Search Learning Online Info. You can even subscribe to the search results using FeedBlitz and get updates whenever Google finds new articles matching your criteria.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Campus Technology: Tactics for Successful Grant Writing
Mount Ida College's David Healy shares insights gleaned from three recent grant application successes
By Bridget McCrea11/05/09
Faculty Focus: The 10 Commandments of Grant Writing
May 13, 2009 By: Mary Bart in Trends in Higher Education
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/trends-in-higher-education/the-10-commandments-of-grant-writing/
Both approaches are valid, but neither guarantee that you will get the funding … even if you follow the RFP to the letter. And that, says one of higher education’s leading grant writers, makes the process of chasing down public and private dollars to fund your worthwhile projects both exciting and frustrating.
In the recent online seminar Funding Your Academic Innovations Through Grant Writing, Dr. J. Juechter, project director for a HUD COPC grant and project investigator for a Carl Perkins grant at Bronx Community College, provided strategies for improving your proposal’s chances for funding and discussed some of the reasons for rejection.
Juechter also shared what she calls “the 10 Commandments of Grant Writing:”
1.Check that your goals, activities and objectives are aligned perfectly with the stated goals of the funding agency.
2.Follow the published RFP guidelines closely.
3.Write an exciting mission statement.
4.Use the language the funding agency uses in the RFP.
5.Identify your expert grant team and work with them to write the grant.
6.Avoid a narrow grant focus. Design multiple, interrelated work plans.
7.Develop high-quality “canned” background information for adapting to many different types of grants.
8.Provide a well-planned budget with a narrative to explain the items and rationale.
9.Avoid last-minute technical glitches. Train agency personnel on electronic grant submission and submit your proposal one-two days before the deadline.
10.Review the reader’s rating data when a grant is not funded. You will gain valuable perspective on the agency’s standards, and may be able to rework the grant and resubmit it in another funding cycle or to another agency.
The success of grant writing also requires a good amount of legwork upfront. Juechter encourages grant teams to subscribe to online newsletters and participate in grant preparatory seminars often offered by the larger funding agencies to get a feel for the types of programs they’ve funded in the past. Once an RFP is issued, contact the agency to find out the total amount of grant money available, how grants will be distributed, average grant size, and the number of applications received last year.
Permalink: http://www.facultyfocus.com?p=5361
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Innovative Educators: Creating Tests that Assess Higher Order Thinking Skills
Wednesday, October 13 / 3:00-4:30pm EDT
$345.00
$345.00
Best Practices in College Teaching: Designing Effective Rubrics: October 13
Creating Tests That Assess Higher Order Thinking Skills: October 13
Best Practices in College Teaching: Creating an Active Learning Environment: October 19
Teach Students HOW to Learn: Metacognition is the Key!: October 20
A New Strategy in Learning Community Development: How Collaboration and Integration Save Time and Money: October 27
Supplemental Instruction: Improving Student Engagement, Performance and Course Completion: October 28
The 10 Traits of Great Teachers: How to Tap into Student Motivation and Maximize Retention: November 9
3 webinars for $750 ~ 6 webinars for $1395 ~ 7 webinars for $1500
Overview
This presentation will begin with Bloom’s Taxonomy and look at writing test questions that will assess more than knowledge and comprehension. Different types of questions will be covered. Advantages and disadvantages of each type of question type will also be presented.
Participants will receive a detailed copy of the PowerPoint that will include instructions for all activities presented in the webinar. Attendees will also participate in a follow-up discussion group to develop test items using the guideline presented in the workshop. In addition participants will analyze questions developed by other instructors and have their test items analyzed.
Objectives
Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Write different types of questions that will assess more than knowledge and comprehension on the Bloom’s Taxonomy Scale.
Analyze test items to determine if these test items assess higher order thinking skills.
Develop rubrics for essay test items that will provide a more objective assessment for grading.
Who should attend?
Faculty
Department Chairs
Deans of Instruction
Graduate Teaching Assistants
Education Majors
Who is the speaker?
Dr. Jennifer Hurd began her college teaching career at Arkansas State University-Beebe. At this community college she designed the Developmental Reading Program and taught Developmental English. Jennifer was instrumental in creating the Freshman Seminar Course at ASU-Beebe, and she wrote the Freshman Seminar text. She served on the Developmental Education committee appointed by the Arkansas Legislature to develop the cut-off scores and requirements for the Developmental Education program in Arkansas. The work of this committee produced the law that controls Developmental Education in Arkansas. Prior to joining Houghton Mifflin and now Cengage Learning, she worked at Harding University with the TRIO Student Support Services Program as the Academic Coordinator. In this role she coordinated a peer-tutoring program, taught a study skills course, and served as the Accommodations Coordinator. In the role of Accommodations Coordinator she wrote individual action plans for students with disabilities and coordinated their accommodations with the instructors. She also developed a learning community program and a peer-mentoring program called CAPS (Coaches and Players). In both of these positions Jennifer was a leader in curriculum development and project management.
While working at Harding, Jennifer was asked to be a part of the team to develop questions for the Accuplacer test for English and reading. She was one of only two reading professors on the team. She understands the test and knows the parameters used to create it.
An active member of several professional organizations, Jennifer is President of the Association for the Tutoring Profession. Jennifer served as president of the Arkansas Association for Developmental Education, conference chair for the 1996 NADE conference. Jennifer is the Past President of the Arkansas Tutoring Association.
