New semester perks: A few sites to explore

One way to build up energy for a new semester is to try something new. Whether inside the classroom or not, this little technique of simply trying something new can add a spark of excitement to the pre-semester preparations. Here are a few sites and ideas that might help you perk up with new possibilities:


In-class options:
1. Wordle. I love this tool for my classes and even club activities on campus. Create a word cloud to help students explore word choice, meaning, power of words, appropriateness to audience, or to just have fun analyzing different texts. More frequently used words are made larger, bolder, and less frequently used words are minimized -- pictorially interesting, my students love doing this. Here's a wordle created using the words from the Communication & Higher Education blog:

2. Bubbl.us allows you to detail how mind mapping can work. This is great for classes requiring students to brainstorm and constructively organize any topic for a larger project. It is fairly intuitive to use and students can learn about coordinating and subordinating ideas easily. Here is a sample:

3. Using audio or video feedback for students. I prefer Audacity for my audio comments. It is intuitive to use and free. Simply use a microphone (built in to most laptops or buy an external mic) and record messages for your students. I love doing this for my online course announcements periodically throughout the semester and it always gets rave reviews in the end-of-semester evaluations. (Read my earlier discussion of Audacity). This works for student projects, wikis, etc. too. They love incorporating their own voices.

4. Usher in the Social Media. Not a surprise for those who regularly read this blog, the use of Social Media in class activities can really help engage students. Use a class wiki (our LMS, BlackBoard has a tool built right in for this, but you can also use WikiSpaces or other free options). Send them on a Twitter-hunt or have students analyze media messages from different companies/organizations/celebrities/politicians or explore "trending" topics for discussion in class. Engage their understanding of characters by developing mock Facebook or LinkedIn pages, use Skype to meet up with guest speakers or for online students, have submissions of assignments shared via YouTube or set up and use a  Vimeo group. Have students craft and share a Diigo site housing information on a project. Use GoogleSites to help students craft portfolio pages. Enhance group or individual presentations with Prezi. Consider options for easy communication tools so students find you accessible and your work-load is easy to manage (I use Yahoo IM as a virtual option for office hours). Here's the best part: Most of these are FREE.

What next? Here's the process I use. Look at your assignments--really look at them. Can they be updated or enhanced by adding something new? (Remember, don't just add it to add it...make sure any addition is purposeful and enhances the pedagogy). My activity for "topic analysis" in the basic public speaking course may include a link to Bubbl.us, my assignment on "ethos" will involve a Twitter exploration of students' favorite musicians, actors, politicians and examples of how that person may create and lose ethos with a diverse audience by analyzing Tweets, my study session will have an option to IM or Tweet any questions, my exploration of persuasive fallacies will have video examples from movies and politicians, my class wiki project will require us of audio and video components. Ask others for input (and ask your students!) if you get stuck in a rut with activities.

General options to perk up your energy (outside of the classroom):
1. Google help: Explore cleaning up email and planning for its effective use, YouTube, and general daily use of Google-related items in this article.

2. Scan and save documents on an external hard drive (keep in a secure location) and then shred/toss old files. This is a great tip for those feeling overwhelmed by papers, or piles of files.

3. Organize it! I use a daily task list and calendar that helps me to prioritize my tasks and work through big projects. Lately, this means I check in with large projects regularly and update the tasks to stay on time. This keeps me from feeling overwhelmed. I create a project chart (in excel) to help me each semester. Here is my grid from this past Spring semester:

My "semester grid" that focuses my work and goals

After a semester ends (and periodically throughout the semester), I work on the next term's grid of activities to constantly keep forward motion and see balance of research/teaching/grants so I know what I need to emphasize in future terms.  This also helps me to realize which projects I tend to push on the "back burner" and which ones rise to the front. I notice I plan better each semester and each semester I learn something about myself. My calendar and task list are drawn from this grid so large projects (should) get tackled on time. This doesn't always work (as you can see, our SACS visit and QEP requirements (I served on several committees related to these endeavors that involved extensive meetings and time), derailed a few projects in Spring. Those items were moved to Summer and/or Fall and the process begins again.

Hopefully, your semester is an exciting one. If you are feeling the energy depleting, though, consider a few tools and techniques to help both in and out of the classroom.

Bright eyed, bushy tailed

Last year, I wrote about the excitement I have for the first week of a new semester (see Fall Frenzy from August 2010). Year after year, I leave a hectic summer of teaching with no energy. I often find myself reviewing the Fall publication/research/grant/course preparation items (neatly located on an excel spreadsheet chronologically organized, of course) with an inner groan. "I only had two weeks--and they were spent doing XYZ item!" I internally bemoan my inability to "get ahead" before another term begins. I feel under-prepared to start and wonder if I can "get it all together" in time.

