Competing with a computer or mobile screen for students\’ attention can be a challenge at best and at worst extremely frustrating. In this posting I will share some techniques and approaches for dealing with these problems.
Ban devices
Obviously this is the simplest way to deal with the problem, however, banning devices in class can be hard to enforce especially with teen students and older. It will also become harder as more technology becomes wearable, and particularly with adult classes, this approach could border on the insulting.
Banning devices in the classroom also deprives us and our students of the opportunity to develop responsible approaches to using these devices and robs students of the opportunity to develop their digital literacy skills and exploit the genuine benefits that technology in the classroom can bring.
Turn off the device
This is much less extreme than banning devices from the class and can be part of a strategy for more responsible use of devices. Have parts of a lesson or even complete lessons when you ask students to turn off their device.
In this way the devices can be available when we need them and we can start to build a more responsible though very controlled approach to the use of technology. This becomes more difficult with computers which take much longer to boot up.
Motivational reward
You can use mobile or computer use as a motivational tool by giving students a break when they have been working well and allowing them a few minutes to use their mobile device or computer freely.
This isn\’t to say that you don\’t also use them as part of the lesson, but just giving students a short break to check their email or social media can help top reduce their anxiety levels. Remember that many more digitally connected people now have parallel virtual lives happening along side their physical life.
Turn off the screen
If you have students sitting with a computer screen screen in front of them in a more old fashioned computer room with desktop computers then you can ask them just to turn off the screen when you want their attention. Then they can quite easily turn it back on again when you are ready to get them working again.
Go to the home screen
Rather than turning the screen off, you can also get students to go to the home screen on the computer or device, until you are ready for them to go back to work.
Turn over
In the case of tablets or mobile phones an easy solution when you want students\’ attention is simply to ask them to turn their device over on the desk so the screen is facing downwards. Then as soon as you are ready for them to get back to work they can turn it over again.
Reinforce instructions
You can use the devices with a backchannel tool like TodaysMeet to reinforce your instructions. As soon as you have given instructions verbally you can add them to the backchannel and then students also have them to refer back to during the activity.
This can also help them to stay on task and interact with you and each other while they work.
Reduce teacher directed learning
Think about how you can reduce teacher directed learning and point students towards web based materials where they can learn for themselves.
You can use the backchannel tool like TodaysMeet to share links to the materials you want them to investigate. This could be text video or audio materials that you have created yourself or that you have discovered. You can point different groups of students towards different materials sources and then get them to share and compare what they have learned together.
This approach makes much better use of the technology and helps your students to develop as more autonomous learners. It also demands more from them as critical thinkers and researchers and helps to develop the kinds of real life digital literacy skills they will need.
This approach also has benefits for you as a teacher. It takes the spotlight off you and gives you The opportunity to get up close to the students, to monitor what they are doing and steer weaker students in the right direction.
Controlling the device
Teach students how to control not be controlled by their mobile device. Many mobile apps are designed to be attention needy. They constantly flash up notifications through messages and sounds which attempt to engage the owner’s attention. Teach your students how to switch off these attention grabbing alerts so that they can control when they decide to check messages.
Keep doing it Whichever of these techniques you use, the important thing is to be consistent and persistent. You have to train your students to adopt the kind of responsible behaviour towards their device that you want in your classroom. This isn’t going to happen instantly. You’ll need to stick with it.
Please feel free to share any suggestions or techniques you have for helping to manage a digital classroom.
Competing with a computer or mobile screen for students\’ attention can be a challenge at best and at worst extremely frustrating. In this posting I will share some techniques and approaches for dealing with these problems.
Ban devices
Obviously this is the simplest way to deal with the problem, however, banning devices in class can be hard to enforce especially with teen students and older. It will also become harder as more technology becomes wearable, and particularly with adult classes, this approach could border on the insulting.
Banning devices in the classroom also deprives us and our students of the opportunity to develop responsible approaches to using these devices and robs students of the opportunity to develop their digital literacy skills and exploit the genuine benefits that technology in the classroom can bring.
Turn off the device
This is much less extreme than banning devices from the class and can be part of a strategy for more responsible use of devices. Have parts of a lesson or even complete lessons when you ask students to turn off their device.
In this way the devices can be available when we need them and we can start to build a more responsible though very controlled approach to the use of technology. This becomes more difficult with computers which take much longer to boot up.
Motivational reward
You can use mobile or computer use as a motivational tool by giving students a break when they have been working well and allowing them a few minutes to use their mobile device or computer freely.
This isn\’t to say that you don\’t also use them as part of the lesson, but just giving students a short break to check their email or social media can help top reduce their anxiety levels. Remember that many more digitally connected people now have parallel virtual lives happening along side their physical life.
Turn off the screen
If you have students sitting with a computer screen screen in front of them in a more old fashioned computer room with desktop computers then you can ask them just to turn off the screen when you want their attention. Then they can quite easily turn it back on again when you are ready to get them working again.
Go to the home screen
Rather than turning the screen off, you can also get students to go to the home screen on the computer or device, until you are ready for them to go back to work.
Turn over
In the case of tablets or mobile phones an easy solution when you want students\’ attention is simply to ask them to turn their device over on the desk so the screen is facing downwards. Then as soon as you are ready for them to get back to work they can turn it over again.
Reinforce instructions
You can use the devices with a backchannel tool like TodaysMeet to reinforce your instructions. As soon as you have given instructions verbally you can add them to the backchannel and then students also have them to refer back to during the activity.
This can also help them to stay on task and interact with you and each other while they work.
Reduce teacher directed learning
Think about how you can reduce teacher directed learning and point students towards web based materials where they can learn for themselves.
You can use the backchannel tool like TodaysMeet to share links to the materials you want them to investigate. This could be text video or audio materials that you have created yourself or that you have discovered. You can point different groups of students towards different materials sources and then get them to share and compare what they have learned together.
This approach makes much better use of the technology and helps your students to develop as more autonomous learners. It also demands more from them as critical thinkers and researchers and helps to develop the kinds of real life digital literacy skills they will need.
