Ask-Dr-Kirk

A Good Teaching Day

Some days are better than others in the teaching field.  Today was a good one.  Here's an email from one of my students sent immediately after class.  How many of your students are concerned that their three point paper (out of 450 points total in class) was not up to their own standards?

Dear Dr. Kirk,

Please find the attached document that contains the application paper that was due for today's class meeting. I am sending you this copy since the copy that I presented in class was not up to my standards. I had to give you a low standard copy in class because I left it [the revised copy] back at my house and I did not have money in my USF ID card to print at the University.

Thank you for your understanding. Best regards.

<Student’s Name>

Can you see me smiling?  Today was a good teaching day.

How NOT To Teach Your Class

There's a videotape of an University of Florida management professor lecturing to his class.  I watched 25 minutes of it before I could figure out what the class topic was.  He is dressed as if he just came in from mowing his lawn, he sits down the entire time he's talking (except twice when he actually lies down on the floor), he refers to his students by their shirt colors as obviously does not know anyone's name, he rambles on about Paul Revere, Ireland being boring, the history of giving someone the middle finger, his trip to Boston, an art museum he liked in Europe...He constantly makes faces at the students as well as making fun of them...What's even more amazing to me is he knew he was being videotaped. 

Thanks to my colleague at Drake, Tim Johnson, for sharing this with me.  I'm thinking I can use this in future teaching workshops on how NOT to teach...

Teaching Tip

On a class day when you are lecturing, plan to do something different every 20 minutes or so.   This means one application break in a 50 minute class and two in a 75 minute class.  It could mean asking a question that your students have to discuss with their neighbor or doing an exercise or short case.  The purpose is to break up the lecture and allow the students to refocus and apply the lecture material.  Be sure and debrief about the activity or question afterwards so the students will understand the point for the activities.   Also, use a variety of applications to keep the students interested and involved.

Source: John Doe's Midterm Paper

OK, now I've seen it all.  I assigned a short paper (1-2 page executive summary) and told my students they needed at least three or four sources.  One student's source:  the name of what I take to be another student and the words "midterm paper."  That's it.   No other info.  I have no idea who the student is, what the class was, why my student thinks he would be a credible source...

Tips for Designing Intensive Writing Assignments

Traci Gardner provides some great tips for designing writing assignments for your students.  I also love her use of the Magic Eight Ball comments...

Wikis for Team Projects

I am considering having my students use wikis as a tool in their team projects so emailed my tech mentor, "Dr. Blog" for his advice.  His response?  Wikis are "a great tool for sharing documents and projects...(they show) all modifications, documents, graphics and images, charts, references, lists...(they also have the) ability to track changes in case the team wants to revert back to a previous thought process."

I'm thinking a wiki would be useful for my own committee work as well as research papers with my colleagues.

Any advice before I start this?

Are Your Students Videotaping You?

I read this article in InsideHigherEd.Com on September 6 but it's taken me two weeks to get past my initial shock and dismay in order to react to the article.  I knew that college age students (and younger) were making videos and posting these on YouTube.  Now some students are making fun of their professors and fellow students by videotaping them during class and posting these on the internet, many times with names and universities identified.  In addition, some of the tapes depict inappropriate behavior such as a student mooning a class during a professor's lecture (will be interesting to see how employers view this behavior when it's time for him to interview for a job!)

Certainly puts the occasional problem I have with my students coming to class tardy into perspective.

Guidelines for Student Teams

If you use teams in your classes, check out these great guidelines on Penn State's website to help students organize their team projects.

Rubric for Assessing Critical Thinking Skills

Professor Lon Larson of Drake University shares this rubric to use in assessing critical thinking skills.  It was originally developed for professors who teach first year seminars or other courses intended to guide students in acquiring skills necessary for rational analysis. 

As part of the Drake Curriculum, students are expected to learn to: 

• "Clearly define a question or problem.
• Gather information that is relevant to that problem.
• Rigorously identify assumptions and preconceptions, including their own, that influence analysis of that problem.
• Organize and prioritize the information to develop a rational argument that states a clear claim or thesis, provides reasons for holding that claim, provides relevant evidence to support each reason, and considers alternative explanations in reaching a conclusion.
• Communicate that reasoned argument effectively in speech, writing, or other medium as appropriate.
• Realize that results are tentative and open to revision."

The rubric provides a great way to guide and assess the students' progress toward acquiring critical thinking skills.

Download critica_thinking_rubric.doc

Free Access to Journal Articles

William Royer sent me this link to an article in Smart Money Magazine about free software called Congoo NetPass.  The software allows you to have free access to a wide variety of journals and magazines.  I just downloaded an article from HRMagazine to share with my students...a journal that normally I would have to subscribe to in order to access on the internet.

Do You Allow Your Students to Text Message During Class?

A recent blogpost at Blogging Pedagogy mentioned a student who was text messaging during class and the question posed was, what do you, as the professor, do?

Some of my colleagues believe that as long as the student isn't being disruptive, you allow the behavior.  However, I am big on modeling appropriate professional behavior.  I also see this as a sign of respect (or lack of).  So in my class...no cell phones, no text messaging, no computer games...

Site Has Good Advice for Teaching Racially Diverse Classes

Check out this Harvard site for good advice in teaching racially diverse students in your classroom.  There are suggestions on how to make sure everyone is included in discussions and how to handle sensitive issues.

Free Audio/Video Resources for Teachers

Here's an interesting site of free audio and video resources on a variety of subjects related to History, Philosophy, Sociology, Literature, Business, Economics...You could use these yourself or assign them to your students to listen to/watch.

Thanks to Phil Gerbyshak for pointing me to this useful site.  I would just like to see more management related links.

Drake Students Boycott CBS Reality Show "Survivor" To Protest Racial Competition

Thought I would share this recent story about some students at Drake University that are organizing a boycott in order to protest racial competition on the reality TV show, "Survivor."

A boycott of CBS's "Survivor" advertisers is being organized by Drake University's chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) in response to the network's recent announcement of this season's teams. Asian, Black, Hispanic and White teams will each vie to be the "best," creating racial competition on primetime television.

"As soon-to-be professionals in the field of public relations, we feel it is our responsibility to inform and encourage fellow Americans to take a stand against the racial issue "Survivor" has initiated," said Tiffany Shaheen, president of Drake University PRSSA.

Drake PRSSA has requested a list of the show's advertisers from the local CBS affiliate. If a list is released, the organization will urge others not to purchase the advertisers' products until "Survivor" teams are revamped.  "The job of the media is to give people something to think about," said MacKenzie Roebuck Walsh, PRSSA member and senior journalism student at Drake University. "In 2006, should we really be telling people to consider why their race is superior to another's? It only fuels the bigotry this country is already battling."

Tiffany is a former human resource management student of mine.  Can I say I'm proud of her and the other students!

New Book on Using Blogs to be Released in November

Check this out:  Ted Demopoulos has a new book titled: What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting: Real-Life Advice from 101 People who Successfully Leverage the Power of the Blogosphere to be released in November.  He has included me in a chapter on using blogs in the classroom.

If you've thought about using a blog for your business, class, research, or personal reasons...Ted has talked to others who are already doing this.  You might even suggest to your students that they develop a blog portfolio (resume, class projects, papers, proof of relevant skills) to help in the interviewing process.

You can pre-order Ted's book on Amazon.com

technorati tags: Book on blogging Ted Demopoulos Delaney Kirk

Tips for Working With Generation Y Students

HRMagazine has an article about Generation Y employees which could also be applied to our students today.

Characteristics of Generation Y's:

They ask "why."  A lot. 

They get upset when they don't get answers or a reasonable explanation.

They challenge authority and don't accept that this is just the way things are done.

They want mentoring.  They value time spent with authority figures.

They are curious and want to learn.  They also are interested in how to find a better way of doing something.

They will work hard for someone who takes a genuine interest in them.  However, they are hypersensitive to a "fake" interest or having their questions brushed off.

Suggestions for Working With Today's College Students:

Be proactive and answer their "why" questions before asked.  Give your rationale for your policies and assignments. 

Make connections for them as to what you are teaching and what they have learned in other classes or in their jobs/internships.

