2010 Student Research Symposium - Our Undergrads ROCKED It!

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Readers,


Today was a very rewarding day! I admit, before attending the "Tarleton Student Research Symposium", I was quite nervous and excited (at the SAME time). However, the students in my COMS 304 - Interpersonal Communication and COMS 332 - Intercultural Communication courses ROCKED the symposium! They did such a GREAT job! By the way, these Google Docs EXPERTS created their collaborative papers using Google Documents, analyzed their data using Google Spreadsheets, and I created their presentations using Google Presentations (which they edited).


Two of our favorite librarians attended the symposium to support our students and to hear their research results! We APPRECIATE our LIBRARIANS! :)


Here are their abstracts - LINK.


Congratulations to such WONDERFUL undergraduate students!


Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Sustainability in the Classroom Events for Fall | Center for Teaching | Vanderbilt University

Sustainability in the Classroom Events for Fall | Center for Teaching | Vanderbilt University

I thought this article was REALLY neat! We had a "green" conference last year and I hope we incorporate some of these ideas from Vanderbilt University! :)

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Working with NINE Student Groups on Undergraduate Research Papers - Whew!

Readers,


This has been a very busy semester! It is been busy, yet VERY rewarding! Today, the Undergraduate Research Office at my institution just released the schedule for the "9th Annual - Tarleton State University - Student Research Symposium". Six of my student groups will present their research! I have been working TIRELESSLY helping them prepare their research papers and to distribute their surveys.


This was our grant proposal for the project:

To prepare for the “Diversity and Communication Research Symposium",  students in COMS 304, 332, and 406 will work in groups to write collaborative research papers focused on the course emphasis (interpersonal, intercultural, and group process/decision making) and diversity in the workplace. When the students finish their research papers, they will present their research at the symposium for students, faculty, staff, and members of the surrounding communities.

My colleague and faculty partner-in-crime - Cristi Horton, the students, the QEP committee, the library personnel, the undergraduate student body, my department head, the IRB committee, Career Services, and the Center for Diversity Initiatives have made this PROJECT WORK! It has been SIMPLY AMAZING! I hope the students will have their work published in an undergraduate journal OR an applicable scholarly journal. This is too exciting!


Read their titles and the symposium schedule here - http://www.tarleton.edu/studentresearch/student_research_symposium/Symposiumprogram2010.pdf 


In addition to my wonderful students' publication efforts, I've been serving in my roles for two state and regional associations. I am learning A LOT this semester and I hope this hard work will pay off in the end.


Any suggestions or words of encouragement? I am in SEVERE need of pep talk right now.


Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Considering grad school? Advice in a flat job market - USATODAY.com

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Considering grad school? Advice in a flat job market - USATODAY.com

Readers - As faculty, we have a responsibility to answer undergraduate students' questions about their future. This week, I met with an outstanding student in my department who did not have a resume for his job search. We met for an hour to prepare his resume and I left him with some "resume homework". He will send his resume back to me via e-mail and I will offer feedback. This will be an ongoing process.

Some undergraduate students are interested in attending graduate school and I remain objective. I present the positive and negative sides of this investment. Yes, it is an time and financial investment. It has been a great choice for me, but I do not try to infringe my beliefs on my students. 


For example, I incorporate undergraduate research in my courses and some people use this engagement tactic to recruit for their graduate programs, but I tell my students that they can incorporate these skills in their future career or their future endeavors (even if they plan to become a stay-at-home mom (or dad) - which a few students aspire to become). Anyone can incorporate scholarly research in their lives by gathering family perspectives on a subject while remaining objective or conducting research using scholarly databases. Many of my students are REALIZING this!

Grad school may not be for your students, but it is an option...and a job is an option as well! :)

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.