Jennifer is Program Manager for College Survival at Cengage Learning. She coordinates two national conferences a year and presents College Survival training workshops for clients across the country.
Jennifer earned her Ed.D. at Memphis State University in Curriculum and Instruction (Reading). She earned her B.A. in Elementary Education and her M.Ed. in Reading at Harding University. She is also qualified to teach English, reading, research, education, and study skills. She is the author of Campus Companion, an orientation text to help students transition to a college campus. Her depth of knowledge and experience serves her well in her capacity as a College Survival Program Manager.
HUD.gov: HUD AWARDS $7.4 MILLION TO 10 HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2010/HUDNo.10-196
September 16, 2010WASHINGTON – U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded $7.4 million to 10 historically black colleges and universities to help revitalize neighborhoods promote affordable housing and stimulate economic development in their communities. The funding announced today is provided through HUD's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program http://www.oup.org/programs/aboutHBCU.asp . Donovan made the announcement to the Congressional Black Caucus' Annual Legislative Conference in Washington.
"All across this country, historically black colleges and universities are cultivating young minds and helping to revitalize local communities," said Donovan. "I'm proud that HUD can be an important partner to assist these institutions of higher education in their efforts to strengthen our nation's communities.
The following Historically Black Colleges and Universities were awarded funding (see attached for a description of these projects):
Alabama
Tuskegee University
$800,000
Arkansas
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
$800,000
Louisiana
Southern University and A&M College
$800,000
North Carolina
Fayetteville State University
$499,602
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
$800,000
St. Augustine's College
$498,682
Winston-Salem State University
$800,000
Oklahoma
Langston University
$800,000
South Carolina
Benedict College
$800,000
Voorhees College
$800,000
Total: $7,398,284
To qualify for funding under HUD's HBCU grant program, institutions must meet the definition of a Historically Black College and University as determined by the Department of Education. HUD's grants will help these institutions undertake a wide variety of activities, particularly those that benefit low-income persons. These activities may include:
* Acquiring property;
* Demolishing blighted structures;
* Rehabilitating homes, including cleaning up lead-based paint hazards and making modifications that improve accessibility;
* Improving public facilities;
* Providing downpayment and closing cost assistance to low- and moderate-income homebuyers;
* Offering assistance to small businesses, including minority-owned enterprises;
* Assisting community-based development organizations to carry out neighborhood revitalization; and
* Supporting public services such as job training, child care, fair housing, and housing counseling.
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program is one of several initiatives administered by HUD's Office of University Partnerships (OUP). Established in 1994, OUP is a catalyst for partnering colleges and universities with their communities in an effort to address pressing local problems. For more information about HUD's partnership with institutions of higher education, visit HUD's website < http://www.oup.org/> .
HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov < http://www.hud.gov/ > and espanol.hud.gov < http://espanol.hud.gov > .
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program Summaries
ALABAMA
Tuskegee University – $800,000
Tuskegee University intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant for: clearance and site preparation of six vacant lots adjacent to the Tuskegee University campus in the Old Montgomery Road/Franklin Road (OMR/FR) Corridor to support the development of the new university/community housing complex; assistance to eight business and property owners with exterior façade and landscaping improvements, as well as business counseling and technical assistance; short-term training program to prepare a minimum of 20 individuals for immediate employment in the field of energy conservation repair, weatherization, and construction; monthly training on entrepreneurial development, personal finance education, and homeownership counseling; and continuation of the Revolving Loan Program to increase micro loans by 50 percent. Contact: Danette Hall, 334-727-8233.
ARKANSAS
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff – $800,000
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant for its Community Revitalization Initiative Phase IV. The primary mission of this phase is to continue the university's efforts to improve the neighborhood that surrounds UAPB—known as University Park—and to assist the City of Pine Bluff by engaging the resources of the university through the Economic Research and Development Center in collaboration and partnership with identified community-based organizations. The project goals are to: partner with Targeting Our People's Priorities with Service (TOPPS, Inc.) and Family Community Development Corporation (CDC) to carry out job/employment training and placement to youth, young adults, disadvantaged, and low- and moderate-income persons; utilize funds to support the Jefferson County CDC in rehabilitating single-family owner-occupied homes; and provide technical assistance and training to a minimum of five residential and building trade firms interested in participating in the University Park Neighborhood Housing Rehabilitation Program. Contact: Henry Golatt, 870-575-8030.
LOUISIANA
Southern University and A&M College – $800,000
Southern University and A&M College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to implement the following activities through its Southern University-Community Economic Security and Sustainability (SU-CESS) project: provide homeownership and counseling assistance for low- to moderate-income (LMI) persons through construction of affordable homes, first-time homebuyer training, mortgage buy down assistance, and referrals to matched savings accounts; implement an economic development plan to assist locally owned businesses through matching funds for operations, marketing, and/or building improvements to businesses providing services to LMI residents; and planning and capacity building for community-based development organizations (CBDOs) through training, mini-grants, and development of an integrated vision and strategic plan. Contact: Alma Thorton, 225-771-4249.
