Miller mentions the use of analogies when teaching thinking as a powerful tool. I do this as well in the classes I teach...however, we have to make sure we use analogies everyone in the class understands! A basketball reference may not make sense to everyone (and a cycling analogy wouldn't make sense to anyone!) We also have to make sure they are relevant and timely- we don't want to date ourselves by using an analogy from the Brady Bunch when most likely few students have seen the show. So it is tricky and something that requires a lot of careful thought to ensure it is useful.
The best way for me to learn difficult topics has been trial and error. I learn best by doing, seeing what worked/didn't work, revise, and try again. I also can learn well by sitting on an idea/topic and thinking through possible outcomes/scenarios and then writing down my thoughts. I think if its something like a process (i.e.: learning Photoshop or ArcMap), then trial and error work best for me.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Week 6- websites and adobe
Yesterday, we spent time in class exploring the new Google Sites app. I have experience with the old Google Site, and the new version is much easier to use. No coding experience is required, and you can build robust websites. I can see Google Sites easily used as a tool for teaching and assessment. For example, I could use this in my SBE 201 (Intro to Sustainable Design and Planning) course and have students create a website to supplement their final project (for the class they have to select a sustainable project in Tucson...such as the ENR2 building and discuss the different aspects of the project).
The Adobe Spark program is also a handy tool for students who want to design custom pieces for any visual project but perhaps do not have experience with the full design suite. I'll be showing my capstone class this program when it comes time for them to design a poster.
We also spent time doing concept mapping, and I chose to do Geography and Urban Planning and how they relate. This can be helpful when describing complex topics and how they relate to each other. I struggled with where to place certain topics, but I think I captured the essence of it.
The Adobe Spark program is also a handy tool for students who want to design custom pieces for any visual project but perhaps do not have experience with the full design suite. I'll be showing my capstone class this program when it comes time for them to design a poster.
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Technology or Teaching
I wasn't about to make it to class this week due to a snafu with my comprehensive exams schedule; however, after going through the pre-class work and the links on D2L, I can write a bit on teaching or technology spurring learning.
It's a bit of both. The best technology in the world cannot make up for poor teaching. However, good teaching can be elevated with the use of technology. Clickers are a great way to spur class engagement as it empowers students who may be too shy to speak up during class. The effectiveness of clickers in improving public participation in urban planning has been well documented (the work of Keiron Bailey and Ted Grossardt is the best example). In their work, participants are allowed to rank their concerns and values for a project (say a new bridge) and then a computer generates a compilation of outcomes that satisfy the majority of those concerns and values. Participants then vote on preferred design strategies that meet these outcomes. This is more effective than traditional public meetings where the public is given 2-3 design treatments (with no prior ask on their values/concerns) to choose from. Often the loudest voices in the room are the ones listened to.
Teaching is similar in that we want to spur participation and engagement in the class...but we don't want it to be dominated by the loudest voices. Technology, such as clickers, lets us empower the quiet voices.
It's a bit of both. The best technology in the world cannot make up for poor teaching. However, good teaching can be elevated with the use of technology. Clickers are a great way to spur class engagement as it empowers students who may be too shy to speak up during class. The effectiveness of clickers in improving public participation in urban planning has been well documented (the work of Keiron Bailey and Ted Grossardt is the best example). In their work, participants are allowed to rank their concerns and values for a project (say a new bridge) and then a computer generates a compilation of outcomes that satisfy the majority of those concerns and values. Participants then vote on preferred design strategies that meet these outcomes. This is more effective than traditional public meetings where the public is given 2-3 design treatments (with no prior ask on their values/concerns) to choose from. Often the loudest voices in the room are the ones listened to.
Teaching is similar in that we want to spur participation and engagement in the class...but we don't want it to be dominated by the loudest voices. Technology, such as clickers, lets us empower the quiet voices.
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Week 3 Reflection
Desire 2 Learn (D2L) is one of the many course management platforms available. I have experience using Blackboard and WebCT as a student back at Purdue and I'd say D2L is far easier to use. As an instructor, D2L provides fantastic flexibility to build either an online course or a repository for an in-person course. I have a ton of background experience building courses in D2L for online courses as I helped Ladd Keith launch the SBE Online program and build out some of our earlier courses. So I spent plenty of time editing HTML learning how to link pages internally in D2L, building in VoiceTheads, Panapto to stream movies (although this ended over the summer), discussion groups and more. D2L was tricky to get to work (thankfully it is much easier now) in the way we wanted, but we ended up getting our SBE 201 course through the online course review with a 98% (if I remember correctly).
It is incredibly time intensive to go through and set up an entire course as we have done in SBE. In fact, I couldn't imagine doing it on my own on top of other work responsibilities. Luckily, our department hired an instructional designer to build out the other courses as well as update/refresh the other ones. This helped give our program a unified appearance across all courses. It also gives me, and other instructors, the ability to just focus on updating content, release dates, discussion questions, quizzes...the meat of the course...and leave the overall design alone. Don't get me wrong, it's still time intensive to update all of the content, but I'm so glad to not have to focus on the design aspects as well.
With that in mind, I think the best way to organize a course site is by Modules and Lessons. For example:
Module 1 for my PLG 301- Regional Planning course is: Overview and Climate Change
Lesson 1: What is planning?
