101. The Transformative Power of AI

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Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a
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#34. Building Connections One Moment at a Time

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This is the second post in a series about building connections with students in a remote learning environment. The focus of this post is how to easily embed moments of connection in your daily lesson. The relationships that are formed through these connections will be essential this year. Relationships motivate the students and teachers to keep going when the going gets tough. And this year, the going is very, very tough. 

 I am going to share with you a simple and effective strategy developed by Dave Stuart, Jr. called "Moments of Genuine Connection" or "MGC's." If you are not currently following his work, I highly recommend that you sign up for his blog and check out his professional development resources. I first learned of his work on The Cult of Pedagogy Episode 152.

A MGC is an intentionally planned time to connect with each student. Stuart offers the following advice when creating these moments:
1. Keep them short and sweet. Each connection should be less than three minutes.
2. It should come from a place of authenticity. The teacher must want to connect with the student. It should not just be another task to cross off on the To-Do list.3. The purpose of the connections is to build a relationship in which the student feels seen and valued.

MGC's also need to be efficient and sustainable for the teacher. Set a reasonable goal for how many students you want to connect with each week. You can keep track on a class roster, gradebook, seating chart, etc. When you have connected with each student, start the list over again. Try to embed these connections into the daily flow of your class. In my F2F class, I try to connect with students as they enter the classroom, during small groups and as they leave. These opportunities still exist in the online classroom.

Your video conferencing software may help facilitate these moments of connection. Zoom offers the option of a waiting room. I can admit students in small groups and have brief conversations with them. Breakout rooms also provide a great venue for connecting with students! For example, my teaching partner asks an icebreaker question every time she enters a breakout room, such as "if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Another fast and easy way to connect with your students is by creating a weekly video message for them. Consider sharing an aspect of your life with them - or just offer some quick highlights from the week. 

My preference is to embed these moments into my curriculum whenever possible. This is easily accomplished when you teach psychology! For example, I am using the principles of positive psychology to connect with my students every Monday. This Monday the students will be completing a modified version of the "Savor Assignment." I chose to make this a discussion to increase student-student and student-teacher connections. 

In my next post, I will focus on how to use feedback to strengthen connections between the students and teacher. I will share how to leverage moments of connections to both motivate students and make feedback more effective. I will also share some fascinating research regarding how the mode of feedback offered can affect student satisfaction and achievement. 

I highly encourage you to listen to the podcast that inspired this post at The Cult of Pedagogy: Creating Moments of Genuine Connection Online  & check out the professional development opportunities offered by Dave Stuart Jr. I just signed up to take his FREE course called "10 Tips for Staying Motivated When Teaching in Tough Times."

I would love to hear all of the ways that you are connecting with your students! Please share them in the comments below.

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