This approach also has benefits for you as a teacher. It takes the spotlight off you and gives you The opportunity to get up close to the students, to monitor what they are doing and steer weaker students in the right direction.
Controlling the device
Teach students how to control not be controlled by their mobile device. Many mobile apps are designed to be attention needy. They constantly flash up notifications through messages and sounds which attempt to engage the owner’s attention. Teach your students how to switch off these attention grabbing alerts so that they can control when they decide to check messages.
Keep doing it Whichever of these techniques you use, the important thing is to be consistent and persistent. You have to train your students to adopt the kind of responsible behaviour towards their device that you want in your classroom. This isn’t going to happen instantly. You’ll need to stick with it.
Please feel free to share any suggestions or techniques you have for helping to manage a digital classroom.
Canvas is Herzing University’s new learning system, designed to make students’ lives easier. Check out these four noteworthy features!
Are you taking advantage of all that Canvas has to offer? Canvas is Herzing University’s new learning system, designed to make students’ lives easier. It’s ranked as one of the top learning platforms for higher education institutions, due to its user-friendly interface and its ability to integrate seamlessly with other tools and platforms.
Are you on the go and need to submit an assignment from your phone? Running late to class and need to send your professor a quick note? With Canvas, it’s easier than ever to stay on top of all of your assignments, communicate with professors and classmates and manage all your to-dos.
Check out these four features that will make your life easier:
1. Canvas Calendar
Your Canvas Calendar allows you to see all of your assignments, exams, events and courses in one place, making it easier for you to stay on task and keep track of your weekly activities. You can choose to view one course at a time, or all courses at once. You can add events and to-do items to your personal calendar at any time by clicking the “Add” button in the navigation bar.
Your professors can also schedule appointments and class events on this calendar, so it’s a great place for you to get instant class updates. Conveniently, the Canvas Calendar can also sync with another calendar on your device, such as Google Calendar or Outlook.
2. Canvas Conversations
Canvas makes communication with your instructors easier with a simple, user-friendly messages feature. Rather than visiting each course page to find your messages with specific instructors, you simply have to click on the inbox on the left side menu to see all of your messages with instructors, tutors and career coaches in one place.
Canvas Conversations works much like an email account, with the ability to reply all, forward messages, include attachments and more. With Canvas, you have access to one central hub for all your course-related communications, so that nothing gets lost in your personal email.
3. Canvas Student App
Canvas designed to be mobile-first, so you can access the website from a mobile browser and still perform many of the functions you would be able to do from your computer, such as submitting assignments, participating in discussions, viewing course materials and accessing your grades.
Canvas also offers a free mobile app called Canvas Student, available for Android and iOS devices. The app also provides access to course calendars, to-do items, notifications, and Conversations messages.
4. Canvas Notifications
Canvas can send you notifications via email, text, or push notifications if you have the mobile app installed on your phone. You can ask Canvas to send you alerts for just about anything, such as when an instructor posts an announcement, when a due date changes, when you get feedback from an instructor, when somebody posts to your discussion post, and a lot more.
You can also choose from four different notification types: notify me right away, daily summary, weekly summary, or don’t send. This is another highly customizable feature that will help you stay on task and up-to-date with everything happening in your courses.
Whether you’re an online student or on-campus, Canvas is a hub for all of your learning activities. By taking advantage of these four features, you can stay connected and on top of your schedule no matter where you are.
Note: While Herzing University is extending mobile friendliness by moving to Canvas, not all of our curriculum is 100 percent mobile friendly, so students may come across an assignment or quiz that cannot be completed on a mobile device. Enrolling in a Herzing University course still requires access to a computer, per our technology requirements.
Let me begin by first and foremost saying that, “A rape is a rape and under no circumstances can ever be justified! Even if a woman roams nude or is habituated to sex, this can be no ground to justify rape”! Even Supreme Court has time and again reiterated this! Yet it is the single biggest misfortune of India that in last 15 to 16 years, only one poor rapist named Dhananjoy Chatterjee was hanged for rape cum murder of a Class XI girl and that too on circumstantial evidence alone and still he was not given the benefit of doubt! Why this zero tolerance as shown in Dhananjoy Chatterjee’s case not shown in other cases also? Why should we be not ashamed of it?
While lamenting about this, senior and eminent Supreme Court advocate Colin Gonsalves very rightly pointed out that his petition was drafted by prisoners of Tihar jail and we cannot dispute that this was rightly termed as “miscarriage of justice! Why in many other similar cases like that of Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case where a law student studying in LLB who was raped and murdered by her senior was the convict not hanged similarly?
Just because the convict was affluent and powerful! This is just one case I am citing. There are many more such cases where we see that the rich and powerful very easily escape death penalty by hiring a battery of eminent and experienced lawyers and escape with far lesser punishment! All this happens right under the nose of the Supreme Court and still we see nothing changes in last so many years! This is what I find most worrying!
What is even more deplorable is that our legal system proceeds on an excruciatingly glacial pace for which no one else but our lawmakers are directly responsible! Who are these lawmakers? Those who are elected to Parliament and 45% of them are facing criminal cases including that of rape case! Why should these lawmakers not be barred from entering Parliament until they are finally exonerated not by just lower court but by the top court? How can we expect such lawmakers to make tough laws?
This alone explains why we have all this review petition, curative petition, mercy petition etc which ensures that cases are not decided in time and by the time cases are decided finally the family of victims lose all hope and break down completely! Should we be proud of this? Why there is no mandatory death penalty for rape cases? Who is protecting them?
The Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu very rightly said that, “What happens even after punishment is given (to convicts). We all are witness…appeal, mercy (petition)… can anybody think of having mercy on such people? This kind of violation of dignity of women cannot go on unchallenged. What is required is not a new bill; what is required is political will, administrative skill and then change of mindset and then go for the kill of the social evil.” He has very rightly expressed his utmost unhappiness on the niggardly and glacial pace with which our justice system moves most excruciatingly which completely destroys the morale of the parents and relatives of victims which under no circumstances can ever be justified by anyone! The Vice President has very rightly and eruditely suggested a rethink on the practice of allowing convicts in such heinous crimes to go in for mercy appeals because the death sentence of convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya case, which saw major protests and tougher legislation, were still to be carried out. He also very rightly suggested that photographs of those guilty of crimes against women should be published to instill social stigma and fear in them!
