A Different Kettle of Fish: Elisa (EJ) Sobo Anthropology Re-visioning Classroom Courses for Online Learning

ANTH 402 Dynamics of Biocultural Diversity: “Interaction of biology and culture in human populations. Relating genetic and cultural processes to the changes in human populations over time.”

ANTH 402 Upper division GE course ◦ Explorations - Natural Science ◦ Cultural Diversity Constantly offered ◦ WC 220 – 150 seats ◦ 2 or 3 F2F meetings per week  Lectures interspersed with in-class activities

Design Cycle First phase: Decide to do it! ◦ Opportunity to increase learning  Will lack of lectures lead students to engage directly and more deeply with course materials? ◦ Opportunity to ‘update’ F2F version and free up more in-class time for discussion by making more active use of Blackboard  Content delivery  Assessment ◦ Opportunity to service more students

But I don’t know nuthin’ about…

Up the steep learning curve Advanced use of Blackboard ◦ Test & Survey functions ◦ Various assignment submission modes ◦ Voice Presentation tool ◦ Live Classroom Captivate software for animated ppt shows Full commitment to learner-centered approach ◦ Complete pre-fabrication ◦ Active learning tasks ◦ Relevant graded work

Where am I now?

Concerns but not Worries ◦ No live energy, no hand waving, no body language ◦ Cheating  Rotating questions etc.  Safe Assign ◦ Technical problems

What keeps me up at night? ◦ Will students feel isolated / Will students enjoy the interactive projects?  Position paper  Wiki

What keeps me up at night? ◦ Will students feel isolated / Will students enjoy the interactive projects?  Position paper  Wiki ◦ Will students follow instructions?  Will students be able to navigate the Website?  Will students do the work?  Will students meet deadlines? ◦ Will students learn?  Will no-lecture format lead to better outcomes?

What keeps me up at night? ◦ Will students feel isolated / Will students enjoy the interactive projects?  Position paper  Wiki ◦ Will students follow instructions?  Will students be able to navigate the Website?  Will students do the work?  Will students meet deadlines? ◦ Will students learn?  Will no-lecture format lead to better outcomes?

What Next? ◦ Course building  Upload resources, assignments  Test links ◦ Resource creation  Captivate presentations  Voice recordings  Documentation (book chapters)  Quizzes and tests

What I’ve learned so far Set aside truckloads of prep time Take test drives DJ Sobo

What I’ve learned so far Set aside truckloads of prep time Take test drives Prep students for tech probs, ‘high’ workload Issue reminders, post waymarkers ◦ ‘Pedagogically Proactive Maternalism’ ◦ Free students to think about content, not form / / Grant Black, Calgary Herald