Presidents, provosts, and project directors from 14 public HBCUs convened last week as the “Excellence in Online Instruction” initiative begins to take root within their campuses. Out of a shared commitment to strengthen the quality and equity of higher education, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) have partnered to equip more than 660 faculty with evidence-based online teaching practices, ultimately reaching tens of thousands of students.

“TMCF’s members have made instructional quality a top priority, whether online, in-person, or in a blended format,” noted Dr. Harry L. Williams, TMCF’s president & CEO, when the initiative launched through generous support from the ECMC, Bank of America, and Sam’s Club Foundations and the Partnership for Education Advancement (formerly Education Finance Institute).

Leaders across the 14 participating institutions are committed to making effective teaching central to their student success efforts. “Through this partnership, HBCUs are coming together around a critical imperative: to put teaching at the heart of student success,” said Scott Durand, ACUE’s CEO. “A focus on measurably improving teaching and learning is one of the strongest signals an institution can send to its faculty, students, and communities.”

Two cohorts of 30 full-time faculty members across various programs, paired with mentors, were selected to take part in the one-year training course. Delivered by ACUE faculty, the 25 modules focus on the pedagogical aspects of online teaching. The faculty are learning how to distinguish between the competent technical delivery of a course and being an effective teacher online, including being innovative, engaging, and compelling.

The group represents a “powerful network” for insight to “elevate and share learnings” across HBCUs and minority-serving institutions, said Dr. Steve Michael, Provost, and Dr. Eun Mi Park, Executive Director for Faculty Development, of the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles.

Florida A&M University’s President Dr. Larry Robinson and Associate Provost Dr. Genyne Boston commented on the importance of integrating faculty learning opportunities into the professional incentives that matter. As examples, Boston mentioned action-research publication opportunities and greater consideration of teaching effectiveness in promotion and tenure. Such holistic thinking aligns to approaches recommended in a new faculty engagement toolkit, published by ACUE with the Education Commission of the States and Strong Start to Finish.

Dr. Carl Pettis, Provost of Alabama State, emphasized the need to respect faculty autonomy by explaining how evidence-based teaching practices—relevant across the professoriate—are proven approaches for how to teach most impactfully and steer clear of what faculty, departments, and disciplines decide to teach.

This impressive network of leaders will gather quarterly over the coming year to share successes, learn from challenges, and problem-solve together, in parallel to the work of their faculty members who are currently earning their ACUE credential in effective online teaching practices.

For Tracie Addy, inclusive teaching is essential. Historically, inclusive teaching hasn’t always been at the forefront of conversations around what good teaching entails. Addy’s research focus is to advance the conversation so that inclusive teaching is better understood, effectively implemented, and grounded in evidence.

“Inclusive teaching is excellent teaching. It shouldn’t be something that’s just tacked on,” says Addy, a featured expert in ACUE’s modules for designing student-centered courses. In this interview, she discusses her research, which has been published in a new book called What Inclusive Instructors Do.

NOW ENROLLING: Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning

Tell us about your research and book, What Inclusive Instructors Do.

What Inclusive Instructors Do is essentially a guidebook for instructors across disciplines and institution types to learn how to be more equitable and inclusive in their teaching. It’s grounded in the literature around belonging and equity. And it features the voices of instructors who have implemented inclusive teaching approaches.

The first part focuses on the significance of inclusive teaching. Why do we do it? The next part focuses on specific inclusive teaching practices. And the third part presents the Who’s in Class? Form, which is a tool to help instructors increase their awareness of the diverse assets that their students bring to the classroom.

Why is inclusive teaching something worth focusing on?

Historically, inclusive teaching and equitable learning have been afterthoughts in conversations about what good teaching entails. This is especially the case in higher education. We want to move inclusion and equity to the forefront with a message that inclusive teaching is excellent teaching. It shouldn’t be something that’s just tacked on.

We initially sought to study the predictors for and barriers to the implementation of effective inclusive teaching approaches. More broadly, we want a comprehensive understanding of what instructors think about inclusive teaching practices that are grounded in research.

You recently published a research article on “what really matters” for the implementation of equitable and inclusive teaching approaches. What are some key highlights?

