Skip to main content
COVID Coffee Chats @UCalgary

COVID Coffee Chats @UCalgary

By Maya Anderson

A podcast about teaching and learning through COVID 19 @UCalgary
Available on
Google Podcasts Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

Episode 5: Active and Adaptive Online Learning with Mohammad Moshipour

COVID Coffee Chats @UCalgaryNov 23, 2020

00:00
26:47
Episode 13: Building Robust Online Learning with Natasha Kenny

Episode 13: Building Robust Online Learning with Natasha Kenny

In this episode, Natasha Kenny, senior director of the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, shares with us her insights on this extraordinary story of resilience and perseverance through our transition to online learning. She talks about collaborating with our teaching and learning leaders to create teaching and continuity resources to support academic staff through our transition to online learning. She discusses the difference between emergency remote learning and intentional design of continuous online learning. She chats about the process of creating robust online learning, including intentional thought about how we integrate asynchronous and synchronous learning, how we scaffold learning, how we design meaningful assessments, and how we continue to build relationships in our online teaching and learning environments. 


 

Dec 31, 202028:43
Episode 12: Field Experiences in a Distance World with Angela Judge-Stasiak

Episode 12: Field Experiences in a Distance World with Angela Judge-Stasiak

In this episode, Angela Judge-Stasiak, field education coordinator in the Faculty of Social Work, shares with us her insights on how to coordinating and supporting field education experiences in distance learning format. She discusses her thoughts on thinking creatively around field experiences and the benefits of utilizing self-directed practicum to allow students to have meaningful experiences while they connect with peers and the social work community. She stresses the importance of continuing self-directed practicum practices and offering these as an option when we move back into the face to face scenario. 

Dec 30, 202020:48
Episode 11: Supporting Graduate Students with Alex Paquette

Episode 11: Supporting Graduate Students with Alex Paquette

In this episode, Alex Paquette, doctoral candidate in Bioengineering and Graduate Students Association VP Academic, talks about the challenges of conducting research during COVID without a lab environment, as well as the issues that many graduate students are facing during this time. He shares with us his thoughts on how this situation has brought about many opportunities to think about things differently and inspire graduate students to help others who may be struggling. He chats about the initiatives of GSA to support graduate students and offers assistance to any graduate student who is looking to connect. He hopes that we can take what we have learned from this time and the new, inventive ways of teaching to make learning better for all.




Dec 29, 202021:00
Episode 10: Peer Support for Student Mental Health and Well-being with Assad Ali Bik

Episode 10: Peer Support for Student Mental Health and Well-being with Assad Ali Bik

In this episode, Assad Ali Bik, Student's Union VP Student Life , shares with us his thoughts on supporting mental health and well-being of students through COVID 19.  He discusses the challenges for students experiencing fatigue and burn out and chats about the value of peer support. He provides examples of resources that are available to students, including those offered by SU, the Women's Centre, and the Community Hub, and the partnering with the Vice Provost of Library and Cultural Resources to highlight the peer support program.

Dec 29, 202021:24
Episode 9: Providing Opportunities for Reflection and Connection with Kerry Black

Episode 9: Providing Opportunities for Reflection and Connection with Kerry Black

In this episode, Kerry Black, assistant professor in the Schulich School of Engineering, shares with us her insights into how she has adjusted her courses and learning materials through teaching during the pandemic. She talks about how she has gauged student expectations as well as her own expectations during online learning, and the value of planning ahead to prepare all information for students at the start of the course. She stresses the importance of being empathetic to students and thinking about the barriers that they may face during online learning while providing meaningful and challenging learning experiences. She discusses how she has shifted her assessment practices to be more frequent, low-stakes and qualitative, writing assessments. She illustrated how this shift has allowed her to weave in some of the additional attributes that are needed for graduates such as communication, lifelong learning and the connection to the environment, economic and social factors of engineering through e-portfolios and reflective writing.


Dec 22, 202019:54
Episode 8: Creating a Flipped Classroom with John Holash

Episode 8: Creating a Flipped Classroom with John Holash

In this episode, John Holash, professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, shares with us his insights on the need for critical review in distance learning. He discusses his process of prerecording lectures, allowing students to interact with the learning material asynchronously, and using synchronous sessions to build a community of learners. He highlights how prerecording his lectures has allowed him to focus students attention on the content and allows him to break material into chunks while adding additional content in between his lectures. He stresses the importance of evaluating assessments and the need for providing frequent lower stakes assessments. 

