The first presentation covers some good basic tips for all online students:
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apa2013.ppt |
understandingassignmentkeywords2013.ppt |
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Dr. Rodgers' Virtual Office |
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I went through my old PPT files and did some updating. I'll start using these again in Summer I in my classes, but I wanted to provide copies here, as well. Students in my current classes might find these useful, too. The first presentation covers some good basic tips for all online students:
APA is something we can all work on. This presentation covers the basics:
Understanding how to read an assignment for keywords is an important skill in any class:
Not sure why the type of source is important? Not clear on what a scholarly source is? Check this one out:
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Earlier today, my local library posted a picture on their FB page of someone using a card catalog with the caption "Prehistoric Googling."
I am teaching both ENG101 and 102 right now (long story how I wound up with the ENG101 two weeks in, that I won't go into), and I am constantly fascinated by students who seem to think that the databases are not "user-friendly" and they are "hard to use." Not to tell a "I walked ten miles in the snow with no shoes to go to school story" but in reality, research has changed for the better and worse. When I was a student, both a beginning college student and high school student, I had to literally go to a physical library. In my early days, I would have to do research using the paperback Reader's Guide to Periodicals (that's the picture above) to find articles to use in my high school research papers. When I got to college and quickly changed from Pre-Med to English, I was soon told about the MLA Bibliography. And guess what? It was also found in bound volumes in the library. While we live in an age where we can find this stuff online with a few clicks, it doesn't make it all happy happy. When we had to go to the library and shuffle through papers, deal with microfiche and so on, we were much more likely to get up to date sources. The number of articles was also not so overwhelming. We didn't have to sort through 500 blog pages on our topic to get to an actual published article. I guess my point is that while it is amazing that the internet makes such a wealth of material available to us, students are overwhelmed in a new way. They may not be overwhelmed by having to find a ride to campus and hope that the latest Reader's Guide is where it should be, but instead they are overwhelmed in ways we couldn't have imagined back in the 80s and even early 90s (I got my first email account I think back in 1994 or so--it was internal email at Acxiom, and when I was in my first years of PhD study, we still had text based green on black). So, to my students I say "I get it now"--whereas those of us back in the day were sort of automatically limited to more current articles and didn't have to sort through so much sub-standard stuff, you are bombarded. To my colleagues (and myself) I offer a challenge--let's think about how we can prepare students with tools to help them better distinguish the good stuff from the mediocre. Blogs and other types of internet-only sources have their place, but we need to teach students how to think critically about source material and to better recognize the distinctions. After all, they are in an age where there are 300 news channels, not just 3 broadcast stations with evening news and PBS. The courses I teach pretty much all focus on persuasion on some level (even if it is just persuading me that you know what the assignment criteria is). Here are two useful resources for you to review before approaching me or another instructor by email (or private message) or if you wish to appeal a grade:
Roth, M. (2012 March 15). 5 Things to remember when emailing a professor. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/campuslife/five-things-to-remember-when-e-mailing-a-professor How to get a professor to change a grade. Wiki.how. Retrieved from http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Professor-to-Change-Your-Grade The Baker College eLibrary has a variety of Films on Demand, many of which are useful to students. To access these resources, you simply need to log in to the Baker College eLibrary. If you go through the Library tab at the top of the screen, you will see a link for Find Videos. Click that, then Films on Demand. If you go through My eLibrary in your course menu, click on the Article Databases link, then on Library Resources. At that point, you'll see the Find Videos icon.
Here are some specific resources I think you'll find interesting and useful: Films Media Group. (2011). Effective internet search: Basic tools and advanced strategies [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=43788. Films Media Group. (2011). Recognizing online propaganda, bias, and advertising [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=43789. Films Media Group. (2011). Plagiarism 2.0: Information ethics in the digital age [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=43790. Films Media Group. (2009). Researching, reading, and writing [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=40414. Films Media Group. (2006). Information literacy: The perils of online research [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=35675. Films Media Group. (2005). The writing process: Research [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=36029. Films Media Group. (1996). Reading improvement [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=7081. Films Media Group. (1988). Models of non-fiction writing: Informing people [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=2819. Films Media Group. (1988). Models of non-fiction writing: Presenting an argument [H.264]. Available from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=5806&xtid=2817. D's Tulane interview was last week, so we headed off to New Orleans, dogs in tow. We knew we will be using the pet sitters soon, so we didn't want two trips this month with the dogs left alone. Lucky for us, we found Creole Gardens, which is not only pet friendly but has a $25 one time fee no matter the number or size of the dogs! It is on Prytania, and while I was leery after the old adventure Stacy and I had back in 1998 or so, the website looked good, so we reserved.
