tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59931856525495363072024-02-18T19:00:33.726-08:00Dr. Rebecca MeederInstructional Designer and Course DirectorUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-44653788777973444862021-12-20T13:57:00.003-08:002021-12-20T14:03:07.884-08:00New article ideas for 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/ComputersBeyondBasics.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="Person looking at computer plugged into a globe" border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="800" height="245" hspace="10" src="https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/ComputersBeyondBasics.jpg" vspace="10" width="320" /></a></div><br />It's been awhile since I have written an academic article. (Insert gasp here). I know. I know. The shame!<div><br /></div><div>In reality, I took a break from higher education for about three years to work in the K-12 environment. The problem? When you are an academic or a researcher and you switch from higher education to private industry or government work, there is no tutorial on how you can continue your research in these settings. Where is the internal reviews board (IRB)? Am I allowed to conduct research since I'm no longer in higher education? Will I even benefit from it later on? So many questions, yet too little answers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now that I have returned to higher education, I look forward to returning to my writing roots and getting some publications out there. No longer will I have to suffer through those questions of mine. My next steps will be to decide on a topic I want to research. I've been out of the game for so long, so returning back to this process will take me a while. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hmm, maybe I should write an article on researching outside of a higher education environment...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-51662221727341032372018-03-07T12:17:00.001-08:002018-03-07T14:18:43.698-08:00Where are all the instructional design programs in Seattle?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With so many tech companies looking for instructional designers in Seattle, I find it odd that none of the colleges nor universities here offer any programs in Instructional Design (ID) or Educational Technology (EdTech). Why is it that so many companies in Seattle are looking for instructional designers, yet no higher education programs in Instructional Design exist here? As an instructional designer who moved to Washington from Hawaii, this was a dream come true for me. So many jobs to choose from, so little time. However, once I received my PhD (with an emphasis in Educational Technology) from the University of Hawaii and was looking to potentially teach in the field of Instructional Design, this situation was a bit confusing. Let me explain.<br />
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When I first arrived in Washington from Hawaii around the fall of 2010, I promptly searched for Instructional Design positions within the area. I had my Masters degree in Educational Technology and was towards the end of completing my PhD. I was astounded by how many ID positions I could apply for. I remember when scanning the job sites, I applied to around three positions every day. In Hawaii, an Instructional Designer was fortunate to even see an ID position appear once every six months. In Washington, I applied to several places including Bellevue Community College (now Bellevue College) and the Washington State Bar Association.<br />
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Eventually, after a brief stint of working as an office assistant at Nintendo (which I might add was one of the greatest jobs EVER, just for the fact that they have meeting rooms named after characters from the Super Mario series and video game consoles in each building that you can play with on your break), I landed a job with a company called Ellucian, which was providing IT and instructional design services for Seattle University. I worked with a few great instructional designers there, all of whom previously lived in another part of the US, and had a wonderful time providing training services for faculty and staff.<br />
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Unfortunately, within two years, Seattle University decided to switch their instructional designer services to another office in-house. Therefore, I was laid off and back looking for another job. Fortunately, I was able to find many instructional design jobs to apply to every day. I was still astounded with the amount instructional design positions available within Seattle and the Eastside, even two years later after my first job search within Washington. Within six months, I found another job at the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and was working again with another great group of Instructional Designers. Interestingly, all of them were from outside of Washington.<br />
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Another two years roll by, and I then applied for an Assistant Professor/Faculty Lead position at Northwest University in Kirkland, WA. Basically, they needed someone who had a background in Educational Technology/Instructional Design who could not only teach EdTech courses, but to coordinate the design and review the new online Education programs they were about to launch. I worked with one other person from Washington State who was an instructional designer, but had received her degree in Educational Technology from outside of Washington State. However, three years, after launching these programs, I was informed, again, that I was about to be laid off.<br />
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And now here I am back on the hunt for a new job again. I am excited about the new possibilities out there and the new adventures I am about to take in my field. I am not worried about finding another job since there are so many opportunities available where I live, whether it involves designing, teaching, or both. However, my question is, why are colleges and universities around here not taking advantage of this need? Why are there no ID programs around Washington State? This is a big need that colleges and universities can fill and would greatly benefit many technology companies here as well as those looking for jobs in the education field.<br />
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I realize that I haven't included any hard data in this post. Hopefully, in the near future, I can research this issue a bit more and find more information about this topic. Maybe turn it into an article to submit to the Seattle Times? We'll see. For now, I need to return back to searching for that perfect ID job.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-1103183507366713652016-09-30T13:50:00.000-07:002016-09-30T13:50:02.764-07:00Tenure Differences for Private vs. Public Higher Education Institutions<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
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A photo posted by Dr. Meeder (@drmeeder) on <time datetime="2016-09-29T20:37:03+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Sep 29, 2016 at 1:37pm PDT</time></div>
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Having worked at both public and private institutions, I have noticed a few differences here and there. Private institutions tend to have smaller campuses and smaller class sizes. Public institutions tend to have more resources and funds for infrastructure and specific projects. Both have differences regarding student and faculty diversity, student conduct, faculty conduct, and so on.<br />
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One of the noticeable differences on the faculty side, at least at the small, private Christian college I work at currently, is that tenure is viewed differently. Currently, I am taking a class with other fellow instructors who are planning to apply for tenure. I have only attended one meeting so far, so I cannot thoroughly explain the differences between the tenure process at my college verses the tenure process at other institutions. However, one of the main differences, at least at my college is the requirement for faculty members to address faith and/or ethics in their curriculum. This is very different at other colleges I have worked at where the only requirements included whether or not the course was writing intensive or whether or not the course incorporated global and/or multicultural perspectives.<br />
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To help aid us with our "faith" integration, the facilitators of the tenure class have assigned my colleagues and me our first book to read, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Learning-Practical-Guide-Faculty/dp/089112411X" target="_blank">Faith and Learning: A Guide for Faculty</a> by Patrick Allen and Kenneth Badly. I have only read the first couple of chapters, so I cannot provide an accurate description of what the books is about or whether or not I like it. However, I am looking forward to learning about integrating faith into my curriculum and instruction. I will keep you posted on my thoughts later on.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-52197706174005869512016-09-20T12:26:00.003-07:002016-09-20T12:26:40.279-07:00Gamification Infographic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently, I created a poster about Gamification to place on the bulletin board outside of the my office. I designed it similar to that of an infographic and decided to post it here for whoever wants to use it. Note the Creative Commons License at the bottom of the page. For a larger version of the poster, feel free to email me.<br />
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If I were to go back and work on the poster again, I would probably change a few of its features. First of all, I wouldn't have used so much text. Just a single sentence or two below each point would have worked. Also, the text is too small; I would have made it bigger. Secondly, I would have picked a more neutral background. Even though most of the infographic is fairly neutral as is, the floor part at the bottom is a bit distracting. Also, the pictures inside of the shapes are a bit distracting as well. I would have went with more basic shapes (maybe with some gradient) and not placed pictures inside of them with huge borders wrapped around the shapes.<br />
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However, this was my first attempt at an infographic/education poster, so I applaud myself for even trying. After all, failing is a part of the gamification process, right? Any feedback for this infographic is welcomed as well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-19457332956211290902016-09-12T11:38:00.002-07:002016-09-12T11:38:49.253-07:00Messy office = productive genius?<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
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<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>According to an <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yourtango/messy-people_b_8579478.html" target="_blank">article</a> in the Huffington Post last year, messy people are actually productive geniuses. I have always been a messy person, so does that mean I'm a genius? On the other end of the spectrum, researchers at Princeton University conducted a <a href="https://unclutterer.com/2011/03/29/scientists-find-physical-clutter-negatively-affects-your-ability-to-focus-process-information/" target="_blank">study</a> a few years back that found that physical clutter prevents your ability to focus. So which is it? <br />
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Many of the professors I worked with in the past were messy for the most part. In some of their offices, I had to climb over boxes of unorganized papers and books to eventually arrive at an actual chair I could sit on. Still there were others that managed to keep their "mess" at a moderate level. I've never really entered an office of an academic that was completely uncluttered and pristine. However, this could possibly change with more and more professors relying on the cloud for document storage and utilizing ebooks for their texts.<br />
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For now, I'll stick to staying messy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-8985423546367596922016-09-02T12:44:00.002-07:002016-09-02T12:58:34.206-07:00Book of the Semester: The Slow Professor<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ3XD5XAkDu/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Reading a new book this semester, "The Slow Professor" by Maggie Berg and Barbara K. Seeber #slowprofessor</a></div>
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A photo posted by Dr. Meeder (@drmeeder) on <time datetime="2016-09-02T19:18:32+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Sep 2, 2016 at 12:18pm PDT</time></div>
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<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Recently, my dean at the college I work at assigned my fellow coworkers and me a new book to read for the semester. We always read a new book each semester, so this was not a big surprise. Last year was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Whistling-Vivaldi-Stereotypes-Affect-Issues/dp/0393339726" target="_blank">Whistling Vivaldi</a> by Claude M. Steele, which I found quite interesting and learned a lot from. <br />
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This year we are reading a new book called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Slow-Professor-Challenging-Culture-Academy/dp/1442645563/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1472844340&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy</a> by Maggie Berg and Barbara K. Seeber. I've only read the Preface and part of the Introduction so far, so I can't provide an accurate review of the book yet, but I love the premise.<br />
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A few months ago, I was reading an Education blog that noted how most of the work Professors are engrossed with is more managerial rather than actual teaching. I find this sad and I wonder if this book will actually address this. I'm noticing this occurrence more and more everyday from the interactions I have with other professors as well. I'm curious as to how the book will suggest we slow down, yet keep our jobs at the same time. I believe that as professors and academics we need to place our focus back on academia and provide the best for our students by having colleges provide us more time for reflection, professional development, and growth in our field.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-42133641195066494572016-08-24T14:55:00.001-07:002016-08-24T15:02:52.057-07:00Getting hired as a PhD.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Finding a job is rough, even when you have a PhD. It took me 3 years after I graduated to even find a job as an assistant professor. Below is some advice for those still on the hunt for that higher ed position.<br />
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<b>Location, location, location</b></h3>
What goes for real estate and for business, also goes for finding a job in academia. The hard truth is that some locations have more jobs available in your field than others. For example, when you want to become an actress, you go to Hollywood or New York. When you want to work in the tech industry, you apply for jobs in Seattle, Silicon Valley, or Austin. Want to be a professor? Well, those jobs are in every state. Yet, believe it or not, some states contain universities or colleges that favor certain programs over others.<br />
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For instance, the University of Hawaii has a lot of programs involving Asian-American and Pacific Islander culture. If you specialize in a field that involves Asian-American languages, literature, history, etc... the University of Hawaii or other colleges around Hawaii might be the right place for you. Do a Google search and you'll find that other colleges and universities across the United States, outside of Hawaii, are less likely to have programs that focus on Asian-American and Pacific Islander culture (although I'm not saying those colleges don't have any at all, just less likely).<br />
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However, let's say you are an Instructional Designer, like I am. You can find tons of jobs as an instructional designer in Seattle and the surrounding area, yet the majority of colleges around the area have no Instructional Design programs whatsoever (interestingly, the majority of instructional designers around Washington that I have encountered are transplants from out-of-state or had to travel elsewhere to obtain a degree in Instructional Design). Therefore, you may not want to focus your job search in Washington if you want an Instructional Design teaching job.<br />
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My advice: Think about your specialization and then think about the location where these jobs are most likely to occur.<br />
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<b>Vary your search</b></h3>
Interestingly, right before I found my current job, I wasn't actively looking for another job. I was simply browsing college sites here and there looking at their job listings, not really expecting to find an opening. But lo-and-behold, there happened to be an opening for an Assistant Professor in Education at the university I am working at now. I then asked the person who hired me what places online this position was listed in, and interestingly, it was only listed on their website and one other job board online. And the position didn't even show up on the traditional job aggregator sites for higher education jobs.<br />
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Only relying on one or two sites is not going to find you a job. You need to vary your search. Don't only look on job boards, but look at the colleges and universities themselves. And even though they don't list a job that matches you right away, take a break, and look again at a later time. Your job is out there for you! You might just be looking in the wrong places.<br />
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<b>Be flexible and think beyond your job title</b></h3>
Although my degree is a PhD in Education with a specialization in Educational Technology, my current position is mainly an Assistant Professor in Education. I am teaching an Educational Technology course, but I am also teaching a Multicultural Education class since I have experience working with students from diverse backgrounds. Be flexible when offered certain classes to teach.<br />
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What it comes down to is being flexible. Sure, my job title isn't exactly Assistant Professor in Educational Technology, but I am okay with that. A lot of what I learned as an instructional designer and teacher also applies to other areas of Education.<br />
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<br /><b>Be Patient and Get Some Experience (or more experience!)</b></h3>
If you can't find a job right away, don't be afraid to work in other non higher education industries. After I moved to Washington State while completing my research online, I worked as an admin assistant (temporarily) at Nintendo and as an Instructional Designer for two other organizations. Those years were very valuable to me in regards to the experience I received working in these industries. Working outside of higher education helped me with my management and Instructional Design skills, much of which I apply to my current job. I feel that I am now a better instructor and coordinator because of these experiences and I wouldn't trade them for the world.<br />
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Therefore, remember to keep your location in mind, vary your search, be flexible and be patient. You never know what job will come your way or which job you may find. Feel free to contact me for more advice.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-22390410946330776902016-08-23T12:44:00.002-07:002016-08-23T14:51:42.178-07:00Making History Fun with "Alternate History Hub"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of my favorite YouTube channels that I love to watch is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/AlternateHistoryHub" target="_blank">Alternative History Hu</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/AlternateHistoryHub" target="_blank">b</a>. Alternate History Hub features several videos that asks the FanFic writers in all of us "What if (insert historical event here) didn't happen? What if events in certain movies or video games (i.e. The Day After Tomorrow or Fallout 4) actually happened? What if certain people in history or groups of people didn't exist? What would our world look like today?"<br />
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Of course, we can't travel back in time and change what has happened. The past is the past. But it's fun to ponder about our world today and think about the what could have happened and how our world would appear and feel much different from what we are experiencing now.<br />
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I believe this channel is great for educators. It presents history in a fun way with humorous and simple stick figure animations, along with a few stock photos and pictures here and there, and the narrator has lots of funny quips he inserts while narrating the videos. What's also great about these videos is it allows the viewers to think about and reflect on what has happened in the past as well as how important events or major figures in society can quickly change our world with the impact lasting decades or even hundreds of years. <br />
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What I believe is missing in most social studies and history classes is the "why" element. Why are we learning this? What's the point of learning about history? Watching this channel more than makes up for the the "purpose" missing in most history classes. It presents a lot of background information on certain historical events and then proceeds to show its audience how these events majorly changed the course of history, but then it also presents "alternate" what-if scenario alongside it, providing a "non-example" of the historical occurrence presented. In turn, the videos helps its audience see why we should pay attention to history and how events in our present time could impact us for several generations to come. <br />
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In addition to showing videos to the class, teachers can assign students their own "Alternate History" projects. Having students write about an alternate history scenario or having them create their own video about what they would think history would be like with or without a certain event occurring would be a fun way to have them reflect on history, investigate the effects of people and events in the past, and harness their creative side at the same time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-68337609095013915042016-08-22T11:25:00.003-07:002016-08-22T11:28:41.574-07:00I'm Back<a href="https://blog.aids.gov/wp-content/uploads/New-Media-blog-image-Aug-9-resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blog.aids.gov/wp-content/uploads/New-Media-blog-image-Aug-9-resized.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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"Sometimes knowing when something is not working and pivoting to something new leads to our greatest opportunities and successes." - Kristina Saffran </h2>
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Keeping up with the blogosphere is very easy now with RSS aggregator tools such as <a href="https://feedly.com/" target="_blank">Feedly</a>. However, posting on a blog is another story. I used to be a very active <a href="http://beccavlog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">videoblogger</a> about ten years ago as a graduate student. This was in the pre-YouTube days where not everyone could post a video online and being Internet famous was not a "thing" yet. <br />
