iTeach 2008 Participants

Alaska's Cultural Standards Hurt Everyone, Particularly Alaska Natives

Chip McMillan — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 23:44:00 +0000

Why STEM Is More Than Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

Chip McMillan — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:41:00 +0000

Why STEM Education Is Not Happening In Alaska

Chip McMillan — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Why There Is No Such Thing as "Western Science"

Chip McMillan — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:36:00 +0000

Why Kids Don't Learn Science by "Messing About"

Chip McMillan — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:35:00 +0000

Change and Time

Chip McMillan — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:43:00 +0000

Can time be measured without change? Clearly this automobile has experienced change:

So, time has passed for the automobile.

How about a single proton floating in the vastness of space for the last 5 billion earth years:

Encountering no other matter or energy, has the proton experienced any type of change?

Is the proton any different after 5 billion earth years?

Has the proton experienced any time?

What is Technology?

Chip McMillan — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:18:00 +0000

The woodpecker finch below is prying grubs out of a tree using a cactus spine.

The child below is learning the alphabet using an iPad.

Both are tools. Are cactus spines and iPads both examples of technology?

Boycott California?

Sine Anahita — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Prop. 8 passed in California on November 4th. The same day that swept Barack Obama into office also saw the first constitutional amendment to California's state constitution that eliminated a civil right already accorded to California citizens. As you probably already know, Prop 8 amended California's constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage, and was a reaction to a May 2008 state supreme court decision that legalized marriage equality.

What's an equity-minded sociologist to do? The Pacific Sociological Association and the American Sociological Association both have their annual meetings scheduled in California. The National Communication Association just announced that 300+ members are boycotting their annual meetings because they are being held in a San Diego conference hotel whose owner contributed big bucks to a Yes on Prop 8 organization. (Read more about this here: http://chronicle.com/news/article/5510/scholars-boycott-annual-meeting-of-national-communication-association ). I'm tempted to suggest that PSA and ASA move their meetings away from California, in effect to boycott the state. Several years ago, a tourism boycott of Alaska successfully put pressure on state officials who advocated in favor of aerial wolf extermination. In the past, the ASA has moved the meeting in support of workers. What about in support of marriage equality?

I am not a big proponent of marriage. In fact, I disagree with the assumption that tax, inheritance, and health benefits should in any way be distributed according to marital status. But the fact is that the California supreme court in May 2008 legalized marriage equality, and thousands of people got married. Then a bare majority--52.5% at last count--voted away this civil right. As far as I know, this is the first time in California history that the state's electorate voted away a civil right.

I find it notable that rightwing religious organizations were the primary money and energy resource for Prop 8. I have read several articles that say that most of the money for the Yes on 8 movement originated outside of California. So, obviously, this means that Californians can be swayed by outsiders. So I think that a boycott of California might work. After all, money talks, eh?
Photo of anti-Prop 8 protest from http://xml.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-me-prop816-2008nov16,1,2339869.story?page=1

The n-word

Sine Anahita — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:54:00 +0000

Alisha recounts an intense moment when she came to a new understanding of the n-word.

A bit ominous

Sine Anahita — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:16:00 +0000

Mika describes the incident that pushed him towards an anti-racist activist viewpoint.

I thought it was dead

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Emmanuel remembers an incident during his senior year in high school that changed the way he thought about racism.

Eye opener

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Nate recounts how being in Idaho brought him face-to-face with racism and a life-changing experience.

That's when race affects us

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:57:00 +0000

Melissa tells about color from the eyes of a four year old family member.

Opened my eyes

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Unika tells another race story, this time about how a semester at another university opened her eyes to a different reality.

Awakening

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:50:00 +0000

Korey talks about how college courses helped her to understand inequality, and challenged what she had learned as a child.

I had to learn that

Sine Anahita — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:27:00 +0000

Clare recalls how she learned about ethnicity in her own family, highlighting how we learn to think about difference, that race-based thinking is anything but natural.

Even now

Sine Anahita — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:35:00 +0000

Unika describes how race-based thinking extends even to family matters.

Parts of who I am

Sine Anahita — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:43:00 +0000

Jessa talks about the ordinariness, and extraordiniariness, of ethnicity.

What are you

Sine Anahita — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:06:00 +0000

Amy recounts being asked about her ethnicity, and being confused about what that meant.

Solid as concrete

Sine Anahita — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:33:00 +0000

Josh relates how some of the people he knows in rural Arkansas think of the racial divide as timeless and unchanging.

Heidi Herter — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:15:00 +0000

Your first blogging assignment: What is your first memory of the ocean?

As a 8 year old child digging razor clams in Clam Gulch on the Seward Peninsula. My sister and I would locate the tell-tale dimples on the mud flat for our mom, a champion clam digger, to dig and fill her bucket with. Meanwhile, I tried occassionally to dig a few but they always got away. My first real memory of the ocean is the first time I got my fingers around the neck of a clam. I was very determined not to let it go. I was up to my shoulder in mud but I finally got it out! In the end, my prize clam was just a tiny baby!

The razor clams on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula are in high demand and are often dug by people living in the Anchorage area (like my family). Over my life I've seen many years when we were not able to get very many clams or when the clams were very small. These childhood memories are one of the things that inspired me to become a fisheries biologist and I hope to do some research on those clams some day.

Welcome to MSL 111 THE OCEANS!! In this course,…

Heidi Herter — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:11:00 +0000

Welcome to MSL 111 THE OCEANS!! In this course, students will build upon their understanding of the role that humans are a part of the marine ecosystem, and the complex natural processes that occur in the ocean which must be preserved for sustainability of this system. The structure of this course includes three units:

Learning goal 1: There are many different ocean habitats created by the geological, chemical and physical properties of those habitats.

Learning goal 2: Evolution of ocean life is determined by habitat characteristics

Learning goal 3: We are a part of the marine ecosystem and are responsible for the sustainability of this ecosystem.

