The Fusion Project provides critical training and support for faculty as they continue to navigate online teaching as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and offers instruction for how to integrate community engagement methodologies into existing curricula to improve the quality of course delivery and foster student engagement. As part of the Fusion Project, in partnership with Maine Campus Compact, we are offering a series of 4 free webinars to provide added support to faculty with the generous support of the Davis Educational Foundation.
All webinars in this series are offered free of charge.
Sessions
Re-Imagining Engagement and Partnerships During Virtual CEL
Friday, March 12, 2021, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Regardless of the need to pivot Community Engaged Learning (CEL) to remote and virtual platforms, we can still develop meaningful community partnerships and engaging experiences for our students. In fact, the pandemic has increased the urgency for human-centric experiences and ways to address the needs in our community. This presentation will first focus on best practices of reciprocity, and the challenges and unexpected gifts of achieving that virtually. Next will be a presentation (and small group discussions) of the 4 Ps of engagement, technology and organizational tools, and reflection assignments that can facilitate successful virtual CEL.
Presented by:
Lynn Donahue - St. John Fisher University
Preparing Students for Remote Learning and Assessing/Evaluating Student Learning in an Online Setting
Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
The shift to remote learning this past year has highlighted challenges and opportunities for both preparing students for online learning environments and incorporating effective assessment and evaluation of student learning in an online setting. Additional challenges and opportunities emerge when community-engaged learning is at the center of your course. The goal of this session is to provide frameworks, examples, and resources as well as time with peers to discuss next steps for implementation in your own community-engaged online courses.
Effective community-engaged learning begins with specific community and student learning goals, including academic/disciplinary, professional, personal, and civic. These can serve as a beacon that participants use to navigate remote and virtual CEL. This webinar will also introduce participants to the development of goals and outcomes for CEL and preparation of students for the learning process unique to online environments. Additionally, the session will include examples and resources on how to use inclusive teaching strategies to build classroom community and surface students’ assets and needs, incorporate transparent assignment design principles, and use digital tools to support assignment and assessment design and facilitation.
Presented by:
Jane Turk - Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact
Lynn Donahue - St. John Fisher University
Equalizing Online Learning
Friday, April 2, 2021, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
RESCHEDULED
This session will focus on strategies for addressing the challenges in a remote teaching environment, including equity and accessibility issues; effective approaches for building community in an online setting and communicating expectations and strategies for student success.
Presented by:
Selena Kohel - Cottey College
Flipping the Online Classroom
Thursday, April 8, 2021, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
This session will focus on designing and implementing courses with high levels of student interaction, engagement, and community-based learning. We will introduce strategies and approaches for enhancing students' skills in leadership, teamwork, and problem solving through supportive learning communities, student-led activities, and student-directed learning. We will discuss strategies for balancing and effectively utilizing both synchronous and asynchronous class time in order to make courses meaningful, relevant, and content-rich. Participants will leave the session with concrete plans and goals to support students' online learning experiences with a "flipped" mindset and approach.
Presented by:
Audrey Falk - Merrimack College
This Fusion Project is supported by the Davis Educational Foundation established by Stanton and Elisabeth Davis after Mr. Davis' retirement as chairman of Shaw's Supermarkets, Inc.
Questions? Contact Sally at sally@mainecompact.org.
