Episode Description

Dr. Mukuni shares his journey into teaching and online education. He explains how he got into higher education and online learning through various opportunities that arose. As the director of online education at Fayetteville State University, he discusses his roles and responsibilities, which include training faculty, supporting online students, and ensuring accessibility in online courses. Dr. Mukuni highlights the challenges faculty face in transitioning to online teaching and provides recommendations for creating engaging online courses. He also mentions the specific challenges and strategies for programs like nursing and fire management. Additionally, he discusses the support provided to faculty and the importance of accessibility for students with disabilities. Dr. Mukuni discusses the challenges and solutions for creating accessible online course materials. He highlights the importance of making documents, such as Microsoft Word and PDF files, accessible by using proper headings, reading order, and alternative text for images. He also mentions the use of tools like Microsoft Teams and Canvas for synchronous learning and screen sharing. Dr. Mukuni shares that online students at his institution are primarily from the United States. He mentions the essential tools for online programs, including Canvas LMS, Microsoft 365 products, and lecture capture tools. He also discusses the challenges with the new quizzes feature in Canvas and the need for user-friendly solutions. Dr. Mukuni receives cold emails from product and service providers, but some are irrelevant to his role, such as enrollment-related offers. He suggests that service providers focus on integrating technology into online learning and addressing specific needs, such as accessibility. He also mentions the importance of considering policy implementation and providing recommendations along with tools. Dr. Mukuni explains that policies and laws related to online education come from various sources, including institutions, lawmakers, and academic departments.