Here's an interesting article by Professor Paul Walker (Murray State University) titled "What do students think they (should) learn at college? Student Perceptions of Essential Learning Outcomes."
Note that the career and life skills lists are longer than the subject matter list...
Insidehighered.com has an article on the University of Phoenix and their two-year degree granting college, Axia. According to them, Axia has more than 100,000 students that have enrolled over the past two years.
I know what most of my colleagues and administrators think of the University of Phoenix. Anyone out there have actual experience with either program? Just curious...
Recently had a nine year old show me how to do lattice multiplication. Here's a video showing how it works.
And I spent all that time in grade school memorizing multiplication tables!
Here is a list of 100 English words that many people spell incorrectly. The ones I see most on my students' papers?
it's (this is a contraction meaning "it is." Something that belongs to it is "its")
their/they're/there (while they are all pronounced the same, the spelling and meanings are different. Possessive is "their" and the contraction of "they are" is "they're")
Wish I had a dollar for every time I've corrected one of these words on a student paper...
I would love to hear from college professors who are using any of the new technologies such as weblogs, twitter, wikis, etc., in their classrooms. Specifically, how are these adding to the learning process and what has worked or not for you?
Just watched an amazing video on how to solve the major problems we have in the world...
While considering what changes to make to a course I'm to teach this fall, I came across this quote by Socrates:
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
Seems appropriate for a class on Leadership...
While my book, Taking Back the Classroom, was written with college professors in mind, I sometimes get email from high school teachers with questions or comments about the book or classroom management in general. I refer these to my friend and colleague, Angela Maiers, who does training for K-12 teachers. She's doing several workshops this summer. I love her approach from her upcoming book on the seven habitudes of 21st Century learners. One of these habitudes is curiousity. As she notes, if we can get our students curious about a topic, they will want to learn more.
TIBERIUS PUBLICATIONS has released the third printing of my book, Taking Back the Classroom: Tips for the College Professor on how to be a More Effective Teacher. Chapters include
as well as much more on being more effective in the classroom!
You can order through the TIBERIUS website, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble College Bookstores.
Angela Maiers offers the following tip to see if students are really listening in class especially if they are not "actively" participating by speaking up. She calls it the TWO WORD STRATEGY.
"Here is how it works: Choose a point in the lesson or group discussion that you think warrants reflection or active learning. Ask the students or group members to stop, reflect on the content presented, and synthesize their most important thoughts and ideas down to only two words. This may sound easy, but it is difficult to express yourself in only two words. Be sure to encourage, not judge as learners share out their responses."
As she notes, this strategy:
Yesterday I met with Angela Maiers and Mike Sansone while I was visiting in Des Moines (Thanks Mike for the great lunch at Huhot!). They decided that as it was the second anniversary of the date I started my teaching blog that I was ready to learn something new. I am now on Twitter and soon hope to develop my own wiki for my classes.
Professor Lisa M. Lane (MiraCosta College) writes about the fear of learning new things...when everyone else seems to be ahead of you and you're struggling to figure things out.
"I dreamt the other night that I went to the first day of class as a student, an upper division or graduate class of some kind. About 20 students. The professor walks in and begins an interactive lecture. I realize I don’t understand what he’s talking about. I look around and see that each of the other students has a stack of about 7 books. Seeing I’m lost, a helpful student opens one and points to a chapter for me. But it’s obvious from the way the professor is talking that everyone has read this already. Before the first day of class. Everyone is quite literally “on the same page”, and I have no idea what’s being discussed."
I think it's good for us as teachers to attempt something new and thus remember the frustration and then the satisfaction of learning, something our students experience on a regular basis.
Here's a website with links to the top education resources as noted by Guy Kawasaki (and he's included me as one of the experts!)
