The Anatomy of Learning

sending cues of trust & belonging from the first click

Michelle Pacansky-Brock

Faculty Mentor, Online Teaching & Learning

California Community Colleges, CVC-OEI/@ONE

@brocansky • brocansky.com

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Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

August 11 - 13, 2020

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#HumanizeOL

Session Description

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To navigate through these unknown and traumatic times, educators must be knowledgeable about how learning happens (and why it often does not). Recognizing the affective and cognitive dimensions of learning illuminates the need to understand our students as humans with rich, complicated stories and foster positive instructor-student relationships at a distance to ensure all students are poised for success. This session will illuminate how humanized online teaching provides a foundation of trust you can build upon in your course and foster rigor through empathy.

OnlineNetworkofEducators.org/HumanizingChallenge

To me, being an equity-minded educator requires me to:

1. Make a commitment to improving my knowledge about the experiences of humans who are Black, Latinx, Indigenous, other people of color, LGBTQIA, or/and physically or cognitively different;
2. Continuously strive to see the privileges I have been and continue to be afforded by the color of my skin, my cisgender, my heterosexuality, my abled-body;
3. Intentionally connect with, make space for, and learn from my diverse colleagues;
4. Continue to make changes in my teaching practices;
5. Share equity-minded online teaching practices that work;
6. Remove my emotional armor and engage in conversations about race and ethnicity;
7. Recognize that I will make mistakes and that is good because mistakes are evidence of one’s effort to grow

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Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.

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-Alexander den Heijer

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

“Online” is not the problem.

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Lack of human connection is a barrier that exacerbates equity gaps in online courses.

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Rendón, L. (2009) Sentipensante (Sensing/Thinking) Pedagogy, Stylus Publishing.

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Rendón, L. (2009) Sentipensante (Sensing/Thinking) Pedagogy, Stylus Publishing.

“While delivering content knowledge is important, teaching is about much more than that. It also involves addressing the social-emotional needs of students. Both professors and students can relate to experiencing varying emotions through this time. Listen to students, and check-in with us if you can, because we need to know our professors are there and that they care. We need to know that you are human too and that we can come to you if the class gets too overwhelming for us to handle on our own. ... ”

• Megan Corieri, California community college student

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Read Megan’s Article

“There have been many times that I have had to shut my camera off in class, have a good cry, and come back. We are living through unprecedented times, and now more than ever it is important to have empathy, kindness, and patience.”

• Megan Corieri, California community college student

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Read Megan’s Article

Trauma and Learning

• Trauma changes the brain�
• Executive functioning and self-regulation skills are derailed
• Inability to plan, focus, remember, juggle�
• A traumatized brain continuously scans an environment for danger and safety cues�
• What are those cues in your online course?
• How do we foster safety and trust online?

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Trauma-aware Teaching Checklist by Karen Costa

“Trust is taking something important to you and making it vulnerable to another.”

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Charles Felman, Thin Book of Trust

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“Instructor-student relationships lie at the heart of humanizing” online courses, “serving as the connective tissue between students, engagement, and rigor.”

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Humanized Online Teaching

Pacansky-Brock, M., Smedshammer, M., & Vincent-Layton, K. (2020). Humanizing Online Teaching to Equitize Higher Education. Current Issues in Education, 21(2).

Pacansky-Brock, Smedshammer, Vincent-Layton (2020)

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

“The less we know about people, �the more we make up.”

-Donna Y. Ford

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Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Our students are not underprepared. They are prepared differently.�

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

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Hammond, Z. L. (2014). Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Corwin Publishers.

Education is not neutral.

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Classroom studies document the fact that underserved English learners, poor students, and students of color routinely receive less instruction in higher order skills development than other students (Allington and McGill-Franzen, 1989; Darling-Hammond, 2001; Oakes, 2005). [This] denies students the opportunity to engage in what neuroscientists call productive struggle that actually grows our brain power (Means & Knapp, 1991; Ritchhart, 2002). As a result, a disproportionate number of culturally and linguistically diverse students are dependent learners.

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Zaretta Hammond, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, pp. 12-13.

