It seems somewhat ironic that my last post was about ‘uncertainty,’ given how events have been unfolding over the past week. Teaching is all about change and I think we forget that sometimes, even though new knowledge and learning, true learning, can never leave someone unchanged. This past week has provided strong reminders of the need to remain open and that as a teacher, I will always also be a student.
The session I facilitated on Monday, where colleagues came and went in ways I’m not used to in a class, is but a small example of the importance of staying ‘present,’ listening to and observing what people need, and adapting accordingly.
As the week unfolded and it is becoming increasingly likely that we may have to switch to online teaching for a time, I have begun exploring not only how I can support my students through this time and ensure continuity of true and rich learning experiences, but the ways in which I can help my colleagues do so, particularly those who perhaps struggle with change. To do so I have more learning to do. And so I took a dive into BlueJeans, I began thinking about how to create interesting and engaging online learning experiences, and I began asking more questions.
The current world health situation is also a reminder of what is truly important in life and especially in education; people. It is people not product; not how many students leave college with diplomas and get jobs, but how many students leave college more confident, happier and more able to fulfill their own life purpose. Our role as faculty is to support that process and as an educational developer, my role is to support the faculty, who also need to feel confident, to feel they have the tools and skills to support students and not feel swept away in a tidal wave of change that none of us can control.
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