But then, equally regular in its yearly ritual, a glorious thing happens every semester...none of those feelings matter! They simply fade away as I see the first students in line at registration, meet former students milling about on campus, and watch as campus comes alive. My grandmother would say I was "bright eyed and bushy tailed" again. You know what I mean, that revitalization, that renewed energy, that sparkle in your eye and zest in your step that cannot be held down. It is a beautiful surge of emotion and it can serve as the driving fuel for my semester. Just like those bright eyed, bushy tailed squirrels running around, I become increasingly active. I pop my head in on colleagues, check up on policies and issues on campus, scamper around turning in paperwork and picking up items, shake a zillion hands and, my favorite, answer questions for first-time students wandering around campus. I begin my pre-semester rituals. I solicit advice on new activities for tough class topics. I find myself imagining the dynamics of each new class ("I wonder if such-and-such class will be like last semester? Will there be a class prankster? A challenging student? A 'lingering student' (see previous post Lingering Student)? Will we easily develop that classroom camaraderie?"). 

The new semester is an exciting time. And, no matter how often we experience it from the faculty standpoint we should remember the newness of it for our students. Despite the wearying summer term, the veritable mountain of tasks, and the stress of another academic semester beginning (with a new text book leading to massive class revisions...), it will be hard to keep the spring out of this squirrel's...oops! I mean...girl's step!

Best wishes for a productive and successful Fall 2011 semester!

Faculty life follow-up

After posting about the benefits of self-reflection and the struggles of balancing faculty life (see previous entry #FacultyLife below), I wanted to link readers to the recent Wall Street Journal article on the challenges of academic careers. Additionally, we can extend the discussion of "balance" by exploring university resources, such as Virginia Tech's page to promote "Faculty work/life balance" with links to guide faculty through resources.

It is important to note that many people and many professions struggle with work/life balance. The issues of work/life balance isn't limited to academia, it isn't limited to only tenure track, it isn't limited to those with children, and it isn't limited to just women. It is an issue for everyone in our society. Much of the literature I explore is, of course, rooted in academia. It also deals with women along the tenure track as I am personally invested in this topic and it shares my research interests considering communication and higher education culture. But there are many resources out there--and I encourage everyone to avail themselves of the resources offered by your organization and those similar to your organizations.

So many of us struggle with this issue. If you're undertaking personal reflection on work/life and that precarious (unattainable?) balancing act, you may want to consider these additional resources:

• Baker, B. (2011). Having a life in science. BioScience, 61(6), 429-433.
• Beauregard, T. A., & Henry, L. C. (2008). Managing the link between work-life balance practices and organizational performance. Human Resource Management Review, 19(1), 9-22.
• Caproni, P. J. (2004). Work/life balance: You can't get there from here. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 40(2), 208-218.
• Gappa, J. M., & Austin, A. E. (2010). Rethinking academic traditions for twenty-first century faculty. AAUP Journal of Academic Freedom, 1, 1-20.
• Gappa, J. M., Austin, A. E., & Trice, A. G. (2007). Rethinking Faculty Work: Higher Education’s Strategic Imperative. San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.
• Lang, J. M. (2005). Life on the tenure-track: Lessons from the first year. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins' University Press.
• Lang, J. M. (n.d.). Surviving the fourth dimension. Retrieved August 10, 2011 from Successful Academic site http://www.successfulacademic.com/articles/James_Lang_Collegiality.htm. 

#facultylife

I spent a glorious week away from academic work. [Well, not technically "away" as most of us know the work seems to somehow seep into our lives and brains no matter where we are, particularly in these pre-tenure years.] This past week I spent most of my time hanging out with my 7-year old nephew and realized two things: 1) I am getting too old to sleep in forts made from sofa cushions and sheets, and (slightly more relevant) 2) I am beginning to find a better balance with this faculty life thing.

Sofa cushion fort (and nephew)

How do I know the balance is improving? I am less frantic, better able to shuffle tasks to  maximize productivity, and I don't panic quite as much as before. I attribute these improvements to self-reflection.

As long-time readers know, we've had many discussions in this blog centering on the pre-tenure precariousness that can drain energies and bubble over into home life. I have spent my time as a pre-tenure faculty member seeking a balance (side notes: does this balance exist? is it it a self-created dichotomy between work/faculty life?). In part, this blog began to better explore concerns about balance and the surrounding feelings/issues that creep into faculty life. Because of this blog, I have learned a lot about myself through self-reflection and reader emails/comments. Perhaps the biggest reflective nugget: I am an educator first. This is no surprise, but upon reflection this knowledge informed the ways in which I work. As I see myself as an educator first (and researcher second), I tend to work on my teaching/courses with first priority. Then, I feel comfortable to move on to my research/grants. Knowing this self-perception helps me to plan for my workload and manage my tasks during busy times of the semester (for example, I don't schedule/accept research deadlines during the students' biggest speech of the semester as I know student meetings/emails/etc. will come first and the deadline will go unmet or I'll have extra stress to meet that deadline).

