By: Hali Cartee

Note: Indiana University East is prepared to teach the remainder of the semester through all-online courses in response to the novel coronavirus crisis. This is the second story in a three-part series and features the preparation of faculty to teach all courses in a virtual classroom. Read Part 1 - IU East faculty are ready for all-online courses to finish the spring semester.

Indiana University East created a niche in online teaching more than a decade ago. Many courses were strategically developed and designed in 2007 to offer students a wide variety and options.

With a sudden change during mid-semester, IU East is finding that its background and experience in online teaching has been a benefit as the campus has suspended face-to-face courses and moved instruction online as part of Indiana University’s response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in support of the well-being of all students, faculty and staff. 

Summer courses will also be all-online.

Before the campus’ first three bachelor’s degrees in online programs were created in 2008, IU East administrators and faculty recognized the virtual classroom as an opportunity to offer higher education with students in the region, especially with students who lived in rural areas and couldn’t always make the drive to campus. Another appeal of online learning is that it allows students to fit classes in with their schedule, whether they work or have family or other obligations.

Stephanie Whitehead, director of the Center for Faculty Development at IU East, remembers talking with retired faculty member Suzi Shapiro about teaching online in the 1990s.

“We have built a culture on our campus that demands excellence in online teaching and learning,” Whitehead said. ”From hiring experienced faculty to recurring trainings on campus, we constantly emphasize the importance of online learning. Our faculty have fully committed themselves to learning and engaging in best practices.”

The number of faculty teaching online – and offering innovative strategies for instruction –lead to a book that was published by faculty outlining best practices for online teaching and course design, one of the first to offer insight on a diverse array of courses effectively taught online.

In 2017, a group of 42 IU East faculty members across 25 disciplines contributed their expertise and knowledge in online teaching to release a book, “Best Practices in Online Teaching and Learning across Academic Disciplines,” published by George Mason University Press.

IU East faculty have designed, developed and pursued excellence in online teaching as a strategy to meet the higher education needs of the region. Now the need for online instruction during the time of COVID-19, is met by faculty group prepared and committed to making the experience seamless.

“We are one of the leaders in online education in the IU system, so we are well suited for this moment,” said Chera LaForge, associate professor of political science.

LaForge notes that many IU East faculty have already taught their face-to-face courses in an online version before.

“However, I would say, what we are doing in this moment isn’t online teaching, it really is virtual teaching,” LaForge said. “Excellent online teaching takes planning and a lot of work on the front end and our faculty does that! In an ordinary semester, a faculty member might take weeks or even months mapping out the flow of their online classes, carefully aligning assignments, and thinking of innovative ways to deliver course content. We’re all still doing that, but on a much tighter timeline.”

Cal Simpson, senior lecturer of marketing, built all of his courses from the ground up when he started teaching at IU East in fall 2012.

“I think we were ahead of the curve. We recognized that there was a need for online learning and jumped at the opportunity,” Simpson said. “I started from scratch. Doing so allowed me to develop courses that best reflect my teaching style and personality.”

He also keeps up on what is available to students.

“As a marketing instructor, I am always in tune to what we offer our students online,” Simpson said. “Sanga Song (assistant professor of marketing) uses a marketing simulation in the M301 course that I find to be very beneficial to students. The simulation provides real-world applications in connection to existing course content. My online sales simulation, presented in the M325 course, allows students to conduct an individualized sales call. The sales call allows students to apply critical thinking research and communication skills.”

Teaching online is also a personal matter. Without the personal interaction with students, it’s just not as effective.

Wes Tobin, assistant professor of physics, said IU East faculty teach to students, not just the course material.

“The biggest reason that IU East faculty are excellent at teaching online is that we know we’re teaching students,” Tobin said. “At many other institutions where online courses are prevalent, you find instructors that teach almost exclusively to the content of the course. This results in forgetting that there’s a student on the other side of it. At IU East, we don’t teach exclusively to the content, but rather we teach to the student. Our goal is to help the student become successful by using technology to interact with students.”

Additionally, Tobin said, IU East faculty are successful at teaching online because they go out of their way to try new technology and to find out what options are advantageous to students, not just what helps in only our class, but also helps in other classes and even outside of class.

Yu Kay Law, associate professor of chemistry, said an aspect of a successful online experience is that the faculty are focused on student success, both in the classroom and in life. He noted IU East has a long tradition, and culture, of innovative teaching to improve student engagement and outcomes, whether its online or face-to-face.

“Our faculty recognize that the primary mission of IU East is to ensure that students succeed no matter their background or modality of learning,” Law said.

With more than 200 faculty members across six academic schools, there are very few faculty who have not taught online.

Law believes this provides faculty with an understanding of the challenges and with a good institutional memory and experience of what works well.

“When we teach online, we understand that the courseware may help, but it certainly cannot deliver instruction,” Law said. “This is not just about course design: it’s about making sure we work closely with students both as a group and individually and engage them, both through formal, scheduled interactions and through informal interactions with students to support them both as students and as humans.”

The transition is also going to take patience.

“It will take some time for students to adjust,” Simpson said. “Listen to their concerns and not be afraid to make minor adjustments to your current course. Especially if it lessens the pressure, some students have with online learning.”

Whitehead believes it’s the commitment of IU East faculty to online and teaching in learning that point toward excellence.

“Our faculty are curious and want to learn best practices, they want to be able to teach well. They seek out trainings, ask questions, and aren’t afraid to ask for help when they need it,” Whitehead said. “As a campus, we make online teaching and learning a priority. I’m thinking of the Quality Matters Academy as an example. Our administration recognizes the importance of online course quality and invests in activities like the QM Academy that allow faculty the opportunity to learn about and to implement best practices.”