Faculty Focus Special Report_Online Course Quality Assurance: Using Evaluations and Surveys to Improve Online Teaching and Learning
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Faculty Focus: The Lost Art of Note Taking When Writing a Research Paper
By Matt Birkenhauer
http://www.facultyfocusmail.com/link.cfm?r=241441965&sid=11949468&m=1206912&u=MAGNA_FF&s=http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/the-lost-art-of-note-taking-when-writing-a-research-paper/?c=FF&t=F110117
When students write essays requiring research, in the age of Wikipedia and other online resources, I worry a little, not so much about the quality of the sources themselves (that has always varied, even in the day of hardcopy sources), but about the quality or outright dearth of note taking that often accompanies the writing of research papers.
When I was a student, I was taught to take notes when researching by summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting on note cards. Although this process was often tiresome and time-consuming, it did force me to read and, hopefully, process the information that would eventually end up in my essay.
I think maybe that phase in writing in which students allot time to actually take notes on their sources—to, in a sense, “process” and internalize their research—is being lost as students increasingly access their sources from online sites and “cut and paste” together the first draft of their essay.
Now, I’m not advocating a return to taking notes on note cards—a practice I began to abandon even before I was finished with my graduate studies years ago. Although I think it is a form of note taking that still may work for some, the ease with which students can take notes on their computers means that the 3 x 5 note card may well be on its way out as a research method.
What I am advocating, however, is that we as writing instructors (and I don’t only mean English teachers!) talk much more explicitly about the importance of note taking (or, as some texts now call it, “information gathering”) in the writing process. I think this is important because so many students skip this phase and try to write an essay without having completed the research they need to produce a substantive and thoughtful essay. We’ve all read these kinds of essays—slapdash, lacking in depth or analysis, a patch quilt of different sources that don’t go anywhere.
Teaching note taking skills
Here’s how I address the issue with my students. In some of my early assignments, I apportion a whole class or part of a class to simply having students take notes on their sources, which I ask them to bring to class. Of course, you might, as I do, have Internet access in your classroom, but it’s better if you ask the students to print out one or two of their sources beforehand. I recommend letting students take notes for maybe a half hour or forty-five minutes at a stretch. Then, five or ten minutes before the end of class, talk to students about what they have just done.
We need to remember that at least some of these students are now, as freshmen, just discovering how to take notes on sources. Talking about note taking and even devoting class time to practicing this important skill is every bit as important as all the other skills students need to write a college-level essay. Although many writing texts now have sections describing the various ways students can take notes on sources, how many of us are actually teaching or modeling these techniques to students, as opposed to assuming that they are already employing them?
Matt Birkenhauer teaches English at Northern Kentucky University.
http://www.facultyfocusmail.com/link.cfm?r=241441965&sid=11949468&m=1206912&u=MAGNA_FF&s=http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/the-lost-art-of-note-taking-when-writing-a-research-paper/?c=FF&t=F110117
When students write essays requiring research, in the age of Wikipedia and other online resources, I worry a little, not so much about the quality of the sources themselves (that has always varied, even in the day of hardcopy sources), but about the quality or outright dearth of note taking that often accompanies the writing of research papers.
When I was a student, I was taught to take notes when researching by summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting on note cards. Although this process was often tiresome and time-consuming, it did force me to read and, hopefully, process the information that would eventually end up in my essay.
I think maybe that phase in writing in which students allot time to actually take notes on their sources—to, in a sense, “process” and internalize their research—is being lost as students increasingly access their sources from online sites and “cut and paste” together the first draft of their essay.
Now, I’m not advocating a return to taking notes on note cards—a practice I began to abandon even before I was finished with my graduate studies years ago. Although I think it is a form of note taking that still may work for some, the ease with which students can take notes on their computers means that the 3 x 5 note card may well be on its way out as a research method.
What I am advocating, however, is that we as writing instructors (and I don’t only mean English teachers!) talk much more explicitly about the importance of note taking (or, as some texts now call it, “information gathering”) in the writing process. I think this is important because so many students skip this phase and try to write an essay without having completed the research they need to produce a substantive and thoughtful essay. We’ve all read these kinds of essays—slapdash, lacking in depth or analysis, a patch quilt of different sources that don’t go anywhere.
Teaching note taking skills
Here’s how I address the issue with my students. In some of my early assignments, I apportion a whole class or part of a class to simply having students take notes on their sources, which I ask them to bring to class. Of course, you might, as I do, have Internet access in your classroom, but it’s better if you ask the students to print out one or two of their sources beforehand. I recommend letting students take notes for maybe a half hour or forty-five minutes at a stretch. Then, five or ten minutes before the end of class, talk to students about what they have just done.
We need to remember that at least some of these students are now, as freshmen, just discovering how to take notes on sources. Talking about note taking and even devoting class time to practicing this important skill is every bit as important as all the other skills students need to write a college-level essay. Although many writing texts now have sections describing the various ways students can take notes on sources, how many of us are actually teaching or modeling these techniques to students, as opposed to assuming that they are already employing them?
Matt Birkenhauer teaches English at Northern Kentucky University.
Tomorrow's Professor...Department Chair Leadership Institute Online Seminar Series 1: The Essentials
http://www.departmentchairs.org/online-programs/2-2
Plan ahead and get the essential training every new department chair needs by signing up for The Jossey-Bass Department Chair Leadership Institute Online Seminar Series 1: The Essentials.
Forget about everything you've seen or heard about webinars in the past this is completely different. We?ve worked closely with our technology partner, Learning Times, to create a totally unique, interactive experience. You'll get more direct interaction with the presenter, moderator, and attendees than you would at a face-to-face event vote in an instant poll, ask the presenter a question through the chat function, or submit answers to discussion questions in real time! The result is a dynamic sharing of practical take-aways that participants can immediately integrate into their own work as department chairs, and an instant network of peers that serves as an ongoing resource to all members of the larger cohort of participants.
We hope you’ll take advantage of this timely, economical opportunity and join us for these upcoming sessions in spring of 2011:
March 10, 2011: The Most Important Things You Need to Know (and Do) as a Department Chair
March 24, 2011: A Quick and Practical Guide to Managing Your Time and Stress?April 7, 2011: Best Practices in Effective Communication and Conflict Management
April 21, 2011: What Department Chairs Can Do to Foster Excellent Teaching
May 5, 2011: Best Practices in Budgeting, Resource Management, and Planning for Results
Attend from anywhere! All sessions last 90 minutes and begin at 11:30 am (Eastern Time)
You will have access to a recorded version of your session for 6 months following the fifth and final live session, so you?ll be able to review anything you might have missed.
How much does it cost?
Attend all five sessions for only $349! Just mention code DCEB and enjoy this special discount especially for Tomorrow?s Professor subscribers through January 31, 2011!
You'll receive:
? A savings of $150.00 (purchased individually, you?d pay $495.00 for the full series)
? A copy of Don Chu’s book, The Department Chair Primer: Leading and Managing Academic Departments (a $29 value)
? A 30% discount on new subscriptions to The Department Chair, a unique quarterly publication for chairs, deans, academic vice-presidents, and other administrators
? A 30% discount on all Jossey-Bass and Wiley books’ perfect for professional development resources, as well as discipline-specific titles
? Instant subscription to our bi-monthly e-newsletter, The Jossey-Bass Department Chair Insider’s full of quick and useful tips and tricks from experts in the field, plus the latest information on new resources for department chairs
? Bonus session: Higher Education Law and Difficult Faculty Members’ by Barbara Lee (Rutgers University)
-$99 for any one session
Want more information?
Please visit our website at www.departmentchairs.org to:
-Register for the full series or select sessions
-Sign up for the free e-newsletter, The Jossey-Bass Department Chair Insider
-Get more information on speakers and sessions
* * * * * * *
NOTE: Anyone can SUBSCRIBE to the Tomorrows-Professor Mailing List by going to: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/tomorrows-professor
Plan ahead and get the essential training every new department chair needs by signing up for The Jossey-Bass Department Chair Leadership Institute Online Seminar Series 1: The Essentials.
Forget about everything you've seen or heard about webinars in the past this is completely different. We?ve worked closely with our technology partner, Learning Times, to create a totally unique, interactive experience. You'll get more direct interaction with the presenter, moderator, and attendees than you would at a face-to-face event vote in an instant poll, ask the presenter a question through the chat function, or submit answers to discussion questions in real time! The result is a dynamic sharing of practical take-aways that participants can immediately integrate into their own work as department chairs, and an instant network of peers that serves as an ongoing resource to all members of the larger cohort of participants.
We hope you’ll take advantage of this timely, economical opportunity and join us for these upcoming sessions in spring of 2011:
March 10, 2011: The Most Important Things You Need to Know (and Do) as a Department Chair
March 24, 2011: A Quick and Practical Guide to Managing Your Time and Stress?April 7, 2011: Best Practices in Effective Communication and Conflict Management
April 21, 2011: What Department Chairs Can Do to Foster Excellent Teaching
May 5, 2011: Best Practices in Budgeting, Resource Management, and Planning for Results
Attend from anywhere! All sessions last 90 minutes and begin at 11:30 am (Eastern Time)
You will have access to a recorded version of your session for 6 months following the fifth and final live session, so you?ll be able to review anything you might have missed.
How much does it cost?
Attend all five sessions for only $349! Just mention code DCEB and enjoy this special discount especially for Tomorrow?s Professor subscribers through January 31, 2011!
You'll receive:
? A savings of $150.00 (purchased individually, you?d pay $495.00 for the full series)
? A copy of Don Chu’s book, The Department Chair Primer: Leading and Managing Academic Departments (a $29 value)
? A 30% discount on new subscriptions to The Department Chair, a unique quarterly publication for chairs, deans, academic vice-presidents, and other administrators
? A 30% discount on all Jossey-Bass and Wiley books’ perfect for professional development resources, as well as discipline-specific titles
? Instant subscription to our bi-monthly e-newsletter, The Jossey-Bass Department Chair Insider’s full of quick and useful tips and tricks from experts in the field, plus the latest information on new resources for department chairs
? Bonus session: Higher Education Law and Difficult Faculty Members’ by Barbara Lee (Rutgers University)
-$99 for any one session
Want more information?
Please visit our website at www.departmentchairs.org to:
-Register for the full series or select sessions
-Sign up for the free e-newsletter, The Jossey-Bass Department Chair Insider
-Get more information on speakers and sessions
* * * * * * *
NOTE: Anyone can SUBSCRIBE to the Tomorrows-Professor Mailing List by going to: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/tomorrows-professor
Seven Tips for Improving Instructional Skills: Reminders for Teachers
http://asd1.schoolwires.com/174120624121024617/lib/174120624121024617/7_Tips_Jacobs.pdf
Walter R. Jacobs, Jr.
Director
Higher Education & Leadership Preparation
(H.E.L.P.) Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia
and
Consultant
Doctoral Scholars Program
Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)
Atlanta, Georgia
Higher Education &
Leadership Preparation
(H.E.L.P.) Inc.
P. O. Box 95315
Atlanta, GA 30347-0315
(404) 505-0621
www.helpforschool.com
wrjatlanta@aol.com
Walter R. Jacobs, Jr.
Director
Higher Education & Leadership Preparation
(H.E.L.P.) Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia
and
Consultant
Doctoral Scholars Program
Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)
Atlanta, Georgia
Higher Education &
Leadership Preparation
(H.E.L.P.) Inc.
P. O. Box 95315
Atlanta, GA 30347-0315
(404) 505-0621
www.helpforschool.com
wrjatlanta@aol.com
Official Beta Launch: State Government Information From OpenGovernment.org
January 18, 2011 19:29
Direct to OpenGovernment.org
From an O'Reilly Radar Post by Alex Howard:
OpenGovernment.org, a free, open source online portal designed to make open state government available to citizens, launched this morning.
