Think back to your college days…what classes do you remember most? Chances are, regardless of major or credits earned, they’re probably the ones that unexpectedly changed your perspective, where an instructor seemed to go the extra mile to help you, or in which you felt a true sense of belonging. What your most memorable classes all have in common is that they engaged you. Now, just how did those instructors do it?
That’s the question we set out to answer in our latest webinar, Teaching Communications Online: Empowering Student Engagement, Collaboration and Interaction. During this webinar, the New Mexico State University Alamogordo and the Iowa Community College Online Consortium (ICCOC) discussed the strategies they use for engaging students in online communications and public speaking classes. During your re-watch, you’ll discover techniques and practical tips designed to captivate your students and elevate their learning experience, including using video, peer reviews, polling for feedback, social media, and more. Polling as feedback
Watch the Webinar Replay
In a recent webinar, English Professor at New Mexico State University Alamogordo, Tanya Allred, and Instructional Designer/Lead Faculty Trainer
from the ICCOC, Kelly Marcus, shared their experiences and highlighted the key points regarding the successful use of Harmonize in their respective courses. This article summarizes these key points to provide insights and guidance for educators and students seeking to optimize their use of Harmonize.
Engaging Students in Public Speaking Classes
A major focus of the discussion was on enhancing student engagement in public speaking classes. Kelly Marcus shared her approach of using small group activities and peer review to make students more comfortable sharing their speeches. Breaking the class into smaller groups, students review and provide feedback on specific sections of each other’s speeches, encouraging interaction and collaboration. Kelly also emphasized the use of milestones, or multiple due dates, and video uploads to track progress and motivate students to implement feedback effectively.
Mitch Kantor, another panelist, explained how he conducts synchronous online classes via Zoom. To promote engagement and balanced feedback, Mitch utilizes small group discussions for speech critiques. He also highlights the importance of clear instructions and prompts aligned with the grading rubric to ensure effective evaluations. Additionally, Mitch experiments with delivering critiques through video, pushing the boundaries of traditional feedback methods.
Building a Sense of Community
Creating a sense of community among students is vital in an online environment. The panelists expressed how Harmonize helps to foster this connection and prevent students from disengaging from the course. Instead of solely relying on text-based discussions, the speakers encouraged students to use various media tools within Harmonize, such as videos and audio recordings, to communicate with each other. This multimedia approach not only enhances out-of-class communication but also builds a stronger community among students — with speakers commenting that because of Harmonize, students don’t drop their course anymore!
Rubrics for Streamlined Evaluation and Feedback
Rubrics play a crucial role in evaluating student work. The panelists discussed their experiences with integrating rubrics into assignments, a new AI-driven feature Harmonize offers. Although not yet fully explored, the panelists anticipated that this feature would streamline the evaluation process, saving valuable time for instructors.
Multiple Perspectives on Teaching Communications Online
Throughout the discussion, each panelist offered their unique perspectives on teaching communication courses online. Tanya Allred shared her experiences in a technical communications discussion class, where she requires students to make a minimum of 12 comments per week. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find that her students consistently exceed this requirement, with an average of 20 comments per student. This exceptional participation showcased the students’ deep engagement in the class.
Leveraging Technology for Interactive Assignments
Innovative assignment techniques were also discussed during the webinar. One speaker mentioned incorporating TikTok-style videos for informative speeches, infusing an element of fun and engagement into the coursework. Another highlighted the use of polls in Harmonize, allowing for immediate feedback and the ability for students to vote on various aspects of their peers’ speeches, such as the effectiveness of their introductions.
Teaching Digital Audio Production with Harmonize
Expanding beyond communication courses, one of the speakers shared their experience in teaching digital audio production. Using tracks from the Lexington Lab Band, students gain practical experience in recording, editing, and tracking audio. Watching the band’s music videos as references, students unleash their creativity by creating their own versions of the songs, incorporating effects and personal touches. Harmonize provides a platform where students can post their MP3 files, enabling valuable critiques from peers.
Social Annotation for Effective Communication and Speech Classes
Towards the end of the webinar, the topic of social annotation was explored. Utilizing tools like Hypothesis and Perusall for PDF social annotations, one speaker highlighted their application in a public speaking class. The ability to analyze rhetorical strategies in videos and texts through annotations proved to be highly engaging for students. Furthermore, instructors found the ease of use of the social annotation tool in comparison to other platforms to be a significant advantage.
Using Harmonize for teaching communications online has enabled diverse methodologies, such as debates, speech peer review and moderated discussions. With Harmonize, educators can foster a sense of community, empower students through peer feedback and self-reflection, and enhance critical thinking skills.
