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And remember that if you can't make a workshop because of a scheduling conflict, let us know what day and time might work better for you!
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
November is a Cornucopia of Faculty Development!
This month, we're giving thanks for the terrific workshops offered here on campus. Look over the calendar and choose one that's right for you.
And remember that if you can't make a workshop because of a scheduling conflict, let us know what day and time might work better for you!
And remember that if you can't make a workshop because of a scheduling conflict, let us know what day and time might work better for you!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Excellence in Teaching Showcase
This October was one of the handful of months during the academic year that has a fifth Tuesday. Tuesday afternoons are dedicated to various faculty meetings, but since fifth Tuesdays are floating inconsistencies, we try to take advantage of them whenever we can and have a Fifth Tuesday get together for faculty members.
Our last meeting was just this week, Tuesday, October 29, and it was used to showcase our fantastic faculty members here at MCC and how we're all using tenants from the Excellence in Teaching definition in our classrooms.
Each faculty member brainstormed something they're using in the classroom to connect to subject matter, pedagogy, professionalism, and/or assessment. They wrote short descriptions on a notecard and dropped their cards into our plastic pumpkin. We pulled out names of faculty members across all divisions and got interesting and steal-able ideas from everyone.
Gayle Cochin-Swidler, Instructor of Nursing, was just one of the half-dozen or so names we drew from the pumpkin head. Gayle talked about a video she uses in her Nursing 210 course; the video, called A Virtual Hallucination, is produced by Mindstorm and simulates a schizophrenic hallucination. Here's what Gayle said about using this simulation in class:
You can experience a bit of the video yourself right here:
For the next few weeks I'll be highlighting more things from the notecards, and I might be calling on you (yes, you!) for more information on your idea. Stay tuned!
Our last meeting was just this week, Tuesday, October 29, and it was used to showcase our fantastic faculty members here at MCC and how we're all using tenants from the Excellence in Teaching definition in our classrooms.
Each faculty member brainstormed something they're using in the classroom to connect to subject matter, pedagogy, professionalism, and/or assessment. They wrote short descriptions on a notecard and dropped their cards into our plastic pumpkin. We pulled out names of faculty members across all divisions and got interesting and steal-able ideas from everyone.
Gayle Cochin-Swidler, Instructor of Nursing, was just one of the half-dozen or so names we drew from the pumpkin head. Gayle talked about a video she uses in her Nursing 210 course; the video, called A Virtual Hallucination, is produced by Mindstorm and simulates a schizophrenic hallucination. Here's what Gayle said about using this simulation in class:
"Students experienced a simulation of severe audio and visual hallucinations similar to the symptoms experienced every day by millions of people diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The students found the experience to be compelling, which helped them better understand horrific symptoms of schizophrenia and the importance of treating symptoms in order to improve their quality of life."
You can experience a bit of the video yourself right here:
For the next few weeks I'll be highlighting more things from the notecards, and I might be calling on you (yes, you!) for more information on your idea. Stay tuned!
Friday, October 11, 2013
Get Your Passport Ready!
If you're a full time faculty member at MCC and are looking for an exciting, adventurous, and pedagogically relevant travel opportunity, Lindsay Carson has something for you.
For the past five years, Lindsay has been hard at work honing the College's study abroad programming, made available through the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs (ICISP), and that programming includes three teaching abroad programs. It's not just the students who get to have all the fun--we get in on the action, too!
Here's a breakdown of our three programs. Compare, contrast, and find one that's perfect for you.
Because of ICISP regulations and the institutions through which ICISP organizes, current opportunities are only available to full time faculty members. At this time, the three excellent programs outlined above fill our international studies plate--of course Lindsay may be developing additional opportunities in the future, but for now, we hope you find that one of our existing programs fits your availability and interests.
Lindsay will also be leading two workshops this semester, scheduled for October 23 and November 11, and a lunch-n-learn about our three programs (date to be scheduled). The curriculum map for her two workshops is posted below. Visit the Professional Development auto-registration system to enroll, and feel free to contact Lindsay with additional questions!
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| Image by Robert Wood |
Here's a breakdown of our three programs. Compare, contrast, and find one that's perfect for you.
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| Click to englarge |
Because of ICISP regulations and the institutions through which ICISP organizes, current opportunities are only available to full time faculty members. At this time, the three excellent programs outlined above fill our international studies plate--of course Lindsay may be developing additional opportunities in the future, but for now, we hope you find that one of our existing programs fits your availability and interests.
Lindsay will also be leading two workshops this semester, scheduled for October 23 and November 11, and a lunch-n-learn about our three programs (date to be scheduled). The curriculum map for her two workshops is posted below. Visit the Professional Development auto-registration system to enroll, and feel free to contact Lindsay with additional questions!
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Monday, October 07, 2013
So Many Workshops!
October offers up some excellent workshops for faculty development. Check them out!
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
Customize Your Professional Development
Contributed by Janet Scott, Reference Librarian
A new concept in professional development was suggested recently by English instructor Robert McCord with the blessings of Faculty Development and Professional Development.
Robert’s idea was to allow classroom faculty to earn one clock hour advanced placement credit for spending an hour or so one-on-one with a librarian to collaborate and/or learn something information-literacy related.
This resulted in the librarians creating a workshop titled Librarian/Instructor Consultation, the description of which is:
A one-on-one workshop/consultation to discuss information literacy in your course(s), including such topics as integrating and assessing this general education objective in your discipline, discussing available resources on a class topic, designing research assignments and any needed scaffolding, etc.
Each of these “workshops” will be custom-designed to meet the instructor’s needs. So if you want to collaborate with a librarian on a project, create or revise a research assignment, learn more about resources in a particular topic area, integrate information literacy into your curriculum/course, learn a new research skill, or if you have another information literacy-related idea, pitch it to Janet or Cynthia and we’ll go from there.
A new concept in professional development was suggested recently by English instructor Robert McCord with the blessings of Faculty Development and Professional Development.