OpenGovernment.org makes it easier for citizens to learn about pending legislation and their legislators by combining open government data, information about state legislators, multiple databases of voting information, social mentions and news coverage into a lightweight online user interface. If that sounds a lot like what OpenCongress.org does for the federal government, it should: it's the same model, adapted to the state level.
[Clip]
OpenGovernment.org is a joint project of the Participatory Politics Foundation and the Sunlight Foundation. The beta version has launched with information for legislatures in California, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas, and Wisconsin. The nonprofit is actively seeking funding to expand to all 50 U.S. states and major cities.
Read the Complete O'Reily Radar Post
Much More From OpenGovernment.org Including This List of Direct Links to the Data Sources that the OpenGovernment.org Uses.
See Also: How To Use OpenGovernment.org
See Also: Search Tips
See Also: From the OpenGovernment.org Team: OpenCongress.org
Direct to OpenGovernment.org
Direct to OpenGovernment.org
From an O'Reilly Radar Post by Alex Howard:
OpenGovernment.org, a free, open source online portal designed to make open state government available to citizens, launched this morning.
OpenGovernment.org makes it easier for citizens to learn about pending legislation and their legislators by combining open government data, information about state legislators, multiple databases of voting information, social mentions and news coverage into a lightweight online user interface. If that sounds a lot like what OpenCongress.org does for the federal government, it should: it's the same model, adapted to the state level.
[Clip]
OpenGovernment.org is a joint project of the Participatory Politics Foundation and the Sunlight Foundation. The beta version has launched with information for legislatures in California, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas, and Wisconsin. The nonprofit is actively seeking funding to expand to all 50 U.S. states and major cities.
Read the Complete O'Reily Radar Post
Much More From OpenGovernment.org Including This List of Direct Links to the Data Sources that the OpenGovernment.org Uses.
See Also: How To Use OpenGovernment.org
See Also: Search Tips
See Also: From the OpenGovernment.org Team: OpenCongress.org
Direct to OpenGovernment.org
NSF Grant Opportunities
Through an NSF grant, the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCA)is offering a full waiver of seminar registration fees and $500 to offset travel costs for a participant in one of the following:
Seminar for Department Chairs, February 24-26, Charlotte, NC
Seminar for Department Chairs, July 7-9, St. Louis, MO
Seminar for Department Chairs, October 2-4, San Diego, CA
Seminar for New Deans, July 10-13, St. Louis, MO
The Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences is a national association of nearly 500 baccalaureate degree-granting colleges of arts and sciences. Our active participants are the deans, associate deans, and assistant deans of the arts and/or sciences, and those individuals number about 1,600. CCAS has offered these popular leadership seminars for over twenty years. They are led by teams of experienced deans who volunteer to coordinate and facilitate the programs. Funding is provided by the ADVANCE grant to facilitate participation in these programs by academic leaders from minority serving institutions. Please note that funding is limited to those who have direct oversight of STEM departments. More information can be found on the CCAS website at www.ccas.net, and our recently completed "Strategic Plan & Membership Survey" is provided at http://www.ccas.net/files/CCAS_StrategicPlan2010_web.pdf.
Interested STEM deans or chairs should by contact me by phone or email as soon as possible because spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis:
Lucinda Huffaker, PhD
970-351-1833
lucinda.huffaker@unco.edu
Seminar for Department Chairs, February 24-26, Charlotte, NC
Seminar for Department Chairs, July 7-9, St. Louis, MO
Seminar for Department Chairs, October 2-4, San Diego, CA
Seminar for New Deans, July 10-13, St. Louis, MO
The Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences is a national association of nearly 500 baccalaureate degree-granting colleges of arts and sciences. Our active participants are the deans, associate deans, and assistant deans of the arts and/or sciences, and those individuals number about 1,600. CCAS has offered these popular leadership seminars for over twenty years. They are led by teams of experienced deans who volunteer to coordinate and facilitate the programs. Funding is provided by the ADVANCE grant to facilitate participation in these programs by academic leaders from minority serving institutions. Please note that funding is limited to those who have direct oversight of STEM departments. More information can be found on the CCAS website at www.ccas.net, and our recently completed "Strategic Plan & Membership Survey" is provided at http://www.ccas.net/files/CCAS_StrategicPlan2010_web.pdf.
