Speaker sessions - topic-specific

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Tuesday November 3, 2020

Adapting to distance education

2:25–2:45PM – First-hand account 1

The hybrid nature of post-secondary distance education: practitioners’ thoughts and research findings

The abundance of new teaching approaches, learners’ needs and incorporation of digital technology into post-secondary education has left one question unanswered: how does hybrid training improve learning? This workshop will present the researcher’s viewpoint versus that of practitioners in post-secondary settings. Whatever the form of instruction – bimodal, comodal or other – “hybrid mode” enables multiple combinations that call for well-thought-out system-wide pedagogic planning.

This presentation brings together varying points of view, some of which have emerged from data gathering or experiments supported by scientific references and evidence. We will set out necessary conditions for encouraging development of hybrid courses and terms and conditions for hybrid instruction in research that assists professional development for teaching staff.

2:45–3:05PM – First-hand account 2

The challenge of the pandemic: from a standard classroom to a virtual setting

When lockdown was announced in March 2020, the digital shift in higher education had to be stepped up. College faculty, most of whom taught in classrooms, had to quickly adapt in order to “Save the session” – now a key priority. This fall, however, college education has switched to hybrid mode, based on formulas that vary from one institute to the next. The challenge is immense.

I have been teaching English as a second language at Collège Montmorency since 2016. In order to teach my subject effectively, the in-class interaction experience is crucial to setting up a learning community, which in turn facilitates student advancement.

My presentation will cover the lessons and challenges of the Winter 2020 session, as well as proposals for adapting interactive teaching methods into synchronous and asynchronous modes, while recognizing the obstacles to putting them in place. These adaptations, while imperfect, are of course meant to promote development of a learning community, and to then keep it alive while encouraging it to grow and remain dynamic.

3:05–3:25PM – First-hand account 3

Adapting to online teaching: the reality and the challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled faculty to rethink their practices and adapt to a new reality, in order to ensure quality instruction, while also meeting students’ needs. This series of first-hand accounts will cover topics ranging from a recast pedagogical model, the teacher-student relationship, student preparation, teamwork coaching, adaptation of dance courses, resistance to change and a turnaround in attitudes to mutual aid and implementation of a PLC at UQAM.

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