When we start to think about putting our little feet in this pool, we want to consider the “why” aspect of using technology. Is there a reason to use technology? I thought a lot about this before I got started. Couldn’t I get my points across by just posting information? Didn’t my personality come through in my written communication with my students?

I certainly think written communication can accomplish all of those things, but using technology like Loom, Remind, and FlipGrid can add another dimension to your communication. I loved that I could better show my compassion, enthusiasm, and kindness to my students through videos. This is what first enticed me.

What about you? What are the pros and cons of using technology in the classroom? Why would we use technology?

-Alli

Currently, I teach in cohort classes primarily with the occasional online class.

I used to use quite a number of videos when I taught my cohort classes at the beginning. My students told me my lectures were way more interesting and informative than the videos I was showing... so less videos...

On the online environment, I have not figured out how to use technology. I have watched some of the webinars and participated in some of the professional development workshops on how to use technology. I guess because I am a hands-on learner I need to find a better way to learn how to use technology.

Those are my thoughts....

Hi Ron!

Thank you for jumping in! I definitely think online classes and cohort classes can be very different in what types of technology work! I agree that I think students would find your lectures more interesting face to face. Do you use any YouTube videos or anything like that to show examples of concepts? For example, in a management class I teach, I use a video from YouTube to show a team building scenario. That is typically helpful, just so students can see how it really works.

In a couple weeks we will jump into two of the easier ways to use technology, so stay with us! I relate to what you mentioned about being a hands on learner!

-Alli

Alli, Thank you for your response. Yes, I do use videos that demonstrate concepts. Last week I used very short You Tube videos of examples of how different counseling theories deal with resistance in the counseling setting. I also use some inspirational videos, usually some unusual talent, to break up a four hour clsss.

Ron

That is awesome, Ron! I use videos much in the same way - to demonstrate concepts. I love the idea of inspirational and motivational videos though! I have a few that I post in classes from time to time. I think they just are a great way to spread some good vibes and take a break from all of the serious topics we discuss in class. Plus, in cohort classes, they are a nice break for you for a few minutes, right? :)

Be sure to stay with us - we will talk about using Loom to make your own videos in Week Three and this could be something you might really enjoy! 

Alli

Hi everyone!

I sure would like some pool weather instead of this cloudy and rainy situation we have been having in Phoenix! What about you guys?

A common con I hear when talking to peers and colleagues about using technology is that students (and faculty) may be uncomfortable using various technology tools. This is something I see from time to time in my online courses. Here is an example….

I have used FlipGrid in some of my MGT/420 online courses. Many of my students LOVE it and really jump in and get used to it right away. In a few other cases, I have had students that shy away from it and reach out with concerns. Maybe they aren’t comfortable with videos of themselves (we will talk about that later). Maybe it is new technology and that makes them feel awkward. Maybe it seems that everyone else is comfortable and they feel left out. There are lots of reasons why students can be uncomfortable with using new technology.

I typically address any issues or concerns one on one with students. How have any of you addressed this? Is this a reason you would stay away from using technology in your classes?

Hi everyone!

One HUGE pro for me using technology in my classes has been being able to clarify more difficult assignments and concepts. 

I have created videos using Loom to further explain essays, especially in my MGT/420 courses. These essays tend to have many steps and sections and while I have created templates for students to help clarify, I found that students were still missing the mark on what I was looking for. Creating videos that go through the templates and explain the instructions and rubrics have been very helpful. I have also found that students like being able to go back through the videos when they have questions.

Have any of you used videos for assignment clarification? How did it go?

Week One Wrap Up!

Hi everyone!

As we have talked about this week, using technology does have pros and cons. However, taking a chance and trying to use technology is definitely a positive idea in any classroom format.

While it can be challenging to learn a new technology, implement it, then introduce it and teach it to our students can be time consuming and challenging, it is worth it. Encouraging student engagement in any form is a plus! Plus, technology can be fun and decrease our burnout by adding something new and interesting in the classroom.

Thank you for following along! See you at the pool for Week Two!

Welcome to Week Two at the Technology Pool! Thanks for paddling along with me!

