Ask-Dr-Kirk

Tips On Teaching Adult Students

Dr. Brooks Doherty (Rasmussen College) shares several tips on teaching adult students. These include encouraging them to share their “real world” experiences with the traditional students, acknowledging that they may have a technology gap (and assisting in getting their skills up-to-date), and being efficient with assignments and class activities. You can read more here.

 

Use Peer Instruction Rather Than Lectures

Here's an interesting article that supports moving away from the lecture method in teaching. Dr. Eric Mazur (Harvard University) advocates using "peer instruction" to get the students thinking and talking about a concept. The key, according to Mazur, is to get the students to read the book chapters or articles before coming to class. The point then of the class time is to make sense of the information they've read by encouraging questions and discussion. He now successfully uses this technique in all his physics classes.

 

Rubrics For Grading Student Presentations

Here are two rubrics you can tweak and use to grade student presentations.  These are in word format instead of PDF so you can change as needed.

Download presentation_rubric_1.doc (Developed by Information Technology Evaluation Services, NC Department of Public Instruction)

Download presentation_rubric_2.doc (Source: Center for 21st Century Teaching Excellence, University of South Florida)  This one grades both presentation delivery and powerpoint visuals.

What Is SOPA? And Why Should I Care?

Anyone who doubts the power of social media hasn't been following the SOPA controversy this week. SOPA stands for Stop Online Piracy Act and it, along with related legislation, PIPA, has been a hot topic of discussion on the internet. I was trying to explain the issue to one of my students and found these resources.

Clay Shirky, author of Here Come Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, does an excellent job of explaining the history behind this move to pass the SOPA legislation and how it affects the public in this Ted Talk video.

 Wikipedia, Google, Wordpress, Craigslist, and many other sites made a statement on Wednesday, January 18, by blacking out their homepages or even their entire website, making these unavailable to the public.

The National Post did a Q&A on why this is an issue and why Facebook and Twitter decided not to participate in the blackout.

Jeff Ogden (@fearlesscomp) tweeted me this analogy: "The patient is very sick. But Congress wants medicine that will not only kill the patient, but lots of others too.

Ike Pigott (@ikepigott) explained it this way: "Those against SOPA are not "pro-piracy." They just believe there are better ways to kill crabgrass than Agent Orange."

Kirk Tuck (photographer) presents the opposite point of view as an artist.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the issue.

Amazing Use Of Dancers As Visual Aid Rather Than Powerpoint

John Bohannon uses dancers instead of powerpoint to discuss scientific topics and advocates that we all be more creative in our visual aids. Great thing to think about as we begin a new semester of teaching.

 

Classroom Management Issue: Cell Phones

 Dear Dr. Kirk,

My students think that I am just in another generation because I don't think they should be checking messages on their cellphones during class. Do you have any advice on this matter?

Dear Past Generation,

I tell my students that I am teaching them how to be successful in the work world. Their boss is not going to allow them to check for personal phone messages during a business meeting with a client. Thus, I tell them I expect that they come to class on time, turn off their cellphones, etc.  Checking cellphones during class is rude and disrespectful to both me and their fellow classmates.  I put all this on my syllabus and discuss it and why the first day of class. I bring my cellphone to class the first few classes and make an issue of showing them that I turn off my own phone during class.  I also tell them that if they anticipate an emergency call, they should tell me ahead of time (just as they would tell their boss) and put on vibrate.

Here and here are ways other professors have handled this issue.  Also, check out this video on how this teacher handles cellphone ringing during class (I have to think it was staged but I’m sure it got the students’ attention!) 

Just be sure to be consistent in how you handle any student that breaks your policy. I find using humor works for me:

        <Student phone rings>

Me: Stop lecture. Look at student. Say, "That better be for me!" Smile. 

Class: Laughs. Student looks sheepish and turns off phone.

And we then go right back to lecture or whatever doing in class.

If it's just a matter of them texting or checking messages, I'll go by the student's desk and quietly tell them to put the phone away during class. Or you might catch them after class and remind them what the policy is on the syllabus.

Anyone else out there have suggestions on cell phone usage in class?

Coffee And A New Semester

 

 

        

 

 

 

Today is the first day of classes at my university. Seemed like a good time to share tips here and here on making a perfect cup of coffee. Have a great semester everyone!

