Adopt This Technology - Prezi (A Great Review from Dr. Lora Helvie-Mason)

Readers,

Have you heard of a great online software called Prezi? Dr. Lora Helvie-Mason, a good friend and fellow blogger, recently posted a great blog entry on Prezi! 

Here is a small exert from her blog post!

Prezi, found at www.prezi.com, creates a zooming flow or conceptual map of your presentation that is not limited to the confines of a slide. When you are ready for a certain topic, the screen zooms toward that topic, it becomes the center of the screen and sized to be viewed as the focal point. When you transition, the screen shifts to your next topic and again situates that as the new focal point. Though PowerPoint can be incredibly useful and professional, students often type every word of their presentation on each slide and then read from it. Prezi allows a less-rigid display of knowledge which seems to enhance the students' abilities to speak extemporaneously.

Prezi sounds like a GREAT instructional tool and it seems relatively easy to learn! After reading Dr. Lora's recommendation, I will definitely take a few days to learn how to use Prezi in my classroom! Great job, Dr. Lora!

Sincerely,

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

Going Green on Campus - A Professor's Personal Journey Towards a Green Lifestyle

Readers,


Over the past few semesters, I adopted a green lifestyle to help myself (and my students) make a small attempt to save the planet. Here are some lifestyle changes that I adopted:


1 - I stopped my daily dates with the department copier and I placed all of my class handouts and activities online. The only item that I give my students is a six page syllabus (front and back).


2 - I converted my midterm and final examinations from paper to electronic format by coping and pasting the items to Blackboard, our university's content management system, Blackboard.


3 - I give students a "note card" mini-quiz, in which the students complete two questions related to the chapter. These note cards use less paper and consume less space in my briefcase, while also enabling me to "go green" at the same time.


4 - I recycle all my printed paper. This include materials received via mail, articles, and students' notes.


5 - I print on both sides of pieces of paper. 


6 - I do not print conference schedules and also I do not take home conference bags. As a result, I minimize the amount of materials in my luggage. :)


7 - I use a reusable water bottle.


8 - I decorate my office with professional, yet trendy items from Goodwill.


9 - I use florescent light bulbs in my office.


10 - I use Google Documents in class to help the students avoid printing costs. Through this process, I always have access to the students' papers and they do not have to print a final copy of their papers.


11 - I practice organic gardening and consume my own veggies!


12 - I use my iPad to read academic papers and books.


These are my SIMPLE, yet effective ways to go green. I would love to read your green practices as well! :)


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

Planning a University-Wide Event for the Communication Studies Department - Environmental Communication Week

Readers,


This week, I am excited about Environmental Communication Week! I am working with my partner in crime, Prof. Cristi Horton and two student interns. At first, we thought that this week would only include four events planned by our small committee. However, then we developed a bright idea to e-mail a "Call for Events" to the rest of the faculty, staff, and students at our university. 


After our first e-mail, I was very discouraged by the lack of responses. However, I tried a new approach with my new social media marketing technique that I developed for my academic department, "A Note from the TarletonCOMSDept". This marketing technique included a checklist (action items) in the subject time:


Subject Line - A Note from the TarletonCOMSDept: 1) Submit an event for Environmental Communication Week, 2) Look at the schedule for ECW 2011


Yes, I know that it is a long subject line, but through our "action item" based e-mail, we received over 15 e-mail messages from people who were formerly uninterested in ECW2011. Through this experience, I have been asked by one of the professors from the engineering department to write a grant and I also met a wealth of people whom I formed great working relationships.


This has been a great experience! Check out our schedule of events: http://www.tinyurl.com/environmentalcommunicationweek


Sincerely,


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

Freebie Friday! - Get PAID to Recycle! Earn Money to Purchase Items for Classroom Giveaways!

Readers,

Yes, this is another FREEBIE Friday! Today's freebie is actually more of a money maker for you. Every time I have empty ink cartridges at home, I carry them to the local office supply store for recycling. In return, I receive a gift card in the mail, which I use to purchase materials for my students and giveaways for conferences.

Here is a list of other programs through which you can get paid to recycle! Use the money for your classes! :) Thanks About.com: Frugal Living!

Office Depot

Take your empty ink and toner cartridges to Office Depot for recycling, and you'll earn $2 in Worklife Rewards for each one. Limit 20 cartridges per month.

Staples

Recycle your empty ink and toner cartridges at Staples, and you'll get $2 in Staples Rewards for each one. Limit 10 per month.

Target

Pull out those reusable bags before you head to Target. Each one you use (in place of a Target bag), will get you five cents off of your purchase.

Am I missing some recycling programs? Please let me know! :)

Sincerely, 

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