This week, we will be exploring the Pedagogy First website here in CIRT! Here is the direct link:

https://cirt.gcu.edu/pedagogyfirst

This website will help you determine and select the most appropriate technology tool for your needs in your specific course. How cool is that?! Just answer the questions (leave any blank that do not apply). It covers all aspects of using technology in your class – from cost, time, tracking, and equipment. Once you select the tool, a page will come up with ideas, tips, and suggestions. Even better, right?

Take a minute to explore this website and see what your results are, then come back here and share with us! Have you heard of all of the technology options?

I will share mine, as well as different options available, this week too!

-Alli

Alli, Not sure I did the correctly. At any rate, I filled out the questionnaire and it gave me this result: Nearpod

I had not heard of this technology. I will explore it.

Ron

Hi Ron!

Great to see you again! I do not know much about Nearpod either! I was looking around on the web about it and found a pretty cool You Tube video about it. Check it out if you have a few minutes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qCLeNB2cDA

Do you think Nearpod is something you would use?

Hi everyone!

I took the assessment and found all kinds of interesting results. I actually took it several times, with different goals in mind. For example, in some ways, I want to relay information in a fun and engaging way. For other aspects, I would like to provide better and more detailed student feedback. Also, I would like to engage students in new ways.

I have to say just how many options are available and also – how many I am not familiar with! While that can seem overwhelming, I think it is a fun challenge to try something new. We don’t have to be experts at everything, but we should be adventurous and try it! What’s the worst that can happen….? =)

Let’s set a goal to explore a technology tool we are unfamiliar with based on our Pedagogy First results. One I will explore will be Screen-Cast-Omatic. I know other faculty that use this regularly, so I am going to give it a go.

What technology tool will you explore?

-Alli

Hi everyone!

In my exploration of screen-cast, it sure seems cool! I use Loom pretty regularly for recording, but it seems that there are some other aspects of screencast that maybe different than Loom.

Another tool that was in my results is Zoom – this is one that I know faculty use (especially in quantitative based courses) use with awesome success. I have thought about using this technology tool for a welcome meeting – to introduce myself, allow students to ask questions, and just get good vibes from a friendly and casual meeting. This is really something I LOVE about technology – it is a great way to share our personality and create a positive atmosphere in a class.

Any thoughts on Zoom?

Hello!

I used LOOM for the first time in my class and I loved it!  It gave me the opportunity to explain things for my students instead of trying to explain myself in paragraph form.  My students really responded to the video.  I am also a HUGE fan of animoto.  It allows me to create videos of my students set to music.  It is fun for students to see their progression from the beginning of class to the end.  And both of these tools can be used if you teach face to face or on line!

-Kristina

When I heard that to engage our students more we have to use technology stressed me out a lot. I was not born when we had I-phones and computers. The first time I used a computer was in college. Now that I am teaching students in the I-generation where they were born and raised with a device I knew to engage my students I needed to use technology it is the way of the world.  I started using Flipgrid in my classroom. This helped my students engage through their I-phones to answer questions and to discuss the topic of the week.  I saw engagement increase in my class because my students felt more connected by seeing each other through video. Plus they had fun learning. 

I do like zoom but the hard part with zoom is that students have different schedules so it is hard to get students together at a certain time.  

I love Loom. Loom has helped me model assignments and clear up understanding with assignment directions.

Jennifer O'Connor

Hi All~

For my Fall classes, I used Flipgrid and Remind, which worked well! It added another aspect to the online classroom experience that students seemed to enjoy! 

Although I have used Loom and Zoom for presentations, I have not yet integrated these tech tools into my classes. I plan to take time to do so in the future. 

Another tool I have used is Adobe Connect to record mini lessons that are super short (3-5 minutes) to cover challenging concepts. I strive to provide students with helpful hints and tips to apply in the weekly lessons.

I look forward to discovering other unique tech tools to integrate into my online classes in the future!