One interesting thing centered around faculty knowledge as a predictor of inclusive teaching. When faculty completed our survey, those who reported having more knowledge of inclusive teaching practices were more likely to say that they implemented the practices in their teaching. These findings support the idea that the implementation of inclusive teaching approaches begins with faculty developing a knowledge base of different practices that are equitable and can foster students’ sense of belonging. 

We also asked faculty about the barriers that existed in advancing inclusive teaching at their institutions. On a personal level, one common barrier was a fear of offending students. Other responses were a lack of awareness of the diverse identities and attitudes that their students bring to class. In some cases, we saw responses where faculty just didn’t want to change their practices.

How can institutions address these barriers?

Well, at the institutional level, one barrier that emerged from the responses was the number of resources being devoted to inclusive teaching. Many felt there was simply a need for more discussions and a commitment to it at the institutional level. That included anything from expanding professional development opportunities to creating incentives that are supported by the administration to actually change instructional practices.

The most effective educational development opportunities are sustained and ongoing. They allow instructors to be part of a community of practice where they are engaged in a process of implementing various instructional practices in their classes. So faculty learning communities that explore one particular topic at a time such as inclusive teaching, engage with it consistently in different ways, discuss and brainstorm strategies, and then actually apply them in the classroom. In-person or online, I think this community aspect to intentionally encourage interaction, is really meaningful.

Why is partnering with students an important piece of teaching and learning?

One issue I’ve had with some of the work that we do is that we don’t necessarily try to hear everybody’s voice. We’re designing courses and instruction, but we don’t always get feedback from the recipients of that work. Collecting feedback from students is important. When we talk about things like inclusion and giving students more of a voice, how are we actually providing opportunities for students to share their perspectives in ways that will help us improve our teaching? So, at my institution, we run an Inclusive Instructors Academy, a semester-long program where faculty set inclusive teaching goals and work directly with students.

It’s been successful because it’s a space where faculty feel like they can get actual perspectives from students that they can use to make their teaching more inclusive. For students, it’s an opportunity to be a partner in their college’s process for improving teaching and learning.

So if we’re going to enact a strategy that we think is inclusive, we should ask our students if it really is. They’re the ones we’re doing this for, so they’re going to be the people to provide feedback.

Addy is Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning at Lafayette College. Dr. Addy directs the Center for the Integration of Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship and serves in other leadership capacities.

Higher education is in a moment of immense change. Our partners know that in order to emerge stronger and ready for the future, faculty must be equipped with the evidence-based teaching practices proven to increase student engagement, achievement, and persistence to graduation.

Recently, ACUE hosted a discussion on how higher education institutions can become “future proof” by focusing on quality teaching. The panel featured higher education leaders from campuses across the country: Amy Chasteen, PhD, The University of Southern Mississippi; Farrah J. Ward, PhD, Elizabeth City State University; Madeline Pumariega, Miami Dade College; and John Gunkel, PhD, Rutgers University-Newark. It was moderated by Penny MacCormack, EdD, Chief Academic Officer, ACUE.

By embracing a holistic approach, each of our panelists are ensuring faculty are prepared to create inclusive learning environments, help students persist, and learn more. As a result, faculty are able to respond to the shifting demands on institutions and the needs of students, with proven impact: DFW rates are down, course completion is up, and grades have improved.

Key Takeaways from the Discussion:

Faculty are central to student success efforts — and they must be ready for anything.

“This past year, what’s been clear is that our faculty have been the unsung heroes,” President Pumariega said. “What a crucial role our faculty play in our institutions.”

At Miami Dade College (MDC), she explained, the faculty became the “conduit” of student support, both academically and socially. According to Pumariega, their long-standing partnership with ACUE — now in its sixth year and on track to credential 900 faculty — is making a big difference.

“If you’re all learning in the same area, you start thinking and innovating,” she explained.

Dr. Chasteen spoke about how the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) launched an “all-out effort” focused on student success back in 2015. The university invested in ACUE in 2016 and then went on to create the ACUE Faculty Development Institute, through which faculty can undertake the rigorous process of becoming ACUE Fellows. “It’s building a sense of faculty community.”