-Text lesson with embedded videos, links, and photos
-VoiceThread that is an overview of the lesson with powerpoint captured
-linked readings or uploaded PDF files of readings
-Discussion post on the topic
Lesson 2: Climate Change
--see above
Lesson 3: Movie that summarizes the themes discussed in lesson 1 and 2
--just a discussion post on this
Quiz 1 that covers lesson 1-3
I think by nesting things together, it keeps everything focused by topic area and makes it easier for students to find the lesson and associated materials. I try to vary the lessons by having multiple types of content (video, text, outside resources, etc.) as well as multiple ways to engage in the course. Is it perfect? Nope. But I find it works well for this type of course.
It is incredibly time intensive to go through and set up an entire course as we have done in SBE. In fact, I couldn't imagine doing it on my own on top of other work responsibilities. Luckily, our department hired an instructional designer to build out the other courses as well as update/refresh the other ones. This helped give our program a unified appearance across all courses. It also gives me, and other instructors, the ability to just focus on updating content, release dates, discussion questions, quizzes...the meat of the course...and leave the overall design alone. Don't get me wrong, it's still time intensive to update all of the content, but I'm so glad to not have to focus on the design aspects as well.
With that in mind, I think the best way to organize a course site is by Modules and Lessons. For example:
Module 1 for my PLG 301- Regional Planning course is: Overview and Climate Change
Lesson 1: What is planning?
-Text lesson with embedded videos, links, and photos
-VoiceThread that is an overview of the lesson with powerpoint captured
-linked readings or uploaded PDF files of readings
-Discussion post on the topic
Lesson 2: Climate Change
--see above
Lesson 3: Movie that summarizes the themes discussed in lesson 1 and 2
--just a discussion post on this
Quiz 1 that covers lesson 1-3
I think by nesting things together, it keeps everything focused by topic area and makes it easier for students to find the lesson and associated materials. I try to vary the lessons by having multiple types of content (video, text, outside resources, etc.) as well as multiple ways to engage in the course. Is it perfect? Nope. But I find it works well for this type of course.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Week 2 Reflection
A good quiz is after the material has been presented (maybe at the end of class or maybe a day later) and is a mix of questions. I try to avoid relying on just one type and include M/C, T/F, short answers, and a longer response. I usually go for the written questions on the themes and concepts I really want them to remember and apply because that happens best when they have to think and write out a response.
Good questions should be clear, avoid negatives (ie: "Select the option that is not true..." is a bad question), avoid "All of the above" (that is a clear sign of the correct answer in most cases), and if possible has the student's apply the knowledge rather than just recall it.
---
Reference management tools
So, I teach a senior capstone (Sustainable Built Environments 498)- this is a year-long course in which students complete a thesis/project. Since this involves a lot of research on their part, I strongly recommend they use a reference management tool such as Mendeley. I usually spend part of a class walking them through how to set it up and use it. Often I hear, "Why are we hearing about this our senior year??" They're usually more excited that it makes it super easy for them to do in-text citations and the reference page. I'm excited that it helps them avoid plagiarism because they can cite as they write. Win-win!
Good questions should be clear, avoid negatives (ie: "Select the option that is not true..." is a bad question), avoid "All of the above" (that is a clear sign of the correct answer in most cases), and if possible has the student's apply the knowledge rather than just recall it.
---
Reference management tools
So, I teach a senior capstone (Sustainable Built Environments 498)- this is a year-long course in which students complete a thesis/project. Since this involves a lot of research on their part, I strongly recommend they use a reference management tool such as Mendeley. I usually spend part of a class walking them through how to set it up and use it. Often I hear, "Why are we hearing about this our senior year??" They're usually more excited that it makes it super easy for them to do in-text citations and the reference page. I'm excited that it helps them avoid plagiarism because they can cite as they write. Win-win!
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
IA 697B- Week 1 Review (What did we do?)
Re-starting the blog...this time for use in as a class journal of sorts for a college teaching certificate. If you'd like to read about my racing updates through like 2012...feel free. It's nothing interesting.
-------------------
8/22/18
Anyway, so today we looked a couple of different ways to assess student's prior experiences and preferences. For us, this was ranking, in order of importance and then difficulty, different situations such as "design, implement, and facilitate online and hybrid learning experiences" and "ensuring the use of technology is done safely, legally, and ethically." We did this in two different mediums:
-Online using qualtrics- which allows for instant data analysis for the instructor
-On paper- during which we worked in small groups to reach consensus on the ranking.
This key because it demonstrates two ways of assessing prior experiences/learning preferences. For smaller classes, perhaps the paper method is more effective. For online or larger classes, the qualtrics (or insert your preferred online quiz or survey platform) would be best. From here, as the instructor, we can adjust our class topics and how much time we'll spend on them to better match up with the student's wants and experiences.
-------------------
8/22/18
Anyway, so today we looked a couple of different ways to assess student's prior experiences and preferences. For us, this was ranking, in order of importance and then difficulty, different situations such as "design, implement, and facilitate online and hybrid learning experiences" and "ensuring the use of technology is done safely, legally, and ethically." We did this in two different mediums:
-Online using qualtrics- which allows for instant data analysis for the instructor
-On paper- during which we worked in small groups to reach consensus on the ranking.
This key because it demonstrates two ways of assessing prior experiences/learning preferences. For smaller classes, perhaps the paper method is more effective. For online or larger classes, the qualtrics (or insert your preferred online quiz or survey platform) would be best. From here, as the instructor, we can adjust our class topics and how much time we'll spend on them to better match up with the student's wants and experiences.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)