This Semester's Undergraduate Research Project (Spring 2011) - Interpersonal Communication

Readers,

This semester we are STILL working on undergraduate research papers in my upper-level communication courses (organizational communication and interpersonal communication). This year, they chose some very interesting topics! VERY INTERESTING topics!

Interpersonal Communication Topics

Millennial Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Trust Issues in Interpersonal Relationships

Millennial Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Stalking and Geo-Tagging on Social Networking Websites and Interpersonal Relationships

Millennial Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Security, Stalking, and Tagging on Social Networking Websites and Interpersonal Relationships

Online Dating Website Users' Perceptions of Technology and Interpersonal Relationships

Millennial Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Defriending on Facebook (My Sample Document for the Students)

I provide a sample document for the students and I provide feedback for the students throughout the semester! Very busy semester!

Unfortunately, we do not have a on-campus forum for the students to present their undergraduate research during the spring semester, but we will have a forum in the fall semester. However, I always have to think outside of the box and this semester I think that we will host a poster competition OR a webinar for the students to present their research.

If you have ANY ideas, PLEASE let me know. I am VERY open to ideas! :)

Sincerely,

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

My Academic Life is Organized By My iPad....

Readers,

It appears that iPads are here to stay! The iPad2 will be released in a few weeks and I am ready to get my hands on the NEW ONE! I use my iPad for EVERYTHING! Here's my top ten uses of the iPad (in no particular order).

1 - Presenting an electronic ticket when boarding a plane.
2 - Finding my way around a city via Google Maps.
3 - Constantly checking email.
4 - Presenting Groupon coupons at retail locations.
5 - Blogging and more blogging!
6 - Checking voicemail on Google Voice.
7 - Writing papers.
8 - Keeping myself accountable for completing tasks on Google Tasks.
9 - Grading papers on Blackboard.
10 - Conducting virtual office hours.

I use this wonderful device for MANY things! In addition to a professor's uses, several of my students use their iPads to play music on Pandora, check email, write reminders, and sometimes to take notes.

"iPads: A Bane or Boom to College Teaching?", an article by Josh Fischman in the Chronicle of Higher Education, explores a study highlighting students' usage of iPads in a college classroom. One interesting aspect of the study took place at the end of the course when students has the option of using iPads or a laptop on the Internet-based final examination in class. Only one student chose take their final examination on the iPad. Very interesting! I wonder did the study focus on the students' perceptions of the device as well. I wish that I was able to conduct such a study in my classroom! Here's the link to his article - http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/author/jfischman

Very interesting! What do you think about using iPads in your academic life or in your classroom? Contribute a comment! :)

Sincerely,

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

One Educator's Paperless Approach to Teaching Millennials

Readers,

One of my favorite bloggers, David Andrade (http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/) wrote about his paperless approach to his high school classroom. Higher education faculty and student affairs professionals can adopt some of these methods for their day-to-day activities as well!

Here are some of his wonderful ideas!

1. His students' lab reports, online work, and projects are all created electronically and submitted via e-mail or a web-based program. Then he grades the assignments on his mobile device.

2. He uses online resources(Google Docs, Discovery Education, web sites, and class blogs) in his classes instead of a textbook. In addition, he has access to the textbook pages and instructor resources in PDF format.

3. He stores information in "the cloud" (i.e. - Dropbox, Sugarsync, and Zumodrive), which enables him to access his documents at work, at home, and from any computer. 

4. He takes pictures of his whiteboard, students' posters, etc. and uploads the pictures on Evernote.

Here's the complete article - http://www.google.com/gwt/x?source=reader&u=http%3A%2F%2Fteachpaperless.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Funfettered-by-stuff-or-why-i-dont-lug.html

Amazing ideas! Share your teaching paperless ideas by typing in the comment box! :)

Sincerely,

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

Freebie Friday! Free Sample of Yogi Tea!

Readers,

It is almost SPRING BREAK! I desperately need a break and I imagine that you need a break as well! :) Take advantage of this offer to send one of your colleagues a free sample of Yogi Tea! Encourage them to return the favor!

http://www.yogiproducts.com/ecard

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