New Year, New Unknowns some helpful resources for you

Given Twitter’s importance to how we communicate and share ideas in our country right now, I recently turned to Twitter for some ideas for getting acquainted with our students at the beginning of a semester:

As I’m getting to know my new group of students, today I asked them to go around and say what the first thing they’ll do when the pandemic is over. I was so touched by their sweet and quirky answers, and I learned so much about them.

— Dr Michelle Yeo (@michelleryeo) January 13, 2021

I love getting to know students during the first classes. I asked one group to name the favorite gift that they gave to someone over the past year and asked another group to share their favorite TV show or movie. Interesting ways to learn about others. #TeacherLife #Education

— Dr. Melanie Peacock MBA, PhD, CPHR, SHRM-SCP (@doublempeacock) January 13, 2021

Perhaps you have an idea or a strategy that you would like to share with others at Chapman?  If so, please consider posting a tweet using the hashtag “#ChapmanUteaches” or send it to me via email (remy@chapman.edu).

I will keep this month’s newsletter brief, because I know we are all managing a great deal of cognitive overload right now. Let me just share a handful links to resources that you can use right now, to begin the spring semester:

• JanCon (teaching conference) info and registration
• Steps to copy course materials from a previous semester
• Tips for smoother breakout rooms in Zoom
• Resources for HyFlex teaching
• Link to schedule an appointment for an in-classroom technology training session
• Pointers on how to teach while wearing a mask
• A handy checklist for Canvas course readiness

PS: Congratulations to Uri Maoz for winning last month’s giveaway! I will have another opportunity to win in next month’s newsletter, so stay tuned.