I will have to say that I am one of those that believes in the benefit of using technology but am guilty of not implementing as much as I would like.  In my most recent classes I utilized Remind and Animoto but had the intent of integrating Loom and Flipgrid; that just did not happen!  My classes are Traditional Online so I did offer students the opportunity to come visit me in person but out of 50, I only met 5.  Therefore, I made a promise to myself and my future students that moving forward I will integrate more connective technology tools.  

For me the biggest constraint has been "is all the time and effort worth it"?  Based off what I am reading in this discussion and from peers sharing their experiences, I would say yes  We use Zoom for meetings and I find that tool helpful if I want to screen share with someone to see what they are seeing.  This tool would be great if a student was just not getting it via written or verbal communication. 

What tools have been the most effective and why?  Which ones did you feel were not as effective?  

Hello everyone! I am a total geek so I love to try out new things in the class but not necessarily for what I like but to discover what my students like and find useful. For example, when I first started using Kahoot!, I tried it a few times and then thought the students might be bored of it. The following week, they proclaimed that they loved it, found it useful, and asked me to use it again. So ever since then, I make sure to check with my students if THEY like the use of the technology as I certainly don't want to spin my wheels if they don't. I also really like Venngage, InsertLearning, and Animoto. I just had my students use Venngage to submit an information pamphlet. They seemed to enjoy its ease of use versus a boring old PPT.

Hi, Alli and all!

I have to admit that I was also a skeptic with regard to using technology in the classroom, especially since I saw it as just another thing to manage in my classes that would make it that much more difficult to engage in discussions and provide feedback in a timely manner. I now realize that is the wrong way to approach it, especially since I have used Flipgrid in my classes over the summer and I was not only surprised by how much my students enjoyed it, but also how much more engaged it made them in other areas of the class. With that said, I know I need to wade a bit deeper into the technology pool in the future, so I appreciate all of the information being shared in this discussion.

Hi Kristina! 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

I LOVE Loom too - and totally use it the same way you do! I think students like hearing an explanation, rather than reading. I have found it so helpful when explaining assignments, especially in the online environment!

I do not know anything about Animoto! It sounds awesome and I need to learn more - how fun! If you have anything you can share, would you mind posting it here? I would love to see it in action! 

Thanks again, Kristina! :)

Hey there Jennifer!

Thank you so much for stopping in! I really appreciate it!

I relate to your comment so much.... I was super stressed about using technology as well and I did not embrace it for quite a while. But like you said, technology is just where the word is and where it is going, so we need ti get on board, right? ;)

Like you, I also really like FlipGrid - I think it is fun for students and they love being able to do it right from their phones. I have found success with using it in a more fun and casual way. For example, in my management classes, we talk about fun teambuilding experiences, great leaders, or their best (and worst) managers. I think it has been fun to hear new perspectives and students really seem to love it! Do you do anything unique with FlipGrid? I would love any new and fun ideas!

Thank you again for sharing! :)

Hi there Marlene! 

Thank you so much for your comment! I really think students enjoy something a little new and different in the online environment and technology tools, especially interactive things like FlipGrid, really make it fun!

I am curious about Adobe Connect.... do you find it pretty easy to use? I think it would be another great way to share more in-depth information. I use Loom for this pretty regularly, but another way is always welcomed! :)

Hi Jessica! Thank you so much for stopping in! :)

I am right there with you when it comes to good intentions of integrating more technology! It is always on my mind, but sometimes it just does not happen like I'd like! 

One thing that has helped me is to spend some time creating Loom videos, Remind prompts, or FlipGrid prompts, then saving them to use over and over in classes. Then I have them saved and ready to go, with the hope of doing specific and fun things for each class individually. Like you said, it is a goal for sure and I think it does become easier the more often we use these technology tools.

In response to your question, I think Loom has been the most effective for me, especially in MGT/420 classes. I find that students often have a tough time managing many aspects of a complicated essay. They tend to skip areas of importance and when I walk them through it in a Loom video, they generally seem to do a bit better. I think you can really see where you make an impact by looking at your End of Course Survey results too - if students take the time to comment on a technology tool, you know you are making an impact!

What about everyone else? Is there something you find more effective than others?

Hi there Kari!