 

Ten Tips For New College Teachers On That Crucial First Day Of Class

Each new semester as I walk down the hallway to my classroom, I am a little nervous, even after 30 years of teaching experience…and I’m okay with this. I think when I get to the point where I don’t feel this anxiety, I won’t be as effective a teacher. After all, I will be walking into that classroom for the next four months and it’s important to make a good first impression. Below are 10 tips to help you get off to a great start.

1. Develop your own routine before going to class. Take a short brisk walk beforehand. Twirl your wrists to gently shake the stress out of your arms. Relax your shoulders; people tend to “hunch up” their shoulders when tense. Do some deep breathing.

2. Check out your classroom before the students get there. Walk around and get familiar with the room, podium, how the seats are arranged, etc. Make sure you know how to work any technology you’ll be using.

3. The first few minutes are crucial. Your students are curious about you and the course. Everything (how you dress, walk, present yourself) are clues as to your personality and credibility. Walk briskly and with purpose into the classroom.

4. Chat briefly with the students as they come into the room to make yourself (and the students) feel more comfortable.

5. Act confident and enthusiastic about what you will be doing that first day. Don’t say that you are nervous as this makes the students uncomfortable and you will lose credibility with them.

6. Also, it’s best not to tell your students that this is the first time (if it is) that you have taught this particular course. You should know more about the topic than they do so they’ll assume you’re an expert.

7. Use notecards or form to gather information about your students (name, email address, past class experience with the topic, work experience, etc). This takes the focus off you and onto the task which gives you time to get comfortable.

8. As you begin, make eye contact with two or three people in various parts of the room. Learn their names and use them several times. You are essentially beginning to build a relationship with your students.

9. Be enthusiastic about being in the classroom so that they will be also. Don’t just stand behind the podium but move around and move toward them. Look happy to be sharing your knowledge with them.

10. Start with something that is easy for you to talk about. Tell a story you’ve told often before, read something that is relevant to the class from the newspaper, share something from your days as a student or talk to them about why you went into teaching. Above all, picture yourself doing an excellent job. It’s going to be a great first day of class!

Source:  Kirk, Delaney J. (2009). 10 Tips for Dealing with Nervousness the First Day of Class. Faculty Focus, Magna Publications.

 

Should Teachers Use Humor In The Classroom?

I'm reading this post, Should Textbooks and Teachers Be Funnier? I would agree that humor is useful in the classroom as long as it is relevant to the topic being taught and the teacher is comfortable with using humor. Humor does seem to make the classroom environment more relaxed.

 

Related posts and articles:

Using Humor in the Classroom

Using Humor in The College Classroom to Enhance Teaching Effectiveness  in "Dread Courses"

Bringing Life to Online Instruction With Humor

How To Read A Student Evaluation Of Your Teaching

I'm reading this article by Professor David D. Perlmutter (University of Iowa) on How To Read A Student Evaluation. He has lots of useful advice on how to use the feedback you get.

 

Related posts:

Evaluating your teaching

Does moving to an online evaluation system affect your teaching evals?

And...Interpreting those teaching evaluations (A little humor to make reading these more fun...)

 

Don't Try These At Home: The Worst Internet Passwords In 2011

We all struggle with what to use as a password and if you're like me, you have three or four as your "go to" passwords for many internet sites. Here's an article that lists common passwords used that thus are easy for hackers to access. The list includes: password, 123456, letmein, and trustno1. If you're using any of these, you might want to change these today.

 

Free Online Language Classes

Check out these free online classes to learn a new language (Spanish, Chinese, Italian, French...and more)

 

Tips For Students On Using Google Search More Effectively

According to a recent study on student research skills, 75 percent of students do not know how to do a well-defined online search of a given research topic. You might want to share this site with lots of tips on using Google search more effectively. 

18 Educational Apps For Your Smart Phone

Check out these apps for your smart phone including a free app to Ted Talks, Evernote's notetaking app, and an interactive grammar app with over 1800 questions to test your skills.

25 Tips For Students On How To Study For Finals

Professor Barbara Nixon (Southeastern University) shares great tips for students on how to study for final exams.

 

Related posts:

Tips for preventing cheating on exams

My solution to problem of students leaving room during exam

Teaching Carnival 5.04

Lots of interesting posts on teaching at the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Teaching Carnival 5.04 complied by Mikhail Gershovich (Baruch College, City University of New York).

