Environmental Communication Week 2011 @ Tarleton State University - Day One

Readers,

The first day of Environmental Communication Week 2011 was a success! Here is a list of the events we had today...

View the pictures of today's events here - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.211955785500764.60528.140559722640371&l=e54dff022b

12PM - 1PM

Minute to Win It - Green Edition (Environmental Communication Week Kickoff!) 

Where: MATH 109

Description: Just like the popular TV show, this event will enable participants to progress through increasingly difficult levels to win the ULTIMATE GRAND PRIZE for Environmental Communication Week!!!

To discover more information about Minute to Win It, CLICK HERE.

1PM - 2PM

Texas: The STATE of Water (How Water Affected Our Past, Affects Our Present, and Will Affect Our Future

Presented By: Dr. Carol Thompson

Where: Dick Smith Library Multipurpose Room

Description: An interactive lecture on the global water crisis and how it affects YOU!

2PM - 3PM

Green Printing @ Tarleton: Can You Accept the Challenge?

Presented By: The Dick Smith Library and the Center for Instructional Technology and Distributed Education

Where: Dick Smith Library Multipurpose Room

Description: Participate in an interactive session focused on how to GO GREEN while accomplishing your research tasks and/or working in your office! Find out about HOW to adopt a green printing lifestyle at Tarleton for individuals AND offices! Door prizes will be available.

3PM - 4PM

Political Perceptions of Environmental Problems in Europe

Presented By: Dr. Jeff Justice

Where: Dick Smith Library Instruction Classroom

Description: How do individuals from various political parties view the environmental problems? Discover the role of politics in addressing environment problems in America. This is an interactive lecture.

We had a great time today! I cannot wait to see what tomorrow has in store for our students! :)

Sincerely,

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

Freebie Friday! - "Go Green" Products! (Trees AND Reusable Bags)

Readers,


Today's Freebie Friday post is focused on environmental products! Order these products and use them for examples in your classroom and/or as classroom giveaways!


I plan to feature these products on next week's Twitter feed for Environmental Communication Week! Follow us TarletonSpeech OR use the hashtag #ECW2011! :)

FREE TREE @ Lowes!
On Saturday, April 23rd, Lowes will give away one million trees! The grading crunch is starting! Visit the store on this day to start your backyard (stress free) zone! For more information - LINK

FREE REUSABLE BAG @ Target!
Visit Target on Sunday, April 17th and receive a free reusable bag! Use this bag to take homework (or goodies) to your students in class OR give the bag away next week as part of a classroom learning opportunity! For more information - LINK.


Have a great weekend!


Sincerely,


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

Undergraduate Research Week 2011 - Campus and Local Events

Readers,


I am very happy to recognize several universities for their programming initiatives during Undergraduate Research Week! While our university did not have a designated event, but we received an awesome e-mail from the Student Research and Creative Activities Director who highlighted the national initiative! :) 


I am also very pleased to see several Texas higher education institutions on the list! 


University of North Texas
University of Texas El Paso
University of Texas Permian Basin


Here is a link to the list: http://www.cur.org/urwevents.html

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

Undergraduate Research Week 2011 - Incorporating Undergraduate Research in My Courses (A Reflection)

Readers,

This semester has been filled of great ideas, wonderful opportunities, and enjoyable experiences. One of these wonderful opportunities include my presentations at various academic conferences and traveling with students and listening to their presentation at the Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference. Through these experiences, I have had time to gain new points of view of my research and research strategies through the eyes of my undergraduate students.

Each semester, I integrate undergraduate research in each of my upper-level undergraduate courses (Fall - Interpersonal Communication and Intercultural Communication; Spring - Interpersonal Communication and Organizational Communication).  Through this integration process, I adopt a scaffolding approach to teach my undergraduate students about the research process and we progress through the steps of the process every week.

During the first week of class, I introduce the undergraduate research experience in my syllabus. Most of the students have never had an undergraduate research experience and an overwhelming majority of the students feel undergraduate research is something that happens in the science department. After explaining the social science research approach and helping the students realize that they CAN do it, the process becomes easier and the students start to select their groups and their research topics. Through their selection of their own topic and creating the problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions, the students start the process of creating a literature review.

They start to take ownership of their projects and become "experts" in their chosen section of their research topic. As a professor (especially near the end of the research project), I discover that the students truly embrace their research and they are able to apply the results of their research as they form conclusions, implications, and suggestions for further research. Usually, the research projects conclude around five to six weeks before the end of the semester we are able to apply the results from their research to the final chapters of their textbook. I think that research is one of the best ways of helping students understand the course material and it enables undergraduate students to "own" their research and to hone (or merely start) the critical thinking process (which is important for higher education and the workplace).

Sincerely,

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