Police encounters in which undertrials are killed cannot be justified. But we saw how just recently in early morning hours of December 6, 2019 when the police killed all the four rape accused in Hyderabad gangrape-cum-murder, there was a national rejoicing as we saw for ourselves in different newschannels and even MPs and Chief Ministers as well as former Chief Ministers welcomed this and a huge crowd of people started throwing flowers on those policemen who killed them! This is mainly because we rarely see rapist being hanged and our legal system proceeds so slowly that many people now have lost faith in the capability of our judicial system to deliver justice in time! This is most dangerous for our country and for this not just Supreme Court but even Parliament which comprises of our lawmakers and many of whom are themselves facing serious crime charges must introspect honestly and make tough laws in this regard including barring all those MPs who are under the scanner!
Why should a civilized society have any soft corner for such “dreaded goons” who indulge in gangrape? Why do our courts display leniency towards such dastardly acts of crime and why mandatory death penalty is not awarded to such “dreaded goons”? Why those committing such dastardly acts are not awarded mandatory death penalty in all such cases where either a child is raped or gang rape is omitted accompanied with murder?
Why in our IPC punishment for gangrape is classified according to age? Why are “minors” who are less than 18 years of age allowed to get away most easily by just spending 3 years at the most in a child reform house? Why should any form of leniency be shown even for “minors” who “brutally vandalise” the very dignity and wellbeing of a female without any fault of her?
Why should those rapists who know how to gangrape be let off just by citing their age factor? How can Centre justify it? How can Parliament justify it? How can any Court justify it?
Why are rapists released for some time on bail? Why the life and safety of victim is not cared for by the police? Why do we see that rapists after coming out of the jail many times corner the girl and then killed her by either burning her as we saw most recently in Unaao in UP where the women was raped in March and then just recently while she was going to a court in Rai Bareli in a rape case was most brutally attacked by 5 men who had earlier raped her and was burnt 90 percent? Still our Parliament will keep dwelling on whether to award death penalty to such rapists or not!
Why women does not feel safe anywhere in India? It is because our politicians, Judges, lawmakers feel most happy and proud to note that in last 15 to 16 years just one poor Dhananjoy Chatterjee is hanged for rape cum murder and do just nothing to ensure that others against whom there is strong evidence also unlike Dhananjoy’s case where evidence was just circumstantial are hanged similarly! Should we be proud of this and does it enhance the reputation of our country in the world?
Under the amended law for rape, no “discretion bomb” in the form of “may” should be left which has been mostly abused in favour of the rape accused and the punishment should only be death and nothing but death so that all those who rape are promptly hanged and not once in 15 or 16 years as we saw in case of Dhananjoy Chatterjee! There should be no life term, no twenty years but only death for gang rape. It is most unfortunate that even under the 2018 amended Section 376D of IPC which prescribes punishment for gang rape we see that the punishment is not less than twenty years but which may extend to life! Why “may extend to life”? Why so much of leniency that even for gang rape we see that punishment starts from twenty years but extends only to life and here too discretionary power rests with Judge which is shameful and what is most shameful is that there is no mention of death penalty even here leave alone making it mandatory? This must change now!
Why different punishment prescribed for gang rape on woman under 16 years of age as prescribed in Section 376DA and that on woman under 12 years of age as prescribed under Section 376DB of IPC? Why only life imprisonment under Section 376DA and not death? Why option of life and death in Section 376DB of IPC?
Why even for repeated offenders there is no mandatory death penalty and why the option of life term is added simultaneously in Section 376E of IPC? All these escape routes must be closed now forever so that rapists are never able to take advantage of the loopholes in our legal system anymore now! But are our politicians, lawmakers and Centre ready to do this or will they be happy with just face saving exercise and lip service? Only time will tell!
The past track record in cases like Nirbhaya and many others are not very inspiring but they can still be rectified! The ball is in court of Centre, lawmakers and Parliament for it is they who enact the law and it is they who ensure that rapists in Nirbhaya case like many others are not hanged even after being convicted by the Supreme Court and even after their review petition gets rejected by Supreme Court as they just sit on mercy petition and don’t decide it soon as we saw in case of killers of former PM late Rajiv Gandhi whose mercy petition kept pending for decades! Should we be proud of this?
Must act now without fail or else our democratic system will crumble and if gang hanging is not done it is people who will then do mob hanging like we are seeing also in many cases! No more excuses! No castration, no jail term, no life term and no minor excuse but only death as they deserve to be hanged at the earliest and killed like mosquitoes! No mercy for them, no review for them and no other escape route for them! Only death!
Why rape cases are not decided within few days or a month? Why sentence is not handed out promptly? Why cases keep pending for decades first in lower courts, then in high court and finally in Supreme Court?
Why can’t this be corrected by our lawmakers by amending law accordingly and setting a fixed time limit for deciding rape cases? Why is time limit not set for deciding review petition? Why is review and curative petition not abolished in heinous crimes like rape and terror?
Why mercy petition is not decided in few days or why should it not be abolished altogether for rape and terror cases? Why only the rights of the accused takes precedence over the rights of the victim? Why even our lawmakers prefer to look the other way on this all important issue as we have been seeing since last 72 years?
It is high time and now concrete steps must be taken on ground to ensure that our penal laws are amended and the most strictest punishment of death penalty be imposed uniformly on all those indulging in gang rape and there should be no “mercy petition” facility for such “dreaded goons” who display the worst form of violence against women whom we all worship in one form or the other like Durga, Gauri, Kali etc or in form of our mother and sister!
Can gangrape of any female accompanied with murder be justified under any circumstances? Can any punishment less than death penalty be ever justified in such cases of heinous crimes? If still Centre says “Yes” then it must immediately abolish death penalty for all types of crimes for it has no right to be on our penal laws if it cannot be awarded to those who indulge in gangrape or even rape accompanied with murder!
