Lisa Hershey

It is important to learn what supports are available for instructors through their peers, institution, etc. I plan to use a FAQ page on my courses to avoid email overload.

I learned that captioning videos, recorded lectures and PowerPoints is essential.  I also learned about specific closed captioning software that is free and readily available.  Beyond this, I do believe it is imperative that the institution take the lead in course design for accessibility so that there is consistency across courses and programs.  

Important to know that the LMS systems are not necessarily accessible.  This is problematic since they are in such wide use.  A student with a disability must be treated fairly and I must ensure my institution is supporting that student in the best ways possible.

I was aware of the accommodations required for students with documented disabilities.  I have experienced this as a parent helping my child navigate services in the post-secondary environment.  It is key that students are informed early on in Admissions that they must be proactive in communicating their disability and needs.  I want to learn more about how our institution is addressing this in the new hybrid / online environment. 

Two things strike me about this topic. I am concerned about the students with hidden disabilities who do not reveal early on.  This is detrimental to their success.  As noted, we cannot ask but perhaps we can discuss general disabilities as part of the course introduction which may make students feel comfortable revealing any potential concerns they may have.  

The second item is how does our school participate with the instructional design concerns to ensure we are following the ADA and applicable laws in this realm.  Most schools have a staff member who is responsible to ensure accommodations are appropriate… >>>

It is important to evaluate the quality of rubrics on an ongoing basis just like instructors need to evaluate the course content and delivery.  I believe using a colleague's input / evaluation of my rubrics may be useful.

I agree that reliability is an important factor and one to consider in rubric development.  It is good to keep these criteria in mind:  reliability, validity and fairness.

The concept of self-assessment and peer assessment through use of rubrics is interesting. I agree with self-assessment as students develop their assignments and perhaps do rough drafts.  I would hesitate to use peer assessment early in the course but would prefer to assess the ability of these students to interact and evaluate one another in healthy, constructive ways before utilizing peer assessment.

I can speak from experience as I have been developing and using rubrics for quite some time.  They are time consuming to develop but the payoffs are huge.  More efficient, consistent grading and better feedback for students.

I will apply the principles of Netiquette to ensure students are familiar with this at the beginning of a course.  I believe the pitfalls to avoid in online learning are not all that different from pitfalls in face to face learning.  They are important but not different.