Conference Theme:
Moving Forward Together in a Rapidly Changing Academic Environment:  Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Challenges

The Ramapo College FRC and IDC are planning a virtual Faculty Teach & Share on Monday, May 24, and the morning of May 25. We will collectively share what we have learned about remote and hybrid/blended (in-person and remote) teaching and learning due to the impact of COVID-19 on teaching this past year. We will discuss what worked, what challenges we faced, how we negotiated our work-life balance, and how we can adapt to the teaching environment we will encounter this coming year.

We will share best practices on how to retain the digital teaching enhancements derived during the pandemic while at the same time learning how to re-negotiate in-person/on-campus spaces for both our students and ourselves. Join us to be part of this important conversation.

Register for Day 2

Moderators: Tammi Redd, FRC Director; and Michael Bitz, IDC Director

Day 2 Schedule – May 25

10-10:30 a.m.

Nag-Free Strategies to Get your Students on Camera

A major concern heard from faculty about online teaching is that they don’t like to teach to blank boxes.  Faculty members miss seeing their students’ faces, and the dynamic and interactive feeling of the classroom is not present when we can’t read our students’ reactions.  Faculty members have debated the potential benefits and challenges of “camera on” policies, and other strategies to encourage students to be on camera, however the frustrating phenomenon of teaching to a blank screen continues in many virtual classrooms.  In this presentation, we will briefly discuss some of the issues that may prevent students from feeling comfortable on camera in virtual classes.  The bulk of our conversation, however, will focus on nagging-free, policy-free strategies that have worked for one faculty member.  A faculty member who had the benefit of over a decade of online teaching prior to the pandemic will model and share their positive and proactive strategies for encouraging camera use in classes, and participants will be welcome to share their successes and challenges as well.

Presenter:  Colleen Martinez (SSHS)

10:30-11 a.m.

Teaching Practice Skills in a Virtual Classroom

The Covid 19 pandemic caused major disruptions in social work field practica. Many traditional fieldwork assignments where students traditionally would meet face to face with a real client had to be adjusted to more theoretically based assignments, therefore impacting students’ real-life opportunities for practicing skills. This challenge was compounded with the transition to virtual learning that for many students and professors seemed not the ideal medium for teaching and learning practice skills. As with many crises, the Covid 19 pandemic has provided many of us with an opportunity to grow. To respond to the learning needs of social work students whose field placements had been disrupted and to keep up with the practice standards of teaching foundation social work skills in person, this presenter examined her own pedagogical stance and teaching skills and used the available technology to teach social practice skills virtually in an effective manner.

This presentation will demonstrate that teaching practice skills in the foundation year of BSW (Bachelors Social Work) and MSW (Master Social Work) courses in a virtual classroom can be done effectively. The presenter will describe the use of breakout rooms and students’ video recordings as tools that can effectively foster learning of practice skills and enhanced students’ self-reflection on their own learning. In addition, the presenter will share anecdotal feedback from students’ experiences on their learning of practice skills virtually during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Presenter: Dolly Sacristan(SSHS)

11- 11:30 a.m.

Raising Voices: Digital Audio for Class Engagement

Digital audio solutions can be a great way to engage virtual and hybrid students asynchronously. While there are many ways to communicate virtually, only audio and video provide the opportunity for the personal touch that the human voice carries. However, as the mosaics of initials we’ve faced this past year prove, students aren’t always willing to bring the classroom into their worlds via video. Audio is a great compromise, allowing for a personal connection while giving students the flexibility of how much to share. In this presentation, we will explore some effective ways digital audio tools built right into Canvas can be used to engage students in class discussions, as well as a supplement to written communication for providing feedback and assessment, all in an asynchronous environment. We will also briefly cover some of the audio-focused tools beyond Canvas, such as podcasting with Soundtrap and “no-vid” Flipgrids for sharing digital whiteboards and other virtual visual aids.

Presenter:  Brendan Flanagan (FYS)

11:30 a.m.- 12 p.m.

Roadrunner Collegiate Recovery and Faculty:  The Fusion Begins!

The Roadrunner Collegiate Recovery Program is a supportive environment within the campus culture that reinforces the decision to disengage from an addictive behavior(s). Educational Opportunity alongside recovery support is there to ensure that students do not have to sacrifice one for the other. Accountability for recovering students comes from both higher education staff and campus peers. A normative college experience unfolds for individuals with addictive disorders apart from the culture of drinking that is present on today’s campuses

The Recovery Allies Fusion (R.A.F.), a major component of the RCRP, is to incorporate students, faculty, staff, alumni family, and friends:

For decades substance use and college campuses have been talked about as an inevitable “rite of passage” for college students, creating a norm that can far out shadow the dynamic pursuits of college students that revolve around academics, leadership, and future opportunities.

R.A.F. will engage the community in dialogue that changes the culture of campus substance use from one of misuse to one of well-being…..in the classroom, with Social Media, within conversation with others.  As those in the RCRP lead the way with their personal growth from within, the R.A.F. will provide great support from our campus community and beyond.

Presenter: Corliss Rosenkranz (Center for Health and Counseling Services)