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.

 

60 Ways Educators Are Using Twitter

 

I think Twitter is a great tool for students to learn how to use professionally and have included Twitter assignments in several of my management courses. If you're thinking about using this tool, here are 60 examples of how educators are using twitter in the classroom.

 

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.

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?

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...)

 

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).

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

 

Students: What Your Professors Expect From You

My colleagues and I at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee have been discussing the need for setting expectations in the classroom and I volunteered to put together some student conduct guidelines. After much editing, we've put together the following expectations that are now posted on our College of Business website.

 

Dear College of Business Student:

If we were to ask you why you decided to get a degree in business, you would probably answer that you wanted to get the best education and training possible in order to be successful in your future career. While that certainly means a working knowledge of finance, accounting, marketing, and management information, theories and tools, another equally important aspect to success is to learn and practice what it takes to be a professional. Thus, your professors will role model the business etiquette used in the workplace and will have high expectations that you too will practice these behaviors. We want you to be successful in your current role as student as well as in your business or service career.  As a result, future employers can count on our business graduates to possess the academic, time management, team member, and leadership skills they want in a new employee.

In order for your professor to do his or her job of helping you to learn through a variety of teaching methods as well as by bringing in real world applications to give substance to the theories being taught, the following will be expected from you, the student:

You will be in class, seated, and ready to participate at the beginning of the class period.  You will also stay in class until dismissed by the professor.

You will come to class prepared, having read the required materials or completed the assignments given. You are encouraged to bring up issues raised in the reading materials for clarification and elaboration in class.

You will take care of any needs for restroom breaks, coffee, returning phone calls, etc. before class begins so you can stay and pay attention for the entire class period.

You will turn off your cell phones before class and refrain from checking your messages during class (in case of an anticipated emergency situation, please inform your instructor before class and place the phone on vibrate)

You will be expected to do your own work for assignments, papers, tests, and projects and turn in your assignments in on time.

You will be expected to contribute your share of work to your team projects and to do your best to make the team experience a positive one for all members.

You will pay attention during class: no talking while classmates or the instructor is talking, no sleeping, no reading newspapers, no doing work for other classes. 

You will keep in mind that the course rules and policies, exam dates, and grading scale apply to all students equally, and will not ask for special treatment.

If you have to miss class, you will get the lecture notes from another student and will pick up any handouts you missed. 

You will keep an open mind and treat members of the class, guest speakers, and your professors with respect and dignity.  

 

Have we missed anything? I'm also curious whether other universities post student expectations on their websites.  

Student Project In Social Media Class A Huge Success!

 

As you know, social media is a relatively new concept and a few universities are beginning to offer a course on this in their journalism, PR, or marketing programs. This semester I taught a course in Social Media Management and Strategy for the first time in the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee’s MBA program.  I had given a great deal of thought to what the final exam should be and was thinking I would give them a choice of scenarios and have them pick one and put together a social media plan.

In the meantime, I went out to dinner one night with some friends and heard a local musician, Jonathan Cortez, for the first time.  We were all impressed by the range of music he sang including jazz, blues, top tunes from the 1980’s and even opera. Afterwards, I tried googling him to find future gigs and was surprised to find very little information. The proverbial light bulb came on as I thought he would be a great project for the class. The students agreed and were excited about developing a social media strategy for him, including designing a blog, getting him on LinkedIn and Twitter, updating his Facebook and Youtube accounts, etc. Here’s an article from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that talks about their project.

Congrats to the MBA students in Cohort 8! I have to say this was one of the most interesting student projects I have been involved with in my 30 years of teaching!

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.

 

Helping Students Improve Their Presentation Skills

I’ve invited Butch Phelps from our local Toastmasters to speak to my students tonight in class on how they can improve their presentation skills. They will be doing their team presentations in two weeks. I’m also thinking about this class activity shared by Dr. Lora Helvie-Mason (Southern University) on using peer feedback to help students improve their skills.

 

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.

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.

