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Joan Erickson

Grade Inflation Article - Teaching Resources - Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning - Minnesota State University, Mankato - 0 views

  • definition is that grade patterns change so that the overwhelming majority of students in a class, college, or university receive higher grades for the same quantity and quality of work done by students in the past
  • corollary to this definition is the same GPA obtained by students with poorer academic skill
  • less well known version of grade inflation is "content deflation" where students receive the same grades as students in the past but with less work required and less learning
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • Poor grades exposed male students to the military draft
  • colleges and universities mandate frequent student evaluations of faculty
  • These same evaluations play an increasingly important role in tenure and promotion decisions
  • Factors such as student effort, student persistence, student improvement, and class attendance count in favor of the students who possess these desirable characteristics
  • faculty member who believes that grades are a vehicle to please students rather than to recognize and reward performance will tend to give higher grades
  • Similarly a professor less willing to distinguish superior work from good or average work will tend to impart an upward bias to grades
  • large number of non-traditional students, and a large number of working students all tempt professors to lower their expectations by reducing the number of textbooks
  • current trend for classroom assessment by external authorities as an attempt to obtain again meaningful feedback on the quality of student performance.
  • use of just five categories of grades (A-F) has, in the minds of some, contributed to overall grade inflation
  •  
    insightful explanation the reasons why grades are inflated
Melissa Pietricola

Managing the Platform: Higher Education and the Logic of Wikinomics (EDUCAUSE Review) | EDUCAUSE - 0 views

  • Wikipedia and other social networking sites provide a space or platform upon which all kinds of activities can flourish, with the idea of a platform transcending any particular technology or application and referring to either virtual or physical worlds. Collaboration among many users upon such a platform often produces unplanned and emergent
  • results—results frequently unattainable in a command-and-control management setting
  • the logic of commons-based peer production, and the logic of platform management transform the idea of the university and the very activities—teaching and learning, research, and publishing—that lie at the heart of this enterprise
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • But at its heart, the university was born to provide a structure to govern the student-teacher relationship.
  • development of Wikiversity (http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Main_Page), an initiative from the Wikimedia Foundation
  • materials are produced by Wikiversity participants, who are, like their counterparts in Wikipedia, motivated volunteers. In addition, the Wikiversity course materials, unlike those made available by MIT, are editable by users
  • . Instead, students are invited to work together, to engage in discussion, to solve problems, and to otherwise “construct their knowledge.”
  • Put another way, the role of the teacher in a constructivist setting is like being a “procedural author,” as defined by Janet Murray when discussing virtual reality spaces.9
  • transformed into a kind of platform where students were invited to explore/create/construct knowledge. Peer production is very much a part of the constructivist classroom setting.
  • are more theme-parks than sandboxes,” meaning that learning is made as uniform and as controlled as possible (under the name of “standardization” and “outcomes-based” assessments).
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      This is a great analogy-we have our kids waiting in line to have them produce cookie-cutter results..
  • In contrast, a sandbox conjures up images of unstructured, unplanned, emergent play that is determined by the players. Imagine a university organized and managed like a sandbox, where teachers and students are invited to play and create in an unstructured environment—or, rather, in an environment structured by their own actions, choices, and decisions.
  • Concerns would surely be raised about the quality of these credentials, similar to the debates about the quality of the articles in Wikipedia
  • To what degree will such informal learning and “credentialing by reputation” be legitimated and accepted by society?
  • emerge from the decisions, the edits, the additions, and the deletions of a number of people, all bound by the rules and protocols of Wikipedia
  • The wiki-ized university will probably not displace the traditional university but will likely exist alongside it, albeit in direct competition.
alexandra m. pickett

etap687 Joan Erickson - 3 views

    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Brilliant! i love how you have made your thinking visible to me here!!!
  • 2) leaving my comfort zone and exploring methods I had little training in. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      i am so glad you choose #2, joan!
  • ...23 more annotations...
  •  Synthesizing and formulating a mini-thesis is where learning becomes meaningful for me; this is where mere information becomes MY knowledge
    • Shoubang Jian
       
