Leslie LEE
Department of English Language and Literature
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Leslie reflects on conducting asynchronous tutorials using Microsoft Teams for his course, in response to the need for online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leslie presented his reflections as a PechaKucha during the online Higher Education Campus Conference (e-HECC) 2020.
In this presentation, Leslie shares his experiences with conducting asynchronous tutorials using Microsoft Teams in an introductory linguistics class—a change introduced primarily in response to the need for online teaching brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, weekly tutorials for this class were conducted in-person and involved tutor-led discussions of problem sets that students were expected to attempt, either individually or with their classmates, prior to the session. The disruption to face-to-face teaching and learning by the COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to re-think this previously entrenched approach to conducting tutorials.
During the presentation, Leslie shares screenshots illustrating how students utilised this virtual space to create communities of learning that not only connected them with one another, but also with the tutor in a more personalised way than could have been afforded in a physical classroom setting. Leslie also reflects on some of the disadvantages of this model and considers whether he would continue with it beyond the pandemic.
 |
Leslie LEE is a senior lecturer of linguistics in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, where he teaches both large foundational classes as well as advanced seminars in morphology and syntax. He obtained his PhD from the University of California, San Diego, where he discovered his interest in teaching and was mentored by outstanding educators. Leslie can be reached at ellleel@nus.edu.sg. |
References
Angelino, L. M., Williams, F., & Natvig, D. (2007). Strategies to engage online students and reduce attrition rates. Journal of Educators Online, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.9743/JEO.2007.2.1
Liu, X., Magjuka, R. J., Bonk, C. J., & Lee, S. (2007). Does sense of community matter? An examination of participants’ perceptions of building learning communities in online courses. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 8(1), 9-24. https://search.proquest.com/openview/795d56500d0b68ff272166ecd3f9fbfe/1?pqorigsite=gscholar&cbl=29705
