Taking Team Based Learning Online with Zoom Christopher

Taking Team Based Learning Online with Zoom Christopher Brown NMSU Department of Geography Digital Learning Faculty Spotlight 5 February 2021

The Crisis • Where we a year past? • Things were going so well…. !!! • Things start to fall apart - 1 st global & US COVID -19 Cases • 12 March 2021 – question from muy student Zach. . . “Do you think we will ever see each other again? …I’m just askin’” • Friday the 13 th - 3. 13. 20 – Last F 2 F thesis exam of 2020 – The 4 pm edict – 100% online on 3. 30. 20

The challenge • How to take three classes online in two weeks with limited training … & survive? • Options – Post online quizzes and hide under the bed – We all deserve better than that, especially our students – Take stock of resources ( we are SO blessed!) reach out to Academic Technology and OCIP (DLI now) – My Happy accident of QM challenge

What is Team Based Learning? • NOT ”flipping the classroom” – but changing the model • Students work in teams about 50% of class time – Group Weighting Exercise – Quizzes BEFORE lecture – individual & group – ”Some” lecture/knowledge transfer - which reminds me of a story … – Solving applied riddles in groups

What to do, what to do? • How do I survive the challenge and preserve the TBL model? • Is this possible? – Can I take the whole model online in 2 weeks? – Clearly, taking TBL online is possible … • WHAT is possible in 2 weeks? – Will all exercises port? – “working with your neighbor…. ” • Let’s look at tasks and tools

TBL tasks, back in the day. . . • Readiness Assessment Tests – the dreaded “RATs” – group & individual – Kinder, gentler coercion – PLEASE be ready! – Yes, BEFORE the lecture! • IRAT = 10 -12 minutes in class on their own • GRAT – yes, same quiz in groups • Let’s review – “any appeals…? ? ? ” • Group Discussion Exercises • Group Weighting Exercise

Porting specific tasks • Can we take IRATs online – of course! • Can we take GRATs online – I THINK we can, but how…. ? ? ? • Can we take Group Discussion Exercises online – CDI and my coach say yes, me …. I am not so sure…. • What about advanced work? • How do get students in groups when they are at home, at work, or riding a tractor?

New Tools • Zoom – where would we be if AT had not had Zoom in hand? – I never even heard of Zoom! • Canvas toolbox – LOTS of neat tools/toys – The Quiz tool – both for quizzes and surveys – Collaborations – “I heard about these …” – Google Docs – “I have even used these” – Canvas Discussions – Again, “I heard about these …”

Enough of this PPT slide deck • Let’s take a look at a few things – Class package previous to the pivot – What can I keep and what do I need to build? – How do I make IRATs work? – How do I make Group Discussion Exercises work? – what about advance work? – Can I really pull off peer evals? – “Man, this sounds like a lot of work & moving parts!” They were/are right!

What worked? • Most everything – mostly …. • IRATs ported to Canvas Quiz tool, mostly • GRATs and Group Exercises ported to Canvas Collaborations – Google Docs • They came to class – even on Day Two! • Peer evals – big challenge, but they worked • My closing test ? – “which statement best describes how you feel? ”

Challenges – work to be done • Engagement – “The Holy Grail” – LOTS of things to do, kept everyone busy, engaged, and no one was bored – What to do about “ 25 black screens? ” • Bandwidth and privacy concerns • I REALLY want to hear your ideas!! • Assessments – the toughest part – My philosophy on cameras and lockdowns – How to be fair and NOT give away the store?

Challenges – work to be done • What can I do better? – Videos - Studio, new tools, I have work to do! – Better assessments – “These darned black screens” • What about our students? – 71% of students surveyed note increased stress – NMSU provides tools – will students use them? – Just how well can we engage remotely? • Recent charge from Grad Council/Deans • We are getting better, but is this good enough?

Questions, comments, complaints? Image courtesy of Cartoon Collections