On a typical week I would typically post a new blog each Tuesday & Thursday evening… typically. These last weeks have been anything but typical. My apologies if you, on one of those nights, were anxiously awaiting another post. I got caught up in the recent problems I’ve been having trying to set up my film course with technology and I also had difficulties readjusting to the courses I’m taking as a student. This all leads me to the inevitable conclusion that starting is hard. Things are new, potentially exciting, and shiny… but it is still hard to start. We … Continue reading →

Sometime previously I wrote about technology. I love technology. I use it, perhaps, too much. Sometimes I’ll spend more time working with a tool to see if it will benefit me than it would have taken me to do the task by hand. I could take notes on a piece of paper… or I could find a clever checklist application, try to install it on my phone, e-mail my list to myself, and marvel at how clever I am. Both paper & technology can accomplish making a list. When it is just a run to the grocery store perhaps the … Continue reading →

On this last day before the new year I am looking towards the difficulties of the next semester. I’ll be taking new courses, teaching another large course, and learning (hopefully) along the way. One of the things I’ll be starting to work on this next semester is studying. I’ve got to begin reviewing eight courses worth of material for a string of tests that I’ll take in the fall of 2010 while working towards my PhD. I often have trouble meeting deadlines if they are too far out in the future so I’ll hopefully begin an outline today that might … Continue reading →

I wrote about working ahead over holidays before but the holiday break we currently find ourselves in the middle of generally splits classes in half. Sometimes it even marks the end of a course and returning for the spring semester will mark the beginnings of new courses. “You’re not going to recommend we do school work over our vacations, are you?” The answer is “Yes… and no.” At any rate… it may not be what you’re thinking. Being in a PhD program has it’s benefits. One of the greatest benefits is that I am able to, in general, only take … Continue reading →

I’ve labeled this “Plagiarism Part 1” not because it will be part of some short series of blogs placed closely together but because the topic is important and I know I’ll write on it again sometime in the future. My position as an educator puts me into contact with a large number of students each semester and I can confidently say that many of them did not learn what they should have in high school. I don’t blame them because many of them have never heard of plagiarism before. Rather, I blame their teachers. Even beyond understanding the definition of … Continue reading →

As an instructor one of my primary goals is to be clear. I work very hard to be clear. I write long e-mails, give detailed handouts, and include bullet points and pictures. Sometimes this extra work pays off. Sometimes students read what I’ve taken the time to write and successfully answer their own questions, understand the assignment, follow the guidelines, and successfully complete the assignment. Sometimes, however, these students approach me with questions about the assignment. While this would not normally be a problem these students are asking questions that are already answered in the detailed handouts. This is something … Continue reading →

Last week I talked about a different perspective, one from the teacher’s point of view. This view is not built on malice or spite but on ensuring learning and demonstrating the importance of digging deeper than the surface level of things. Those of you who can remember the first time you saw color television will know, better than I, about how amazing and important history can be when you actually lived it in the present. My mother still talks about being the first on her block to have a color television. AMAZING! Now, of course, I have students who refuse … Continue reading →