It is time for a self-assessment: Are you "checked in" at work? What does it take to keep you focused and contributing during a busy day? When do you find the extra time and where do you find the extra energy to carry out those endless tasks? Today I am eager to examine faculty engagement.
I have previously written that many of us are struggling with motivation and I thought that was reasonable and understandable with more and more work expected from our limited time, especially as higher education budgets are evaporating. However, I recently began thinking that motivation might not be the best word to describe some of the feelings seen and heard lately. Perhaps it is better identified as disengagement. What's the difference? Motivation represents an acceptance of some type of impetus for action. I am motivated by my students' energy. So being unmotivated simply means I am lacking an impetus to produce action.
Disengagement is defined as moving away from/detaching from a connection. To me there's a difference here as disengagement can mean we drift from our overall connection with something and can near apathy. It seems MUCH scarier and MUCH more permanent to me than a simple lack of motivation. Consider this: Do you feel yourself slipping away from the courses you teach, not being "on" in the classroom, not preparing for the classes the way you should, not really listening at meetings, kind of checking out of the process? I found myself slipping into a disengaged phase when it came to committee work, as some of my previous posts have noted this work is currently quite demanding. Because of this, I hit a "griping" phase. I tried to reign in this unusual nature of complaining to a better place where I can use my concerns to foster change and not to simply complain. This shift to a complainer came about innocently as I walked into a meeting upset (ironically, over the amount of time I was spending in meetings) and frustrated by my subsequent lack of time to prepare for my classes. A colleague came in and noted I looked tired. That was all it took! I verbally dumped my complaints out. Then I heard a lot of complaints back. The next person who sat down began complaining right with us. We were talking over one another simply trying to voice all of our frustrations. We weren't listening, we were just complaining. When the meeting began, I was completely checked out of the process. After I left, I realized I missed great opportunities to voice thoughts about new directions at our institution. I was angry at myself for ranting about a problem instead of jumping in to DO SOMETHING about the issues that we are facing. Then I thought about it: complaining could become an institutional culture. Yipes! What could I do to foster positive change in myself and fight this disengagement before it contaminated more people?
What I mistook for a lack of motivation in some of us as faculty members may actually be a disengaged faculty! What does a disengaged faculty look like? Well, generally they offer up a lot of problems without caring about or searching for solutions. It is criticism without the constructive element -- and without that constructive element, how can we be guided toward a better outcome? Being around disengaged people can be incredibly frustrating for anyone attempting to pitch a new idea or opportunity. It is frustrating to face disengaged faculty (or administrators or staff or students--substitute your group of choice here) because the disengaged group constantly (and perhaps unintentionally) undermines ANY attempt for change. The don't like your ideas, but they don't offer ideas of their own, and they often find fault with everyone and everything around them.
As Julie Sweetland, from the Center for Inspired Teaching wrote in Challenges to Creating a Culture of Professional Learning, " The teacher-driven culture of collaboration that is the hallmark of a mature professional learning community can be impossible to foster in the absence of a sense of personal and collective efficacy, a deep and abiding 'can-do’ attitude. In schools where teaching professionals are subjected to isolation and other forms of professional insult and injury, faculty and staff may act in ways that reflect a learned helplessness, consistently avoiding responsibility for problems and their solutions. Conversations in the faculty lounge—if they touch on issues of teaching and learning at all—are likely to focus on the failures of administrators, policy makers, parents, and students. The ‘blame game’ can be especially frustrating for change agents who believe that teachers are the most powerful influence on student achievement (Haycock 1998)."
I have to own my place in this conversation. In that meeting, I was disengaged. I was checked out, I was self-absorbed, and I ceased being a part of the solution and became part of the problem.
Have you found your energies leaning more and more toward this disengaged category? Have you noticed this in others? Have you noticed it in your institution? A great way to boost yourself out of this quagmire is to build awareness of your personal agency (according to Sweetland). She notes this can help transform the "laundry lists of complaints into more meaningful areas for positive action." Isn't that what we're in academia for? We are here to create positive change in our students, to foster growth, to mentor, to share, to examine. How can we do any of that if we are checking out of the process?
How do we work on our self-agency or perhaps on the culture of our institution? It is easy for us to individually get caught up in the disengaged mindset, as I can attest, so I encourage us to become active participants in crafting a culture of problem-solving and further challenge us to truly listen to one another. This has proven to be a useful approach in several of my meetings and it has helped to shake me out of my temporarily disengaged ways.
My new goal this past week to was to help craft a culture of empowerment and I feel that the simple change in mindset made my busy, accreditation-focused, meeting-filled week so much more enjoyable and I am no longer infecting others with my toxic complaints. I am still busy, but I am mindful that the work serves a purpose and helps maintain the value of education that I hold so close to my heart. Be prepared for my latest mantra: "I will help craft a culture of empowerment."
I would also note that we should be self-reflective and own our place in institutional culture--sometimes our voice may feel small and unheard, but it can be far-reaching and do many positive and negative things.
Haycock, Kati. 1998. Good Teaching Matters: How Well-Qualified Teachers Can Close the Gap. Thinking K-16:31.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Gadget-Girl
I travel light. I don't need ten different shoes or complete wardrobe changes. I pride myself on being a drama-free traveler never stuck trying to cram a carry-on suitcase overhead and shove a duffel-size bag under th
e seat in front of me. I am simple. I count my trusty chapstick as makeup and my bulk when traveling is simply file folders if I can't convert to some electronic format. So just WHEN did I become someone who takes hours to pack? It isn't shoes or clothes, it is all of my electronics. When did I become this Gadget-Girl?
It started, I suppose, with an mp3 player. I got my first mp3 player before a study abroad trip to China in 2005. It was so convenient! Then, of course, came the laptop. "I have to travel with this to do my work," I justified. After that came the e-reader, my nook. "My research books are on here and the new sci-fi book is a treat for the airplane" ranted my inner dialogue. I have always loved snapping and sharing pictures, so the camera had to travel, of course. And, well if we're being honest, the all- important Blackberry must come along. It isn't even considered as optional these days.
All of this electronic encumbrance hit me as I packed for a conference a few weeks ago. The
first thing I always pack is my little neon green bag I have dubbed the "cord keeper" which has the nook charger, the blackberry charger, the mp3 charger, the laptop cords, the tiny mouse for the laptop, the camera to laptop usb, and a little desktop speaker (with wire) for my mp3 player. Seriously...the bag wouldn't zip.
At what point do the gadgets lose their flexible, fun options and become necessities in our lives? Couldn't I simply use the "nook app" on my laptop or cell phone and leave the e-reader at home? Shouldn't I just play the music on my laptop and nix the mp3-speaker combination? Why not just rely on the blackberry's camera feature instead of lugging around the actual camera?
Apparently, I'm a closet gadget freak. It is no secret that I belong in the land of nerds and I embrace that membership fully. But I had no idea that I was such a Gadget-Girl! I really did think of myself as someone who could just pick up and go...until that little green bag refused to zip. Realization: it is time to downsize.
