photo by @ultralinx at Unsplash

It is safe to say the closure of in-person classes has challenged the way in which we conduct teaching and learning at PCC, and across the nation. As instructors dig deep for creative solutions, many have come to realize more fully the question of equitable access for students when it comes to content and coursework. We know the bend toward increased use of mobile devices and data connections, even before the Coronavirus eliminated key campus access points for students like campus labs, libraries, and WiFi. These known factors point out a need to think about students and their mobile devices and how we can best meet the needs of students while retaining academic rigor.

“A growing share of Americans now use smartphones as their primary means of online access at home. Today, roughly one-in-five American adults are “smartphone-only” internet users – meaning they own a smartphone, but do not have traditional home broadband service.”

For those just who are interested but just getting started looking at this, here are some ways to begin (adapted from ):

• Use LMS tools whenever possible: PCC uses D2L Brightspace, and the app version is called “Brightspace Pulse.”
• “Chunk” content for brief sessions: Split up content for brief sessions, such as micro lectures, short activities and reflections.
• Keep file sizes small: Compress documents or chunk when possible, but also reduce the size of photo and video files before you upload to D2L.
• Add descriptors for time management: To help students know if they have enough time to get through a whole reading or activity, add the number of pages or approximate time to complete.
• Inform students if a piece of content won’t be available on mobile, does not work well on mobile, or requires an additional app.
• Demo the technology: Create your own technology demonstration videos (or find ready-made in a pinch)
• Consider accepting Google Docs links: Google Docs is perhaps an easier app to use than Microsoft Word and students can submit a link, rather than using valuable space to download a file to submit it. To allow a Google Docs link in lieu of an attached file, create a text submission assignment, rather than a file submission, and students who work in Microsoft Word still have the option of pasting their text inside, since it cannot be file and text submission (if this is confusing, feel free to contact the Faculty Help Desk at 971-722-8227)

Online Learning has standalone trainings, and is also partnering with Sylvania and Rock Creek TLCs to offer a five-week intensive if you are interested to dive a bit deeper:

• Mobile-Friendly Course Design Workshop &

There are also great resources from and others as the question of ubiquitous mobile learning is pushed to the forefront. The first step and most pressing step is to transform content so that it’s easily accessed, but with the seamless learning potential of mobile devices there is still plenty more ground to explore.

For an instructor who has answered the ‘why’ they would like to make their course culturally responsive, this presentation will give them specific techniques to encourage CROT principles like:

• Modeling Self-Disclosure: introduce the class to yourself in a more personal way; provide them with information that illustrates a safe-space environment.
• Encouraging Counter Narratives: create discussion prompts that allow the student to synthesize learning through their perspective, not the dominant culture’s prescribed answer.
• Utilizing “Selective Vulnerability”: a term coined by Zaretta Hammond, this principle deals with modeling productive and appropriate sharing behavior in video and the discussion area while providing details from your personal experience.
• Promoting an equitable atmosphere: design your syllabus to communicate the intentions and boundaries of instruction without using alienating or overly legal language.

Here is their presentation for you to review. Please note the final slides that show you where you can find resources to help redesign or edit your course, as well as further reading:

Photo by jose aljovin on Unsplash.

It is helpful for our purposes to think of the online classroom as this type of scenario played out over and over. We have video and other synchronous tools we may use, but the majority of our communication is at separate moments, through email, discussions, feedback, and other places. It may not be as overt as ‘text’ speak-with its shorthand and emoticons-but it is the space of digital, written dialogue, most of which is passing like ships in the night. You may think the feedback you posted on a student’s assignment is measured, helpful, and straightforward. The student may read it as impersonal, critical, and robotic-such is the way of interpersonal dynamics. However, some benefits of the online learning space is that we have a buffer zone to be specific, precise, and most of all engaging with the students. Here are a things to remember the next time you find yourself sitting down to send a message:

Try to stay away from using color and all capitalized letters to add emphasis

We may have students overlook the same important detail, over and over. You may have a student that comes to you in the 11th hour to tell you they didn’t know what they were supposed to do or were unclear-even after you have stated it in plain language. However, if you try to curb this result by emphasizing this point to the max degree through (for instance) capitalized, bright red letters-it sends a signal that you already expect the students to be irresponsible. It also can come across as draconian, establishing an unspoken dynamic of you as an authoritarian rather than a subject matter expert.

Split up your message into smaller paragraphs

The block of text can be overmuch for a reader. Think about your spacing in the same way you would have natural pauses for breaks or emphasis if you were speaking in person. Also, if you are delivering a difficult message, giving them time to digest in between points will help them absorb what you are saying.

Know the ‘charge’ of your punctuation, size, and bold/italicize

If you need to emphasize something, do not go all caps. Capitalizing is shouting, and is best reserved for excitement. If you capitalize in any other place, it will come across as scolding. Also, one question mark is simple, but two or more add urgency-the same applies to exclamation points.

Finally, using bold, underlined, or italicize type is a fraught thing. Italicized words can be smug in the wrong context. Bold exerts a directness; think of it as that one friend who says “you aren’t right but you are wrong.” However, to the general crowd bold and italicized words may be just the ticket if your student is in on it with you-rather than being pointed at:

“Please reread the rubric It states grammar is worth more than voice” vs. “Please reread the rubric, it states grammar is worth more than voice”

The first is meant to draw their attention to the point you are making-but the undertone is that you didn’t think they would see it unless you pushed it in their face. Here is an example of inviting them to be in on it:

“It can be confusing, so please reread the rubric and please note: grammar is worth more than voice.”

It bears repeating: Give your student the benefit of the doubt

Staying neutral is going to be the most effective way to keep the communication open, and to give the student opportunity to rejoin. You can stay inside of neutral messaging by avoiding blame (both for yourself and for them), and avoiding ‘sorry’ statements to simply move past the moment quickly. “I hear you” and “that makes sense” and “I can understand that” are examples of neutral engaged statements. Hot tip: it is helpful to begin with these.