NORTH CAROLINA
Fayetteville State University – $499,602
Fayetteville State University (FSU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to facilitate the long-term transformation of the southern Murchison Road Corridor of Fayetteville, North Carolina, through activities that will strengthen the adjacent community in order to lure economic investment and promote both economic and environmental sustainability. To ensure that future development is part of a holistic plan and is in the best interest of the area, FSU will lead the community in seeking a neighborhood conservation overlay district that protects the residential nature of the neighborhood, promotes controlled growth of a viable mix of businesses that will provide jobs, products, and services that residents currently have to leave their neighborhood to access, and is pedestrian-friendly, and creates linkages to greenways and parks in neighboring communities. Simultaneously, FSU plans to create a redevelopment master plan for an existing blighted area with a large vacant school. As FSU leads this planning process, it will conduct a community asset mapping project to identify resources and assets currently available at the neighborhood level to address the challenges faced by residents in an area of Fayetteville hardest hit by poverty, crime, arrest, and incarceration and prisoner reentry. Contact: Emily Dickens, 910-672-2101.
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University – $800,000
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&TSU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to implement four Community Development Block Grant eligible activities. The first activity; “Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Program” consists of three subtasks designed to: perform energy audits for low- to moderate-income (LMI) homeowners in the target area; conduct weatherization activities in the target area; and educate LMI persons on energy conservation and minor home repairs. The second activity, “Workforce Development for Sustainable Careers in Green Construction,” will: recruit and train LMI persons to perform weatherization and maintenance tasks; provide education and training on green construction practices; provide energy audit and weatherization certification training; and provide job placement assistance. The third activity, “BEST Center Facility and Program Enhancement,” will: provide direct assistance and specialized training to small and minority-owned businesses; and stabilize small and minority-owned businesses by implementing a concentrated technical assistance program and other resources offered to entrepreneurs and small businesses through the BEST Center. By collaborating with the Interdisciplinary Center for Entrepreneurship and E-Business, this activity will also provide service learning opportunities for student entrepreneurs. The fourth activity will address human service needs through a partnership with a grassroots, community-based organization by: providing a sub-award to Joseph's House Inc., an organization that offers transitional housing for homeless high school students and young adult males; increasing the capacity of a grassroots organization assisting an underserved population; and creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged and hard to place males in the target area through education, job readiness and skill development. Contact: Celestine Ntuen, 336-334-7995.
Saint Augustine's College – $498,682
Saint Augustine's College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant for its East College Park Redevelopment project. The major activities of this project will include: providing homeowner training and supportive services to low- to moderate-income participants, assisting them with supportive childcare and transportation services to enable participation in the training, assisting them to set up IDA accounts and matching their contributions to these accounts, and providing mentoring/tutoring to neighborhood children to increase opportunities for educational success; increasing the capacity of community organizations through awareness building, leadership training, and development of a neighborhood leadership council; and redeveloping the neighborhood by buying 10 deteriorated properties and redeveloping them with energy-efficient, affordable, Wi-Fi equipped, universally designed homes, and selling them to low- to moderate-income homebuyers who have successfully completed the college's homebuyer institute. Additionally, the neighborhood will be provided with wireless network service to increase access to internet services. Contact: Tammalyn Thomas-Golden, 919-516-4500.
Winston-Salem State University – $800,000
Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to expand activities started by the S. G. Atkins Community Development Corporation (SGACDC), an outreach arm of the university established in 1998 to be a catalyst for revitalization in the neighborhoods surrounding the campus. WSSU seeks this funding to support three SGACDC activities: 1) continue the green renovation of The Enterprise Center (formerly the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club since 1950) that will house a business incubator for 20 small businesses; provide large spaces for training, community meetings, and recreation; provide affordable office space for nonprofit organizations with complementary missions; and feature a rooftop solar photovoltaic system; 2) provide funds for the MicroEnterprise Loan Program to extend business loans to The Enterprise Center business incubator clients; and 3) administer an energy efficiency program to create a “Green Zone” where residents decrease energy consumption and increase usage of renewable energy sources. Green education will include continuing education for energy auditors, weatherization contractors, and solar energy installers. The Enterprise Center will be a green hub for community economic development and educational opportunities that are supported by several collaborators. Contacts: Valerie Howard, 336-750-2413.
OKLAHOMA
Langston University – $800,000
Langston University (LU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to implement a “Sustainable Intra-Partnership” initiative. The university intends to conduct three activities: construct a Farmer's Fresh Food Market in the town of Langston City, Oklahoma; conduct Phase II of T.G. Green Park Softball Field Revitalization in the town of Langston City to provide lighting; and provide capacity building support to the Business Resource Incubator and Center. Contact: Linda Tillman, 405-962-1632.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Benedict College – $800,000
Benedict College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to expand its comprehensive community development efforts to include distressed communities in the seven-county Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area to include Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Newberry, Saluda, Calhoun, and Kershaw Counties. The aforementioned area has a high concentration of poverty and unemployment as documented by regional and state data sources. There are significant rates of crime, substandard housing, and unemployment within the target area. These conditions combine to reduce housing values, increase unemployment rates, and discourage business investment which reduces individual wealth and the quality of life for local residents. The proposed program is entitled COP II (Community Opportunities Program). Benedict is implementing three activities that directly address the identified needs of this area: provide assistance to a community-based development organization (CBDO) to carry out an economic development activity to expand a microenterprise loan program to these seven distressed counties; conduct a special economic development activity to provide technical assistance to small and minority businesses located within these seven counties; and conduct a public service activity to provide housing counseling, job readiness training, and placement assistance for low- to moderate-income persons. Contact: David Swinton, 803-705-4390.
