University News

LEJA Professor Alters Class to Promote Discussion Despite Online Format

April 30, 2020

Share |
Printer friendly version

Editor's Note: This is the seventh in a series of feature stories about Western Illinois University faculty who are adapting and finding unique ways to reach their students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

MACOMB, IL – In a class that relies heavily on classroom discussion between students, one Western Illinois University Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA) professor has transitioned his Coronavirus-altered class structure so students can better interact with each other, no matter where they are participating in the online classroom.

LEJA Professor Jonathan Butts said one of his biggest challenges of moving to an alternative format has been trying to convert material meant to be presented face-to-face to an online format. He posted all of his lecture material on the University's WesternOnline system, which he said "truly helped in reaching all my students." Butts took the method a step further, allowing students to provide feedback to their classmates.

"I want this to simulate in class discussions," he said. "After posting my material online, students are required to post their perspectives on the issue(s) I want them to address. I then want each student to post to two or three of their classmates' posts where they have questions or have a different perspective. My goal is to allow the students to be open minded, promote critical thinking, while sometimes taking an adversarial view that is respectful and honest. I am wanting critical thinking among students which can change after reviewing their classmates' posts."

The reaction from students to the altered format has been positive, Butts said, despite an initial hesitancy by some.

"What I have done from the beginning of our online formats is to stay in contact with each class daily - staying positive, while promoting myself as a resource I want them to use," he said. "I want interaction that allows each student to feel they are still a student who is cared about and who can seek help when needed."

One class assignment Butts gave his security administration course was definitely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He assigned students to write a research paper where they are serving as the director of security for a hospital.

"Their paper is required to develop a safety plan for all staff, patients and visitors during the COVID-19 crisis," he said. "How is COVID-19 going to affect the hospital's mission and vision statements moving forward? Their plan must also address PPE's, resources and funding available, contingency plans and security staffing."

Each day, Butts and colleague LEJA Professor Frank Schweitzer share ideas about what they think is working or not and he called Schweitzer a "great resource."

When higher education institutions nationwide began transitioning to alternative formats many weeks ago, all WIU faculty members were faced with determining how to deliver their coursework. Adapting to alternative course delivery methods has been informative for Butts in a personal way.

"I feel this has changed me as a professor by understanding each student comes from a different environment when online," he said. "Many students have returned home and have started working to support themselves or their families. There are times when a student's internet is not connected, or their assignments in other courses may interfere with mine. I am using this experience to become more understanding of student's obstacles and hurdles."

Butts added that each student is not only dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic, they are attempting to "still have some sort of normalcy as a student.

"Their traditional on-campus experiences are on hold," he said. "This all happened at the flip of a switch. There was no time to plan and prepare; they went from zero to 100 overnight. I do not want to enable the students into a false feeling that everything is going to be given to them. I want them to have a stable foundation for a great education."

WIU junior LEJA major Tyler Rohlwing, of Havana, IL, said he is glad he has taken three classes with Butts.

"Professor Butts is a wonderful teacher who doesn't just teach from the book, but from his experiences," he said. "His infamous quote is, 'leave today better than I was yesterday, come back tomorrow better than I was today.'"

For more information on WIU's School of LEJA, visit wiu.edu/LEJA.

Posted By: Jodi Pospeschil (JK-Pospeschil@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing