Dear C2C Community: 

  

In the midst of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can be encouraged by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1990) who says, “Contrary to what we usually believe, moments like these, the best moments in our lives, are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times—although such experiences can also be enjoyable, if we have worked hard to attain them. The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile” (p. 3). We certainly have been stretched to educate amidst the necessary restrictions, but the outcome is a stronger, broader C2C community. 

 

I am humbled to serve as the Chairperson for Colleague 2 Colleague (C2C) for 2020-2021.  I have been part of the organization for six years and am honored to help lead the organization through the coming year. I currently serve as an instructional designer and an online adjunct instructor in the Liberal Arts and Sciences Department at Ottawa University. Dennis Pierce, I.T. Systems Coordinator at WiLS, serves as the Vice-Chair for this year. Dennis and I are seeking to support instructors, staff, and administrators at educational institutions in humanizing learning for faculty and students, especially during a pandemic. 

 

Many of you are facing challenges, hardships, and additional stress due to the pandemic. In addition, many educators are learning to build relationships with students through technology for remote learning. Please lean into the C2C community through one of the many avenues. The C2C listserv (email info@c2conline.org to join) allows you to seek advice and feedback from a diverse group of colleagues. 

The C2C Digital Magazine is full of articles that are written by our members, for our members.  We appreciate the dedication and excellence of the magazine editorial board and authors. Thank you! 

 

We are organizing regular professional development opportunities in order to better support you throughout the year. We want to thank Ottawa University for inviting C2C members to join Dr. George Yancy’s webinar titled “Naming Whiteness and Creating Dangerous Academic Spaces” in November. You can learn more about upcoming events on the Professional Development Events page on C2C’s website. 

 

The 2021 SIDLIT Conference will be offered virtually on July 28-30 with the theme “Humanizing Learning at a Distance” at no cost. We are excited to feature a dynamic keynote speaker each day of the conference that will share how to connect with students in distance formats. The keynote speakers are:

 

In the coming months, we will post information related to SIDLIT 2021’s call for presenters and registration, the regular Professional Development Events, and Nominations for Awards. If you are not connected with C2C on social media platforms, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter. 

 

I look forward to hearing and seeing the growth emerge from the struggle this year. Thank you for the honor of serving in this position. Please feel free to contact me anytime you have questions or need more information. 

 

april.robbs@ottawa.edu

 

 

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. Harper Perennial. 

ISBN: 9780060920432

 

 

April Robbs is an Instructional Designer and online adjunct at the Ottawa University, Overland Park Campus. She holds a BS in elementary education and a MS in instructional design and technology from Emporia State University. She discovered her passion for quality curriculum design and implementing technology effectively for learning as a middle school science teacher. Her major contributions at Ottawa University include developing a resource library for subject matter experts and online instructors, conducting faculty training, and implementing simulations in business and nursing courses. She strives to promote professional collaboration with subject matter experts in course design in order to produce effective, well-designed courses. April serves as C2C’s Chair and the Kansas Blackboard Users Group Communications Coordinator. 

 

Her email is april.robbs@ottawa.edu.