soft start” to the quarter. I’m excited to share my novel use of an iPad in a Zoom meeting (atContinue reading “April 2 Day 25: Novel Zooming”
April 1 Day 24: Zoom Frustrations
Where was my breakout room button? I blamed it on Zoom changing meeting settings to foil zoom-bombers (yes, it’s a real thing) but I have since learned that wasn’t the correct answer.
March 29 Day 21: Full Circle
Everything has been communicated and released to the students—for the first week anyways. There will be a lot of experimentation in our “getting-to-know-you session.” A google doc, a sample quiz with different kinds questions and different ways to enter responses, randomly generated Zoom breakout rooms with assigned roles, and finally a upload assignment for theContinue reading “March 29 Day 21: Full Circle”
March 28 Day 20: Struggling to Focus
I am really struggling to focus on needed work. It’s the last Saturday of “Spring break” and I am trying to get enough posted to my course management system to publish the second course that I am teaching beginning Monday. Instead I want to talk with friends on the phone, zoom, nap, or watch “TigerContinue reading “March 28 Day 20: Struggling to Focus”
March 27 Day 19: Applying a Growth Mindset to Survive
What a week! Thank you to Duong Rita Than, Ruth Vanderpool, and Erik Tou for brainstorming, problem solving, and material sharing. I am closer to being prepared for the first day of spring quarter classes Monday but it will be a long weekend. Reflections on the transition: I have always loved gizmos, gadgets, and tech.Continue reading “March 27 Day 19: Applying a Growth Mindset to Survive”
March 26 Day 18: Welcome to New Students Spring Quarter
It starts: “It’s Spring quarter. Flowers are blooming, rain is falling, and we are following Governor Inslee’s “Stay-at-Home” order. Unlike last quarter when we unexpectedly went to online classes in week 10, we are starting anew with the expectation that the entire quarter will be delivered virtually.”
Math Belongs to All of Us 