Mar 06

Fried Friday: Have a Problem? How Do You Make Toast?

Take 9 minutes (trust me they go really fast) to listen to this TED talk about solving problems and making toast! Tom Wujec discusses how nodes and links and visualizing your problems  (preferably with a team) can assist you in “solving wicked problems.”Click for Video

If you are intrigued, Wujec’s website provides you with step-by-step instructions on how to use his system to solve problems using eight simple steps: Prepare, Invite, Conduct, Reflect, Video, Draw Your Challenge, Share, and System. You’ll find this and more at Draw How To Make Toast.

And while you are at it, how do YOU make toast?? Feel free to share a drawing with us.

Enjoy your weekend!

Mar 05

Best Practices for Flipping Classes – Free Programs for UAS Faculty

available now red square stamp
The UAS Sitka Campus Title III program is happy to provide you with another FREE professional development opportunity! The Flipped Classroom 4-Pack from Magna Publications is now available for you to view. If there is interest, we will schedule a future roundtable to discuss the programs. Please let us know in the comments if you are interested in participating in the roundtable discussion.

Integrating flipping strategies into your classroom promotes student engagement, challenges students to address higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and increases student success and learning. Discover flipping insights and strategies that you can employ in any lesson in any course. These programs will ease you into the flipped learning environment and will help you successfully flip your classroom.

Each program listed below includes a 20 minute presentation, PowerPoint handout, supplemental material, facilitator’s discussion guide, transcript, and a reflection worksheet.

How Can I Structure a Flipped Lesson?
This program will bring you up to speed on the most current approaches to flipping and will give you a four-part structure for a flipped lesson.

What is Storyboarding? And How Can It Help Me Flip My Class?
Discover three distinct strategies for storyboarding and how to use each to create a video for a flipped class.

What Are 5 FAQs About Faculty Roles in the Flipped Class?
In this program, Honeycutt and Warren discuss the most common questions they have been asked about flipping and share successful strategies they have used in the classroom.

Where Can I Find Flippable Moments in my Classes?
Identify flippable moments and how to get the best results when you do.

For more information on the programs and presenters, visit Magna Publications’ website. To gain access to the programs, you will need to log in below with your UAS username and password.

Access the Flipped Classroom 4-Pack

Image credit: iStockPhoto.com/Aquir

Mar 02

Higher Education or “HIRE” Education?

Diploma and jobsThere’s no denying that we’re facing some very tight financial challenges in higher education. Added to our institution’s financial issues, students are also encountering higher tuition rates and, for many, a bleak post-graduation job landscape. Two questions seem to be asked more frequently in the news, online, and by funding agencies. 1) What is the purpose of higher education? 2) Should our students expect to be job-ready upon completing college?

eCampusNews recently published University places 98 percent of grads in careers-here’s how which described Bently University. I went to the Bentley University website to take a closer look. Their HIGHER Education program shows a serious focus on HIRE Education with four key stages and some pretty interesting checklists for students that are available on the web.

A quick Google search on key phrase such as “university focus on jobs” will show you many universities claim that they are connecting their scholars with employers and focusing on skills. Many claim to support a shift from preparing minds for the future to a more skill-based, hands-on workforce development focus. In January 2013, Yojana Sharma warns readers in A focus on skills increasingly links higher education with employment, that “with a constantly shifting work environment, the skills that can “make a difference’ are hard to pin down.” Sharma quotes Postiglione, professor of education at Hong Kong University, as stating “Perhaps the most important skill in the 21st century is to be adaptable.”

I found these articles of interest and hope that we can schedule time (perhaps a future roundtable) to discuss our campus philosophy. Are we for higher education, or for hire education, or both? I look forward to your comments.

Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com@idealistock

 

Feb 27

Fried Friday: Productive and Fun, Our Visit to Sitka

It was certainly wonderful to spend the week with our Sitka colleagues. Visiting with so many of you was a real treat for both Tina and myself. And, the entire team appreciates all the valuable feedback that you all gave us as we walked about the building meeting with you individually, and at our “campfire reception” Wednesday. Your comments, ideas and suggestions are  making a huge impact on our planning for the May and June iTeach/iCamp sessions for Juneau and Sitka. Sign up before the deadline so you don’t miss out. And, if you haven’t had a chance to put suggestions on our planning board or have other ideas– please come and share them with us soon.