Accept that your students are adept at technology and incorporate it into your class assignments.  Use email, Blackboard, or a class blog to keep in communication about class projects or homework.  Ask for updates by email or text messaging.  This gives them immediate feedback and gives you accountability.

Establish your credibility by sharing your mistakes and what you learned from these.  Use "war stories" to illustrate your experiences, give them tips on what you would have done differently, explain to them the "big picture."

Give them assignments that allow them to try new things and apply what they are learning.  If possible, give them some autonomy to set deadlines, decide on appropriate ways to accomplish the project, etc.

As the article says, ..."don’t get caught up in the power struggle. They know you are in charge. They don’t care. You can accomplish more...when you make nice with Generation Y, an enormously optimistic, educated, energetic and compassionate generation."

I Look Too Young to be a College Teacher!

Dear Dr. Kirk:
I found your Contract on Classroom Behavior online and I would like your permission to post it on my Blackboard site.  Students have often had strange responses upon first meeting me in the classroom.  I am a youthful looking African American woman of 41 years of age.  I could probably pass for about 25-30.  My colleagues and I have noticed that students are becoming more and more rude.   They become too comfortable, too familiar, too...I can't find the right word.  Can you give me some tips as to how to cope?                        

...In New Teaching Position on East Coast

Dear New:
Teaching has become more challenging in the past few years because college students have become more aggressive and demanding.  Inappropriate student behavior has become such a serious issue that schools such as the University of Arizona have developed a video of “bad classroom behavior” that they show to all their incoming freshmen.

Professors who are or look young, are female and/or are a minority faculty member seem to have more issues getting the respect of their students.  Thus, it's important that you dress and present yourself as a professional.  Introduce yourself with your title of Dr. or Professor (you don't even have to put your first name on your syllabus).  Establish your credibility the first day of class by sharing your work experiences and why you are the best person to teach that class.  Determine your classroom policies and put these on your syllabus.  Address behavioral issues as they occur.

It's said that we teach others how to treat us.  Thus, be sure that you demand to be treated the way you deserve.  This will be a good lesson for your students in how to be successful once they get out into the work world.

technorati tags: Classroom management Tips for teaching Delaney Kirk

For All You Math Professors

A friend of mine sent me the following:

NEW YORK -- A public school teacher was arrested today at John F.
Kennedy International Airport as he attempted to board a flight while in
possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule and a
calculator.

At a morning press conference, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he
believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-gebra movement.  He did not
identify the man, who has been charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of
math instruction.

"Al-gebra is a problem for us," Gonzales said.  "They desire solutions by
means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in search of absolute
values.  They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves
as 'unknowns', but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of
the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country.  As the Greek
philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'There are 3 sides to every triangle'."

When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had
wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us
more fingers and toes."

Workshop on Classroom Management to be held in St Petersburg Florida in January 2007

The Chautauqua workshop on January 4-6, 2007, in St. Petersburg, Florida, is filling up quickly.  The course, Classroom Management: How to Teach Like a Pro, is for college instructors of all disciplines.  It is equally useful to those faculty members who are beginning their teaching careers, new faculty in the first few years out of their educational programs, or experienced faculty with questions as to how to manage this “new” generation of college students.  In general, if you want to improve your classroom evaluations and become a better classroom manager, this workshop is for you.

Contact the regional director, Dr. Tony Irving, to register at [email protected]

technorati tags: Chautauqua workshop Classroom management Delaney Kirk St Petersburg Florida

Tips for College Students on Being Successful

Point your students to Steve Pavlina's Ten Tips For College Students that include the advice to: 

1. Answer the question, “Why am I going to college?”
2. Imagine your ideal college experience.
3. Take at least one extra class each semester.
4. Set clear goals for each class.
5. Triage ruthlessly (both classes and assignments)
6. Get an early start to each day.
7. Reclaim wasted time during your classes.
8. Learn material the very first time it’s presented.
9. Master advanced memory techniques.
10. Have some serious fun!

As Steve advises students: "The worst thing you can do is spend your time falling behind academically due to poor habits, feeling stressed and unprepared all the time, and then playing catch up.  Squeeze as much juice out of college as you can, and let it serve as a springboard to a lifetime of fulfillment." 

Good article to recommend especially to first year students.