Over the past two months I have been non-hurriedly shopping for a personal netbook to make my conference travel easier than my work-issued clunky, heavy laptop. It was also an opportunity to
streamline the gadgets. Then, my institution began talking about issuing an iPad for instructors in the pilot phase of our new QEP ("E-focused!"). Could this little gadget be the answer to my wire-filled wearying ways? Nothing is certain, but I will be eager to examine the opportunities if the iPad comes into my hands. If you have experience with an iPad and work-related use (computing, communicating, etc.) please post or email and let us know how it is working out for you.
Now, where are my ear buds, mp3 player and flash drive? I've got work to do...
e seat in front of me. I am simple. I count my trusty chapstick as makeup and my bulk when traveling is simply file folders if I can't convert to some electronic format. So just WHEN did I become someone who takes hours to pack? It isn't shoes or clothes, it is all of my electronics. When did I become this Gadget-Girl?It started, I suppose, with an mp3 player. I got my first mp3 player before a study abroad trip to China in 2005. It was so convenient! Then, of course, came the laptop. "I have to travel with this to do my work," I justified. After that came the e-reader, my nook. "My research books are on here and the new sci-fi book is a treat for the airplane" ranted my inner dialogue. I have always loved snapping and sharing pictures, so the camera had to travel, of course. And, well if we're being honest, the all- important Blackberry must come along. It isn't even considered as optional these days.
All of this electronic encumbrance hit me as I packed for a conference a few weeks ago. The
first thing I always pack is my little neon green bag I have dubbed the "cord keeper" which has the nook charger, the blackberry charger, the mp3 charger, the laptop cords, the tiny mouse for the laptop, the camera to laptop usb, and a little desktop speaker (with wire) for my mp3 player. Seriously...the bag wouldn't zip.At what point do the gadgets lose their flexible, fun options and become necessities in our lives? Couldn't I simply use the "nook app" on my laptop or cell phone and leave the e-reader at home? Shouldn't I just play the music on my laptop and nix the mp3-speaker combination? Why not just rely on the blackberry's camera feature instead of lugging around the actual camera?
Apparently, I'm a closet gadget freak. It is no secret that I belong in the land of nerds and I embrace that membership fully. But I had no idea that I was such a Gadget-Girl! I really did think of myself as someone who could just pick up and go...until that little green bag refused to zip. Realization: it is time to downsize.
Over the past two months I have been non-hurriedly shopping for a personal netbook to make my conference travel easier than my work-issued clunky, heavy laptop. It was also an opportunity to
streamline the gadgets. Then, my institution began talking about issuing an iPad for instructors in the pilot phase of our new QEP ("E-focused!"). Could this little gadget be the answer to my wire-filled wearying ways? Nothing is certain, but I will be eager to examine the opportunities if the iPad comes into my hands. If you have experience with an iPad and work-related use (computing, communicating, etc.) please post or email and let us know how it is working out for you.Now, where are my ear buds, mp3 player and flash drive? I've got work to do...
Monday, February 14, 2011
"can u tell me what 2 read 4 class 2mrw? thx!"
I am running in between meetings today, but simply had to write a short note about the interesting ways we communicate after I received an email asking, "can u tell me what 2 read 4 class 2mrw? thx!" I sat in a meeting and mentioned I got "text talk" from a student and beside me a slew of conversation began about whether or not one would "allow a student to talk to me that way." I found it intriguing to see our powerful reactions to communication.
Isn't it interesting to examine the primary means through which we choose to communicate? It isn't simply about the text-style writings. For example, I have recently gotten emails from someone while we were both in the office, less than a dozen feet from one another. We each knew the other was available and yet chose email: I hit "reply" to respond instead of hopping up and conversing in person. Clearly we have comfort zones in the way we like to tackle our communication that provide a lot of opportunities to reach out to one another, but they also offer a
chance for mis-communication or misunderstandings.
It is easy to see how one who prefers oral communication can think that an email is "too formal" or say, "What? You felt you needed this documented in writing? Why?" and take offense (both comments I have heard recently). Or to see how someone who prefers electronic communication can grumble about sitting in a meeting when the information could have been sent via email and saved everyone the time (again, I heard this comment last week). My desire to communicate via email (instead of phone) is simply because my shared office can be very noisy and I'm drawn out of the office for classes and meetings frequently. I hate playing "phone tag" and email is a great solution. But my preference can be seen as self-isolating to those preferring to communicate orally. In fact, just being my natural communicator and replying by email quickly (via my wonderful blackberry) led the initial message sender to ask that I not "send off a quick reply" but instead come and speak with her. Our comfort zones and natural communication patterns can easily get us into hot water.
We see this preferred communication comfort zone in our students, who are now labeled as the "instant gratification" communicators where email is "too slow" and chats, texts, or IM opportunities are their preferences. You can watch students text one another when they are side-by-side just as my colleague and I emailed within sight of one another. We can see how this can bleed into the instructor/student relationships. Just consider the common complaints we have all heard from professors: a student emails the professor using "text talk"-style writing ("can u tell me what 2 read 4 class 2mrw?") and the result is usually that instructor is highly insulted that a student would send such a thing...While I am certainly NOT advocating for us to allow text-filled papers or communication, I am writing to demonstrate that everyone has a level of comfort associated with different communication mediums and that comfort zone should be a part of our educational process with students. We can easily discuss intended audience, image crafting, message and impact on perceptions with our students who are (perhaps) simply naturally communicating and (perhaps) not thinking through the process. It is a teachable moment, in other words, and one we might all need if we self-reflect.
It is intriguing to see the way we find comfort in our communication can send out various, sometimes unintended messages about who we are. We should be mindful of the communicative comfort zones of others and strive to project the image that we feel most comfortable with by making allowances and modifications in our preferences and, of course, by finding teachable moments in our communication with students.
Isn't it interesting to examine the primary means through which we choose to communicate? It isn't simply about the text-style writings. For example, I have recently gotten emails from someone while we were both in the office, less than a dozen feet from one another. We each knew the other was available and yet chose email: I hit "reply" to respond instead of hopping up and conversing in person. Clearly we have comfort zones in the way we like to tackle our communication that provide a lot of opportunities to reach out to one another, but they also offer a
chance for mis-communication or misunderstandings.It is easy to see how one who prefers oral communication can think that an email is "too formal" or say, "What? You felt you needed this documented in writing? Why?" and take offense (both comments I have heard recently). Or to see how someone who prefers electronic communication can grumble about sitting in a meeting when the information could have been sent via email and saved everyone the time (again, I heard this comment last week). My desire to communicate via email (instead of phone) is simply because my shared office can be very noisy and I'm drawn out of the office for classes and meetings frequently. I hate playing "phone tag" and email is a great solution. But my preference can be seen as self-isolating to those preferring to communicate orally. In fact, just being my natural communicator and replying by email quickly (via my wonderful blackberry) led the initial message sender to ask that I not "send off a quick reply" but instead come and speak with her. Our comfort zones and natural communication patterns can easily get us into hot water.