Meanwhile, Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is engaged in a variety of student success initiatives. Many of our instructors were still focused on lecturing,” Dr. Ward said. “We realized we had to get inside the classroom.”

ECSU began working with ACUE in 2019 and “we really saw great success.”

Rutgers University-Newark (RU-N), too, revitalized and invested heavily in its student success efforts, with faculty at the center. “Initially, we focused more on the institution than the faculty,” Dr. Gunkel said. “Then, we started incorporating teaching more heavily.” 

He discussed the launch of the P3 Collaboratory — pedagogy, public scholarship, and professional development — in which the institution worked closely with faculty to equip them with pedagogical practices, partnering with ACUE. The Collaboratory has overseen nine ACUE cohorts and as well as seven microcredential cohorts.

Celebrate and lift up faculty.

The panelists underscored the importance of recognizing faculty for their efforts.

Dr. Chasteen noted that, as students performed better, faculty would be rewarded. Now, with one-sixth of faculty ACUE Certified at USM, “We’re having great success.”

“We know how important they are to our institution,” Pumariega said. She added that faculty who demonstrate a commitment to teaching, such as becoming ACUE Certified, are recognized through various means. For example, they can apply for grants to improve student success and enhance pedagogy.

Dr. Ward, too, spoke of rewarding faculty through measures like targeting mini-grants to ACUE Certified faculty. They are also recognized at ECSU’s Faculty Institute and receive pins and certificates. This past year, the institution had to adapt and celebrated faculty achievements virtually.

Listening to faculty is key to overcoming challenges.

“We found a lot of success in allowing faculty to be the experts for other faculty,” Dr. Ward said. She encouraged institutions to listen to faculty and what they need. At ECSU, she explained, faculty have “a lot of input” in workshops and programming. 

In fact, the pandemic “helped our institution accelerate” and “brought faculty together,” she said.

Dr. Gunkel explained that there’s a balance between engaging faculty and providing support, commenting that measures like the P3 Collaboratory have provided faculty with a place to problem-solve and come together.

“What you want to do is strategically engage people who won’t automatically jump at the chance,” Dr. Chasteen said. “Make them understand they’ll be rewarded.”

It’s important, she said, to find ways to make the importance of pedagogy resonate. 

“I’m hopeful that faculty learned things about themselves [during the pandemic] and developed a growth mindset,” she added. “There are silver linings to the pandemic.”

Pumariega encouraged institutions to ask faculty what they need, rather than making assumptions. “Provide them with the opportunity and space. Elevate and amplify the work within the institution.” This, the panelists agreed, is critical to “future-proofing” higher education and tackling the challenges to come.

We invite you to watch the recording of the conversation, which is also closed-captioned. 

The Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) is here to be your partner in ensuring every student can succeed through exceptional teaching, no matter what the future brings. 

If you’re interested in learning more about how to bring ACUE programs to your campus, please connect with us.

The third webinar in ACUE’s Back to School series, Getting Better Prepared for Online and Hybrid Learning, featured insights from Flower Darby, Northern Arizona University; Dr. Michael Pullin, Queensborough Community College; and Dr. Wanda White, Winston-Salem State University. Dr. Harry L. Williams, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and Dr. Jessica Rowland Williams, Every Learner Everywhere, provided inspiring remarks on the challenges and opportunities ahead in ensuring student success. The discussion was moderated by ACUE Academic Advisor Dr. Kevin Kelly.

Panelists shared tangible practices that can be put to use immediately, which are also featured in ACUE’s Back-to-School Toolkit.

Key Takeaways

Higher education is in a moment of change.

“Everybody knows 2020 was a game-changer in higher ed,” said Dr. White. “But our faculty were resilient.”

Dr. Pullin noted that institutions and faculty have had to ramp up their teaching and learning efforts in light of the pandemic. “There’s been a scale-up,” he said. “Departments have all been responding to the challenges in ways they think are best for the students.”

Meanwhile, Darby has been experimenting with different modes of teaching. “I’ve redoubled my efforts on making connections with ‘in-between’ students,” she commented. For example, she’s used flipped-grid discussions. “Students feel more connected.”

Dr. Pullin added that they have invested in significant training to prepare faculty, including turning to ACUE to equip them with evidence-based teaching practices for effective online teaching. 