We were glad we did--the room was huge, making it doable for two adults and two dogs. We stayed in Cottage #2, and loved that there is a coded gate with a courtyard and a fountain which runs all the time, masking some of the noises that might come in from the street or courtyard and make Chloe bark. Other great things about the B&B: There is a park nearby so you can take the dogs for a jaunt. Also, the breakfast is pretty awesome--you can choose a hot breakfast (eggs and grits are on heavy rotation with accompaniments of sometimes potatoes, sometimes sausage, sometimes bacon, sometimes hotcakes). They also had toast, a variety of bagels, juice, fruit, coffee and yogurt out. So, it may not be easy to have a vegan breakfast, but when in Rome. . . The only disadvantage was that their wifi is spotty to the extreme. So much so that we actually went to Walmart (something I never imagined we would do in New Orleans) to get a mifi. As luck would have it, Walmart just came out with their "Internet to Go" device, so for about $80 we have a permanent prepaid back up option that my work laptop will connect to (no software download) and that can have up to five things connected to it at once. So, with my new toy, I was able to get final grades in while D was in the interview Friday night. So, if you stay there and are virtually employed, make sure you have an air card or mifi handy. Of course, anytime you talk about New Orleans, you ask people what they ate. We started Wednesday night by having dinner from Stein's Deli on Magazine. We picked up a veggie sandwich for me and a Turkey for D and took them back to the hotel to hang out with the pups. Thursday, we headed to the Blue Plate for lunch (a block down the street from where we were staying on the corner of Thalia and Prytania). We got there early so we sat and had more coffee until they started doing lunch service. I had the Bello Bowl, which was a green curry sauce with spinach and bits of portabello in it with crispy polenta fingers (my version to come soon on this blog, I suspect), and D had the special which was a chicken breast with a crawfish sauce on top. The best thing on her plate? Mushroom bread pudding. So very good. I'll be working on a vegan version of that, as well. I wound up wandering back down on Friday for a solo lunch of a portabello burger with a side salad. Good tea, too. On a side note, specifically to Stacy--Thalia is so much different than it was when we used to stay there. The old Domino's is now Green Fork Catering and the neighborhood is really picking up. Thursday night, we had the meet and greet at a resident's house, which was an apartment in the upper level of an optician's boutique. We staked out parking (the place is on Freret, home to the Freret Market, which was not going on while we were wandering). Because the resident dinners are hit and miss (as in sometimes they aren't dinner at all), we decided to park a bit early and have a drink and bite at Origami across the street. We were not sure the shindig was going to happen, as the lights were all off until about the start time. We wandered over and had a good time and headed back to the hotel. Friday night was time to have Reveillon dinner at Muriel's. Because there are two options for each course, we just said bring one of each, please. Most excellent food and they also water you well with a variety of specialty cocktails. In fact, the waiter heard us having a debate about eggnog and brought us a free taste of theirs, which D enjoyed greatly (I'm just not a egg nog fan. Just give me the nog). At $45 for four courses, it's a steal. We wandered down to Frenchmen Street to walk off some of our dinner and found the Art Market where we helped support some local artisans. Then it was home to digest all that food. While we were waiting on the bus (they are running buses to the quarter these days in prep for the Super Bowl crowds that are going to coincide with Mardi Gras crowds--there's no way you could get me anywhere near that mess in February), D got a text from Scott--turns out he and Christy were having dinner at Don Shula's and saw us walk by. We had a drink with them and Scott and D talked about interviews and we all generally visited. Saturday afternoon included a wander over to the Lush store (No, not a liquor store) and then lunch at Salt N Pepper, which we spotted on the way over. We also stopped by Louisiana Music Factory for a bit, too. Then it was back to the dogs for walkies and to figure out what to do with our evening. We decided to go bowling at the Rock N Bowl, but they had a private party going on, so we headed to Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. I know it's not hoity toity, but the food is consistently good and it doesn't break the bank. We shared grilled artichokes and a four season's pizza and split a 1/2 bottle of Cote du Rhone wine before trying out their bread pudding. Then, more wandering and back to the hotel. Sunday, we managed to catch the start of the Big Nine Second Line, having an awesome Bloody Mary provided by a fella who had a bar set up on the roof of his truck cab with coolers full of beer and mixers in the bed of the truck. We didn't take pictures because doing that would mean we weren't really just being there. You can find all kinds of previous year's action on YouTube. By the time they got really underway, we decided it was time for lunch and headed to the Marigny for a bite at Sukho Thai. I'm pretty sure we've eaten there before, back when everyone was still only taking cash post-Katrina. We are the types of travelers who love to go to the grocery store. Having promised Christy some boudin, we headed to Rouses' on Carrollton and not only accomplished that mission, but also managed to snag a chocolate King Cake and some beans that are harder to get in Little Rock (a good bag of field peas and a bag of Camelia red beans). Sunday night, it was off to Kermit Ruffins' Treme Speakeasy. We had the catfish and red beans and then got to catch the show. I can definitely see the complaints that the place is drawing in people who only know of the city from HBO, but at the same time, there were a good number of locals Sunday, with Kermit's daughters and their friends at the neighboring table to ours, as well as a really drunk white dude with a Treme Brass Band jacket who did some dancing. And, there was the typical wall of white dudes at the back of the room, standing right in the way, but they did move around (in part due to necessity, as dinner service was going on and they were in the way). We were hoping to catch the Art Market again on Sunday, but I think the earlier rain showers must have convinced folks to stay in, as they were not up and running. We did catch a street band and stopped at Faubourg Marigny bookstore before heading in. So, all in all, an awesome trip, and the dogs did great. Trey was doped up so he didn't shatter any ear drums on the way or on the way home. And, if we wind up in St. Louis for residency this was an excellent last trip for awhile and was certainly a good Christmas present to each other. And, if we wind up in New Orleans that would be ok, too. Dani just left for a residency interview in Kansas City and has another Thursday in New Orleans with LSU. Then one the next week with LSU in Shreveport. Then, we head to New Orleans again before Christmas for Tulane.
It doesn't seem that long ago that medical school wasn't even on the radar, so I know that the four years of residency will go quickly. But, until March 15th, we're just marking time. If we stay here, that will certainly be simpler as having two incomes would allow us to make progress on the house and sell it more easily. Chloe and Trey won't have to be uprooted, and neither would we. On the other hand, moving would allow for new experiences and seeing how other places/hospitals do things. In the end, I know we'll wind up where we are supposed to. After all, it's all about fit. But until March 15th, I'm just going to try not to think about it too much. This picture is about 16 years old (a few weeks past that, as it was taken at the surprise 40th anniversary party we threw for our folks, and their anniversary is 9/7/56). It is the most recent picture we have of all of us together. We've faced a lot of transitions in those 16 years; most recently, on October 1, we lost Dad. In doing the preparations and making arrangements, I had a thought. Keith at the funeral home (and thanks to both him and Jim at Burns' things were put together well) asked about Dad's middle name. While Mom explained he didn't have one, I started to think about how awesome that is. I'd like to think that was deliberate on Viola and Henry's part, but I doubt it was. The space between his given name, Earl, and his family name, Rodgers may have been what allowed him to define and redefine himself over his lifetime. He certainly was a lot of things to me and I know he was a lot of things to other people in his life. Dad reached a lot of his goals; about a year ago, he expressed satisfaction at achieving one of those goals--the family farm was free and clear. He wasn't a doomsdayer, but he thoroughly believed that there should be a place where we could all go if we needed to and not worry about things. While I'm happy about this and glad that he saw the goal achieved, it is angering to an extent. I know none of us will be here forever, but it is especially sad to me that after so many years where work kept him and Mom apart that he's not there to enjoy the fruits of his labor anymore. Ironically, it was probably the military service of 20 years that allowed for a lot of those goals. The same military service gave him lymphoma which took him away from us again. We got him back for a short time, but then it came back with a ferocity that even he couldn't counter. As angry as I am, I know that my own transition right now is nothing compared to that which my mother is going through and that it pales greatly to what Renee is going through, and what Ben is going through. I'm so glad that they had Dad in their daily lives, but can only imagine the gaping space that is there right now. While I know tears can't fill that space, I know that plenty are being shed. So, I finally started running again about three weeks ago. The first week went great, the second week was more cross-training because D wound up needing the car, and this week, I got in four runs. I ran a good time on Friday of last week, then on Sunday, D ran with me and Trey and I managed another good time, despite a bit of walking.
Monday found me dragging. Not only had I suffered RLS Sunday night, but I ran out of gas really fast once Trey and I got on the trail. I pushed through Tuesday, after getting some iron pills and starting a daily B 12 sub-lingual. I took off Wednesday, getting in just a walk with both dogs. Yesterday, Trey and I hit the trail again. I did great for about 20 minutes, and then resorted to wogging. So, it's better, but I'm still working on it. It is frustrating, as I know what I am physically capable of. The first week, I was taking iron supplements and had been for awhile. We were running low by week 2, and D is more susceptible than I am usually, so I decided I'd stop taking them until we could get some more. Bad idea, apparently. Top that with the fact that I'm more consistently vegan than D and that running makes it more likely that you'll be anemic (literally, the impact damages blood cells). My point of all of this rambling? I need to be more of a Zen runner I guess, and I need to be better at taking care of myself, even if it's just making sure I take iron. Green smoothies have also helped this week. I'm not actually training for anything specific, so I should just enjoy the run, rather than worry about times/pace. After all, other than Trey, no one else has a stake in whether I run at all (and he's happy to walk, it makes it easier for him to check his pee-mail if we take periodic walk breaks). Thanks to all who have been wondering about Dad. I am fortunate that I was able to stay with him through his first round of chemo back in January, and that I was able to stick around while he was in physical rehab and until he got home. It was truly an honor and pleasure to be able to help him and mom out as they got settled back in to their new normal. He's since had his second round of chemo and seems to be doing really well with the treatments, even gaining weight and getting back to his old book devouring self.
I truly am blessed to have the type of job that I do--I was able to teach the entire time, and the teaching was a good normalizing influence during a time where things seemed so unstable and unpredictable. The only downside is that I didn't get to do new podcasts for seminars 3 onward for ENG101 and 102 in the first Winter term, but I'm back on that since I'm back at my own house and have space and set up to start recording again. As a result, two new podcasts were added today and I anticipate doing a couple more later (in the middle of Seminar 3). Dani's in the middle of surgical rotation and year 4 is coming up fast. We're already talking about residency programs, a month in Puerto Rico maybe next year (which, as you know, academic years start in July, so it's really this year) for a medical Spanish course as a possibility, and the craziness that med school will be over before we know it. In the meantime, I am trying to do some writing on the side (when I'm not playing with podcasts, in the discussion boards, reading, or cooking), which is fun. I hope everyone is well; this post was mainly to let folks know I'm still here, Dad's still kicking lymphoma's butt, and life has returned to as normal as it gets when it's February 29th and it's 80 degrees. It was a different kind of holiday yet oddly the same. Different because Dad's still not doing well, but the same in that we were all there to celebrate it together.
Yesterday it was officially back to work, and since Blackboard was down for the update/upgrade for much of they day, I spent the day reading the following: Teaching Writing Online: How and Why: This was an interesting read, and one that I think folks who maybe think they would never teach writing online might benefit from. Scott Warnock gives some great reflection prompts and guidelines here, and there's much here that I agreed with regarding how online teaching is so much about understanding the audience, creating a good online persona (sometimes more than one for the same course), as well as the ways in which online writing courses are inherently student-centered. One of the best parts of the book for me was the discussion of how to balance discussion board posting. His descriptions of what type of posting is not good or too much were good, and he also makes clear distinctions between how we shouldn't use that "I don't want to post too much" as an excuse to slack off, either, and become prompt-only posters. Hewett & Ehmann's Preparing Educators for Online Writing Instruction was a good read, as well, and one that I think any faculty mentor should read. I might wind up purchasing this one so I can spend more time with it and refer to it. It's an NCTE book from 2004, but it stands up well seven years later. Finally, I skimmed the 2010 Because Digital Writing Matters. This one was not as useful for me, because, as you may have guessed already, I know it matters :) My take-away from this one, after reading the other two, is that we--instructors--need to really think about audience as much or more than our students do. I know that I personally tend to get caught up in the content (in six week blocks, that's easy to do) and could be a bit more in tune with the audience, seeking better ways to approach them. Also, it's an interesting question--how do we get students to see how all digital writing IS writing? And, with that, I leave you for today. I don't tend to do a lot of work-related posts, so don't be surprised if I go back to the kitchen after this one for awhile. |
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