Robert’s idea was to allow classroom faculty to earn one clock hour advanced placement credit for spending an hour or so one-on-one with a librarian to collaborate and/or learn something information-literacy related.
This resulted in the librarians creating a workshop titled Librarian/Instructor Consultation, the description of which is:
A one-on-one workshop/consultation to discuss information literacy in your course(s), including such topics as integrating and assessing this general education objective in your discipline, discussing available resources on a class topic, designing research assignments and any needed scaffolding, etc.
Each of these “workshops” will be custom-designed to meet the instructor’s needs. So if you want to collaborate with a librarian on a project, create or revise a research assignment, learn more about resources in a particular topic area, integrate information literacy into your curriculum/course, learn a new research skill, or if you have another information literacy-related idea, pitch it to Janet or Cynthia and we’ll go from there.
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| Contact Janet or Cynthia for a one-on-one information literacy collaboration! |
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Service Learning: Five Easy Steps to Get Started
Contributed by Lisa Jensen, Coordinator of Service Learning
MCC defines service learning as "a teaching strategy that combines meaningful community service with course reflection and instruction."
If you're interested in implementing service learning into your curriculum--either as a required or an optional component of the class--here are the five quick and easy steps to begin engaging students in a context rich and meaningful way:
You can get a few ideas from this presentation Lisa put together...
But for more information, visit MCC's Service Learning web page and contact Lisa!
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| Lisa Jensen, Coordinator of Service Learning |
If you're interested in implementing service learning into your curriculum--either as a required or an optional component of the class--here are the five quick and easy steps to begin engaging students in a context rich and meaningful way:
- Identify what you would like students to gain from Service Learning experience
- Meet with Lisa, Coordinator of Service Learning
- Discuss service options
- Go over timeline
- Work on syllabus
- Invite Lisa and organization representative to class to discuss Service Learning and the history, vision, and goals of organization
- Start service and reflection {enjoy the process}
- Meet with Lisa to discuss positive outcomes as well as challenge
You can get a few ideas from this presentation Lisa put together...
But for more information, visit MCC's Service Learning web page and contact Lisa!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Teaching Professionalism
In the past few months I have had two instances where I've had a moment. These have not been "senior" moments, and they weren't really "ah-ha!" moments, either. They've been "teacher" moments: moments when I am out an about and I have a realization about my classroom, my students, my syllabus, or something else that has to do with me as a teacher--and if you're a teacher, too (and you likely are if you're reading this post), then you know exactly what I mean. And both of my realizations--my moments--had to do with professionalism, one of our four tenants of Excellence in Teaching here at MCC.
My first moment was while I was opening a checking account at a bank in Chicago, and the account associate--a young man who couldn't have been more than a few years out of college--spoke to me as though we were frat buddies, even though I'd only just met him, and even though I was a female at least a decade his senior. He told me why he was having a bad day; he compared my credit score to other customers who lived in the surrounding area; and he gave me a run-down of the woman who'd come in before me and what banking issues she was having. I was, as you might imagine, taken aback. What, I asked myself, would this man say about me to his coworkers or customers as soon as I walked out the door?
The second moment was last weekend while I was at a big box electronics store in Crystal Lake, looking at televisions with my husband. The salesperson--a young woman who reminded me very much of our traditional aged college students here at MCC--was terrifically helpful and knowledgeable, answering all of our questions and anticipating our concerns about features, size, quality, and (of course), cost. But then, she brought over her manager to speak with us, and he treated us as though we were offensive, scoffing at our concerns, and treating us like children (stupid children at that). In fact, his lack of professionalism left such a bad taste in our mouths, we walked away without making a purchase and instead got a t.v. elsewhere.
And these two moments almost immediately started me thinking: our students are working at stores like this, and they are trying to get jobs as account associates at large national banks. But am I doing a good enough job teaching them skills to apply to their lives outside of the classroom, including professionalism?
There is much written about teaching and assessing professionalism in the field of medicine, but I could find little written about professionalism in other areas (although see the end of this post for some resources). Of course it's essential in the medical fields--our students will be dealing with patients in serious medical situations, and the need for care, privacy, and discretion is of the utmost importance.
But why do we--not just the "we" here at MCC, but the whole higher education "we"--not give more weight to teaching professionalism in other disciplines? Banking, like nursing or occupational therapy, is also a field that requires care, privacy, and discretion (though certainly in a very different way than medicine). Our money is no one's business but ours and our banker's, and I would certainly hope (though my experience might prove to the contrary) that my banker wasn't talking about my business to other customers.
So, I will now start paying even more attention to professionalism in my classrooms. I will continue to try to be a role model of professional behavior--something we all can and already all do in our classrooms--but I will think beyond that. I'll try to create more real-world writing assignments to help students practice professional written communication. I currently have a project in my creative writing class that requires students to investigate a literary magazine to which they'll eventually submit their own work--but now I'll require that they write an actual cover letter to the editor as a part of their report. They need to understand that it is not just their grade in my class that's at stake.
Here are a handful of resources that you might find interesting or helpful:
Using Wikis to Teach Professionalism
Varga-Atkins, Tünde, Peter Dangerfield, and David Brigden. "Developing Professionalism Through The Use Of Wikis: A Study With First-Year Undergraduate Medical Students." Medical Teacher 32.10 (2010): 824-829. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Aug. 2013.
Using Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to Teach Professionalism:
Rademacher, Ruth, Deborah Simpson, and Karen Marcdante. "Critical Incidents As A Technique For Teaching Professionalism." Medical Teacher 32.3 (2010): 244-249. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Aug. 2013.
Using A Student Built Town to Teach...a Lot!
Hall, Candace. "LE[Superscript 3]AD Academy Builds Professionalism In Vocational Students." Techniques: Connecting Education And Careers 87.7 (2012): 48-51. ERIC. Web. 29 Aug. 2013.
And here's an interesting article about assessing professionalism in counseling.
What new methods of teaching and modeling professionalism might you use in your classrooms? Use the "Comments" section below to add your ideas!
