Center for Teaching and Learning

Resource Center

Pedabology: A blog about teaching and learning at Cedarville

In the Spotlight — “Absent-Mindful Professor” or Just Plain “Absent”

I recently came across a fictional story that seemed more like an episode of the current television sitcom Community.  It told about a professor who never showed up to class and the students who actually taught themselves an entire semester-long course from lecture notes found in their “absent professor’s” cabinet.1  The story caused me to wonder what resources professors provide when they know they are going to be absent.

The phrase “snow day” evokes powerful emotions. Remember the feelings of relief and liberation you felt when your school’s name was announced in the list of school cancellations? Students respond to a cancelled class like the gift of Sabbath. When a professor is not behind the lectern at the start of class, students get a bit giddy as they count down the appropriate “wait minutes” before they consider the professor absent. Then they are exhilarated as they realize they have gained an unexpected free hour. But research shows that when a professor is absent regularly, students feel cheated and get very upset. Not only do they feel their money was wasted, they feel unprepared for their future. 2 3 4

Some professors boast that they have never missed a class in 30 years of teaching, but most have to miss a class or two due to illness, family emergency, a conference, or weather. When this happens, professors at Cedarville University should have a calamity plan. Below are some tips for the absent professor.

Must Do’s

  1. Clearly state your expectations for class cancelations in your syllabus. Include the following information:
    • Where, when and how cancellations will be posted
    • Who to contact and provide contact information
    • Where, when and how to obtain assignments and instructions
    • Where, when, how, and by whom assignments will be collected
    • If and when make-up sessions will be offered
    • If make-up sessions are offered, the CU student and faculty handbooks may want to include a statement like the one used at DePaul “Any required make-up classes, activities or alternate assignments must include a sufficient number of options so that all students can reasonably complete the requirement.” 5
  2. At the beginning of each semester, clearly communicate your plans with your chair and administrative assistant. Be as specific as possible and provide copies of lecture notes, links, articles, etc. that the students will be asked to view.

Alternatives to Face-to-Face:

E-Learning:
  • Observation and Reflection: Have students observe media, live or recorded. Then, ask them to reflect on their experience and connect it with course content.
    • Media: Art, Films, Documentaries, News Reports, etc.
    • Audacity: Audio editor for recording, slicing, and mixing audio. Site includes help, downloads, and developer information (audacity.sourceforge.net)
    • YouTube: A website used to upload and view videos
    • Podcast audio or video
  • Online Discussions: Post a reading assignment and discussion prompts. Have students participate in the online discussion.
  • WebCT: A course management system and online learning environment which has the ability to give instruction, assignments, have live chats, audio and video capabilities, discussion boards, assessment tools, and grade book.
  • Virtual Classrooms: Have students attend a virtual class. They can watch or listen to a pre-recorded lecture and answer discussion questions or take a quiz over the lecture.
    • Create a power-point presentation with audio voice over
    • Pre-record lecture
    • Real-time lecture: Use Skype or Adobe Connect and conduct class from your location
    • Elluminate
    • Wimba: “Wimba Classroom 6.1, cornerstone of the Wimba Collaboration Suite, is a live, virtual classroom environment with robust features that includes audio, video, application sharing and content display. Its pedagogical design and ease-of-use ensures that educators and students engage as if they were meeting face-to-face.” 6
    • Slideshare: Offers users the ability to upload and share publicly or privately PowerPoint presentations, Word documents and Adobe PDF Portfolios
    • Screencasting : A digital recording of computer screen output; see Screencasting 101
  • Technology tips for delivering content online:
    • Use PDF and HTML formatted files to increase ease of student access.
    • Provide links to any special software students might need.
    • Use WebDAVfor easy upload andorganizationof files. WebDAV takes a little bit of time to setup but it make thing ssignificantly easier and saves you time down the road.
    • Train students how to use the necessary technology tools
Guest Lecturer:

Invite someone from the community or on campus to provide practical training or give a life-skills lecture.

  • Community and Industry Leaders
  • Library Instructors
  • Writing Center Instructors
  • Career Service Instructors
  • Diversity and Global Competency Trainers
  • Health, Wellness, and Personal Safety Experts
Projects and Presentations

Have students prepare poster sessions or presentations and provide a mini-conference. Or have guided work days for projects that are due later in the semester. Always provide objectives for the day, rubrics, and time-logs for accountability.

References

  1. Story of the Absent Professor
  2. Blizzard Paralyzes Much of Midwest
  3. When professors cancel class, students pay
  4. Professors Missing Classes Effects Learning Experience
  5. Absence from Campus During the Academic Year
  6. Wimba Classroom for Higher Education

Other references: