March 2, 2011
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How Much Of My Class Should Be Accessible?
So, I just discovered that students have to log into Scribd.com (with their Facebook account or they need to sign-up for a free Scribd account) to be able to download the handouts I have. Automatically, I feel bad; BUT, why do I place these documents online? So students who weren't in class can view them... well, why weren't they in class? Some have reasons, legitimate ones at that, but some don't. Now, students lose documents. I get that part, but...
*BIG SIGH* Oh, what did we do before the internet? We had to go to the teacher's office and ask for a handout. Yep. Or just miss out on the points.
I find myself asking how much of my stuff should be online anyhow, particularly with an on-campus class. For one, it makes them too dependent on the online stuff - thinking they can miss class and just go online to grab the goodies. I suppose that by blogging about what we are doing in class, I'm setting myself up for that attitude, but I also like to reflect on what we did and when and I think this whole "what you missed" tagging will aid me in future preparations for classes.
They may be too dependent on email and Facebook and my blog and Scribd.com, but I can do something about all that, too. It's not something I can only complain about; I can do something about it. Less info out there in never-never-interweb-land and more info given out in class.
Comments (15)
I think you should be able to take a traditional class with no internet at all. Call me old fashioned and amorous toward ancient stone halls of learning.
I admire your reflection, I think it's a huge part of being a teacher! Personally, I find the internet as a precious resource. And I think if you have problems with putting it online, there's already problems in your classroom. I would take that as a note that I've got to do something myself to make people want to come to class.
From my observations, even if you didn't use the internet in your classroom, as long as you outline a syllabus for the students, some will still not show up because you already laid out what is going to be going on in class as well as the homework. Some kids will find a way to get the work done without being present regardless. Again bringing me back to my point of the classroom partly at fault ~
So, step up your game in classroom; maybe that means you up your attendance policy, or that you don't provide both a syllabus or handouts online at all. All I mean is that if you're planning on making things accessible - be consistent, and don't let it become an issue of internet vs. traditional. It doesn't have to be that way~ Good luck!
@NightCometh - I could do without the internet for 80% of my teaching. The 20% would be the awesome Gradebook feature (because then students can immediately see how they are doing; I remember when I would spend hours each week doing math so some "A" student could be reassured he/she still had an "A") and then when I'm gone for conferences = it's nice to have them discussing with each other online even when we don't have class-class. I mean, I loved and learned a lot in non-interwebbed courses back in the late 90s, so I hear ya clucking lil' chicken.
[Then again, there are so many cool sites out there for teaching and Englishers... like wordia.com and animoto.com and delicious.com and... yeah.]
@ultravioletskies08 - Okay, you make a point, but I've kind of beat you to that because I've already thought about all the ways I can make my boring-boring-boring-English classes MORE FUN. I've created the vibe, a contrast to the past, of "what are we going to do today?" and "I wonder what she has up her sleeve?" - type stuff in almost all of my class for almost everyday. I make it so that I WANT TO GO TO MY CLASS because I want to explain the projects and see students complete them and learn.
Still, students skip.
I totally hear you thinking: She's not doing enough. I've thought that too, of course; then the evil guardian angel on my left shoulder says: "Um, wait an effing minute, why does she have to do jumping jacks and tell jokes and be super funny? These students are paying for an education, not a daily performance by the English Clown."
Honestly, when I read your second sentence again, I think I disagree with it. Putting my stuff online means I'm trying to do too much; that's what that means. To me.
I think students are just intellectually lazy. They are smart, but lazy about using their melons.
@sonnetjoy - Thank you, sweetie. If you have feedback (like what you put online or if you do, etc.), let me know. I like ideas, of course.
@teacher47 - I do, but today's a bad day for it. I plan on coming back and sharing what I do so we can throw all the ideas in a can, shake them up, and see what comes out.
@sonnetjoy - Oh, I LOVE that... I have, like other teachers I'm sure, a document that is a collection of stuff I use and haven't tried yet, etc. So far, I love using TED talks like Sir Ken Robinson to get them thinking. Or George Carlin's stuff (since we read his book, Brain Droppings) on YouTube. I also have a weird rubber ball that I'll bring to chuck at students (nicely) and many markers for doing colorful Peer Review.
I'd like to try bringing playdough because at a conference I attended, some presenters had those little jars of it, and we played with it while they talked - I think I listened better because my hands were busy, etc. Anyhow,... I hope your day goes from "bad" to "yay" soon.
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@teacher47 - That's cool. And I feel as though I have an interesting perspective on this because I am a student transitioning into a middle/high school teacher. There is so much I feel I could say to this from my experience but I don't know that you would really want that perspective.
@ultravioletskies08 - And you do have an interesting perspective. When I was student-teaching 8th Grade Language Arts (West Fargo, ND), I had a LOT of ideas on how the experienced teacher (she retired the semester after I student-taught) could've made her class easier on herself, but she had lessons and things that had worked for her for so long that she stuck with those things. I get it now, but I was a bit cocky then (and just inexperienced in classroom management, to be honest, but that's not the case for every new teacher).