      Well said. I couldn't agree with you more.
  • Then I think about the etap course now.  The teaching presence is so apparent.  I see it from the professor in the way shes asks questions and my classmates in their posts.  I listen to the exemplar courses interviews and think “wow, it must be interesting to be in that course!”
  • I don’t really care how students categorize me as a certain type or style of teacher.  I want to know if I am a good teacher in terms of challenging students to obtain knowledge. 
  • ” yeah, Joan Erickson is not easy but she can get you to do really good work.  And you know you are learning stuff in her class.”  
  • learning.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      don't forget to self assess : )
  • But does it make sense to a novice learner’s eye?
  • I love my subject, but I have failed to utilize the human nature to my advantage.  I forgot how powerful social interaction, motivation (how to engage), and the need to feel ownership can be in helping students learn. 
    • Sue Rappazzo
       
      This is very moving Joan. You must be a great teacher to think this way.
  • I don’t know yet if my online students will step up to the plate, actively and enthusiastically contribute what they know to the community.
    • Francisca Capponi
       
      Hi Joan (4) I have the same fear, I think they will be more slow that we expect, so we have to be patient, and encourage them to participate at first, and wait till they feel comfortable participating, but I hope it will work after a while!
  • Kind of like a wedding planner who walks through the empty reception hall and can foresee the problems with lighting, photography, food, and traffic pattern…  I am the course designer, it is my job to minimize any possible glitches.  It is my job to provide students with a doable and engaging learning environment.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      exactly!!
  • I see more clear vision of myself as an educator.  During this summer course I was confronted with questions that challenged my teaching practices. I started asking myself why I wouldn’t try to trust my students more, let them develop the social presence in the f2f class?  What was the harm in that I wouldn’t even consider trying it?
  • I’ve finally made the connection between theory and application.  I witnessed firsthand the benefit of social constructivism.  It can be done.  Our etap687 course is a living proof.
  • I understand myself better as a learner.  This course pushed me to think honestly what I truly want to do. 
  • Taking education courses  is like a spring that feeds into my puddle, bringing fresh new perspectves and ideas.  I needed it.  It’s reshaped my outlook on teaching.
  • For weeks and weeks I was obsessed with making Jing videos, trying new communication tools. 
  • have 2 weeks left.  I want to make a difference.  I CAN make a difference.  I can use the web 2.0 applications as my allies.  There is enough time for me to plan and implement changes in the f2f courses before school starts.
  • My reflecting puddle may seem small, because there is so much to learn and I’ve just begun.  But my puddle is deeper and its water runs clearer now.  Taking education courses  is like a spring that feeds into my puddle, bringing fresh new perspectves and ideas.  I needed it.  It’s reshaped my outlook on teaching.
  • 2 weeks ago I wrote my tagline on this blog as my “reflecting puddle”.  I still think it’s a puddle; it is still small(but so much deeper!).  I can recount the discoveries on this etap687 journey when I stare into the puddle.  I see the following things:
  • ’t believe we are coming to the end of this course.  It wasn’t that long ago I was installing diigo toolbar, signing up for voice thread, and setting up this blog site.
  • Now the excitement of trying new tools has settled a bit.  I start to think how technology tools will impact my teaching. 
  • My self efficacy is low.  Does it matter in the end?  I only have two  options:  If I cant’ seem to do the work, I should leave the course.  Or, I try with my darnedest effort, and see where I land. Time to take a chance!  I think I will have a lot to gain!
  • So this is what I’m gonna do:  I will blog here periodically and document my journey in the Ed Psych course.  Let’s see if I can be honest with myself.  Learn because life in general is interesting and worth exploring, and I can’t capture all on my own.  So I go to the experts and learn knowledge from them.
  • For weeks and weeks I was obsessed with making Jing videos, trying new communication tools.  I thought WOW, these are the coolest things I’ve learned this summer!  Now the excitement of trying new tools has settled a bit.  I start to think how technology tools will impact my teaching.  What other tasks should be let go in order to make room for the new things in my practice?  What educational principles do I base on to justify the changes?  What kind of measured learning outcomes and students’ perceived learning do I anticipate after the changes are implemented?
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      hi joan!
  • I added several communication tools.  I want the students to feel that I want to talk to them.  I want them to hear and see me.  (again, teaching presence and social presence.)
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      good point
Joan Erickson