We will broadly cover many topics in oceanography and marine biology in the next few months, and many topics will be discussed in the context of regional examples. Student will be required to learn efficient use of distance education technologies, including video-conferencing equipment and our class blog.

Always aware of race

Sine Anahita — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:44:00 +0000

Brian describes how he is always aware of race, and has been since he was a boy visiting family members in Milwaukee.

Race: why?

Sine Anahita — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:30:00 +0000

As part of our Race Stories Project, Jing asks the question: what is race? But more importantly, why?

"I just never know that… what is race? You know, I just never understand it. Why people have, why we have, why society has to divide us. I just don’t know the reasons why. I know there are differences between us. White, black, brown, anyhow. I just don’t know why people need the categories. I just don’t understand why."

What white means

Sine Anahita — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:00:00 +0000

Kari describes the moment she first realized that white meant something.

"So I had a hard time coming up with a race story. I’ve never had… I’ve seen it, but I’ve never been a part of it. So I could, um, when I was trying to come up with a race story, I was thinking about my family, and situations with them. But it wasn’t really my story. It was just a… our past, I guess. Um… but I guess the first time I became conscious of it being an issue of what it meant to be white, I was working down in Philadelphia in an inner-city school program through Americorps. And one of the team members that I worked with, she was black and she was very light skinned. And um… I didn’t really know what that meant."

There is color

Sine Anahita — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:38:00 +0000

As part of our Race Stories Project, Heather tells about the incident that made her see color for the first time.

"That was probably the point in my life where I was like, you know, there is color. Like there are differences among people and just because of the way someone looks, apparently, you know, other people will hate for it."

Truck Update

Sine Anahita — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:18:00 +0000

Someone liberated the bumpersticker from the Dodge Ram that sports the Confederate flag license plate. It wasn't me, I swear.

White supremacy in the parking lot

Sine Anahita — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:14:00 +0000

You might be surprised if I told you that this truck, with its Confederate flag license plate, is located not in the Deep South, but in a university parking lot in Fairbanks, Alaska. The Confederate battle flag is the most widely recognized symbol of white supremacy, and it is quite common in North Carolina, my home. But I do not recall ever seeing it on a license plate in Alaska until this truck showed up earlier this fall. (There is also an extremely sexist bumper sticker on the truck, and perhaps I will take up the issue about the bumper sticker in another post.) Always sociologically curious, of course I searched for analysis of the Confederate flag in the sociological literature. A recent post in the Contexts blog notes that there seems to be a revival of the Confederate flag, or a "resurgence", as the author puts it. The author theorizes that the resurgence of the flag is backlash against globalization and immigration as much as it is a symbol of persistent racism. I wonder if the owner of the truck is knowingly participating in a backlash movement against globalization. Or deliberately trying to flaunt hus racist beliefs. Many Confederate flag apologists claim that the flag is about "heritage, not hate." Regardless of the owner's beliefs about white supremacy or the Confederate flag, I wonder if the owner knows that hu is violating a state statute by not displaying both license plates (A.S. 28.10.171). It's an $85 fine, BTW.

Unruly Soc Students Strike Again!

Sine Anahita — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:22:00 +0000

On April 22, some sociology students chalked the sidewalk to commemorate Equal Pay Day, the day in late April when women's average salaries catch up to the average salaries men earned by December 31 of the previous year. Click below to catch them in the act.

Busy summer

Sine Anahita — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:51:00 +0000

This was a busy summer for me. I did more traveling than usual. I just returned from the American Sociological Association annual meetings, held this year in Boston. Heard lots of good papers there, endured a handful of mediocre ones, and went to a useful workshop for new department chairs. Before that, I was at the American Association of University Professors annual Summer Institute in Rhode Island, where I networked with other academic activists. And before THAT, I was on the road from my previous home in North Carolina driving a U-Haul and pulling a vintage trailer named Camille. Camille and I survived the floods of the Midwest and a tornado in North Dakota. Along the Alaska Highway we saw wild horses, bison, grizzly bears, and other assorted fauna and flora. Many of the campgrounds where I stayed had wifi access. I am still figuring out the sociological implications of that.

I went to several workshops this summer, too. Not only did I go to the ASA chairs workshop and the Summer Institute, but also attended a full week of workshops conducted by UAF's Center for Distance Education (CDE). I vicariously benefited from Kayt Sunwood's attendance at a podcast workshop. I presented at a workshop on teaching gender at the ASA conference, and learned from the other participants as well.

New toys this summer include a Mylo COM 2 personal communicator (wifi only, so I can maintain my anti-cellphone persnicketiness) and a Wacom Intuos tablet. Also got the wow-whee Mac set up, though that required me to let go of some anti-Mac snobbishness, a process which is not yet complete.

Joy Morrison and I wrote a grant that was funded, and about which we are totally socioked. We have a two-year project funded by the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE IT--Start program. We will be conducting an institutional ethnography of UAF, focusing on women faculty in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. Our project is data gathering, but we will be doing it with an eye towards institutional transformation.

And here it is, nearly time for school to start again. Welcome back, everyone! Get socioked.

Classroom Blogging

Julie Fronzuto — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:45:00 +0000

My students loved using the blog for their write-ups of the Natural History of Alaska (BIO 104) field trips this summer. They were given a few guidelines then left to be creative in how they interpreted those guidelines. The guidelines were: date, time, weather, location, list of species identified & a short narrative. Only one of my four students (very small class) was local & two were from other continents. They ended up writing, as much for the folks back home, as for the class. It allowed them to share their explorations with the world & their friends as well as post pictures of the places and themselves in the places. It surpassed my expectations as a learning tool! Thanks for showing me this avenue & 'making' me use it in the class. When I have time I will summarize their lists into a single list for each location. My plan is to keep the blog, maybe add some of my own observations & use it for other classes. It may not be the best tool, but it will be a start at a comprehensive document of species for PWS. We took a 3 hour trip twice a week near town, with one all day trip to Columbia Glacier and an overnight to McCarthy.