Using Social Media For Research

Dr. Kathy Black (University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee) shares the following resources on how social media is being used by researchers.

Social Media: A Guide for Researchers

List and Links to Social Media Sites 

Case Studies: How Faculty Use Social Media for Research

Tips On Structuring A New Class

I’ve been thinking about how I want to structure a new course for spring and am reading this post by Professor Mike Duvall (College of Charleston). He advocates designing each unit in a course around a series of questions that will stimulate your students' interest. 

I've done this in my Human Resource Management class. For example, when I teach employment law, I start out the module with questions such as:  

Why do we have Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws? 

What type of personnel records do employers need to keep and for how long? 

What types of questions should employers/managers avoid in an interview or on an application form and why?

 

I find the questions get the students thinking about the topic and lead nicely into some great discussions.

 

Related posts:

Are you managing your class prep time and resources wisely?

Developing a syllabus for a class you haven't taught before

 

How To Make Writing Letters Of Recommendation Easier And More Efficient

Writing a letter of recommendation for a student is time consuming even though you want to help the student get a job or into grad school.  Professor Barbara Nixon (Southeastern University) shares this form that she has her students fill out to help her streamline the process.

 

Related posts:

Writing a letter of recommendation for grad school

How to get a great letter of recommendation from your teacher

More tips on asking for a great letter of recommendation

 

Students: What You Can Expect From Your Professors

In my last post, I shared the student conduct guidelines that the faculty in the College of Business at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee developed and that are now posted on our website. The faculty thought we should also be held to a professional code of conduct and thus developed the following list:

 

What you can expect from your College of Business professors:

We will be civil, professional, and ethical in our interactions with you and treat you with respect and dignity.

We will be on time to class and fully prepared to teach using relevant and up-to-date pedagogy.

We will turn off our cell phones before class and refrain from checking messages, thus giving you our undivided attention.

We will follow the grading scale, course policies, exam dates, etc. listed in the syllabus and will not change these policies or dates during the semester without adequate communication.

We will respond to your email questions and grade assignments, quizzes, papers, and exams in a timely manner.

We will be available (and happy to) meet with you to discuss classes, assignments, career choices, etc., as needed.

Our goal is to help you learn what it takes to be successful in the business world. Let’s work together to make you as prepared as possible for your future careers.

 

Teaching Carnival 5.3

Check out all the great info on teaching, advice for students, tips on using technology, and suggestions for professional development at the Teaching Carnival 5.3 in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

 

Ways To Use Twitter In The Classroom

Tom Barrett (Principal Consultant at NoTosh Limited in Nottingham, United Kingdom) shares this google doc of interesting ways to use Twitter in the classroom.

 

Call For Blogposts For Teaching Carnival 5.3

Do you have a recent blogpost related to teaching in higher education that you would like to share? Or have you recently read a useful post by another edublogger? Email me with the link to the post by October 30 to be considered for Teaching Carnival 5.3. And if you haven’t seen all the great information being shared at ProfHacker, check it out at Teaching Carnival 5.2 or go to the home page here.

 

Free Online Talking Dictionary

Not sure how to pronounce a word? I always have to stop and think about how to say "prima facie" in my Human Resource Management classes. Here's a very useful (and free!) online talking dictionary to help both us and our students.

Building A Personal Learning Network To Become A Better Educator

Sarah Fudin (University of Southern California) is today's guest blogger and she writes on developing your own personal learning network. I personally recommend Twitter as a great way to build your PLN and connect with educators from around the world.

As Sarah notes:

The Personal Learning Network (PLN) is not a new concept on college campuses. Professors who are interested in developing further as educators have long known the benefits of networking with colleagues and students in their academic community. With new modes of technology-enabled communication, that community has expanded to include college and university campuses around the world.

Building a PLN in the digital age requires the acquisition of new skills and some possible changes in attitude. Networking with educators who have a variety of backgrounds, standards and teaching philosophies requires an open mind. Whether you've been teaching for just a few years or for several decades, maintaining a desire to learn about different approaches to the educational process will help you stay active and engaged in your profession. Pedagogical strategies and teaching philosophies continually change, but your PLN can help you stay current.