Interested STEM deans or chairs should by contact me by phone or email as soon as possible because spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis:
Lucinda Huffaker, PhD
970-351-1833
lucinda.huffaker@unco.edu
Dillard University Sodexo's Online Catering
Flavours Catering by Design @ Dillard University
Effective February 16, 2011, we will be launching our new on line ordering
system for Catering.
DISCOVER THE BENEFITS
∙Place your own orders at your convenience and work within your budget
∙Round the clock access to your orders
∙View all orders you have ever placed and copy them easily to a new event
Please mark you calendar to attend our 1 hour training session in
Kearny West Wing on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 9:00 am
Check out our new site at
https://ducatering.catertrax.com/
RSVP – Melinda.Alfonso@sodexo.com
504-816-4959
Effective February 16, 2011, we will be launching our new on line ordering
system for Catering.
DISCOVER THE BENEFITS
∙Place your own orders at your convenience and work within your budget
∙Round the clock access to your orders
∙View all orders you have ever placed and copy them easily to a new event
Please mark you calendar to attend our 1 hour training session in
Kearny West Wing on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 9:00 am
Check out our new site at
https://ducatering.catertrax.com/
RSVP – Melinda.Alfonso@sodexo.com
504-816-4959
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE Office of Public Health Sciences Institute Deadline: January 31, 2011
Program Dates: May 23rd - August 10, 2011
Imhotep: A Cooperative Summer Program in Public Health
Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Occupational Safety & Health
Applicants must be a Junior, Senior or Recent Graduate with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher
Application Deadline: January 31, 2011
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE Office of Public Health Sciences Institute
830 Westview Drive SW, Hope Hall-105
Atlanta, Georgia 30314-3773
Dear Academic Program Director or Student Advisor:
I am writing to inform you about a summer internship program sponsored by the Public Health Sciences Institute (PHSI) at Morehouse College – Project: IMHOTEP. To give a little background, institutions such as PHSI are needed to train minorities to better understand the health disparities within their own communities so that they can better serve them. Programs at the Institute are supported by a five-year cooperative agreement awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in Atlanta, Georgia.
Project: IMHOTEP is an eleven-week internship designed to increase their knowledge and skills of undergraduate and graduate students in biostatistics, epidemiology, and occupational safety and health. The program begins with two weeks of intense educational training. The purpose of this training is to equip interns with the academic coursework and information necessary to complete the program. During the remaining nine weeks, interns conduct public health research with experts at the CDC, Carnegie Mellon University, and various other public health agencies. Throughout the program, interns participate in a wide variety of seminars, workshops, and other educational initiatives and must complete a required number of community service hours.
To qualify for Project: IMHOTEP, candidates must be an underrepresented minority, an undergraduate (Junior, Senior or Recent Graduate) with a grade point average of 2.7 or better. Applicants must also demonstrate a keen interest in pursuing a career in public health. Candidates will be evaluated on their academic performance, extracurricular/volunteer activities, personal statement, and letters of recommendation.
Attached is a flyer suitable for posting on a display board describing Project: IMHOTEP. Students can apply online at:
http://stdapp.morehouse.edu:8080/imhotep/
Please note that the application deadline is January 31, 2011.
CONTACT: jhardaway@morehouse.edu
(404) 522-3365
(404)653-7859
fax (404) 222-2594
Imhotep: A Cooperative Summer Program in Public Health
Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Occupational Safety & Health
Applicants must be a Junior, Senior or Recent Graduate with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher
Application Deadline: January 31, 2011
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE Office of Public Health Sciences Institute
830 Westview Drive SW, Hope Hall-105
Atlanta, Georgia 30314-3773
Dear Academic Program Director or Student Advisor:
I am writing to inform you about a summer internship program sponsored by the Public Health Sciences Institute (PHSI) at Morehouse College – Project: IMHOTEP. To give a little background, institutions such as PHSI are needed to train minorities to better understand the health disparities within their own communities so that they can better serve them. Programs at the Institute are supported by a five-year cooperative agreement awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in Atlanta, Georgia.
