SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador 2021: Finger Lakes – Amy Flagler

Amy Flagler is an Associate Professor of Communication at Finger Lakes Community College, where she has worked full-time since 2010. Her disciplinary focus has been teaching general education communication courses and mass communication history and theory. In her courses she strives to help students develop fundamental communication skills and media literacy skills that are necessary for life. Amy is also actively involved in campus governance working on several committees including those that focus on student retention and completion.

I have been teaching on-line classes throughout my ten-year career at FLCC. On-line courses provide accessibility and flexibility in regard to teaching and learning. Being the first on my campus to bring Public Speaking to a virtual environment, I feel that on-line teaching inspires creativity as it requires great thought and experimentation in how one needs to deliver course materials, make materials accessible and do so in a way that proactively engages students with the course materials and stimulates engagement with their academic peers. Over the years I have been teaching on-line, I have come to greatly appreciate the enriching discussion forums that take place in my virtual classrooms and the relationships that I build with students. I also appreciate the challenges of on-line teaching and having to adapt to changes in technology as they have occurred as they have helped me to grow and always inspire me to strive to do better.