“We spent a lot of time talking with faculty and providing ways to make instruction more accessible,” Dr. White said. Her institution has “provided a menu of choice for faculty based on their needs,” including training on how to use new technologies. “Having options out there has worked wonders as an innovation.”

Faculty can try new ways to engage students through online instruction.

Darby emphasized “engagement and accountability.” She suggested, for example, providing students with a guided notes document, something to annotate during class.

“We often lose community in an online class,” Dr. White added. “Let students see you on video, and use tools to talk to them — so it’s not a ‘wizard behind the curtain grading my paper’ feel.” She also encouraged faculty to break students into smaller groups to work together and give them assignments that pull everyone in.”

“Build in active learning modalities,” Dr. Pullin said. “It makes it more personal. And I would consider paring down the amount of content — what’s essential? I’d rather see students master that than get shallow coverage of more ‘things.’” 

Equitable learning must remain front and center across all modalities.

The panelists all underscored the importance of creating equitable and inclusive learning environments, no matter where and how students are learning.

“We need to make sure we address equity issues, such as access with the digital divide,” Dr. White said. For example, she noted that some texts use language with which students are unfamiliar, adding, “That can impose bias.”

“And there are the technological challenges for students,” Dr. Pullin said. “No matter how hard we work, those challenges are still going to be there. Think about grading and attendance policies in that light. Many of our students come from low-income backgrounds, and we‘re having to bridge that technological gap.”

Darby emphasized the importance of “culturally responsive, relevant teaching. Recognize that students are bringing their cultural backgrounds with them,” she said. “Design for relevance — how are students going to see themselves in our classes and the materials? Help everyone feel like they belong.”

Online learning is here to stay.

“We all collectively agree that [online teaching] does provide flexibility and access,” said Darby. To prepare for the future, she encouraged institutions and faculty to keep improving and reimagining teaching and learning “Reflect on what we can do better when using technology tools. Recognize that this does take time and effort, and think about how can we recognize and reward really great teaching practices.”

“We can take away more positive aspects from this experience,” Dr. White agreed. “Encourage faculty to find that one tool or practice that works — don’t try to use everything. Find what you like and what works best for you to make that space more comfortable.”

“Many faculty were reluctant to do too much online instruction,” Dr. Pullin added. “Now, a lot of minds can be changed. A lot of faculty believe this can be a good way to teach if done well.”

“Good pedagogy is good pedagogy, whether in-person, online, hybrid — the same principles apply,” he said.

“Be flexible, have fun, and never forget your love of teaching — the students can sense it,” added Dr. White.

Check out our Back-to-School toolkit, a free resource to support administrators and instructors in ensuring a strong and equitable start to the new academic year. 

In the second webinar of ACUE’s Back to School series, Dr. Santiba Campbell, Associate Professor of Psychology, Faculty Senate President and Ex-Officio member of the Board of Trustees, Bennett College; Dr. Edward Hill, Interim Provost and Accreditation Liaison, Harris-Stowe State University; and Dr. Terry DiPaolo, Vice Provost of E-learning, Dallas College, shared practical approaches and best practices around meeting students where they are. 

The discussion was moderated by Carmen Macharaschwili, ACUE Academic Strategy Consultant, and featured remarks from David Brailow, Council of Independent Colleges, as well as Felice Nudelman and Dr. Jacquelyn Jones, American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Key Takeaways from the Conversation

Students must be acclimated to learning environments and expectations.

“We’re adapting to another academic year,” said Dr. DiPaolo. This year, he explained, is a first for many students, including those returning from last year. 

Dallas College, he explained, is in “one of the most deprived and diverse areas in the U.S., and we spend a lot of time talking to students, understanding them and their circumstances.”

Dr. Campbell added that many students aren’t aware of the time and effort involved in learning of all types. “Online courses can be a greater commitment than an in-person class,” she said, something many students don’t understand.

To illustrate this, she shared an anecdote about a student who was logging onto Zoom via her cell phone while working at a drive-through window.

In order to combat these misconceptions, Dr. Campbell encouraged higher education to reevaluate how they run institutions. For example, Bennett College has introduced mini-semesters to try to acclimate students to expectations.

Dr. Hill noted that Harris-Stowe has many first-generation students “who might not have been as prepared for college.” Last year, “we sent them back to environments that probably weren’t conducive to learning.”That’s why Harris-Stowe leaders are working with faculty to discuss these issues and considering how to move forward.

Collaboration and communication are foundational to success.

“How do we move students and faculty forward?” asked Dr. Campbell. She pointed to communication. Bennett College, she said, has monthly, campus-wide meetings to share concerns.

“What is your identity as an institution? Focus on that to start to bring the message home.”

Bennett College, she said, started with the ACUE toolkit for online courses. 

“Don’t feel like everything has to be a written-up policy,” she added. “Think about changes you can make on your own.”

“Collaboration and partnership have been critical,” Dr. DiPaolo said. He also emphasized the importance of communication between administrators and faculty. “We have to be agile and nimble in ways we’ve never had to before….What if we took some time to put ourselves in the shoes of a new student?”

At Harris-Stowe, “we meet almost daily,” Dr. Hill said. The university depends on federal funding, but during the pandemic, they’ve had to find new ways of supporting students and faculty, such as tapping into the alumni base. “It’s taught us about resilience,” he said.

The best way to understand students’ needs? Ask them.

“Instructors can ask students ‘What can I do to help you succeed in this class?’” Dr. DiPaolo said. “Just reach out to your students one on one. Makes them feel heard.”

“We spend so much time talking pedagogy, that nobody stops to ask a student, for instance, ‘Why haven’t you been to class?’” Dr. Campbell agreed. She also urged educators to get to know their campus and the resources available so they can point students in the right direction.

At the same time, “the faculty and the student are exchanging roles,” Dr. Hill said. “We’re all learning at the same time. How do we give faculty the opportunity to learn?”

Mental health and well-being must be front and center.

The panelists all underscored the importance of prioritizing the mental health and well-being of students, including making sure students have access to resources like counseling.

“We’re leading the way in removing the stigma around mental health,” said Dr. DiPaolo. 

“We also need to consider faculty and staff,” added Dr. Campbell. “Often, we focus on students, but we have to be sound of mind ourselves. We’re figuring out multiple modalities of instruction while being respectful of safety and health.”

“We’re a unit that’s trying to get everyone across the finish line,” she explained.

Join us for the next webinar in our Back to School series, Getting Better Prepared for Online and Hybrid Learning Confirmation, Tuesday, September 14, 3:00 pm ET.

College students are reading on-screen more than ever. Yet in higher education, teaching strategies for reading are still largely paper-based and rarely account for the different types or how digital modalities can improve accessibility.

In her new book, Skim, Dive, Surface: Teaching Digital Reading, Dr. Jenae Cohn seeks to recast the conversation as one that’s focused on how educators can be more attentive to the spectrum of affordances available within digital learning environments. In this interview, Dr. Cohn shares highlights from the book and explains why podcasts are a form of reading.

Preparing to teach online? Join our free webinar on Sept. 14 @ 3pm featuring Flower Darby, Dr. Jessica Rowland Williams, and more experts.

What is Skim, Dive, Surface about? 

We know that reading on a screen looks and feels different than reading on paper. And so much of the reading that we all do every day is on a screen, but a lot of approaches are still based on reading within paper or print modalities. In Skim, Dive, Surface, I’m inviting educators to be more attentive to students’ lived reading experiences in a digital space. This book is an opportunity to consider how our effective teaching approaches can engage students in reading techniques that align with what’s possible for reading on a screen.

What inspired you to write a book about digital reading?

In graduate school, I really struggled to manage the massive reading load. At first, I printed out hundreds of pages each week but it wasn’t sustainable. I couldn’t organize the information in ways that would allow me to see and connect patterns across all of the readings. I needed some digital reading solutions to help get me through it all.

At the same time, as a first-year composition instructor, I saw my students struggling with similar kinds of concerns. That made me realize that we really needed more directed advice and research about digital reading workflows. Ten years later, the book is here!

What are some important highlights from the book?

