Overview
Planning courses during a pandemic brings a significant level of uncertainty. Despite this, Champlain remains committed to student-centered and universal design for learning, the empowerment of faculty choice and creativity, and nimble and adaptive planning. For these reasons Champlain College courses will be designed as flex-hybrid and all courses will be designed to meet mandatory Course Standards, approved by the Provost’s Office, to ensure a consistency of the students’ learning experiences.
We know that you are investing significant time and energy this summer to prepare your courses, and we are there to support you every step of the way. To aid this work, the Provost’s Office has outlined a four-phase process for course design and planning. The first step in the process is the Kickoff Conversation, an opportunity for you to chat with a pedagogy or student experience expert about your goals and needs. Together, we will ensure that all courses meet the standards.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Kickoff Conversation
What can I expect?
When you meet with one of the members of the Kickoff Team, they will help you determine your desired level of support and assess your needs. During the conversation, which will last approximately 30 minutes, the team member will ask you a set of questions about your experiences with remote instruction in spring 2020, the strategies you are considering for fall, your comfort and experience level with Canvas, and the kinds of support you would like. The kickoff team member will make some suggestions about how to proceed through the process, which might include recommending CLT 1-1 support or referring you to a peer support and review team in your division, and may help you schedule a first meeting with the Design Team. They will also answer any questions that you have about the course standards.
The kickoff team member will not be able to offer suggestions for specific strategies for your courses. That kind of consultation comes in the design phase. The purpose of this meeting is simply to refer each faculty member to the process that is most useful for them.
How do I sign up?
You can sign up for a 30-minute conversation with one of our Kickoff Team members here. Full-time faculty, please schedule your meeting to be completed by June 26. Part-time faculty will have kickoff priority starting July 1.
Pre-meeting Reflection Questions
Considering the following questions in advance will help you communicate your needs in the kickoff meeting:
- After reviewing the Course Standards, do you have any questions about them?
- What kinds of support do you need meeting the standards for Fall 2020?
- What is your comfort level with the following aspects of Canvas?
- What additional resources would be helpful to you supporting your teaching philosophy, course vision, and/or educational technology use?
- Do you prefer to work with the Design Team (one-on-ones with CLT staff or other pedagogical experts), or with a peer or peer group in your division?
- What commitments do you have this summer? (Please have your calendar available so we can help you plan around them.)
Other questions the Kickoff Team member will ask you include whether you’ve taught your courses before, whether any will have multiple sections, whether you are part of a Master Course development project or are teaching a course that will have a Master Course, and whether you have access to your or others’ past syllabi.
About the Kickoff Team
The Kickoff Team includes experts in pedagogy, educational technology, curriculum, and student learning experiences. You’ll be matched with one of them at random based on schedule and availability.
- Freddy Angel – Senior Developer (CLT)
- Josh Blumberg – Director of Academic Technology
- Cyndi Brandenburg – Professor (Core), Special Assistant to the Provost
- Beth Dietrich – Outreach Librarian
- Miriam Horne – Associate Professor (Core), Faculty Liaison to CLT
- Ursula Jones – Project Manager (IS and CLT)
- Rebecca Mills – Senior Director of Learning and Teaching
- Craig Pepin – Professor and Assistant Dean (Core)
- Tony Perriello – Associate Professor and Assistant Dean (EHS)
- Caroline Toy – Learning Experience Designer
- Leslie Van Wagner – Associate Director of Academic Coaching
- Ellen Zeman – Director of Assessment, Curriculum, and Accreditation
And others to be determined!