Voorhees College – $800,000
Voorhees College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant for its community empowerment program and rental housing development, housing rehabilitation, and homeownership project; and its microenterprise program. The primary goal of these proposed projects is to expand Voorhees College's role and effectiveness in addressing community development needs in Denmark and surrounding areas. The objectives of the proposed project are to promote community empowerment to enable residents to facilitate change; improve the quality of life through expansion of affordable rental opportunities, owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, and promotion of homeownership; and microenterprise development. Contact: Willie Owens, 803-793-2046.
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Why I Work at a Historically Black College
September 24, 2010 Jon Krause for The Chronicle
Why would an academic choose to work at a historically black college or university when he or she might gain higher status and more money at a more prestigious, better endowed, predominantly white institution? Are there values and goals that trump status and money? Four academics respond.
M. Christopher Brown II, executive vice president and provost at Fisk University:
After years of undergraduate study in my discipline—education—and graduate study in the subfield of higher education, I joined the ranks of the novitiate as a tenure-track professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Time passed; I published articles, received extramural grants, and ultimately was awarded tenure. Following the well-worn path of my mentors, I expanded my research portfolio and pursued progressively increasing administrative responsibilities on the main campus of Pennsylvania State University. As a result, I garnered the coveted promotion to the rank of full professor. Further, I was granted the crowning jewel—an appointment as dean of the College of Education at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. To be a dean—primus inter pares—means to be entrusted by your colleagues as the academic leader of your own community of scholars.
There I was, not yet 40, a full professor and dean. The possibilities were boundless. In fact, I was poised for the path often restricted and barricaded to African-Americans and other people of color—I could be a provost, maybe even president of a research institution. Logic suggested that I steady my hand and stay the course.
Three years ago, I found myself on stage at the university commencement, shaking the hands of hundreds of students who were graduating from my college with bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. However, I did not know any of their names. My college was the No. 3 producer of graduates campuswide, but I lacked any personal knowledge about its graduates except what had been proffered to me by my assessment coordinator or development director.
I confronted the question of what I wanted as my academic legacy. During my tenure as dean, the College of Education doubled extramural grants, catapulted in the national rankings, increased the number of its tenure-line faculty members, captured a record number of refereed journal editorships, and even launched a capital campaign with real money and sizable pledges. But I had limited information about the academic success and development of our students.
When I was a faculty member, I had my own advisees and students. I knew their names, their ambitions, and I helped them achieve their goals. But the sheer size and administrative structure of the research university had separated me from the very reason I became a professor: the students. I realized that I didn't want to be a faceless cog in the academic hierarchy—I wanted students to remember me and value my contribution to their lives.
Until that moment, I had never understood why attorneys and corporate executives would leave their lucrative careers to join the ranks of nonprofit organizations or pursue second careers as social advocates and community workers. I realized that sometimes the popularity, lucrative compensation, and high status of those atop the institutional hierarchy in American higher education fail to satisfy an inner call to promote the betterment of society through touching individual lives.
So two years ago I accepted my current appointment at Fisk University. After nearly two decades of employment at large, predominantly white, research universities, I chose to return to my native South, where I was born and earned both my bachelor's and master's degrees, to serve on the staff of one of the nation's leading historically black colleges and universities. Fisk, a small yet distinguished liberal-arts college, is affectionately called the "black Harvard" by its alumni, foundations, and local citizens.
Each day that I arrive on the campus to work on Fisk's historic and hallowed grounds, I know that I am making a difference, whether in the career goals of a student or the aspirations of a family or community. I am proud to say that at last year's commencement, I knew the names, stories, and even the postgraduation plans of nearly all of the graduates whose hands I was privileged to shake. Like Robert Frost's poetic close, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."
Paula E. Faulkner, assistant professor of agriscience education at North Carolina A&T State University:
My decision to teach at a historically black college and university was effortless.
I am the product of a historically black college and university myself—as it happens, the university where I now teach. My professors provided me with a wealth of information and experiences that gave me the knowledge I needed for my future, but most important of all, they supported me. They helped me develop into the person I am today.
After working as a secondary-school teacher, I decided to return to school to prepare to work with postsecondary students. That career change required a doctoral degree. During my doctoral program, I was encouraged to seek employment at large, predominantly white institutions. The advantages, my mentors explained, would be endless. I would receive a great salary, be able to conduct research, have the funds and time to travel, and generally have more opportunities that I might not have at a historically black college or university.
But I always knew in my heart I wanted to work at my alma mater. Here I am able to share my personal experiences as a former student, as well as my professional experiences as a faculty member. Here I can receive additional support from some of my former professors and from administrative staff members who know me. And I'm perfectly positioned to connect my students with graduate educational opportunities, internships, and jobs.
Most parents want to provide their children with a better life than their own, and I believe the same is true of faculty members at historically black colleges and universities. I want to educate my students to be well prepared in all aspects of their college experience, both academically and in extracurricular activities. Our administrators, professors, instructors, and administrative staff members work tirelessly to prepare students to be globally ready for the future.
Many of us would not be who we are today if former professors hadn't made the same decision we made—to teach at a historically black college or university. I am so proud and honored to be here.
I find the following quote from Ambrose Caliver inspiring. He was the first African-American research specialist hired by the U.S. Office of Education, in the newly created position of "senior specialist in the education of Negroes." Seventy-five years ago, he wrote: "In the hands of the Negro teachers rests the destiny of the race." Those words are still relevant today, and they are why I have made the personal and professional choice to be exactly where I am.