 

Videos For Math Teachers

If you’re teaching mathematics, you might find these videos on how to teach students to write mathematics useful.   These practical tips are presented by Kevin Houston (University of Leeds), Mike Robinson (Shefrield Hallam) and Franco Vivaldi (Queen Mary, University of London). As noted:

Students don’t write mathematics correctly. They throw down a mess of symbols with the answer underlined at the bottom and rely on the examiner’s intelligence to get the marks. Teaching them to write in a more orderly and logical way has numerous advantages: it makes marking easier; allows students to demonstrate understanding (or not); forces an improvement in their thinking skills. Expressing their ideas clearly and correctly is a valuable skill for graduates in further study, employment and life in general.

Professor Houston also offers this free booklet on 10 Ways To Think Like A Mathematician.

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

 

Road Trip To Omaha, Nebraska

Today I will be facilitating a faculty development workshop at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha. We will be discussing how to set class expectations on the first day of class, how to "sell your class to the students," and how to handle challenging students.

I'm looking forward to it.

 

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.

 

Quote Of The Day

If you would thoroughly know anything, teach it to others...Tryon Edwards

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 Find Authors To Speak To Your Class Or Bookclub For Free

My students enjoy interacting with the authors of some of the books they are reading. One way to do this is via Skype. Kate Messner has put together a list of authors who are willing to guest speak to your class or book club for free using Skype. Click here for authors.

Thanks to Rachel Labossiere for bringing this post to my attention.

 

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.

Reducing Incivility In The Classroom

The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan links to these articles on reducing incivility in the college classroom.  As their website states:

"Broadly defined, classroom incivility is any action that interferes with a harmonious and cooperative learning atmosphere in the classroom. Uncivil student behavior not only disrupts and negatively effects the overall learning environment for students but also contributes to instructors' stress and discontent. The articles in this section describe forms of classroom incivility and ways to reduce disruptive behavior in the college classroom."

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?

 

 

Students: Tips To Getting What You Want From Your Professors

Professor Ellen Bremen (Highline Community College) offers advice to students in how to communicate with your professors. She states that using "you" language rather than "I" sets professors up to be defensive and less likely to help. For example, many times students will start an email or in-person conversation with the following "you's," thus indicating an external locus of control.

"You gave me a bad grade."

“You didn’t tell me I was missing an assignment.”

“Your lecture wasn’t very clear.” 

 

Professor Brennan advocates changing these statements to using "I" to illustrate taking responsibility for your own learning. Thus, instead of:

 “Your lecture wasn’t very clear.”

 Try: “I’m having trouble following the material. I’m scared that I’m falling behind and I don’t want that to happen. Is it all right if we take more time to ask questions either during your lecture or at the end of class?"

As she notes: "The good news is that your use of "I" will better equip your profs to identify your problem and help you out. Even better news is that your professors will likely have tremendous respect for you taking responsibility for your actions and owning your thoughts."

You can read her entire post here.

 

The Real World Won't Care About Your GPA

It’s the end of the semester and you know what that means…lots of emails from students wanting to know how they can get extra points to improve their grades. Thus, I read this article by Becky Johns titled “Your GPA Doesn’t (Really) Matter” with great interest. As she notes:

While many college students stress over grades, those of us beyond academia and into our professional careers have seen how little it matters in comparison to experience, networking skills and the desire to grow.

Children go through school being taught that a grade is the determining factor in performance. But in the professional world, that’s not how it works. Your bosses won’t tell you which questions will be on the test. You don’t study information to be tested on it once in your job. Your college GPA is a combination of several factors but isn’t really the best indicator of how you’ll perform in the working world. We all know that person with perfect grades who struggles socially or that person who couldn’t care less about school but seems to have no trouble making great things happen in their life. Book smarts and street smarts are very different things.

Take your classes seriously. Do the work. Show up and learn something. Meet your professors. But I’m here to tell you, the GPA you leave college with doesn’t matter.

Becky goes on to say that what will matter is learning how to learn; learning how to take theory and concepts and apply them to real-life situations; developing good time management, presentation, writing, and networking skills; and learning how to both accept and give constructive feedback.

I remember stressing myself out to get a 4.0 in my Ph.D. program and absolutely no one has ever asked me what my GPA was. You can read the entire article here. I'm thinking this might be appropriate to put in my syllabus!

 

Managing Student Questions

I often have students ask me questions during class that pertain to information I had planned to cover later that class period. I struggle with whether to stop and answer these or to tell the student I'll be getting to the topic in a few minutes and then trying to remember to come back to the question by the end of the class.  