Project: IMHOTEP is an eleven-week internship designed to increase their knowledge and skills of undergraduate and graduate students in biostatistics, epidemiology, and occupational safety and health. The program begins with two weeks of intense educational training. The purpose of this training is to equip interns with the academic coursework and information necessary to complete the program. During the remaining nine weeks, interns conduct public health research with experts at the CDC, Carnegie Mellon University, and various other public health agencies. Throughout the program, interns participate in a wide variety of seminars, workshops, and other educational initiatives and must complete a required number of community service hours.
To qualify for Project: IMHOTEP, candidates must be an underrepresented minority, an undergraduate (Junior, Senior or Recent Graduate) with a grade point average of 2.7 or better. Applicants must also demonstrate a keen interest in pursuing a career in public health. Candidates will be evaluated on their academic performance, extracurricular/volunteer activities, personal statement, and letters of recommendation.
Attached is a flyer suitable for posting on a display board describing Project: IMHOTEP. Students can apply online at:
http://stdapp.morehouse.edu:8080/imhotep/
Please note that the application deadline is January 31, 2011.
CONTACT: jhardaway@morehouse.edu
(404) 522-3365
(404)653-7859
fax (404) 222-2594
Dillard University Staff Task Force Session: Cyberbulling - Jan 26 2011 12pm-1:30pm Kearney West Wing
Attention Dillard University Staff/Faculty. Mr. Christopher Cameron, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs along with Dillard University Staff Task Force will be sponsoring a Brown Bag Lunch Workshop on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm in Kearny West Wing. The work shop’s topic is on Cyberbullying Topics for discussion will include:
• On Line Technology to Bullying
• Violence Against Others
• Unacceptable and disrespectful language towards faculty/staff.
The session will explore response methods to students who are victims and protocols for students who are perpetrators of cyber bullying.
• On Line Technology to Bullying
• Violence Against Others
• Unacceptable and disrespectful language towards faculty/staff.
The session will explore response methods to students who are victims and protocols for students who are perpetrators of cyber bullying.
TOP FIVE REASONS TO ATTEND CUR DIALOGUES
Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Dialogues
February 24-26, 2011
Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel
Washington, DC
TOP FIVE REASONS TO ATTEND CUR DIALOGUES
5. Hear Jeffrey Selingo, Editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, discuss current national climate for higher education
4. Attend a networking reception at the National Women’s Museum and meet Cora Marrett, Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation
3. Get the most up-to date information on regulations for the responsible conduct of research
2. Discuss “How Culture Contexts Influence Research” with Katrina Bledsoe, Senior Evaluation Researcher for the Education Development Center
1. Meet with program officers from many federal agencies and get the inside scoop on what they are funding
Register Now! http://cur.networkats.com/members_online/registration/register.asp?mt=CD11&af=CUR
More information @: http://www.cur.org/11curdialogues/11cd.html
February 24-26, 2011
Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel
Washington, DC
TOP FIVE REASONS TO ATTEND CUR DIALOGUES
5. Hear Jeffrey Selingo, Editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, discuss current national climate for higher education
4. Attend a networking reception at the National Women’s Museum and meet Cora Marrett, Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation
3. Get the most up-to date information on regulations for the responsible conduct of research
2. Discuss “How Culture Contexts Influence Research” with Katrina Bledsoe, Senior Evaluation Researcher for the Education Development Center
1. Meet with program officers from many federal agencies and get the inside scoop on what they are funding
Register Now! http://cur.networkats.com/members_online/registration/register.asp?mt=CD11&af=CUR
More information @: http://www.cur.org/11curdialogues/11cd.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)