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

What course design features influences online community college student performance most?

Jaggars, S. S. & Xu, D. (2016). How do online course design features influence student performance? Computers & Education, 95, April 2016, 270-284.

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

(An instructor who cares)

Teaching & Learning Innovations at CSU Channel Islands, CC-BY-NC

California Community Colleges, CVC-OEI/@ONE, CC-BY

start at :50

Principles of Humanized Online Teaching

presence

empathy

awareness

Don’t be a robot.

See things through your students’ eyes.

Know your students.

Get the infographic: How to Humanize Your Online Class

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• When an instructor took time to learn my name.
• When an instructor said, “You can do this, and I am going to help you.”
• When an instructor became a partner in my learning
• When faculty encouraged student to support each other

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Munoz, S. & Rendón, L. (2011). Revisiting validation theory: Theoretical foundations, applications, and extensions. Enrollment Management Journal. 5. 12-33.

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Validation Theory

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“I don’t think I can do this.”

“I’ve got this!”

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• Starts with cultivating positive instructor-student relationships

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• Relationships are leveraged to increase academic performance. �
• Producing a high level of academic work becomes a reciprocal obligation between student and teacher�
• Students push themselves beyond their perceived ability so they do not let their teacher down

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Warm Demanders Foster Rigor through Empathy

Kleinfeld, J. (1972). Effective Teachers of Indian and Eskimo High School Students. Institute of Social, Economic and Government Research, University of Alaska

Kleinfeld, J. (1975). Effective teachers of Eskimo and Indian students. School Review, 83, 301–344.

Dependent

Learner

Independent

Learner

Positive instructor-student relationships are key to supporting the success of more students … face-to-face and online.

How do we do this online?

Photo by Nikita Taparia on Unsplash

Relationships start with psychological safety and creating psychological safety requires us to take off our emotional armor and be vulnerable.

Brené Brown

Registration

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2007). A question of belonging: Race, social fit, and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(1), 82.

Reduce “belongingness uncertainty”

(Walton & Cohen, 2007)

Develop a Liquid Syllabus

“I trust you. I am here for you.”

Example by Katie Wittman-Conklin

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Pacansky-Brock, (2014) and Pacansky-Brock, Smedshammer, Vincent-Layton, (2020)

Video by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY

Example by Katie Wittman-Conklin

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Pacansky-Brock, (2014) and Pacansky-Brock, Smedshammer, Vincent-Layton, (2020)

• Supportive, hopeful language
• Tips for success
• Created with a website tool (Google Sites)
• Public
• Phone-friendly
• Starts with a captioned brief, imperfect welcome

Tell Stories

• Vulnerability breeds empathy
• Empathy breeds connection
• Neural coupling -- yes, it is brain science
• Culturally inclusive

Photo by Nikita Taparia on Unsplash

Create a Learning Pact

“I am a partner in your learning”

1. I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.
2. I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.
3. I will be actively present in your learning.
4. I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
5. I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
6. I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.
7. I won't be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
8. Is there anything else you’d like to add to this list?

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What you can expect from me:

• You will strive to be an active participant in this course and strive to meet due dates.
• You will maintain and open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
• You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
• You strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.
• You will treat your peers with dignity and respect.
• You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them. We will get through them together.
• You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and you are stressed.
• Is there anything else you would like to add to this list?
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What I will expect from you:

This learning pact by Michelle Pacansky-Brock is shared in the public domain. You are free to adapt as you wish for your own teaching without permission.

View graphic on Twitter

Tips!

• Use Canva.com
• Add descriptive alt-text to ensure it is accessible to all.

Use a Getting to Know You Survey

Identify your high opportunity students.

• What are your preferred pronouns?
• I will leave you feedback in video format. Does that work for you?
• Yes, sounds great.
• No, thanks. I prefer written feedback.
• In one word, describe how you are feeling about this class.
• Please share one thing that may interfere with your success in this class.

See a Google Forms sample: brocansky.com/humanizing/student-info

Import from the Canvas Commons: Search for #HumanizingSTEM

Adapt Your Teaching

“I see you. And I’m going to support you.”