My first moment was while I was opening a checking account at a bank in Chicago, and the account associate--a young man who couldn't have been more than a few years out of college--spoke to me as though we were frat buddies, even though I'd only just met him, and even though I was a female at least a decade his senior. He told me why he was having a bad day; he compared my credit score to other customers who lived in the surrounding area; and he gave me a run-down of the woman who'd come in before me and what banking issues she was having. I was, as you might imagine, taken aback. What, I asked myself, would this man say about me to his coworkers or customers as soon as I walked out the door?
The second moment was last weekend while I was at a big box electronics store in Crystal Lake, looking at televisions with my husband. The salesperson--a young woman who reminded me very much of our traditional aged college students here at MCC--was terrifically helpful and knowledgeable, answering all of our questions and anticipating our concerns about features, size, quality, and (of course), cost. But then, she brought over her manager to speak with us, and he treated us as though we were offensive, scoffing at our concerns, and treating us like children (stupid children at that). In fact, his lack of professionalism left such a bad taste in our mouths, we walked away without making a purchase and instead got a t.v. elsewhere.
And these two moments almost immediately started me thinking: our students are working at stores like this, and they are trying to get jobs as account associates at large national banks. But am I doing a good enough job teaching them skills to apply to their lives outside of the classroom, including professionalism?
There is much written about teaching and assessing professionalism in the field of medicine, but I could find little written about professionalism in other areas (although see the end of this post for some resources). Of course it's essential in the medical fields--our students will be dealing with patients in serious medical situations, and the need for care, privacy, and discretion is of the utmost importance.
But why do we--not just the "we" here at MCC, but the whole higher education "we"--not give more weight to teaching professionalism in other disciplines? Banking, like nursing or occupational therapy, is also a field that requires care, privacy, and discretion (though certainly in a very different way than medicine). Our money is no one's business but ours and our banker's, and I would certainly hope (though my experience might prove to the contrary) that my banker wasn't talking about my business to other customers.
So, I will now start paying even more attention to professionalism in my classrooms. I will continue to try to be a role model of professional behavior--something we all can and already all do in our classrooms--but I will think beyond that. I'll try to create more real-world writing assignments to help students practice professional written communication. I currently have a project in my creative writing class that requires students to investigate a literary magazine to which they'll eventually submit their own work--but now I'll require that they write an actual cover letter to the editor as a part of their report. They need to understand that it is not just their grade in my class that's at stake.
Here are a handful of resources that you might find interesting or helpful:
Using Wikis to Teach Professionalism
Varga-Atkins, Tünde, Peter Dangerfield, and David Brigden. "Developing Professionalism Through The Use Of Wikis: A Study With First-Year Undergraduate Medical Students." Medical Teacher 32.10 (2010): 824-829. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Aug. 2013.
Using Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to Teach Professionalism:
Rademacher, Ruth, Deborah Simpson, and Karen Marcdante. "Critical Incidents As A Technique For Teaching Professionalism." Medical Teacher 32.3 (2010): 244-249. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Aug. 2013.
Using A Student Built Town to Teach...a Lot!
Hall, Candace. "LE[Superscript 3]AD Academy Builds Professionalism In Vocational Students." Techniques: Connecting Education And Careers 87.7 (2012): 48-51. ERIC. Web. 29 Aug. 2013.
And here's an interesting article about assessing professionalism in counseling.
What new methods of teaching and modeling professionalism might you use in your classrooms? Use the "Comments" section below to add your ideas!
Our Faculty Development Workshops Make September Look Good!
Check out the terrific September calendar of workshops offered through Professional Development:
Hope to see you in A210!
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Thursday, August 22, 2013
Making Groups Work in the Classroom
Last semester I participated in the Undergraduate Research Scholar Program here at the College. The student I worked with was interested in researching the impact of positive teacher-student relationships in the classroom on student success, and one of her information gathering methods was to observe a number of faculty members at MCC.
One technique she noted during her observations was the teaching style each instructor used: lecture, lab, small group work, discussion, or something altogether different. And although she drew a lot of interesting conclusions based on her observations, the one I found most interesting was this:
Students were more interested in group work if there was no grade, or if the grade was low-stakes.
Now, I've always worked under the assumption--based on my own experiences--that students care less when there's nothing "at stake" (i.e. no grade). This has, in particular, caused me to stop grading participation (a sticky wicket to try to grade anyway) and to no longer "grade" attendance, and to use in-class activities instead. But this group grade conclusion was really a revelation!
After talking with my student, Shaz, and Anne Humphrey and Elaine Whalen, I came up with some ideas to make group work work for the classroom:
Use group work as a method of practicing what they'll need to do on their own for an independent assignment
The second paper my English Composition 2 students write is an argumentative problem solving paper. Right after I hand out the assignment and explain the principles of problem solving, I have the students practice problem solving during an in-class activity. By doing this, the students can try out the new concept they've just learned in a low-stakes group activity (currently, it's weighted at 3% of their overall grade). And, if they pay attention during the group work, they can use the exercise as a template for the paper they'll spend the following month writing.
Let students "fire" members of their group
In Elaine Whalen's group research project, students can "fire" a student group member who is not pulling her weight. The group must give the student in question a verbal warning, and then a written warning, and the instructor must know about all of it. The student who has been let go from the group will either get a zero on the project or she can ask another group to take her in and hopefully redeem herself. Elaine has found that students who get "fired" work doubly hard in their adopted group.
Use the drafting process for student accountability
If you're giving a group grade on a project but want to make sure that each student has contributed their fair share and has mastered all of the content--not just a small portion of it--ask each student to submit a "rough" final project with all elements included. This allows you to track their participation, and it allows the full group to then decide which elements from each individual student's work should be included (they vet the pieces to create a stronger "whole" piece).
Assign a student to be the designated a-hole
The book You Are Not So Smart by David McRaney (yes, the title is awful, but it's an interesting book) has a chapter on "Group Think." McRaney writes about this phenomenon. The misconception, McRaney writes, is that "problems are easier to solve when a group of people get together to discuss solutions." But the actuality is that "desire to reach consensus and avoid confrontation hinders progress."
