Connectivism Thoughts

I have recently begun the CCK09 course offered by George Siemens. The question of the week is as follows:

"Does Connectivism resonate with you? Why or why not? Are you learning through different methods than you did 5-10 years ago?"

Connectvisim really does resonate with me; probably because I love social media and have a deep interest in how students can learn from the resources that they have available to them. Teaching students how to "fish" for information is the one skill that should be emphasized over others, in my opinion, because it will allow the student to thrive in whatever setting they find themselves in. The art of learning should really be about the ways in which information can be applied and adapted to other situations...that is the concept behind things like general education curriculum.

The interesting thing for me is that 5-10 years ago, I was in middle school. From what I rememeber about the learning processes there it was very much rote memorization and an established set of standards that needed to be met. If it wasn't on the state-mandated test, we certainly were not going to spend valuable class time learning it. I was lucky enough to take part in a gifted and talented program that did emphasize, however, thinking critically and understanding how things were interconnected. I wish for my future children (and really for all children!) that they too will get to experience the stretching of their minds rather than the stretching of their time to learn state-mandated information. I think that the concept of connectivism will slowly creep into our classrooms and hopefully standards will move towards this critical thinking viewpoint.

Advise Yourself First

Notes from a presentation from H. Maldonado, Buffalo State College

Advise Yourself First: Preparing to be your best professional self at any stage of your career & on any budget.

1. Assess the outcomes you want from you work

• Intellectual growth
• Personal and educational goals
• Realistic self-appraisal
• Effective communication
• Leadership development
• Collaboration

2. Understand the realities of being a professional

• Part of a larger whole
• Competition for resources
• Varying levels of supervisor quality
  
• Your professional development is your responsibility ALONE
  

3. Define where you are in the professional development cycle

• GOAL
• Plan
• Resources
• Action
• Assess Results
  

4. Which part of your career are you in?

• New Professional- Developing competencies; demonstrating professional behaviors
  
• Mid-Carer-
• Late Career-
  

5. Assess the reality of your career

• Identify where you are
• Identify where you would like to be
• Identify the training, planning, skills, and contacts you need to get there; Review job market & descriptions; network
  

6. Assess the realities of professional development that is available

• FREE: Library books, internet articles, list-servs, committee work, campus leadership, workshops, extra assignments, professional organizations, interning with another office
  
• LOW:Local conferences, purchasing books or materials, One class @ SUNY
  
• MID: Regional conferences; Multiple classes @ a SUNY school
  
• HIGH: National Conferences; Full time college study
  

7. Advising Yourself First Time line:

• Desired Outcome:
• Goal:
• Plan:
• Resources Needed:
• Connections to Make:
• Support Needed:
• Timeline:
• Result:
• Assessment:
• Repeat!
  

8. Think about the little known resources

• Individual department awards
• Campus Grants
• Informational groups & mentors
  

The Tweet in Which MCHammer tells me to quit

OK this is too entertaining not to share.

I was watching Fox News (don't ask...) and MCHammer was on the Governor Mike Huckabee show talking about Twitter. He is talking about his million followers, how he understands social media, and how he has a friend who invested in Twitter. Ok fine... I send this tweet:

Listening to @mchammer on @govmikehuckabee 's show; i really dont think he understands twitter (or has a friend who invested in it)...lame

To which I receive these mentions:

@jillianreading @mchammer over a million followers & U have HOW MANY? Oh yea UNDER 300 Sure is clear who understands twitter & WHO DON'T LOL

RT @MCHammer: @jillianreading U shld quit advising students. Clearly U dont do research in an area U have declared yourself an expert.

Now, my twitter profile states this:

Academic advisor for exploratory students; looking for ways to integrate tech and increase collaboration

Where in there do I declare myself an expert? And why is MCHammer telling me to quit advising? This comment just seems to re enforce my prior statement of MCHammer "lameness".

It is going to take more than a tweet to get this girl down.

Academic Advisors: Are Your Satisfied with your Job?

I'm a bit overdue on my professional development reading, but I did manage to read A National Survey of Academic-Advisor Job Satisfaction (Donnelly, 2009) while at an appointment yesterday. (Don't worry...it wasn't a student-appointment that I was reading through!)

What I found intriguing about the article was that overall advisors are happiest when their workplace is "characterized by variety, empowerment(authority), and teamwork as well as clear communication channels between the manager/supervisor and advisor"(p. 14).

Take notice that benefits and salary are not mentioned.

The next part of the paper discusses what advising administrators and advisors themselves can do in order to create and maintain such environments.

Advisors can:

1. Keep track of their own work and accomplishments.
I don't think you can underestimate the power of a well-kept work log and an updated
resume. It's a great way to look back on all you've done when you've had a harsh day or had
to accept criticism. Not to mention, this tool can be used for performance review purposes.
2. Dialogue with supervisors regularly; not just at the yearly performance review.
I make a practice of talking to my supervisor everyday; even if it is just to say hello. The key here is
visibility and likability.
3. Look for ways to keep their practice sharp.
Blog about your advising experiences, attend as much professional development as you can
afford, try new forms of advising methods when you get the chance. This will keep things
fresh, but more importantly, you will always be learning.

Administrators can:

1. Maintain good communication regarding roles and performance.
Giving each advisor ownership of one or two items can be a powerful tool. Accountability.
2. Be able to divide and share responsibility with advisors.
Sometimes its easier to do the job yourself rather than wait for someone else to do it. Resist
the temptation and allow them to try. Don't feel like you should make all the decisions since
you are not the only one on this team. You are the captain, however.
3. Ensure that each advisor receives excellent training and understands their duties.
Training can't be underestimated. This may be the foundation for a life-long career so be sure
that it is well thought out and foundational. You don't need to cover every advising possibility;
make it foundational.
4. Provide as much professional development as possible.
If the funding is there, USE IT!





A National Survey of Academic-Advisor Job Satisfaction. Ned Donnelly. 29(1) 5. NACADA Journal.