It is that time in the quarter when we can help guide our students to various tools in preparing for final exams and final projects. I've mentioned many different tools in the past that you can access once again by clicking on the appropriate label on the right side of this blog (such as: Smarthinking.com or online flashcards), but I'd like to share yet another one with you that I have just recently come across. It is called PocketMod, and it is an ideal option for students who like to have something physical in their hands to study from and review. As one blogger online put it, he thinks of it as the best and most legit cheat sheet as it is designed to help you prepare and seems like it could be a "cheat sheet," but it isn't; rather, students can create excellent study resources to take on the go and even connect to your PDA.
Check out the link for PocketMod, share it with your students, and let me know what you think.
Heather Thomton-Stockman
Online Instructional Specialist
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Group work getting you down? Dweeber could be your answer!
Do you have group work built into your online course? Are you trying to find ways to help your students connect with one another more and maybe even work together in study groups? Do your students engage in social networking (most likely a definite yes to this last question)? If you answered yes to any of these, I encourage you to check out Dweeber!
Dweeber is a social networking site created and designed specifically to help students learn and connect to their education on another level. While it was initially designed for youth, I can see it having many benefits for our students - both traditional college-aged and non-traditional college-aged. Check out what Dweeber is about; check out the FAQs about Dweeber; and check out what you can do on Dweeber. It may be a site to share with your students!
Thanks!
Heather Thomton-Stockman
Online Instructional Specialist
Dweeber is a social networking site created and designed specifically to help students learn and connect to their education on another level. While it was initially designed for youth, I can see it having many benefits for our students - both traditional college-aged and non-traditional college-aged. Check out what Dweeber is about; check out the FAQs about Dweeber; and check out what you can do on Dweeber. It may be a site to share with your students!
Thanks!
Heather Thomton-Stockman
Online Instructional Specialist
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Insighting Connections
Good Afternoon!
As I am working with Global Citizenship and Career Capstone students right now, I am in the trenches with Insights and loving every minute of it. But, as I am helping my Capstone students put the finishing touches on some of the work I'm realizing many have "forgotten" about their Insights work they completed earlier on in their academic careers. I'm seeing the light bulbs flicker for them in their responses of "great idea, I never thought of using that information in an interview!" or "that is the exact sentence I needed for my cover letter."
Because of this, and since we are rounding the corner and getting closer to the last stretch of the quarter, I thought now would be a great time to send out a reminder of looking at the courses we teach and stepping back for a moment to ask ourselves as instructors "how can I connect this direct course material to the big picture of their education?" My answer for you, Insights is a great first step! Simply posing a question in a discussion board, as a topic or even as a single thread, such as: "How might you gain greater understanding about this strategy at work in the real world by examining it from what you have learned about the four different color energies from your Insights profile?" could help make connections between courses and concepts that otherwise might get missed. It could work beautifully when talking about organizational leadership, conflict, structure, client communications, and the list goes on.
I challenge you to make the Insights Connection in your class!
Heather Thomton-Stockman
Online Instructional Specialist
As I am working with Global Citizenship and Career Capstone students right now, I am in the trenches with Insights and loving every minute of it. But, as I am helping my Capstone students put the finishing touches on some of the work I'm realizing many have "forgotten" about their Insights work they completed earlier on in their academic careers. I'm seeing the light bulbs flicker for them in their responses of "great idea, I never thought of using that information in an interview!" or "that is the exact sentence I needed for my cover letter."
Because of this, and since we are rounding the corner and getting closer to the last stretch of the quarter, I thought now would be a great time to send out a reminder of looking at the courses we teach and stepping back for a moment to ask ourselves as instructors "how can I connect this direct course material to the big picture of their education?" My answer for you, Insights is a great first step! Simply posing a question in a discussion board, as a topic or even as a single thread, such as: "How might you gain greater understanding about this strategy at work in the real world by examining it from what you have learned about the four different color energies from your Insights profile?" could help make connections between courses and concepts that otherwise might get missed. It could work beautifully when talking about organizational leadership, conflict, structure, client communications, and the list goes on.
I challenge you to make the Insights Connection in your class!
Heather Thomton-Stockman
Online Instructional Specialist
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