We see this preferred communication comfort zone in our students, who are now labeled as the "instant gratification" communicators where email is "too slow" and chats, texts, or IM opportunities are their preferences. You can watch students text one another when they are side-by-side just as my colleague and I emailed within sight of one another. We can see how this can bleed into the instructor/student relationships. Just consider the common complaints we have all heard from professors: a student emails the professor using "text talk"-style writing ("can u tell me what 2 read 4 class 2mrw?") and the result is usually that instructor is highly insulted that a student would send such a thing...While I am certainly NOT advocating for us to allow text-filled papers or communication, I am writing to demonstrate that everyone has a level of comfort associated with different communication mediums and that comfort zone should be a part of our educational process with students. We can easily discuss intended audience, image crafting, message and impact on perceptions with our students who are (perhaps) simply naturally communicating and (perhaps) not thinking through the process. It is a teachable moment, in other words, and one we might all need if we self-reflect.
It is intriguing to see the way we find comfort in our communication can send out various, sometimes unintended messages about who we are. We should be mindful of the communicative comfort zones of others and strive to project the image that we feel most comfortable with by making allowances and modifications in our preferences and, of course, by finding teachable moments in our communication with students.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
WIKI-dly engaging!
With our new Blackboard 9.1 system, I have been examining how to move my online course into a more communication-friendly environment. I feel online learning can often leave students feeling isolated. I crafted journals using the new "journal" feature, I reconsidered previous assignments, examined "grouping" students, digitally upgraded past discussions adding video content and links, and today I dove head first into the BB9.1 wiki.
The wiki feature in 9.1 is shaping up to be a great tool for student collaboration
without a lot of discussion board threads that (supposedly) help the students engage with one another. I have found the discussion boards less than exciting the past semester and was thrilled to know we upgraded to a new learning platform which allows more student-to-student collaboration right in the BB space. The issue I had today was getting myself to stop exploring the wiki feature. I spent a few very fun moments today trying to stop playing with the wiki feature of BB9.1 and all I could think about was the many ways students could communicate with one another on a true working level. They won't be limited to a post/reply forced dynamic and this is exciting. Additionally, this moves them out of the answer-my-prompt format of many of the discussion boards. It allows them to think creatively and engage with the content material differently.
I am launching the use of the wiki feature this semester to see how the students respond to it. First, I asked the students if they would like to try the new technology. There was reluctance, but after explaining what a wiki was (with the inevitable, "Oh, like wikipedia!" statement) the students were excited. Then I got their feedback on what they thought they might like to do. Lastly, I made a sample wiki using blackboard that they can all view. I created an assignment overview with a clear "purpose of this assignment..." statement that all of the Web 2.0 articles say is necessary for student buy-in with new technology. For my purposes, I separated the students into two randomly assigned groups. BB9.1 assigned the groups for me! Now each group will craft a wiki this semester. The process will involve several sessions of class where we check in with one another to regroup and review techniques, pitfalls, and address concerns but I am mirroring the activity in both the online and on-ground courses to see how it goes.
So far, the wiki is engaging and very open for students to take the lead/direction. This initial freedom might cause uncertainty and confusion in the students so I am remaining very available and open for student questions and worries. I will be posting back as the project gets under way and hopefully we will be able to reach both the on-ground and online students with a new, collaborative-based communication tool.
Want to learn more about wikis? Check out these links:
http://virtuallythere.wikispaces.com/Wikis+in+Teaching
http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/Examples+of+educational+wikis
http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/2008/08/50-ways-to-use-wikis-for-a-more-collaborative-and-interactive-classroom/
And since the Blackboard wiki space takes a bit of clicking and trying it out before "getting" it (at least for me and my eLearning director), examine http://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/www.its.ndsu.edu/instruct/blackboard/wikis_getstarted.pdf
If you're trying BB9.1 wikis (or other wiki hosting spaces), why not add a comment and let us all know how it goes?
The wiki feature in 9.1 is shaping up to be a great tool for student collaboration
without a lot of discussion board threads that (supposedly) help the students engage with one another. I have found the discussion boards less than exciting the past semester and was thrilled to know we upgraded to a new learning platform which allows more student-to-student collaboration right in the BB space. The issue I had today was getting myself to stop exploring the wiki feature. I spent a few very fun moments today trying to stop playing with the wiki feature of BB9.1 and all I could think about was the many ways students could communicate with one another on a true working level. They won't be limited to a post/reply forced dynamic and this is exciting. Additionally, this moves them out of the answer-my-prompt format of many of the discussion boards. It allows them to think creatively and engage with the content material differently.I am launching the use of the wiki feature this semester to see how the students respond to it. First, I asked the students if they would like to try the new technology. There was reluctance, but after explaining what a wiki was (with the inevitable, "Oh, like wikipedia!" statement) the students were excited. Then I got their feedback on what they thought they might like to do. Lastly, I made a sample wiki using blackboard that they can all view. I created an assignment overview with a clear "purpose of this assignment..." statement that all of the Web 2.0 articles say is necessary for student buy-in with new technology. For my purposes, I separated the students into two randomly assigned groups. BB9.1 assigned the groups for me! Now each group will craft a wiki this semester. The process will involve several sessions of class where we check in with one another to regroup and review techniques, pitfalls, and address concerns but I am mirroring the activity in both the online and on-ground courses to see how it goes.
So far, the wiki is engaging and very open for students to take the lead/direction. This initial freedom might cause uncertainty and confusion in the students so I am remaining very available and open for student questions and worries. I will be posting back as the project gets under way and hopefully we will be able to reach both the on-ground and online students with a new, collaborative-based communication tool.
Want to learn more about wikis? Check out these links:
http://virtuallythere.wikispaces.com/Wikis+in+Teaching
http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/Examples+of+educational+wikis
http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/2008/08/50-ways-to-use-wikis-for-a-more-collaborative-and-interactive-classroom/
And since the Blackboard wiki space takes a bit of clicking and trying it out before "getting" it (at least for me and my eLearning director), examine http://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/www.its.ndsu.edu/instruct/blackboard/wikis_getstarted.pdf
If you're trying BB9.1 wikis (or other wiki hosting spaces), why not add a comment and let us all know how it goes?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Weekend work
Friday evening. You get home, finally take off the "work" shoes that have been killing your feet all day, change into the comfortable sweatshirt from your undergrad years, and get into the weekend routine. In my household, this means I instantly clean up all of the little disorderly areas from the past week such as the yoga bag by the front door and the pile of file folders that end up on my island cabinet after a week of rushing in and out of the house. I might sort through mail while cooking a little tofu stir-fry or turn up the music while vacuuming. It is thoughtless Friday evening work and it takes place as my mind is mentally transitioning from faculty mode to weekend worker mode. The weekend worker is a role that I love. It involves grading, emailing, and research but it is done with the delightful knowledge that all of that work can be accomplished in pajamas and pigtails and I can take my time doing it -- that knowledge makes Friday evening mentally relaxing for me. But this past weekend my work involved a much-dreaded word for most faculty members: committees.
I don't mind grading on the weekend. I don't mind researching and writing on the weekend. I, for some inexplicable reason, really resent committee work on the weekends. But there it was. An email with a tiny red exclamation point screaming "urgent" and the follow-up phone call encouraging my immediate attention.