 

Dr. George H. Williams (University of South Carolina Upstate) has a great solution to this. He asks the students to write down all the questions they have during his lecture as they come up. At the end of class, he usually finds that he has covered most of their questions and he can then answer those few remaining ones. You can read more about his technique here.

 

Getting Your Students To Read

I think we all struggle with getting our students to read the book or articles we assign for class. I've tried tying to class discussion and even giving quizzes to ensure they are reading. Here are some great suggestions from Faculty Focus in this free ebook.  Download Report-11-strategies-getting-students-to-read

Using iPads In The Classroom

Professor Alan Jacobs (Wheaton College) shares his experience on using his ipad in class. You can read more about it here.

For more feedback from professors who use iPads, check out this article here.

 

Mike Wagner Talks On Personal Branding

Mike Wagner, President of White Rabbit Group, recently skyped into my MBA class on Leadership to answer questions on personal branding. The following are some of the questions from the students and the answers given by Mike in this very informative session.

 

Question: Where do I start? How do I get going on defining my brand?

Mike: Look at your personal brand from both a public and private aspect.

The public brand consists of difference (what distinguishes you from others/what gets people’s attention), relevance (applies to your career and marketplace), and intentional invitation (the promise, what you get when you hire me).

The private aspect is truthfulness (don’t promise what you can’t deliver) and ownership (discipline).

Many of us are in the mediocre middle. By moving out of the predictable category, you break expectations. Understand the need of the moment but solve the problem in an unique way. Think “relevant surprise.”

Question: How do you have a personal brand without being perceived as a joke?

Mike: Career branding is an art. It’s not about me or self promotion. It's about your performance, not the image. You behave your way to a great brand.

Mike continued by drawing three circles. The largest circle is, “What do you do?” As he notes, 100 percent of us can usually answer this question with our job title. I’m an accountant. I’m a teacher. I’m a lawyer.

Within that circle is a smaller circle: “Tell me how you do it. Mike says fewer of us can articulate this. This doesn’t mean we’re not good at what we do, but that we are unconsciously competent at doing it.

Within that circle is the smallest circle of the three which asks, "Why do you do it?" Mike continued by saying that building your personal brand is all about discovering the why. Think about your purpose, what is motivating you to action.

You make your brand different and relevant based on your why. Mike recommends reading Simon Sinek’s book, Start With Why, to help with figuring out your why.   

Question: You’ve shared that you have had a number of careers (minister, Saturn executive, IT strategist, and now consultant and speaker). Has your brand been consistent or have you had to rebrand yourself for the different careers?

Mike: Good question. Personal branding is something you discover over time-a series of increasingly relevant skills that demonstrate you can deliver value. I think of it as intentional purposing. Part of it is realizing that relevance as part of your brand is a moving target. What I knew and did in 1999 in the tech field is not relevant today.

Question: How do you stay current?

Mike: I consider myself to be a constant learner. Every three months I challenge myself to learn something new that I can apply to my business. Right now I’m all about visual learning. I read a lot on the internet, follow several bloggers. Keeping current and learning new things is part of being relevant and different.

I believe that creativity is going to become a leadership competence because of today’s dynamic environment. An area I am very interested in is design thinking – a methodology being used for creative and practical resolution of problems or issues.

Question: How do you know if your perception of your personal brand is the same as the perceptions of others?

Mike: Ask them three questions: What do I do that you think I should stop doing? What do I do that you think I should do more of? What am I doing just right?

 

Mike Wagner, President of White Rabbit Group, is a skilled communicator, facilitator, and business coach. The White Rabbit Group is a performance branding consultancy which helps organizations strengthen their unique brand, engage their employees, and grow their bottom line. Mike focuses on the topics of leadership, personal development, creativity and organizational branding. He has worked with clients ranging from small and medium size businesses to Fortune 500 companies. He blogs here.

 

Kevin Eikenberry Talks On Intentional Learning, Leadership Strategies, And How To Be Successful.