Building an online PLN usually begins by discovering some educational blogs and websites that strike a chord. Look for web content that informs, instructs and inspires. Most blogs and websites that are updated on a regular basis will allow you to subscribe and have regular updates (or "feeds") sent to you in email. You can also use a tool like Google Reader to aggregate your subscription feeds in one convenient location.

A growing number of educators are discovering the networking power of Twitter. By participating in Twitter conversations and weekly chats related to education, thousands of educators have found ways to expand their PLN by connecting with peers and students from around the world. Here is a sampling of a few of the Twitter chats that higher education professionals may find useful:

• #CollegeBound is a weekly Twitter chat hosted by The CollegeBound Network and offers higher education administrators and teachers a unique chance to connect with potential and incoming college students.
• #lrnchat is a weekly Twitter chat that focuses on all aspects of learning – formal, informal, social and mobile. Professional development for educators and educational technology are frequent subjects of discussion.
• #higheredlive is a live weekly web show about the emerging role of social and digital media in higher education and student affairs.
• #PhDchat is a themed Twitter chat session that meets weekly to discuss issues related to postgraduate research. Discussion topics are suggested and voted on by participants.

The best learning networks depend on two-way communication. As you follow blogs, website discussions and Twitter chats, make an effort to add your voice to the conversation. Comment on blog posts or even start your own blog to share links and other resources. Alternatively, become a mentor by responding to questions in areas where you have expertise.

As you expand your PLN, don't forget that some of your most valuable connections may be closest to home. Students, teachers and administrators in your own academic community are important contacts who are likely to share your concerns. In addition to using technology to develop a global PLN, look for opportunities to connect with people in your local learning environment.

 

Sarah Fudin currently works in community relations for the University of Southern California's Master of Arts in Teaching program, which provides aspiring teachers the opportunity to earn a Masters in Teaching online and learn how to become a teacher.  Outside of work Sarah enjoys running, reading and Pinkberry frozen yogurt.

Writing Letters Of Recommendation For Grad School Applicants

Professor Brian Croxall (Emory University) shares tips on how to write an effective letter of recommendation for your students wishing to apply to graduate school.

How To Boost Your Energy!

It's that time of the semester...when grading, committee meetings, research projects, and all the other things we commit to each semester seem overwhelming. Here's a list of 50 natural ways to boost your energy. Some of these are obvious such as get enough sleep and drink more water but ones I found interesting (and that seem to work!) are:

• Turn on all the lights. – Darkness promotes fatigue and laziness.  Turn on every light in the room.
• Pull down on your earlobes. – This may sound strange, but pulling down on your earlobes can help you stay awake and alert when you’re feeling drowsy.
• Roll up and down on your toes. – This stimulates your circulatory system, which will deliver much-needed oxygen and fuel (glucose) throughout your body.
• Have a good laugh. – Watch a funny video clip or read your favorite comic strip.  A good chuckle will stimulate your mind, giving you a renewed level on energy.
• Tap the top of your head. – Lightly tap the top of your head with your fingertips.  Do this continuously for a few minutes.
• Chew sugar-free peppermint gum. – It won’t rot your teeth and that minty taste will make you feel fresh.  
• Dress up. – Feeling better about yourself has a magical way of giving you more energy.  Put just a tad more effort into looking your best for work, and you’ll get compliments from coworkers that will make you feel better — and make you a perkier and more energetic.

You can access all 50 tips here.

Free Textbooks For Students

Here's a list of 150 free textbooks (with links to these) covering a variety of topics including Art History, Biology, Business, Science, Education, Math, and Engineering.

8 Tips To Managing A Diverse Classroom

Universities have a much more diverse student population today than in the past. They come in with  a wide range of backgrounds, abilities, skills, and motivations.  Managing such a diverse student population is challenging even to professors who have been teaching for many years. Here are eight tips to help you make connect with every student.

 1. Watch for assumptions you might make such as thinking that all students come from traditional families or that all students have parents who went to college.

2. Use both the terms “he” and “she” in your lectures and correct your students when they make assumptions.  Not all managers or engineers are male and not all secretaries or nurses are female.

3. Call on your students equally without favoring any one gender, age group, race, or nationality. 

4. Use examples in class that draw from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.

5. Address inappropriate comments made by students in class that stereotype others.  Take the time to make this a “teaching moment” to sensitize your students to the harm that their words and actions can do.

