@feb20-cohort, we’re continuing with our sessions as scheduled, with our next one taking place tomorrow at 9am ET on Zoom (at our standard meeting link). We’ll discuss team building and cover things like team composition, what makes a good team, strategies for managing teams, and more. I understand that some of you may be have to tend to other needs during the current health crisis and may not be able to attend — please know that this is okay. We are here to support and accommodate you in the best ways we can. If you have any questions about logistics for our session or our resources, please let me know. Our virtual doors are open to help!
We’ll be referring to the following resources for our session tomorrow:
Hi everyone, huge thank you to all of you for the turnout at this morning’s session. It was great so see so many of you on the call, and to go through our usual routine of updates and the lesson. To those who weren’t able to make it — that’s okay! I am posting a recap below and am always available for questions. I know this is an unexpected and difficult time, and we at Rebus are here to help each other through it however we best can.
Lesson Recap
Teams are going to be inevitable, as you’re going to end up working with someone on your project eventually, so we recommend you start thinking about how to cultivate and manage a good team (see a summary of what makes a good team in our slides). Teams can come in all shapes and sizes, and should be composed of people with diverse perspectives, roles, and skill sets. Teams are beneficial for more than just sharing the workload (see some other reasons in our slides). When you’re setting your team up, keep in mind that roles can be mixed and matched, and that the combination of an administrative team (that focuses on day to day tasks) and an advisory team (that guides high level process) can prove useful. As a project manager, you want to manage and encourage your team without taking advantage of the passion that volunteers have. Take a look at the strategies we suggest, and remember that a good team needs more than just a taskmaster. Everyone’s well-being is just as important as the project itself and ultimately, having a team that’s happy also makes the process a whole lot more enjoyable. If complex situations arise with team members, refer to documentation you’ve prepared, and be understanding and open to conversation before you make any decisions. Things may occasionally deviate from the plan, but remember that we’re all human. In that spirit, remember to look after yourself too — take breaks as you would on any other project and set the example for how you’d like other team members to participate and contribute.
Resources and Chat Transcript
We had a lot of resources shared in the chat today, and I’ve compiled the list below. You can also take a look at the chat transcript for other discussions that attendees were having.
Adding to the growing list of resources for educators moving online:
Here’s a good intro to what is now being dubbed “Panic-gogy.” Prominant open pedagogy advocate and thinker @robinderosa1 is quoted in the article. This is a very good piece for educators who are totally new to online instruction.
Our example wasn’t a history textbook, but rather an undergraduate journal: the Grand Valley Journal of History. Students run the journal as part of a regular history department course (with the straightforward title of History Journal), learning and managing the peer review and editorial processes for credit. The course usually runs in the fall semester, and the students have the option to continue running it on a volunteer basis for the winter semester. It’s a neat opportunity for history undergraduates to gain hands-on experience in how history publishing actually operates, as well as a way for undergraduate papers or projects to have a life beyond the gradebook.
I know people at a couple of institutions (members of the Library Publishing Coalition) who have explored approaches for publishing-as-pedagogy, and I’d be happy to make email introductions. Additionally, the LPC’s Library Publishing Directory can be filtered to show institutions publishing particular types of student work.
My favorite resource for moving to online teaching are: this crowdsourced open document full of links to webinars (upcoming and recorded videos), tips, remote teaching tools, and more. I also really respect and value the Public Statement of Library Copyright Specialists: Fair Use & Emergency Remote Teaching & Research, which makes a strong argument that fair use covers a great deal more activity during the current crisis compared to its normal scope…although this is probably less useful for OER creation than for online instruction generally.
I guess I got mixed up with the course title when making my notes about the journal. It sounds like a very well-designed experience for students to learn about history publishing!
Thank you for the offer to make introductions with the LPC for anyone who might be interested in more publishing as pedagogy approaches. I think @mfp11 and some of the others may take you up on that!
The LPC directory is a great resource, as is the crowdsourced open document that you shared. Fantastic to see so many responses there. Thanks for sharing! What strikes me most in the public statement is the call to thing about long-term solutions and systems. Lots to think about on that front!
