Aracelie_Reflections_30 Mar
Posted onApril 13, 2010
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Concept Map…CMap Tools…Visual Understanding Environment (VUE)… What are these, you may ask? They are the topics we covered in class that related to “the Leslies” chapter of Classroom Research. One of the tools suggested for use is the Concept Map. At the start of class, Darren introduced Jason and me to free online tools available for download in the forms of CMap Tools and VUE. They can be used to get concepts down on “paper” and build connections through arrows, bubbles, narratives, etc. I immediately thought of additional uses for conducting brainstorming sessions and drawing process maps. When I sat down to apply it to my research question, I thought, “Where do even begin? My question is not even narrowed down yet.” So as is typical in brainstorming, I put down one or two ideas. From there, the connections began to flow more easily. Soon enough, Jason and I were comparing “bubbles charts”. (I was a little jealous because his somehow looked cooler than mine.) Eventually, we came to a stopping point, and Darren showed us how to save them on the NCC computers long enough to email them to ourselves.
The rest of class focused on Jason’s selected article, “Overcoming ‘Doom and Gloom’: Empowering Students in Courses on Social Problems, Injustice, and Inequailty”. In it, the author discusses the manner in which courses on social problems tend to be taught (rather negatively and without offering many solutions). He also offers a five-step process that leads to the ultimate goal of having students move toward making structural changes as opposed to simply making individual contributions to society (e.g. helping implement a citywide literacy program rather than tutoring a single child in reading).
Going through the article we touched on how it is a jumping off point for doing SoTL research. The author hypothesizes about several areas that might result in good SoTL questions – why teachers neglect linking social problems to individual behavior and whether constructionist or objectivist approaches create more cynicism, for example. I was happy to see that this was the format the author chose to use. I was a little hesitant about my own article on veterans returning to school because it seemed to be more along the line of traditional research, but after our discussion, I am seeing it as containing several potential research questions. Although it addresses many different areas of a soldier’s transition back to civilian life – interacting with family members and other students, dealing with road rage and appreciation of “the finer things in life” – they are all areas that can be focused on within various departments at a university (psychology, academic affairs, sociology, veterans’ services).
Aracelie_Reading Log_13 Apr
Posted onApril 13, 2010
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Carrie Ann and Ted will be leading discussions on the music-related articles they have chosen for this week. Although I do not see it specified who chose which article, I will work under the assumption that Ted selected “Delivering student feedback in higher education: the role of podcasting” for his focus, and Carrie Ann will lead her discussion on “Research in Music Education: Personal and Professional Reflections in a Time of Perplexity”.
I am admittedly not the most technologically savvy individual. When I was younger, I was fascinated by computers and all that they could help us do. Wordperfect was the best back then; I knew all the function keys by heart. Then I entered the workforce, and it seemed like I was spending all my waking moments on computers. As a result, I feel that I am aware of new technological developments, but I do not embrace them. Reading about the method of using podcasts for feedback encouraged me. My own minimal exposure to podcasting makes me feel as though it would be an option I could easily incorporate into a course I was teaching or project I was managing.
Granted, as the article stated toward the end, podcasting might work better with individuals who are familiar with the format, but even with a little bit of initial training on how to use podcasting, it seems to offer so much. The ability to hear comments with their intonations, rather than to simply see them on paper seems a little richer. Students can also refer back to the mp3s at a later time or in pieces. It may not suit everyone, but at least it gives students additional options and allows them to discover what methods of feedback (and learning) suit them best. I think that process of discovery will serve them more in their future courses and once they eventually enter the workforce.
Aracelie_Reflections_6 Apr
Posted onApril 13, 2010
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During last week’s class, we discussed an article I selected on veterans going to Queensborough Community College after having been deployed as a servicemember to either Iraq or Afghanistan in a time of war. The article covered several aspects of transitioning back to civilian life – Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and “reverse cultural shock” (as I refer to it) to name a few.
It was rather powerful article because it contained many quotes from the servicemembers. In our discussion, we raised a lot of questions regarding the point of self-reflection in class. In a typical practice of SoTL, the teacher will ask his students to do some type of self-reflection assignment. Without knowing the particulars of a servicemembers’ time overseas like those mentioned in the article, it is difficult to know what those requirements might signal. For some, it might be something they prefer or even cannot do. For others, it may be a therapeutic experience, an outlet they may have needed to get their thoughts out. How then does the teacher determine which case it is? Without any prior experience of combat and without a clinical psychology background, time and exposure would probably be two of the key components – time to learn more about the individual student and exposure to issues related to combat veterans.