What the hell is Centre doing? How long will it keep inviting views from all on this? How long will it shy away from amending our penal laws to make it mandatory for death penalty to be imposed in all cases of rape or gangrape accompanied with murder? How long will female keep getting raped, gangraped and murdered?
Needless to say, this alone explains that why we are even below Pakistan and Bangladesh when it comes to “happiness index”! No time is spared to hang those who commit heinous crimes in Pakistan and Bangladesh. But see what is happening in our country!
Those accused in Nirbhaya gangrape cum murder case have not even been hanged till now seven years later even though Supreme Court has awarded them death penalty and their review petition have also been rejected! They are now availing the facility of “mercy petition” for which no definite time limit is specified for deciding it due to which they remain pending for many years! How can all this be justified by anyone on any ground whatsoever?
Why is gang rape in India not accompanied with gang hanging? Why should they be allowed to escape on any ground whatsoever? Why should they be allowed to escape punishment citing age as a reason? What message are we sending by exempting minors from strictest punishment?
The biggest treachery that our politicians have done with our Constitution is to ensure that heinous crimes like gang rape or rape accompanied with murder, terror crimes funded by foreign countries are not punished with mandatory death penalty and also by not abolishing ‘mercy petition’ privilege for such “dreaded goons” and terrorists! Why our judicial and legal system saves rapists and more crucially gang rapists from being hanged? How many gang rapists have been hanged till now since 1947 till 2019? We all know the answer! We all must be terribly ashamed of it. All Supreme Court Judges and all senior and eminent lawyers whom I would term “legal giants” like Soli J Sorabjee, Harish Salve, Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi among others must introspect on this and give their expert advice to enhance the reputation of judiciary in the eyes of people and restore the waning confidence among the people which is a matter of utmost concern for all of us! We just cannot now afford to sit idle anymore!
On Thursday this week – Dawn, Tiffany and I met to discuss how to progress the evaluation and research side of things. This is all set up in a wiki for the project team.
We worked through the research questions and methodology and revamped the questionnaire so it is more generic. The information sheet needs to be modified now to suit the different research approaches we all agreed on in a previous meeting – see overview. we need to get the changes to the college ethics committee by mid-September.
Next meeting Thursday 7 Aug.
This morning M, D and I observed a Business communication class (n=19) using the Business report module. The class was taken by I who has also been developing the module. We used the feedback sheet from the OIL website (with some slight changes) and got them to fill it out in class which worked really well. It took an average of 30-40 min to work through. Most of them worked through from start to finish.
We also got them to work in pairs and tell each other what they liked and didn’t like, and how they thought the module would be useful for their business report assignment. We got them to write some key things on the whiteboard around these items. They all engaged with the module and we now have several questionnaires to analyse and some potential participants for the research project. In October, after the business report assignments are handed in, we will return to talk to the class and find out whether or how they used the module to write their reports.
One-third of all undergraduate students currently take at least one course online. Here are seven tips to be successful as an online student.
Whether you’re a traditional or non-traditional student, online classes can help you fit your education into your busy life. Many students are discovering the added flexibility of online programs. For example, one-third of all undergraduate students currently take at least one course online, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
While online courses offer many benefits, they’re also different than traditional classes, and it’s important to know what to expect before you get started.
Here are seven success-tips for online students.
1. Be a responsible self-starter
It’s a myth that online classes are easier than on-campus ones. While you’ll have a lot more flexibility in your schedule, the coursework will be just as challenging as an on-campus class. As an online student, you need to hold yourself accountable and have a good sense of personal responsibility. Being a self-starter who can prioritize assignments and plan ahead is key to your success.
2. Make an effort to communicate with your classmates and professors
Even though you likely won’t meet your classmates or instructors in person, there are many ways online students can stay connected and feel like they are a part of the college community. Some students use social media groups to communicate with their classmates, and instructors often make themselves available to online students through video chat or by phone.
At Herzing, both online and on-campus students also have access to Canvas, which is a learning management system designed to help you stay organized. It also has a section called Canvas Conversations, which functions a lot like an email account and allows you to communicate with your classmates and instructors with ease. Check out this this blog post for more tips on using Canvas.
It’s also important to keep up on your emails as an online student, since you don’t have the advantage of hearing important reminders in class. You should check your school email at least once a day so that you don’t miss any important coursework or announcements. Respond to emails as soon as they come in, or you risk forgetting about them.
3. Studying is still necessary
Some online students don’t think they need to study because they can get away with using notes and other assistance while taking a test at home.
WRONG! Online classes aren’t free-for-alls where anything goes. Online learning software has dramatically improved over the years and many systems incorporate cheating detection technologies to deter students from cheating. Also, it’s not uncommon to be required to have a computer with a webcam so that you can be recorded taking your exam.
Make sure you’re paying attention to lectures, doing your readings, taking notes, and taking advantage of all the academic resources provided to you, just as you would in an on-campus class.
4. Learn to manage your time
When you’re an online student, your regular life doesn’t stop. If you don’t manage your time well, you’re going to struggle in finding a balance between school, work and your other commitments. Create a routine that works for you and helps you stay on top of your schoolwork. For example, if you regularly schedule a time each week to write out your upcoming to-dos, prep meals for work and school and do other housekeeping tasks, you’ll go into the week feeling more confident and organized.
Need some tips on how to get better at time management? Check out this blog post.
5. Get a planner or use a digital calendar
A planner or digital calendar can help keep you organized. Some people like old-fashioned, hand-written reminders, while others like to be able to manage their to-do list on the go in a calendar app on their smartphone. Whichever option you choose, a planner of some form will certainly help you succeed.
6. Find a quiet place to study and work
In order to perform well in a class, you’ll need a quiet place to study and take your exams and quizzes. If you’re a parent, finding a time and place to do your schoolwork can be difficult with children running around. If you have roommates, they could be a bigger distraction than you realize. No matter your situation, you need to find a location that allows you to focus.
Try to find a time at home when you can be alone without distractions, such as when your kids are at school or after they’ve gone to bed. If that’s not possible, see if you can take time out of your schedule to go to your local library. Many libraries have study rooms that you can reserve ahead of time for as long as you need. You’d be amazed at how much work you can get done when you set up a quality study environment.
