Considering Situational Factors

Considering Situational Factors

A few years ago, I attended weekend seminar “Designing Courses for More Significant Learning” – a prior version of NMC’s August professional development program. I used Dee Fink’s approach twice in major course designs, and I’ve...
Lessons from a Microwave

Lessons from a Microwave

Our over-the-range microwave oven experienced a meltdown this week. After we’d turned in for the night, an unusual noise emanated from “somewhere else” in the house. A short jaunt through dark hallways found our microwave’s door wide open, a...
Priorities

Priorities

Remember the dull, disappointed feeling you get whenever a capable student does just enough to get by? Apparently not learning anything significant from your carefully architected lesson plans? Ignoring your enthusiasm? Attending in body but not in spirit? As a...
A Little Furry Audacious Goal

A Little Furry Audacious Goal

While wrapping up my PowerPoint for a Professional Development Day presentation, I asked myself several probing questions. Why would anyone choose to attend my session? How can I make it relevant? What would attendees remember afterwards? What change, if any, might...
Three Laws of Physics…

Three Laws of Physics…

Each of us can easily apply the formula F = MA to student learning – think of an instructor, a student, and learning that happens. The electrical law E = IR (electromotive force = current times resistance) is just as easy to apply. However, both formulas assume...