I am continually seeking new avenues to manage faculty life (and the stress that sometimes goes along with it) as I embark on my (hopefully) last "pre-tenure year" before going up for tenure review in August 2012. I thought it would be helpful to begin exploring more about this balance as I move into this last (we hope!), and all-important, year of my pre-tenure life. Today I tweeted, "Juggling publication deadlines and a new edition of this text (which means a revamping of my entire course. No vacation here! #facultylife" I think I will begin to put a few more thoughts on Twitter to aid self-reflection (and shamelessly solicit others' advice, experiences, and coping mechanisms) this year using the tag:  #facultylife. Are you on Twitter? Consider joining in and by adding your thoughts using #facultylife in your tweets. I think it could be a fun way to hear what others think about the sometimes roller-coaster-like journey that can make up this faculty life.

You can follow me on Twitter: @lhelviemason.

Image for #facultylife created by Lora Helvie-Mason using Picnik.com. Picture of sofa-cushion fort courtesy of Lora Helvie-Mason (and her nephew's fort-building skills). 

The tech'd teacher

Can we become so reliant on technology that we don't even realize the impact it has in our working environment? I had to laugh at myself as I came in to the office this morning. I went through my regular routine, turn on the desktop, turn on the printer, hang up the suit jacket, check voice mail on the office phone, then turn on the iPad to explore the task list/calendar for the day. I saw that I have a meeting scheduled to discuss collaboration with two folks (one in California and one in Europe), which meant Skype. Since my institution does not allow Skype on the desktops, I had to bust out my laptop, then I had to pull out the webcam and headset. I walked away to meet with a student. When I returned, I laughed out loud. Then I had to take a picture (with my Blackberry, of course) and share it with readers who are probably staring at similar work environments these days:

My first thought was how hysterical this image is.  I had to chuckle at the tech-laden desk. My second thought was concern, surely these are not all necessary items? Have I become over-tech'd? Can I not function without all of these tools?

Then I shrugged it off, I had all of the tools I needed to accomplish the day's goals. Why should I worry? I can teach "naked" (without any technology) or with tech enhancements. I let it go and sat down to work when a colleague came in and said, "I'll never understand all that computer stuff you use!" Though this colleague is an excellent instructor, she does not often integrate any technology into her course. This isn't a problem, necessarily, but she discussed feeling "behind" and concerned about reaching her students. She asked me to help her "update" her classes. We set up an appointment to explore her options over coffee for simple ideas to broaden her availability and enhance assignments. I realized that my concern of being technology-heavy in my classes and her concerns of not using anything other than her phone and an email may be confusing for students. We're all on one campus with a wide array of experiences and comfort levels with technology--and though I was thinking from a faculty perspective, I began to wonder about the students who find one teacher who Tweets, chats, Skypes, IMs, and prefers digital communication and another who checks email once a week. It may be frustrating for students to try and negotiate communication with such varied approaches on campus.

Many campuses are experiencing a technology gap, not just between newer faculty members and those who have been in higher education for years, but also between students and faculty. Some of our students are ready for new instructional communication opportunities and classroom projects embracing technology and others simply are not. What a challenge for higher education -- particularly as the landscape of technology innovation geared at higher education continues to grow so rapidly. From capturing lectures to mashups, faculty and students with access to new tools could find disgruntled students and colleagues around them.

There is a great article about this technology "gap" in the Chronicle this week, which noted the benefits of being "part geek" when it comes to technology in higher education. There are many excellent resources exploring this important issue (see below for a *few* inroads into this area of research).

The additional side of this interesting topic is the assumption that all students are somehow tech-savvy. This also emerged from my conversation today where I had to, rather sheepishly, admit that I did not have an email address until I went to college and that I was "old school" regarding technology until mid-way through my Master's degree when I realized the benefits for instructional communication and taught myself and sought every seminar and workshop I could. In the end, we've all got to get a little "geeked up" to continue moving forward with many exciting innovations in higher education and to stay current with students and the job market they face. In my opinion, the trick is to balance the innovations with the pedagogy and purposeful intent to enhance the work we do as educators (and to avoid getting overly captivated by the glistening new technology that is continually available without first considering what it brings to the educational environment).

Additional reads in random order:

Schneckenberg, D. (2009). Understanding the real barriers to technology-enhanced innovation in higher education. Educational Research, 51(4), 411-424.

Hannon, J., & Bretag, T. (2010). Negotiating contested discourses of learning technologies in higher education. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 13(1), 106-120.

Renes, S., & Strange, A. (2011). Using technology to enhance higher education. Innovative Higher Education, 36(3), 203-213.

Saeed, N., Yun, Y., & Sinnappan, S. (2009). Emerging web technologies in higher education: A case of incorporating blogs, podcasts and social bookmarks in a web programming course based on students' learning styles and technology preferences. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12(4), 98-109.

Schreyer-Bennethum, L., & Albright, L. (2011). Evaluating the incorporation of technology and application projects in the higher education mathematics classroom. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science & Technology, 42(1), 53-63.