7. Don’t forget to ask for help
If you are struggling in class, you should use Canvas to get in touch with your instructor and fellow students. Asking for help is a far better solution than struggling in silence. No matter the issue, your instructors can help you work through it and find success. They are there to help you, so don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for assistance!
On Thursday this week – Dawn, Tiffany and I met to discuss how to progress the evaluation and research side of things. This is all set up in a wiki for the project team.
We worked through the research questions and methodology and revamped the questionnaire so it is more generic. The information sheet needs to be modified now to suit the different research approaches we all agreed on in a previous meeting – see overview. we need to get the changes to the college ethics committee by mid-September.
Next meeting Thursday 7 Aug.
This morning M, D and I observed a Business communication class (n=19) using the Business report module. The class was taken by I who has also been developing the module. We used the feedback sheet from the OIL website (with some slight changes) and got them to fill it out in class which worked really well. It took an average of 30-40 min to work through. Most of them worked through from start to finish.
We also got them to work in pairs and tell each other what they liked and didn\’t like, and how they thought the module would be useful for their business report assignment. We got them to write some key things on the whiteboard around these items. They all engaged with the module and we now have several questionnaires to analyse and some potential participants for the research project. In October, after the business report assignments are handed in, we will return to talk to the class and find out whether or how they used the module to write their reports.
In my first post in this series – Getting students\’ attention – I mentioned the use of backchannels. This post should give you more information about the use of backchannels within the classroom.
If you are working in a classroom where your students have internet connected devices, either through wifi or their mobile phone, using a backchannel can have a transformative impact on the way you can use technology with your students.
“Backchannel is the practice of using networked computers to maintain a real-time online conversation alongside the primary group activity or live spoken remarks.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backchannel
Most backchannels are text based and many-to-many, meaning that anyone can type in a message and it is seen by everyone who has access to the chatroom.
Back channels are particularly useful if you are working in a face to face environment where all or pairs/groups of students are working at a computer or if you are delivering live online classes using some form or web conferencing or webinar platform.
Backchannels help to solve a number of common classroom problems
Distraction
I often describe a backchannel as the communication that happens between your students in the classroom every time to turn your back on them. The advantage of using a backchannel tool is that you can capture the intercommunication, be part of it and make it a constructive rather than a distracting part of the class.
Democratisation of learning
Backchannels democratise the classroom or lecture room, at least for periods of time, and enable everyone to contribute what they know about the point or topic being discussed.
Giving students links to online resources
If you want students to investigate a website, do an online task, watch a video or complete a digital worksheet, you simply use the back channel, paste in the link and they can access the materials simply by clicking the link and opening it in a new tab. This saves a lot of time and gets students directly to the sites you want them to access rather than leaving them struggling to write down long URLs and type them into the browser address bar.
Getting all students to respond to questions
You can type in questions and get students to respond through the backchannel. Using this method all students are able to participate and respond to questions rather than the first one to put up their hand. This also gives less outspoken students the opportunity to respond.
Setting and reinforcing clear task
When you set tasks for students to do you can back them up by also typing your instructions into the backchannel. This gives them something to refer back to and also helps to reinforce your verbal instructions. This can reduce wasted time going round the class helping weaker students get on task.
Brainstorming
You can get students brainstorming ideas, suggestions, vocabulary, opinions or anything else through the back channel. This way everyone\’s contribution can be collected, shared and acknowledged.
Enabling students to share knowledge
Students get share what they know about any topic or ask a question at any point during lesson, even when you are presenting, without disrupting the flow of the class.
Socialisation with students
Students can socialise and you can socialise with students within the back channel. Just spending a few minutes at the start of the lesson asking questions and finding out what students are up to can really help to engage with your students.
Developing written fluency
Interacting with students in a chatroom also gives students an opportunity to develop their written fluency through genuine communication.
Saving notes from the class
The script from a backchannel can be saved and downloaded, so this is a great form of collaborative note taking. At the end of the class each student can edit their own version of the text to ensure they keep the parts that they feel are relevant.
Some problems with back channels
Safety
As always we should take our students\’ online safety very seriously when using any form of computer mediated communication that allows students or others to communicate with our students. Some back channel tools require registration and this adds a greater element of security to the platform as users are more traceable, though student registration can add an extra layer of time management and friction to the setup process.
If you decide to use a back channel that doesn\’t require registration then it\’s better to make sure you create a new one each lesson and only leave it live for only a short time.
Behaviour
When you first start to use a back channel you may have some initial behaviour problems, especially with younger less mature students. Try to stay level headed when you deal with this. As the use of the back channel becomes more common place your students will get used to using it in a more responsible way, especially if they realise their comments can be traced back to them.
Class size
If you have really large classes and lots of students are contributing comments it may get hard to keep up with all the interaction. Having a more complex backchannel tool like Backchannel Chat can help you to manage this more effectively.
Chaos
Reading back through the text from a back channel can seem like reading through chaos to someone who wasn’t there at the time. Backchannel records will need to be edited to be useful, but this is a good review activity for students.
Backchannel tools
Here are a number of tools you can use to create a backchannel in your classroom. TodaysMeet:https://todaysmeet.com/ TodaysMeet is one of the simplest and easiest to use tools, and also one that’s free and very reliable. It doesn’t require registration by you or the students so it’s really quick to set up and get students into, but if you want that extra security you can register for a free account, which will also enable you to save your chat transcripts.
Backchannel Chat:http://www.backchannelchat.com/ Backchannel Chat is a bit more sophisticated and enables students to choose avatars for the chat and more importantly it enables you the teacher to pin a question or message to the top of the chatroom stream so that it doesn’t disappear as students respond. There is both a free version (which is limited to 30 students) as well as paid versions which have larger limits and other features like file adding attachments and personalising avatars with students’ own picture.
Chatzy: http://www.chatzy.com/ Chatzy offers two options; A quick chat room which you can set up quite quickly and simply (more like TodaysMeet, or a more complex virtual classroom which you can configure to allow students to add various types of online media too, such as images and videos.
Here is a look at some of the fastest growing business jobs today and how you can get started building your career.
