Doug's 565A e-portfolio

Reading through the different frameworks we’ve looked at so far, I find that the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education speaks to me the strongest.  There’s no doubt that the SECTIONS framework from Bates and Poole also resonates, but some of the elements are more focused on institutional and managerial aspects.  These are exactly the kinds of issues I dealt with as a mechanical engineer and operations manager, and less so in my present circumstances as a secondary school classroom teacher.

With the Seven Principles, I really appreciate the attention given to encouraging contact between students and faculty (teachers).  I immediately recognize the asynchronous communication that Chickering and Erhrman describe in the teaching that I have done.  For example, it was somewhat common for me to speak with a student during class time and agree that some type of help would be beneficial prior to an upcoming assignment.  However, despite that I believe I created an open, safe and approachable relationship with my students, it was very rare that a timely and constructive dialogue would occur between me and my students outside of class hours.  However, by effectively implementing a forum/chat/email system (or similar), I would hope that after-class communications could become very beneficial and a drastic improvement upon the current face-to-face encounters which are quite limited.

Closely tied to the above is the principle of giving prompt feedback.  Tools like the Blackberry epitomize the importance and usefulness of being prompt in responding to peers, bosses and subordinates in the workplace, and I think this analogy carries straight over to education.  From my own studies, I know that I really appreciate timely feedback to questions that I have.  There are a few key benefits to being prompt.  First, it gives each person the highest likelihood of dealing with questions and answers in an efficient manner.  Secondly, being prompt is the best way to ensure that queries are discussed while the thoughts are fresh in one’s mind.

By using a system and framework that allows for strong student / teacher contact in a prompt manner, the students will be encouraged and empowered to be proactive in their learning.

I just came across this article on Teresa Dove, who was recently awarded America’s first-ever K-12 Online Teacher of the Year.  I won’t go into what I actually think of such an award…  Dove listed what she felt were the 5 most important things for online education and Ithought I would list them here given as a compare/contrast with Chikering and Gamson’s Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education.

1. Keep the student at the center of every decision that needs to be made.

2. Foster relationships with students and parents, because parents can be a teacher’s biggest help.

3. Talk with your students every day by phone. Dove said that the majority of her day is spent talking directly with students to build a one-on-one relationship with each of them

4. Celebrate every effort and success, no matter how big or small.

“Always be positive in your feedback, even if the assignment may not be stellar. The written word is so powerful online, and you always want your students to feel that you are cheering them on and appreciate their hard work,” she explained.

5. Build relationships with fellow teachers. Share resources, best practices, and stories to feel less isolated or alone in the home office.

“This is one of the greatest things about my Algebra II department,” said Dove. “There is always someone there to give advice, lend a helping hand, or share something they have created.”

I think the order of the standards is no coincidence. My initial impression is that “facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity” and “design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessment” are the most important and unique aspects of the standards. The last two standards are almost generic in nature and can be applied to many different disciplines with a few changes in words.

I suppose that I’ve been dabbling aspects that deal with the 2nd standard for a year or so. But the trick, and the thing I’m pretty sure I know little to nothing about, is meeting the goals of the 1st standard. To me, this is the key to the digital-age teaching professional. Perhaps we are still very much in the infancy of knowing how to create digital methods, media and tools that are not only engaging but also able to reveal conceptual understanding and thinking. And if we are in the infancy, then that is encouraging because there are already a lot of tools that let students explore creativity and cognitive constructions. For example, from the student side we have things like glogster and prezi, which are engaging and improve upon some of the more traditional paradigms.