Alton Thompson, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Delaware State University:
My decision to accept a position at a historically black university was simple, straightforward, and deliberate.
I was nurtured and received a quality education at a historically black university, North Carolina Central University (which recently celebrated its centennial). And I have worked at two other historically black institutions: Norfolk State University for a year, and North Carolina A&T State University for 25 years, amounting to 26 of my 28 professional years in higher education. Finally, for 27 of those years, I have worked at land-grant universities—North Carolina State University, a prestigious, majority institution (two years), and North Carolina A&T State.
The position at Delaware State was attractive because it was both an HBCU and a land-grant university. It would allow me to stay connected to my roots, to give back and contribute to the advancement of historically black institutions while continuing my focus, passion, and expertise on the tripartite land-grant mission of learning, discovery, and engagement—or, put more simply, improving lives and enhancing economic development. My move from North Carolina A&T was not based on a lack of joy or satisfaction with my job as a dean. I simply wanted an opportunity to help shape institutional direction and culture at a higher administrative level in a new leadership environment. The position as provost was perfect.
Issues facing historically black colleges and universities are daunting, but the opportunities are unprecedented. I believe these institutions have the greatest potential for changing and advancing society. The intentional integration of learning, discovery, and engagement into programs that make a difference is the key to realizing those opportunities. Some of the most talented faculties in this nation are at historically black colleges and universities.
My institution has big goals, and I want to be a part of them. I want to help find realistic ways of supporting extracurricular innovation, research and development, and new programs in response to societal and global changes. This moment in history is an opportunity for us to transcend our historically black university status while not for one moment forgetting our proud legacy.
Doreen Bowen Hilton, professor of psychology and assistant dean of the Graduate School at Fayetteville State University:
I received my undergraduate degree from Johnson C. Smith University, a historically black institution. My experiences there helped to reinforce my beliefs about my abilities, career choices, and life goals. Faculty and staff members, as well as administrators, were committed to me as an individual and to my success, which was tremendously empowering for me.
That commitment extended well beyond the classroom. I was given opportunities to enhance my interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills and to serve my community. One of my professors, Dr. Boyd Gatheright, was a brilliant mathematician. I worked with him as a work-study student, and although I did not believe that I was very strong in math, he encouraged me to tutor other students. After observing my tutoring sessions with several students, he suggested that I consider a career teaching math. That experience was such a confidence-builder for me.
My relationship with Dr. Gatheright changed at that point; he became my mentor. We talked about his career, graduate school, and research and about goals that I might set for myself. I was determined to learn as many life lessons from him as I could. I was not "just a student" in his eyes; he truly was interested in my success. With his encouragement, not only did I continue tutoring students in mathematics, but I also tutored students in psychology.
It is clear to me now that many of the most important lessons I learned at Johnson C. Smith occurred as I observed faculty and staff members carry out their duties. In addition to Dr. Gatheright, many of my mentors were also African-American and had life experiences similar to mine. Although most did not earn lucrative salaries, they wore multiple hats and enjoyed their work. Many of them worked long hours, even on weekends, because of their commitment to the students and the university. Because of them, when I moved on to graduate school, I felt prepared and confident.
I believe in the mission of historically black institutions. I am energized and fulfilled by seeing students—many of whom society has predicted will fail—not only come to college but also flourish and attain their goals. To play a role in such success stories is what I choose to commit my career to. The experiences I've had at historically black institutions have contributed to my success, and I feel a sense of responsibility and pride in helping to make those experiences available to students.
The Philadelphia Tribune: HBCU to launch 24/7 network in 2011
September 23, 2010 By Kimberly C. Roberts
C3 Media, LLC recently announced that the HBCU Network, a “24/7,” 365 days a year sports, “edutainment” and lifestyle network dedicated to the 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) across the United States, will launch in 2011.
Designed to fill a void in the cable industry, the channel will be the official destination of the four major HBCU Conferences (MEAC, SWAC, SIAC, CIAA), featuring Division I and Division II Black College sporting events. In addition, the network will offer a full complement of education and entertainment (edutainment) as well as lifestyle programming. Built on the solid foundation of the 143-year old HBCU brand, it will focus on a “previously unexplored” aspect of African-American life of significant cultural importance to global community.
According to a written statement, the new channel brings a different business model to the cable industry by reinvesting in the African-American community it serves. The HBCU Network will provide a 20 percent equity position to the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, offering direct financial benefit and long-term sustainability.
“The idea and vision behind the creation of the HBCU Network is to preserve and celebrate the African-American colleges and universities while also providing opportunities for their growth and further prosperity,” said CEO Curtis Symonds. “At the same time, we are passionate and excited about building a strong media brand and network from the ground up.”
Based in Atlanta, the HBCU Network is owned and operated by C3 Media, LLC, a holding company that includes an executive team with more than 75 years of cable industry experience.
“We are excited at the opportunity to bring an unexplored side of the African-American experience to television,” said Candace Walker, executive vice president, HBCU Net Programming. “Our goal is to engage our audience with quality programming that promotes the rich history and legacy of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities while giving voice to a young and diverse urban population. HBCU Net is well-positioned to educate, motivate and inspire with a clear focus on African-American heritage and legacy.”