For people with a business-related degree, there are a variety of career opportunities to pursue – from technology and healthcare, to marketing and finance.
Here is a look at some of the fastest growing business jobs today and how you can get started building your career:
1. Accountant
Accountants are vital to the success of any business and enjoy excellent job security as a result. Employment of accountants and auditors is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026, adding 139,900 new jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As an accountant, you can pursue different career specialties depending on your interests. For example, public accountants typically work for accounting firms, performing audits, preparing taxes and provide consulting for individuals, corporations and government organizations. Internal or management accountants perform these activities for their employer, and are also involved in analyzing financial data and strategic planning.
To become an accountant, you need strong mathematical skills and attention to detail. Most entry-level positions require a bachelor’s degree in accounting, but you can also gain experience as bookkeeper if you have an associate degree. This is a good option if you want to get into the workforce faster, but you’ll likely have to continue your education if you want to advance your accounting career.
2. Market Research Analyst
Employment for market research analysts is projected to grow 23 percent between 2016 and 2026, making it one of the fastest-growing career fields today. As a market research analyst, you’ll study consumers’ buying habits to help businesses make more strategic decisions about how they market their products and services. Market research analysts can work for marketing agencies, research companies, colleges, corporations and even government agencies.
You can become a market research analyst by earning your bachelor’s degree in marketing, data analytics or a related field.
3. HR Specialist
Human resources (HR) professionals help organizations manage their greatest assets – their people. As an HR specialist, you can gain experience in basic HR practices, such as administering payroll and benefits, employee relations, recruiting and training. Successful HR professionals have strong communication and people skills and enjoy creative problem solving.
To begin your human resources career, you’ll need either an associate or bachelor’s degree in human resources. Certain specialties or employers may require a master’s degree with a concentration in human resources. Certification is also highly desirable by employers, and most upper-level human resource professionals have at least one certification.
4. Financial Analyst
If you’re a numbers person and like analyzing trends over time, you might enjoy a career as a financial analyst. Financial analysts help their clients make decisions about when to buy and sell investments and advise on economic trends and company strategy. Most professionals in this field work for financial services and insurance companies.
Data scientists use data to inform strategic decision making, and they often have advanced degrees or a background in computer science, math, statistics or economics. Their skills can be applied to a number of different industries, including finance, public safety, healthcare and government.
Earning a bachelor’s degree in data analytics is a good way to jumpstart your career as a data scientist. Pursuing graduate-level education, such as an MBA in Data Analytics, can help you advance to leadership and management roles. Many data scientists also specialize within a particular business function, such as finance or marketing, using data to support decision-making.
6. Project Manager
Every business needs effective project managers to oversee teams, assignments, deliverables and deadlines. With a bachelor’s degree in project management, you can prepare for entry-level roles in a variety of different industries and environments, from information technology to construction.
With experience, project managers can advance to upper-management positions, such as general manager, department manager, team leader, operations manager, and more. Many project managers also choose to specialize within one industry, and may pursue industry-specific project management certifications, such as the CompTIA Project + to further differentiate themselves in the workforce.
7. Operations Manager
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be 27-percent employment growth for operations research analysts through 2026, nearly four times the average growth of all occupations. Operations analysts help companies solve complex business problems, such as setting competitive prices for products and services or making decisions about how to allocate resources. These professionals are in high demand because companies are increasingly relying on new technologies to make data-driven decisions that can improve cost-savings and efficiencies.
A bachelor’s degree in data analytics provides a strong foundation for a career as an operations analyst, with the potential to advance to management positions as you gain experience. Many operations managers also hold an MBA.
8. Management Consultant
Management consultants or management analysts help businesses find ways to improve efficiencies and cut costs. Employment for management consultants is expected to grow by 14 percent through 2026, adding more than 100,000 new jobs. Some management consultants work on a contractual basis and can be self-employed, while others work for large consulting firms. They can also specialize in certain industries, such as human resources or healthcare. To become a management consultant, you need a strong business background and exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills. A bachelor’s degree in business management can help you prepare for a career in this growing field.
9. Healthcare Manager
Healthcare organizations have a growing need for competent and capable leaders to oversee health and patient services. Healthcare managers understand the business of healthcare and are instrumental in helping hospitals, small practices, insurance companies and a variety of other institutions navigate the changing healthcare environment. Employment for medical and health services managers is expected to grow by 20 percent through 2026.
Some students choose to enroll in a bachelor’s program after completing a certificate, diploma or associate program in a healthcare discipline, such as medical assisting.
The Designing for Flexible Learning Practice workshop 4 brainstorm and reflection on the whiteboard sets the scene. watch this space for my reflections on the amazing experience of interacting with a web 2 whirlwind.
Radiologic technologists work alongside doctors and nurses to perform X-ray exams and other diagnostic imaging procedures.
Radiologic technologist is one of the most in-demand healthcare careers today with 19,000 new jobs expected by 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As a critical member of the medical imaging team, radiologic technologists work alongside doctors and nurses to perform X-ray exams and other diagnostic imaging procedures, which can be vital in diagnosing certain medial conditions as well as preventing future illness.
A career as a radiologic technologist also offers opportunities for specialization and advancement, making it a good choice for those looking to begin their career in the healthcare field.
Still not sure if radiologic technology is the right path for you? Keep reading to learn more about all the benefits this career offers.
Why should I become a radiologic technologist?
A career as a radiologic technologist is an excellent choice for anyone who is interested in the healthcare field, loves working with technology, and has a passion for helping others. Here are five reasons to consider a career as a radiologic technologist:
1. Employment opportunities are only growing
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), projects 9% employment growth for radiologic technologists in the next 10 years, which is faster than the average growth for all occupations. As the baby boomer population ages, conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease might become more prevalent. Medical imaging technology is useful for diagnosing these conditions, among many others, and radiology technologists are needed to assist in the process.
Due to the strong job market and the possibility of continued career advancement, radiologic technologist was ranked the #27 Best Healthcare Support Job for 2019 by U.S. News & World Report.
