CYDNEY WILLIAMS
reporter
TCC instructors and students have adjusted to the new normal and plan on making minor changes to enhance their learning and teaching experience.
“I have spent a lot of time learning about Blackboard Collaborate, Teams and Power- Point to see which works best,” NE speech professor Jamie Melton said.
She plans to incorporate even more activities and group projects to help students make connections with one another in the virtual course.
“This semester I have learned that the social distancing and online work is fatiguing students,” NW math instructor Clifton Parrish said.
This is something he calls digital fatigue, which he said is indicated by reactions such as quickly giving up after one technical problem or glitch.
“Or avoiding new technology especially if the technology involves making and remem- bering another password,” he said.
SE student Julia Antu said since the semester has been more challenging than others, she has made some adjustments to boost her learning ability.
“I am more of a hands-on learner so I prefer to be in person and have more interaction, so having to learn everything virtually was definitely an adjustment,” Antu said.
She started setting more reminders in her phone to keep up with her online assignments.
“I will continue to hold myself account- able and make sure that I stay on top of my assignments,” she said. “l’ll most likely take more classes and try to be more involved in my virtual classes.”
Parrish said he doesn’t plan on making any adjustments to his course for the upcoming semester.
“Student feedback from my online materials has been positive and I have a very good pass rate from last spring and summer courses,” he said. “I expect a similar rate this fall and in the spring.
He looks forward to returning to an in person lecture format fall 2021 if available, but will take some of what he’s learned this fall with him.
Melton said since the learning environment is different for students and instructors, next semester she would like to improve the line of communication by encouraging her students to come to her virtual office hours.
“I am thinking about the best incentives to try and arrange more face-to-face meetings with them to help again with that sense of connection,” Melton said.
She understands her semester has been more challenging than others, but she thinks next semester should be easier as everyone should be used to virtual learning, she said.
“I prefer to teach in person but I am glad we have the opportunity to learn and teach from home right now,” she said. “It is the safest option and that is so important right now.”
