One thing I've been working on this year is how to maximize the benefits of collaboration and group discussion. The goal is that the classroom become a place where students create meaning and knowledge themselves, and thereby increase feelings of ownership over...
Those unfamiliar with NMC’s Writing and Reading Center, or the concept of writing centers, might conclude - with good reason - that the WRC is about writing and reading. And it is. My introductory spiel to classes always emphasizes that if it’s writing or reading,...
When I was a CIT instructor, I would think "Oh, no - not again!" Could I help this student? How??? I really wanted to satisfy each learner's request for help, but I might not be able to find a tutor. Many of NMC's second-year CIT students find local employment before...
When preparing your online course material there are things you can do to help ensure it is accessible for all students (including those with visible and invisible disabilities). Addressing these can make all the difference and doesn't take up much of your time to do:...
[slideshow_deploy id='7778'] Legislators, administrators and even we educators all spend a lot of time trying to "fix" education, but we rarely talk about what we mean when we say “education.” Faculty addressed this very question at our first Friday Forum in October....
Several years ago I attended a session at a conference about how to get students to come to class prepared to learn the lesson of the day. I had struggled with this problem for many years and was really interested in some new ideas. The instructor explained what he...
A fascinating aspect of my prior career as a consultant was working with a wide range of businesses that I would not have guessed had existed. One client milled silicon carbide and tungsten into precision rings that serve as impenetrable seals for pipelines. Another does nothing more than replace air filters in air conditioning units throughout southern […]
It’s that time of year again. Asked by Mark to write, I find myself forced to reflect on why I do what I do and clarify what exactly it is that I do. Make sense? I know that an unexamined life is not worth living. I believe it was Socrates who said this. But the...
Writing center practice and theory, as a discipline, is one of the most inclusive and supportive academic communities that I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of. One particular quality of writing center practice is how much it supports and encourages student...