PTSD is a dominant feature of the two wars. It is all over the news. It dominated the article and its bibliography entries. Ted brought up several questions about it in class, too. How can we do better when there aren’t enough medical resources out there to help? How do we encourage vets to seek the help they need? All are good questions, and they are even being raised in focus groups at Mason (I attended one on the 8th). The answers are not simple nor easy. Similar to the question of how to change and expand SoTL by focusing on changing the cultural mindset, that is what will be required for vets. There is a large stigma still attached with asking for help and the services, from the highest-ranking to the lowest-ranking person, need to stop behaving as though requesting help is a horrible thing to do and detrimental to doing one’s job. As educators, we have to try and present the opportunities for assistance, somehow opening the doors without making it too obvious. Taking a more incognito approach, perhaps by using different language. A cheesy suggestion, perhaps, but after awhile and depending on the audience it might actually work. (Example: the old Army slogan “Be All That You Can Be” met a great deal of resistance from those who were already serving. However, “An Army of One” brought many new people in just as it was supposed to do. A change in phrasing, but serving the same purpose.)
One other thing about last week’s class that I realized is that it would be very easy to 1) get overcome by how many topics are related to the initial research question (i.e. “scope creep” in business terms), and 2) it would be very easy to want to switch to topics that have more literature available, in my case, PTSD. (Luckily, I know my limits, and am not ready to tackle that on such a deep level just yet.)
Teddy’s Disciplinary Perspective Report 04.11.2010
Posted onApril 12, 2010
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Delivering student feedback in higher education: the role of podcasting
Teddy’s CTCH604 Reading Log 04.11.2010
For class session 04.13.2010
Have you ever enrolled in a class and around mid-term realize that you never received a grade on any of your work. The teacher has not returned any assignments with markings. No verbal or written communications as to how you’re doing in the class. Well, I have and it’s a frustrating and bewildering experience to have to continue on in a class of that nature. It can really do a job on a student’s self-confidence and self-efficacy. I have often wondered what teachers thought about when they planned these classes, then it came to me, no planning was involved.
In this article the author argues what constitutes good feedback and how it is delivered. Using podcasting technology students are engaged to learn while listening. According to the author, many participants in this research stated that their retention of knowledge was higher as a result of acquiring a more detail delivery system like podcasting. Students were able to easily access feedback analysis from the instructor using email and play it back again and again. This method allowed the student and teacher a form of instant gratification. Assessment of current student work can be posted and received as a clear and deliberate message that indicates what is expected to correct less than acceptable attributes of assignments. Student response is allowed open access to reply and re-submit evaluated work.
Author, Steve Cooper (2008), quotes Nicole and Macfarlane (2006) that teachers and students are partners in the feedback process. It would be senseless to think that a teacher response without a student response could complete the feedback circle. Personally, my experience has been that deeper understanding of knowledge and higher retention of that knowledge comes over a period of time. In other words, this process improves our learning as it is repeated over time! I believe that the student response encourages questions and inquiry that otherwise might not have taken place in the classroom, but has done so through great reflection and timely response from the teacher, evoked an emergence of creative and critical thinking in the minds of the students.
Teddy’s CTCH604 Reading Log 04.11.2010
Posted onApril 12, 2010
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Teddy’s Reading Log 04.11.2010
For class session 04.13.2010
As someone once said to me, there’s more than one way to do anything. I found this easily applicable to our selected methodologies used to complete music research. Reimer’s research award speech is to say the least an eye-opener. As stated by Bennett Reimer (2008), no matter the similarities and differences in how we do our work, we all share a bit of an outsider status among those devoted to the actual teachings and learnings in the domain of music that constitutes our profession’s fundamental reason for being. Our research across disciplines must must the current and fture standards or criteria n order for it’s validity to take hold as we reshape our thinking as to what is good research. From what other perspectives can we derive our best conclusions from current data and build upon that data to enhance our work as both researchers and teachers.
What methods are we mostly likely to choose? Some prefer the use of qualitative data and others quantitative data. Reimer goes on to suggest a third one, an arts-based approach that builds on the aesthetic nature of the arts. Like Reimer, I too believe this to be self-evidence enriched form of the research inquiry. The experiences of musical performances, art shows, sculpture and dance require an immediate response from participants. It is as natural as breathing air! Music education is food for our creative and critical thinking. Through experience it changes the nature of man’s spirit and muse.
Talent is too often portrayed as the main source of preparation to our profession. Similar to the clarinet/oboe student in this article, there are many varying goals and perspectives that are influenced from our earliest experienes as music participants. The clutching to one’s philosophy may somewhat mislead us as researchers/teachers about the career choices of young scholars. It is important that we apply theory to practice and not assume that our expectations will match those of our students. According to Heller, philosophy is a time honored scholarly activity upon which all research depends for its theoetical models that can then be tested by research. The role of all research is to minimize error. Regardless of our approach, we must keep in mind the human element as a major factor or deterninant. Whether artistic or scientific in nature, art is indeed a cognitive domain with its own ways to think, do and understand, quite different from science or philosophy or either quanitative or qualitative research.