Key Quote: “I needed to do something to make them feel as comfortable as possible.”

Assignment challenge: Moving face-to-face theory classes to online

Some creative maneuvering allowed baking students to continue to attend face-to-face classes for the skills-based, hands-on portion of their program.  However, the theory portion of the course shifted entirely online.  Baking students would attend in groups of 8 for one week of practical instruction, followed by one week of online instruction.  Rita’s biggest challenge was how to structure the online portion clearly enough for students.  In effect, she wanted “to make the learning pathway clear.”

Solution: Creating a clear path for student learning

Rita found that for the most part, asynchronous delivery was better for her and her students because of its flexibility and because of the theoretical content of the course. Therefore, she decided to keep synchronous zoom discussions to once or twice a week for approximately one hour each. For the asynchronous portion of the course students work on VIULearn, where each learning sequence is broken down into steps. Rita wanted to create a very clear pathway through the material and so everything the students need to know is listed in the “Dates and restrictions” area of the course.

  1. Each module begins with a case study which includes key questions that try to help students discover key information and concepts that will be addressed in the module.
  2. Students then view a video or read an article related to the case study. Rita’s videos are chunked and broken down into 10 minute pieces.
  3. Students can then revisit the case study and adjust their answer.
  4. Each zoom session includes a breakout room where students collaborate on a related problem or  case and report out.
  5. After each module, there is a summative discussion or assignment.