HBCU Network’s primary audience will consist of African Americans 15-24 years of age and include the HBCU student population, Panhellenic organizations, Theological seminaries and the multicultural and general market student population at non-traditional universities and colleges. The network will also target HBCU faculty, alumni and sports fans: along with the broader African American 25 – 49-plus population.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Diverse Blog: Styling at HBCUs is Most Appropriate
Dr. James Ewers
September 14, 2010
http://diverseeducation.com/blogpost/299/styling-at-hbcus-is-most-appropriate.html
When I was a student at an HBCU in the South, I don't remember there being a dress requirement. However I do recall receiving a letter from the school telling me what to bring. Among other things, they told me to bring a suit, a tie and a shirt. When I read this along with my dad, I did not think it was strange or unreasonable to bring these items. After all, I had a lot of previous experiences wearing this kind of wardrobe. In my neighborhood in Winston-Salem, N.C., we simply called this wardrobe, "church clothes."
Back in the day, we wore suits, shirts and ties to church. We didn't complain about it. That was simply the way it was. When I arrived on campus, I saw all of the other guys with the same kind of garb on so I felt right at home. There were a lot of special programs that we had to wear our dress clothes to in order to get in the door. We had no choice as we had to attend. Put another way, it was wise and prudent that we attended these programs. I really don't know how they took attendance or better yet how they knew I was present, but my name was always on the list marked "present." I felt just a bit cool wearing a suit because invariably some teacher would say, "you look sharp." Receiving this kind of praise from a college teacher was pretty special.
Upon graduating from college and entering graduate school, I had many more chances to wear a suit, so much so that I increased my wardrobe. I felt very comfortable with my graduate colleagues who were from around the country. In addition to high academic acumens, we also shared similar dress and social customs. I give my undergraduate school, Johnson C. Smith University, all the credit for preparing me academically and socially. They got me ready for the "real world." Yes, I received my bachelor's degree, but I also received so much more. They gave me a four-year course in etiquette training. They coupled that training with a daily dose of you can achieve and you can distinguish yourself in this world. My story isn't unique because if you went to an HBCU during my generation you have a similar story. There was something unique about being on an HBCU campus during the sixties and the seventies. You couldn't quite explain it, yet you felt the transformation happening to you. I can remember coming home for the summer, being there for about a month and being ready to get back to college. Being a college student during this time was, well, priceless!
So we fast forward to today, and we find an interesting mix of students at HBCUs. Many of these schools were established around the same time so their histories are rich. Students come to HBCUs because of their mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. Their brothers or sisters attend, their friends attend, so they attend. It is a legacy filled with promise and potential.
While I may get some pushback from this statement, let us continue to encourage our students to dress for success. I still think they need to bring a suit, a shirt and a tie to college. Of course young women should have some dresses and pantsuits in their closet. Edward Waters College, an HBCU located in Jacksonville, Fla., and founded in 1866, actually has a professional dress day, so on Wednesdays students put on their "church clothes." I am now one of the people saying to students, "you look sharp." Let us continue to guide our students so that they will not be strangers to appropriate dress that will be their calling card for employment when they graduate. The marketplace demands that students interview a certain way and look a certain way. While some may not agree, these are time-honored traditions, and I don't see them going away.
Students, I believe, want our instruction, and they want to know that we care about their well-being. It is my strong belief that we have a responsibility to keep our students on the expressway of hope and opportunity.
It is a joy and a privilege that we have to shape and mold the minds and habits of the next generation of leaders. Instilling in them a dress-for-success mindset will give them a good foundation for the future.
September 14, 2010
http://diverseeducation.com/blogpost/299/styling-at-hbcus-is-most-appropriate.html
When I was a student at an HBCU in the South, I don't remember there being a dress requirement. However I do recall receiving a letter from the school telling me what to bring. Among other things, they told me to bring a suit, a tie and a shirt. When I read this along with my dad, I did not think it was strange or unreasonable to bring these items. After all, I had a lot of previous experiences wearing this kind of wardrobe. In my neighborhood in Winston-Salem, N.C., we simply called this wardrobe, "church clothes."
Back in the day, we wore suits, shirts and ties to church. We didn't complain about it. That was simply the way it was. When I arrived on campus, I saw all of the other guys with the same kind of garb on so I felt right at home. There were a lot of special programs that we had to wear our dress clothes to in order to get in the door. We had no choice as we had to attend. Put another way, it was wise and prudent that we attended these programs. I really don't know how they took attendance or better yet how they knew I was present, but my name was always on the list marked "present." I felt just a bit cool wearing a suit because invariably some teacher would say, "you look sharp." Receiving this kind of praise from a college teacher was pretty special.
Upon graduating from college and entering graduate school, I had many more chances to wear a suit, so much so that I increased my wardrobe. I felt very comfortable with my graduate colleagues who were from around the country. In addition to high academic acumens, we also shared similar dress and social customs. I give my undergraduate school, Johnson C. Smith University, all the credit for preparing me academically and socially. They got me ready for the "real world." Yes, I received my bachelor's degree, but I also received so much more. They gave me a four-year course in etiquette training. They coupled that training with a daily dose of you can achieve and you can distinguish yourself in this world. My story isn't unique because if you went to an HBCU during my generation you have a similar story. There was something unique about being on an HBCU campus during the sixties and the seventies. You couldn't quite explain it, yet you felt the transformation happening to you. I can remember coming home for the summer, being there for about a month and being ready to get back to college. Being a college student during this time was, well, priceless!
So we fast forward to today, and we find an interesting mix of students at HBCUs. Many of these schools were established around the same time so their histories are rich. Students come to HBCUs because of their mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. Their brothers or sisters attend, their friends attend, so they attend. It is a legacy filled with promise and potential.