Photo of desk by Lora Helvie-Mason, Clipart created by Lora Helvie-Mason using Picnik. 
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Teaching journal

As I near the end of the sometimes overwhelming, but always exciting summer session, I find it helpful to reflect on what works. For me, a tool that has always worked very well in my journey as an educator is journaling. Keeping what I call a "teaching journal" allows me to track my notes, successes, problems, and ideas for future semesters. In the past four years, the summer session became a time to play with the ideas in the teaching journal and explore new ways to teach familiar concepts or content the students found challenging. I often go back and explore my journals (even from different classes) just to get new, fresh ideas on topics I teach every semester or as a reminder to consider the difficulty students had with certain content. There are now several "staple" activities that I always use and which have permanently etched themselves into the landscape of my classes. Little things that are easily forgotten from one semester to the next are also a part of the journal (such as having students divide into groups by drawing colored paperclips and sorting by color...a little thing that makes group work slightly more engaging from the start...especially if you pick zebra print or other patterned paperclips).

This is, of course, no longer a hand-written journal. It, like everything else in my life, has morphed into an electronic version of ideas and thoughts that can now travel easily and be shared with a click of a button. I learned more about collaborating with others in higher education during a free webinar about Adobe's amazing Educational Exchange. If you haven't explored this great resource, consider checking it out. The entire site is a collaborative wonderland for those in all areas of education. My interest in pedagogy and classroom communication, fostered through my first teaching journal many years ago, led me to explore this feature and I have found several exciting new activities that may work well in my courses. Perhaps most importantly, after exploring the site I felt that little burst of energy that comes with sharing ideas with others who do what you do. This is really important at my institution, where I am the only person in my discipline. With Education Exchange, you can share a resource with others or search through resources educators have posted. I spent a shameful amount of time when I *should* have been grading this morning scrolling through "all higher ed" resources. I cannot wait to further use this interesting site--it is a giant, collaborative teaching journal, what's not to like?

That post-conference feeling

Conferences are an important part of my faculty life. As the only faculty member in my discipline and as a junior faculty member, I rely on conferences for networking opportunities, for new and engaging ideas, and for professional growth in both pedagogy and research lines. This past week I was fortunate to travel with three colleagues to present about our institutional Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) at a conference. I blogged earlier in the week about the excitement of a new conference and the great rejuvenation that takes place when surrounded by brilliant minds interested in similar concepts. I learned about a lot of topics (some new and some very familiar) that I hope to discuss in more detail in future posts, including:

• Google tools: GoogleSearch, GoogleSites, GoogleMaps, and using Google in assignments (more than my current use of GoogleDocs). You name it, Google is somehow a part of it.
• Vialogues - A discussion tool to examine videos and have a web basted, interactive discussion through annotated playback. 
• Toolwire - A great hands-on program that can be a classroom lab to encourage experiential learning in online courses.
• Echo 360 - A kind of enhanced lecture capture program that incorporates the mission of blended learning. 
• YouseeU - Provides the opportunity to securely share videos from a distance, useful in online and on-ground courses.
• VoiceThread - A forum to create a collaborative slide show that can house images and documents while others provide comments.
• Adobe Connect - Webinar solution that can be used in learning to improve response rates and participation.
• Lecture Tools - Offers a way to increase student participation in the classroom using their mobile devices and a foundation of active learning.
• GoingOn - Enhances online learning through student engagement, faculty involvement, and social interaction.
• BlackBoard Collaborate - Provides interactive learning experiences with virtual classrooms and meeting spaces. 

I am very excited about everything I learned at the conference, but especially about the items above. There are other emotions that come along with conference travel, speaking engagements, and using your brain during long days while constantly encountering new information and new people. Those emotions can be overwhelming. Yes, the Educational Technology for Online Learning conference in San Jose, CA this past week was wonderful! [See ET4OL information under "Lora's Links" above]. Even though it was wonderful, I return to a huge pile of demanding documents, seemingly endless student needs, and numerous meeting requests that can lead to feeling drained and overwhelmed.

The downside of conference travel happens when you turn to the desk and realize that the productivity you tried to have in your hotel room with spotty wireless service and after a 12- or 14-hour day of "conferencing" simply wasn't enough to stay on top of the many tasks. In fact, it feels as if you LOST time (though it was time well used) and have to scramble to meet deadlines and various duties. I face that task after a very rewarding couple of days in the conference world and find there is some frustration to returning to those waiting tasks. I have all of these new ideas---but don't have time to immediately investigate or use them!

There will be time, however, and it will somehow all work out. A faculty member's life is full of this balancing act and so juggling new, exciting ideas with current research, deadlines, class, and meetings should not be a new concept. In light of the fact that this post-conference feeling is comprised of equal parts of exhaustion and exhilaration, I look forward to exploring the new tools and ideas more fully.

Image of juggler used with free use rights.

That rejuvenating faculty vibe

There are some things about faculty life that really get me excited. They seem to hum with excitement, exude a powerful vibe, rejuvenate a tired mind. Conferences, such as Educational Technology for Online Learning (ET4OL) by the Sloan Consortium, are those events that can fire all of my mental pistons and somehow, despite a heavy summer load and demanding courses, fill me with renewed eagerness for teaching and collaboration.