My research sighed in frustration as it felt itself getting pushed to the side. My grading rolled its eyes as it knew that I would find it waiting for me after the committee work ended. As a pre-tenure faculty member sitting on several university committees, I find this balance the hardest to achieve in my work life. How can I put aside work that is required by the administration/institution? How can I balance
that with my own research (which, by the way, is screaming at me, "TICK TOCK, TENURE CLOCK!")? I spent a few hours working on the urgent committee item and my energy was draining. I got to the emails. I addressed the grading. I got another email with another red exclamation point following up from the work I submitted. By Sunday evening, I had not even touched the research other than a few follow-up communication emails with IRB folks...
And so it goes, the hours on the weekend that I spent working show that I still put my research on the back burner. I wonder at the priorities I set. I can see other faculty members do not all follow the same priority list. In fact, many can easily put research first. For me, teaching is first and teaching preparation work will always get done before research. But I think I must find a way to make research a strong second and so I continue to organize, plot, and restructure my days to try and fit it all in. My best laid plans fall apart whenever that dreaded "committee" word gets thrown in the mix. I imagine the same struggle is felt by many pre-tenure faculty members and perhaps for most of us who work at smaller institutions where the committee load is not spread around easily.
Since there does not appear to be an easy solution, I will try to accomplish as much as possible during the work week so my weekend worker role can once again be enjoyed!
I don't mind grading on the weekend. I don't mind researching and writing on the weekend. I, for some inexplicable reason, really resent committee work on the weekends. But there it was. An email with a tiny red exclamation point screaming "urgent" and the follow-up phone call encouraging my immediate attention.
My research sighed in frustration as it felt itself getting pushed to the side. My grading rolled its eyes as it knew that I would find it waiting for me after the committee work ended. As a pre-tenure faculty member sitting on several university committees, I find this balance the hardest to achieve in my work life. How can I put aside work that is required by the administration/institution? How can I balance
that with my own research (which, by the way, is screaming at me, "TICK TOCK, TENURE CLOCK!")? I spent a few hours working on the urgent committee item and my energy was draining. I got to the emails. I addressed the grading. I got another email with another red exclamation point following up from the work I submitted. By Sunday evening, I had not even touched the research other than a few follow-up communication emails with IRB folks...And so it goes, the hours on the weekend that I spent working show that I still put my research on the back burner. I wonder at the priorities I set. I can see other faculty members do not all follow the same priority list. In fact, many can easily put research first. For me, teaching is first and teaching preparation work will always get done before research. But I think I must find a way to make research a strong second and so I continue to organize, plot, and restructure my days to try and fit it all in. My best laid plans fall apart whenever that dreaded "committee" word gets thrown in the mix. I imagine the same struggle is felt by many pre-tenure faculty members and perhaps for most of us who work at smaller institutions where the committee load is not spread around easily.
Since there does not appear to be an easy solution, I will try to accomplish as much as possible during the work week so my weekend worker role can once again be enjoyed!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The next generation of learners
After a wonderful discussion about students and technology at a conference this past weekend, I was delighted to receive the youtube link below from a conference attendee. Our conversations as a group centered around the role, place, and intent of technology in the classroom. I presented on the topic of meeting our students digitally to allow education to surpass the traditional walls of higher education and engage our students in new ways using digital means. It was an exciting! But it was also a slightly disturbing conversation as there were several judgments expressed about our students today that were not flattering and many expressed "blame" toward the role of technology. Yesterday a fellow attendee sent along this link that I think many educators should review. Love it or hate it, technology has become a way that students learn and engage, so consider how you are evolving as an instructor. Are you shaping your teaching to meet the students where they are? Do you find yourself willing to try new modes of communication with your students? Even if you feel intimidated or uncertain, are you open to new processes of learning? Check out this video and share what you think.
The direct link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&NR=1&feature=fvwp
The direct link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&NR=1&feature=fvwp
Monday, January 31, 2011
The tenure tally
My desk, a normally pristine area of functionality from which I derive much comfort, is currently covered in sticky notes and piles of manila folders. I feel a sense of exhaustion and frustration as the landscape of my brain is spilled out before me in brightly colored notes with exclamation points at the end of each reminder insisting I give it immediate attention:
"IRB submission!" "Record 210.01 scores!" and "Follow-up emails after the conference!" I am struggling to conquer these tasks and they are, in fact, conquering me and my work space. I cannot recall a time when my work area looked this unorganized, nor can I ever think of a time when my semester was not thoroughly and diligently planned in advance.
This semester, however, I have been given an over-load course and have been placed on several hard-working accreditation committees. These duties have led to a somewhat frantic mental pace as the semester got under way. I normally can reign this in nicely with my slightly obsessive-compulsive excel spreadsheets, my day planner, and e-calendar alerts. This Monday my workspace has revolted and spilled outside of the carefully drawn excel grid lines resulting in a mess of bright pink, orange, and yellow stickies with thick black marker phrases that appear to be angrily shouting for my attention. They won't be pushed aside. Everything seems urgent.
So I am taking the next half an hour and doing a "tenure tally" for the semester ahead. This trick helped me in previous semesters (usually done before a term begins, it is certainly better implemented later than never or else I might forget what color my desk actually is under the obnoxiously boisterous notes). What is the tenure tally? It is a simple organizational activity that allows me to take stock of my To Do list, to determine what is a MUST item and what item can/should be pushed further down the list. How do I conduct a tenure tally? Well, at my institution it is straight forward. I use the faculty handbook section on tenure and points and use this as a way to examine which items deserve to stay on the list and in what order. If I can see that research is X points and I have a lighter publication output for the academic year, then perhaps I need to push up the research/data section of my list. If, however, I notice I have maxed out my conference points, then I should cut a conference and focus on research (or grant writing, etc.).
These are tough decisions, but let's face it...the life of a faculty member involves many duties and they will simply not all be done by one person if each item is deemed essential. Instead, we have to tally up our duties, structure them carefully around the goals we want to achieve, and learn to let some things go.
The hardest lesson is admitting I cannot do everything and forgiving myself for not attending to each screaming sticky note, but in the end it is a an on-going lesson and I am continuing to try and master it as I navigate the pre-tenure waters.
"IRB submission!" "Record 210.01 scores!" and "Follow-up emails after the conference!" I am struggling to conquer these tasks and they are, in fact, conquering me and my work space. I cannot recall a time when my work area looked this unorganized, nor can I ever think of a time when my semester was not thoroughly and diligently planned in advance.This semester, however, I have been given an over-load course and have been placed on several hard-working accreditation committees. These duties have led to a somewhat frantic mental pace as the semester got under way. I normally can reign this in nicely with my slightly obsessive-compulsive excel spreadsheets, my day planner, and e-calendar alerts. This Monday my workspace has revolted and spilled outside of the carefully drawn excel grid lines resulting in a mess of bright pink, orange, and yellow stickies with thick black marker phrases that appear to be angrily shouting for my attention. They won't be pushed aside. Everything seems urgent.
