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We did a post-mortem of how emergency remote instruction went last spring via focus groups of undergrads.
Here are some lessons learned (a thread!)
Check out the pre-print here: https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/f6jkx/
Here are some lessons learned (a thread!)
Check out the pre-print here: https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/f6jkx/
1. Students felt profs increased the difficulty level and/or workload of courses, often unintentionally, and this was a big problem. How?
Changing multi choice exams to free response but not giving more time
Replacing exams with projects
Posting lecture vids that ran over
Changing multi choice exams to free response but not giving more timeReplacing exams with projectsPosting lecture vids that ran over
2. Posting videos and calling it a day didn't go over well. Students crave interaction with professor AND other students.
3. Relying on email for communication wasn't ideal unless the professor was uber-responsive.
Other communication platforms were much preferred. Piazza, Nectir, Gauchospace, Discord, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra were all mentioned.
Other communication platforms were much preferred. Piazza, Nectir, Gauchospace, Discord, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra were all mentioned.
4. Anti-cheating software/proctoring may have gone too far. Not only did students feel this added more labor to the exam (lengthy instructions), but it caused anxiety and god forbid the internet connection drops, you get accused of cheating.
5. Best practices for remote instruction were not routinely employed.
They do exist
but implementation and dissemination are lacking. 
Here's a great resource: https://www.routledge.com/Learning-Online-What-Research-Tells-Us-About-Whether-When-and-How/Means-Bakia-Murphy/p/book/9780415630290
They do exist
but implementation and dissemination are lacking. Here's a great resource: https://www.routledge.com/Learning-Online-What-Research-Tells-Us-About-Whether-When-and-How/Means-Bakia-Murphy/p/book/9780415630290
6. We should not judge remote instruction by how "emergency remote instruction" went. Research actually shows good outcomes and student satisfaction with remote instruction when best practices are employed.
More on this: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning
More on this: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning
7. At this point it seems that all profs should be trained in best practices for remote instruction. This would:
increase our preparedness in future emergencies
AND...
allow us to extend the reach of our courses
WHICH COULD...
close gaps in educational disparities.
increase our preparedness in future emergencies AND...
allow us to extend the reach of our coursesWHICH COULD...
close gaps in educational disparities.
