It has been catalogued and can be checked out of the CFE.

Each chapter discusses a “problem” case study, discusses research issues related to the problem, and offers solutions to each. A variety of disciplines are discussed. One section was about art history, and recorded an issue with a class I am teaching this semester. It was the start of a chapter on “mapping” and creating the organizational structure of our discipline. To so many of us who have been trained in our disciplines, the scaffolding and organizing principles are second nature to us. They are like breath! But to students new to the discipline, the “rules” and structures may appear like King Minos’ maze. The authors discuss the idea of mapping and creating templates with students to help them navigate your course. I have decided to try something similar in my western art history survey course this semester…and of course will chronicle the outcome (good or bad) here!

There are helpful appendices in the book as well. Would love to hear your thoughts about the book if you have time to check it out and read portions of it.

We know from our first round of assessment on critical thinking that we need to do better. We did not want to make any grand, sweeping changes to the curriculum being that we just *had* done that, and it was the first round of assessment.

We had a few discussions about critical thinking – what is it? How can we foster it in classes and with our students? How do you teach critical thinking?

I hope you’ll look at these links and offer some comments about what YOU have done in your classes to increase critical thinking in our students. We say we do it; we’d like to have some examples of how it’s working – proof if you will – to back up that statement.

What do you think?

I ran across an NPR article/story about lecturing and physics. Do the students need us as “sages on the stage” anymore? How do you feel about lecturing? I will admit to having a love-hate relationship with it. I also am ambivalent about lecturing – and yet in some classes I can’t figure out what else to do.

Listen or read the story here from NPR and let’s discuss.

Happy Jan Term to all!

Check out this link about them.

Project applications for most of these are due March 1 and may be particularly suited to research interests. I hope you’ll check them out.

GM

If you’re further interested in the topic, you might want to check out this website that includes an article entitled “The Five R’s of Engaging Millennial Students.”

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

GM

Last night on World News with Diane Sawyer there was a report about infants and toddlers using iPads. You can watch the piece and read it here.

Essentially, the students that will be arriving in 10-15 years will have grown up with an iPad or tablet. The story showed a young child who could not even navigate a regular magazine **with pages**; she was trying to move the pages with her hands along the “tablet.”

While we can’t really understand what the students will be like in the next 10 years — we are still coming to terms with what they are like NOW — they will be even more digitally connected than they are now. I wonder if they will ever have read a “real” book. This piece shows toddlers learning to read on their tablets, and not with a “Pat the Bunny” book.

I have an iPad and am still getting used to the whole idea. The last post here was about students who in five years will be arriving who CREATE apps while I am just learning how to use them.

This next generation will be even MORE connected to technology and digital access to information.

That said, I would like to give a plug for two important discussions coming up in November:

Tuesday, November 1 (11:30-12:45): Discussion of the Information Literacy Plan distributed via email by Hoover Library Director Jessame Ferguson. (Details have already been emailed)

and

Tuesday, November 15 (11:30-12:45): the third part of our 3-part series on “Who Are Our Students and How Can We Meaningfully Engage Them?” We will be talking about technology and teaching at this discussion. More details to follow.

What do you think about Infants and Toddlers with iPads?

Then I heard this story on NPR’s All Things Considered as part of their series “All Tech Considered.” You can listen to the story here (3.49 minutes). Or, you can read a transcript of the story here. It highlights, among other trends, a 13 year-old who has been hired by a school to create apps for iPads, iPhones, and other hardware.

I just recently received an iPad through the IT department and found an “app” that will allow me to show my classes works of art of art from various and world-wide museums. I hope to use that soon. So, I am learning how to use apps for the first time.

But this story struck me in light of the Inside Higher Ed story. These students – 13 years old now – will be entering college in FIVE YEARS. I am just learning about apps now. They are CREATING them.

I think the world HAS shifted. I firmly believe that the liberal arts and sciences are the way by which we need to teach reading, thinking, speaking — all the things that we need in our future society and that students will need for their future lives and careers. But I also think that we have to start thinking about new ways to deliver that curriculum to students.

They are going to be expecting it. They are not going to wait around forever for me to learn an app. It might be the one that they created.

I think we at McDaniel need to start facing some of these shifting and changing realities and make some decisions before we are forced to face some drastic changes. I believe the President when he says that if things don’t change here, we will cease to exist in 10 years time.

I hope we can start to have some conversations that are real, deep, honest and informed so that we can move McDaniel forward. I hope that the faculty will demand it.

Comments? Thoughts?

Dr. Casey’s presentation on Millennials

Here are some of the conferences that focus on pedagogy and teaching:

In May of 2012 Oxford College of Emory University will host an Institute for Pedagogy in the Liberal Arts. Their website only has information from the May 2011 conference, but check back; it is sure to be updated. Their focus is teaching the liberal arts and may be of particular interest to some of us.

Montclair State University will host the “Best Teachers Summer Institute.” Based on Ken Bains’ book What the Best College Teachers Do, this three-day institute is interactive and based in part on the techniques that are discussed in Ken Bains’ book. Check out their website here.

Conducting research with undergraduates has been shown to positively influence student learning. The National Council of Undergraduate Research holds a biannual conference on this topic. While there is emphasis on research in the sciences, it’s not limited to that. Their next conference is June 23-26 and will be held at The College of New Jersey. For more information, check out their website here.

Are there aspects of these conferences that we could duplicate at McDaniel for workshops/discussions? If someone goes to one of these workshops, would you be willing to offer a workshop next year about what you learn? Perhaps you have attended something THIS year – share it and perhaps contact me to offer a workshop in the CFE?

Happy teaching, all.