Based on that idea and the rest of McRaney's chapter, we can suggest a few things for successful small group problem solving:
One technique she noted during her observations was the teaching style each instructor used: lecture, lab, small group work, discussion, or something altogether different. And although she drew a lot of interesting conclusions based on her observations, the one I found most interesting was this:
Students were more interested in group work if there was no grade, or if the grade was low-stakes.
Now, I've always worked under the assumption--based on my own experiences--that students care less when there's nothing "at stake" (i.e. no grade). This has, in particular, caused me to stop grading participation (a sticky wicket to try to grade anyway) and to no longer "grade" attendance, and to use in-class activities instead. But this group grade conclusion was really a revelation!
After talking with my student, Shaz, and Anne Humphrey and Elaine Whalen, I came up with some ideas to make group work work for the classroom:
Use group work as a method of practicing what they'll need to do on their own for an independent assignment
The second paper my English Composition 2 students write is an argumentative problem solving paper. Right after I hand out the assignment and explain the principles of problem solving, I have the students practice problem solving during an in-class activity. By doing this, the students can try out the new concept they've just learned in a low-stakes group activity (currently, it's weighted at 3% of their overall grade). And, if they pay attention during the group work, they can use the exercise as a template for the paper they'll spend the following month writing.
Let students "fire" members of their group
In Elaine Whalen's group research project, students can "fire" a student group member who is not pulling her weight. The group must give the student in question a verbal warning, and then a written warning, and the instructor must know about all of it. The student who has been let go from the group will either get a zero on the project or she can ask another group to take her in and hopefully redeem herself. Elaine has found that students who get "fired" work doubly hard in their adopted group.
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| You're fired. |
If you're giving a group grade on a project but want to make sure that each student has contributed their fair share and has mastered all of the content--not just a small portion of it--ask each student to submit a "rough" final project with all elements included. This allows you to track their participation, and it allows the full group to then decide which elements from each individual student's work should be included (they vet the pieces to create a stronger "whole" piece).
Assign a student to be the designated a-hole
The book You Are Not So Smart by David McRaney (yes, the title is awful, but it's an interesting book) has a chapter on "Group Think." McRaney writes about this phenomenon. The misconception, McRaney writes, is that "problems are easier to solve when a group of people get together to discuss solutions." But the actuality is that "desire to reach consensus and avoid confrontation hinders progress."
Based on that idea and the rest of McRaney's chapter, we can suggest a few things for successful small group problem solving:
- Don't tell your students your opinion as their instructor--they will think that, because you're the "boss," this opinion is the only one, the "right" one.
- Allow students in groups to break into pairs--this will allow dissent to manifest, and that dissent might be very good for the problem solving or discussion at hand. Left in the larger group, however, students might simply wait for consensus to be reached and say nothing about their own contrary ideas.
- Assign an a-hole to the group--McRaney states, "for any group to work, every team needs at least one asshole, who doesn't give a shit if he or she gets fired, or exiled, or excommunicated." So, make sure that there is that voice of dissent by giving one student in each small group the role of devil's advocate. Not only will this produce some interesting results, but the students will get a kick out of it!
Friday, August 16, 2013
A Very Successful Day
Yesterday's bi-annual Faculty Development Day was partnered--for the third year in a row--with our New Student Convocation. Although we haven't gotten the official evaluation data (check your e-mail for the evaluation link!), we got lots of great feedback throughout the day! Many thanks to all of you who came out, participated, and made the day a tremendous success for our students and for our faculty members.
We had a slideshow playing as you all entered for the College Update, but in case you missed it, check it out here for some important announcements and some great pictures of the day:
For more photos, visit out our Facebook photo album, and check back here later for more details recapping the day.
Have a terrific first week of classes!
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| We've still got VIP passes & lanyards in A210, so come down if you didn't get one! |
We had a slideshow playing as you all entered for the College Update, but in case you missed it, check it out here for some important announcements and some great pictures of the day:
For more photos, visit out our Facebook photo album, and check back here later for more details recapping the day.
Have a terrific first week of classes!
Thursday, August 08, 2013
Mappin', mappin', mappin'--keep them teachers mappin'...
Last week we posted curriculum maps for the Fall 2013 Faculty Development Day breakout sessions. Each session's presenters have mapped their workshop back to pedagogy, which is one of the core tenants of MCC's new guidelines for Excellence in Teaching. And now, we've got a couple more maps to add to the pile!
Check them out:
We can't wait to see you on August 15!
Check them out:
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| Student Accountability (Click to enlarge) |
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| The Jigsaw Reading Technique (Click to enlarge) |
We can't wait to see you on August 15!
Monday, July 29, 2013
This Fall We're Mapping it Back to Pedagogy
Last year MCC's Curriculum and Academic Policy Council (CAPC) finalized our Excellence in Teaching guidelines, which are informed by strength and ability in subject matter, pedagogy, assessment, and professionalism.
This Fall 2013 Faculty Development Day has an offering of fourteen MCC faculty led breakout sessions, each of which can be mapped back to strength and ability in pedagogy.
And now, here are the Fall 2013 Faculty Development Day Program (which you've received via e-mail and will be receiving via USPS) and the accompanying curriculum maps:
Check back in early August for the remaining curriculum maps, and have a relaxing few weeks before the Fall semester begins!
This Fall 2013 Faculty Development Day has an offering of fourteen MCC faculty led breakout sessions, each of which can be mapped back to strength and ability in pedagogy.
And now, here are the Fall 2013 Faculty Development Day Program (which you've received via e-mail and will be receiving via USPS) and the accompanying curriculum maps:
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Check back in early August for the remaining curriculum maps, and have a relaxing few weeks before the Fall semester begins!
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Multimedia Research Papers
Contributed by Robert McCord, Instructor of English
This last year I decided to try and create multimedia research paper assignments for my students in English 152. I’ve taken some PLS courses in the topic, and I wanted to try them out.