Dear Dr. Kirk:
I enjoy your articles immensely. I have a question that I haven't seen addressed in your "Ask-Dr-Kirk" e-letter. I am teaching a 'tiny' (4 student) undergraduate section this Spring ("Crime and Victims"). We all say we want smaller classes, but this presents itself as a challenge to me. With such a small group I'm somewhat nervous about what the dynamics will be and how best to approach the semester with them. My materials are prepared for a class of at least a dozen, but this term, for a variety of reasons, there are only 4 in the class. I'm thinking of doing it even as a one-on-one kind of tutorial/independent study approach, but I'd rather not have to do that. If you have covered this situation before, I'd love to know some of the feedback you've gotten. I can't seem to find any articles online in general periodicals which address this question. Thanks--and keep inspiring us!
Dr. John R Gehm (University of Sioux Falls)
Dear Professor Gehm,
Thanks for the positive feedback. Re your question, we think we would like smaller classes but there really needs to be a critical mass! I haven't had a class quite that small but occasionally will have one of 12 or 14 students.
Some of the challenges are that you usually get through the lecture materials faster; you have more class time as presentations and discussions don't take as long; absences are more notable; and it can be difficult to do some of the group activities. In addition, I think it's harder to keep a serious learning environment as the class tends to be so informal.
I would develop a list of activities and application exercises for those days that you finish up early. I also might treat the students as teaching assistants or interns. The students could bring in relevant newspaper or journal articles, do internet research, interview people in the law enforcement field, etc., and "teach" the rest of the students. They could also develop a class portfolio of informational sources and maybe write their own cases/scenarios that could be used as teaching tools.
With your permission, I am putting your letter on the blog. Has anyone else out there experienced such a small class size or have any ideas of what Dr. Gehm could do?
Good luck with your class. Let me know how it goes.
Dr. Kirk
A professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison contacted me yesterday wanting to know if I had ever used "jigsaw" assignments. I haven't but did find this great explanation of the technique posted by Barbara Tewksbury (Hamilton College). Does anyone else out there have experience with these at the college level?
Dr. Scott McLeod (Iowa State University) discusses how various portable devices that connect to the Internet have made it possible to get instant answers to many questions. He then asks:
As he notes, there will still be core knowledge that students need to know. But perhaps we need to rethink what that core is for the subjects we teach...I'm thinking about the prof in my graduate program who made us memorize all the formulas for his statistics class.
Check this out: Ted Demopoulos has a new book titled: What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting: Real-Life Advice from 101 People who Successfully Leverage the Power of the Blogosphere to be released in November. He has included me in a chapter on using blogs in the classroom.
If you've thought about using a blog for your business, class, research, or personal reasons...Ted has talked to others who are already doing this. You might even suggest to your students that they develop a blog portfolio (resume, class projects, papers, proof of relevant skills) to help in the interviewing process.
You can pre-order Ted's book on Amazon.com
Here's a useful rubric for grading essay questions that was developed by
Professor Heather Sklenicka at Rochester Community and Technical College.
Came across an interesting book titled: The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America by David Horowitz (Regnery Publishing, Inc., 2006). The first thing I did was check the index to make sure I'm not in it...<grin>
technorati tags: Professors David Horowitz Academia
I came across an interesting blogpost that discusses the type of people who blog. I was curious as I find that many of my friends and colleagues find it odd that I started my own weblog and even more so that I have kept posting on a regular basis during the summer months.
Melissa Clouthier states that the best bloggers are verbal, confident in their opinions, optimistic that they can make a difference, have an expertise in a subject area, and tend to be nerds or "dedicated nose-to-the-grindstone types." She goes on to say that, "Bloggers are an interesting group of people. Smart, funny, driven, outlandish, optimistic, confident and opinionated."
I would have to say that this is all true of my blogger friends such as Mike Wagner (who blogs on branding), Tim Johnson (project management and office politics) and Mike Sansone (the "Dr. Blog" who helps the rest of us improve our blogs).
Alan Mole, president of the American Literacy Council, is advocating that we simplify the English language by spelling words the way they sound. Although, some of this is pushed by the current trends in e-mails and text messaging that use phonetically spelled words and symbols to communicate, this potential move toward spelling words the way they sound is not new...Theodore Roosevelt wanted government agencies to simplify spelling in its government publications. Others including George Bernard Shaw, Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Webster, and Mark Twain all lobbied for simplified spelling.