2. This is not a typical “office job”
Instead of sitting in front of a computer all day, radiologic technologists have a very active and involved job. Most work in a hospital or outpatient medical center, and some may also find work in medical or diagnostic laboratories. Radiologic technologists are almost always on the go, working with all types of people and various medical situations. They also often work on several different tasks in one day, and that variety keeps things interesting. There is no time for boredom in this role!
3. You won’t have to spend a long time getting your degree
To become a radiologic technologist, you will need an associate degree in radiologic technology. Herzing offers this program at its Orlando campus. Both in-class work and clinical experience are required as part of the degree program, and students typically must pass a certification exam from the state to complete their degree.
Most students can finish their associate degree program in two years and be ready to enter the workforce as soon as they complete the certification exam. Bachelor and graduate certificate programs can help radiologic technologists advance their careers, but are not required for most entry-level roles.
4. You have opportunities for advancement
The field of radiologic technology has many opportunities for growth and advancement. As you gain experience, you can choose to specialize in areas such as mammography, MRI, or cardiovascular imaging. Some of these roles might require additional education or certification, but they can also help increase your earning potential as well.
According to the BLS, the median salary for a radiologic technologist was $59,520 as of May 2018, though the highest paid 10% earned more than $99,180.
5. You will make a difference every day
Working in healthcare means that you can make a difference in someone’s life every day. When people come into a hospital or a medical clinic, they’re often nervous or scared. With the right bedside manner, you can turn their attitude around and make the visit much more comfortable for them. Diagnostic imaging scans can also help identify serious conditions early on, which could mean the difference between life and death for some patients. As a radiologic technologist, you play a role in ensuring your patients live longer, healthier lives.
Here are seven stress management tips to try the next time you feel overwhelmed.
Feeling stressed is normal for college students, but did you know that regular stress can negatively affect your health? About 45% of college students say that they experience stress “more than average,” which is not a statistic to celebrate. Of those students, almost 90% said they felt overwhelmed at least once in the last year, according to the American College Health Association (ACHA).
With the right techniques, however, stress can be adequately managed so it doesn’t disrupt your day-to-day life.
What causes stress?
There are three common triggers for student stress:
Social triggers, or those relating to maintaining relationships, social life or simply adjusting to a new environment. Examples could include competition between peers, meeting other’s expectations or social anxiety.
Academic triggers, or those relating to school commitments. Academic stress could be caused by daunting assignment deadlines, challenging coursework, exams or poor time management skills.
Daily life triggers, or those having to do with everyday issues related to family, finances or employment.
No matter what’s triggering it, stress can lead to several negative health symptoms, including poor decision-making, insomnia, reduced energy, pain, and illness. For some, stress may affect the quality of work at school and in the workplace. Stress can also cause irritableness, creating tension when interacting with others.
Once you understand the factors that are causing your stress, you can begin taking the steps you need to manage it.
Here are seven stress management tips to try the next time you feel overwhelmed:
Identify a few family members or friends you can rely on to be your personal cheerleaders when you feel stressed. They can be a valuable resource, lifting you up, encouraging you and providing advice or a new perspective when needed.
2) Exercise
Regular physical activity is another great way to kick stress to the curb. Exercise allows your body to release endorphins that send positive messages to your brain to improve your mood and help you feel relaxed. Finding time to exercise, even if it’s only 20 minutes a day, can give your outlook a boost. So next time you feel stressed, take a walk, try yoga or hit the gym!
3) Practice time management
Whether you’re at work or in school, it can be easy to get overwhelmed when juggling multiple projects. Practicing good time management can help you get all your work done on time. Start by prioritizing what you need to accomplish, then cut out distractions like emails, phone calls and social media to help yourself remain focused. While multitasking may seem like a good strategy for getting everything done, it’s better to concentrate on one task at a time instead of dividing your attention to various tasks.
4) Keep a journal
Writing in a journal can be beneficial for organizing your thoughts and helping you process everything going on in your day-to-day life. Plus, journaling has been proven to strengthen immunity and decrease your risk of illness. If you don’t feel comfortable talking through your stressors with another person, journaling is a more private alternative. Spending just 15 to 20 minutes a day journaling can lessen stress levels.
5) Stay hydrated
Drinking water has tremendous health benefits, especially when it comes to reducing stress. In addition to staying hydrated, try treating yourself to a hot bath when you’re stressed, which can help calm the nervous system, especially with a few drops of essential oil added into the water
6) Try to stay positive!
While it’s often easier said than done, make an effort to keep a “glass half full” attitude when working through a stressful situation. If you let yourself fall victim to stress, it can completely overtake you and cause you to fall into a funk. Remaining optimistic in the midst of stress is truly the best practice.
7) Take a break to do something you love
If schoolwork is stressing you out, take a break to do something that relaxes you or makes you happy, whether that’s reading a book or listening to music. Most music streaming websites offer curated playlists that are full of calming music and natural sounds to help reduce stress. Letting your mind focus on something that relieves your stress can be beneficial to your well-being.
When it comes to dealing with stress, it’s important to find a management technique that works for you – and stick with it! We all deal with stress at some point in our lives and as hard as it may seem, you will get through it. Remember to confide in others and take time out for yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed so that stress never has the upper hand.
The Designing for Flexible Learning Practice workshop 4 brainstorm and reflection on the whiteboard sets the scene. watch this space for my reflections on the amazing experience of interacting with a web 2 whirlwind.
QR codes are possibly one of the most underused useful features of new technology. Perhaps one of the main reasons for this is that many people see them as a form of barcode and wrongly believe that they can only be produced by companies, but the reality is anyone can produce a QR code within seconds.
QR literally stands for \’quick response\’ and it enables you to transfer various types of digital content onto a mobile device in seconds without having to type any URLs.
There are two essential things you need to make QR codes work for you.
1. A means of creating the code. There are a number of quick free services that enable you to create QR codes in seconds. These are two that I like:
2. A means of reading the code In order to read the codes students will need an internet connected device with a QR scanner installed. There are a number of these also available for free.
QR codes can have a transformative effect, not only within a the classroom but also within a school. They have multiple uses which we will go on to look at, but among the greatest strengths they have is that they are platform agnostic, so they can be used on any mobile device with a camera regardless of brand as long as it has QR code scanning app available for it, so they can form a fundamental tool to enabling an effective BYOD program in any school.