In one class during Fall 2012, the students wrote two traditional and one multimedia paper. For two classes in Spring 2013, all three papers were multimedia. Paper topics included motorcycle helmet laws, the influence of online technology in our lives, food and health in America, and sustainability. I surveyed the classes to assess their reaction to the new types of writing projects, and I've included the results and my conclusions at the end of this post.
First, to define multimedia papers, I chose a model with a standard argumentative research paper at its core, and augmented with several media tools such as a Power Point slideshow, an online animation, or a pamphlet.
I graded the paper with a standard rubric. The media components were graded with separate rubrics. All elements had their own value in points, and each had a separate grade. The idea behind this is for students to work not only on research and writing, but to convey their argument in several different ways. The paper is the standard written and researched argument. The media components allow for visual and audio means of communication.
In addition, students can work with various writing situations. For example, the Power Point slideshow is for a small group presentation, and is accompanied with a narrative script. The student would present the argument in a format to fit small group interaction and visual imagery. The pamphlet has a different audience: a reader who only has two sides of a folded paper to get the main points. An online animation can be used like a Public Service Announcement (PSA) where the audience has only a minute or so to view the video and get the message. Also, we practiced using other media tools as homework assignments.
Here are some of the media tools we used:
So, how did the students react to this? At the end of each semester I surveyed them, and here are the results:
This last year I decided to try and create multimedia research paper assignments for my students in English 152. I’ve taken some PLS courses in the topic, and I wanted to try them out.
In one class during Fall 2012, the students wrote two traditional and one multimedia paper. For two classes in Spring 2013, all three papers were multimedia. Paper topics included motorcycle helmet laws, the influence of online technology in our lives, food and health in America, and sustainability. I surveyed the classes to assess their reaction to the new types of writing projects, and I've included the results and my conclusions at the end of this post.
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| istockimage |
I graded the paper with a standard rubric. The media components were graded with separate rubrics. All elements had their own value in points, and each had a separate grade. The idea behind this is for students to work not only on research and writing, but to convey their argument in several different ways. The paper is the standard written and researched argument. The media components allow for visual and audio means of communication.
In addition, students can work with various writing situations. For example, the Power Point slideshow is for a small group presentation, and is accompanied with a narrative script. The student would present the argument in a format to fit small group interaction and visual imagery. The pamphlet has a different audience: a reader who only has two sides of a folded paper to get the main points. An online animation can be used like a Public Service Announcement (PSA) where the audience has only a minute or so to view the video and get the message. Also, we practiced using other media tools as homework assignments.
Here are some of the media tools we used:
- GoAnimate: This is an easy and fun way to make online animations. Students create a free account and can make short videos. They can send the link to the instructor for viewing. We used this and XtraNormal to make PSAs on our topics. Usually the animation was a dialogue between two characters.
- XtraNormal: Another fun, free, and easy online animation tool
- PicMonkey: Free online photo editing, with no account needed. We used this to make collages – purely visual communication. Students can use online photos and cite the sources.
- YouTube: We made playlists based on our paper topics and links can be shared. This allows students to collect informative and useful videos into one page for others to view. We didn’t need to make our own videos, but a free account is required.
- Blogs: I set up blogs for students in Angel. Students posted on their own blogs and responded to others’ postings. It was a fun way to get some online interaction in the classroom. I’m sure the same features are available in Canvas.
- Pamphlets: MS Word has some nice pamphlet templates. For this media students must communicate the basics of their paper on one sheet of paper, printed on both sides. It’s almost like an outline with some graphic elements. We printed them out and folded them.
- Letters: For one project on Illinois motorcycle helmet laws, I had students write to their state representative to express their view on the issue. Sending the letter was optional!
So, how did the students react to this? At the end of each semester I surveyed them, and here are the results:
- Students in two courses in Spring 2013 were asked which they preferred, multimedia or traditional papers. Out of 32 student answers, 23 preferred traditional papers, and 9 preferred multimedia papers. I was surprised at how many liked the old-fashioned research paper! Some expressed that it was easier because it was so familiar. Others thought that the media components just repeated what was in the paper (that was part of the point!). They didn’t get that the communication environment shaped their presentation.
- Students in the Fall 2012 course were asked if they preferred writing all traditional papers, a mix of traditional and multimedia papers, or all multimedia papers; 19 Students answered: 3 wanted only traditional papers, 12 liked a mix, and 4 wanted only multimedia papers. Here students express cautious interest in the new paper form, as long as they get to write standard papers, too.
- Students in the Spring classes were asked about which media components they liked and disliked. Here the data is mixed. Almost every tool had similar numbers of likes and dislikes, except for the Power Point & script, which had only one dislike and 11 likes. It is the most “traditional” of the media components, so students again are expressing a preference for what they already know.
We’re often told that students are bored with the same old
assignments, and that their work should be relevant and exciting, with lots of
online and hi tech elements. I agree
with this! However, my students were
less sure of this idea. Perhaps when it comes
to grades they want the tried and sure assignments they’ve been doing for
years.
Also, I think the idea that shaping
their argument to fit different situations is new to them. Good!
I want to expose them to new methods of communicating. I am pleased with the results so far and will
continue to assign multimedia projects, along with traditional papers. I hope that with Canvas, there may be new ways
to put the elements together in one package that gives it a greater sense of
unity. For example, I could have
students create a portfolio on Canvas for the multimedia paper, so that each
element is represented by a link on the page. This could help students see each element as part of a larger whole.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Graphic Organizers in the Classroom
Contributed by Lisa Crizer, Instructor of English, and written about her English & Sociology Learning Community, "'Til Divorce Do Us Part."
One of the things we struggle with in our learning community is something I think every instructor struggles with during a given semester—ensuring that the students are reading the assigned material.
After a few lackluster discussions, Shiela and I decided to try some techniques to encourage students to be a bit more prepared for class and participate more in discussions. One of the activities we incorporated into class was the use of a graphic organizer to help students keep track of what they read and better respond to the material.
The activity asked the students to:
One of the things we struggle with in our learning community is something I think every instructor struggles with during a given semester—ensuring that the students are reading the assigned material.