View from my hotel: San Jose, CA

Today I arrived in beautiful San Jose as a presenter and attendee at ET4OL. I have spent a lot of time reading and re-reading the program as there are so many things that I want to attend--I will have to find a way to clone myself and attend multiple sessions! One of the best things about ET4OL is the way that the pre-conference talk (via Twitter and great discussion boards) already has enhanced collaboration while providing me with new ideas and thoughts about my course design, delivery, and devices...and the conference is not yet officially underway.

Though conference travel can be an expensive and unexpected side of faculty life, the rewards are not often exalted enough. New ideas and new energy = priceless part of faculty life, a part that I am quite thankful to explore in the upcoming days.

More information? Check out #ET4OL2011 on Twitter or examine the program here.
View my presentation prezi here.

The iPad2 learning curve

After a long weekend with my new gadget, the iPad2, given to me for use by my institution as part of our Quality Enhancement Plan, I have a few basic comments to share.

• First, this is an incredibly useful tool for educators at all levels. The iPad2 can easily foster increased student-faculty interaction and add layers of learning and understanding to our course content. This includes the seemingly endless "apps" that can be used for just about any topic or discipline in the world. 
• I have educational apps for my public speaking course including content, how-to guides and videos, demonstrations, and even a speech timer. 
• I have our Learning Management System (LMS) mobile version installed for free and make great use of it already.
• My Personal Learning Network (PLN) is already enhanced. 
• Second, there are some areas that might prove unsettling for the new user. 
• As someone who has never owned an "i"-anything, the apps and iTunes process can be a bit daunting to a new user. I didn't want to put in my personal credit card information for an institutional device and struggled with the "ownership" of apps if the device is given to another professor or reclaimed by ITC. Overall, this was MINOR, but it is worth noting for others who might be in the same situation. Of course, I don't like the need to purchase apps and searched for "free" versions of whatever I needed/desired, so this can be overcome. 
• Some disciplines seem to require costlier apps, so be aware and consider a general search before embarking. 
• Touch screens. UGH. I am not a huge fan of touch screens, but the keyboard is something that you can easily get used to, however, it is also easy to have typos. I encourage the new user to read, re-read, and then "send/submit" their work.
• Third, it can help organize your personal and professional life.
• I am uber-organized, but it has been on a paper calendar (which I love). I tried the calendar feature and imported my Google Task List. I put away the hard-copy paper calendar less than three minutes later. 
• No more sticky notes...yes indeed, 'there's an app for that.' The notepad is a convenient place to store everything I was scribbling down and putting as sticky notes on my paper calendar. 
• Increased focus. The little red dot noting a task is not yet accomplished sure snaps your mind back in place as you plod through your day. Making the electronic check mark is (unexpectedly) JUST as rewarding as crossing the item off of my day planner list. 
• Unintended and unforeseen benefits:
• As a non-skating official for Roller Derby (and lover of the sport), I was pleased to see there are programs and apps for our sport. This was exciting. 
• As an avid practitioner of yoga, the apps for practicing yoga while on the go/traveling will be put to great use. 
• Health and news items are available for free and easily keep one up to date during a busy work day. 
• Increased productivity: I can easily multi-task and work with students -- responding faster and more fully since I can easily hop into the LMS, answer the emails, or respond to the IM. 
• Unintended and unforeseen drawbacks:
• It will take up more time than you think...so set boundaries and learn to use the work-side of your iPad (or other tablet) effectively when at work. 
• Wireless connection has been spotty on our campus. Though my laptop connects, the iPad is slower and more particular about connecting--but once connected it is FAST. That means that the 3G network may be put to use more than the wireless which could cost the institution (or the individual).
• The screen is not as easy to read as my e-reader (Nook). It does have a glare, so be aware of this when working with bright lights or in the sunlight. 
• "Flash" doesn't work well with Safari on the iPad2...non-flash content works fine.
• The apps you want may have a price. Do your homework and explore what is required and what is just desired. I suggest asking others. I hope to receive a lot more feedback about the perfect apps for higher education.

Overall, I really like the iPad2. It is functional, fast, and fairly easy to pick up (even for the non-"i"-product folks like myself). I am eager to share my weekend of exploration with others in our Quality Enhancement Plan tomorrow and show them some of the opportunities students will have with apps and study aides.

I look forward to learning more and encourage readers to share their pros/cons, their tips, tricks, and favorite apps for the college classroom. 

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Gadget-girl returns!

A few months ago, our institutional QEP brought us to the interesting decision to explore the use of iPads to improve e-learning. As the professor of one of the courses noted for study (three core -curriculum courses were selected), I was in line to potentially receive an iPad. I am a true gadget girl, as I noted many months ago when exploring travel and gadgets. However, I am also self-taught in this technology. Though I love it, I wasn't born with it and it isn't always intuitive for me. In short, there are things I have to work hard at and, at times, technology can be one of them. But I do love and respect what it can bring to my classes and students, so I do work hard. The iPad seemed like a natural next step--but not on this professor's salary. So I waited, read, and studied those writing about iPads in education. I grew impatient and jealous. And then my day came! Friday, after a week of heavy deadlines and student needs, I got the call. As if I were being called up to the majors, I felt my heart soar. I rushed to ITC and saw my beautiful new gadget, the iPad2. My concerns melted. It was so amazing! Now, I'm a BlackBerry girl and not a fan of touch screens, but the device is very effective. After just three days, I have navigated my BlackBoard courses through the iPad and found it not only saves time, but it increases the responsiveness. Sure, there are a lot of other great things about it (importing my google task list is just one of them), but it is mine for the educational impact it will have on my students and so far it looks like this gadget girl will have a lot of new tools, techniques, and options to explore for the next few weeks. Be prepared...there will be some gushing. Educators, please share your uses, apps, stories, frustrations, and suggestions!