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• Enable the Notes column in the Canvas gradebook.�
• Take notes about what you learn from the survey. �
• Track activity and performance.�
• Reach out directly before it’s too late.�
• Record voice and video feedback in the gradebook.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Self-Affirming Ice Breaker

• Prompt: Share a photograph of someone/something important to you and share why.

Self-Affirming Ice Breaker

• Prompt: What do you still do?

“Wisdom Wall” Assignment(s)

Metacognition • Growth Mindset • Self-Efficacy

Pacansky-Brock, M. (2017). Best practices for teaching with emerging technologies (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

“Advice Wall”

Metacognition • Growth Mindset • Self-Efficacy

By Laura Gibbs, University of Oklahoma

Be a warm demander.

“I believe in you. You can do this”

Photo by Michel Paz on Unsplash

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

Kleinfeld, J. (1972). Effective Teachers of Indian and Eskimo High School Students. Institute of Social, Economic and Government Research, University of Alaska

Kleinfeld, J. (1975). Effective teachers of Eskimo and Indian students. School Review, 83, 301–344.

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• Personal warmth (as opposed to professional distance)
• There is intentional focus at the start of the term on positive instructor-student and student-student relationships.�
• Active demanding (as opposed to passive understanding)
• Occurs only after rapport is established.
• Pushes back persistently on negative stereotypes that are likely to influence the mindsets of minoritized students.
• Intrusive demanding is interpreted as care by students�
• Affirms effort and ability
• Feedback includes phrases like, “I know you can do this,” “Look what you just did! You’re so smart.” “I believe in you.”

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Recognizing, valuing, and supporting the affective dimensions of learning:

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

• Are not soft skills - this is hard, courageous work
• Are components of anti-racist pedagogy
• Ensure learning is anchored in psychological safety and positive relationships
• Set the state for transformative, liberatory pedagogy

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photo by Hazel Marie on Flickr, CC-BY-ND

Humanized Online Teaching

1. Cultivate trust and connection through human presence.
2. Be a partner in your students’ learning.
3. Get to know your students and identify your high opportunity learners.
4. Make your students’ experiences part of the learning environment – make their learning progress visible.
5. Be a warm demander.

Slide by Michelle Pacansky-Brock, CC-BY-NC

sends cues of caring and belonging from the first click

What’s ahead for Day 1?

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2:30pm PT - Taking Off Our Emotional Armor: Reflections from First Time Online Instructors with Dayamudra Dennehy and Gayathri Manikandan

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Self-guided activities

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OnlineNetworkofEducators.org/HumanizingChallenge

#HumanizeOL

YOU GOT THIS!

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Michelle Pacansky-Brock • brocansky.com

References & Resources

• Munoz, S. & Rendón, L. (2011). Revisiting validation theory: Theoretical foundations, applications, and extensions. Enrollment Management Journal. 5. 12-33.

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• Estrada, M., Eroy-Reveles, A., & Matsui, J. (2018). The Influence of Affirming Kindness and Community on Broadening Participation in STEM Career Pathways. Social issues and policy review, 12(1), 258–297. doi:10.1111/sipr.12046

• Kleinfeld, J. (1972). Effective Teachers of Indian and Eskimo High School Students. Institute of Social, Economic and Government Research, University of Alaska
• Kleinfeld, J. (1975). Effective teachers of Eskimo and Indian students. School Review, 83, 301–344.

​

• Jaggars, S. S. & Xu, D. (2016). How do online course design features influence student performance? Computers & Education, 95, April 2016, 270-284.

• Pacansky-Brock, M., Smedshammer, M., & Vincent-Layton, K. (2020). Humanizing Online Teaching to Equitize Higher Education. Current Issues in Education, 21(2).

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• Spitzer, B. and Aronson, J. (2015). Minding and mending the gap: Social psychological interventions to reduce educational disparities. The British Psychological Society, 85, 1-18.�
• Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2007). A question of belonging: Race, social fit, and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(1), 82.

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• Hammond, Z. L. (2014). Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Corwin Publishers.