Forming Teams and Breaking Ice: Ways to Increase Student Interaction and Engagement in the College Classroom

Faculty/Trainers,


Are you looking for some GREAT team building activities for the beginning of the semester? Try this link - http://adulted.about.com/od/icebreakers/tp/topten2009.htm.

This website features MANY activities and ideas including the following team builders:

1. Human Bingo (College students LOVE this one!)

2. Marooned (I've never tried this one.)

3. 2 Minute Mixer (i.e. - SPEED DATING in CLASS...)

4. The Power of Story

5. Table Topics (i.e. - Informative Speeches OR Conversation Starters)

6. Would You Rather...

7. If You Had a Magic Wand (I cannot WAIT to try this one!)

8. Where in the World?

9. Photo Scavenger Hunt

10. The Name Game

Let me know what you think? Please post some other great team builders by replying to this message. :)

Thanks!

Millennial Professor 


Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

I Admit It, I am a Binge Grader..

Millennial Professor Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Readers,

This summer, I am teaching the second half of my online course and I am a few days behind in grading. Okay, maybe I assigned a little too much in my online course, but I did not want to make this online course any less rigorous than my face-to-face course.

Binge Grading Explained
As a result, I have a lot of assignments to grade. Between the Google Doc assignments and the blackboard assignments, my days are consumed with grading. Not only do I grade one assignment, but I tend to grade SEVERAL assignments at one time (BINGE GRADING). I do not like grading assignments at office when the door is open. Here are my favorite spots for grading student assignments AND writing scholarly papers:

Five of My Favorite Binge Grading Spots!
1. Starbucks or Hastings
2. Riding in the Car
3. Marriott Hotels (free breakfast and free coffee/tea at anytime)
4. My Backyard
5. The Home Office I share with my husband.

My favorite time to grade papers is REALLY early in the morning (6 am to 9 am) at my desk in my home office or in a Marriott hotel room from 9 pm to 2 am.

Grading Papers with a SIZEABLE Amount of Feedback...
When I grade my students' assignments, I strive to give them a wealth of feedback.
If they spent time writing a paper, I am going to read the paper and contribute at least 20 to 30 comments per paper.

Ironically, yesterday I discovered an article titled "Students Mostly Satisfied, But Welcome Faculty Feedback on Papers". This article focuses on my undergraduate experiences, where I received letter or numerical grades on my paper but I did not know how I earned the grade. There were red marks on the front page, but I am not sure if the professor read past the first couple of pages. Not surprisingly, I am one of those people who strives to read EVERY SINGLE page that a student submits. This is a very time consuming task, but I really want to READ what the students write in their papers!

Google Documents Spoils Me...The Feedback Monster!
I adopt new technologies like Google Docs to provide instant feedback on their process (even before the paper is due). I configure the document to send me updates via e-mail whenever the document is modified. Several students contributed comments on an informal survey on Google Docs that I dispersed in the spring.

Are YOU a BINGE GRADER? If so, contribute your FAVORITE grading spots!

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
Millennial Professor

Twitter in the Classroom - 200+ News Articles

One of my favorite resources for classroom technology ideas is the Centre for Learning And Performance Technologies

Recently, this organization released a list of 200 Twitter-related news articles. Great resource!

How to use Twitter for Social Learning
200+ articles and resources about Twitter for Learning
http://c4lpt.co.uk/socialmedia/twitterrl.html

Millennial Professor
Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

iPod Touch: Classroom Response System

Millennial Professor Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.


This YouTube video describes the process for creating an assessment on Google Docs and having students answer assessment questions on an iPod Touch. Student responses can be displayed using a projector or interactive whiteboard.

Textbook Companies and Information Disclosure - How IS the new edition of the book different?

This shall be VERY interesting! When I was a college student, I really appreciated USED books and professors who provided options for cheaper course materials and books. However, there were some professors who required students to purchase bundled packages. Some of which I still have in boxes at my parents' house (along with my course notebooks).

Students May See Some Gains Through New Textbook Rules
by Charles Dervarics , July 8, 2010


In 2010, it seems that textbook companies will be required to disclose the following pieces of information to students and faculty:

Part of the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act, the changes took effect July 1. “This change makes sure that all of the information is on the table,” said Nicole Allen, textbook advocate for The Student PIRGs, an organization affiliated with the consumer group U.S. PIRG.

Other changes in the rules would:

• Require publishers to provide bookstores with their wholesale prices.

• Require publishers to provide descriptions of changes made in a new addition compared to previous ones.

• Require publishers to offer textbooks and supplemental materials individually  rather than just in so-called “bundles” that may include books, CDs and DVDs. 



Millennial Professor Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

A Community Reading Program - Can We Apply These Ideas in Our Clasrooms?