After a few lackluster discussions, Shiela and I decided to try some techniques to encourage students to be a bit more prepared for class and participate more in discussions. One of the activities we incorporated into class was the use of a graphic organizer to help students keep track of what they read and better respond to the material.
The activity asked the students to:
- Identify the claim—“What is the key argument being made by the author?”
- List some of the data—“What facts does the author present to support his or her claim?”
- Interpret the argument—“What is your overall understanding of the author’s argument and what do you think of the piece as a whole?”
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| Type "graphic organizers" into Google Images for more results like this one! |
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| Type "graphic organizers" into Google Images for more results like this one! |
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| Type "graphic organizers" into Google Images for more results like this one! |
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| Type "graphic organizers" into Google Images for more results like this one! |
How do you ensure that your students are doing the required reading?
Let us know in the Comments section below!
Monday, June 10, 2013
Using Your Brain: Notes from NISOD
Julie Freelove, Jim Falco, and I were able to attend NISOD's 35th Annual International Conference on Teaching & Leadership Excellence (and Juletta Patrick was able to present at the conference! check out her blurb on page 38 of the conference program PDF).
The three of us scoured through thirty-one pages of breakout session listings to find some really terrific sessions, and today's post will give you a few tidbits from two of them.
On Monday, May 27, the first full day of the conference, I attended two back-to-back workshops led by Dr. Janet Zadina, an educational neuroscientist and adjunct associate professor at Tulane University's School of Medicine. I hadn't planned on attending Zadina's second session ("The Multiple Pathways Model: Using Brain Research to Orchestrate Teaching and Learning"), but during her first session ("Tapping Into the Brain's Reward Pathway to Energize Instruction") I quickly recognized that she was a presenter with great content and great style; so I decided to attend her second workshop.
One thing Zadina talked about that hit home was student success in the classroom. There are many reasons students don't succeed in any particular class, but one of the things that we, as instructors, can address specifically is a student's lack of prior knowledge.
Zadina gave tips for addressing this:
During the second workshop, which focused on the brain's frontal lobe (a good frontal lobe = a good life!), Zadina gave some great tips for helping students learn those all important "executive" (higher level) brain functions:
Look forward to more notes from NISOD, coming soon!
The three of us scoured through thirty-one pages of breakout session listings to find some really terrific sessions, and today's post will give you a few tidbits from two of them.
On Monday, May 27, the first full day of the conference, I attended two back-to-back workshops led by Dr. Janet Zadina, an educational neuroscientist and adjunct associate professor at Tulane University's School of Medicine. I hadn't planned on attending Zadina's second session ("The Multiple Pathways Model: Using Brain Research to Orchestrate Teaching and Learning"), but during her first session ("Tapping Into the Brain's Reward Pathway to Energize Instruction") I quickly recognized that she was a presenter with great content and great style; so I decided to attend her second workshop.
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| Dr. Zadina and a brain (not her own) |
Zadina gave tips for addressing this:
- Give students some background information (a YouTube video clip, a newspaper or magazine article that's slightly below reading level) on course content before they start a new reading or project; this will help them to create a meaningful context for the material and will help them dip their toes into water that may be very cold and very unfamiliar
- Use visuals whenever you can (we use emoticons and emojis in text messages and casual e-mails to signal meaning [especially sarcasm], so why not use images and pictures with students to help communicate the meaning behind the words and concepts?)
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| Cookies & photos by Bee In Our Bonnet--maybe a perfect project for a pastries class...? |
During the second workshop, which focused on the brain's frontal lobe (a good frontal lobe = a good life!), Zadina gave some great tips for helping students learn those all important "executive" (higher level) brain functions:
- Teach students the process of doing the tasks by modeling them ahead of time during class
- Show students how to take good notes (on days one or two of the semester, show them your own notes from a seminar or workshop, and spend a minute talking about your own process)
- Show students how to study for tests and quizzes (use small groups or in-class study sessions to model good studying)
- Start with short-term, concrete projects before moving on to long-term higher-learning function projects
- Require meta-cognition (before an assignment or quiz/exam, ask students to answer questions like How much time do I plan to spend preparing for this assignment/quiz? and What techniques will I use to complete this assignment/study for this quiz? After assignments, students can answer questions like Am I satisfied with my final product? and What will I do differently to prepare for the next assignment/quiz?)
Saturday, June 08, 2013
Dr. Dow’s Spring Break
Contributed by Beverly Dow, Instructor of Biology
At the end of March, I went to Costa Rica with my husband and two other couples. A trip to the tropical rainforest is a required item on the bucket list of any plant ecologist, and I figured I’d better get down there while there was rainforest left to see.
We spent 5 days at an ecotourist resort called La Paloma Lodge on Drake Bay (Pacific Ocean). There were no cars on our side of the Rio Aguitas. We toured the Corcovado rainforest, snorkeled off Caño Island, boated through a mangrove swamp, and did a night hike with the Bug Lady. I took 692 pictures of leaves, flowers, fruits, tree, monkeys, sloths, hermit crabs, birds, lizards, spiders, insects, and on and on!
The rarest thing we saw was an ocelot on the night hike. I will certainly be able to spruce up my ecology lectures for next fall!
To see some of the pictures and read about my trip, check out the March posts on my blog, Fiacre's Spade. You can also read about our garden, cooking experiments, laying hens, and new adventure in raising meat chickens.
Have you taken a trip this summer that you're planning on working into your class? Let us know! And if you write your own personal blog, e-mail us the link so we can add it to the Faculty Blogs list (on the left-hand column here). We'd love to know what you're up to!
At the end of March, I went to Costa Rica with my husband and two other couples. A trip to the tropical rainforest is a required item on the bucket list of any plant ecologist, and I figured I’d better get down there while there was rainforest left to see.
