Large audience for Brandman University webinar helping instructors deliver online lessons while coronavirus forces school closures

The following content first appeared on the news page while UMass Global operated under its former name of Brandman University.

IRVINE, Calif. (March 20, 2020) – A live webinar for K-16 instructors dealing with coronavirus-related school closures, “COVID-19: Moving Your Classes Online,” attracted more than 1,600 viewers during its Thursday webcast.

Education professor Kimberly Greene led the webinar, which attracted a large audience in a short amount of time. Brandman announced the event a week before it took place as a service for instructors who are themselves learning new teaching methods while emergency public health measures close school systems and colleges across the country.

An education technology expert, Greene prepared her audience to be open to new ideas before providing an overview of how teachers can maintain their effectiveness as they adapt their teaching styles to the Internet.

“Teaching online is different,” Greene said, “It’s going to be weird and awkward because it’s something new, and that’s OK. If you think about it, that’s what learning is. Learning is always a little bit of an awkward process because you’re doing something different. You’re taking in new ideas and applying them in different ways.”

Greene’s webinar is archived online.

The School of Education and School of Extended Education supported Greene’s webinar. The School of Extended Education hosts webinars on such topics as teaching and data science. Greene’s webinar attracted the largest audience among all webinars in the series.

“We hope to be a resource for people who are continuing to serve their communities as social distancing becomes the rule of the day,” Chancellor Gary Brahm said. “Brandman has a lot of experience providing online classes, and we want to share the lessons we have learned over the years to help teachers continue their good work in virtual classrooms for as long as brick-and-mortar schools remain closed.”

The School of Extended Education has scheduled an additional webinar to help viewers living through the ongoing coronavirus crisis. “Managing a Virtual Workforce” will help business professionals adjusting to the dynamics of remote work. This webinar is scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to noon PDT on Wednesday, March 25.

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ABOUT BRANDMAN UNIVERSITY
Brandman University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. As part of the Chapman University System, Brandman blends a legacy of academic excellence with innovative programs and support services designed for students with busy schedules. The university offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, credential and certificate programs. Brandman serves about 24,000 students, more than 14,000 of whom enroll in academic credit programs, at 25 physical campuses in California and Washington, as well as online. Brandman offers fully-online courses for students anywhere in the United States and for military personnel serving abroad. For additional information, visit the university’s website.

Media Contacts:

Terri M. Carbaugh, Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs: Carbaugh@brandman.edu

Andrew Edwards, Senior Multimedia News Writer: Edwards1@brandman.edu