While I may get some pushback from this statement, let us continue to encourage our students to dress for success. I still think they need to bring a suit, a shirt and a tie to college. Of course young women should have some dresses and pantsuits in their closet. Edward Waters College, an HBCU located in Jacksonville, Fla., and founded in 1866, actually has a professional dress day, so on Wednesdays students put on their "church clothes." I am now one of the people saying to students, "you look sharp." Let us continue to guide our students so that they will not be strangers to appropriate dress that will be their calling card for employment when they graduate. The marketplace demands that students interview a certain way and look a certain way. While some may not agree, these are time-honored traditions, and I don't see them going away.
Students, I believe, want our instruction, and they want to know that we care about their well-being. It is my strong belief that we have a responsibility to keep our students on the expressway of hope and opportunity.
It is a joy and a privilege that we have to shape and mold the minds and habits of the next generation of leaders. Instilling in them a dress-for-success mindset will give them a good foundation for the future.
Inside Higher ED: A Truly Bookless Library
The difference between the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Applied Engineering and Technology Library and other science-focused libraries is not that its on-site collection is also available electronically.
It is that its on-site collection is only available electronically.
The idea of a libraries with no bound books has been a recurring theme in conversations about the future of academe for a long time, and it has become common practice for academic libraries to store rarely used volumes in off-campus facilities. But there are few, if any, examples of libraries that actually have zero bound books in them.
Some libraries, such as the main one at the University of California at Merced, and the engineering library at Stanford University, have drastically reduced the number of print volumes they keep in the actual library building, choosing to focus on beefing up their electronic resources. In fact, some overenthusiastic headline writers at one point dubbed Stanford’s library “bookless.” But that is “a vision statement, not a point of fact,” says Andrew Herkovic, the director of communications for Stanford’s libraries.
San Antonio says it now has the first actual bookless library. Students who stretch out in the library’s ample study spaces — which dominate the floor plan of the new building — and log on to its resource network using their laptops or the library’s 10 public computers will be able to access 425,000 e-books and 18,000 electronic journal articles. Librarians will have offices there and will be available for consultations.
Students used to get their engineering and technology books from a collection at the campus’s main library. That collection is still there, and books from it are available upon request. But at the new library dedicated to that specialty, the only dead trees are in the beams and furniture.
The fact that San Antonio has actually built a literal version of what many in the industry hold up as symbol of the inevitability of electronic as the prevailing medium in academe may be commendable, but it is not “earth-moving,” says Roger Schonfeld, the managing director of Ithaka S+R, a nonprofit that promotes innovation in libraries and elsewhere. Many libraries, especially science and engineering ones, have started moving their print volumes out of the building and into remote storage.
Lisa Hinchliffe, president of the Association of College and Research Libraries, says that her institution, the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, and several others have embedded librarians in various department buildings. Their offices in those buildings, it could be argued, constitute bookless libraries inasmuch as they are places where students and professors go to learn about how to use campus collections that can be accessed from anywhere.
More interesting than the fact that San Antonio’s newest library has no printed books in it is the fact that more and more libraries are devoting less space to printed books, and are thus reimagining the physical space of the library, Hinchliffe says. Whether the building houses half of its former print collection or none of it, the evolution of the library as a physical hub is something nearly every library is dealing with.
As a shared space for discovery, socializing, and studying, the library is still very much relevant and in demand, says Krisellen Maloney, dean of libraries at San Antonio. That is why the university invested a new library space instead of just putting librarians in offices around campus, Maloney says. “You study and work in the library,” she says. “That’s how libraries have always been. When people come to the library with books, they’re not necessarily using the books. They’re also there for the services — to consult, get instruction, find content, and use the content.” (This paragraph has been updated since publication to correct an error.)
For the latest technology news from Inside Higher Ed, follow IHEtech on Twitter.
— Steve Kolowich
Faculty Focus: How to Design Effective Online Group Work Activities
There are many reasons why students don’t like group work, and in the online classroom the list of reasons grows even longer as the asynchronous nature of online courses not only makes collaboration more difficult but almost counterintuitive.
In addition, there may be another issue at play that you haven’t even thought about, and it has to do with how group work is designed in the first place.
“Too often we give students an activity and call it group work when in reality it’s something they could do on their own,” says Jean Mandernach, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Grand Canyon University. “Then we get frustrated when they don’t work together and just do the work on their own.”
In the recent online seminar Online Group Work: Making It Meaningful and Manageable, Mandernach provided tips for adapting proven face-to-face group work strategies to the online environment. The key is to design tasks that are truly collaborative, meaning the students will benefit more from doing the activity as a group than doing it alone.
Effective online group activities often fall into one of three categories:
1. There’s no right answer, such as debates, or research on controversial issues.
2. There are multiple perspectives, such as analyzing current events, cultural comparisons, or case studies.
3. There are too many resources for one person to evaluate, so a jigsaw puzzle approach is needed with each student responsible for one part.
Online collaboration tools
While Skype and other real-time collaboration tools make it easier for dispersed students to “get together,” Mandernach cautions against overusing synchronous tools. Instead, she says, you should encourage your students to take advantage of the many asynchronous collaborative tools inside your course management system or some of the new Web 2.0 tools. Some of her favorite Web 2.0 tools include: Tokbox, VoiceThread, Creately, Google Docs, and Teambox.