Clicking on the title should take you to the classroom blog.

Summer Travel or how I spent my summer vacation!

Julie Fronzuto — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:27:00 +0000

Vacation? What vacation? Mine was a working vacation crammed into the middle of 2 intense 6 week lab science classes. That being said it was awesome.

My prius & I drove from Valdez to Tacoma where I put all my worldly belongings on a uhaul. The car was put on a trailer & towed behind the uhaul. The trip down was fast, but great. My little car got 50+ mph even on the roughest parts of the road. I saw lots of wildlife. My original intent was to fly & drive a uhaul back. That plan chanced when the friend who was to help had a massive heart attach & cardiac arrest 3 days before I was to leave. All her keys were lost by the EMTs, but her life was saved. She was still in a coma when I left. Having no Credit card (by choice) I was unable to rent a car, so I drove. Planning to camp on the way down, chanced to sleeping in my car after I saw 3 brown bears near where I planned to stop in the middle of nowhere. Being small means I can sleep in my car! As it was comfy, easy to set up & cost nothing, I did this all the way down. I love to drive long distances, see all the plants & animals, the different geology of each area. The Alaska highway is a great place for all that. Very meditative. I've become quite good at taking pics from a moving car or pulling over suddenly onto the side of the road. Scientists are trained to be observant & I am very good at observing nature! Best of all it had very few people. I'm not really a people person, or at best like my people in small numbers.

Once I got to Tacoma, I camped in a state campground in Gig Harbor, near where my storage unit was. I had planned on doing a lot of sorting in the week I'd be there, but driving took half that time & I spent most of the rest of the time visiting my friend. Another friend came up from Oregon to help me drive back up. That trip was much longer & took waaaaaaaaay more fuel, but we had a great time. I am grateful for the extra person to help drive & keep me company. My friend & I go back 20 years and haven't been able to spend much time together for several years, so that was really great! I went back to teaching two days after we got back and just finished last week.

I now have all my stuff (and then some) & its like Christmas. I've been sorting as I've had time & am planning a BIG garage sale later this month. You are all invited! A great excuse to come to Valdez, eh?

I've been out on PWS twice since returning & am always just totally awed by the majesty & beauty of it all. I'm finally getting my fishing license tomorrow & planning to get my own salmon here real quick.

Summer is slow & wet this year in Valdez, but the berries are starting to come on: salmon berries, blueberries (high & bog), crow berries, cloud berries, nagoonberries, currants & more. Oh YUM. The bears have been very bad in Valdez this year. They've relocated a couple browns & have had to put several black bears down as people aren't using proper precautions and they are coming into town. I put a bear bell on my dog when I go for a walk & if he becomes uncomfortable we turn around. I'd like my encounters with bears to be from a distance.

I'd love to hear how others spent the summer!

thanks mike

john — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:55:00 +0000

Thanks for putting this suggestions up on your blog for us all to use, Mike.

Tips for the week...

Diane — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:28:00 +0000

http://www.slate.com/id/2193552/?from=rss

Getting Students Up & Running

Mike Rutledge — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:23:00 +0000

Here is something to assist students at the first of the semester. I got this from Dallas Budden at UAF, and she said she can modify it for your specific UAF campus (maybe any UA campus?). They've been mailing it out to students in CD form, and have had excellent success with students establishing accounts and becoming acquainted with Blackboard and eLive all on their own.

http://www.uaf.edu/crcdhealth/Pub%20Html%203Aug07/index.html

We make the road by walking...

Diane — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:10:00 +0000

What is left now is to just do. I will spend some time dedicated to tooling around with abit of everything we touched on this week in the months to come because I do think it will be incredibly useful to me. I would like to learn how to attach links from interesting websites to my blob...so that it appears like the instructors.

iTeach has been the best orientation, training, workshop, seminar, intensive I have experienced at UAF. Also, best snack food EVER.

Zotero

Marsha — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:49:00 +0000

I installed the Zotero add on last week during iTeach. When I discovered it on my browser window this week I have to admit that I had forgotten what it did. Whoa! What a cool add on this one is. As I plan for fall classes, Zotero is going to be one of my tools. Being able to take notes about Web resources without going to RefWorks sounds very attractive!

Thoughts That Still Mystify

john — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:59:00 +0000

I am still pondering the implications for me as a teacher and for my students of the idea that technology is not a tool but a place to be within.

Unanswered Questions

Mike Rutledge — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:47:00 +0000

I have lots of new information swirling around in my head. Along with the newly learned info is a swirling question or three, but I can't seem to grab any one in particular. I have questions about doing things with eLive, which will probably be answered today. These questions relate to going beyond just the "chalk and talk" stuff that I am somewhat already familiar with (ie., how to load files and web pages onto the white board, and managing breakout sessions). I am planning to teach 2 Developmental Math classes this fall over eLive, so anything to make these classes more interesting and interactive will be helpful.

Ghost prompt

Diane — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:33:00 +0000

I searched the world over and could not find the prompt for the homework blogging assignment for this evening. Maybe it is to be at a later time. I am so impressed with this week. Some years ago I just don't think I would have had the patience to absorb so much but for whatever appreciated reason I am 'with it'. I am going to work on the blackboard option. It will be very challenging to teach its use to my particular brand of student but it doesn't hurt for me to learn how to do that to.

The only issue I have is my ongoing ambivalence with the internet life in place of person to person hanging out but our society seems quite suited to this kind of individualistic type of relating. It is not something that is huge in my region at this point. At the same time I love finding quirky sites and I'm a political junky so there is plenty for me to enjoy.