So I am taking the next half an hour and doing a "tenure tally" for the semester ahead. This trick helped me in previous semesters (usually done before a term begins, it is certainly better implemented later than never or else I might forget what color my desk actually is under the obnoxiously boisterous notes). What is the tenure tally? It is a simple organizational activity that allows me to take stock of my To Do list, to determine what is a MUST item and what item can/should be pushed further down the list. How do I conduct a tenure tally? Well, at my institution it is straight forward. I use the faculty handbook section on tenure and points and use this as a way to examine which items deserve to stay on the list and in what order. If I can see that research is X points and I have a lighter publication output for the academic year, then perhaps I need to push up the research/data section of my list. If, however, I notice I have maxed out my conference points, then I should cut a conference and focus on research (or grant writing, etc.).
These are tough decisions, but let's face it...the life of a faculty member involves many duties and they will simply not all be done by one person if each item is deemed essential. Instead, we have to tally up our duties, structure them carefully around the goals we want to achieve, and learn to let some things go.
The hardest lesson is admitting I cannot do everything and forgiving myself for not attending to each screaming sticky note, but in the end it is a an on-going lesson and I am continuing to try and master it as I navigate the pre-tenure waters.
Monday, January 24, 2011
The lingering student
The class has drawn to a close and our minds are switching from teacher-mode to the meeting in five minutes across campus and to the journal submission deadline when we look up to realize that there's still one student who is lingering. Slowly packing his/her bag, hanging back from the gaggle of students leaving the classroom, this student is always the last student to leave. It is the Lingering Student. He/She will use the time to listen to all of the other student-teacher discussion and then might walk with you, ask you questions, or just wait until you say something to him/her. How do I know about this lingering student? I was one.
I lingered to ALL of my professors in graduate school. I waited until they were alone to ask my questions or to get clarification at the end of the class. I sought out the time AFTER all of the other students left to address the teacher. I made excuses to be in the classroom long enough to be the last to leave. I was a Lingering Student (LS)!
As a teacher, I realize how easy it is to become impatient (and sometimes frustrated) with the lingering students of the world. Sometimes, I have to do a mental check and remind myself that the lingering student is simply engaging in a different comfort level when it comes to communication. After all, I was that LS once upon a time.
For example, as a LS, I wanted to ask for clarification when other students weren't around because I was embarrassed to NEED clarification. I did not want anyone thinking I didn't "get it" and so I would wait and ambush the teacher after class by slowly and painstakingly packing up binders, pens, and paper. Additionally, I felt awkward speaking a question in front of the larger class. I simply prefer one-on-one communication so I could ask follow up questions. Lastly, and perhaps the best part of the LS life, I could get a direct response from the professor -- one that was individually tailored to my specific project/paper. I wanted the time after the class to casually, but still educationally, engage with the teacher. I was a LS. In fact, just this moment I realize that I still tend to do this at some meetings, on some committees, and even at the gym after yoga class! It is my "comfort zone" for communication interactions and it looks like it hasn't changed much.
As our semester begins and we learn who our students are, how they engage, and most importantly how they choose to interact with us, I have uncovered I have several that are LS-prone again this term. I am making a special effort to extend communication that is meaningful in those few moments where the student is slowly packing up or hanging back from the rest of the group. This morning, the goal was to avoid waiting for the student to ask me a question. Instead, as the classroom emptied, I turned and made a comment about how the content we discussed would relate well to the State of the Union speech tomorrow and gently provided a way for the LS to launch the questions stored in her mind all class period long. It worked wonderfully.
The LS is not an inconvenience and is not an annoyance--it is an opportunity! Reaching the students in multiple ways -- both during and AFTER class is simply part of the job. From one former Lingering Student to the professors of the world out there: please take the time to engage with us. It can make a powerful difference.
I lingered to ALL of my professors in graduate school. I waited until they were alone to ask my questions or to get clarification at the end of the class. I sought out the time AFTER all of the other students left to address the teacher. I made excuses to be in the classroom long enough to be the last to leave. I was a Lingering Student (LS)!
As a teacher, I realize how easy it is to become impatient (and sometimes frustrated) with the lingering students of the world. Sometimes, I have to do a mental check and remind myself that the lingering student is simply engaging in a different comfort level when it comes to communication. After all, I was that LS once upon a time.
For example, as a LS, I wanted to ask for clarification when other students weren't around because I was embarrassed to NEED clarification. I did not want anyone thinking I didn't "get it" and so I would wait and ambush the teacher after class by slowly and painstakingly packing up binders, pens, and paper. Additionally, I felt awkward speaking a question in front of the larger class. I simply prefer one-on-one communication so I could ask follow up questions. Lastly, and perhaps the best part of the LS life, I could get a direct response from the professor -- one that was individually tailored to my specific project/paper. I wanted the time after the class to casually, but still educationally, engage with the teacher. I was a LS. In fact, just this moment I realize that I still tend to do this at some meetings, on some committees, and even at the gym after yoga class! It is my "comfort zone" for communication interactions and it looks like it hasn't changed much.
As our semester begins and we learn who our students are, how they engage, and most importantly how they choose to interact with us, I have uncovered I have several that are LS-prone again this term. I am making a special effort to extend communication that is meaningful in those few moments where the student is slowly packing up or hanging back from the rest of the group. This morning, the goal was to avoid waiting for the student to ask me a question. Instead, as the classroom emptied, I turned and made a comment about how the content we discussed would relate well to the State of the Union speech tomorrow and gently provided a way for the LS to launch the questions stored in her mind all class period long. It worked wonderfully.
The LS is not an inconvenience and is not an annoyance--it is an opportunity! Reaching the students in multiple ways -- both during and AFTER class is simply part of the job. From one former Lingering Student to the professors of the world out there: please take the time to engage with us. It can make a powerful difference.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Practicing and preparing for a new term
How do you prepare for a new term? I'm not referencing the syllabus revisions or the text book reviews--I mean the mental preparation for the time you spend in front of your student audience. Do you have rituals or practices you follow to begin teaching successfully each term?
I attended a conference last October where a presenter noted taking a little time to physically practice her teaching by walking around spaces in her classroom and beginning the semester by examining clothing choices and appropriateness for the classroom. Presenter Dr. Ann Marie Coats from the University of South Florida reported on her research, "Strong and comfortable shoes: The role of appearance in the performance of the confident professor" and I was surprised to hear that some of my "nervous pre-semester have-to items" that I considered quirky are more common than I ever suspected. Some of us mentally rehearse while others of us use a form of physical practice that involves the space around us, but many of us do consider and plan for our time in front of students. I do several things before a new semester starts:
1 - I always visit each assigned classroom space and sit in several different seats,
2 - I check the white board use with several different colors of dry erase markers and remove those that appear too light or bright to be seen from the back of the room from my bag o' markers,
3 - I, like Dr. Coats, consider what to wear. I add layers (tank tops) under blouses that might reveal too much when I lean over a desk to help a student or I consider movement ("If I reach up to write on the board will this blouse/jacket/pants combo reveal anything?") and I am always on the search for shoes that are comfortable but "responsible" for my time in front of the class. I "test" this in front of a mirror,
4 - I mentally rehearse my time with the students by examining how I will open the first several classes, how I will remember student names (something I find is incredibly important for the connection I want to build the first few weeks of the course), and where/how I will move about the room
5 - I spend an evening reviewing some of my journals from my Freshman and Sophomore years at Purdue. This helps me remember that students are not always used to the higher education classroom and reminds me of what I used to enjoy/dislike about my 100- and 200-level professors and classmates while I was an undergraduate.
