“Eating crow” is an American expression that finds one humbly admitting, “I was wrong.”
As a nurse educator of 43 years, who only taught face-to-face classes, I had to “endure” making abrupt changes in my teaching style. eBooks? “Absolutely not!” Teaching online? “In your dreams.”
The pace of learning online instruction was hectic and stressful, especially when you are chomping on a mouth full of crow.
I learned that online instructional materials are excellent. The materials place students in virtual hospital scenarios, where “real life” experiences can be learned without the fear of hurting a patient.
I also learned that online instruction affords me the flexibility to meet students’ needs, rather than feeling compelled to complete a lecture at sound-breaking speed.
Now for the lesson that made me a convert – I learned that with the click of a link, the words within a textbook could be instantly translated into the student’s primary language.
In closing, I now realize there really is a silver lining in all challenging situations. This instructor feels like a first-year educator – so much to learn but loving every minute of it! By the way, I recommend marinating the crow, before you cook it; otherwise, it tends to be rather tough.
If you would like to share your experiences navigating the transition, please send your thoughts and recent images to pr.marketing@tccd.edu.