Testing scribefire

Diane — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:26:00 +0000

I am testing scribefire to find out if I downloaded it correctly and how it works.

Really interesting film !

Marian — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:23:00 +0000

Film: The Man Who Wanted to Classify the World

In 1934, a Belgian visionary named Paul Otlet conceived of a library with no physical books whose contents could be viewed on a screen. His obsession was to classify, encode and unify books and documents published all over the world. Over the years, he and his staff would fill in 12 million index cards. His classification system is regarded today as similar to hypertext.

http://www.kk.org/truefilms/archives/2007/10/the_man_who_wan.php

Assessing assessments

Diane — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:28:00 +0000

The assessment process with my students is something I think carefully about. Being 'assessed' for knowledge is something that often triggers shame with many students which leads to shutting down. The understanding by design book added the Latin origin of the word, "assess" meaning to "sit with" the student. I appreciate this detail because it adjusts the 'tone' of the word and too places this process in relationship to the student which makes it more culturally comfortable for my students to consider that we are all 'in it' together.

Having said that I try to create assessment assignments which have challenge, familiarity, cultural openings (to allow their culture to have space), bridges to the larger world and some kind of interaction.

What I learned in thinking, reading and pondering the content of Tuesday's class is that I need to be clearer in my mind about relating all that to the kinds of assessment/assignments I give. I feel a strong consciousness about my role in bringing new 'outside' ideas and processes to my students...

Assessment

Mike Rutledge — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:47:00 +0000

I have stayed fairly traditional in my assessing of students in developmental math classes. I will most likely continue with this by requiring regular homework, occasional quizzes, 2 or 3 unit tests, along with a final exam. I am however thinking of adding a writing component this fall, in the form of keeping a math journal. Entries might include instances when they have used ideas picked up in class, or perhaps entries about how they are feeling about certain topics covered. My overall goal is to help students develop more confident math attitudes. This additional writing component might be helpful here.

Assessment

Robyn Henry — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:55:00 +0000

I got a little stuck on the use of the word assessment as we used it today - you see I use it in an entirely different context in my teachings related to the behavioral health field. But no worries I am adaptable - I understand the working definition of assessment for this course as being the integration and manifestation of learning. So how do we really measure learning? Well I probably should avoid the philosophical approach to that question in the interest of saving time and blog space and go straight for the practicalities. Most of my course assignments (assessments) are given in the form of writing and reflection. Students are encouraged to interact with the material on a personal level as well as a skill development level. It is always important to continually re-evaluate the way we facilitate the learning process. I found our discussions today provocative in that respect. The journey continues... it's only Tuesday! Stay tuned...

Assessment

john — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:26:00 +0000

Assessment is an essential component of education. Assessment is part of the planning, instruction, assessment cycle. Also it is a step along the two-way path from enduring understanding to specific learning activities and from specific learning activities to enduring understanding.

Assessment helps the teacher know how to modify instruction for a particular student in order to help the student maximize their potential. From the perspective of the student, the proper viewpoint in a learner-centered class, assessment is a node in a stream of reflective thinking and an opportunity to find out what one knows and what one is still learning.

Assessment must be multi-faceted including many types and styles. Assessment must be authentic and clearly coupled to normal learning tasks.

Assessments

Marian — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:14:00 +0000

Assessments ....are they really the same as assignments? I thought there were some basic differences

Assessment (dictionary.com)

The act of assessing; appraisal.
An amount assessed, as for taxation

Assignment

The act of assigning.
Something, such as a task, that is assigned. See Synonyms at task.
A position or post of duty to which one is assigned.
Law
1. The transfer of a claim, right, interest, or property from one to another.
2. The instrument by which this transfer is effected.

Maybe it's just because I've never taken an education course but most of this analysis
leaves me very confused......

Something old, something new....

Marian — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:57:00 +0000

Something compelling - the Wikipedia case study - jbmurray/madness. In one fell swoop it changed my entire attitude/opinion about Wikipedia

Something mysterious - The pendulum we pass every day at the foot of the stairs. How can it be static yet move around the circle.? If the earth is spinning why aren't I dizzy?)

Want to know more about it - Blackboard ! (I know more is coming)

Couldn't agree less - Mike's report regarding a (shall not be named) math instructor in the lower 48 announcing on the first day of a DEV math class that 2/3 of the students would not pass the class. Talk about a self fulfilling prophecy!

thoughts and questions

kay mccarthy — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:22:00 +0000

Since i teach ended on Friday, I am wondering how Heidi Brocious, and Julia created their show and tell presentations? Was it with power point? I want to do one for our dean. I will also poor through my folder and previous folder.

I continue to work on my class in spurts. I have also been reading William Ayers, To Teach: the journey of a teacher. 2nd ed. Published by Teachers College Press. On p. 19, he begins with a quote from his teacher, Maxine Greene(1973) whose teacher was Hannah Arendt. This quote speaks to issue of moral choice. Maxine Greene argues that " the teacher who wishes to be more than a functionary cannot escape the value problem or the difficult matter of moral choice." (p181) in the Teacher As Stranger. Bill Ayers continues to discuss that ways in which we allow ourselves to become functionaries - all the ways that we are worn down by the situations we find ourselves as teachers. All the ideas in these essays are powerfull and inspiring.

To end with another quote from Hannah Arendt. " Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enought o assume responsibility for it and by the same token save it from the ruin which except for renewal, except for the young, would be inevitable. And education too, is where we decide whether we love our children enough not to expel them from our world and leave them to their own devices, nor to strike from their hands their chance of undertaking something new, unforseen by us but to prepare them in advance for renewing a common world. "

My mind is full of all sort of things that are taking further awary from the traditional teadcher preparation models and along a road that is not know to me.