I’d say there are three main takeaways:

1. Identify the purpose of your reading task. There are different types of reading and each one requires different strategies. Some digital reading may not be optimal for certain reading tasks that require intense concentration. But for some kinds of reading tasks, “skimming” is exactly what’s needed. Skimming, or “shallow” reading, is particularly useful for conducting initial research. Being able to broadly engage with a lot of information on a particular topic is an effective way to establish and build background knowledge.

2. Digital reading requires different approaches. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re “worse” than paper-based approaches. With digital reading interfaces, students are typically scrolling rather than turning a page, so they don’t have pagination as that traditional indicator of progress. So, how can they keep track of key information in the text? Students also have to grapple with hyperlinks, which can either disrupt or enhance the reading experience. Reading on-screen can be customized, remixed, and changed in ways that reading in print does not allow. As instructors, we need to understand and consider these implications when we are selecting or creating course content.

3. Be mindful that not all students can have the same experiences with reading activities – and that’s OK! The digital divide is real. We need to be mindful of this when developing course content so that it’s mobile-friendly and not just workable on a laptop. In Skim, Dive, Surface, I discuss strategies for supporting readers regardless of which device they’re using. Throughout the book, I encourage instructors to check in with their students about how they experience reading and design activities that provide flexible options for engagement.

Why is listening to a podcast a form of reading?

We tend to think of reading as a visual exercise. Literacy is defined, rather narrowly, by the ability to visually interpret written symbols and information. But visuals aren’t accessible to everyone. Blind or visually-impaired readers, for example, rely on braille or text-to-speech applications, which are, essentially, “audio” books. Are they not reading? Of course they are. A podcast can absolutely be a kind of reading because it involves receiving and absorbing content. Our definitions of reading need to be more inclusive, insofar as we might think about reading as the process by which we access, engage with, and respond to content knowledge in a variety of media.

Can you summarize the research on reading, student learning and digital screens?

There have been decades of research on student learning, reading, and digital screens. One of my favorite sources on this topic is a meta-study by Delgado et. al (2018)[1] of 54 studies conducted from 2008–2018. One of its core findings is right in the title of their meta-analysis: “Don’t throw away your printed books.” The studies included different age groups and sizes, and the evidence consistently pointed to paper’s superiority over the screen for retaining and remembering pieces of information.

At first glance, these findings can seem discouraging, especially for those of us who believe that reading on screens can be a positive learning experience for students today and in the future. To me, they reinforce two important things:

1. Even as we recognize screen inferiority at this moment, we cannot ignore or deny the role that digital reading will continue to play in students’ learning experiences. As instructors, we must be willing to consider approaches that can optimize the benefits of digital reading and mitigate the inferior impact.

2. Reading is a socially constructed skill, one that’s shaped heavily by modeling and prior experiences.

Even as we recognize screen inferiority at this moment, we cannot ignore or deny the role that digital reading will continue to play in students’ learning experiences. As instructors, we must be willing to consider approaches that can optimize the benefits of digital reading and mitigate the inferior impact.

What do you say to faculty who are uncomfortable with the shift away from printed texts and are concerned about issues like distractions that are posed by engaging with devices? 

In Skim, Dive, Surface, I dedicate a full chapter to discussing these feelings. We’ve all had the experience of talking to someone only to discover that they’re absorbed in a screen. This can be particularly discouraging when it involves our students. Plus, the printed book itself is a precious object for many faculty. It’s a cultural signifier in academia, something that stands for learnedness, and is, frankly, something of a status symbol.

I encourage faculty to interrogate their own feelings and experiences with reading on-screen and on-paper. How might these be shaping your practices? Then, I think faculty should take a step back and consider how their experiences align with or differ from those of their students. What would it mean to ask and engage students in conversations about their experiences with reading? Providing options and making them genuinely and authentically available can help all students feel included as part of their learning.

Jenae Cohn, PhD writes and speaks about digital learning. She currently works as the Director of Academic Technology at California State University, Sacramento, and has held prior roles as both an instructor and staff at Stanford University and UC Davis. 

References

[1] Delgado, P., Vargas, C., Ackerman, R., & Salmeron, L. (2018). Don’t throw away your printed books: A meta-analysis on the effects of reading media on reading comprehension. Educational Research Review, 25, 23–28.

