How do you teach automotive and aviation instruction remotely? Newly-formed communities of practice in the ATL sector are working through those questions and developing resources and best practices for faculty across the state.
ATL Statewide Director Jannet Malig started receiving emails and phone calls as campuses began to announce closures in March. She quickly realized that faculty needed guidance and resources to effectively move their instruction online.
“During the COVID-19 crisis, there arose a need for automotive, aviation and logistics instructors to confer with each other and with the statewide leadership team on how to appropriately transition classes and labs to remote instruction,” Malig said. “This is a unique opportunity for faculty members to connect with their peers and share information and experiences around teaching during the current disruption.”
The communities of practice are convening during a series of webinars focusing on best practices for teaching in this new environment. The first one was held on May 1 and covered automotive instruction. Panelists were Steve Coultas and Lee Bennett from Victor Valley College, Joe Mulleary from Cerritos College, Wendy Lucko from Pasadena City College, and Kurt Shadbolt from Chabot College. The webinar drew more than 100 participants.
The webinar addressed questions about delivering lab-based instruction and creating high-quality learning experiences for students during COVID-19. Faculty shared information about how they are using resources like Canvas, OEM online training, CDX, Zoom, Rocketbook, and many others.
Moving forward, faculty would like to see more support for simulations and other activities that allow students and instructors to interact in real-time. They also discussed the possibility of providing students with tools they could use at home to replicate activities they would do in labs.
A webinar for Aviation faculty was held on May 15 and Heavy-Duty vehicle faculty will convene on May 22. View the webinar replays here: atleducation.org/category/faculty/webinar/.