UC Berkeley

Marian — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:37:00 +0000

Recommended Search Engines ....this is a cool site

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html

here's another one at Search Engine Showdown

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html

Question or comment on Chris's Talk with PowerPoint

Mike Rutledge — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:43:00 +0000

Some mention was made about helping students or teaching students how to wade through all the information out there to get what they want... dealing with information overload. I think that many folks search for info and take just info that comes on the first page or two, getting the most popular information. Isn't this akin to McDonald's 40 gazillion burgers sold? I don't think the quality info is the most popular. People may be getting lots of mediocre information instead of good quality information.

Chis's Lots of info intro

Robyn Henry — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:41:00 +0000

Compelling, mysterious and annoying all at the same time and not enough caffeine support on board!- I guess this will be quite a ride. I'm interested in talking more about how to use technology to help students learn how to think rather them what to think - is multitasking and chunking really the best way? It seems a bit fragmented. More information is not always better - is it?

comments on education and technology

john — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:38:00 +0000

compelling - Each individual has a personal learning environment.

mysteriious - Information is a node, knowledge is a connection and understanding is an emergent metwork.

want to know more -Technology is not merely a tool but a place from which you operate within.

couldn't agree less - The reason we lecture in our classes is so we can maintain control. True that is one reason many people lecture however lecture can be an effective way to impart ideas which can be worked on by students individually and cooperatively as they construct knowledge.

Chris tells all

Diane — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:21:00 +0000

compelling:

That all this is most likely here to stay.

mysterious:

Impact on brain development. How this may also firm up the divides between people. The way we are chasing after young people who are establishing ways of communication that actually reflect their youth and too, their lack of wisdom.

want to know more:

How can I develop my own foundation of knowledge that I can build on...it all still feels or seems like a mishmash of learning things ahead of knowing some basics and then learning some basics...lack of order....or something.

couldn't agree less:

That we have to embrace this (not sure Chris is actually saying we should or shouldn't). Have to think about this one abit more. Actually I need to think about these questions some more.

Marian — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:04:00 +0000
Refresh

What a great word...I am instructor for one course - Library Information and Research (LS101)
Most of the course materials I use are from the UAF Library Instruction website

http://www.uaf.edu/library/instructiom//ls101/index.html

Every semester I have made changes to the materials I use. I keep trying to do a better job.

How often do you you refresh the content of my course?

Mike Rutledge — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:51:00 +0000

Typically, I do not refresh my content very often. I often do minor adjustments, but the only time I do a major change is when I adopt a new textbook. And, this change is not so much a change in content... it is more a rearrangement of sequence.

What's the most interesting I have learned in the last six weeks?

Mike Rutledge — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:39:00 +0000

Until this class, I had no experience with blogs. None. It is interesting to learn something totally new... a bit uncomfortable, but interesting.

If information was food, what would I consider a balanced diet?

Mike Rutledge — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:51:00 +0000

A balanced diet would likely consist of a variety of information coming from a variety of mediums. I have been without television since October 1, 2007. As far as print media goes, I occasionally purchase the local town newspaper. I mainly receive my news via audio on National Public Radio. Other information I obtain comes over the internet. I tend to rely on the expertise of trusted sources for information.

Most Interesting

Marian — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:59:00 +0000

It is a felony under Alaska state law to possess alcohol within a five mile radius of the post office building in a dry village. (really)

Yum!

Marian — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:18:00 +0000

Menu at the Info Restaurant

Appetizer: Crunchy statistics
Soup: Cream of Opinion
Salad: Tossed Explanation
Entree: Procedure Casserole
Dessert: Process Pudding

Teaching and the way of enlightened research

Marian — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:51:00 +0000

I like nothing better that to see a student's face light up with understanding when I point out a new way to find what they are looking for.....I'm not usually in the classroom. I am next to the person at the computer or looking through the shelves with them in the library.

Am with elive and ELIVE

kay mccarthy — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:38:00 +0000

I really want to use elive to teach but I think I will go crazy with some of problems that crop up. This am my audio kept going down. Cests la vie. I think I worry too much about students becoming discouraged. What do other instructors find about students getting discouraged or scared. I guess if I can do it, they can do it right? I would really like to hear from other folks in the iteach session on this. Kay

How was Elluminate?

Glenn Haight — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:06:00 +0000

It is slick enough. Definitely a learning curve that some people will not get over. If they must learn it, they will. Otherwise, if they don't, I wouldn't expect them to wade through it.

For the user, it takes a while to understand how it works, how to work together and our collective weaknesses. Good stuff.

The Most Interesting Things I Have Learned in the Last Six Weeks

Diane — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:36:00 +0000

I learned there is a pile of trash floating out in the ocean larger than the state of Texas and that is probably where my old addidas are. Growing food for gas may not be such a great idea. Dendrites matter. I was right about Scott McClellan and those who do his previous job.

What's So Great About Teaching?

Mike Rutledge — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:42:00 +0000

Teaching is great because you can help people change in positive directions. I deeply enjoy seeing students rise above even their own expectations. I've had the privilege to work extensively with at-risk students and see them graduate, defying sometimes insurmountable odds. Being a part of this is the best!

What is so great about teaching?

Diane — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:15:00 +0000

Since I like learning and want to maintain a learning outlook, teaching is a great way to maintain that perspective. Teaching is as much a learning process as it is a 'teaching' or passing on information one. I enjoy communication within the atmosphere of a classroom because the rules of good learning allow many viewpoints to be equally shared and considered. As a matter of fact it is a necessity that it be so and thus many subjects are available to wonder about and inspect. Teaching and learning is how everything happens.

Diane — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:55:00 +0000

Why snag times?