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There was a few select videobloggers that were slightly well known due to their combination of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/" target="_blank">Blogger</a> and <a href="http://archive.org/">Archive.org</a> or Blip.tv. Such vloggers included <a href="http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/" target="_blank">Josh Leo</a>, <a href="http://onerivernews.ca/author/michael/" target="_blank">Michael Tyas</a>, <a href="http://missbhavens.com/" target="_blank">missbhavens</a>, <a href="http://ryanedit.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ryanne</a>, and <a href="http://www.brepettis.com/" target="_blank">Bre Pettis</a>. Only a few of us really knew how to create vlogs and we all had our own little community, commenting on each others vlogs and meeting at <a href="http://vloggercon.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Vloggercon</a> every year or so. This provided us the incentive to keep actively vlogging, discovering new vloggers, and following the adventures of the more seasoned ones. At one point, one of my videos was even featured at a small New York film festival that featured interesting Internet videos.</div>
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However, the vlogging community was soon overshadowed by the giant known as YouTube and its various Internet "celebrities." YouTube enabled everyone (and their mother) to post videos and share content. Now, keep in mind, I don't see this as a bad occurrence necessarily. YouTube provides everyone (at least those with an Internet connection, video recording device, and a smartphone or computer) to post videos, which I see as a plus in regards to enabling access to this type of technology to everyone.</div>
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Yet, this is what I see as the moment vlogging died or at least the point where it evolved into the behemoth that it is now. The YouTube movement was so big that our small little Internet community was washed away in one fell swoop. These vloggers were now "gone" from our lives. In other words, we were distracted by this new shiny product (YouTube) in the store window. Along with their disappearance, nevertheless, something better came along. Not only did sharing access increase for everyone via YouTube and social media, but the vloggers from our original community moved on to bigger and better projects. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bre_Pettis" target="_blank">Bre Pettis</a> is now one of the biggest leaders of the Maker Movement. Michael Tyas and Josh Leo have moved on to other media work. I now work in higher education as an assistant professor, teaching Education students about technology integration into their curriculum. We moved on to the next project, while the next generation grabbed the torch and vlogged in better ways than anyone ever imagined. </div>
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So back to my job as a blogger. Now, that I am one year into my new role in higher education, I need to start blogging again. I feel that there are insights that I can post about, but I tend to keep to myself. I need to find time to blog and not be afraid to write. Research writing is not the problem as this type of writing is something that I am used to as well as the type of criticism that comes along with it, but personal writing such as this blog is scary, yet necessary. I need to open myself up to criticism on my personal thoughts. I want to grow as a blogger and will attempt to post more frequently, not only for myself, but for the academic community. I want to have the same passion for blogging as I did for vlogging, and now is as good as time as any to start doing so.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-31078546205680948142015-08-14T13:09:00.002-07:002015-08-14T13:11:24.686-07:00Tech Tip of the Month: Growing as an Educator through Feedly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6Zg8OewX8K0DRzcDlKca5gkytRDSE288luLcS60PBlzGrssZ2yQflg9biix89Y4jOmts2SqtlAJ0hYPjXZgZ0FRcXFA6SdFy1hXnYpShFbm_H5qZ_DB498ac4EWn_8Q37IpXmzgCf3A/s1600/feedly.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="A screenshot of my Feedly page" border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6Zg8OewX8K0DRzcDlKca5gkytRDSE288luLcS60PBlzGrssZ2yQflg9biix89Y4jOmts2SqtlAJ0hYPjXZgZ0FRcXFA6SdFy1hXnYpShFbm_H5qZ_DB498ac4EWn_8Q37IpXmzgCf3A/s400/feedly.png" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
Greetings everyone! This was quite a busy week for me, so I was not able to blog and tweet as much as I would have liked to. However, I wanted to leave one nugget of advice this week for those in higher education, although this might help those in primary and secondary education as well.<br />
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Often times, we are so caught up in our work for the week, especially in the education field, we forget to learn and grow as educators. As an educator, I like to make a habit of learning something new every week. However, how do we make time to do that?<br />
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Introducing the news aggregator! Several news (or RSS) aggregators have existed online for several years. Most recently they have evolved into apps. However, I prefer <a href="http://www.feedly.com/" target="_blank">Feedly</a> since, in my opinion, it is the most clean-looking of the news aggregators and it's free!<br />
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How Feedly works is it allows you to create lists of blogs and news sites that you want to follow. Every time a blog or news site adds a new post or article, the title of the post and a brief preview of the content appears on your Feedly page. By visiting your Feedly page, you can briefly scan new posts regarding your favorite topics and quickly learn about new discoveries or insights into the topic of your choice. If you want to learn more about a particular post, you can click on the title of the post to read the full post.<br />
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By using a news aggregator, you can quickly shuffle through all the new insights and news of the day, and get the parts of your topic that really interest you. Plus, it's a time saver! I would highly recommend using a news aggregator, especially for professional development purposes. Blogs and sites that I would highly recommend following are listed below:<br />
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<a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blogs" target="_blank">Edutopia</a><br />
<a href="http://chronicle.com/" target="_blank">Chronicle of Higher Education</a><br />
<a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/" target="_blank">Free Technology for Teachers</a><br />
<a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning" target="_blank">Inside Higher Ed: Technology and Learning</a><br />
<a href="http://www.educatorstechnology.com/" target="_blank">Educational Technology and Mobile Learning</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-69191118292949571422015-08-07T11:21:00.002-07:002015-08-07T16:00:49.203-07:00Utilizing YouTube to Teach Students and Enabling Them to Develop into Creators of Their Own Content<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although I've been following this channel for awhile, I wanted to share this resource with my fellow education bloggers in case they were unaware of it. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX6b17PVsYBQ0ip5gyeme-Q" target="_blank">Crash Course</a> on YouTube is a great resource for educators and students alike. Brothers John and Hank Green of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers" target="_blank">Vlogbrothers</a> fame, and now Craig aka <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/wheezywaiter" target="_blank">WheezyWaiter</a>, present fun, informational videos about a variety of subjects including Economics, Astronomy, U.S. Government and Politics, Anatomy and Physiology, World History, Psychology, Chemistry, and U.S. History.<br />
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What I like about these videos is they provide interesting colorful animations, insert a touch of humor here and there, and often relate their topics back to modern day concerns and events. The hosts are very personable and keep the videos lively and interesting. The videos are also about 6-14 minutes in length, just enough to keep your students focused and not have them glance at their smartphones every minute.<br />