These little rituals always made me feel a bit insecure--as if I had to amp myself up to teach. After hearing Dr. Coats' research last Fall at the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language and Gender conference (http://www.osclg.org/), I realized that many of us do these (or similar) items to help us become the best educators we can be.
Ritualized preparation for a new term is more than just mentally settling, it allows a way to connect with the student perspective and, I believe, reinforce respect for our students and their educational journey. So what will you do as you embark on a new term?
Interested in learning more on the topic of attire and professors? Check out the following articles:
Carr, D. L., Lavin, A. M., & Davies, T. L. (2009). The impact of business faculty attire on student perceptions and engagement. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 6(1) retrieved from http://journals.cluteonline.com/index.php/TLC/article/viewArticle/1180
and
Morris, T. L., Gorham, J., Cohen, S. H., & Huffman, D. (1996). Fashion in the classroom: effects of attire on student perceptions of instructors in college classes. Communication Education, 45, retrieved from http://www.wvu.edu/~ccpsych/Morris%20PDFs/Fashion%20in%20the%20Classroom.pdf
I attended a conference last October where a presenter noted taking a little time to physically practice her teaching by walking around spaces in her classroom and beginning the semester by examining clothing choices and appropriateness for the classroom. Presenter Dr. Ann Marie Coats from the University of South Florida reported on her research, "Strong and comfortable shoes: The role of appearance in the performance of the confident professor" and I was surprised to hear that some of my "nervous pre-semester have-to items" that I considered quirky are more common than I ever suspected. Some of us mentally rehearse while others of us use a form of physical practice that involves the space around us, but many of us do consider and plan for our time in front of students. I do several things before a new semester starts:
1 - I always visit each assigned classroom space and sit in several different seats,
2 - I check the white board use with several different colors of dry erase markers and remove those that appear too light or bright to be seen from the back of the room from my bag o' markers,
3 - I, like Dr. Coats, consider what to wear. I add layers (tank tops) under blouses that might reveal too much when I lean over a desk to help a student or I consider movement ("If I reach up to write on the board will this blouse/jacket/pants combo reveal anything?") and I am always on the search for shoes that are comfortable but "responsible" for my time in front of the class. I "test" this in front of a mirror,
4 - I mentally rehearse my time with the students by examining how I will open the first several classes, how I will remember student names (something I find is incredibly important for the connection I want to build the first few weeks of the course), and where/how I will move about the room
5 - I spend an evening reviewing some of my journals from my Freshman and Sophomore years at Purdue. This helps me remember that students are not always used to the higher education classroom and reminds me of what I used to enjoy/dislike about my 100- and 200-level professors and classmates while I was an undergraduate.
These little rituals always made me feel a bit insecure--as if I had to amp myself up to teach. After hearing Dr. Coats' research last Fall at the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language and Gender conference (http://www.osclg.org/), I realized that many of us do these (or similar) items to help us become the best educators we can be.
Ritualized preparation for a new term is more than just mentally settling, it allows a way to connect with the student perspective and, I believe, reinforce respect for our students and their educational journey. So what will you do as you embark on a new term?
Interested in learning more on the topic of attire and professors? Check out the following articles:
Carr, D. L., Lavin, A. M., & Davies, T. L. (2009). The impact of business faculty attire on student perceptions and engagement. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 6(1) retrieved from http://journals.cluteonline.com/index.php/TLC/article/viewArticle/1180
and
Morris, T. L., Gorham, J., Cohen, S. H., & Huffman, D. (1996). Fashion in the classroom: effects of attire on student perceptions of instructors in college classes. Communication Education, 45, retrieved from http://www.wvu.edu/~ccpsych/Morris%20PDFs/Fashion%20in%20the%20Classroom.pdf
Monday, January 3, 2011
The black sharpie
Post-it flags, sticky notes, color-coded ink pen systems, and digital reminders: the office supply and organizational gadget businesses have my money. They also have much of my time as my poor husband can attest: I spend at least an hour shopping for a new day planner each December. It is a nerdy pleasure. I pour over the layouts, the organization of days, the weekly versus monthly options. Eventually, the husband finds a nice floor sample of a piece of furniture and perches patiently while I mumble about hours broken down by the 15 or 30 minute intervals and binding options. For the past six years, I give up and order a calendar online that better fits my desires. This year was no different. After the futile trip to Office Depot, I placed my order online and waited impatiently for the new calendar to arrive. The simple joy of a well-structured week can emotionally uplift me, as I have noted before when discussing the struggle between balancing the researching, service and teaching sides of faculty life. For me, structure and scheduling provide a clear way to manage these competitors for my limited time. So, it was quite an exciting moment when my fresh calendar arrived today.
Fresh. That is the way I see the year ahead as I turn crisp day planner pages and ponder if I will use pencil or blue or black or green or purple ink this year, if I will mark off meetings and classes with arrows or boxes. Nerdy though it may be, I can't help it. I love the feel of the blank pages and the simple possibility of it all...
That is truly what the new calendar represents: possibility. I approach this 2011 day planner with reverence and with that wonderfully engaging mixture of opportunity and optimism that marks a new year.
...until the evil black sharpie, that is.
The permanence of the thick black line, the bleed through to the other pages, the impossibility of change: a black sharpie is trying to take over my day planner. There is a nagging voice in the back of my mind that is screaming "Protect your time! Tenure review is coming soon! Permanent black sharpie required!" And despite the plethora of ink options, the voice is screaming for research time to be outlined in black sharpie marker this semester. It urges a rapid reply to any committee meeting request that dances too close to the thick black lines to be, "I'm sorry, I cannot make the meeting."
Before thinking that you should call for some type of psychiatric assistance for this inner dialogue (for which I thank you but politely and of sound mind, decline), do know that my mental argument for the new calendar reflects the stress of an approaching semester: what projects are looming, what needs completed, what MUST be done. It is all a *hopefully* normal manifestation of my feeling that I did not get enough done last semester and that time is sliiiiiiipppppppping away.
Whether the black sharpie is used literally or figuratively (and let's just admit here that no way is a messy black sharpie darkening the pages of my fresh new day planner no matter how that inner voice rages), I am claiming the semester ahead as one full of optimism where my research time WILL BE a priority. I will embrace that time, I will respect that time, and I will maximize those hours. With that commitment in mind, I turn back to the blank, beautiful pages of the day planner and ponder the possibilities and opportunities ahead...perhaps I'll wait just one more day before I enter all of the classes, meetings and tasks for the upcoming term!