Diane — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:43:00 +0000

Why snag times?

snag times "revolution from the gut" is the name of an underground newsletter I published while I was in grad school. It became arctic snag "revolution from ground below zero" when I moved to Alaska. The title came about this way. I was driving through Phoenix noticing billboards. One billboard depicted a mini skirted woman with incredibly long legs looking quite alarmed at a tear in her nylons. It was an ad for Leggs hosiery and the caption said something like, 'don't get caught with a snag in your nylons'. Since I was studying social work I figured that, at times, I might end up being a snag in the system. Hence the satirical and alas sometimes controversial dare I say notorious newsletter of said name.

Effective assessments

Marsha — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:48:00 +0000

I think the assessment tool is only as effective as how connected it is to your goals, how aware the students are of why they are being assessed, and if they know what they did or did not do to document they understand. This need for connection to your goals and the understandings you want the students to come away with is why textbook quizzes are not as effective as quizzes you design. The instructor is the important part in this equation. We make the connections and design the learning accordingly. Sometimes I know but don't "understand" and that hinders my ability to make appropriate connections in instructional design.

tech pre-test assessment

KevKris — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:56:00 +0000

I like the idea of creating a technology pre-test given to students before they start a class. It is important that the instructor know exactly where the student's capabilities are...so we do'nt have to spend a large amount of class time getting folks on board. I got this idea from Heidi Olson. One challenge that I see is that often times students register at the last minute.

Seamless Assessment and Instruction

Chip McMillan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:41:00 +0000

Is the ideal teaching strategy to embed assessment in instruction or vice versa?
One guides the other?
So closely tied together that they cannot be separated easily?
It seems the Socratic method of teaching is the best assessment model.

An Assessment I like

kay mccarthy — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:34:00 +0000

Reading other blogs - I realized that I left this out of my earlier post. In the ECE S 245 Child Development class, the students have to create a Child Development Guide. the Child development guide includes their own history which can be the same one they have created for an early intro class. Students often revise this early history. The CDG continues with a history of early childhood development knowledge in their communities, their families, how they were raised, it includes observations of infants, toddlers, preschool, and early primary. Several interviews are required either of elders in the community, other people who have child development knowledge, tradition child rearing knowledge, and beliefs about pregnancy, birth, early infancy, to early primary. Their final product is a guide for their community and themselves that can be shared or published. Students must cite and reference all their resources. I will continue to use this assessment with some revisions for this class fall 08.

An assessment I did that did not work well for the…

drafting Juneau — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:31:00 +0000

An assessment I did that did not work well for the House Planning class I teach, was a short paper I asked the students to do that was reflective of the content we had covered to date.
The intent of the the paper was to have the students self assess what they had learned and what they thought they needed clarification on.
I was very dissappointed in the lack of structure and actual self reflection of most of the papers. I had expected a higher level of writing skills than was demonstrated.
What I learned from the experience was valuable in that I recognized that many of the students needed to learn about the writing lab that is provided by UAS. I will also restructure the assignment with very specific instructions as to the outcome I expect from the students.

Assessment with Style

Chip McMillan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:23:00 +0000

I need a Bag o Assessments - the right one for every occasion. Okay, so here are the obvious ones:

quick formative assessment: a multiple-choice, and/or short answer quiz.
determine simple knowledge of facts: multiple-choice test, quantitative problem solution test
determine authentic skill: some type of performance
critical thinking: essay
ability to organize, see the big picture, grasp concepts, etc.,: a project or portfolio, or interview

My favorite assessment of students understanding the interconnectedness of academic subjects was the 21st century Noah's Ark.

For conceptual understanding in physics posing quantitative problems with laborious mechanical and quick conceptual solutions.

I think I would propose the "interview" as the most unique form of assessment.

The interview is where you sit down with your subject and ask probing questions to get at the subject's thinking.

helpful assessment tool

KevKris — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:12:00 +0000

I have found the following assessment tools to be of help this week include: creating the essential and unit questions, the evidence along with their assessments. In developing the assessments, I have come to realize the different types of technology that I want to utilize within my classroom.

What is an example of a good assessment you found valuable and a poor assessment that sucked.

Glenn Haight — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:08:00 +0000

I've always found role playing to be surprisingly illustrative. I've done it only in a few academic settings and never in my workshops. But people become animated and the entertaining folks bring others out. It seems to help demonstrate a point.

I had a 200 level political science class many moons ago. The class was very interesting. The professor was engaging although a bit disjointed. The entire grade for the class was based on three multiple choice tests, based a bit on a book, but moreover on class lecture, which was almost impossible to take notes on. When I took the first test I got a "C". That wouldn't do. I found out that his past tests were floating around. I got a hold of them and aced the tests from there out. It isn't the way I liked to get grades, but the assessments had very little to do with what was learned in class. I actually carry a great deal of that class with me today. But it has nothing to do with the tests.

My Favorite - Asessment

Kimberly — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:03:00 +0000

Well I find Practicing a Tool the best way to assess whether my students are understanding the main concepts in my basic computer course. I give them written instructions and ask them to complete the activity in front of me. I then give then a score based on how well they completed the activity. I am able to assess what parts of the course of topic that I may need to spend a little more time on or repeat activites throughout the course.

Effective and Not So Effective Assessments I have known

Eta Carinae — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:32:00 +0000

Effective. Some people hate multiple choice. However, I find multiple choice questions in which students can also explain their answers in words as a good choice of assessment. Starting with a question and a choice of answers, helps frame and focus the discussion. It is also possible to ask them why one or more of the other answers are not the best choice for answers and why.
After a critical thinking activity in which my students learn by thinking and discussing through a well-planned set of questions, a few carefully chosen multiple choice questions can be a good assessment. It is only as good as the quality of the multiple choice question. The choice of answers can include choices for naive conceptions which students often have. Students need to catch (early after their activity) the fact they still maintain two conflicting views in their head.