According to Darlene Superville, "those in favor of simplified spelling say children would learn faster and illiteracy rates would drop."
At least I could understand some of those e-mails from students that I get...
Today is the last class of the graduate course on Managing Diversity in the Workplace that I am teaching at Drake University. Mike Sansone helped me set up a class blog to allow the students to share their thoughts and reactions to the various speakers, videos, activities, and discussions held over the last six weeks. In response to my latest blogpost asking the students what they would say were their top three "Aha" moments, several responded to the use of the class blog itself:
Finally, my third a-ha moment was not of a particular presentation but of watching our class evolve and seeing the power of awareness through sharing our thoughts and stories on the blog. As we have become more aware of issues related to diversity, we have had class-wide a-ha moments. Now that we are aware of prejudices and difficulties associated with diverse people, we are better able to stop ourselves, adjust, and make better decisions than if we did not have this class. After one more class I will be finished here at Drake and I can say that the overall theme to business is not products or strategy but human relationships. How businesses interact with other businesses, customers, suppliers, and employees defines the success of the business. Our class has had an advantage through our exchange... Keri
I agree with Keri that another “aha” moment would include interacting with the class and reading comments of the group. I had taken some courses about four years ago with a makeup of students mostly of the age group of this class. When diversity or discrimination was discussed in the classroom it appeared that the class felt that discrimination no longer existed in this country and especially not in Iowa. I was stunned that more people did not recognize that we needed to improve. I had come away from that course concerned that the younger generation had lost a sense of what discrimination is about. I am glad to say that this course has helped me see that the younger generation does realize that things still need to be improved. Mike C.
Another overall and cumulative “aha” moment is seeing the benefits that can occur when people feel safe to talk about diversity. Before this class, I often felt that somehow it was inappropriate to talk about certain diversity issues. I don’t know if I didn’t want to offend someone or if I just didn’t know how to broach the subject. I think our society falls into this trap all too often. We all want to be safe under the umbrella of being “politically correct.” I think a lot of change has happened this semester for the students in this course. How can our society change if we can’t communicate the issues effectively? Carole
The class blog was an ah-ha moment for me. Not only did I enjoy reading everyone’s posts but I believe I learned from other classmates' experiences and thoughts. The blog postings got much more in-depth than I originally assumed they would. It seemed to be a safe environment for us to share our feelings and stories and that aided in our learning. Keely
I am now trying to figure out how to use class blogs in my other courses as well as how to recommend this technology to others...
technorati tags: Managing diversity in the workplace Diversity training Class blog Drake University
Check out the National Science Foundation's Chautuaqua program which offers three day workshops in math, science, and pedagogy for college professors. These are held at colleges and universities throughout the United States this summer and because of a government grant are only $50 a workshop. As noted on their website:
Chautauqua Short Courses...provide an opportunity for invited scholars to communicate new knowledge, concepts, and techniques directly to college teachers in ways which are immediately beneficial to their teaching. The primary aim is to enable undergraduate teachers in the sciences to keep their teaching current with respect to both content and pedagogy.
I am teaching three of these workshops on classroom management this summer in New York City, Seattle, and Des Moines, Iowa.
technorati tags: National Science Foundation Chautauqua Teaching workshops Classroom management Delaney Kirk
In today's newspaper there is an article about an entire class of eighth-graders in Fort Dodge, Iowa, who have been asked to attend summer school because their algebra teacher did not cover four chapters of their textbook. According to the students, the teacher (who has 19 years of teaching experience) "spent more time making sure students understood, rather than moving ahead fast."
While I fully understand the need to cover concepts so students are ready for the next class, are we more interested in teaching the material or in students learning it?
