The List of topics to be covered by the teaching program include the following list:
1. Learning Styles
2. How to Deliver a Successful Lecture
3. How to Facilitate Small Group Learning
4. Human Rights and Equity Issues in Teaching
5. How to Teach Critical Thinking and Writing Skills
6. Principles of Instructional Design
7. Technology and Teaching
8. Assessing Student Learning
9. Pedagogy Theories
10. Is a statement of teaching philosophy, the part am yet to complete, but the other topics have been touched upon at least to some extent except for #7.
So lets hit #7, and blend the rest along the way. Lets go, we've got a stew to make.
Technology and teaching.
In an effort to get creative within the bounds of an academic world that is seeing vast changes in terms of the rise of student apathy and disengagement, I have decided to counter the problem while trying to employ technology to feign for some sort of engagement and interactivity with students by employing a blog.
Most students, I say most, because I am referring to the majority of undergrads who happen to be between 17 and 30 years of age, have come of age at a time when the internet has become a main source and medium of communication. Less and less do we see any 'actual' participation between students on a get-together level. Rather, students are increasingly kept 'connected' with their friends and classmates through digital mediation.
Sites like myspace and the increasingly popular facebook have managed to corner the college market into having to make the choice to 'get on' to lose touch. In a sense, if a student chooses not to join an online network they run the risk of losing touch and virtually disappearing. These issues have been widely discussed and the social implications will continue to be a major topic of study and conversation for years to come. See: http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue11_12/bigge/index.html
for a discussion.
To return to age and users, one must also recognize that there is a proposed limit to who can stay connected through these virtual channels. Those without access, or with limited access to a computer and the internet, also run the risk of having a difficult time with this form of connectivity. Age and class seem to be factors, among others, that determine 'user status.'
To return to my project and the class I am currently TA'ing:
Sociology of Disability: a fourth year offering.
I was fortunate in the fact that I attended this class the year previous and now have the opportunity to provide assistance as a TA.
This class has allowed me the freedom to provide input into the structure of the class, the outline, the reading list, the films to be watched, the subject material, many opportunities to practice student assessment. Additionally I have been afforded the opportunity to be responsible for the grading and monitoring of participation of students in an online forum.
Also, I have been granted time and space to create a weeks worth of lecture material and deliver the discussions in the manner I saw best fit. I will return to my experience of planning, structuring and delivering later. At present i want to discuss the BLOG.
The impetus behind the blog was to create an online forum for discussion about the topic of disability studies. Much thought went into creating a motivational system that would allow the Blog to function in a manner that was productive.
The final decision was to give marks to students for participation. In total 15% of the class mark is devoted to this section of the class. The requirement is three fold. 5% each. The first part is to post one of the comment papers that a student has written online. (This section is pretty much a giveaway because the students already have to write 4 comment papers anyways for the class, by posting it, they just have to take a piece they have already written and make it public on the blog. To get the other 10% of the grade, students need to make at least 2 substantial comments on their classmates posts). In a sense the effort level for a student is relatively low, but should they complete the tasks they are awarded with the full 15%.
The blog is also designed in a way to foster online discussion of any topic related to disability studies or the class in general. At first the majority of posts dealt explicitly with technical difficulties that students faced while trying to get onboard with the blog.
A technical point: Since LU email is provided by GOOGLE, access to BLOGGER is rather seamless because the companies are the joined.
Once the technical difficulties passed and the whole class managed to find time to join the blog began to roll at its own speed. Moderation was provided by myself and the course instructor. The blog also, largely took over any of the roles that WEbCt may have provided in the past. When given the choice I decided to stay away from WebCt and use the blog instead as a way to introduce a popular modern online format to a class that had largely been unaware of Blogging or it's possibilities.
There was some apprehension from students about the prospect of having their writing being made public, but the fact that their first post (the comment paper) had already been given a grade allowed them the freedom to choose what to post, and to only post that which they felt comfortable with and had been approved (graded).
Additionally, students and the moderators have been using the blog to create links between the academic discussion of disability as a topic of study and a world of practicality and 'reality.' In this sense the blog has provided a way to create links between discussion and other forms of movement accessible through links. Things like videos from YouTube and other disability resources online have been linked in order to draw out or expand the experience that has begun in the classroom. To open a door to the world of real life disability has been a major goal and motivation. Plus, the blog provides a definitive location that students can point their friends, families and others towards, a place that offers the public an entry into a specific discussion.
Meaning that the blog offers an opportunity for discussion to flow, between the students and the teacher, between students, and outwards - including a seemingly infinite community accessible by web.
When a post has been made that offers an opportunity for much discussion, the communication is completely logged and is made available for other to join in at any time.
Certainly, a major consideration of this experimental project was 'how will the class respond, will they use it at all.' In response to this I must say that the Blog has exceeded my expectations. Students have become active in writing and responding. Some have become more involved, posting more frequently and on more whimsical topics that tend to stimulate short discussion all on their own, without the apparent need for valorization through awards of grades.
Thanks to the class, my project can be called a success. Since there is little or no time outside of class time where students may otherwise gather to discuss the issues I feel that the Blog has taken the place of face to face interactions which have seemingly disappeared. Additionally, the blog provides its own kind of accessibility, especially to students of a privileged university like Lakehead - providing a space free of the constraints of time. Also, the forum allows for links to be made between students who may otherwise feel uncomfortable discussion issues in class. The internet provides a blending of space that allows for comfort and anonymity as well as the support through various channels and networks to gather and discuss specific issues.
The blog also offered the students an opportunity to do something that is seldom if ever offered. They were able to interact with their classmates by reading and contemplating their posts. By reading others writings, students were afforded access into a world that most often remains closed. Students could gain an understanding and a knowledge of a topic from a different perspective as well as learn from others writings. Since the skills of writing seem to be disappearing, it seems important to me to have students read their peers work and critically analyze it. This is done through the second step where students are expected to make critical comments on their fellow students writings. In this sense, small group discussions may be formed as students work interactively on quite a personal level to generate a deeper understanding of pertinent issues.
I will return to my adventures in delivering a lecture at a later time
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