Illinois Online Network: Educational Resources - 1 views

    • Joan Erickson
       
      I have to think about how to apply this in online math assessment. It would be similar to creating a take-home exam for the students
    • Joan Erickson
       
      This article concurs with the etap687 bmodule 2 reading assignment. Think about how I can use the uniqueness of online learning environment to my advantage where teaching is concerned
  • A successful Internet course will reflect the communicative nature of the online environment
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  • work at promoting student discussions in an online course
  • asynchronous nature of an online course offers more flexibility in terms of interacting with the course materials and participants both for the instructor and the students
  • testing procedures may not be practical in an online environment
  • reflect the online medium
  • make exams open book and ask questions that require students to synthesize, analyze, or apply information from the class discussions, lecture-presentations, and text
Melissa Pietricola

Rethinking Schools Online - 0 views

  • A person can teach in one of Milwaukee's 125 publicly funded private schools without even a high school diploma.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Does this really make sense? Without a high school diploma? How does that really improve student learning, but online learning?
  • "teacher proof"
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Maybe we could just have one super-teacher make a video and post it to you tube and that would solve all our problems..
  • Such approaches ignore fundamental issues of resources, teacher leadership, teaching and learning conditions, and the need for much more time for teachers to collaborate, assess student progress, and improve their teaching skills.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • 20 percent of all new hires leave the classroom within three years. In urban districts, the numbers are worse; close to 50 percent of newcomers leave within their first five years.
  • Poor children are the most likely to be taught by the newest and least-qualified teachers
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      The point here is that they are new and unseasoned. In my experience, these often can be the most energetic and creative. Simply saying they are the newest does not necessarily mean they are the least-qulified.
  • But if students rarely — if ever — see a teacher of color, or if teachers of color feel isolated and/or burdened by being "the only" in their schools, educational quality suffers.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Perhaps online educators are colorless? This would help address this problem.
  • Such "conversation" implies thoughtful dialogue. We need to create the institutional spaces where in-depth reflection and discussion about good teaching take place on a regular basis.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      The one risk would be that online education became so common place that we could teach remotely and miss out on this collaboration.
  • "We have tried to figure out how you can have creative and constructive resistance and how you can layer in your knowledge . . . to try to craft something that has integrity and matches what we know about learning."
  • It's a matter of reform grounded  in the classroom, of respect for teaching as a profession, of a broader vision of social justice, and of improved organizing and collaboration.
Diane Gusa

Scaffolding - 0 views

  • According to Vygotsky, students develop higher-level thinking skills when scaffolding occurs with an adult expert or with a peer of higher capabilities
    • Joan Erickson
       
      hmmm, I'm not convinced. BTW, is it called "tutoring"?
  • Conflicts would then take place between students allowing them to think constructively at a higher level
    • Joan Erickson
       
      Show me research, pleaes!
    • Joy Quah Yien-ling
       
      May include worksheets, additional links to materials, assessment rubrics, tutorials, question pronpts, exemplars, FAQs, and other pre-prepared material.
  •  
    Instructional scaffolding is the provision of sufficient support to promote learning when concepts and skills are being first introduced to students. These supports may include the following: * Resources * A compelling task * Templates and guides * Guidance on the development of cognitive and social skills
alexandra m. pickett