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After showing these videos in class, instructors can ask their students to make their own "Crash Course" videos as a possible assignment. Instructors can either assign or have their students choose a topic within their current unit and ask the students to write a script for their video. Then, they could use <a href="https://mix.office.com/" target="_blank">Office Mix</a> (free from Microsoft), Adobe Captivate, or other types of software to create and narrate their own videos to share with the class, and possibly upload the videos later to YouTube. If uploading to YouTube, instructors need to make sure that no identifiable information is present.<br />
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Have you done anything like this with your class? Let me know in the comments below.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-75516615283908147732013-05-05T10:58:00.001-07:002013-05-05T10:59:13.298-07:00What are you an expert in?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Note: This is a blog post about education. I promise! Read through to the end. </i><br />
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I have a secret that most people don't know about me. I love couponing. Yes, there I said it. I love doing it, I love watching those couponing shows, and I love scouring the blogosphere for the best deals out there. Am I an actual couponer? Not...even...close. <br />
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While I love couponing, I have to admit trying it on my own, clipping the coupons, scanning over the deals within the latest newspaper insert from stores, and trying to match the store deals or rewards with the manufacturer coupons didn't work for me. I still ended up paying a lot more for items that regular couponers paid a few cents for or even got free. So, what did I do? I gave it up for awhile, but then a few months later decided to give it another try.<br />
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What I did was change my game plan. I clearly wasn't an expert in couponing, yet clearly there are others who are. And interestingly, these experts were posting their strategies and finds on their blogs daily. I remember once my mentor and former boss told me "Don't try to reinvent the wheel." In other words, there are other people who have probably done in the past what you are trying to do now, so why not use their resources or advice to complete your task rather than trying to do it on your own?<br />
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So, instead, at least for my goal of successfully couponing, I went to the experts. I started scanning the blogs of couponers in my area and mimicked what they did with their coupons. I looked for items they mentioned on their blog that I needed, printed out or clipped the coupons they shared on their blog, went the store they mentioned, and then bought the item either for free or for a few cents. And... bingo! I became a successful couponer. Well, not an expert couponer, but one that used the experts to help me with my goal of couponing.<br />
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And this where the education part comes in. We aren't experts in everything. Yet, with the Internet, we have access to all kinds of experts in every topic imaginable, so we can get advice on practically anything. However, did you know we are experts as well? Maybe not in couponing per se, but we all have hobbies, interests, and other topics we have studied and honed over the years.<br />
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Instead of being consumers of information, why don't we become creators of information? Why not teach our students to be the creators and how to share their creations? Students may not be "experts" in the traditional subjects we introduce them to in their early years. Yet, they will eventually be the new "experts" within the next few years. Why not empower them? Why not show them how to responsibly share their expertise? Why not show them they are not just consumers, but innovators, creators, and leaders within their own interests and fields?<br />
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Activities that instructors can assign is have students create their own blogs or do group blogs, have them create their own websites, or even have them write their own book and have it published via hard copy or digital? Their publication doesn't have to be about the particular subject area you are teaching. Have them choose a topic of their own, one that they most know about. There are so many ways to empower students. Provide them with the knowledge that they can create and then perhaps they can help someone else who is a "beginner" in their field. Have them be the "expert couponer" within their own lives and education. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-75904337597045742522013-05-03T09:25:00.000-07:002013-05-03T09:28:14.958-07:00Great Career Advice from a CartoonistHere's a great blog post a cousin of mine recommended called <a href="http://philintheblanks.com/blog/?p=546" target="_blank">Super Obvious Secrets That I Wish They'd Teach in Art School</a>. Although the post is written by an illustrator, in my opinion, the advice he provides is applicable to all career paths. One of my favorite pieces of advice that he provides is to "Draw Awesome Stuff and Put It on the Internet."<br />
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As with any career choice, potential employees need to put together a portfolio, and what better way to advertise yourself than an electronic portfolio. So, even if your work samples are not "art" exactly, putting up links to modules you created or grants that you wrote is something you can use to gain more exposure for your work, and boost your Google rating in the process.<br />
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In addition, people can also provide feedback for your work as well, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can help you improve your work and you get the advice from people who genuinely want to help you (for the most part). Here's a video which features a portion of Neil Gaiman's commencement speech that can also apply to other career choices as well.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NHsSd3vk5jk" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-40239296314905118852013-05-01T09:15:00.003-07:002013-05-01T09:25:14.751-07:00Being the worst teacher ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.wichitafallstx.gov/images/pages/N1330//classroom%5B1%5D_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://www.wichitafallstx.gov/images/pages/N1330//classroom%5B1%5D_thumb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
When I started out teaching, I promise, I was the worst teacher ever. I started off as an English teacher at an Intermediate school in Hawaii. I gave my students too much writing assignments (because of course the more they write, the more they would love it, right?!), didn't hardly employ any classroom management (we weren't taught that in our college courses), and ended up mostly playing educational videos each class period towards the end of the semester just to survive the daily onslaught of never-ending grading, disgruntled parents, and students who basically wrote "f*ck this class" on the walls and desks of the classroom. <br />
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I didn't intentionally start off bad. Oh no, I was assuming I would be the greatest teacher ever, like the ones in the movies that struggled at first, but within 2.5 hours inspired students to become better people all around. However, reality hits you like a ton of bricks when you actually start teaching. I learned that students didn't like homework and who would right? Especially if it's something you'll forget about the minute you finish it.<br />
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I also learned that they needed discipline. All the cultural sensitivity training you get at college is not worth a dime, unless you get your students on a schedule, enforce the consequences, and in a sense "become" their parent for the next eight hours. I was told by one teacher "Sometimes you're the only parent they have." Now I don't believe in going overboard with discipline, where it borders on abusive, but I don't believe in shriveling up like a ninny and letting the kids walk all over you either. Kids need stability and it's your responsibility to provide it to them.<br />