Your comment is so true  - we have to know what students actually want! Isn't it interesting that when we think students are over something in our class, they really want more of it?

I have also had this experience. I have thought maybe I am overusing Loom to over-explain assignments and weekly announcements. I was surprised that many students really wanted more of it! Getting feedback from our students as to what they like can help us determine what to use and what not. 

How do you all get feedback from students, aside from end of course surveys? I use the Stop-Start-Continue method halfway through class, asking them what can I start doing, what can I stop doing, and what can I continue doing. I have asked in the forums and in FlipGrid as well! 

What works for you?

Hi there Michael!

Thanks so much for your comment!

I think many instructors feel that same way - that using technology takes time away from detailed feedback and engaging in deeper conversations. It also feels like it can be a lot of work that may not be worth the payoff. 

But like you mentioned, it actually can benefit students by providing something new and interesting! I was shocked at how many students really enjoyed FlipGrid when I first used it as well. My concern was that I did not want to take away from the great conversations happening in our Main Forum. I also did not want students who were not comfortable using FlipGrid to feel left out or pressured to take part if they did not want to. But really, I do not think anyone felt left out and I think the FlipGrid videos actually just enhanced our Main Forum conversations by adding a new and fun element. 

I think many of us just need to be a little more adventurous and try new aspects of technology to use in the classroom  -why not, right? :)

Week Two Wrap Up!

Thanks for following along with me this week!

During week two, we investigated the Pedagogy First website. Make sure you bookmark it for easy reference. What I find most helpful about this website is the ton of information about each technology tool – you can click on any tool to find out how to use it and suggestions on how to implement it in your classes. I think it would be a great goal to follow up in a new tool each month.

What did you think of the Pedagogy First website? Did you know about it previously? Any feedback or thoughts?

Hi Alli,

To answer your question I like to use Flipgrid to introduce each other. I think this is a good way to meet the class. I also use it to check in with them and make sure they are doing well. I teach for COE so I check to see how their practicum hours are going. It is a great tool to use in the classroom.

Jennifer

Hi Alli,

I could not agree more by integrating different forms of technology into their classes, but I have a feeling that many faculty simply become overwhelmed by the sheer number of options that are available to them. The Pedagogy First site does a great job of narrowing down options, but I have found it is best to stick with options (at least initially) that we feel comfortable with, especially since students will look to us for guidance when they encounter any issues with new technology in our classes. With that said, I have had some good experiences with Flipgrid, so I look forward to trying out Loom the next time I teach a class.

Welcome to Week Three of our Technology conversation!

This week is going to be cool…. We are going to jump into two easy to use technology tools that you can implement in your classes right away.

We’ll chat about Loom and Remind. I will also share some Loom videos from my own classes to get you thinking about how you can implement these in your classes quickly and painlessly! Isn’t that what we all love, right?

To get you on the same page, check out the Pedagogy First links to Remind and the link to the Loom website. Tomorrow, I will share some videos from my class (don’t laugh;))!

https://cirt.gcu.edu/teaching3/tools/remind

https://www.useloom.com/?newlook=yes

I use FlipGrid in the same way, Jennifer! Using FlipGrid for class intros is fun and casual. It lets students see that we are actual people - not just a random human behind a computer. I typically do my intros pretty informally, usually with my puppy on my lap and my big dog next to me. ;) I really think students love doing something like this to break up everything they do in LoudCloud.

Thanks, Jennifer! Anyone else doing something new in FlipGrid?

Great point, Michael - we absolutely need to take things slow and do what we are comfortable with initially. That was one thing that really held me back when I first started thinking about what types of technology to use in my classes. I did not feel good about any of the tools and did not want to look silly or uniformed in my classes. I think I really second guessed myself A LOT and that prevented me from getting started in this area. 

I really do think taking baby steps is the key - we do not have to be perfect, we have to be okay with not being Academy Award winning actors in our videos, and just take it one day at a time! :) 

Thank you, Michael!