We spent 5 days at an ecotourist resort called La Paloma Lodge on Drake Bay (Pacific Ocean). There were no cars on our side of the Rio Aguitas. We toured the Corcovado rainforest, snorkeled off Caño Island, boated through a mangrove swamp, and did a night hike with the Bug Lady. I took 692 pictures of leaves, flowers, fruits, tree, monkeys, sloths, hermit crabs, birds, lizards, spiders, insects, and on and on!
The rarest thing we saw was an ocelot on the night hike. I will certainly be able to spruce up my ecology lectures for next fall!
To see some of the pictures and read about my trip, check out the March posts on my blog, Fiacre's Spade. You can also read about our garden, cooking experiments, laying hens, and new adventure in raising meat chickens.
Have you taken a trip this summer that you're planning on working into your class? Let us know! And if you write your own personal blog, e-mail us the link so we can add it to the Faculty Blogs list (on the left-hand column here). We'd love to know what you're up to!
Monday, May 06, 2013
Our ICCTA Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member is...
Our ICCTA Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member is...
...Lindsay Carson!
In addition to being the hardest working instructor of Spanish at MCC (or anywhere), Lindsay is the Chair of International Studies, and has built up the College's acclaimed study abroad program into a huge success.
She is the International Consortium for International Studies and Programs (ICISP) representative, and she has just finished terms as the Chair of CAPC's Curriculum Development & Review (CD&R) and as Secretary for the MCC Faculty Association.
Please congratulate Lindsay when you see her!
...Lindsay Carson!
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| Lindsay standing in a location far, far away from MCC |
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| Lindsay and MCC students in front of Volcán Poás in Costa Rica |
She is the International Consortium for International Studies and Programs (ICISP) representative, and she has just finished terms as the Chair of CAPC's Curriculum Development & Review (CD&R) and as Secretary for the MCC Faculty Association.
Please congratulate Lindsay when you see her!
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Give Them a Hand!
We'd like to offer a huge and hearty congratulations to our four new faculty members who have just earned tenure. They worked tirelessly for three years and truly deserve this achievement.
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| From L: Tony Miksa (VP of Academic & Student Affairs); Ellen Zimmerman (Counseling & First Year Experience); Kelly Fallon (Biology); Laureen Martin (Nursing); Bill Brogan (Criminal Justice); Vicky Smith (President) |
Good luck for the next leg of your journey at MCC!
Friday, April 26, 2013
April Showers Bring May Workshops
Just as the weather starts to warm up (fine-ally!), we're hoping that you stay inside for a bit and take one of the Canvas workshops we have lined up for May--during Finals Week and Intersession.
Check them out:
If you see something you're interested in taking, log in and sign up using the PD auto-registration.
Hope to see you in A210!
Check them out:
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| Click image to enlarge |
If you see something you're interested in taking, log in and sign up using the PD auto-registration.
Hope to see you in A210!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Beyond Campus: Teaching at Sherman Hospital
Last semester I was lucky enough to observe one of our nursing faculty members, Mary CaDavid, on the clinical portion of her Nursing 230 course.
The clinical took place at Sherman Hospital in Elgin, a sparkling new ship-like facility just off the highway at Randall Road. Mary had six students working on the Saturday morning that I visited, although I was only there for a few hours and only got to meet and observe three students.
Each of Mary's students was assigned three patients. At the beginning of the morning, I sat down with Mary and one of her students, Toni, to touch base about one of Toni's patients. The two went through each element of the patient's chart with care, checking and double-checking symptoms, medical history, medication, and diagnosis.
They also did preventative problem solving, with Mary asking Toni questions like, "What is the worst possible thing that could happen to your patient today?" Toni answered that this particular patient could suffer a seizure, so Mary walked Toni through making sure that the room inventory included things like pads on the bed rails, a tongue blade, and oxygen.
I asked Mary about this question, which I found so simple but so obviously important, as well as another prompt for her students about their nursing diagnosis. This is what she had to say:
They need to relate this question to the reason for hospitalization. Often the reason the patients were hospitalized is no longer the thing keeping them in the hospital. For instance, a patient came in with a hip issue, but now has pneumonia. From this stance, the students must think of "worst case scenario." I then want to know their nursing diagnosis and nursing priorities. I don't want to hear things like "give them the antibiotic for the pneumonia"--that is a physician order. I want to know how they will intervene, such as increasing fluids, mobilizing the patient, or by incentive spirometry.
During this one-on-one meeting, I was impressed by both women: with Toni, for her methodical questioning, her ability to listen to everything Mary was explaining, and her careful follow up questions; and with Mary, for her patience and calm presence, her on-the-spot scenarios and questions leading her student to think critically and answer comprehensively, and her obvious mastery of the subject matter.
At the end of the day I was honored to observe one of our talented faculty members in action, and I vowed to be even more aware of the practical applications of my content area (English composition). I want my students to consider how they can act and how they can be responsible. Hopefully this will give them a more valuable, relevant, and personal learning experience.
If you're interested in being observed in your non-traditional classroom or your traditional classroom, let me know!
The clinical took place at Sherman Hospital in Elgin, a sparkling new ship-like facility just off the highway at Randall Road. Mary had six students working on the Saturday morning that I visited, although I was only there for a few hours and only got to meet and observe three students.
Each of Mary's students was assigned three patients. At the beginning of the morning, I sat down with Mary and one of her students, Toni, to touch base about one of Toni's patients. The two went through each element of the patient's chart with care, checking and double-checking symptoms, medical history, medication, and diagnosis.
They also did preventative problem solving, with Mary asking Toni questions like, "What is the worst possible thing that could happen to your patient today?" Toni answered that this particular patient could suffer a seizure, so Mary walked Toni through making sure that the room inventory included things like pads on the bed rails, a tongue blade, and oxygen.
I asked Mary about this question, which I found so simple but so obviously important, as well as another prompt for her students about their nursing diagnosis. This is what she had to say:
They need to relate this question to the reason for hospitalization. Often the reason the patients were hospitalized is no longer the thing keeping them in the hospital. For instance, a patient came in with a hip issue, but now has pneumonia. From this stance, the students must think of "worst case scenario." I then want to know their nursing diagnosis and nursing priorities. I don't want to hear things like "give them the antibiotic for the pneumonia"--that is a physician order. I want to know how they will intervene, such as increasing fluids, mobilizing the patient, or by incentive spirometry.
