Making the pivot to online learning From studying about a pandemic to teaching and learning through one, Culver faculty and students had to quickly adjust to new ways of instruction last spring. Here are five examples of how instructors and their students made the transition from classroom to online learning work this spring.
over. But, in one sense, the pandemic was “perfect timing” for the students to put into practice what they were learning. “It led to some really great conversations” during their Zoom classroom sessions, Vinson said. The transition from school to home gave students time to reflect on their own behaviors and what they would do better or, at least, differently.
The students asked if that could really happen, she said. On March 13, they got their answer. Everyone was sent home. By April 1, the Culver faculty was teaching remotely to students who were spread across the nation and around the world. The Health Behaviors program covers global health, mental health, fitness and nutrition, chemical and substance abuse, and human relationships. Based on the PEMMSS (Physically, Emotionally, Mentally, Morally, Socially, and Spiritual) model, Vinson leads sophomores and third-classmen through a variety of exercises and discussions covering their personal wellness and the health and wellness of those around them. What she really didn’t expect was the students to start putting what they learned into action when the coronavirus pandemic sent everyone home before classes were
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FALL 2020
Making the material relevant “My students are the best part of this job,” Aaron Bardo, who has been teaching Spanish for three years, said. “In my class, we like to have fun while we learn. In order to do so in a meaningful way, I am constantly seeking ways to improve the curriculum and the classroom experience.”
Yes, it can happen Shortly before Culver Academies closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, wellness instructor Chantel Vinson was showing her Foundations of Health Behaviors class the 2011 movie “Contagion.” The movie description reads “Healthcare professional, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.”
watched the taped sessions, which often featured his face as Vinson’s background. “I would have the kids say ‘Hi Henry’ so he knew we were thinking of him.” To make up for the time difference, she would also meet with him in the early morning as he needed.
Chantel Vinson
The students were following the leadership model during these discussions, she said. “I really enjoyed the classes a lot.” Finding content that covered the curriculum was not that different, Vinson said, because so much has been produced. Students were able to use existing technology to do their research, then choose the platforms of their choice to produce their work.
And his efforts have not gone unnoticed. He received the 2020 Ralph N. Manuel Award for the teacher who “best exemplifies the ideals of Culver.” The recognition is special because it is voted on by the students. High praise coming at a time when much of Bardo’s instruction came during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown period. Bardo said he wants “to inspire my students to be the protagonists of their own learning. I try to enable them to feel comfortable, have fun and create community in order to learn more about their own culture and those of the world around them.” He worked to maintain those ideals when Culver switched to online learning in April.
Vinson also gave her students bonus points for making videos of them cooking, dining, and being in close quarters with family members. She was especially excited to see the quality of their public service announcements about mental health during the pandemic.
“I have found that one of the best ways of getting students invested in online learning is to make sure that all the material is relevant,” he said. “Current events seen through the lens of social media have really gotten my Spanish 3 students to learn much more about the U.S. and Latin America during these unsettling times.”
“They did some incredible work,” she said. “I think they did better work because they had more space and time at their disposal.”
A department of one
The one Asian student in the class, Henry,
Senior instructor Cali (Girard) Miller has had a lot happen in the past six months.