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Additionally, I realized that I needed to give my students practical work that taught them skills they would eventually use as adults in the future, as well as work that allows them to express themselves creatively. It seemed that my students retained most of the information presented to them when working on those assignments vs. the other meaningless assignments I gave them, such as essays, fill-in-the-blank, and free writing (Yes, I said it. This is where all the English teachers can now throw their rotten fruit at me. I'm going to duck now.)<br />
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In the end, I became a better teacher. As with any job and skill set, you have to learn through trial and error. I believe I am a better teacher now. I use creativity in my assignments as well as assign practical assignments. I also instruct adults now, so I don't have to work on classroom management as much, but I always remember to be firm. However, I will always remember the valuable lessons my students taught me at an Intermediate school in Hawaii and that point in my teaching career where I was "the worst teacher ever."<br />
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For another great perspective about teaching from a former teacher, read <a href="http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2013/04/30/dear-teachers-everywhere#.UYEgx31NEJU.facebook" target="_blank">Jen Hatmaker's blog post</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-68589152105306055552013-04-30T15:30:00.002-07:002013-04-30T15:34:52.467-07:00VWBPE 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been to a few <a href="http://www.vwbpe.org/" target="_blank">Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education</a> (VWBPE) conferences in the past, and have even presented at one in Second Life. However, this year VWBPE is planning on holding its conference on four different platforms, which I find fascinating. These platforms include<br />
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<li><a href="http://secondlife.com/" target="_blank">Second Life</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cloudparty.com/" target="_blank">Cloud Party</a></li>
<li><a href="http://reactiongrid.net/" target="_blank">Jibe/Unity</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.jokaydiagrid.com/" target="_blank">Jokaydia</a></li>
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The only one I've used out of the four is Second Life, but I would definitely be interested in trying the other three. Has anyone ever tried these platforms before?<br />
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Also, for a more comprehensive write up on the upcoming VWBPE conference, visit <a href="http://danielvoyager.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/vwbpe-2013-held-on-four-different-platforms/" target="_blank">Daniel's Voyager blog</a>. The conference is free and I'd highly recommend anyone interested in virtual worlds to attend.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-79937349031787456522013-04-25T13:18:00.003-07:002013-04-25T13:54:22.247-07:00Kickstarter Assignment Idea<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1869987317/wish-i-was-here-1/widget/video.html" width="480"> </iframe>
With the new Veronica Mars movie being funded by <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a>, and now Zach Braff using it for another movie he's producing, it got me thinking about how funding platforms, such as Kickstarter and <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/" target="_blank">gofundme</a>, can be used in education. Using funding platforms as an instructor or educational institution may or may not provide some legal complications. However, what if teachers used these platforms as an assignment for their students. Not necessarily have them start a kickstarter campaign in real life, but assign them a project, asking "What project would you create if you could put it on Kickstarter and get funding for it?"<br />
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I think it would be a great way to incorporate the idea of social media into your curriculum, as well as provide a creative outlet for brainstorming with your students. Plus, I believe the idea of the students having ownership over a project that they create on their own can empower them to do the same thing in the near future. What do you think?
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-37494805446842586542013-04-24T16:37:00.001-07:002013-04-24T16:58:19.211-07:00Retelling local Hawaiian and Pacific Island folklore through Graphic Novels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For a couple of years, I've been following a comic series from Big Dog Inc. known as <a href="http://islandtales.com/" target="_blank">Island Tales</a>. In the Island Tales comics, Hawaiian and Pacific Island folklore is retold via graphic novel. While I enjoy the comics themselves for pleasure reading, I've often thought that teachers in Hawaii could use these comics as a way to reintroduce their students to Hawaiian folklore, either by assigning the comics as reading assignments or having the students emulate the comic, asking them to create their own interpretation of ancient Hawaiian or Pacific island legends.<br />
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Anyway, if you are looking for a good comic series to pick up, I would recommend this one or if you would like to incorporate it into your curriculum, this is a resource I would recommend.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-33643990305860837702013-04-18T16:44:00.001-07:002013-04-24T16:39:19.184-07:00Check out my post on Dr. Sangra's TCC session!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://tcchawaii.org/2013/04/18/guest-blogger-rebecca-meeder-on-albert-sangra/">http://tcchawaii.org/2013/04/18/guest-blogger-rebecca-meeder-on-albert-sangra/</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-1781412662958648052013-04-18T12:24:00.000-07:002013-04-24T16:40:31.793-07:00Pinterest in Education session at TCC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had a great time presenting at TCC this week about Pinterest in Education. If you missed it, feel free to check out the recording of the presentation. <a href="http://2013.tcconlineconference.org/sessions/13033/">http://2013.tcconlineconference.org/sessions/13033/</a><br />
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If you need information on accessing the recording, please let me know. Thanks!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-5845721682560965612013-02-27T15:27:00.002-08:002013-04-24T16:41:35.043-07:0022 Books for Beginner Instructional DesignersGood afternoon everyone! Still on the job search this week, but was asked a very interesting question by a potential employer during a phone interview today: "<span class="userContent">What are the top 5 Instructional Design books every instructional designer should read?" </span><span class="userContent"><br /></span>
<span class="userContent"> </span><br />
<span class="userContent">While trying to remember the titles of certain ID books I have read, I came across this excellent list online. A lot of these I have not even read, but want to in the near future. Take a look: <a href="http://www.upsidelearning.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/20/22-books-for-beginner-instructional-designers/">http://www.upsidelearning.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/20/22-books-for-beginner-instructional-designers/</a></span><br />
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<span class="userContent">Do you have any recommendations of your own?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-19726801176299929972013-01-18T13:36:00.001-08:002013-01-18T13:36:05.259-08:00Dissertation Published!Just double checked ProQuest today and it looks like my dissertation is published. Hooray! Feel free to check it out if you have a minute or two.<br />
