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 been pleased with the results....
VoiceThread Innovation Grant
Interested in VoiceThread? VoiceThread is a program that students can use to produce presentations online where peers and the instructor can view and record comments by speaking and/or writing. Kay and Laura are writing an innovation grant to pilot VoiceThread for...
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 bit of unexpected light...
Welcoming New Learning Communities for 2016-2107
Announcing six new learning community groups to NMC for 2016-2017. It is not too late to join a group. Most groups will meet about once a month for six months. Click here to see the complete group lists. Enjoy the time with colleagues and explore a new area of...
Ada
Ada is 7. She is an identical twin. She has autism and other developmental and cognitive disabilities. Everything is hard for Ada. She did not walk until she was two. She had two bouts of deafness in her early years. Talking is very challenging for her. She has...
Creating a Sense of Belonging for Students
Yesterday in my ENG 99 class, students at two tables were swapping Snapchat names so they could start Snapchatting each other. Another table saw them, and said, laughingly, “You guys are just doing that now? Our table did that the first week!” It was completely...
The Minimum Triva
Jesus wept. When I was in college, we ate our meals family-style. At the beginning of the meal, the senior class and freshman class would have a competition of trivia. We had to think of a question that would stump the other class. Usually there was some wager,...
Accreditation Portfolio Planning (HLC)
Regional accreditation is required for NMC to provide access to federal and state funding for the college and our students. NMC follows the AQIP pathway offered by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) which includes regular monitoring, annual Action Projects, Strategy...
Service Learning:Transfer,Time,Travel (Part 2)
Last week, I discussed how service learning could provide a real context for students to learn writing skills I’m trying to teach them (such as making appeals to an audience effectively). Focusing on an issue that is current and relevant in a local context can...
Of Mystery and Education
I have two sons and wonder with a sense of mystery what it means to educate them well. I grew up believing that education was somehow about taking a bunch of stuff which was external to me and making it a part of me. You know, taking that which is external and making...