Fresh. That is the way I see the year ahead as I turn crisp day planner pages and ponder if I will use pencil or blue or black or green or purple ink this year, if I will mark off meetings and classes with arrows or boxes. Nerdy though it may be, I can't help it. I love the feel of the blank pages and the simple possibility of it all...
That is truly what the new calendar represents: possibility. I approach this 2011 day planner with reverence and with that wonderfully engaging mixture of opportunity and optimism that marks a new year.
...until the evil black sharpie, that is.
The permanence of the thick black line, the bleed through to the other pages, the impossibility of change: a black sharpie is trying to take over my day planner. There is a nagging voice in the back of my mind that is screaming "Protect your time! Tenure review is coming soon! Permanent black sharpie required!" And despite the plethora of ink options, the voice is screaming for research time to be outlined in black sharpie marker this semester. It urges a rapid reply to any committee meeting request that dances too close to the thick black lines to be, "I'm sorry, I cannot make the meeting."
Before thinking that you should call for some type of psychiatric assistance for this inner dialogue (for which I thank you but politely and of sound mind, decline), do know that my mental argument for the new calendar reflects the stress of an approaching semester: what projects are looming, what needs completed, what MUST be done. It is all a *hopefully* normal manifestation of my feeling that I did not get enough done last semester and that time is sliiiiiiipppppppping away.
Whether the black sharpie is used literally or figuratively (and let's just admit here that no way is a messy black sharpie darkening the pages of my fresh new day planner no matter how that inner voice rages), I am claiming the semester ahead as one full of optimism where my research time WILL BE a priority. I will embrace that time, I will respect that time, and I will maximize those hours. With that commitment in mind, I turn back to the blank, beautiful pages of the day planner and ponder the possibilities and opportunities ahead...perhaps I'll wait just one more day before I enter all of the classes, meetings and tasks for the upcoming term!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
A hearty thank you!
With gratitude to all of the readers and especially to Ms. Karen Franker, University of Wisconsin-Stout, I am delighted to report that "Communication and Higher Education: Life on the Tenure-Track at a Teaching Institution" blog was selected as one of the "Top 8 Education Blogs to Inspire and Inform" by the University of Wisconsin-Stout: http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/blog.cfm.
Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards from Tarleton State University, author of A Millennial Professor's View of Higher Education blog (http://www.millennialprofessor.com/) was also recognized with her insights into both the millennial student/professor minds as well as her emphasis on new technology activities and uses in higher education classrooms. This is an honor and a very hearty thanks for the recognition and for all who read the sometimes exhausting, but (nearly) always rewarding journey along the tenure track. Thank you!
Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards from Tarleton State University, author of A Millennial Professor's View of Higher Education blog (http://www.millennialprofessor.com/) was also recognized with her insights into both the millennial student/professor minds as well as her emphasis on new technology activities and uses in higher education classrooms. This is an honor and a very hearty thanks for the recognition and for all who read the sometimes exhausting, but (nearly) always rewarding journey along the tenure track. Thank you!
Tech geek at heart...
"My name is Lora and I am an educational technology geek" -- Yes, I have to admit this after spending nearly all day yesterday "working" on my online course with the new 9.1 version of BlackBoard, the geek moniker is fully embraced. I realized my day did not feel as if I had done work, but instead it felt as if I had been playing on the computer all day. Believe me, progress was made and the course is coming along but I was continually sidetracked by exploring the new features available in this course management upgrade. I felt like I was logging into a familiar site with a familiar goal and was then surprised by what was in front of me. It was like going on a walk when you know you need to arrive at, let's say a grocery store as a final destination, but as you walk you decide to take a scenic digression and find yourself in a beautiful farmer's market full of brightly colored seasonal delights. BlackBoard 9 is a more verdant place than BlackBoard 8 and I am glad to make use of it this semester. After my one-day adventure in BB-9 I found it to be user-friendly and similar to 8 in many ways but those of us who are not willing to click and see what happens might find it takes a bit of time to adjust to the new visual layout.
My students can easily embrace the intuitive software and make use of several new features. Though some of my students have used blog and wiki applications in class before, they have been difficult items outside of the BlackBoard program. Now, these items are embedded into their courses and much more accessible. I am pleased by the "journal" feature which allows students access to an ongoing reflective writing process throughout the semester and allows me to avoid the submission of "journals" after each speech. This tool allows the students better ability to reflect since they can see their past submissions right along with my comments and will give richer depth to their reflection.
Of course, this is all in the "I-sure-hope-it-works-like-it-looks-like-it-will" phase so I will report back on the outcome of the new course tools. In the meantime, my true geekiness continued as I clicked my way through resources for embracing all of BB-9 and here are a few resources that might prove useful to others beginning with BB or simply experiencing the upgrade transition as we are:
http://www.blackboard.com is of course the best place to go for help, tutorials, and webinars.
http://tep.uoregon.edu/technology/blackboard/blackboard.html A great place to begin clicking and reading about instructional opportunities with BB-9
http://www.slideshare.net/joelk/blackboard-mashups-multimedia-just-got-a-little-easier for a presentation on the Mashup feature of BB-9
And for any beginning the transition to online instruction remember to keep the communication lines open. Consider reading Betts (2009) article, "Lost in Translation: Importance of effective communication in online education" from the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer122/betts122.html
Facing a course I've taught online for nine semesters and updating the course with a new learning platform wasn't as tedious as I had dreaded--in fact, the course preparation yesterday was fun and has allowed me to breathe new life into some of the course elements which increases my energy and will hopefully help to engage the students. Faculty duties continue in the realm of instruction and for many of us, that means sprucing up our understanding of new technology and getting our geek on as we prepare for a new semester.
My students can easily embrace the intuitive software and make use of several new features. Though some of my students have used blog and wiki applications in class before, they have been difficult items outside of the BlackBoard program. Now, these items are embedded into their courses and much more accessible. I am pleased by the "journal" feature which allows students access to an ongoing reflective writing process throughout the semester and allows me to avoid the submission of "journals" after each speech. This tool allows the students better ability to reflect since they can see their past submissions right along with my comments and will give richer depth to their reflection.
Of course, this is all in the "I-sure-hope-it-works-like-it-looks-like-it-will" phase so I will report back on the outcome of the new course tools. In the meantime, my true geekiness continued as I clicked my way through resources for embracing all of BB-9 and here are a few resources that might prove useful to others beginning with BB or simply experiencing the upgrade transition as we are:
http://www.blackboard.com is of course the best place to go for help, tutorials, and webinars.
http://tep.uoregon.edu/technology/blackboard/blackboard.html A great place to begin clicking and reading about instructional opportunities with BB-9
http://www.slideshare.net/joelk/blackboard-mashups-multimedia-just-got-a-little-easier for a presentation on the Mashup feature of BB-9
And for any beginning the transition to online instruction remember to keep the communication lines open. Consider reading Betts (2009) article, "Lost in Translation: Importance of effective communication in online education" from the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer122/betts122.html
Facing a course I've taught online for nine semesters and updating the course with a new learning platform wasn't as tedious as I had dreaded--in fact, the course preparation yesterday was fun and has allowed me to breathe new life into some of the course elements which increases my energy and will hopefully help to engage the students. Faculty duties continue in the realm of instruction and for many of us, that means sprucing up our understanding of new technology and getting our geek on as we prepare for a new semester.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Improvement and assessment: Growing your courses
It is that reflective time of year again for most educators when we review what worked and what did not over the course of the recent semester. It is also a time to embrace changes for improvement in course offerings and options. Are your courses adapting to your students' shifting needs? Do you seek to improve class activities, texts, and online space? It can be difficult to find the energy to tackle even small change in courses we are regularly instructing, but it can be incredibly rejuvenating for you and for your students.