6. Get to know the name of each student and invite them to get to know you by coming to see you during office hours.

7. Encourage students with disabilities to see you so you can make accommodations that will allow them to fully participate in the class.

8. Ask your non-traditional students to share their work and life experiences with the other students in the classroom.

 

Tips For Putting Together Your Elevator Speech

I have talked before about helping your students put together an elevator speech. Here's a great video on how to do this. 

 

Tips On Flipping Your Classroom

If you’ve wondered what the flipped classroom was or how you might use it, check out these articles gathered by the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Flipping your classroom means you have your students view lectures at home (either podcasts or videos) and then use the class time for discussion, experiential exercises, student presentations, etc. Advocates believe it is a much better use of the classroom and leads to more collaboration and creativity. I'm curious if any of you have tried this yet in your classes...

 

Teaching Tools For Math Teachers

Check out this site at Drexel University for math teachers at all levels.

 

How To Help Your Students Learn: Do Teaching That Sticks

This is a great article that I've mentioned before. Check out the tips in Teaching That Sticks by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. 

http://delaney.typepad.com/files/teachingthatsticks.pdf

 

Icebreakers To Help You Learn Your Students' Names

One thing I have learned after 30 years of teaching is that it is very important to learn your students' names. After all, we expect them to learn the concepts, theories, etc, we're teaching so it makes sense that we should take the time to learn their names. Here are some tips on how to do this.

Use Common Sense In Managing Your Classroom

A lot of classroom management is just common sense. Professor Joe Hoyle (University of Richmond) agrees and shares the following tips:

The teacher should know what he or she wants to accomplish. How do you decide what you need to do each day if you don’t know where you and your class are going? How do you evaluate whether you are making the progress you want if you are not sure what you want to see happen? Seems like common sense to me. So, as an exercise, write down in (let’s say) 20 words or less what you want to see your students gain from your classes in the fall. I think this is a great way to start every semester.

I never expect students to do work unless they will eventually (sooner rather than later) see the reason for that assignment. If I ask my students to read a 5 page article for Monday, then on Monday I will question them about that assignment. “In the article you read for today, what did WorldCom do wrong, why do you think they did it that way, and how should they have operated differently?” If an assignment is given but not mentioned later by the teacher, students have every reason to believe they wasted their time.

If a student is given an assignment and it is not done properly, there should be consequences. Students are gamblers. They are constantly weighing out what might happen if they don’t do a certain amount of work. If you ask students to read Chapter One and they don’t and you do nothing about it, then you can certainly expect them NOT to read Chapter Two. That will follow as night follows day. They have now been conditioned (by you) to ignore what you ask them to do.

You can read more of Dr. Hoyle's tips here.

Impression Management The First Day Of Class

Research shows that people make assumptions about our credibility, professionalism, and sincerity within a few seconds of meeting us for the first time.  The way we present ourselves--dress, body language, attitude, behavior—all impact on how others perceive us. 

This emphasis on first impressions translates to the classroom as well.  Dr. Frank Bernieri (Oregon State University) conducted an experiment where he discussed his syllabus the first day of class and then had the students filled out a teaching evaluation form.  At the end of the semester, they completed the same form.  He found the rating the students gave him at the end of the semester was essentially the same as that given the first day.  According to Bernieri, if your students think the class will be interesting and useful and that you are a credible professor on the first day, they will tend to think that throughout the semester.  In fact, Bernieri states that people will make excuses and manipulate the data in order to reinforce their first impressions.

Professor Nalini Ambady (Tufts University) concurs with Bernieri.  She conducted a study where she showed students a ten second video of professors they had never met.  Their ratings of the professors in the videos were the same as those given by students who had had the professors in class for several months.  In addition, the students’ first impression of whether the professor was an effective teacher predicted how well the students themselves performed on tests. 

Think impression management when preparing for that first day of class...

Faculty Can Be Digital Natives Or Immigrants Too.

One of the challenges we're finding in the classroom is the difference between digital natives and digital immigrants. This article by Marc Prensky discusses some of the issues. However, I find that age itself cannot be used as a determinant as to which students will be comfortable with technology and which ones are not.

Recently an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education discusses the fact that we are seeing the same issues with faculty. New Ph.D.s coming out of their programs have been exposed to educational technology as a tool in the classroom. However, faculty who have been teaching for many years may not have the expertise or desire to use wikis, blogs, Skype, etc. You can read the Chronicle article here.

