What if the norm for college students was thoughtful, polite, courageous and reflective engagement when faced with disagreement both inside and outside the classroom? What if this isn't the norm and what if we're part of the problem? How can we help our students to...
We’re heading into the last leg of the semester, and many of us have students working on the most complex projects and concepts in our courses. If we were to walk in the students’ shoes a bit we would see that they are working on complicated culminating components in...
I recently attended the Educational Technology Organization of Michigan (ETOM) Fall Conference held at Mid Michigan Community College in Mt. Pleasant. The keynote speaker was Dr. Karen Swan, the Stukel Professor of Educational Research and a Research Associate in the...
You know that one student as soon as you walk into the class. The one that is going to refuse to engage. The one that will do everything possible to resist ‘learning.’ The one that will even go so far as to appear a tad bit threatening to other students to ensure that...
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the need that some people have to say, "I'm sorry." I don't think we should automatically apologize or expect an apology when there's been a miscommunication. Now, I'm not saying that apologizing is a bad thing nor am I advocating...
I have, in the past, asked ENG 112 students to research a debunked scientific theory or conspiracy theory that people still believe today. As they research, they must create a theory about why some folks to continue to hold that belief despite it being proven false....
Into the Arctic is a traveling exhibit that's at the Dennos Museum until the end of the calendar year 2017. The exhibit provides incredible vistas of northern Canada painted en plein air under sometimes incredible conditions. In the videos that accompany the exhibit...
The Dodecahedron is a character from the book The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. He lives in the city of Digitopolis at the base of the Mountains of Ignorance. On page 148 he has this conversation with Milo and the Humbug. “I’m not very good at problems,”...
I was privileged to receive some insight into the mind of young people last week. I have since had time to really think about and consider how many of us may categorize them. This insight is the fact that young people today have access to every bit of knowledge in the...