This semester my institution is upgrading from the online course management system,
Blackboard's, earlier version to the newer version 9. Many institutions have already made this change and any advice is greatly welcome! The newer version appears to embrace technology as more than a post/reply medium and allows new ways for students to engage and (hopefully) learn including wiki pages, a blog, better video embedding options, search tools, and more visualized learning features in the course controls area. I am excited to work with the new version and embrace the possibilities behind the upgrade but it is also a time to really assess what has been working well in my online course. New tools and technology in the classroom are only beneficial if they are employed purposefully and with pedagogical intent. This coming semester will be one to watch and see what works, what does not, and what new technological elements to explore in more depth before employing them in the course. There are many detailed webinars and help options on the BlackBoard page at http://www.blackboard.com.
Blackboard's, earlier version to the newer version 9. Many institutions have already made this change and any advice is greatly welcome! The newer version appears to embrace technology as more than a post/reply medium and allows new ways for students to engage and (hopefully) learn including wiki pages, a blog, better video embedding options, search tools, and more visualized learning features in the course controls area. I am excited to work with the new version and embrace the possibilities behind the upgrade but it is also a time to really assess what has been working well in my online course. New tools and technology in the classroom are only beneficial if they are employed purposefully and with pedagogical intent. This coming semester will be one to watch and see what works, what does not, and what new technological elements to explore in more depth before employing them in the course. There are many detailed webinars and help options on the BlackBoard page at http://www.blackboard.com. During this break from the campus, I am using my time to enter data, analyze data on another project, and hopefully edit an article. But I am most looking forward to examining the new version of Blackboard and preparing my courses so the students can benefit from the new and exciting learning tools available to them.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
"our" work during our "breaks"
Yes, another "vacation" from work looms and everyone inquires what will be done with all of that time off...this winter I am taking a week to visit with family over the holidays, but will be absorbing the rest of my time with much needed research writing. It seems there are never enough hours in the day during a regular semester -- particularly this past semester where much of my time was on a new course prep, a new text, and an extra "overload" course (making five courses total). I am also sitting on two university committees that are what I have dubbed "time eaters" since they just slowly munch and crunch all of my little bits of extra time away. We've all sat on such committees, I am sure, and know the importance of the work but also the desire for time for "our" work.
"Our" work varies from field to field, but it is that simple desire to research what we want, to explore what we find most interesting, and to publish and write in the area we consider "ours." This proves difficult when there are many hands reaching for our time and our energy. But the "break" will prove a great time to readjust my excel spreadsheet of tasks, goals, and time lines that will hopefully lead to a positive review come tenure-review time in Fall 2012.
As faculty at teaching-centered universities this struggle to find time for our work while teaching many (often very full) classes is an on-going issue of balance and strategies/prioritizing. It is a battle I speak of often, write about often, and which fills the pages of my journals where I fight with my teaching love and my research passions. I am insistent that I can blur the lines between the areas of the tenure-track faculty member's responsibilities and find a balance that will allow the separate segments of my work to be braided into a strong holistic vision, but I have yet to find a way to make this happen. Perhaps it takes time and continued energy in all three areas before I begin to see the parts as collaborative and fully functional. Until then, I must simply continue focusing on each part in its turn and hope that the quasi-equal emphasis will end in some semblance of balance.
With that thought, I enter the winter break with the goal of making up lost ground in the research realm and pushing projects forward that have lacked the necessary focus the past few months.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Grading gadgets
There are many words to describe this time of year: hectic, frantic, overwhelming, and the simplistic but appropriate word: busy. Final exam time can bring out the best and worst in our students and in ourselves. As we find our own work mounting along with students we haven't seen in weeks coming out of the woodwork, it is easy to fall behind and give in to the emotional drain of finals. However, there are many new (and not so new) tools we can use to facilitate this time of year. Here are some ideas that can ease the strain of the final weeks of a semester.
My colleagues and I are handed out roll books at the beginning of each term and I look at them in wonder. I have never kept a pen-and-paper roll book. As a graduate student I was taught using excel and I continue to allow the digital formulas to easily compute everything from attendance to participation. I have permission to simply print out my grade sheets and staple them in the hard-copy roll book. It saves me hours of calculations that many of my colleagues continue to do. It also allows me to know where each student stands every day of the semester, so I can easily warn students (or commend them) early in the term. Things are getting fancier in the digital grading arena: Blackboard's grading options are nice, 
but there are other software options like Class Action Gradebook (http://www.classactiongradebook.com/) and iGrade (designed more for k-12), GradeKeeper (http://www.gradekeeper.com/), and SnapGrades (http://snapgrades.com/web/compare.php). These options can help instructors organize their time and track their students' progress and make recording final grades as simple as clicking a button.
but there are other software options like Class Action Gradebook (http://www.classactiongradebook.com/) and iGrade (designed more for k-12), GradeKeeper (http://www.gradekeeper.com/), and SnapGrades (http://snapgrades.com/web/compare.php). These options can help instructors organize their time and track their students' progress and make recording final grades as simple as clicking a button. Grading individual assignments is also going digital in my discipline of Communication Studies. The public speaking course instructor could explore SpeechGrader (http://www.speechgrader.com/home.html), a software program that has been mentioned at several conferences recently for the ease in grading speeches. This software allows for individual student reports to be generated as well as an overview of class performance so instructors can easily target problem areas.
Of course, there are many options and opportunities to explore when it comes to efficiency and quality in recording student scores and providing useful student feedback. There is nothing wrong with handwritten grade books, but organizationally I enjoy the cleanliness and ease of Excel and Blackboard options. I find that it works nicely with my ability to access my grade books without lugging around hard copies and it facilitates a student-professor interaction when I can easily print out grade slips with all of the student's scores and hand them out at midterm to show where and how grades are devised.
Little techniques can help with our grading and most of those involve advanced planning and clear preparation of guidelines and rubrics (see also http://gsi.berkeley.edu/teachingguide/grading/efficiency.html for more tips on efficient grading), but technology has become a part of the process.
Teaching tools are essential and just as engaging (I'm currently exploring Wordle - http://www.wordle.net/, Mindomo - http://www.mindomo.com/, and many organizational/company-hosted teaching sites such as CSPAN-http://www.c-spanclassroom.org/ where my teaching can embrace new technologies while continuing to focus on content and critical listening. More teaching tools can be explored at Education World, a great place for teaching ideas and discussions: http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech249.shtml.
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