http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ A search of MERLOT materials Copyright 1997-2013 MERLOT. All rights reserved. Thu, 23 May 2013 06:18:58 PDT Thu, 23 May 2013 06:18:58 PDT http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/images/merlot.gif http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ 44 34 http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=490638 Dr. Bugallo received a grant from Hewlett Packard (HP) of 21 tablet PCs and audiovisual equipment that she uses in her classroom. Students use these computers to take notes which include illustrations and graphs, and to do programming and simulations. Matlab is used for simulations, Word, OneNote and Journal are used for note taking. In addition, students use the laptops to gather data in the field during research projects. The Tablet PC enables Monica to use math simulation software for live exercises in the classroom. Monica finds that students at all levels (high school, under grad and grad) adapt quickly to using the computers and that her classes have been transformed from a purely theoretical approach to applied problem solving. Dr. Bugallo’s students use Wikis to keep a log of activities, pose questions to her on the content and reflect on their learning. The advantage of online Wiki’s over a paper-based approach is that it enables students to share knowledge among them and review each other’s work. They are also more motivated as they often show their work to friends and family. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=490393 The Innovations in Education project features Stony Brook faculty and staff using innovative approaches and best practices in teaching, and applications of educational technology that have had a positive effect on student learning. Video interviews are 15 to 30 minutes long and focus primarily on faculty members. The last section of each interview is usually with a professional staff member who can provide support to faculty interested in adopting the pedagogy or technology discussed during each show. Video and pictures of the application of the innovation or best practice in the learning environment are included in each show where possible. The interviews are intended to provide a balanced look at both the benefits and challenges of adopting a particular approach to teaching and learning support. Guests are asked questions such as:* What made you dissatisfied with your previous approach?* How did you change the structure and delivery of your course?* How did the students react? * What were your biggest challenges?* How do you feel about your teaching now?* What are you planning next for your course?In addition to the video interviews many of our innovative faculty are interviewed and articles written about their teaching approach and philosophy. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=667511 Aptitude testing http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=491790 Dr. Miller discusses the impact that the transition to college and living outside their families for the first time has on students. Impulse control and self discipline are two major issues that he addresses. College classes differ from high school in that content is generally not repeated and work outside the classroom is essential for success. Faculty need to be very clear and explicit with their expectations of students and not assume that they understand the level of work expected. In addition he believes that faculty generally try to teach too much and should decide on the important elements of the course and repeat these more often. Lee discusses strategies to improve faculty-student interactions. He also discusses an interesting self-reflective approach to mid-semester assessments and how faculty can handle negative comments about them and the course.Stony Brook University TLT website:https://tlt.stonybrook.edu/FacultyServices/IiE/Lists/Show%20List/DispForm.aspx?ID=31&Source=https%3A%2F%2Ftlt.stonybrook.edu%2FFacultyServices%2FIiE%2FLists%2FShow%2520List%2FSelect%2520Show.aspx http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=490613 Dr Engelmann teaches physics to life science students in a large lecture setting. This course has undergone major redesign with the aid of funding from a SUNY partnership with the national Center for Academic Transformation. He delivers his course content on CD which must be reviewed by the students before coming to class. Students must complete a quiz on the material prior to the class. Rod then uses the performance on the quiz and student email questions about the material do guide the discussion in the classroom. Rod was an early adopter of classroom response systems (clickers) which he uses extensively to pose questions to the students, to determine dynamically if the students are getting the concepts of the course and to deliver classroom quizzes. Rod also uses Maple TA, software that analyzes symbolic responses (the formula) to math problems, to deliver and grade homework online. He discusses the challenges and potential solutions to students being ill prepared in mathematics to take advanced physics courses. Attendance at lectures has increased significantly as a result of the modifications. Rod is joined by Ying Xiong, educational assessment specialist within the TLT Faculty Center. Ying discusses the difference between assessment and evaluation and the tools used for each. Rod plans on assessing his course using surveys and in-class focus groups. The faculty guided process for planning change is discussed and are the resources that can be brought to bear on the process. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=491812 In addition to teaching courses for math majors, Dr. Sutherland teaches math courses that act as service courses for many departments within the University. These courses are typically taught with multiple lecturers covering the same material in lectures sized between 35 and 260, with total enrollments of up to 1000 students. There are unique challenges to teaching these courses since students are often only present to fulfill general education requirements and mathematics is not a specific interest for them. Scott discusses the pros and cons of integrating discipline specific examples into his classes. He uses multiple digital video cameras to capture the development of math problems on the classroom blackboards and interactive software to show dynamically the effects of changing formulae and values on structures etc. Dr. Sutherland also uses a web based homework management system called WebAssign and has found that the use of clickers has had a significant effect of the performance of his students.Stony Brook University TLT website:https://tlt.stonybrook.edu/FacultyServices/IiE/Lists/Show%20List/DispForm.aspx?ID=29&Source=https%3A%2F%2Ftlt.stonybrook.edu%2FFacultyServices%2FIiE%2FLists%2FShow%2520List%2FSelect%2520Show.aspx http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=490630 Dr. Goodman discusses why syllabi are such important documents and what a syllabus should contain. In addition to the standard description of class schedule, textbooks, objectives and grading, the syllabus should clearly define what the instructor expects of the students and what they can expect of the instructor. Learning objectives help focus the students and provide structure to the course to ensure that appropriate material is covered. Norm constantly refers to the syllabus as he teaches and makes it available to his students in the Blackboard course management system. Dr Goodman is joined by Dr. Patricia Aceves, director of the TLT Faculty Center. Patricia discusses the depth to which learning objectives should be written and to what degree students can or should participate in this process. She also discusses the use of objectives to guide course evaluations and how objectives can be written to the different cognitive expectations of a course. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=663225 Learning Disabilities Information offers free practical knowledge for parents and teachers about learning diasabilities, including free assessment tools: rating scales, Cognitive Processing Inventory (CPI) and FBA Profiler to screen for possible emotional/behavior issues. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=480750 Learning styles are a way to help improve your quality of learning. By understanding your own personal styles, you can adapt the learning process and techniques you use. This site is dedicated to helping you better understand learning styles, as well as providing an easy way to discover your own styles. With group licenses you can: See individual learning style test results See who in the group has completed the test See the average and standard deviation of results for the entire group, or subsets Access individual reports and scores for further review and analysis and more... As an instructor you can register an unlimited number of groups, and have an unlimited number of users join those groups. Accredited schools, colleges and universities are entitled to use the Free license option. All other organizations need to obtain either a Basic or Standard license. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=490385 Dr. Larry Ragan is the Director of Faculty Development at Penn State’s World Campus. Larry discusses the skills that faculty need to teach well in online and blended courses, how to select appropriate content for each delivery mode and the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. The role of instructional design and other support staff in helping faculty be successful teachers online and in the classroom is also covered. Larry talks about techniques used to create healthy interactions between faculty and students in the online environment and how reflecting on learning and can impact the learning process. Larry also covers his current area of research on competencies for online teaching success (COTS). He talks about the most important skills that are needed; understanding how teaching and learning occur in an online course, understanding the operational mechanics such as submitting grades online, and technology aptitude.