Hi Alli,

Yes, Adobe Connect is easy to use! Though, the first time, I recorded a quick "mini lesson" for my classes without turning the microphone on...that was definitely a lesson learned :) Now, I need to use Loom regularly and with everything "make more time" to enhance my classes with tech tools! Fun times :)

Hi everyone!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Today I would like to share some ways that I use Loom in the classroom. To sum up Loom, it is a way to record short videos that either record your face while speaking, your screen, or a combo of both. Set up is easy! You use it right through Chrome. I found this video that is very helpful in explaining how to use it. While it is not teacher centered, I think her explanation is clear and concise on how to use Loom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PY6v9s1MU8

Once you get started, using it quickly is easy! Just open up Chrome, click on the widget, and the option to record opens right up!

So what can you use Loom for….? I use it for EVERYTHING! I use it for video announcements, assignment instructions, weekly lectures, and welcome to class announcements. It is just so easy and quick. You can always use it without the camera and just show your screen if you are not quite camera ready (I do this a lot if I just need to record something quickly).

You do get notifications when someone watches your video for the first time and students can leave you comments on your videos. Typically you will see emojis and you can see them right from clicking the widget in Chrome.

Here are a few of my personal Loom videos that I use in my classes. Feel free to take a peek and try not to laugh at me! ;)

https://www.useloom.com/share/9f49d55b23364f38b5ce0916850b6ab0

https://www.useloom.com/share/54d1315c95744daeaeeb55d4c8a36644

https://www.useloom.com/share/5f8015f8511643ea984d5d45950b7d22

Now…. What are you using Loom for in your classes? If you are not using Loom, what is holding you back? Please share and we can work through it together!

That is awesome, Marlene! This will be on my list to try! And good tip on making sure the microphone is on! That is absolutely something I would forget! :)

Thank you for sharing!

Hi everyone!

Now that you have seen some examples of Loom, let’s chat about Remind! Do any of you use currently use Remind?

Remind is a technology tool that allows text messages between instructors and students. It can be used as two way messaging (for students to ask questions and for you to respond) or for one way messaging on your behalf to send reminders or information to your students. You can also use this for student group chat, which would be pretty awesome for CLC projects and assignments! I have not used it in this format, but I will be trying it in the near future.

Check out the link below on the Pedagogy First website for some very interesting stats about how using Remind has made a difference in EOCS scores and student communication. Awesome, right?

For some strange reason, I avoided using Remind – which is simply CRAZY! It is SO easy to use and really manages itself. I post a note in each class (at the start) letting students know that I use Remind and it is a way to help ensure they stay on track in class…. Something like this:

Hi everyone!

I use an app called "Remind" that helps me reach out to my students to provide reminders (missing assignments, exam, or participation reminders, for example) that reach you via text message. I know not everyone checks the forums daily, so this is a great way to ensure you know what is going on in class.

I promise I will not inundate you with texts about class, I’ll just send friendly reminders when necessary!  

If you would like to sign up, I have provided a link below. Your personal information remains private and for this class, the communication is one way only, meaning if you have a question about a message, go ahead and reach out in your Individual Forum.

(PROVIDE LINK HERE)

I hope you enjoy this extra effort to support your success in class!

Then you set up your reminders through the app/website and you are set! Here is a short and sweet YouTube video that can also help walk you through it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngyVMIx-CVQ

See what I mean? So. Easy.

Are any of you using Remind? What do you use it for? If you are not using it, why not – let’s work through it! =)

Happy Friday everyone!

In relation to our conversation about Remind, I thought I would share what types of things I actually send a remind text for! Hopefully this will get you thinking about just what kind of information you can share. Remember that you do have a word count to stay within (think Twitter! – short and sweet!). Here are my text reminders for my MGT/420 course:

Week 1 

Welcome to MGT 420! Remember, if you have questions, visit LoudCloud to communicate with me there.

Week 2 Remind

Hello! You have an assignment due at the end of week two, as well as an exam. Please use template posted in this week's announcements! =)

Week 4 Remind

Hi! Remember to use the practice quiz to help prep for this week's exam due Sunday! Revisit the Exam Prep announcement from week 1 too!