When sticky notes attack...

The end of the fiscal year nears. With the looming deadline of the 30th, my focus has been entirely on submitting a grant proposal and on writing two annual reports and submission of several presentation/article deadlines. It seems everything is due at ONCE and I found myself getting very overwhelmed. In fact, this was the scene of my office when I arrived to work at 6:30 a.m. this past Friday. That's right. A total of 12 sticky notes screaming at me to do a variety of tasks in the blatant urgency unique to sticky notes. To realize I had left the office Thursday night with that many random notes made me groan. I am organized, I am detailed, I am meticulous. And, apparently, I am watching my desk become a direct reflection of my mental state. Frantic, worried about forgetting something, and overwhelmed. During this busy time, I am employing my Google calendar and my trusty task list (aptly titled "Dr. Lora's Lunacy") to help me prioritize my work and to manage these last hours before my projects are due. I am also avoiding distractions. The phone is on "silent" while the emails are NOT open in other windows of my computer. I am focusing on one task at a time. Today, that is the annual report of grant A. When that is finished, I move to the report for grant B. After that, the presentation items before turning to the research articles.

Then, I hope to explore ways to better manage the multiple demands of faculty life during high-output/high demand times and try to remember to avoid scheduling anything next June if this is the way the month traditionally happens! I will schedule out the final reports and my publication goals with regard to the hectic summer session teaching schedule and attempt to avoid any other high-pressure work periods like I have had the past two weeks.

Accomplishing these little tasks now means that the check mark in my Google task list with the beautiful line through the task won't be the only reward for hard work, I will also get to hear the satisfying crinkle of a sticky note heading to the garbage can!

Tenure, retention, binders, and budgets...oh my!

Summer months for faculty members are often filled with the items we couldn't squeeze into the "regular semesters" as we try to: finally get that article done, analyze that data, edit that book, submit that proposal, or write that report. Whatever "that" item is for you, the feeling of "other" work for summer months can become overwhelming. But the summer months also provide a type of motivation that I don't feel any other time. I see a tangible end (July 31) to my work cycle and MUST accomplish tasks before that date. No more slippery deadlines, no more sliding a task from one day's list to another. I become hyper-motivated to accomplish as much as possible despite my regular summer teaching load. Somehow the magical word "summer" implies I can get it all done.

We'll save the sad reality of the ability to accomplish all of these things for another day...

Today, the reality is summer holds certain projects that rise to the front of all faculty work: the end of the fiscal year budget reports for any grants, and at my institution the looming "Tenure and Retention Dossier."  This summer these two projects seem daunting. I was fortunate to get funded and now face the responsibility of the reporting phase. Though I groan, there is something wonderful about telling funders what was accomplished with their money. It is also a nice sense of finality for a long-term project.

My summer also involves a yearly, mandatory retention dossier (later to become a tenure dossier). This is just a huge binder filled with all of the evidence of your academic work from the past year. I love that my institution requires one every year from those faculty on the tenure track. It is a great motivator to remain organized and to see where you might want to improve. It is suggested we submit one binder and make a copy of everything for our records. You don't have to be a long-time reader of this blog to know I fully embrace the organizational challenge each year. I buy plastic sheets, type up tabbed section dividers, color-code my table of contents to the different sections, cross-reference, paginate, and included everything I could think a junior faculty member would need. I carefully review the format in our faculty handbook. I finish it early and let it sit before proofreading it. This past year my four-inch, color-coded, tabbed binder was submitted and I couldn't help but feel proud. It was organized, detailed, and a perfect representation of my past year of work.

From my desk.

The institutional process is lengthy, of course, as it is everywhere. So, months later I get the binder back and stare dumbfounded. What was this gargantuan thing? This HEAVY, overwhelming (albeit well-organized) binder seemed slightly ridiculous. Couldn't the information be more efficiently displayed in an electronic format? Couldn't we save some trees here?  I couldn't believe any one was sifting through all of that information (though I did enjoy the trip to the office supply store and the color-coded organizational process, of course). After lugging the binder back home to await updates for the next cycle of retention reviews, I asked my Chair if I could submit an electronic portfolio this coming fall, but was told that was not an option--though I could submit a "supplement" electronically (it may or may not be viewed by committee members). Her reasoning was sound and I can understand the institutional thought behind the policies of reviewing a hard copy document in a set location so nothing goes amiss, but an e-portfolio seems so much easier on both the reviewers and the reviewees (and the environment!). I write seeking input: What are your institutions doing? Hard copy submissions with optional e-supplements that may or may not be viewed (like my institution)? Only hard copy? Only e-portfolios? Fill me in! I would love to know though in the end, this summer will still mean a new binder, dividers, tabs, sharpies, and me sitting blissfully amid my office supplies organizing another year of academic output.