When I taught high school in MN, I had even OTHER ideas I thought were cool and, yes, better than others' ideas. I didn't get a lot of training, unfortunately, and so I had to make up stuff as I went along. My students then (many are Facebook friends now since I'm only 4-5 years older than most of 'em) loved the classes because I was different; I don't know if they truly learned MORE than they would have in a traditional classroom, but we had fun.
So, now that I've transitioned over to the college instructor, I almost feel like I have TOO many ideas (or some days = too little), TOO many paths I could take. The world of extremes...
I've tried out a lot of stuff. I've guinea-pigged a lot of classes with things that worked and bombed. So, when I was reflecting (which I do often - I think that's the best advice for any teacher), I was just like, "Jeeez. I've tried not putting stuff online and I've tried putting stuff there and I've tried this and that... what is the right combo? What else is there?" I have a few things that work FOR ME, but there's always room for change and adjustments...
I like that this conversation feels like one I'd have at a conference with other teachers. Sharing ideas over coffee is the best way to just put one's feelers out there to see what else they could do OR to see, "Hey, I'm not doing so shabby."
I don't mind hearing all perspectives. Seriously. My only issue, and it's one I've dealt with before, is when teachers think their way is RIGHT and yours is WRONG. It's all just DIFFERENT. I don't teach traditionally, but that's not wrong, just different. I'm sure you understand & know that, however.
@teacher47 - I don't think that my way is right --lol, I don't even think I have "a way" fully developed yet. I personally think that regarding my college courses (that were not teaching classes) they all forgot (or for even some, never learned) that we all learn in different ways. I'm not saying that they are to be clowns in front of us, but if I paid to learn, I think I should at least be learning the material in the way that I learn best, yano? Also for a college class, I've had profs that put that material online, and profs that don't . . . the pattern I found was that the teachers that didn't often kept the lecturing/discussion/lecturing dynamic, and the ones that didn't provided more substance and interaction to our learning. I don't know.
@ultravioletskies08 - Your last statement is confusing to me, but I think you're saying that those teachers who placed information online were not as engaging in class.
I didn't mean to insinuate that you did think you had the right way all figured out - reason for my last statement. I've just come across that attitude, is all. In "real life," on this blog, etc. The motto I like to keep is, "Hey, I'm not right, and I know you aren't either."
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Your stories remind me of two professors I had during the same semester. One was a brilliant prof; she had taught at Las Vegas H.S. and used stories to illustrate complex educational psychology terms&ideas. I did well on the tests because I just remembered her stories. The class was at 8am on T/R. Well, at 9:30am on T/R, I had a prof who was brilliant, but sat there sputtering out fact after fact about the authors we were reading instead of engaging us.
Now, with that said, if the brilliant prof would've put her stuff online, I may have accessed it all to learn more... but it wouldn't have helped the other prof because I'm certain his material in class and online would've been dulls-ville.
I guess I like to think I'm similar to the first prof; she was amazing, and I think she's still teaching in Michigan. Oddly enough, I knew students skipped her class too. They were missing out; students may or may not feel that way about my class.
Maybe all we can do is mimic those who have come before us who got us lovin' learning... ?
@teacher47 - Oh sorry, I was trying to say that profs that didn't put anything online stuck to the traditional way of teaching --which personally does no good for me. But those who would, that sort of signified that the prof is interested in teaching the material, not just lecturing on it. (Reading it back - man, I am stupid!)
Your stories bring up a true point that boring profs would be smart enough not to even bother, because they know nobody is going to read it --but honestly if I'm paying for the class, I want to have the opportunity to have access to all so that if I don't want to be harassed by droning one day, I shouldn't have to be. Meanwhile, as I take it easy and deal with x,y,z I can still keeping up. I admit to skipping classes --as of late it's mostly for personal reasons, but I still feel that if I'm paying for the material, I'm entitled to it. I don't know.
I do agree that we can certainly learn what to do by mimicking those who have taught us -- I don't know if teaching is going to be the thing for me, personally . . . but I am still willing to stick by the passion.
@ultravioletskies08 - I appreciate your responses & insight, yet you're contradicting yourself because... at first I thought you weren't cool with teachers putting things online: "And I think if you have problems with putting it online, there's already problems in your classroom."
My problem is this, simply. I want to be accessible; I have no problems with my things being online (on Scribd.com or via this teaching blog or through our online platform, eCollege), BUT when I make it accessible, it's too easy for students to skip and print off the handout. So, that's my reason for asking HOW MUCH...
I should add that I teach an online course (College Composition II), so I'm used to putting everything online. Images that I think are controversial (the course is rooted in controversy), cool YouTube vidoes, helpful handouts beyond those that are required reading, etc. I guess I want my class to reach beyond the walls of the classroom even for my on-campus students, BUT that leads to issues of, "Hey, this isn't an online course; get your butt to class."
It's just a hard balance to figure out because I don't want to stop putting things "out there." There are students who legitimately need the material and... I like it "out there" for those teachers who I want to share my ideas with.
Anyhow...
@teacher47 - Oh, I was advocating for putting things online this entire time. I was meaning by my initial statement that if you have problems with people coming to class because the handouts are online, there's a problem in the class etc., not with putting materials online. Anyway, good luck~ to you on whatever you decide to do!
The author is absolutely right, and there is no question.
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