Interview summary by Rosemary Vogt, Teaching and Learning Specialist, Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation
NIC’s Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation staff conduct interviews with instructors to explore the perspectives and insights they have about quality teaching and learning. NIC embraces the diversity of approaches each instructor takes as they cultivate a supportive environment tailored to their program and student needs. These interviews share how North Island College is making quality student learning a priority.
David Johns started in the electrical trade in the early 2000s. During this time, he has received certification as a Red Seal electrician, Master Electrician, Field Safety Representative Class A, Safety Codes Office Group B and a Provincial instructor diploma through Vancouver Community College. After working in the electrical industrial controls field in Alberta for many years David transitioned to an instructional role within the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). David has spent the last 15years of his career in the electrical apprenticeship programs of Alberta and BC, coming to North Island College in 2017.
Question 1: PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF A RECENT CHANGE TO YOUR TEACHING PRACTICE. HOW AND WHY DID THIS CHANGE COME ABOUT?
I recently started designing my lectures with an accompanying reference document. This reference document is a series of notes, equations or diagrams associated with the lecture. I noticed that not all students were adept at note taking and deep listening at the same time. This can be a challenging aspect of teaching technical topics, as the visual diagrams that accompany the lecture are inherently connected and one cannot stand alone without the other. This then led to miniature documents passed out prior to the lecture which had many of the main points to be discussed, or simply the diagrams that would be referenced. In this way students could listen deeply and focus on the presentation without fearing they would miss something in their notes that was integral to the topic being discussed.
Question 2: how do you adapt your teaching approach to drive quality learning for diverse students?
My learners come from diverse backgrounds in respect to living and working situations. Over the years I have had students who are continuing to work, need childcare, become injured during the course, have a significant life event or struggle to find housing. All these situations have one common thread, they require time away from school during the traditional 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. model. These students are not delinquent or lack motivation, they have significant responsibilities and events which have more priority than sitting in a classroom.
During, and continuing after-COVID, I invested significant time and energy in developing videos that students could engage with outside of the normal classroom time. These videos gave students the empowerment to continue with their schooling and be successful in completion even though they were unable to attend a physical class. This has become a significant benefit to many students who have expressed their appreciation for this additional resource.
Question 3: can an instructor ensure that quality student learning is taking place?
No. An instructor has no more power to ensure quality learning than a doctor can ensure an individual’s health. In both situations there is a second party who must be invested in the same goal and outcome. The instructor can provide engagement, clarity and reasonable expectations that will increase the chances of success with an invested pupil, but they cannot force students to learn. As the adage goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
Question 4: what kind of evidence have you gathered, or do you gather to know that students have been learning?
I gather both formal and informal evidence to evaluate the degree to which students have learned. Informal evidence is acquired through listening and chatting with students. Often the depth of learning can be gauged by the specific detail from the response. Also, when working in groups, students who have developed knowledge in an area will clarify a partner’s error or misunderstanding on a topic. In this way, they have shown a high level of learning to break the topic down to more basic components and reassemble the concept for their struggling peer. I also use formal assessments in a less subjective context to determine how much of the required content the students have learned. It is not always perfect but provides a ledger to determine overall knowledge of a topic. Overall, I find evaluation of a student’s learning to be a tricky, ever-changing and a challenge.
Question 5: IF WE WALKED INTO YOUR CLASSROOM AND THE STUDENTS WERE DEEPLY ENGAGED AND LEARNING, WHAT WOULD WE BE SEEING OR HEARING THAT WOULD HAVE US KNOW THAT?
Students who are engaged in the topic and learning will unknowingly and voluntarily avoid distractions like their phone. This means there would be no phones out and students would be focused on the task. Situations can vary from labs, lectures, or group activities each having its own nuance of expected engagement. During labs students are discussing the connections and challenges associated with the measured results, asking why the readings are valid. During lectures students are focused on the individual at the front, taking notes, nodding in agreement, making eye contact, or asking questions. In group activities deep engagement would be evident by the interaction with others and focusing on a task. Unless prompted to do so within the class, students who reach for their phones unknowingly signal to the instructor and those around them their lack of engagement.
Question 6: IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU INCORPORATE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT QUALITY LEARNING?
I use a lot of technology in my courses. Since my courses are within the technical field, diagrams and pictures are incredibly important. Lecture topics are not simply a series of photos on a PowerPoint, instead they are immersive and engaging. I use animations, video imbedding, magnified images, real photos, and in-house developed diagrams with small statements and explanations printed beside the image. This gives students multiple opportunities to understand the topic by hearing the instructor, reading the words and viewing the image.
To further support students, I have moved towards recording lectures and placing them into a blended format course shell. This allows a one stop shop for students to access all their content, quizzes, and handouts for the course. Many of my students enjoy being able to view the content from their computer and access additional YouTube videos, online articles and handouts relating to the topic. This permits students to pause video lectures, rewind and play again. It removes the stress of single access content where the live lecture is the only means of acquiring the necessary building blocks for a complex task. This has been immensely well received by my students.
Question 7: what is your favourite technology you have used in the classroom and why?
My favorite technology is OBS (Open Broadcaster Software). This is a free download which makes capturing screen images and video extremely easy. I have used a very small portion of the total capabilities within this software. This allows me (a novice video developer) to make videos from my PowerPoints, webcam (face), webcam (POV) and 3rd party video clips. Really simple, clean, and great quality. In addition, I enjoy using Microsoft PowerPoint, VISIO, and my digital camera. Often there are items of equipment that cannot be brought into a classroom environment, by photographing these items in the real-world I can then get the exact angle and image depth required for the topic being taught.
Question 8: how do you encourage student curiosity and motivation?
I always like to explain where the topic is important in the real world. In my observations, the lack of motivation often stems from an inability of the student to see where the topic fits into a tangible situation they would encounter in their field. Sometimes this takes significant research to find where the topic fits, sometimes it is more historical context that helps to explain why the topic was important in the past. Knowing that there is significance to a topic on the job site helps to motivate students and increase curiosity.
Question 9: what are you currently engaging with (reading, listening, watching) that inspires you?
I have recently finished reading through several books by Edward Tufte. Edward Tufte is a statistician and artist, professor Emeritus of Political Science, Statistics and Computer Science at Yale University. Tuft masterfully unpacks and explores how numerical data can be clearly presented visually. The books go far beyond the basics of graphical display and design and instead show numerous examples of both good and bad assumptions, group think, misrepresentations, successes and absolute tragedies all tied together by their degree of success in communicating relevant technical data. Absolutely incredible! Anyone who teaches or works in a technical field should give them a read.
Question 10: how would someone else describe you as an instructor?
I have been described in the past by students as extremely organized, with a natural ability to simplify complex topics. Perhaps this is due to my own learning which has always been fraught with significant effort and time, meaning I struggle in the same way as students. This has developed my own approach to topics which inherently looks at every single step necessary to achieve understanding of a subject area. Colleagues have often noted my willingness to share the resources developed. I have always felt there is limited use for resources unless all students can have access to them. Why should the wheel be reinvented every time a course is presented by a new instructor? Although there can be value in learning content from scratch, often the overall time and quality of delivery to the student can be improved by sharing resources that have proven successful in previously deployed courses. Finally, humor. If strategically speckled throughout a day this can improve the mood and engagement of many. A laugh never hurts anyone.