How can we ensure a strong and equitable start to the new academic year as our lives continue to be affected by the pandemic? As administrative leaders and faculty grapple with this question, ACUE’s Back to School webinar series convenes expert voices and provides key resources to support higher education’s return to campus this fall.

The first installment, Welcoming Back Faculty and Students, featured Kelly Lester, Director, Center for Faculty Development, The University of Southern Mississippi; Shonda Gibson, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, The Texas A&M University System; and Natasha LaRose, Program Coordinator, American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). The discussion was moderated by Kim Middleton, ACUE Academic Strategy Consultant, and included welcoming remarks from Maxine Roberts, Strong Start to Finish, and Rebecca Martin, National Association of System Heads.

Key Takeaways

1. Embrace flexibility

Gibson pointed out that the pandemic taught us that we need to be flexible. At the same time, she noted that educators discovered that they could quickly adapt and “be creative and find solutions. We all got in there and got the work done.”

Lester agreed, adding that she’s found ACUE particularly helpful as a partnership and resource that “gives you tools to gain insight and feedback from your students in a way that’s not about you as a person.”

Lester also commented that addressing safety is the priority. “Use your first couple of days of class to acknowledge that this year’s going to include adapting and flexibility, but also safety is a big concern. In my classroom, I’d want to say, ‘Let’s have a discussion about our ground rules for this class. What is it that you need in my class to feel safe?’ And I think there could be a lot of vulnerability in that.”

“Be flexible with your own self so that you can be flexible with others,” Gibson added.  

2. Resilience and community will carry students and educators

“For us as tribal nations, we’ve always been a resilient type of people,” LaRose said. “And I think we responded as quickly as possible by partnering with ACUE and getting our faculty trained for online courses. That’s a really important step because we’ve been faced with a whole lot of interesting dynamics with the pandemic hitting us.”

Part of resilience, Gibson added, is looking for support when it’s necessary. “Don’t try to do this alone. Our resilience bank accounts are going to run short if you try to do this all on your own.” 

This, she said, extends beyond faculty-student connections to the entire campus. Gibson encouraged instructors to share resources and pose questions to peers within content areas, as well as point students to support systems.

3. People need space to ask questions

“There’s a real openness to having conversations and allowing space for questions,” Lester said. “We may not always have the answers, but if we don’t provide the space for the questions, then I think people feel unheard.”

USM, she explained, holds “Faculty First Week,” featuring teaching development, technology orientations, and guidance on building community.

Gibson agreed that these opportunities are critical to the teaching and learning community. Across the A&M system, she said, there are communities of practice. “What we’ve learned is that collaboration, networking, and sharing among the group is so powerful. I’m seeing so much promise, and I really want to see that continue into the future.”

Gibson also encouraged educators to ask questions of themselves, through a process she describes as “durable innovation.” “Take time to stop and ask yourself what’s not working or what really did work well.”

LaRose noted that AIHEC initiated a biweekly check-in with all the tribal college universities as part of their response to the pandemic. Along with quarterly meetings, they have led to “a continuous communication of new developments and helping each other navigate this whole new world we’re kind of living in.”

4. Embrace creativity

One silver lining of the pandemic is that faculty and leaders alike have stretched themselves creatively to identify new solutions. 

LaRose, for example, discussed how the tribal colleges sought out ways to share resources across campuses and networks. “If we’re being proactive and we can really preserve teaching techniques and go forward, I think we’re building a really strong core of what we can do in the future,” she said.

Lester, meanwhile, is finding ways for students to be involved in their own learning. For example, she offers options for final assignments. “They could write a paper, they could create a piece of artwork and a poem, or they could do a video reflection,” she explained. “And they all had the same guiding questions that got to the core of the content we were covering. 

Gibson saw that faculty who became ACUE-credentialed during the pandemic found new ways to collaborate and brainstorm ideas. “I heard incredible stories of how they came together collectively and they came up with novel solutions. These faculty were able to embrace new tools and new technology to be able to create environments where students could get that information.”

At the end of the day, the panelists agreed, welcoming faculty and students back to campus this fall comes down to being intentional about community, care, and communication. 

“Show care, check in with people, and listen,” Lester said.

Register for the next webinar, Getting Better Prepared for Online and Hybrid Learning, taking place on September 14, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET.