When UHCL announced the transition from face-to-face classes to remote learning, the Center for Faculty Development shifted their plans from training workshops and award ceremonies to helping faculty make the unexpected transition.
“We had a variety of different workshops, presentations and an award ceremony all planned out for the second half of the semester,” said Robert Bartsch, director of the Center for Faculty Development. “Basically, all those plans got shoved aside and we went into an emergency mode. We asked ourselves ‘what we can do to help faculty during this time?’”
Bartsch and his colleagues provided resources to UHCL faculty from national organizations, including The Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and other higher education publications providing relevant information for education professionals. During the spring semester, the Center for Faculty Development kept communication open and held office hours to offer continuous faculty support for the resources available to them.
To prepare for fall, the instructional designers and Center for Faculty Development keep consistent contact. This way, if either receives requests for help, they can refer faculty to the right people.
“Overall, faculty are spending more time to research and reinvigorate themselves for the fall. Faculty are spending a lot of time trying to make things better for students when they return in the fall,” said Bartsch.
Bartsch credits the faculty for doing an excellent job in a challenging time. Some faculty had never taught an online class. In terms of fall courses, faculty are planning several different things, said Bartsch.
“Some of the things that they are doing is looking at how we are going to be able to do face-to-face with proper physical distancing while still maintaining a quality class,” said Bartsch. “How are we going to be able to work with students that have to self-quarantine? What if a situation arises where the university closes its doors? How are they going to transition more smoothly this time for remote learning?”
Faculty are participating in national programs, faculty communities, departments, and programs that are trying to organize and learn what they can do.
The amount of face-to-face (F2F), online and hybrid classes offered in the fall is still unknown. Kathryn Matthew, associate vice president for academic affairs, leads the Academic workgroup and includes Bartsch, Jennifer Willis-Opalenik, adjunct instructor and instructional designer, among additional faculty and staff.
The workgroup is exploring a variety of plans for replacements to face-to-face learning if the pandemic gets worse with hybrid classes for students, synchronous (attending class virtually at its scheduled time) or asynchronous (attending class virtually at any time) online courses.
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Steven J. Berberich sent an email July 6, notifying students that fall courses were updated to reflect their planned course format.
UHCL is preparing for more than 40% of fall classes to be F2F or hybrid classes in a bimodal delivery. Bimodal courses are a combination of F2F and online, synchronous or asynchronous instruction. If a student is unable to attend a F2F class, then they can virtually participate in the class synchronously or asynchronously, said Berberich in an email to students.
“Faculty are not required to go to the center; they choose to go to the center,” said Bartsch. “It is great to help faculty who want to help themselves and develop. The more we can do that, the faculty feel, the better that students are going to feel going into those faculty member’s classrooms. It is a way we can help the university grow in our own part.”
“It is great to help faculty who want to help themselves and develop. The more we can do that, the faculty feel, the better that students are going to feel going into those faculty member’s classrooms. It is a way we can help the university grow in our own part.” — Robert Bartsch
In the fall, the Center for Faculty Development, instructional designers, and faculty senate are physically coming together in one office. The office will be known as the Center for Engagement Teaching and Learning.
The purpose of this office is to be a central hub for faculty. Faculty will be able to collaborate, and partner more seamlessly and have their questions answered as alterations are made to the way UHCL offers courses moving forward.
