Topic: Bang Your Head on Your Desk - the thread of teaching despair!

[AmLitHist]

We are switching to Canvas in June. The documentation our OE has developed for the training to make the switch is among the most mind-numbing, poorly written garbage I've ever read. Faculty are already panicking that they won't get their certification finished in time.

Originally the word from OE was that we had to be certified by December. However, last week we got an update that if we're teaching in summer, we have to be certified by May.  Apparently those not teaching in summer can still teach the Fall semester without the training.  Huh?

I finished my certification last weekend by skipping the instructional material and just doing the exercises and test by actually using the Canvas platform (i.e., building assignments and quizzes, grading mock submissions, etc.). So, I'm OK in terms of my own use of Canvas.

However, a colleague let slip that I'm already finished so--you guessed it--I'm being bombarded with requests for help from other faculty. I don't want to be rude, but let OE help them, since it's their bright idea (and lousy training materials) causing all the panic.

Between all this and the nightmare I foresee with students making the switch--Bang! Bang! Bang!

[downer]

One school I'm teaching at is starting to require that faculty teaching online asynchronous have to go through their training and get certified. That starts with the fall semester.
When will they provide the training? In the fall, of course.
It boggles the mind.

[arcturus]

What is this certification you speak of? We are provided with an empty Canvas shell for each of our classes (regardless of delivery mode) and we get occassional reminders to "publish your course" from the powers-that-be, but there is no required training. Perhaps this explains why my students are "impressed" that my course design is based on modules (one per week) with the lecture material and assignments organized within each module.

[the_geneticist]

We are switching to Canvas in June. The documentation our OE has developed for the training to make the switch is among the most mind-numbing, poorly written garbage I've ever read. Faculty are already panicking that they won't get their certification finished in time.

Originally the word from OE was that we had to be certified by December. However, last week we got an update that if we're teaching in summer, we have to be certified by May.  Apparently those not teaching in summer can still teach the Fall semester without the training.  Huh?

I finished my certification last weekend by skipping the instructional material and just doing the exercises and test by actually using the Canvas platform (i.e., building assignments and quizzes, grading mock submissions, etc.). So, I'm OK in terms of my own use of Canvas.

However, a colleague let slip that I'm already finished so--you guessed it--I'm being bombarded with requests for help from other faculty. I don't want to be rude, but let OE help them, since it's their bright idea (and lousy training materials) causing all the panic.

Between all this and the nightmare I foresee with students making the switch--Bang! Bang! Bang!

Our IT support folks are trying to recruit faculty to help with the training.  I went to one meeting.  Nope.  Not going to volunteer my time without some sort of official something to put on my cv.  We don't have any sort of certification, but despite over a year of warnings that Blackboard is going away, very few courses have been using Canvas.
I'm also being asked to show folks how to do things in Canvas.  For my TAs, sure.  I'll teach you how to manage your grade book, send announcements, etc.
For other faculty?
Not. My. Job.

[OneMoreYear]

Digital natives my a**!  How do you [students] not know the first thing about troubleshooting video files?  You all are darn lucky that I am tech savvy enough that I can figure out what you are doing wrong and that I'm willing to fix it, so that we will all survive this semester.

I'm also being asked to show folks how to do things in Canvas.  For my TAs, sure.  I'll teach you how to manage your grade book, send announcements, etc.
For other faculty?
Not. My. Job.

I'm often asked to help my fellow faculty with the LMS. We are a small department and our departmental support staff and teaching technology staff were decimated in the last round of cost-cutting, so I'm usually willing to help. But, I can't imagine the fall-out of switching our LMS. This does remind me that I need to back up all of my LMS-housed teaching videos, though.

[marshwiggle]

Digital natives my a**!  How do you [students] not know the first thing about troubleshooting video files?  You all are darn lucky that I am tech savvy enough that I can figure out what you are doing wrong and that I'm willing to fix it, so that we will all survive this semester.

Amen. When required to submit a video of weaving a basket, the vast majority of them will have the "camera" (i.e. phone) pointed at the floor, or ceiling, or will try to hold it in one hand while weaving with the other, or will be too close so it's out of focus or too far away so it's not visible, or obscured by their own body, or.......

PEOPLE: SET SOMETHING UP, TRY IT OUT, AND ADJUST IT UNTIL IT WORKS!!!!

If it's not a selfie, they apparently have no idea how to film it.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Stu emails me at 2:30am and starts the email with a 'Good morning.' Well, technically, yes... it's morning. Of course, I was asleep at the time.

Apparently, stu is having difficulty understanding the lab that was due two days ago. Despite, the video (where I explained how to calculate certain things), a video SHOWING me calculating these values on a CALCULATOR, a pdf showing step-by-step instructions of the calculations and detailed instructions in the lab, the student asked "I was wondering if you could go into more detail on the calculation?"