Week 5 Remind

Hi! Remember to use the template in the announcements when working on the week 5 paper due Sunday! Send me questions in class! = )

Week 6 Remind

The week 6 assignment is a TEAM project! If you haven’t checked in with your team, do so ASAP, under Tasks tab! Exam due as well.

Week 8 Remind

Big week class! Use the template in the announcements for the wk. 8 paper and study for the exam. Finish strong!! =)

What types of information do you send through Remind?

Week Three Wrap Up!

Hi everyone!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween week and is having a wonderful November so far!

This was a great week in which we talked about using two easier technology tools – Loom and Remind. These are two of my favorites, as they are lower maintenance and easy to use over and over again. They also are pretty easy to start using.

What are your thoughts on either of them? Are there tools that you consider to be even more user-friendly? If so, please share! =)

I like Loom. I find it easy to use and I can model the assignment and do a wrap up an introduction for the next week. I find this is a great tool to connect with my students.

Same here, Jennifer! Plus, I really think Loom is easy to use, giving faculty that are new at using technology tools an easy way to get started. Thank you for sharing!

Here we go! It is our last week of our technology conversation!

This week, I would like to hear your success stories! I think hearing about how using these tools has made a positive impact in your teaching is very motivational. It can be tough to start using something new in the classroom. We are all creatures of habits and all very busy. Knowing that technology can make a positive impact on your students is just what we need to hear to keep learning and keep being creative.

So let’s hear them!

Hi everyone!

Happy Wednesday! I want to share one of my success stories, which also is a big reason I started using Loom. In one of my 400 level courses, I require that students use cited material in their initial DQ responses. I do ask that they define the terms being posed in the question, cite, and then apply that term in relation to the question. While some students get this without an issue, I have others that really struggle in this area. One of my students had a tough time and we tried numerous times to connect via phone about her questions. Finally, after playing phone tag a few times, I let her know I would make a brief video explaining how to do this.

I made the video, showing her how to do it in relation to her own DQ response in the forum and this literally changed her entire approach! Suddenly, she got it! She really said that it was not only helpful to see exactly what I mean with text and my voice, she also liked that she could go back through it if she had questions later.

I ended up making a general video about this requirement that I post at the start of class and I really find that students tend to do better after watching the video.

Any thoughts? What clicked for you guys?

Hi everyone!

I want to share another great story about FlipGrid! I was hesitant initially about using FlipGrid, mainly because I did not want great conversations going on within the FlipGrid app that not all students had access to. Of course, anyone can use the app and it is so easy to use, but not everyone actually uses it. After looking around at how other colleagues use FlipGrid, I decided to give it a go and look at it as a supplement to my classroom discussions.

We all know that in online classes, not all personalities really shine. It can be tough to really see who our students are in posts in the forums and FlipGrid completely changes that! We are able to see students getting creative and sharing things they are passionate about. We can hear it in their voices and see it on their faces – it is awesome! So even though not all of my students use FlipGrid regularly, the ones that do really love it. The benefit to me is that I feel I have really developed a stronger relationship with these students. It is another fun and exciting way to interact with our students! Plus, I have received really positive feedback from students. They like doing something different and having a chance to interact in a new way as well.

Any thoughts on FlipGrid? What are your positives to this tool?

Hi Alli and group!

I teach 4 undergraduate psychology courses and have used Remind.com extensively this semester. I have not only used it to "remind" students of assignments, class presentations, exams/quizzes, but most recently I used it to send "written praise" for scoring well on a statistics exam. Since I have 3 publications on written praise (this area is somewhat my niche) I am interested in using this technology to reinforce good work/behavior and the results it might yield in students quality of work, attendance, feeling valued or relationship building with me. I am gathering data at the end of the semester from students about the use of Remind and will report my results, if anyone is interested. 

I am also going to implement Loom into my next semester courses! Thanks for this discussion. I appreciate your ideas and will report later! 

Julie Nelson

Julie, I LOVE this idea!! I am going to copy you on this for sure!  :)

I really think it is such a nice surprise for students to get praise through the Remind system! I am already thinking of how I can implement this right away in my classes. Please do report back and share what you have learned. 