I'm happy to share that I am one of the 101 people (along with Seth Godin, Tom Vander Well, Mike Sansone, Shel Israel and many other great bloggers) that Ted Demopoulos will be featuring in his next book tentatively titled: What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting: Real-Life Advice from 101 People who Successfully Leverage the Power of the Blogosphere. Ted's book will illustrate various ways that people are using blogs in business, finance, marketing, and the classroom. As mentioned in an earlier blogpost, I decided to use a class blog for the first time in the MBA class I am teaching this summer at Drake University. I have been very pleased with the way the blog allows the students to take more ownership of the class. The 22 students have created a collaborative learning community and shared ideas, thoughts, concerns, and emotions that they would never have shared in the physical classroom. When the class is over next week, I will post my suggestions as to what I thought worked and what I would do differently next time in using this innovative teaching tool.
I mentioned in an earlier blogpost that I was experimenting with using a class blog for a graduate class at Drake University on Managing Diversity in the Workplace. I have been very pleased with the quality and quantity of the blog comments made by the students. One thing that I think helped was to allow them to comment on their fears re this new technology in one of my first blogposts.
My blogpost question to them was: As we discussed tonight, we will be using a class blog for MGMT 298 (Managing Diversity in the Workplace) to help us create a learning community and share resources and information on diversity. What questions or concerns do you have about using this technology for this class? What issues or comments do you have about the class itself?
Some of the student comments:
I’m a little nervous with the posting format, finding the questions and submitting comments in the correct location; being the first to add a comment not knowing if you are really the first or just unable to see other comments. I guess I don’t want to stand out or do or say anything stupid. Technology can be intimidating and humbling. As for the class, the challenge for me will be managing the disruption of my comfort zone. I’m willing to let people into my safety box but not so anxious to venture out and look for diverse situations. This will be very difficult for me and I want to gain more than simply checking off an assignment. I would like my intentions to be perceived as honest, sincere and respectful. Jean
I think this is a great supplement to class. It allows class participation for those who are more comfortable writing than speaking, and also provides a medium where thoughts are allowed to materialize before being shared. Once everyone becomes comfortable with the technology, it will certainly add value to this class. Holly
This experiment will certainly show us how diverse we are in the terms of understanding and using technology. I think the concept is great, I just hope I can get a lot more comfortable using it, in the short amount of time we have in this class. Mike C.
I like to feel comfortable. Normally, I will not leave my comfort zone on my own and that is why I’m excited to participate in this class. I will be forced to think outside of the box and hopefully I will be able to carry this type of thinking with me when the class has been completed. Michael N.
I think this will be an interesting and insightful supplement to the class as well. I agree with Holly's statement that this will allow everyone the ability to participate and share ideas, since some people are more reluctant to speak up during class. Hopefully, the sharing of ideas will allow everyone the ability to learn from others and give each one of us another side to consider. I think a huge part of embracing diversity involves keeping an open mind and being receptive to others' ideas, viewpoints and experiences. Hopefully, blogging will serve as a tool to do just that. Allison
Blogging will be a new experience for me. When the first news of blogging was discussed I was a little hesitant about it, then I thought about the older generation who thought that the internet was worthless and they would never need to learn. That opened my eyes to accept blogging for what it is and can be. Diversity is all about accepting something that is different or new, Blogging is definitely new to me. Josh
Well, now it's my turn to try posting a comment. Lets hope I do this correct. One of my previous co-workers had an auto-signature on her e-mails that read, "You must ride the wave of change." I think of that often and utilizing this form of communication certainly falls into that category for me. I am completely unfamiliar with this and unfamiliar things are typically uncomfortable at first. However, the benefits of adapting quickly always pay off. For example, now maybe I will be able to participate knowledgeably in my co-workers discussions on blogging. As we discussed on Monday, blogging is big in the Marketing field right now. I must admit I was/am ignorant about the whole thing. I hope that will change. Carole
Allowing the students to share their concerns and fears with each other created a culture that showed that it was OK to have these concerns, that we were all learning together. The class blog is currently password protected but I will link to it after the summer term is over and share what I think worked well and what I would do differently next time.
In preparation for teaching a three day workshop on classroom management in New York City, I asked my students, "What advice would you give to college professors so that they can be more effective teachers?"
Some of their responses?