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<a href="http://search.proquest.com.eres.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/docview/1267780255?accountid=27140&title=Andragogical+characteristics+and+expectations+of+University+of+Hawai%27i+adult+learners+in+a+3D+multi-user+virtual+environment#.UPm_9T-iJY0.blogger">Andragogical characteristics and expectations of University of Hawai'i adult learners in a 3D multi-user virtual environment</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-88709771453433509542012-08-21T15:19:00.001-07:002012-11-06T10:08:07.875-08:00Perfection Stereotypes of PhD Students and Grads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>"If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake."</b><br />
<i>Frank Wikzek, American physicist (1951 - )</i><br />
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I've made more mistakes than anyone has known to man. So, what am I doing with a PhD? In my opinion, PhDs are like everyone else. They are not superheroes. Most of them were not born prodigies, nor are they currently searching for the cure for cancer while simultaneously finishing up their advanced level sudoku puzzle. No, PhDs are individuals with imperfections. And while I admit, I make mistakes, the stereotype that is hoisted upon us fellow PhDs is that of an individual who is perfect.<br />
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Working toward a PhD or having one, automatically has society pigeonholing you into the perfection stereotype. You are now lifted up into an academic ivory tower of faultlessness. This faux persona that I was bestowed was knocked down in this past year when I recognized the many mistakes I had made within my dissertation, which towards the end of my program, I revised many, many times. This all but highlights a certain reality that most people aren't aware of: PhDs make mistakes, they aren't perfect, and all of them have committed acts of "imperfection" from time to time. Ask a PhD if they have ever made a mistake, and many will tell you that they have.<br />
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PhDs are specialists however, and that's where they should be respected, within their particular area of study. When I was an undergraduate in college, I often was upset when other classmates of mine disrespected professors while in class or behind their backs. Sure, these professors may not be the best or most interesting speakers, but they took the time and worked they way up to become an expert within their field. That aspect should be respected to say the least.<br />
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Overall, if you are pursuing a PhD, please please please don't think you have to be all-knowing, all-confident, or "perfect." All you need is a passion for your subject area, the willingness to work hard, and the want to share your love of the topic with the rest of the world. That I believe deserves the most respect out of everything.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-34170479271728462922012-08-02T16:21:00.003-07:002012-11-05T16:39:29.988-08:00The Grad Students' Essential Timeline<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have to admit, when I was a PhD student, I created a timeline for myself ...and didn't stick to it. Well, not exactly. You see, I did have an idea of when I wanted to start my PhD program and when I wanted to finish, but as with most plans that are implemented, life gets in way. That happened with me and, if you are pursuing a PhD, I think it will happen to you. However, it's at least a good idea to have a tentative schedule for your PhD. And that's what I did. I finished my PhD a year later than I expected, but in the end, I turned out fine. So, fellow grad students, please do not be dismayed. Plan, plan, plan, and make adjustments where necessary. Below is a proposed timeline for those who want to finish within 5-6 years. For those who want to finish earlier, feel free to combine semesters.<br />
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<b>1st semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Take 3 or more classes required by your program.</li>
<li>Create a <b>calendar</b>, writing down your temporary milestones (e.g. when you want to create your proposal, defend, graduate, etc...). Use this timeline as a reference.</li>
<li>Start a <b>journal</b> or <b>blog</b>. Write down <b>key topics</b> that interest you off the top of your head (e.g. augmented reality in education, students in Hawaiian charter schools, etc...)</li>
<li>Post any and all papers you had to write in your classes to your blog or into a single folder on your computer.</li>
</ul>
<b>2nd semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Take 3 or more classes required by your program. </li>
<li>Continue to write down <b>key topics</b> that interest you off the top of your head (e.g. augmented reality in education, students in Hawaiian charter schools, etc...) in your journal or blog.</li>
<li>Post any and all papers you had to write in your classes to your blog or into a single folder on your computer.</li>
<li>Update your calendar when necessary. </li>
</ul>
<b>3rd semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Take 2 or more classes required by your program. </li>
<li>Find your college's <b>dissertation database online</b> (usually within the library pages on your college's website). </li>
<li>Find dissertations that are similar to the topics that interest you. </li>
<li>Bookmark or download these dissertations into one place.</li>
<li>Start thinking about which professors you want for your committee. </li>
</ul>
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<b>4th semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Take 2 or more classes required by your program. </li>
<li>Pick one of the dissertations that appeals to you and write a <b>summary</b> of that dissertation (hint: read the abstract, and chapters 1 & 5 of the dissertation).</li>
<li><b>Alter the summary</b> and incorporate the participants you want
to study. For example, a dissertation studying female students'
performance in math the Seattle public school system could be changed to
studying female students' performance in math in the Portland public
school system. Make any other changes you feel necessary (data
collection tools, etc...).</li>
<li>Ask your chosen professors to be on your committee. </li>
</ul>
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<b>5th semester </b><br />
<ul>
<li>Take 2 or more classes required by your program. </li>
<li>Compose your <b>dissertation prospectus</b> (if applicable). Base it on the summary you created last semester.</li>
<li>Have 1-2 of your advisers review your prospectus before submitting it to your committee.</li>
<li>Defend your prospectus sometime within the semester (if applicable).</li>
<li> </li>
</ul>
<b>6th semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Take 2 or more classes required by your program. </li>
<li>Start composing <b>Chapters 1-3 of your proposal</b>. Base it off
your prospectus and other similar dissertations (use sources from those
dissertations to construct your dissertation).</li>
<li>Have your proposal reviewed by peers and committee members. Make revisions by the end of the semester or over the summer.</li>
</ul>
<b>7th semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li> Take 2 or more classes required by your program (if still applicable). </li>
<li><b>Defend proposal</b>. </li>
<li>Turn in Human Subjects<b> forms</b>.</li>
<li>Start searching for <b>study participants</b> after approval from Human Subjects committee.</li>
<li> </li>
</ul>
<b>8th semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Register for the 1 dissertation credit (if required).</li>
<li>Gather <b>data</b>.</li>
<li>Start <b>coding.</b></li>
</ul>
<b>9th semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Register for the 1 dissertation credit (if required).</li>
<li>Write out <b>Chapters 4-5</b>.<b> </b></li>
<li>Get feedback and make revisions.</li>
</ul>
<ul></ul>
<b>10th semester</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Register for the 1 dissertation credit (if required).</li>
<li><b>Defend dissertation</b>.</li>