I cannot thank you enough for this great idea!

Workshop Wrap Up!

I just want to thank you for jumping into this deep (and a little chilly this time of year;)) pool of technology with me these last few weeks! I had a great time sharing some of my own ideas and tricks and hearing about yours as well! Here are the helpful websites that have been posted this week for future reference:

Pedagogy First: https://cirt.gcu.edu/pedagogyfirst

What is Remind: https://cirt.gcu.edu/teaching3/tools/remind

What is Loom: https://www.useloom.com/?newlook=yes

How to use Loom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PY6v9s1MU8

How to use Remind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngyVMIx-CVQ

Remember – get creative and do not be afraid to try something new! Your students will appreciate it and it will bring a new dimension to your class. Don’t expect perfection from yourself when trying out some of these tools – practice makes perfect!

If I can ever help with anything we have discussed in this workshop, please do not hesitate to reach out! Thank you so much and have a great week!

Alli Schilling

[email protected]

Alli, thanks for your response. I have three publications on written praise if interested. You can find them by searching for Julie A. Peterson Nelson and written praise ;)

My most recent publication is with a colleague, Jeffery Reber, on relational teaching. I also think it applies here as relational teaching is making the content personally relevant to students through application and through building relationships with them. We had some interesting findings in light of the fact that when you take time to discuss personal experiences and application of theories, you take away from time spent covering material in a broad way. Yet, students in this condition (the relational style teaching condition) scored better on the exam demonstrating that making the content personally relevant impacted their learning--and the academic outcome (grade on the exam).

I will be excited to gather some data from my students on whether they perceived Remind.com to be an effective way to communicate and whether this helped them know I care about them personally and if it facilitated our personal relationship. ;)

I'll report back for sure! Stay tuned. . . 

Julie Nelson

Hi Alli,

I'm just checking in with you now that I have the preliminary data I promised you all from my 3 psychological statistics courses on students' perceptions of my use of Remind.com to communicate with them. 

As you may know, statistics is a demanding course; students enter the classroom fearful of the content and the possibility of failure. A strategy I use is to over-communicate with them with full transparency about what they need to be successful—then use Remind.com to nudge them about assignment due dates, resources posted in the classroom, test dates, and our schedule in general. Last semester, I intermittently texted students who performed well on an exam to congratulate them. I was curious about the following questions, so below is a portion of the data I gathered. I had 45-46 responses to my Survey Monkey survey. I simply asked them to complete the survey; I did not give them extra credit for responses for any other rewards.  A follow up study will explore this topic and whether Remind.com is also related to their academic success.

Most responses were on a 7-point Likert-type scale: Strongly agree to Strongly disagree. 

Let me know if you have questions ;) Also, I shared this with Dr. Sherman Elliott who asked my permission to share it with the entire faculty. 

Thanks for letting me share it here!

Best, 

Julie

• Did you read Dr. Nelson’s Remind.com texts? 45/45 said Yes
• It was helpful to receive Dr. Nelson’s reminders about Chapter content, homework, Projects, Exams, etc. 
  • 41 strongly agree
  • 3 agree
  • 1 somewhat agree
• Receiving Dr. Nelson’s texts improved my grade in this course: 
  • 18 strongly agree
  • 15 agree
  • 6 somewhat agree
  • 6 neither agree nor disagree
  • 1 somewhat disagree
• Receiving Dr. Nelson’s texts improved my attendance: 
  • 26 strongly agree
  • 10 agree
  • 5 somewhat agree
  • 3 neither agree nor disagree
  • 2 somewhat disagree
• Receiving Dr. Nelson’s texts increased my enjoyment of this course: 
  • 24 strongly agree
  • 8 agree
  • 4 somewhat agree
  • 10 neither agree or disagree
• Receiving Dr. Nelson’s texts made me feel like Dr. Nelson cares about my academic success: 
  • 38 strongly agree
  • 8 agree
• I feel like Dr. Nelson cares about me personally: 
  • 31 strongly agree
  • 13 agree
  • 2 somewhat agree