These tools are relatively easy to use and help build a sense of community in the online classroom. They’re also another way to get students to buy into group work activities and using them makes the students more marketable upon graduation.
“If you can use the collaborative environment to really bring them into your classroom and get connected to you and connected to their peers you’re going to see a lot of benefits besides increased test scores,” Mandernach says. “Many employers and graduate schools really view online learning as learning in isolation, and I think it’s important for students to show that they are capable of collaborative work — that they can work independently and with others.”
Online group work checklist
As part of the seminar, Mandernach provided the following checklist for creating and implementing online group projects:
Preparation
• Students understand the value of both the process and product of the collaboration.
• Students have guidance concerning how to work in an asynchronous team.
• Group size is small enough to allow for full participation of all members.
• Course provides numerous opportunities for community building prior to group projects.
Assignment
• Assignment is an authentic measure of student learning.
• Assignment will benefit from collaborative work.
• Students have clear guidelines of the expected outcome of the collaborative assignment.
• Assignment creates a structure of positive interdependence in which individuals perceive that they will succeed when the group succeeds.
• Assignment is scheduled to allow adequate time for preparation and communication.
• Assignment is designed in a manner to allow students a level of personal control.
Technology
• Students are provided with tools and instructions to facilitate online communication.
• Each group has a collaborative workspace within the online course.
• Students have technology skills relevant for asynchronous communication.
• Back-up procedures are in place to deal with technology failure.
Evaluation
• Grading and/or evaluation strategies differentiate between the process and the product.
• Strategies are in place to monitor interaction processes.
• Clear grading rubrics are provided at the start of the assignment to guide student work.
Self and peer evaluations are included in the process to monitor individual involvement and accountability.
Moodlerooms/EDUCAUSE 2010 - October 12th-15th
At this annual conference for higher education IT professionals Moodlerooms will be presenting and demonstrating its new developments in addition to hosting exploratory, hands-on workshops in conjunction with trusted partner, Dell.
We’re also pleased to have special guest, Martin Dougiamas, Founder and Lead Developer of Moodle, exhibit with Moodlerooms, field inquiries about the benefits of Moodle 2.0 and participate in a joint presentation with Moodlerooms President, Lou Pugliese, that will explore the future of online learning systems
EDUCAUSE 2010 will take place October 12-15 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Moodlerooms will exhibit in booth #2001 for the duration of the conference. Martin Dougiamas and Lou Pugliese’s presentation will take place Tuesday, October 12 at 5 p.m. and Wednesday, October 13 at 4 p.m.
For more information on Moodlerooms’ participation in EDUCAUSE 2010, visit www.moodlerooms.com/EDUCAUSE
Featured Presenters and Guests:
Martin Dougiamas
Moodle Founder, Lead Developer
Lou Pugliese
Moodlerooms President
Mark Leuba
Moodlerooms, Chief Technology Officer
More Information
View our theatre presentation schedule and workshop schedule, or reserve some one-on-one time with a Moodlerooms sales representative at the conference!
Faculty Focus: Five Techniques for Dealing with Problem Students and Other Classroom Challenges
By Mary Bart
If you were in this professor’s shoes (and maybe that’s not too hard to imagine) how would you handle a student like James?
During the recent online video seminar Classroom Management 102: Working with Difficult Students, Brian Van Brunt, EdD and Perry Francis EdD used role playing to demonstrate both effective and ineffective responses to students like James. Some of the ineffective approaches include ignoring the behavior and hoping it improves, embarrassing the student in front of the class, and enforcing a new, no technology rule for everyone in the class.
But there’s a better way, of course, and it centers on setting clear expectations upfront and communicating those expectations to the students. It also means being willing to share a little bit of yourself so your students can see you as a real person. In the case of a student like James, you could, for example, let him know that you’re addicted to your Blackberry or iPod, but when you’re in class you shut it off out of respect for the class. And while you can sympathize that it’s sometimes hard to pay attention in a class that fulfills a requirement, but is not part of one’s major, you also need to be firm in communicating your expectations for classroom behavior, and the consequences for ignoring class rules.
“One of the things that I’ve discovered in the time I’ve taught is if we don’t address things appropriately they have a tendency to fester and not just impact that particular student, but impact the entire classroom and make it less than it could be,” says Francis, a professor of counseling at Eastern Michigan University.
The scenario with James was just one of four scenarios played out during the seminar. Others involved a veteran struggling to adapt to civilian life, an extremely shy student, and an ultra-competitive student who participates in class to the point of distraction. In working with each of these student types, Van Brunt encourages the use of what is known in the counseling field as motivational interviewing, which includes the following five techniques.
Express Empathy
• Avoid communications that imply a superior/inferior relationship.
• Respect the student’s freedom of choice and self-direction.
• Attitude change attempts are gentle, subtle and change is up to the student.
Develop Discrepancy
• Change occurs when a student perceives a discrepancy between where they are and where they want to be.
• Help student develop a discrepancy by raising their awareness of the adverse academic consequences of their choices.
Avoid Argumentation
• Don’t argue, it tends to evoke resistance.
• Show the consequences of their behavior.
• Help devalue perceived positive aspects of their negative choices.
Roll with Resistance
• Invite new ways of thinking.
• View ambivalence as normal.
• Evoke solutions from the student.
Support Self-Efficacy
• Persuade student that it is possible to change his or her own behavior and thereby reduce overall problems.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)