New love: LiveBinders

If you're a regular reader, then you know I have a sincere love of all things organizational. Each semester I begin by cleaning out file folders and re-using the last semester's binders. I eagerly print new color-coded covers for each class, adding in my tabs for class agendas, sign-in sheets, handouts, and notes. I file my "in process" research and build organizational grids in Microsoft and GoogleDocs to plan incremental tasks toward larger goals. I then embark on my favorite trip to the office supply store. When I'm placed on a new committee, I have a color coded system of filing that screams I should have stock in Sharpie markers. I simply love the flow and placement of the office environment. I carry my color coded files with pride. I know what I have at each meeting. But, all of this organization can be cumbersome and it is usually time consuming..

So, I am becoming increasingly infatuated with LiveBinders, so much so that I simply had to take a moment from a hectic schedule to blog about it. For those unfamiliar with LiveBinders, take a few moments and click on the website. LiveBinders is a site which allows the user to create electronic BINDERS full of information, links, images, and information. The greatest part is not the storage and organization (insert your shock at me saying something trumps organization!). The greatest innovation is that you can share this binder with others! I am developing one to go along with this blog and it is incredibly interesting to see the potential of LiveBinders for those of us who travel or who have to work on a variety of computers. When the blog binder has a bit more progress (it only has tabs right now), I'll share!

Warning: I am admitting to full-on NEWBIE status when it comes to this great tool, but I've got my NERD ON and will be continuing to explore this site. I just crafted a few binders and see excellent potentials for sharing resources for training, continuing education seminars, and my workshops. Additionally, it could carry over into the classroom very easily where students can formulate class activities or access additional information from the professor. There are so many possibilities that I had to blog about it before I fully immersed myself in it (an unusual choice).  Check out a sample LiveBinder (this one is open access--you can give limited or full access to your binders or keep them private): http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=26195. By clicking on the URL, you are taken to a binder titled "iPads in schools" where you can easily see the full range of the LiveBinders options.

Here's a very basic overview. You have a lot of information (say all of your information from a committee on university housing). You go to www.livebinders.com and set up a FREE account. With this account, you can then create a "new binder" where you can upload, deposit, add, and delete information just like you would with an old manila folder. You can craft tabs and sub-tabs of information and very easily share information with others. Want to see the minutes from the last meeting, use an "access key" and view the binder. Want to share a link with a fellow committee member, add it to the binder. Everyone can access those binders from their personal computers, iPads, netbooks and you are saving paper!

I have to say, the educator in me sees the beauty of LiveBinders: I can easily learn and teach with others. I can SEE students interacting with information. I can see implications for faculty life. The communicator in me sees the beauty of LiveBinders: I can send and receive information in a variety of formats. The tech-geek in me sees the beauty of direct mobile access to mountains of previously paper files along with a living, dynamic format. The bottom line: LiveBinders is beautiful. Why? This site offers an empowering ability to share knowledge ... and knowledge-sharing is just beautiful.

The best part are the tutorials and extra information all over the site. Additionally, I was able to easily follow @livebinders on Twitter and can see the responsiveness of the twitter feeds. So, dear readers, here is the question. Are you ready to think about your files in a new way? Can you see a future full of file-sharing?

The only downside: I won't get to go to my beloved office supply store for my favorite binders, folders, and markers to color-code all of my files. You better sell your stock! Without me, those stores might just crash :)

Two livebinder images from: www.livebinder.com; File folders picture direct from Lora Helvie-Mason's desk!

Don't forget, you can "like" Communication and Higher Education Blog on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CommHigherEdBlog

Prezi returns!

Yes, it is rapidly becoming a sub-topic for this blog. I've had so many responses about Prezi that it seems there might be room for more exploration. If you're using Prezi, please continue to comment and email! Regular readers might remember my first discussion of Prezi titled "Prezi: The PowerPoint Alternative" and the follow up discussion, "So you want to learn Prezi" brought on by so many emails to the first. Well, there is renewed interest in Prezi and those emails are still rolling in. Hopefully this third installment is equally useful to past and new readers.

Have you been exploring Prezi lately? There are some great changes that have simplified the use of Prezi and broadened the usability of Prezi. For example, a friend of mine mentioned the trouble she was having with iPad and Prezi, but just emailed me last week to tell me there are no more issues and compatibility is now strong. Prezi reported on this (and yes, there's an app for that): Check out more information here (along with a video demonstration of iPad and Prezi use.

What other news can educators (or other presenters) note about Prezi? Last month Prezi altered the Zebra (blue circle image above is the older version with the image on the right as the newer version). This new Zebra was coupled with new abilities for better image cropping. line flow, and even a bending opportunity (See more here). I have enjoyed the newer features which allow for more direct editing that makes our Prezis so great for audiences to view.