Make class interesting. Mark
Be prepared for students to be unwilling to give input. Make class interaction and participation mandatory. Dana
Don’t let your class tell you how to grade or let them talk you into lowering standards. I’ve seen this happen way too often and it takes value away from the class. Kelly
Keep personal opinions out of classes such as politics and history. Use real world examples. Be relaxed and easy to talk to. Don’t feel threatened by students. Sarah
Don’t read to your students-we can read. Use real life examples, it makes it more clear and real to us. We remember these more than random sentences from the book. Amy
Take control of the class from day one, but don’t hesitate to get to know your students. Help us help ourselves be successful. Brad
Involve the class and make it clear how the subject is important to the students. Assignments must clearly reflect the material and doing these really assist learning the material. Tests should have applied knowledge questions. Mary
Be enthusiastic and confident. Don’t show fear. Derek
If you see that a student is performing poorly (i.e. bad grades on tests, papers), try to bring them into your office for help. Brett
Give timely feedback on presentations and tests. Pat
Pretend you’re in the class with them and together you will fight to understand the material. Otherwise you will be equated with the material (evil and difficult). Joel
If you are a young and new teacher, realize that we are looking to you for education, not for you to be hip, cool, and our friend. Friendly and approachable is good but there is also a line where respect from the students lies. Jim
Have you ever asked your students what they think makes for good teaching?
There are still a few seats available at the following workshops on classroom management.
Workshop I: Classroom Management/How to Teach Like a Pro
June 8-10, 2006, at Columbia University, New York City
August 3-5, 2006, at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa
January 4-6, 2007, at St Petersburg College, St Petersburg, FL
Course Description. While most teachers are comfortable with the course content of what they are teaching, many do not feel they have been prepared in "how" to teach. Especially lacking is how to manage a classroom (how to handle absenteeism, tardiness, cheating, difficult students; how to set classroom expectations; how to write an effective syllabus).
The three-day workshop will include issues such as:
How to establish and maintain your credibility as the instructor from day one
What to do that first crucial day of class to set class expectations
How to convince students that your class is critical to their future success
How to motivate students to take responsibility for their success or failure in class
What classroom policies to include in your syllabus
How to deal with those difficult students who come in late, disrupt class, sleep in class, dominate the class discussion, turn papers in late, etc.
How to prevent cheating and how to handle it if it does occur
Workshop II: Tips To Help You Become an Even More Effective Teacher
July 13-15, 2006, at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
This scenario-based training workshop will include topics such as:
How to get, interpret, and incorporate feedback from your students so you can improve your teaching and your student evaluations
How to get your students to be engaged in the class
How to work with students of all ages and motivations
How to use cases to facilitate class discussion
How to use humor in the classroom
How to talk one-on-one to that difficult student to get him or her to “buy into” the class and your policies
Tips for managing teaching, research, and committee work so you can still have a life!
Both workshops are for college instructors in all fields and will be useful to both new and experienced faculty who are struggling with how to manage this “new” generation of college students. In general, if you want to improve your classroom evaluations and become a better classroom manager, these workshops are for you. Participants of these interactive workshops are encouraged to bring their own questions about classroom management.
Registration. Both workshops are part of the Chautauqua program funded by the National Science Foundation. Registration fee is $50. If you have questions or wish to register for the workshop, contact Dr. Tony Irving, UWA Chautauqua Director.
technorati tags: Teaching workshop Classroom management Teaching effectiveness Delaney Kirk
Tonight I start teaching a new MBA elective at Drake University, (MGMT 298: Managing Diversity in the Workplace). I’ve decided to add a class blog to the course as a way of allowing the students to take more ownership of the class and of their own individual learning as together we build a collaborative learning community. Anne-Marie Deitering, Oregon State University, and Shaun Huston, Western Oregon University, have written about their recent experiences with using blogs in the classroom in the Academic Exchange Quarterly. As they note, computer mediated communication "offer opportunities for treating teaching and learning as truly social activities where knowledge is built through interaction and dialogue rather than lectures and recitation."
I’m looking forward to the conversation...
Get updates delivered to you free via RSS feed.