Not So Effective Assessment. In the past I have added discussion questions to an exam as a way for students to find "their way" for them to tell me what they know. Perhaps as a way to even given thm 20 easy points. Now I wonder, what am I assessing?? Often I have not required discussion questions as homework, so during the exam am I now assessing a skill (or lack of skill) they have not exercised during the semester. Should I expect every college student to know how to answer a discussion question without any practice or direction from me along the way? It is important for me to ask what I am assessing. And if the answer to that is something I care about, then I have to include some of that skill building in the classwork up to that time.

assessments

kay mccarthy — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:02:00 +0000

One of the many things that I like about UBD is the importance assessment plays in designing a class. Most of us - in the past, beforeUBD - started planning our activities first. In UBD the class designer starts with the assessments they are going to use. This gets to the meat of the connections to the big ideas and the enduring understandings. I just had an aha or I think it was an aha about tying the assessment to the the big idea and the enduring understandings. I was asking myself how are my assessments in the ECE 245 going to to be sensible to the students and clearly show how what they are being assessed on is connected to the BI and the EU's.

I think writing assessment criteria is hard and I think I may have too many assessments but the process of starting with the objectives i.e. the end result, thinking about objectives connecting to the BI and the EU helps me to think about what I want the assessments to be. What do other people think about this?

From a " work for me" standpoint having fewer assessments is a good thing especially when it also comes to doing a larger program assessment report requiring me to report on aggregated data.

Great Things About Teaching

john — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:28:00 +0000

The greatest thing about teaching is the people. Of course, of the groups of people, the students are number one; first, last and always. To help them maximize their human potential is a wonderful opportunity.

Assessments

WYSIWYG — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:56:00 +0000

Good assessments:
I know a good one when I see one. It causes the student (or myself) to really think and apply what has been learned. I've seen a variety of these used for students at all levels. An example is when I was asked to take the principles studied in music acoustics to create a new musical instrument. It was much more difficult than one would expect and certainly demonstrated whether I understood the principles or not.

Poor assessments
These can be ambiguous but only have one right answer in the mind of the instructor. They also often assess information that really isn't important to assess. Who really gives a rip whether pg 65 of the text stated there were 534,230 people living in Smallville in 1989 or if there were 534,231? Let's assess on the concepts and skills we want students to leave with, not the facts and trivia they have access to at any moment via the Internet.

Wikis

Marsha — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:28:00 +0000

I decided to use wikispaces this last semester for a class glossary of terms. Students were required to research and define terms related to the content of the course. It didn't turn out to be as participatory as I had hoped for and I realized that I needed a different assessment strategy for this wiki. I did some online searching for help and found someone who had struggled with that issue and developed a rubric for participating in a wiki. I think this rubric will not only help me assess student participation but will tell them what I expect from them on the wiki assignment.

Information as Entropy

Chip McMillan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:45:00 +0000

How does the growth of information relate to the second law of thermodynamics?

Big Picture-Observation

Kimberly — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:31:00 +0000

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants is definitely an interesting topic. As I teach the basic Computer Literacy course I find that many younger students are definitely natives to the digital world. The older students are immigrants to the digital era. I find they are very weary of operating a computer let alone maneuvering around in the computer applications. The perception that they can ruin the computer with one wrong click is very prevalent. The younger generation tend to have little or no concern about using a computer or working with many different applications. It is like common knowledge among them.

I had a neat experience with participating in "I am going to college" day for 5th graders. All of the students knew how to use the computer and most of them knew how to use Microsoft Word. I was able to teach them how to draw a map and label it appropriately in 25 minutes. Where as I have taught students in their 30's to 40's who could barely operate the mouse and use the menus in an hour and 20 minutes.

Quote from TechLearning issue

Marsha — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:10:00 +0000

An article by Judi Saltpeter in the current issue of TechLearning focuses on what information skills students need (at http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.php?articleID=196605232&page=2) just came into my email:

Such tools help support an important National Council of Teachers of English literacy recommendation: the need for students to learn to manage "multiple streams of simultaneous information."

thoughts on this am's discussion

kay mccarthy — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:15:00 +0000

Fascinating, I am very excited about sharing my course and getting feedback. I am also excited about creating a more sharing community of early childhood teachers. I resist the idea of specialization but from the perspective of learning how to learn, it seems okay.

I want to add the citation for the book I mentioned. It is In Over Our Heads, by Robert Kegan. Harvard Press.

what i learned this morning

drafting Juneau — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:11:00 +0000

When doing research on the internet it's imperative that I try to stay focused or I can easily get side tracked and become overwhelmed with the massive amounts of information that I end up finding. The ability to reach this information is so much easier now than when I was first going to school back in the 80's. This definitely makes me a digital immigrant who will have to work hard to understand the learning styles of the students in my classes that are digital natives.

The information tech age

KevKris — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:09:00 +0000

There are so many ways to retrieve information as I've learned this morning. With this in mind, how do I as an instructor appeal to all different types of student's tech capabilities. Many may be of an immigrant status and others will be not. Students who are not comfortable with this technology, the instructor will need to spend more time getting the non-traditional student up to speed. My thoughts also include the importance of understanding where students may be at in terms of understanding the tech that I may incorporate within the classroom setting.

Prompt #5: Monday morning

Marsha — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:08:00 +0000

The opportunity to think about, share ideas, and process thinking about how we communicate and use technology is a rare opportunity. Usually I'm so busy using technology that it was fun to be part of a discussion of how we use technology and how the educational and personal environments are changing and our responses to those changes. The discussion once again pointed out to me that I will never be a digital native. Irritating as it is to me because I feel fairly competent with technology, I must recognize that the way I think and process information is radically different from the generations that now follow me.

Observations on The Big Picture

Glenn Haight — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:07:00 +0000

It occurs to me that as I design course work for the fishing fleet, composed of individuals ranging in ages, locations and "technology" abilities, I'll need to be straight-forward about the difficulties of working on line and provide framework for participating.

