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Engage the Next 10%
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Frugal Innovations for Student Engagement
Collegial Sharing of TLT Improvements
- Today, Beyond Us, Tomorrow! Temple University, Philadelphia, PA,
Friday, April 8, 2011 9:15-10:00AM |
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Why Collegial Sharing NOW? Because - even when money and time are especially scarce - technology can help faculty members improve student engagement in their courses without adding unrealistic workloads for their students or themselves.
Why I'm grateful, excited to be at Temple today.
Overview, Purposes of Session
I. Intro - Context - Frugal Innovations: "Why me? Why now?"
II. Specific TLT Improvements (Shareworthy, Shareable) - Examples Small Steps Small Steps Small Steps Small Steps Small Steps
III. Collegial Sharing - Nanovation Sharing Small Steps Often Sharing Small Steps Often Sharing Small Steps Often Sharing Small Steps Often
IV. Activities - Individuals, Small Groups Individuals - Identify shareworthy, low-threshold, shareable improvements;
Identify 2-3 receptive colleagues Small Groups - Introduce improvements; Describe receptive colleagues; Develop sharing plan
V. Conclusion
VI. After this Session - Extending Benefits Today, Beyond Us, Tomorrow!
tlt.gs/FISEtempleU2011
NoteTaking Bookmark for this Session:
Extending Benefits Today, Beyond Us, Tomorrow!
Twitter hashtag for this event #tutechday
Briefest intro to Twitter Twitter is a set of services available on the Web that enables YOU to share brief text messages (140 characters including spaces) with anyone who opts to receive YOUR messages. These messages are called "updates" or "tweets." You can opt to receive messages from anyone who has a twitter account that you can identify. Result: fluid networks built on mutual agreements. - Anyone, even without a Twitter account, who figures out where and how to search and "look" can see tweets. Example: Today, watch stream of #tutechday Tweets on display at www.tltgroup.org
- Anyone can get a free account and identity (username) on Twitter at www.twitter.com
- Anyone who has a Twitter account can "follow" [receive] any other Twitter account - e.g., for the TLT Group, visit http://twitter.com/tltgroup
- Most people use twitter via some tool [i.e., software, app, program, ...] which allows YOU to decide how often, what format, which accounts you receive. Cell phones, smart phones must use intermediate tool [e.g., "app"]. Once set up, usually do NOT need to re-enter info.
EXAMPLES OF TWEETS - EACH ALMOST EXACTLY 140 CHARACTERS Frugal Innovations=enable continue improve teach/learn w tech when $/time scarce via abundant free/lowcost options #tutechday SAMPLE TWEET
SWG BIOTWEET Aspire2B good father/husband, teacher/learner, Enable/encourage use info tech improve edu - respectfully responsibly #tutechday
I. Introduction - Context - Frugal Innovations: In these times of TMI/TMO/TLT/TL$ [Too much info; too many options; too little time; too little money] it is especially important to develop strategies for Frugal Innovation - for identifying and sharing worthwhile "low-threshold" course improvements effectively, rapidly, and beyond the usual 5-10% of faculty colleagues.
Leave you with something worthy of Koja Grille restroom wall: Laugh Love
Truth(s) Respect Caring
II. Specific TLT Improvements - (Shareworthy, Shareable) - Examples Small Steps Small Steps Small Steps Small Steps Small Steps
Shareworthy, Shareable Improvements in Teaching/Learning with Technology - Shareworthiness, Low-Threshold, Shareability
From Temple University Mentors/Mentees- "Setting up a Wordpress/Buddypress Class Blog/Network" Step-by-Step tutorial on printable PDF by Keith Quesenberry View Download
Brief Hybrid Workshops Produced by University of No. Carolina - Greensboro
III. Collegial Sharing - Nanovation Sharing Small Steps Often Sharing Small Steps Often Sharing Small Steps Often Sharing Small Steps Often
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Especially developing Even MERLOT Nanovation Concept - smallest step(s); smallest meaningful things we can each do - singly and together.
Not very sexy, but really works - has worked in the past no matter what anyone did/didn't do; but now the conditions make it even more favorable for this kind of progress: CUMULATIVE INCREMENTAL COLLABORATIVE IMPROVEMENT
Doing something that isn't wasteful, hurtful, hypocritical, unlikely to work or unlikely to survive.
Intentional Support for Collegial Sharing
My beginning premise: help one person to enable and encourage 3 more colleagues try similar improvements and then, in turn, help 3 more colleagues, and so on.... Provide artifacts [paper bookmarks], support, encouragement...
But these interviews have changed my understanding of what is possible and desirable.
1. Small groups - [MFLCs? micro faculty learning communities?] - can be formed effectively in many ways
2. Small groups can reach out to help others benefit in many ways
3. Many (most?) faculty want to improve their own teaching, their students' learning, and to help some colleagues who have similar commitments - in a limited capacity!
"My role as a mentee has made me more confident about serving as a mentor to someone else in a limited capacity." Jill Swavely 4/7/2011
Sr. colleagues stretch comfort zone in safe ways: 1-to-1 via Temple U. mentoring program ripple effect - J. kessler 20110407 #tutechday
Nanovation models - emerging from Temple interviews:
Option A - 5 people; 1 Mentor plus 4 "new" colleagues; goal is to launch the new foursome as one mentor and 3 mentees
Option B - 4 people TOGETHER; 1 Mentor plus 3 current Mentees: goal is to plan very specific steps to help a few more colleagues begin to use one of the TLT improvements from the work of this mentoring group
Option C - 3-5 people new to the Mentoring program; goal is to get them to agree to try one of the TLT improvements they have just learned about
IV. Activities - Individuals, Small GroupsExtend benefits of the Temple University "Faculty Mentors for the Future of Instructional Technology" Program to additional colleagues - today, tomorrow, beyond. Confirm by experience today the abundance of shareable, shareworthy LTAs and the options for sharing some of them soon with a few more colleagues - with the hope that even more sharing will follow.
Individuals - Identify shareworthy, low-threshold, shareable improvements;
Identify 2-3 receptive colleagues Small Groups - Introduce improvements; Describe receptive colleagues;
Develop sharing plan
INDIVIDUALS
A. Shareworthy, Low-Threshold, Shareable TLT Improvement
Identify shareworthy, low-threshold, shareable improvements from your own experience and/or activities within the Temple Mentoring Program and use a NoteTaking Bookmark (Paper or Online Option) to describe some of its essential features BRIEFLY, CLEARLY - just barely enough to help yourself and a colleague get started; e.g., Minimum: Brief title; brief description; at least one reference (URL/link, article, ...); contact information for someone willing to answer questions or provide a little additional support
Example of a shareworthy, low-threshold, shareable improvement - produced by small group during workshop Feb 4, 2011 "Learn, Teach, Learn" Activity 1. Students learn a new concept 2. Students prepare to teach this specific concept to peer students, using "their own way of teaching" 3. Students teach this specific concept to [some? many? one? optional?] peer students
Copy of paper bookmark first draft produced by this group and scanned with permission:
B. 2-3 Receptive Colleagues
Think of 2-3 receptive colleagues who might benefit from learning about your improvement - and who might be likely to help others - jot down their initials to help you recall later whom you intended to help. Write a phrase or sentence that explains why you selected these particular colleagues - what is it about them or about your relationship with them that makes you anticipate they would be receptive? that you would be comfortable offering them this information?
Alternative: Explain any factors that are likely to prevent you from offering your information to colleagues in the next few weeks or months.
SMALL GROUPS $$$
A. Introduce Improvements
Each introduce yourself and your improvement. Ask each other enough questions so that each of you understands all of the improvements in your group. Select one improvement (one of the easiest to begin to use); Ask the author enough questions and make suggestions to help the author clarify the description and to complete one copy of the "notetaking bookmark" about this improvement - legible enough to be scanned today and made available immediately online... beginning the collegial sharing process! As time permits, repeat this process with the other improvements brought to this group.
B. Describe Receptive Colleagues Explain the characteristics of the receptive colleagues you identified (or the preventive factors) to each other.
C. Develop Sharing Plan NOTE: Could be using one of the options described above as emerging from interviews. Develop a strategy to use <for example: paper bookmarks> for helping some of the receptive colleagues you have identified with one of the specific improvements you have discussed.
If time permits (or the paper bookmark is not a good fit for your improvement) develop a different kind of strategy for the same purpose.
V. Conclusion
- Report results in this session.
VI. After this Session - Extending Benefits Today, Beyond Us, Tomorrow!
Today - Complete more NoteTaking bookmarks during the breakout sessions and leave them <where?>.
- Activate individual TLTG memberships! Link to printable PDF bookmark - Return to ......
After Today
We've tried all the other alleged strategies and know they don't really work.
Let's try one we know has been working in spite of everything but can work even better now!
Flexibility, Safe Limits, Encouragement, Incentives, Community, Cumulative Support - Provide resources for sharing; Reduce obstacles and disincentives; Lower thresholds and expectations.
Cumulative Incremental Collaborative Improvement - Forever
3. What are some worthwhile improvements we can make quickly and easily? [Small steps]
4. How can we share more widely improvements that work well enough? How can we support collegial sharing?
5. How can we ensure additional improvements after these? And after those? And so on...?
6. How can we help more people take advantage more easily and more often of resources to which they are already entitled?
How can we reclothe the emperor? e.g., not only expose new misleading claims about online education as panacea, but also offer practical guidance?
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Responsibility for collegial support Impulse for collegial sharing Resistance Obstacle Benefits - selfish, small group, broader Learn from Teaching (Mentoring) What's exciting? What's mildly agreeable? What's distasteful? vs. Overwork vs. ostrich HOW MUCH OF THIS IS MERELY RESTATING WHAT IS BEING DONE BY MANY MOST OF THE TIME ANYWAY? SO WHAT? Do you know 1-3 colleagues who would welcome, be receptive, not resist your small steps, gentle small offers of help? How can collegial sharing help either/both sharer and sharee to feel less overwhelmed? more energized, empowered? Make thsi process more credible, easier, rewarding, invigorating, ...
BEGINNING - HOW THESE INTERVIEWS HAVE CONFIRMED, EXPOSED, HEARTENED, ... AND CONTROVERTED, ETC. Lots who really do care Lots who already help colleagues Lots who try new things to improve - small HARD TO FIND THE THINGS TO TRY AT THE RIGHT MOMENT - HARD TO RECOGNIZE GOOD MATCH BETWEEN VAGUE DISCOMFORT OR FRUSTRATION AND SPECIFIC NEW OPTIONS Real impediments - some subtle, some new - some not subtle or new! tenure/promotion; admin; workload; financial pressures changing demographics of learners, teachers VALUABLE TO TELL THE TRUTH VALUABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND LISTEN
lINKING OUR PROCESS OF "IMPROVING THE INSTITUTION" WITH THEIR OWN PERCEIVED MORE NARROW INTEREST OR COMMITMENT
mANY DO NOT SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN INSTITUTIONAL IMNPROVEMENT AND PERSONAL/FAC IMPROVEMENT TU mentoring is ONE kind of way to advance collegial sharing - 1 good way!
Temple U is a subscriber and therefore.... YOU HAVE ACCESS TO TLTG, CTL, ... AFTER TODAY! This work applies not only to Temple, but also to elsewhere - potential grant, book What we're learning elsewhere is helping us help Temple also LISTENING - WHO LISTENS?
Confirming What Faculty Know Confirming teh elusive obvious Overworked Want to improve T/L Can't change everything Know students neeeds, wants How to move forward
Nanovation Concept - smallest step(s); smallest meaningful things we can each do - singly and together Not very sexy, but really works - has worked in the past no matter what anyone did/didn;t; but now the conditions make it even more favorable for this kind of progress; Doing something that isn't wasteful, hurtful, hypocritical, unlikely to work or survive We've tried all the other alleged strategies and know they don't really work Let's try one we know has been working in spite of everything but can work even better now!
Let me tell you what people have been tellnig me.
BIG assessment is allegedly good for the Institution and hardly ever believably good for the individual Nanovation approach is certainly good for the individuals and veyr likely the most realistic way of improvign the institution
Wonderful examples of people collecting and organizing useful, valuable resiources BUT they don't amount to more than a hill of beans (Casablanca)
TwitterThank you for the “back channel(s)” suggestions. I have previously set up Twitter at other events using a designated hashtag and will gladly coordinate things for the TLTR2 Technology Day event. I’m in agreement with you that having a few strategically placed active tweeters are necessary to keep things lively and will try Visible Tweets as you suggest. Blogs are definitely a good idea for afterwards and the VisualsSpeak site looks really interesting. I’ll write up something and will send it out to everyone.
A Few Rights Reserved by the TLT Group, A Non-Profit Organization
Note: You can probably create a Web page more visually appealing than this one.
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