Learning Online Learning - 2 views

    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      exactly!!! : )
  • Teaching is less about transferring knowledge to learners than giving them the chances to ask the questions and to find answers on their own.
  • Now I know that’s not the only way to teach, not the only way to achieve the teaching goals, and, most importantly, not the most effective way to teach.
  • ...22 more annotations...
  • In my course, it is important that students are able to learn the basics correctly. So I think the course design should foresee situations like these, and, there should be some modules or learning activities within modules that are designed to have the effect of lectures, i.e., a more systematic presentation of the subject matter. I am not sure at this moment whether this will work or not, but to me it seems to be the logical solution to the problems.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Why do you do things the way that you do? why do you believe what you believe?
  • July 3rd,
  • On top of it is that it allows the Professor to reach to individual student in a personal tone. I am so used to read assignment and feedback in written format that I don’t remember when was the last time a professor went through my assignment in front of me. Almost always the case that the feedbacks were scribed down on the tiny margins of the papers, with often less then eligible handwritings. I did the same thing to my students when grading their papers and exams. So, using Podcast to give feedback is marvelous. It can easily create a strong sense of connection and trust between the instructor and the student. It helps out the most for those students who may be on the brink of feeling isolated from the learning community or fall behind in the middle of a long and demanding semester.
  • I wouldn’t be surprised if we are asked to when our courses are implemented in coming weeks, and it certainly would be a lot of fun.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      it's coming!! : )
  • Careful choice of words
  • Sharing personal story.
  • It feels real.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      great observations! how will you use this in your own instruction?
  • Professor was right in pointing out that during online course the predominant form of student participation is discussion forum, and it’s up to the course designer to devise ways that can evaluate student’s understanding of the course materials.
  • Discussion Forum Exploring the ethical world Ask it like Socrates Website critique Case study Peer review M1 V V M2 V V M3 V V V M4 V V V V M5 V V V M6 V V V V M7 V V V
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      brilliant!!! way to make your thinking and your design visible to me/us!!!
  • Trust your students, and we will be amazed by what they can come up with.
  • , I also assign a discussion forum dedicated to the topic: how does the online learning work? How to succeed
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Great idea!
  • guess I am not the only one in the class who feels weird not be able to share thoughts and reflections as we’ve been doing for weeks. I miss it very much.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      It has been a little strange, but a welcome break to focus on our courses!
  • Larry was right
    • Joy Quah Yien-ling
       
      I became very disorientated as well. I did one blog instead ot 2, and I did not refer to the prompts. This has given me an insight about how I should try to find ways to helping students deal with the disorientation. Like you say, it's not the course design. It's other psychological factors. I want to study this effect more and try to understand it. I think it is something important to deal with in online learning.
  • I believe my problem is typical of first-time online course takers. Online learning environment requires a very different mindset and learning style from the students (from teachers as well) in order for the course to be effective and successful. When learners are not aware of this fact, of what their responsibilities are in making it work, online courses are less likely to move forward.
  • detach themselves
    • Joan Erickson
       
      Hi Shoubang, I am glad you found the peer reviews helpful. I did wonder if my review was too blunt. I visited your course again today. You've covered so much ground in 2 weeks! The course looks fantastic! And yes I saw your inserted "seinfeld" video!
  • Peirce suggests that, since students come to class with loads of opinions about the topics (even more so moral issues, I’d say) whether they are well-informed or not, a way to generate interest in assigned readings is to take a survey of their opinions, or to pre-test their knowledge of the information. (p. 310) I find this suggestion interesting and it leads me back to my earlier reflections on quizzes. Quizzes may not be needed in taking attendance, nor reliable in assessing whether students come to class well-prepared or not, but quizzes may still be useful in inspiring curiosity among students.
  • Provoking discomfort (point 5) is very useful.
  • Creating cognitive dissonance is also a very useful triggering event that may eventually lead to the completion of the cognitive inquiry.
  • I’ve been trying to reflect on my learning process in a very personal way, and I will continue to do this even after the semester finished.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      cool!! i hoped you would : )
  • Given the opportunity, the learners are more likely to express their true selves on consistent basis.
  • I felt like my understanding of the criteria of good course design had increased significantly simply by changing the perspectives back and forth between reviewer and self-reviewer.
  •  
    ", I also assign a discussion forum dedicated to the topic: how does the online learning work? How to succeed"
alexandra m. pickett