Today I took about 15 minutes before class and threw together a brief Prezi designed to illustrate parts of our chapter dealing with the term "Ethos" -- I made sure my "path" allowed me to move from specific concepts back to the overall term, so it flowed with my mini-lecture and with a class activity. Several folks emailing wanted to see Prezis in action. Here is the one I used today (basic, but great for class discussion):

Chapter 3 on Prezi

Overall, I find the use of Prezi engages the students -- and for a public speaking course, it works to demonstrate speaking tips/tricks as well as a new tool they may use. Today my students asked, "What is that?!" This works well in my communication courses to help the students better understand presentational aids and speaking with technology.

Prezi support is growing as well. You can find Prezi support easily through their Twitter  page and become a fan on Facebook and, of course, on their site under support or community (the blogs are great!).

Thanks for your responses, comments, and emails. Let us know what you're doing and consider sharing your Prezis in a comment!

Images from www.Prezi.com

Preparedness through technology

It is impossible to live in post-Katrina New Orleans and not have the dates of hurricane season emblazoned in your mind: June 1 - November 30. The news media hype up the dates, the state gives you tax-free shopping for hurricane supplies, brochures about "preparedness" appear everywhere, and the businesses test their emergency response measures. This time of year, my husband dutifully checks the generator and then marches up to the attic to replenish the hurricane box which gets fresh bottled water, food, paper, pens, batteries, a few decks of cards, first aid kit, clothes, and flashlights. We don't really speak about the fact that an ax also sits in that container, but we know the risks of living in the city--a city that we love and that has adopted us so generously into part of the NOLA family.

It is equally impossible to completely forget the stress of hurricane season, which begins during our first week of summer session every year. With that in mind, I have to make the announcement during class that everyone must use Blackboard this semester (and fall semester) and in the case of a campus closure due to weather we will try to meet virtually. Students then typically reference our 2008 Gustav evacuation and 2005 Katrina evacuation. We all hope that we won't need to pack up and leave again.

SUNO Library a year after Katrina

SUNO, January 2006

My former office location. We have 45 such FEMA buildings.

What so many outside of New Orleans don't understand is that Katrina isn't a memory, it isn't a past, it is present in every day life here. As I blogged last fall, many of us have spent our post-Katrina time in FEMA trailers, shared offices, and with the first floors of our buildings STILL off limits. We work on the second and third floors walking past the boarded up entries each day. We manage offices with sporadic air conditioning and heat. We send students to a temporary library. We drive past homes with the too-familiar orange spray paint "x" symbols and boarded up windows. We have half of our campus still utilizing FEMA buildings. We live with water line stains above our heads and frustration in the slow process of putting our campus back together. We are in ninth ward New Orleans and we continue to live the aftermath of Katrina every day.

Since yesterday marked the beginning of the 2011 hurricane season, I thought it would be appropriate to note how far higher education has come in emergency preparedness. The word "preparation" itself has come to mean so much more in our digital age. As educators, we now have many tools available that help us to reach our students virtually. The use of an LMS like Blackboard is just one avenue that can help. Many of my students were in NOLA during Katrina (I was not, I moved to the city in 2007) and they remark that Facebook was the reason they found their family and friends. Today, I purposefully offer multiple points of contact for my students and embrace social media and our LMS knowing that it can offer in-roads the old telephone-on-the-desk contact information cannot. Our institution survived by transitioning to online course offerings for our displaced students and literally by administrators and faculty using personal cells, email, and social media to reach out to find our students/faculty to tell them to return for classes.  I am happy to note that in 2008 we began re-occupying the second and third floors of some of our buildings. To date, we have two new buildings and look forward to more. Though progress is slow, our campus is recovering.

Despite budget cuts and downsizing, higher education institutions increasingly offer "emergency preparedness technology" links on their home pages noting that one can sign up for text alerts, tweets, and streaming updates in the event of a campus emergency. As the unfortunate weather events of the past several months detail, no institution is immune from an emergency like floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Consider your personal preparedness plan by exploring sites like the NHC. Consider your academic preparedness plans, too. Many of our faculty members lost research, data, documents essential to their careers, hard drives, files, laptops, teaching evaluations, and equipment. Ponder how you can best back up your information and what responsibility you might bear for students or others at your organization. For example, when my husband and I evacuated for Gustav in 2008 we touched base with two students who didn't have family near to make sure they found rides out and had places to stay--it turned out THREE other faculty members had called the students. That is but one reason why I love the folks at my institution. There is a family feel here. It is that feeling that has compelled me to write this note encouraging preparedness (no matter your geographic location).

As you plan don't forget how easily you might be able to count technology in to your plans (though we should plan for a lack of technology, too). I wish everyone a safe hurricane season and thank you for indulging this blog entry.

Read more about SUNO's history here. 

Top image from Coast Guard site.  Middle image (SUNO library) from Times-Picayune. Middle image (SUNO campus) from Photo site. Middle image from my personal photo collection. Final image from Eastern Michigan University.