I love to read murder mysteries as I'm going to sleep at night. I'm currently reading one by JoAnne Dobson, and the main character is an English professor (Liz???!!!). So, last night, I hit the sentence "An academic conference is a lot like a carnival." Never thought about it, but how true. Ringmaster, sideshows, etc. However, hopefully more education than entertainment, more interaction among audience members and between audience members and the main show.
As to manner of dress and uniforms, however, we have a good one. There is a fellow here who both days has worn a straw hat, carried a backpack, and has a sweater wrapped around his waist. He looks like he's hiking through the conference or something.
Meanwhile, I'm thinking that there are aspects of my life, or life at NMU, that are more like a circus.
I went to 2 sessions this morning having to do with research. One of was the U of MN where they did research about percentages of students who have had various types of e-learning interactions, compared to faculty experiences. One interesting note was that students had similar reactions to other students using technology inappropriate during classes to the reactions that faculty have---it's distracting, it's rude, etc.
The other session was on conducting interviews through technology. This was for research, but I got some good ideas for my web-based HR class where I have students interview practitioners about various aspects of HR---what are the main difficulties they've experienced in hiring people, how do they recruit, what are the issues in their organizatons about pay, etc. I may try to interview some managers myself and imbed those in the course, and I probably should have my students obtaining "releases" from the people they're interviewing. They are telling the interviewess (I hope they are) that this info will be shared on the class discussion board, but that probably isn't enough.
I'm leaving this evening; if I learn something really interesting, I'll post it later!
Carol
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Carol at 2010 Midwest Educause Conference
Everyone, I couldn't go with you to either of the national conferences, so I am in Chicago at the Educause Midwest Regional Conference. To follow tradition of other postings, I will report that it took me as long to go by train from the airport to downtown Chicago and find the hotel, as it took to fly from Marquette to Chicago. I had a wonderful sandwich at a deli for lunch. I'm incredibly tired, whether due to getting up at 5 or sitting passively through so much of the day---I don't know. It kills me that people who should know better talk non-stop for 1 1/2 hours, or show powerpoints which are samples of student papers with 12 point type, and on and on. The other interesting thing is that with 450 people here, I happened to sit next to someone whose nametag said Kansas State. I grew up in KS, and lo and behold---her family is originally from a town of less than 100 people, less than 25 miles from my hometown. Small world and all that.
Now, as to other matters of more weighty import:
1) The keynote speaker talked for 1 1/4 hours non-stop, after lunch, in a huge room with chairs and no tables to take notes easily, about the future of higher education. Many people had trouble not falling asleep. I kept myself awake by taking notes!! Her key points at the beginning had to do with the conomy, the imperative of getting more education, the worldwide competition, how education and economy are linked, and how while cost and demand are going up, funds are going down. One interesting thing she called an "inflection" had to do with "campus versus beyond campus", how consumer devices (computers, cellphones, etc) and many other things are causing a whole shift in education from instruction to discovery, etc.
2) The next session I chose was on how to build successful efforts on campus for technology---what are the supports for that and what are the problems. My tablemates and I talked about politics and different priorities as being problems. I shared about our CTIP project with the whole group, talking about the necessity of time, money, and support for this project and how we have developed somewhat of a community feel as a result, among ourselves.
3) I just came out of an e-portfolio session that was interesting. This fellow presented reasons why students should develop a portfolio that would display their skills, and he gave examples of 8 different types of assignments that would lead to a portfolio content product. One I might try in my HR class this summer was to have students make a catalog of trade publications in their field, weighing the publicatons on objectivity, accuracy, authority, how current the aritcles are, the type of coverage, etc. This gives students an overview of the realism of the field and helps them begin to "speak the language". His comment was that in his college, different profs give different assignments which then lead to different portfolio projects. I'm not sure I can get other faculty to work on me with this, but if at least 3 of us did, we might have something.
And just like someone else at one of the other two conferences you attended, one of the topics I was really looking forward to was cancelled!!
Basically the end of the day for me; there was absolutely nothing at the last 45 minute session that appealed to me. However, there is a small reception this evening so I'll go to that and see if I can strike up a meaningful conversation with someone!
Carol
Now, as to other matters of more weighty import:
1) The keynote speaker talked for 1 1/4 hours non-stop, after lunch, in a huge room with chairs and no tables to take notes easily, about the future of higher education. Many people had trouble not falling asleep. I kept myself awake by taking notes!! Her key points at the beginning had to do with the conomy, the imperative of getting more education, the worldwide competition, how education and economy are linked, and how while cost and demand are going up, funds are going down. One interesting thing she called an "inflection" had to do with "campus versus beyond campus", how consumer devices (computers, cellphones, etc) and many other things are causing a whole shift in education from instruction to discovery, etc.
2) The next session I chose was on how to build successful efforts on campus for technology---what are the supports for that and what are the problems. My tablemates and I talked about politics and different priorities as being problems. I shared about our CTIP project with the whole group, talking about the necessity of time, money, and support for this project and how we have developed somewhat of a community feel as a result, among ourselves.
3) I just came out of an e-portfolio session that was interesting. This fellow presented reasons why students should develop a portfolio that would display their skills, and he gave examples of 8 different types of assignments that would lead to a portfolio content product. One I might try in my HR class this summer was to have students make a catalog of trade publications in their field, weighing the publicatons on objectivity, accuracy, authority, how current the aritcles are, the type of coverage, etc. This gives students an overview of the realism of the field and helps them begin to "speak the language". His comment was that in his college, different profs give different assignments which then lead to different portfolio projects. I'm not sure I can get other faculty to work on me with this, but if at least 3 of us did, we might have something.
And just like someone else at one of the other two conferences you attended, one of the topics I was really looking forward to was cancelled!!
Basically the end of the day for me; there was absolutely nothing at the last 45 minute session that appealed to me. However, there is a small reception this evening so I'll go to that and see if I can strike up a meaningful conversation with someone!
Carol
Friday, March 12, 2010
Conference Blog
Everyone, this is Carol. I am posting this blog entry as a trial run. I was unable to go to either of the two main conferences the rest of you went to, so am going by myself to a conference in Chicago, an EDUCAUSE regional conference, on Monday and Tuesday next week. CTIP people requested that I blog while ther, and we thought it would be smart if I posted this to make sure I still remember how to do this!! So,k look forward to a blog entry or two from me next week!
Carol
Carol
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March CTIP Update
The blog has been quiet since the return of the group that attended the ELI conference, but CTIP activities have continued. Cohort members are now well into their Winter semester projects, and March brings a bunch of workshops and webinars open to all faculty, including:
- The ELI Spring Focus Session (the "live" sessions were last week, but we're also offering a group site for a "tape delayed" viewing on 3/17 and 3/18).
- Group sites for a new series of MERLOT webinars showcasing award winning (and freely available to use) teaching materials.
- Workshops on Podcasting (offered 3/11 and 3/12) and Wikis (offered on 3/25 and 3/26)
To register to attend any of the above, visit our registration web site.
In addition, cohort member Carol Steinhaus (Business), who was unable to attend either of the conferences attended by the other cohort members, is heading to Chicago next week for the EDUCAUSE Midwest conference. Stay tuned for blog postings from Carol!
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