 

Tips For The New Semester

As we get closer to the first day of the Fall semester, I thought I would share some of these tips for getting ready for classes.

Tips for the first day of class

What not to do in class

Develop a list of FAQs for your students

10 Tips for setting expectations

How To Become A College Professor

 Have you thought you would like to be a college professor but didn’t know how to get started? This site does a great job of answering questions such as:

What's it really like to be a professor?

What kinds of teachers are needed?

What kind of education and training is necessary?

What are the rewards (and downsides) to teaching?

If you would like to teach part-time, here are some tips to getting a job as an adjunct professor.

 

Advice On How To Get An Adjunct Teaching Position

Dear Dr. Kirk:

I just came across your blog today and it seems like a great resource for professors. I am writing to see if you have any advice or tips for someone trying to get started as an adjunct professor. I have an MBA and work experience, but no formal teaching experience. I would love to hear any tips or thoughts you have to help me get started. 

Thanks! Would Be Teacher

Dear Would Be Teacher:

First of all, as I look over the resume you attached, I see you have an excellent educational background and very relevant work experience in your field. These are things that universities look for in hiring adjuncts. You might list speeches given and your experience training others on a cover letter when applying. 

The easiest way to break into teaching is to apply to a community college (it’s how I got started). However, with your background in finance, I think a 4 year college would also be interested in hiring you as an adjunct. 

Try contacting professors at universities you are interested in and volunteer to be a guest speaker in their classes. That way you get to make some contacts. When I was at Drake University, we hired several adjuncts this way. It gives the school a chance to see how you handle yourself in a classroom setting.

You might also look through college catalogs (or on websites) to see which classes they offer that you believe you are qualified to teach. Also, go to their bookstores and leaf through the required textbooks for those classes to get a sense of topics covered.  This might help you to know how to “sell” yourself.

Just FYI though-adjuncts do not get paid very much. However, it’s a good way to beef up your CV if you think you might want to eventually teach full-time.

Hope this helps. Let me know how it works out for you!

Creating Your Own Personal Learning Network (PLN)

One of the great things about social media is "meeting" other professionals online and sharing information, articles, and links. Michelle Baldwin has suggestions on how to create your own personal learning network. First, though she cautions that this takes time just as it would in person. However, the results are definitely worth it and I feel grateful to the educators I have met so far for sharing their expertise with me. Here are some great faculty to add to your PLN: Barbara Nixon, Alex Hosterman, Billie Hara, Natalie Houston, Ellen Bremen, and Rey Junco.

How To Turn SmartPhones Into Clickers For The Classroom

I've been thinking of using clickers in one of my classes this fall. Professor Sue Franz (Highline Community College) gives step-by-step directions on how to turn student smartphones into clickers. The students might forget their clickers but it's safe to say they will have their phone with them!

Thanks to Ellen Bremen for pointing me to this post.

 

Teaching Students How To Think

I’m reading this article about Dr. George Plopper (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and his approach to teaching students how to think. I’m curious as I’m teaching a new course this fall on social media and am trying to decide how to structure the class. I'm sure the students will all have various levels of skills and experience with different social networking sites and I'm picturing the class as one in which each student uses his or her expertise to teach their classmates.

Thus, I'm interested in Dr. Plopper's approach:

After spending the first class of the semester outlining expectations, Plopper breaks the class into six groups of five students, and assigns a group of students the task of giving a presentation on the subject that is to be covered the next week. That is, they are required to teach the subject to their peers the first time they encounter it -- and they must determine what three learning outcomes they expect their fellow students to demonstrate.

Plopper points them to the relevant literature, including journals and a textbook, and the students must sort out what's important and what isn't -- and then grasp the details with enough clarity and complexity that they can convey them to the rest of the class. The final exam will include material that is relevant to the subjects they've covered, but will not be limited to what has been presented in class -- forcing students to read and think widely about the subject independently rather than turn up at class simply waiting to receive information.

Plopper also evaluates the students -- and they evaluate one another (which allows students to call out the slackers on group projects), according to a rubric he shares with them at the start of the semester, which is matched to the various facets of Bloom's Taxonomy. The approach forces Plopper and his students to think not just about the subject matter, but also about the process by which they have come to understand it, he said.