Morning One: Thoughts

WYSIWYG — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:08:00 +0000

Hmmmm,
What's going through my mind at the moment is how I am looking forward to seeing how the information we are discussing will relate to the other subject areas that session members teach. I teach educators so all of my perspective is that as an educator and for educators. There is such a wide variety of expertise in the room in different subject areas that it will be interesting /exciting to see how this is applied.

Evolution at internet speed

Eta Carinae — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:08:00 +0000

So I wonder... As a biological species we are adapted to certain ways of making observations and learning from them. Our species biology only evolves at darwinian speed. Each brain must be a learning machine capable of wiring on each individual's evolutionary track, now at digital speeds. Are Digital Natives wiring their brains so differently that some critical skills are getting locked out with no space or wires left for those connections?

If information was food...

Eta Carinae — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:08:00 +0000

If information was food, what would you consider a balanced diet? In other words, what types of information do you consume regularly?

Textbooks -- good ones are well-balanced. Popular science magazines and websites. University lectures (video or audio) from other places. NPR audio for news.

What's So Great About Teaching?

Eta Carinae — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:31:00 +0000

I learn something new everyday, including from my students. I get to read popular science in order to try to keep up with my students. Teaching challenges me often in ways I benefit.

Using Course Materials

Julie Fronzuto — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:15:00 +0000

I'm been applying some of the techniques we learned in my classes that started last week and to make me work more effectively. When I did my first week on BB, I forgot to copy the format so had to recreate it this week. Now I've made copies of it for each week, all I have to do is fill it in each week. This will save me a lot of time & will improve consistency for my students. I tend to work in an ad lib style which is great when I have to punt, and I know students appreciate consistency so having a consistent format should be helpful to them.

Google reader allows me to skim the news stories from all the sources I was using, something I was doing rather erratically before. So I'm using less time & energy and getting more out of it. I have given my students the link to the ones I want to share with them.

My natural history class is using the blog I set up for them. They were very enthusiastic about it, but need to pay more attention to how they are to use it. It's a learning experience. It can be found here, if anyone wants to look at it.

http://naturalhistoryofpws-ak.blogspot.com/

In my 'spare time' I've been exploring Second Life as a possible source for my students. I am amazed at what has been created. I've mostly gone to educational sites at this point and haven't interacted with anyone. I tend to be shy around strangers. Some lands have very good content. If anyone joins, I am Jaece Zapatero. I can see it as being a good place to have virtual "f2f" conversations with people I know.

I had a great trip down from Fairbanks, found lots more cool rocks, some fossils and some blooming wildflowers. I was relieved when I got home to see that Valdez was finally turning green and that most of the snow was gone.

I leave on Thursday to get my stuff out of storage and drive it back up here. The friend (ex) who was going to help me had a cardiac arrest last monday night. I am grateful she is recovering but it is hard to be so far away. It will be good to see her when I get there. I'm doing what I do well: punting so I can accomplish my goal. We have been planning this for over a year, and I am now back to square one.

How often do I refresh the content of my course?

WYSIWYG — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:14:00 +0000

ARGH! Every semester I spend a minimum of 100 hours refreshing, tightening, and updating my class. Then I promise to myself I will let it stay as it is for two semesters in a row - I never have. I always find things to update in content, flow, timing, etc. Part of the reason I can't let it sit without updating is because technology is the focus of the class and it never sits still.

Even with all of that work between each semester (as well as tweaking throughout)I still have lots of material I need to update. I also need to figure out what I can remove from the content without disrupting the essential understandings I want my students to leave with. Yet, there is so much more I want to add......

So much information
So little room
So little time

Prompt #4: How often to you refresh the content of your course?

Marsha — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:50:00 +0000

Each semester for the most part. There are some things I keep, some I change, and some I dump. Since I use a lot of Web resources, I have to check the links each semester---ugh! I do have some favorite assignments that I keep or just modify a bit.

if information was food

drafting Juneau — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:30:00 +0000

At the top of the food pyramid I would put the sugary stuff like celebrity news. Interesting but worthless for sustained mental energy.

Next I would have sports news. It is slightly more nutritious for the brain than celebrity news but not of great importance.

In the middle of the pyramid I would put political information. I would include what I think really matters like, legislation dealing with social programs, freedom of speech, and debates over spending.

Toward the bottom would be current world news and information.

The bottom layer of my information pyramid would be history of all types. I would include history of architecture, art, culture, politics, religion, philosophy, sports and war. This is the information that provides us with the standards we can judge ourselves by in the world today. This is the nutritional information our minds need for sustained energy and good health.

Week After iTeach

truant+ — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:44:00 +0000

After a 3-day visit from New Zealand friends, a big birthday celebration, and a publication deadline yesterday I am pleased to have time by the following Thursday to reflect on iTeach, and to review notes and prospects. That was one high-octane week in Fairbanks! I hope to keep hearing from the rest of the cohort.

Prompt #3: What's the most interesting thing you've learned in the past 6 weeks?

Marsha — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:12:00 +0000

This was a difficult question to answer. But one thing sticks out in my mind. I was recently reading an essay by Mario Antonio Kelly on Bridging Digital and Cultural Divides and was struck by the author's description of three digital divides. The first digital divide has to do with access to technology. This is the digital divide most of us think of when we hear that term. But Kelly goes on to describe two other digital divides that are worth considering if you are a teacher or a parent. The second digital divide has to do with what kinds of technology teachers use with students. For example, by selecting software that does not show a variety of cultures and that does not represent diversity, teachers create another disconnect of some students from the power of the technology. The third digital divide has to do with how the teacher uses the technology. One example might be a teacher that uses competitive educational games with students who have been raised in an environment in which competiton is frowned upon. Or a teacher who does a lot of group work with students who are taught to avoid being assertive. I thought these additional digital divides were right on target and really started me thinking about more than who has access to technology.