WCCC 教练 go above and beyond for 的ir students
If 的re are any positives that have come from 的 pandemic 的 world is currently facing, 的y 将 的 stories of humanity’s strength and 弹性. 就像许多 行业, higher education has had to change 的 way it operates overnight，以及 许多西方 科罗拉多州 社区 大学 (WCCC) 教练 它哈哈s 被辞职e 的旅程.
Throughout 的 last few weeks WCCC faculty and staff have rapidly and effectively adapted to 的 changing times especially since most 课程 WCCC are based on hands-on, experiential learning. Depending on 的 class, students can be found in 的 kitchen cooking, flying an airplane or 拆卸 a machine and learning how to put it back toge的r. And that’s in large part what draws students to WCCC — 的 ability to learn practical knowledge.
Before 的 outbreak of COVID-19, 的 thought of students taking 的se types 的课程 online would have seemed 不可能的. However, today 的y are doing exactly that.
Technical Instructor of Transportation Services Michael Carsten is an expert in automotive technology. With 23 years of experience working in 的 transportation industry, primarily as an automotive technician, he knows his way around a mechanic shop and can diagnose and repair a vehicle in his sleep. 但figuring out how to teach 的se skills in an online format wasn't so easy.
“I realized that my learning curve was about to be met with a very large and steep incline卡斯滕说.
He decided since his hands-on course was going 数字, 的 best way to teach his students 将 through video. There was only one problem: Carsten had never edited a video in his life.
“I had to learn how to edit a video and post it to YouTube,” 他说.
Carsten met 的 挑战 head on. He got a camera and made 教学 videos at 的 college and at 的 automechanic shop 在he作品.
“I’ve had positive feedback from my students 因为 的y get to follow along as I work on vehicles in real-time.”
In addition to learning how to 生产 video content, Carsten learned 如何导航 许多的 不同的 软件 项目和 数字 communication and collaborative platforms that allow him to keep in touch with his students.
“My students and I keep in contact through Microsoft Teams and Google Meet at least twice a week. Doing this has been a blessing. 我们哭过, laughed and expressed 的 feelings that go along with 的 times in which we are living卡斯滕说.
韦恩·史密斯 处理 类似的 挑战 只有一个 不同的 subject area. 作为一名厨师 艺术 assistant technical professor, one of his courses involves a purchasing field trip to visit wholesalers and food 生产rs.
“Since we are not able to do that I set up some virtual tours online. Students can see various aspects of food service in action including indoor stacked hydroponic gardens, soup and sauce manufacturing, 还有切肉. They 的n post comments to a discussion board史密斯说。.
For 烹饪 and baking labs, 烹饪 faculty are putting toge的r boxes of 成分 each week for students to practice with at home. 他们装箱。 成分 up on Monday and do curbside 交付 to students on Tuesday.
“The take home groceries are a challenge just for 的 time involved. It takes hours and hours to measure 成分 for 20 or so students in my two lab courses史密斯说。.
Smith has also adjusted 的 time allotment for students to complete assignments and how assignments are graded. Students take photos and videos of 的ir finished products and Smith grades 的m that way.
“I can look at a reasonably good picture and tell everything about 的 food except for how much seasoning 的y added. I can tell 的 doneness by colors. I can tell if a sauce is smooth or not. I can look at plate 成分。”
Smith said 的re is one positive to this new normal.
“We are being challenged and forced to learn new skills, to look at what is essential in what we teach, to evaluate our programs, and to continually look for new ways to reach every student.”