I don't know how to respond to this question.

[Langue_doc]

Stu emails me at 2:30am and starts the email with a 'Good morning.' Well, technically, yes... it's morning. Of course, I was asleep at the time.

Apparently, stu is having difficulty understanding the lab that was due two days ago. Despite, the video (where I explained how to calculate certain things), a video SHOWING me calculating these values on a CALCULATOR, a pdf showing step-by-step instructions of the calculations and detailed instructions in the lab, the student asked "I was wondering if you could go into more detail on the calculation?"

I don't know how to respond to this question.

Stu, please watch the video.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Stu emails me at 2:30am and starts the email with a 'Good morning.' Well, technically, yes... it's morning. Of course, I was asleep at the time.

Apparently, stu is having difficulty understanding the lab that was due two days ago. Despite, the video (where I explained how to calculate certain things), a video SHOWING me calculating these values on a CALCULATOR, a pdf showing step-by-step instructions of the calculations and detailed instructions in the lab, the student asked "I was wondering if you could go into more detail on the calculation?"

I don't know how to respond to this question.

Stu, please watch the video.

That's basically what I said. I feel like I'm talking to a wall with this class.

[arcturus]

Stu emails me at 2:30am and starts the email with a 'Good morning.' Well, technically, yes... it's morning. Of course, I was asleep at the time.

Apparently, stu is having difficulty understanding the lab that was due two days ago. Despite, the video (where I explained how to calculate certain things), a video SHOWING me calculating these values on a CALCULATOR, a pdf showing step-by-step instructions of the calculations and detailed instructions in the lab, the student asked "I was wondering if you could go into more detail on the calculation?"

I don't know how to respond to this question.

Fortunately for me, my response would be: Dear Stu, I would be happy to meet with you during office hours to go over the key concepts of this activity. However, we do not accept late work in this class.  Signed: Prof I-am-relentless-about-deadlines

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Stu emails me at 2:30am and starts the email with a 'Good morning.' Well, technically, yes... it's morning. Of course, I was asleep at the time.

Apparently, stu is having difficulty understanding the lab that was due two days ago. Despite, the video (where I explained how to calculate certain things), a video SHOWING me calculating these values on a CALCULATOR, a pdf showing step-by-step instructions of the calculations and detailed instructions in the lab, the student asked "I was wondering if you could go into more detail on the calculation?"

I don't know how to respond to this question.

Fortunately for me, my response would be: Dear Stu, I would be happy to meet with you during office hours to go over the key concepts of this activity. However, we do not accept late work in this class.  Signed: Prof I-am-relentless-about-deadlines

:D

We are encouraged to accept late work and I do with a 20% penalty each day. Stu is looking at getting maybe 40% of potential points. Ugh.

[lightning]

Digital natives my a**!  How do you [students] not know the first thing about troubleshooting video files?  You all are darn lucky that I am tech savvy enough that I can figure out what you are doing wrong and that I'm willing to fix it, so that we will all survive this semester.

I'm also being asked to show folks how to do things in Canvas.  For my TAs, sure.  I'll teach you how to manage your grade book, send announcements, etc.
For other faculty?
Not. My. Job.

I'm often asked to help my fellow faculty with the LMS. We are a small department and our departmental support staff and teaching technology staff were decimated in the last round of cost-cutting, so I'm usually willing to help. But, I can't imagine the fall-out of switching our LMS. This does remind me that I need to back up all of my LMS-housed teaching videos, though.

Don't help. "They" will never replace your support staff, if you do the work of the support staff, in addition to your normal duties.

And, yeah, the promise and potential of teaching digital natives ended up being a crock. I can't believe how much time I waste dealing with students  who can't do the most basic things with tech (beyond being consumers of digital content).

[mamselle]

We've got a thread on that, somewhere....

M.

[ergative]

Filepaths, *sob* filepaths!

[the_geneticist]

Stu emails me at 2:30am and starts the email with a 'Good morning.' Well, technically, yes... it's morning. Of course, I was asleep at the time.

Apparently, stu is having difficulty understanding the lab that was due two days ago. Despite, the video (where I explained how to calculate certain things), a video SHOWING me calculating these values on a CALCULATOR, a pdf showing step-by-step instructions of the calculations and detailed instructions in the lab, the student asked "I was wondering if you could go into more detail on the calculation?"

I don't know how to respond to this question.

Fortunately for me, my response would be: Dear Stu, I would be happy to meet with you during office hours to go over the key concepts of this activity. However, we do not accept late work in this class.  Signed: Prof I-am-relentless-about-deadlines

:D

We are encouraged to accept late work and I do with a 20% penalty each day. Stu is looking at getting maybe 40% of potential points. Ugh.

Dear stu, please see the policy in the syllabus for late work.  Prof: Consistently-crushing-dreams-by-enforcing-due-dates