<li>Go to your graduate division's website and make sure you have completed and submitted all the necessary paperwork to graduate and participate in commencement.</li>
<li><b>Graduate</b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
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Now in my timeline, I recommend choosing a study that interests you and then replacing it with your own participant types. Some may balk at this for being "UN-original." However, when I was grad student, I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I needed to have structure and guidance. In my opinion, there are so many factors and so many concepts that grad students have to take into consideration and remember, that it is practically impossible for them to compose a study that is completely original and unique to their particular field. <br />
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Most graduate students are new to the game. In order to break the rules, you have to know the rules first, right? Therefore, using another study as the basis for your own study is fine. The only difference I would recommend, of course, is to change the participants. Therefore, your methods are already backed up and you already have a list of sources to use.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-55482437250887664192012-07-31T10:53:00.002-07:002012-11-06T10:13:38.677-08:00Friends and Family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One thing I do have to warn you about. It's not only you who are making the sacrifices for your PhD, it's your family and friends. Now, I don't mean that in order to get your PhD, you have to completely neglect all family and friends and run into a cave a seclude yourself for the next several years. Not at all.<br />
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However, there will be times when you can't take that family trip or can't go to the reunion because you have that darned dissertation you have write as well as balancing all your other responsibilities in life. It's a sacrifice that you have to understand and your spouse, family members, and friends have to understand as well. For the most part, I was able to see my friends on a regular basis. I made time at least once a month to see them or call. I made sure I spent time with my boyfriend (now fiancee) at least one hour a night. However, there were times I couldn't go to a birthday party in another state or go to the family reunion. Work and dissertation made it impossible.<br />
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Here's where scheduling comes into play. If you set yourself up a schedule, like I said the one hour a day to work on your dissertation, and set up a routine with family and friends, it helps with managing both your academic life and your social life. Now, that is not to say we become snobs and declare to our family members, "I only have X amount of hours for you, so let's make it snappy!" It's giving yourself a schedule and letting yourself make time for your family and friends.<br />
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Try to at least see your friends and non-immediate (in-state) family once a month, so they know that they are important to you. If your friends happen to be the really social types, don't be afraid to say "Hey, I'd love to come, but I gotta work on my dissertation. Maybe next time?" Also, don't be afraid to give yourself some time off to rest. If friends start noticing your routine, then they will start to understand your schedule and know that they are not being neglected because at least they'll realize that you are seeing once a month.<br />
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Immediate household family is a little different. I'd recommend making time for them at least once a day, maybe for an hour or two. To go from seeing you everyday to once every two weeks is completely unacceptable. You are striving for something important in your career, but family (especially immediate family in your household) takes precedence. For my out-of-state relatives, I'd try to see them once per year. I wish I could see them more, but even from work you have only so many vacation days. Another alternative was asking them to come up and see me. That often worked too.<br />
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So, that is my advice for you regarding family members and friends. I hope this helps. If you have any other questions regarding this topic, feel free to post in the comments section. I'd love to hear your suggestions as well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5993185652549536307.post-10638988278537289152012-07-30T14:48:00.001-07:002012-11-06T10:13:50.880-08:00Set a schedule<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As a grad student, I tried many times to get huge amounts of writing and research done in large chunks of time during the day. The thing is, it didn't work. I'd stare and stare and the many research articles on my desk. I'd stare and stare at my dissertation with only a few pages completed, ever wondering if I'm ever going to get this thing done. I'd have thoughts saying "Maybe you are not cut out for this." I often believed that.<br />
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However, it wasn't until I moved to Seattle and got a full time job did I actually find out how to get the ball rolling with my dissertation. With this new full time job, I realized I had to start scheduling myself. I had to actually make time for dissertation writing, instead of following my grad assistant schedule of fitting my writing into chunks of time whenever they were available.<br />
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You see, the key to actually completing anything large and complex as a dissertation is scheduling time to do it and sticking to this schedule. The schedule that worked for me was writing or researching or planning 1 hour everyday (Monday through Friday) right after work in my office. So even though I was technically "done" with work, my mind was still sharp and in "work mode," allowing me to easily keep my mind and typing hands working on my dissertation. I gave myself the weekends off since my schedule was unpredictable and honestly I just felt like resting at that time. I also tried not to work at home. Home, in my opinion, is where you are suppose to rest. As you can tell, I don't have children, so this might not be case for all of you. Still, even if you are a parent, getting anything remotely done at home regarding your dissertation is next to near impossible, unless of course your spouse or partner stays at home all day and keeps the children occupied for an hour or so while you work. (My advice, SPEND TIME WITH YOUR KIDS).<br />
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By sticking to this schedule, I was able to keep the ball rolling with my dissertation. In other words, I was able to maintain a flow with the writing and research process. Even if you just write 1 word on your dissertation for the day, that's fine! You at least contributed to your dissertation and you are keeping the flow going with your writing. Some days I would just write one word. Other days I would write 1-2 pages. It really depends and some days work better than others. So, don't feel bad even you hardly write anything. The next day may be much much better.<br />
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Some may think also that giving yourself only 1 hour per day is too short. I beg to differ. Research has suggested that even when you are not working on a
particular task or topic, your subconscious is actually "working" on it
in the background of your mind (still need to find the reference, will insert it here when I find it). Giving yourself that time away from your dissertation is actually beneficial. It gives yourself time to think and then compose your thoughts at a later date.<br />
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I really do hope this helps you. All the other advice I plan to give falls on this very simple concept of scheduling. Some may have a different schedule in mind, and maybe that works of them. This is what works for me. Hopefully, you can find a nice slice of time in your day that you can regularly work on your dissertation too. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0