Dec 14, 202022:40
Episode 7: Learning, Struggling, and Growing Together with Miguel Almario, Sonja Mellema, Sarah Sparks, and Leonne Wambu

Episode 7: Learning, Struggling, and Growing Together with Miguel Almario, Sonja Mellema, Sarah Sparks, and Leonne Wambu

In this episode, Miguel Almario, Sonja Mellema, Sarah Sparks, and Leonne Wambu, students in the Haskayne School of Business, weigh in on what it has been like to be a student through COVID-19. They discuss the online case study competition that they participated in with students from around the world, and how beneficial that was for them in their learning journey. They share their thoughts on the value of self-care, personal connections, and creating systems to deal with the rapid adjustments that this pandemic has required us to handle. They stress the need to understand individual and unique needs as well as the importance of reaching out when you need help. And they remind us that we are all learning, struggling, and growing together.

Dec 07, 202029:55
Episode 6: Supporting Our Team as We Support UCalgary with Nizam Jiwani and Sallene Wong

Episode 6: Supporting Our Team as We Support UCalgary with Nizam Jiwani and Sallene Wong

In this episode, Nizam Jiwani and Sallene Wong from UService, share their insights on supporting UCalgary community members through our transition to remote learning, teaching, and working. They discuss the importance of balancing efficiency and effectiveness, while ensuring that every customer gets the support that they need. They also delve into their strategies for supporting their team members and remind us of the importance of investing time and energy into being together remotely.

Dec 02, 202017:09
Episode 5: Active and Adaptive Online Learning with Mohammad Moshipour

Episode 5: Active and Adaptive Online Learning with Mohammad Moshipour

In this episode, Mohammad Moshipour, professor in Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Schulich School of Engineering, shares with us his thoughts on the importance of being mindful of students' needs and remaining flexible in expectations to support students throughout this unprecedented time. He describes how he has modified his assessment practices to focus more on project-based learning to deepen learning for students, and how he relies on constructivist theory of teaching and learning to guide students and at the same time, provide learning that is active and adaptive. He discusses his insights on how this experience has given his students the opportunity to learn first hand how to engage in remote work that is common within software engineering.



Nov 23, 202026:47
Episode 4: Building Relationships with Eloise Carr

Episode 4: Building Relationships with Eloise Carr

In this episode, Eloise Carr, professor from the Faculty of Nursing, shares with us her insights on how to build rapport and relationships in distance learning. She discusses her thoughts on thinking creatively to build meaningful learning experiences by using feedback from students and connecting with students when they are not engaging with the material. She stresses the importance of being open and honest with students and how sharing vulnerability goes a long way in fostering a community of learners. 

Nov 15, 202022:08
Episode 3: Reimagining experiential learning with Ron Hugo

Episode 3: Reimagining experiential learning with Ron Hugo

In this episode, Ron Hugo, professor in the department of mechanical and manufacturing engineering, talks about the challenges of getting to know and connect with students in online learning. He shares with us how he has continued experiential learning in the distance learning format by creating individual at home lab kits for his 217 students. Through prototyping his experiments, researching the history of other individuals, and integrating the history of heat transfer into his lab manuals, he has developed a more holistic perspective of his subject. He chats about how this experience has provided a greater appreciation for being in front of students as well as an opportunity to find new ways to ignite the fires of interest into his materials.

Nov 03, 202022:42
Episode 2: Rethinking our focus with Corey Flynn

Episode 2: Rethinking our focus with Corey Flynn

In this episode, Corey Flynn, senior instructor in the department of Biological Sciences, shares with us his thoughts on how COVID has given him the opportunity to rethink how he assesses students. He chats about how he encourages students to focus on the rationale behind doing things in the lab, providing a deeper learning experience than in pre-COVID labs. He provides examples of how he has maintained engagement in both lectures and labs, and highlights his strategies on increasing interactivity in his classes. 



Oct 28, 202027:17
Episode 1: Change can mean wonderful things with Lisa Silver

Episode 1: Change can mean wonderful things with Lisa Silver

In this episode, Lisa Silver, associate professor from the Faculty of Law, shares with us her insights into how she has embraced change as she moved through teaching in the pandemic. She talks about how she encourages connection with her students in a distance learning environment and provides examples of how she has managed to keep experiential learning going in the online platform. She illustrates how COVID has given us the opportunity to be innovative, flexible, creative, and resilient. And through this she has seen how change is not scary and can mean wonderful things for you and your students.

Oct 23, 202027:30