Reflection - where am I? | Kelly's Reflections for ETAP 687 - 0 views

  • where am I?
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      hi kelly - i am also interested to know where you are regarding our course and your course. these were the questions for this reflection period " After conducting your own course review of your own online course, where are you in terms of completion of your online course? How are you doing? What do you need to complete your online course? What have you learned so far about yourself during this process? What has been the most surprising thing you have learned so far? What thoughts do you have about moving from theory (social, cognitive and teaching presence) to practice (building it into your online course)?" Also, you have neglected to self assess based on the rubric.
Melissa Pietricola

Study hits 'grade inflation' in New York state testing of pupils | SILive.com - 0 views

  • middle-school students who passed their math and English Language Arts tests are likely to struggle on their high school Regents exams
  • tudents who scored a Level 3 on their state tests -- which is considered passing -- would likely earn a 65 on their Regents exams, but that a score of 80 was typically needed to earn college credit for a course, according to the News.
  • Steiner is also calling for longer tests with more rigorous questions.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Does longer mean better? Does a longer test necessarily mean it will better assess the learning objective?
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Critics have long been saying the tests appeared to be getting easier, and have wondered whether the scoring was adjusted to make politicians look better.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Do regents and middle level state tests give kids "false sense of hope" as she states? My kids could care less what the state says. They are worried about their daily grades.
  • "But by any measure -- including the highly respected NAEP exams, state tests, and graduation rates -- due to the bold reform agenda implemented by this administration, the significant progress made by New York City students has far outpaced that of students in the rest of New York state."
  •  
    NYS example of grade inflation; focusing on the middle level
alexandra m. pickett

Material Detail - 1 views

  • The Best Online Teaching Practices Study is an ongoing study by UMUC's Institute for Research and Assessment that seeks to identify processes for effective teaching and learning online. The findings from the study support the underlying prnciples that have an impact on online teaching and learning. The study uses an educational model that builds on existing research and knowledge of effective teaching and learning practices in traditional formats. The study uses a mixed method approach and is carried out in multiple phases.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      check out this UMUC resource on effective online teaching practices. : ) me
Aubrey Warneck

Tom Chapin - Not On The Test - 0 views

  •  
    Take a break and watch this :-)
  •  
    If you want a good laugh, take a look at this.
alexandra m. pickett

Issues in Distance Learning - 1 views

  • This review of literature and current information related to distance learning is an expansion and update of Schlosser and Anderson's (1994) literature review for the Iowa model of distance education. Additional reports were obtained through the Pacific Mountain Network, the ERIC database, electronic communications via Internet with administrators of open universities and open learning agencies throughout the world, collections of manuscripts and documents in the Department of Instructional Technology and Special Education at the University of Colorado at Denver, and personal communications with distance education developers at professional conferences as well as school districts in the Greater Denver area. It is intended as a companion piece to Sherry and Morse's (1995) Needs Assessment for Distance Education, as well as background information for other projects in telecommunications and distance learning.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      this is an early lit review on distance learning that i thought you would find interesting.
Diane Gusa

CriticalThinking.org - The Role of Questions in Teaching, Thinking and Learning - 1 views

  • Thinking is not driven by answers but by questions
  • every field stays alive only to the extent that fresh questions are generated and taken seriously as the driving force in a process of thinking
  • To think through or rethink anything, one must ask questions that stimulate our thought.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • thinking begins with respect to some content only when questions are generated by both teachers and students.
  • No questions equals no understanding. Superficial questions equals superficial understanding. Most students typically have no questions. They not only sit in silence, their minds are silent as well. Hence, the questions they do have tend to be superficial and ill-informed. This demonstrates that most of the time they are not thinking through the content they are presumed to be learning. This demonstrates that most of the time they are not learning the content they are presumed to be learning.
  • Questions define tasks, express problems and delineate issues. Answers on the other hand, often signal a full stop in thought. Only when an answer generates a further question does thought continue its life as such.
    • Joy Quah Yien-ling
       
