I got that email too. My university was closing; like yours.
The uncertainty was a lot to handle. How should I transition my face-to-face classes to an online environment? What software should I use? Do I need to buy any hardware? Do my students even have reliable Internet access off-campus?
And then I thought about all of us; across higher education.
We were being forced to change. Let’s face it. Our high-pressure jobs, across rank, role and institution, pull us in several directions. It’s hard to do everything well, and innovating our teaching often falls behind. Mine had. Some of us are lucky. We have the institutional support, time, and interest. Others don't.
Regardless, we had to change with little notice, and fast.
My background is in teacher education. I have a passion for pedagogy and exploring new ways and mediums for teaching and learning. I envisioned a virtual space where we could share our knowledge and skills. I took out my phone and with one “click” started a Facebook group. I’ve never made one but I believe in the power of community and educators collaborating to solve problems. Together. Our collective was born.
What started with a click, turned into a groundswell across higher education learning spaces. What began local became global. In over two weeks, we have 23,000+ members in 99 countries. We finally used the Internet to connect us. We created a virtual space where individuals could share, connect, and collaborate. We built an organic community around higher education teaching - novice to expert working together to empower and educate each other, for free.
We are making an impact on quality higher education instruction - from our classrooms to online spaces. And we are being noticed.
We are supported by several universities, libraries, and educational associations, and recommended in The Chronicle of Higher Education as well as in an independent report to Education International and UNESCO. And the list is growing daily...
Join us as we build this community of global educators building a more connected future.