And thanks too for the sunshine on Thursday! Wow. What a spectacular place.

Sitka February 25

photo credit: Tina

The Banff Mountain Film Festival on Wednesday was amazing. One of my favorite inspirational films was Cedar Wright and Alex Honnold, who biked and climbed towers all around the Southwest for Sufferfest 2: Desert Alpine. If your students think they are suffering in your classes, you might recommend that they watch these two young men as they climb and bike through beautiful and amazingly difficult terrains. And suffer. But through the suffering they show a compelling view of the rewards that hard work and hard playing can offer. Click the image below to read more about these two inspiring athletes and watch a portion of their video adventure.

click for video

 

And, if that isn’t enough to make you want to dig deep and do more with your own lives, how about Ellen’s showcasing some pretty amazing high IQ kids on “Is Andy Smarter than a Kid  Genius?”

Click for video

 

Fun stuff!

So, thanks for a great week and have a great weekend everyone.

Feb 25

Faculty Open House Today!

Faculy Open House Invite
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
11 am – 12 pm
Room 215 Sitka Campus

Feb 24

Tech Tuesday: Have You Tried VoiceThread?

VoiceThread is offering some free workshops in March and April to help you get started using VoiceThread and to focus on how this tool can enhance communication in your current classroom. These workshops cover both the pedagogy and the how-to aspects of the tool.

What exactly is VoiceThread? It’s a cloud-based tool(no software to download) that allows you to create a sense of presence with your voice. Students can speak using a headset, a telephone, or a mobile device. They can even upload an audio file. You and your students can annotate or draw on slides while speaking. Your VoiceThread can be private or public. Currently we have a license for faculty while students creating their own VoiceThread can use the free version.

Click on the Free Workshop image below to sign up for these workshops.

voicethreadworkshops

Feb 20

Fried Friday: National “Love Your Pet Day!” Really??

Seriously, who knew that today was National Love Your Pet Day. As if we don’t love our pets every single day of the year! In honor of this important day, we’ve unearthed a few pet videos for you (thank you Nicole and Tina). I had to try pretty hard to tie this post to education even very loosely.

Faculty often lament that their students want to be spoon fed information rather than thinking and forming their own connections to content and information. Actually, instructional designers often hear that some of the course design elements that we insist on are enabling students rather than assisting them to find information easily. Research tells us that there is a huge difference between creating a clutter-free course and spoon feeding students. And, as discussed in previous posts on learner feedback, we believe that instructors need to help students become self-reliant thinkers.

Clearly, the two videos below indicate a level of laziness far beyond anything we’ve observed! Lazy, but perhaps not intellectually lazy–these guys are pretty clever actually.

 

Click for Lazy Cat video
Click for Lazy Dog Video

 

Enjoy your Friday and your weekend!

 

Feb 17

Tech Tuesday – Healthy Computer Ergonomics

We all know that correct posture, regular breaks and proper adjustment of equipment can help prevent stresses on our bodies, carpal tunnel syndrome, vision problems, and back or neck pain. But we also get busy or lazy and forget these things until our bodies remind us! Tina found this quick YouTube video with basic tips for adults and children using laptops at home, work or school. Click play to see how a few, simple modifications can make a big difference!

 

Feb 16

Celebrating Presidents Day Today

As we celebrate Presidents’ Day, let us also remember the legacy of an amazing Alaska Native who pioneered Civil Rights decades before Martin Luther King. Today is Elizabeth Peratrovich’s birthday, and here is a link that beautifully honors her legacy. Alaska is better for her efforts. Let’s pause for a moment to reflect on how she has enriched our lives today.

 

A Brief History of Presidents Day

Feb 13

Fried Friday: Can Pheromones Really Get You a Date?

Valentine’s Day is soon upon us but the American Chemical Society wants you to think twice about using spray-on pheromone products that claim to help you attain love at first smell!

Check out their video Can Pheromones Get You a Date? and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Click video to begin

Oh, and for those of you who need just a touch more silliness before this holiday, try clicking on CollegeHumor’s The Simpons 16-Step Guide to Finding Love on Valentine’s Day by Joel Stice from 2014.

Enjoy!