Last Saturday, Kevin Eikenberry very generously gave an hour of his time to answer questions from my students in a course on Leadership. Kevin is the author of a number of best selling books including Remarkable Leadership (2007), Vantagepoints on Life and Learning (2005), and From Bud to Boss: Secrets to a Successful Transition to Remarkable Leadership (just released in February 2011).

Q: You talk about the importance of continuous learning in your book, Remarkable Leadership.  What does continuous learning mean for you? How do you keep current?

Kevin: I read blogs, books, and attend 3-5 professional workshops or conferences a year. I also learn from the writing I do. I find writing and reflecting clarifies my thinking. An excellent way to learn is to teach others/share your knowledge and information with others. It’s about intentional learning-you have to take ownership of your own learning process.

Q: Can you give us advice on how one finds their niche?

Kevin: Do work that is interesting to you. Find your passion. You have to be happy with the work you are doing. Create an area or business that serves you and is not just a job. Figure out how to market yourself. One of the things I have learned throughout my career is that I’m not just a salesperson or a consultant. I’m in the marketing business.

Q: What do you suggest I do if working with others on a team and one team member is not fully committed?

Kevin: Ask yourself if there really is a performance gap. Sometimes it is simply a matter of perception. Don’t start from a place of judgment but instead ask questions. What does this person value? What is holding them back from being committed?

Q: What are your strategies for leading in today’s economy?

Kevin: Enthusiasm is contagious. Be a positive influence. Choose your attitude. If there are challenges, talk about them with your team. Think about what’s within your control and within your influence. Now is the time to offer training to your employees and to keep them engaged. That way, when the economy changes, you can keep them. Build your employees.

Q: I see a real technology gap between generations. Can you address this issue and what to do about it?

Kevin: Ask yourself, what’s the real problem? Is it a performance discrepancy or a difference in preferences? There have always been generation gaps. You see the world differently at 20 than you do at 50. Read the research on the different generations and then forget most of what you read because it leads to stereotyping. Focus on what you need in the workplace.

Young employees prefer text messaging to phone calls. I understand this. My son at college prefers texting. I can leave him a phone message but he’s much more likely to respond to a text message. It works for him.

You as a manager need to explain to your employees your business need. It’s about the other person, in this case the customers or clients. Talk about issues of technology as a group. How to get past perceptions? However, be careful not to stereotype. I know older people who are very tech savvy and younger ones who are limited to just what they prefer. It’s not just age-related.

Q: Can you give us advice on how to be successful?

Kevin: Get a mentor. Mentorship is a critical part to learning anything especially leadership. Choose good role models. Also, help mentor others as you learn from mentoring. Keep in mind that leadership is not a role or position but an action.

If you think you are leading but no one is following you, you are only taking a walk.

It’s about the actions you take. Be remarkable-someone worth remarking or talking about.

Focus on your strengths but also remember that your strengths can be your biggest weaknesses. For example, your strength may be that you are decisive. However, the weakness of that might be that you don’t ask for input from your employees. I had a friend who was upset because someone accused him of being stubborn. He asked me if I agreed. I hesitated and then asked him if he thought he was persistent. It’s the same behavior with a difference in degree. Strengths are always valuable but not always appropriate.

A: Any final words of advice for being successful?

Kevin: It's about finding your passion. Taking advantage of defining moments. Transforming yourself. 

At this point, Kevin gave the students a simple, yet effective exercise to do to show them how to take their dreams of success and make these a reality.

Write down the word "Transformation" in the center of a piece of paper.

Then go back up and write "Information" (these are the books, classes, degree, valuable input to help you learn).

Next, write "Inspiration" (get inspired-do stuff that engages you).

Then write "Application" (apply what you know and learned to what you love to do).

Once you reach Application, you need to take action to reach Transformation. It's up to you.

His final words?  Believe in yourself. “You’re qualified if you decide you are.”

Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that provides a wide range of services, including training delivery and design, facilitation, performance coaching, organizational consulting, and speaking services. They have worked with Fortune 500 companies, smaller firms, universities, government agencies and more. His specialties include: teams and teamwork, creativity, developing organizational and individual potential, facilitation, training trainers, presentation skills, consulting and the consulting process.

Kevin blogs on leadership here:  http://blog.kevineikenberry.com/

Kevin shares free resources for reaching professional and personal goals here: http://www.kevineikenberry.com/resources/index.asp