It is the age-old argument: raise taxes or cut services. Which is more important to you?
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-02-25-IHE-tea-party-community-college25_ST_N.htm?csp=34
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Dalai Lama is tweeting. Are you?
Master of one of the world'd oldest philosophies adopts latest technology.
What is the value of a tweet? To you? To an organization? To the world?
What is the value of a tweet? To you? To an organization? To the world?
Monday, February 15, 2010
Classroom Victories
I found a very cool forum with a stream on classroom victories. Tales of success! Uplifting! Enlightening! Inspiring!
I know some PHCC faculty have similar tales to share. Please, share them there, or share them here - but share!
http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,64526.0.html
I know some PHCC faculty have similar tales to share. Please, share them there, or share them here - but share!
http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,64526.0.html
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Why Is It So Hard to Change?
The League for Innovation has posted a discussion about a new book: Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, and in our own lives? The primary obstacle is a conflict that’s built into our brains, say Chip Heath and Dan Heath, authors of the critically acclaimed bestseller Made to Stick. Psychologists have discovered that our minds are ruled by two different systems—the rational mind and the emotional mind—that compete for control. The rational mind wants a great beach body; the emotional mind wants that Oreo cookie. The rational mind wants to change something at work; the emotional mind loves the comfort of the existing routine. This tension can doom a change effort—but if it is overcome, change can come quickly.
Read more, then come back here to comment.
Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, and in our own lives? The primary obstacle is a conflict that’s built into our brains, say Chip Heath and Dan Heath, authors of the critically acclaimed bestseller Made to Stick. Psychologists have discovered that our minds are ruled by two different systems—the rational mind and the emotional mind—that compete for control. The rational mind wants a great beach body; the emotional mind wants that Oreo cookie. The rational mind wants to change something at work; the emotional mind loves the comfort of the existing routine. This tension can doom a change effort—but if it is overcome, change can come quickly.
Read more, then come back here to comment.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Is It Too Easy to Get an A?
A post on Higher Ed Morning poses an interesting question: what direction does higher education need to take to halt or slow down grade inflation? What about the trend over the years toward higher grades – and less time studying? According to the author, research has shown students are putting in half as much time studying — often less than 10 hours a week — than they were 40 years ago.
Check it out: http://www.higheredmorning.com/is-it-too-easy-to-get-an-a.
Then come back here and post your comments.
Check it out: http://www.higheredmorning.com/is-it-too-easy-to-get-an-a.
Then come back here and post your comments.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
"If Current Trends Continue . . . .
The next generation will be the first to have less education than their parents. ... We are now 10th in the world for the percentage of people with college degrees." --
Carol Lincoln
MDC, Inc.
at the DEI Strategy Institute, Feb. 2, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Our Global Skills Experience - Reflections
From Michelle Zollars:
From January 5-8, in warm and sunny Phoenix, Arizona, I, along with 25 other developmental educators from around the country and leaders from Knowledge for the Public Interest, the League for Innovation in the Community College, and LaGuardia Community College, met to begin a two-year project entitled Global Skills for College Completion. During my four days at the beautiful Arizona Biltmore Resort, my colleagues and I began to develop promising innovations in pedagogy that will increase the success rates for developmental students.
As I was waiting for a taxi at the Phoenix Airport, the porter asked why I was in Phoenix. I went on to explain that it was for a conference. He smiled and told me to make sure I sneak out of a couple of sessions and enjoy the beautiful Phoenix weather. I simply nodded yet thought to myself, "I sure hope so." The next four days of "Camp Innovation" were so rigorous and packed with activities, meetings, interviews, etc., that I simply had to live vicariously through my husband and daughter, who availed themselves of the horseback riding, hot air ballooning, and sunbathing.
Now that I am back home, the hard work begins. Each participant has an e-portfolio which will be used to document classroom activities, assessment, and reflection. My sincere desire is that through the sharing of these 26 faculty members, I will happen upon ideas and innovations from which all of us here at PHCC can benefit. For example, here is a link to a colleague's webpage that explains how he uses the video softward Jing to provide feedback to his students. If you are unfamiliar with Jing (another popular one is Camtasia), these are software programs that allow teachers to video their comments for students.
Here's the link: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~rsunahar/
As I come across other ideas worth sharing, I'll pass them along.
From Bronte Miller:
Michelle and I had an amazing experience at Camp Innovation, the retreat that launched our participation in the Global Skills for College Completion project. Phoenix was warm and beautiful and our accommodations were spectacular, but the amenities weren’t the reason for our amazing experience.
The Global Skills for College Completion project has brought together some of the most inspiring, dedicated, and energetic educators we’ve ever met. We found kindred spirits there, folks who respect and value students, who consider developmental education to be a sacred trust, and who believe that with focused effort, this project will transform basic skills education.
At Camp Innovation, Michelle and I began learning about the project, its goals, the research, our roles, and how we would be supported. We came away from the retreat both excited and overwhelmed by the project’s scope. But mostly, we came away believing in the possibility that thousands more students will realize their full potential as a result of the work we do here.
As we begin to document our work and collect “shreds of evidence” of student success, we recognize more than ever how fortunate we are to work at PHCC, an institution that supports, encourages, and leads best practices in education.
From January 5-8, in warm and sunny Phoenix, Arizona, I, along with 25 other developmental educators from around the country and leaders from Knowledge for the Public Interest, the League for Innovation in the Community College, and LaGuardia Community College, met to begin a two-year project entitled Global Skills for College Completion. During my four days at the beautiful Arizona Biltmore Resort, my colleagues and I began to develop promising innovations in pedagogy that will increase the success rates for developmental students.
As I was waiting for a taxi at the Phoenix Airport, the porter asked why I was in Phoenix. I went on to explain that it was for a conference. He smiled and told me to make sure I sneak out of a couple of sessions and enjoy the beautiful Phoenix weather. I simply nodded yet thought to myself, "I sure hope so." The next four days of "Camp Innovation" were so rigorous and packed with activities, meetings, interviews, etc., that I simply had to live vicariously through my husband and daughter, who availed themselves of the horseback riding, hot air ballooning, and sunbathing.
Now that I am back home, the hard work begins. Each participant has an e-portfolio which will be used to document classroom activities, assessment, and reflection. My sincere desire is that through the sharing of these 26 faculty members, I will happen upon ideas and innovations from which all of us here at PHCC can benefit. For example, here is a link to a colleague's webpage that explains how he uses the video softward Jing to provide feedback to his students. If you are unfamiliar with Jing (another popular one is Camtasia), these are software programs that allow teachers to video their comments for students.
Here's the link: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~rsunahar/
As I come across other ideas worth sharing, I'll pass them along.
From Bronte Miller:
Michelle and I had an amazing experience at Camp Innovation, the retreat that launched our participation in the Global Skills for College Completion project. Phoenix was warm and beautiful and our accommodations were spectacular, but the amenities weren’t the reason for our amazing experience.
The Global Skills for College Completion project has brought together some of the most inspiring, dedicated, and energetic educators we’ve ever met. We found kindred spirits there, folks who respect and value students, who consider developmental education to be a sacred trust, and who believe that with focused effort, this project will transform basic skills education.
At Camp Innovation, Michelle and I began learning about the project, its goals, the research, our roles, and how we would be supported. We came away from the retreat both excited and overwhelmed by the project’s scope. But mostly, we came away believing in the possibility that thousands more students will realize their full potential as a result of the work we do here.
As we begin to document our work and collect “shreds of evidence” of student success, we recognize more than ever how fortunate we are to work at PHCC, an institution that supports, encourages, and leads best practices in education.
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