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| Sherman Hospital in Elgin--one of the MCC Nursing clinical sites |
At the end of the day I was honored to observe one of our talented faculty members in action, and I vowed to be even more aware of the practical applications of my content area (English composition). I want my students to consider how they can act and how they can be responsible. Hopefully this will give them a more valuable, relevant, and personal learning experience.
If you're interested in being observed in your non-traditional classroom or your traditional classroom, let me know!
Friday, April 12, 2013
Faculty On Display!
Less than a month ago, we put a call-out to faculty on behalf of the Department of Career Services. They were planning a panel discussion for students who were wondering, "What can I do with a major in (fill in the blank here)" and needed faculty participation.
And boy, did you all step up to the plate!
Our students will now have a variety of terrific faculty members (although every MCC faculty member is terrific, so I didn't really need to add that) to query about the ins and outs of particular majors and career paths.
So please promote the event to your students, and if you have time, please come down yourselves!
Thanks for all your hard work, faculty!
And boy, did you all step up to the plate!
Our students will now have a variety of terrific faculty members (although every MCC faculty member is terrific, so I didn't really need to add that) to query about the ins and outs of particular majors and career paths.
So please promote the event to your students, and if you have time, please come down yourselves!
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| Look at the great line-up! |
Monday, April 08, 2013
Spring Into April With Professional Development!
The April Professional Development Calendar is chock full of good workshops. Hopefully you'll find something you like! Check out the monthly schedule and then register through the Professional Development auto-registration system.
And remember: if you spot a workshop you'd love to take but can't because of your schedule, let us know what times are best for you and we'll try to work it out!
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| Click on image to zoom in |
Friday, April 05, 2013
Getting to Know our Returning Adult Students
On February 20, a few of us were able to participate in a webinar, hosted by the Chicago Area Faculty Development Network (CAFDN), entitled "The Returning Adult Student."
The CAFDN moderators (Tony Labriola from Governor State and Mike Sukowski from Chicago State) were joined by four adult students: Lisa, a student at Chicago State; Robin, an NIU doctoral candidate who is also currently working at Gov. State; and Matthew, a U.S. veteran student at Harper College, studying nursing and working in the Harper tutoring center.
The focus of the webinar panel discussion was What Our Students Want, and we'd like to give you a run-down of some of the excellent questions and answers from the session.
Question: What makes a model instructor?
Answers:
Answers:
Answers:
Answers:
Answers:
Answers:
Stay tuned to the Professional Development calendar for information about all upcoming webinars and face-to-face workshops--we hope to see you down in A210!
The CAFDN moderators (Tony Labriola from Governor State and Mike Sukowski from Chicago State) were joined by four adult students: Lisa, a student at Chicago State; Robin, an NIU doctoral candidate who is also currently working at Gov. State; and Matthew, a U.S. veteran student at Harper College, studying nursing and working in the Harper tutoring center.
The focus of the webinar panel discussion was What Our Students Want, and we'd like to give you a run-down of some of the excellent questions and answers from the session.
Question: What makes a model instructor?
Answers:
- A model instructor is personal, cares about learning, is motivated and inspired (Robin).
- A model instructor pushes students to learn and helps them to understand, works one-on-one, and breaks down complex material (Lisa).
- A model instructor writes her own PowerPoints (not the textbook's), answers personal questions, and tailors material--either the whole class or as individual students (Matthew).
Answers:
- Yes, they should exhibit behaviors and attitudes that students would want to cultivate. Unfortunately, sometimes it's the behavior that students see that they don't want to emulate (Matthew).
- Yes, I've used teachers as models and was aware of how they taught. I took techniques learned from modeling to take into my own class (Robin).
- A model instructor is one we learn from and we want to be like. Instructors should be versatile in instruction. I ask questions and watch teaching style and how instructors help others in the class; I watch how they're helping students learn (Lisa).
Answers:
- Technology is used across the board, but it's not always used well if it's forced on an instructor; it must be embraced by the instructor. If used well, it can be hugely beneficial, but forcing it could harm student outcomes. (Side note: My girlfriend teaches 3rd grade and all the teachers at her school have tablets--our instructors should have them, too [Matthew])!
- I'd like even more technology (but I have a background in tech.)--things like Google features or blogs to develop material. I always enjoy the activity workshops focused on technology (Robin).
- A lab connected to class where we can work hand-in-hand with the textbook is helpful. I don't have a tech. background, but anytime technology helped illustrate concepts from book was useful (Lisa).
Answers:
- Lecture is important and it's not going away, but the interaction and discussion is important (Matthew).
- I prefer group activities, or small groups before large group discussion. Outside classroom projects are helpful so I can learn from my peers (Robin).
Answers:
- We don't like it when instructors lose patience. Don't let students identify that you've lost patience. Some students are at different levels, so work with all of them to the best of your ability. Don't show everyone a shortcut until they all understand the long way. Don't dump students on the tutoring center--you still need to have a professional relationship with those students for the rest of the semester (Lisa).
- You're responsible for your material. If you know there's a bad example, then get a better one. Don't be as confused as the students. Instructors can be heroes if they have a way to explain complex material in a way that makes people understand. Know your material and be responsible for it (Matthew).
- If you don't have the answer, admit it and get back to your students after you've checked. Be prepared with evaluation terms, such as rubrics, ahead of time, not the day before the assignment is due (Robin).
Answers:
- The most compelling pressures are those put on you by yourself, not someone else. I will invest more time and more creativity in assignments if I find the assignments themselves creative and challenging (Robin).
- Be demanding, especially in the lecture environment. Hold students accountable; they'll keep that knowledge available. You have the degrees we want, and that's why we're here, so be demanding of us (Matthew).
Stay tuned to the Professional Development calendar for information about all upcoming webinars and face-to-face workshops--we hope to see you down in A210!
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