      An entirely radical and unique approach to assessment. I wonder if anyone has tried it before. It will be the most demanding exam ever.
  • Feeding students endless content to remember (that is, declarative sentences to remember) is akin to repeatedly stepping on the brakes in a vehicle that is, unfortunately, already at rest. Instead, students need questions to turn on their intellectual engines and they need to generate questions from our questions to get their thinking to go somewhere. Thinking is of no use unless it goes somewhere, and again, the questions we ask determine where our thinking goes.
  • It is possible to give students an examination on any subject by just asking them to list all of the questions that they have about a subject, including all questions generated by their first list of questions.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      HMMMMMMMM I would like to think about this and maybe try it.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      My sticky note got "stuck" in the wrong place...should be down by testing by students listing all the questions they had in course.
  •  
    CriticalThinking.org - The Role of Questions in Teaching, Thinking and Learning
  •  
    One of the reasons that instructors tend to overemphasize "coverage" over "engaged thinking" is that they assume that answers can be taught separate from questions. Indeed, so buried are questions in established instruction that the fact that all assertions - all statements that this or that is so - are implicit answers to questions is virtually never recognized. For example, the statement that water boils at 100 degrees centigrade is an answer to the question "At what temperature centigrade does water boil?"
Kristina Lattanzio

What Online Students Want to Tell Faculty - 0 views

  • Designing your course to promote quality interaction between faculty and students and among students is essential.  Consider emphasizing the course conference by making it a part of your class assessment possibly as a substitute for test, paper, or project.
  • Be patient and available.  Remember some of us are first time online learners and are still trying to figure out this method of teaching and learning.
  • Be accessible
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Put yourself into the class.  “The professor was always available, encouraging and even made the lessons humorous by adding personal tidbits.”  “She gave us constant feedback and encouragement.”
  • Think about your role in the discussion.  Students want you to be present.
    • Kristina Lattanzio
       
      It's important to be present, but it's also necessary to know when to step back and observe interaction between students.
  • Give frequent feedback on assignments so students have a sense of what they have mastered and where they need to focus attention.
    • Kristina Lattanzio
       
      Helps students to know that you are "there" and motivates them to improve in subsequent activities.
  • Your presence in the class is important.  These courses should not be seen by the student as “self-taught.” 
  •  
    Outlines student concerns of online learning and what instructors should know about student needs.
Jane DeMeis

JP:LCT - Instructor Beliefs Self-Assessment - 0 views

  •  
    thisis a interesting survey to take to see if you are a learner centered teacher.
Barbara Recchio-Demmin

rubistar.com - 1 views

  •  
    rubric creator
Diane Gusa

The Technology Source Archives - Seven Principles of Effective Teaching: A Practical Lens for Evaluating Online Courses - 0 views

  • Principle 5: Good Practice Emphasizes Time on Task Lesson for online instruction: Online courses need deadlines. One course we evaluated allowed students to work at their own pace throughout the semester, without intermediate deadlines. The rationale was that many students needed flexibility because of full-time jobs. However, regularly-distributed deadlines encourage students to spend time on tasks and help students with busy schedules avoid procrastination. They also provide a context for regular contact with the instructor and peers.
    • Kristina Lattanzio
       
      Set clear deadlines for work to create comfortable online learning environments. Helps students keep themselves on task and enhances learning.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      I considered doing this, but was not sure...I noticed Alex did this when she would say "read Ian's post" or EXCELLENT! aand I wanted to check out what was said even more.
  • Allowing students to choose project topics incorporates diverse views into online courses.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Communicating high expectations for student performance is essential.
  • give challenging assignments.
  • communicate high expectations is to provide examples or models for students to follow, along with comments explaining why the examples are good.
  • publicly praising exemplary work communicates high expectations. Instructors do this by calling attention to insightful or well-presented student postings.
Jennifer Boisvert

Hot Potatoes Home Page - 0 views

  •  
    Software that allows you to build different learning activies such as crosswords, fill-in-the-blank sentences, multiple choice questions, etc. On September 1, 2009 it will be freeware.
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