I'm curious whether others have tried this and whether the students see how much they are gaining (there is no better way to learn something than to teach it!) or if they feel they are doing the teacher's job.

Teaching Students To Do An Elevator Speech

In a class I recently taught, we discussed how to do an elevator speech. Essentially it's a short (30 seconds to 3 minutes) introduction of yourself to a potential employer or client that's aimed at presenting a professional first impression. Content might include:

    What makes you unique? 

    What problems can you solve?

    What example can you give that illustrates a successful outcome to a problem?

   

You can access more info here.

Here's an example from business students at the University of South Florida.

 

Tips On Handling Disruptive Classroom Behavior

Professors Richard M. Felder and Rebecca Brent (North Carolina State University) discuss options on dealing with classroom management issues of late attendance, sleeping in class, and talking to neighboring students.

As they note, your response should depend on two things: Is the offending behavior distracting the rest of the class from your teaching and is it the first time or an ongoing problem?

Assuming the behavior is disruptive, they state you can react in an aggressive, passive, or assertive manner. The best approach?  Be assertive, not aggressive. “Calmly and clearly stating the problem and asking for what you want is an assertive response.”

You can read their tips here:

 

Research Shows Missing Class Leads To Poorer Performance

Many of us put attendance as a class requirement for our students. Here’s a research study by Professors Wiji Arulampalam, Robin A. Naylor, and Jeremy Smith (University of Warwick) that found that “there is a causal effect of absence on performance for students: missing class leads to poorer performance.”

Download Am I Missing Something.pdf

 

Bringing The Classroom Into The 21st Century

I’m reading this Time magazine article,  "How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century," which uses an analogy of Rip Van Winkle awakening today and being astonished by all the changes in the workplace. However, when he walks into a classroom, he knows exactly what it is because as he says, it looks like it did back 100 years ago except for the color of the blackboards.

The article goes on to discuss how education hasn't kept pace with other areas of society as students tend to be taught pretty much as their great-grandparents were...sitting while the teacher lectures, taking notes by hand, and using textbooks that are mostly outdated.  Thus, there is a huge gap between what is going on in the classroom and what is going on in the world outside.

The authors espouse that education in the future needs to cross disciplines, include global thinking, and put an emphasis on creative and innovative skills.  In addition, emotional intelligence or people skills will be seen as important for success in the workplace as any other skill.  As noted, "We have to emphasize communication skills, the ability to work in teams and with people from different cultures."

The article ends with:

"Teachers need not fear that they will be made obsolete.  They will, however, feel increasing pressure to bring their methods-along with the curriculum-into line with the way the modern world works.  That means putting a greater emphasis on teaching [students] to collaborate and solve problems in small groups and apply what they've learned in the real world."

And one more note: the authors mention skills that are missing in recent high school graduates entering the workforce such as showing "respect for others as well as [how] to be punctual, responsible and work well in teams." 

All good classroom management skills we can model and enforce.

Using Clickers In The Classroom

Professor William B. Wood (University of Colorado, Boulder) finds that clickers are a teaching gimmick that actually works in the classroom for improving attendance and participation. As he notes, some of the advantages for students are:

They are answering anonymously—no one has to worry about the possible humiliation of giving a “dumb” answer.

Those who did not “get it” realize they’re not the only ones. In a typical lecture situation, such students are often inhibited from asking a question by the belief that “everyone but me probably understood.”

The students are actively engaged with the topic at hand and, therefore, more likely to understand and retain it better than if they were only sitting passively and listening to the instructor.

As instructors, we can find out immediately if students are not getting a point we are discussing and then explain it in more detail instead of waiting to see this lack of understanding on the next exam.

Additional information on how professors are using clickers in the classroom can be found here:

I am thinking of using clickers in one of my undergrad classes this fall. Anyone have any suggestions or tips to share?

 

 

Tips For Students: Establishing Your Personal Brand Online

I talk a lot to my students about determining your personal brand and the various components such as professionalism, emotional intelligence, integrity, etc that go into your brand. Angelita Williams shares five easy steps for students to use social networking sites to establish their personal brand.

 

Best Advice For Job Seekers

Last week I attended the Commencement Ceremony for graduates of the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee and talked with several of the students who are in the job market. Today I came across this list of useful tips for job seekers that I will be sharing with them.