How the Pandemic Is Reshaping the Role of the Instructor

The idea that teaching and learning has been "transformed" in the realm of higher ed, is an understatement when we think of the college learning environment before and now, during the pandemic. Both instructors and learners often share their stories of chaos as they navigated the initial requirement to school online. While many students adapted much quicker to online courses, for instructors who have NEVER taught online, providing quality course work is something altogether more complex.

Many instructors now find themselves in more of a technical space, where facilitating better describes their role than "one who professes knowledge". This is not to say that the instructors' skillset and expertise are not needed, it is quite the opposite. Not only is the subject expert required but the subject expert herself is being challenged to find new ways to remain relevant while imparting much needed knowledge through a variety of virtual platforms and modes. 

Through this shift, there has also been an unquenchable appetite for online teaching and learning resources. These resources have been available and used for some time, but the urgency is now much more apparent. Instructors want to, not only meet the needs of their students and institutions, but they also seem to want to thrive in technical spaces. This desire to thrive during these uncertain times has encouraged a community of teaching learners in a way that has rarely been seen or valued in the past. 

The responsibility of this transformation is being shouldered in every aspect and on every level of the university, from instructional designers, to campus security. The work of ensuring the university continues to provide a quality learning experience has been an Adaptive Challenge to say the least. Meaning, the technical approach to problem solving has been greatly surpassed and now we forge ahead even when the day-to-day challenges pushes us pass our current capacity and the capacity of those who depend on us. 

While expanding us beyond our comfort zones, many instructors have found it both easy and refreshing to say, "I don't" know" or "Can you help me?" Which in the past might have been a very tricky proposition to broach. In this new and emerging higher ed climate, we are all learners and pioneers, which truly lays the groundwork for an atmosphere of empathy that moves beyond theory and ignites practice in a way we have yet to see the full scope of.

And lastly, but arguably one of the most impressive outcomes, has been the willingness for everyone, including institutions as a whole, to share information, tips and tricks, new technologies, etc. as it relates to coping with this paradigm shift. University departments are also sharing and collaborating both externally and internally to further solidify the "we're in this together" spirit often touted via social media outlets. There has also been a similar sentiment with educational technology vendors, many offering  free trials, huge discounts and open access to their products indefinitely. 

This reshaping of the role of the instructor is actually a reshaping of the very world we live in and what it truly means to be a citizen or a member of a learning community. The premise of competition is not as palatable as it historically has been. 

It seems socially distanced face-to-face and virtual learning spaces are here to stay for a while. Meaning the big question looming is, can/should we return to some of the old ways after the pandemic has subsided and more importantly, what aspects of our historical best practices do we want to drag into the present that will present in a way that continues to move us forward, both technically and socially? 

In the comments below, please feel free to share some of your own observations as it relates to the reshaping of higher ed roles, especially those of instructors.

      

Jameelah Ra'oof MIS, MS 

Coordinator of Teaching, Learning & Academic Excellence

Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE)

Texas Woman's University 

Stoddard Hall - Room 305A 

940.898.3427    

             

Start with Your Why...

I'm sure this isn't the first time you've heard the phrase, "Start With Your Why". If you're into professional development literature you might have heard of Simon Sinek's book, which is entitled with this familiar phrase. In Sinek's 2008 book, he discusses the importance of always know the reason why you are doing something well in advance. 

If you think about it, our "why's" often help us navigate the uncertainty that commonly comes along with taking on a new job or developing a new project. When the next steps are not as clear as we would like them to be, we can draw back to our initial reason for embarking upon the endeavor in the first place. Even our approaches to trail and error should be reflective of our "why". This is how environments can have a great idea, create a mission around that idea and hire people to carry out the purpose and never truly have to deal with disorganization or projects going off the rails. The "why" is firmly established and that message is clear to all who are concerned. 

As an instructor, this train of thought can definitely be applied to several aspects of classroom instruction such as:

Learning Outcomes: This mean that the learning outcomes in your syllabus should align with the assignments, the class description and even the reading material. Learning outcomes should always be clearly stated and easy for students to comprehend.

Assignments: Assignments should never be viewed as busy work or time fillers. Creating empty assignments is the quickest way to derail the learning process. Assignments are best engaged when they incorporate elements of the initial mission of the course. 

Class Activities: Whether the class activity is watching a documentary, going on a virtual fieldtrip or completing a research paper, when students understand "why" they're completing the task, this motivates them to participate. Class activities should always be tied into the quizzes, learning outcomes and even final exams and research papers. 

Class Sessions: It is not uncommon for instructors to teach a course and have some days where there is no real direction. In F2F courses that meet frequently it is easy to fall into a pattern of, "just in time" teaching. While this can work sometimes, being prepared and staying on track is much easier when class sessions are consistently planned according to the "why".  

Book Choices: Even your choice for both the mandatory and optional material should reach back towards the "why". Class participation is built on the strength of the ability for instructors to make all readings a pertinent part of the class discussions, the assignments and the overall understanding of the subject matter. It's really hard to get students to read material when there is no direct benefit as it relates to their overall performance in the course. 

Our entire purpose behind why we teach in the first place must be reevaluated over time to be sure we remain committed to developing, designing and facilitating to the best of our abilities, while always searching for new ideas to file under the "why" section of our purpose.

In what ways do you keep your "why" as a primary thought when teaching your courses? Feel free to comment below.

    

Jameelah Ra'oof MIS, MS 

Coordinator of Teaching, Learning & Academic Excellence

Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE)

Texas Woman's University 

Stoddard Hall - Room 305A 

940.898.3427