This summer, I decided to do something fun (besides just teaching class) and I decided to join the local library book club. Everthing is online and the program functions like a scavenger hunt. Here are the tasks (Total - 300 pts.)

BARC Task List

10 points

1. Read a book with some form of number in the title. Numerals or spelled out numbers.

2. Read a book with an author that uses 3 or more names.

3. Read a book with an author that uses only initials for a first name.

4. Read a book that has a word in the title that is in a language other than English.

5. Read a book with a food in the title.

6. Read a book with a “beach” word in the title. Beach, sand, surf, tide, shell, sea, ocean.

7. Read a book set in the mountains or in a mountainous region or with the word mountain or the name of a mountain in the title.

8. Read a book set in a big city or with the word city or the name of a big city in the title. (We will define big as one million or more population.) New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Dallas, San Diego.

9. Read a book about something you consider to be a hobby or with a hobby in the title. Scrapbooking, reading, sewing, quilting, etc.

10. Read a book with the name of a character in the book in the title.

11. Read a book that has a setting on a continent other than North America.

12. Read a book that is set in a state other than Texas.

13. Read a book that has maps in it. Either within the actual story or illustrated on the inside cover.

14. Read a book that includes something other than printed words. Some kind of graphics. Illustrations, handwriting, pictures, etc. Maps do not count.

15. Read a book about a sport or game that is played outside or a book that has a sport or game that is played outside in the title. Soccer, baseball, Frisbee, football, golf, etc.

16. What should I read next? Ever wonder if there was another author you might like. Go to this website and enter a book that you have read and read one of the books that it recommends. www.whatshouldireadnext.com

17. Read the Book Club Selection for June~~How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely. (You may start reading this book before June 1st, but must finish it after June 1st to earn the points.)

18. Attend the Book Club Meeting on June 3 @ 6:30 p.m. in the Library Meeting Room.

19. Read the Book Club Selection for July~~Homer & Langley by E. L. Doctorow.

20. Attend the Book Club Meeting on July 1 @ 6:30 p.m. in the Library Meeting Room.

1. Trains, planes, automobiles~~Read two books with two different forms of transportation either in the title or with traveling in the storyline. Trains, automobiles, airplanes, walking, running, jogging, bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, hot-air balloons, etc.

2. Read a book by an author that has published only one book. Then read a book by an author that has published 10 or more books.

3. Read a book that is over 300 Pages.

4. In honor of Summer School~~Discover The Equation For Good Books-Pick 2 Of The Following...

• Addition - Add Up The Number Of Letters Found In Your First and Last Names Then Read A Book Written By An Author Whose Name Contains The Same Number Of Letters. Ex. For Me That Would Be 13 Letters So I Could Read A Book Written By Elizabeth Berg.

• Subtraction - Subtract The Number Of Letters Found In Your Whole Name (First, Middle, Last) From Your Age And Read A Book With That Many Letters Or Words In The Title. Ex. I'm 43 And My Name Has 17 Letters Which Would Mean I Could Read A Book With 26 Letters In The Title Such As The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

• Multiplication - Multiply Your Age By The Number Of Letters In Your Whole Name (First, Middle, Last) And Read A Book With Approximately That Number Of Pages (+/- 25 Pages). If Your Total Is Less Than 100 Pages You Would Need To Read A Book Between 100-125 Pages. Ex. 43*17 = 731 So I Would Need To Read A Book Between 706 And 756 Pages Such As Dragonfly in Amber.

• Division - Divide The Year You Were Born By Your Age (Round That Number To The Nearest Whole Number) And Then Read A Book That Is That Number In A Series. Ex. 1967/43 Is Equal To Approximately 46 Therefore I Would Need To Read A Book That Is The 4th Or 6th In A Series.

5. In honor of our co-operation with the Summer Reading Club~~Read 2 books that are considered Young Adult or Juvenile.

MY COMPLETED TASKS!

10.1 - 200 Vegetable Growing Basics by Richard Bird
10.2 - Teaching with the Tools Kids Really Use by Susan Brooks-Young
10.3 - How to Speak Your Spouse's Language
10.5 - Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recipes for Busy Moms
10.8 - Rework - by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hanson
10.9 - Ask: The 1000 Most Asked Questions about Gardening by Daphne Ledward
10.13 - Fodor's Boston 2010 by Fodor's
10.14 - Organizational Communication - Foundations, Challenges, and Misunderstandings by Daniel P. Modaff, Sue Dewine, & Jennifer Butler

20.3 - Real Communication: An Introduction by Dan O'Hair & Mary Wiemann
20.5 - Gallop!: A Scanimation Picture Book (Scanimation) & Cat by Matthew VanFleet and Brian Stanton

POINT TOTAL - 120 pts.
*If you have ANY ideas for books, please let me know! I plan to use some of the scavenger hunt ideas in a future course!

Millennial Professor
Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.