Here are a few suggestions
In the classroom
Add QR codes to worksheets and classroom handouts so that students who prefer a digital version can download one directly to their device.
At the end of classes create a QR code for digital notes from the class with new vocabulary, errors or interesting expressions that came up during class etc.
Create a QR code link to an interactive phonemic chart so that student can use it to work on their pronunciation and use their phone to record themselves.
Create QR codes so that students can download grammar reference notes or vocabulary records at the end of a lesson.
Get students to scan their timetable directly into the calendar on their phone using a QR code.
Make a list of QR codes which link to suitable apps you want students to download to use in class. This will help them to save time searching for them.
You can get students to scan images and infographics directly onto their device.
Everything you print and put on a wall or put on paper and handout can be distributed using a QR code.
Around the school
Have a QR code at the entrance to the school which links to a welcome video from or info video about the school, so that when people arrive at the school they feel some form of human contact, even if the school is closed.
Add QR codes to pictures of staff members and link these to short video clips of the teachers introducing themselves.
When you take photographs of events at your school and put them on display, add QR codes so that students can download the ones they want directly from the display.
Add QR codes to any competitions you are doing around the school. These can link directly to email addresses or SMS text numbers that students should submit their entries to.
Set up QR codes for events and schedules so that they are scanned directly into students digital calendars.
Make newsletters available digitally with QR codes. Teachers or students can just scan the code if they want a copy.
Set up QR codes with various study and learner training tips around the school so that students can get a tip and some inspiration where ever they are in the school.
Add QR codes to instruction sheets so that teachers or students don’t have to make a photocopy, they can just scan them onto their phone.
Add QR codes to teachers resources so that they can quickly scan and download a copy to their phone or mobile device rather than photocopying.
Set up a treasure hunt with information and clues delivered to students phones as they search for QR codes which tell them where to find the next QR code clue.
You can quickly get students onto your school Facebook page to like it.
Everything you print and put on a wall or put on paper and handout can be distributed using a QR code.
In the self access centre
Create QR codes for self-access worksheets and online activities that students can then scan and complete on their own device rather than paper. You can link to webpages, videos, listening activities etc.
Make digital books and magazines in the library available to students through QR codes. There are vast number of magazines that can be downloaded for free from sites like http://issuu.com/, https://www.scribd.com/, or students can download classics from http://www.gutenberg.org/ or from Google books.
Create QR codes for recommended videos from YouTube or other video sharing sites. You could also have a QR code for a worksheet with activities for the students to do while they watch it.
Create QR codes for recommended audio books or podcasts for students to listen to.
In your marketing
Add QR codes to any brochures and promotional materials round your school. Then students can download a PDF version to their device and you can save money on printing. You can also update your materials without having to re-print them or change the QR code.
Create a QR code with a link to a Google map showing the location of the school and add this to marketing materials to help people find the school.
Add a QR code to materials that enable potential customers to easily send you a text message for more information.
Benefits of using QR codes Getting staff and students familiar and comfortable with QR codes can take some time and training, but if you can integrate these into your school the potential benefits are huge.
Here are a few:
Reduced costs of photocopying.
Reduced costs of printing marketing materials.
Reduced costs of storage and shelf space in library or self access centre.
Reduced cost of lost books, CDs, video, magazines etc.
Reduced costs of buying magazines, newspapers etc.
Increased engagement with learning materials.
Increased engagement with marketing materials.
Increased learning opportunities within the school environment.
A 21st century mobile friendly learning environment.
A more digitally literate staff and student body.
I hope you find these ideas useful and please do post any comments or suggestions you have for using QR codes.
We asked some of our recent nursing graduates for their tips on settling into your first job.
Your first year as a new nurse can be exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. From dealing with patients to managing doctors, celebrating the good days and navigating the bad ones, we asked some of our recent nursing graduates for their tips on settling into your first job.
Here’s what they had to say:
1. Remember that you’re still learning
You won’t know everything when you’re first starting out, and your colleagues won’t expect you to. While your nursing program and clinical experience were good preparation for your first real nursing job, you will encounter situations that you’ve never dealt with before.
Rather than letting these moments discourage or intimidate you, use them as learning opportunities. If you make a mistake, try to understand where you went wrong and make an effort to do better the next time. Your colleagues and supervisors will recognize your efforts to improve, and they’ll be willing to help you learn, says Gary Rhinehart, a recent nursing graduate of Herzing University.
“The most important way you improve your confidence as a nurse is to get better at the things that you struggle with most,” he adds.
“If you continually practice the skill that makes you feel the least confident, I guarantee you’ll slowly get better at it. By practicing and honing your skills, you will gradually build confidence in yourself and your abilities.”
2. There’s no such thing as a stupid question
Even if you’re worried you’ll look stupid in front of your team, you’re better safe than sorry when it comes to asking questions. A simple mistake can quickly turn into a life-or-death situation, so if you’re not sure about what to do next, it’s better to ask.
“Know how to keep your patient safe and never assume anything,” says Herzing nursing graduate Shenese Stewart. “Always ask questions, especially if it’s something you need to know to stay safe.”
3. You might not find your specialty right away – and that’s okay
It might take you some time to figure out what kind of nurse you want to become. There are a lot of different career paths you can pursue, from the ER to oncology. If you find you chose the wrong position, don’t be afraid to look something that’s a better fit.
“I recently had a colleague say she felt like a failure because she did not like the hospital setting, and people were telling her that the hospital is ‘real nursing.’ That is simply not true. It’s important to find the path you love, or you will be miserable and ineffective,” Stewart advises.
4. Working on different units can help you gain experience
If you’re not sure whether you’re in the right role, take advantage of the opportunity to explore different nursing environments and specialties. You can accomplish this through job shadowing or volunteering for the hospital float pool.
“The point of the float pool is that whenever any floor needs an extra staff member, the shift is yours if you want it. This will automatically open so many doors for you because you will not be assigned to the same unit every week,” says Herzing nursing graduate Zahra Mohammed.
“You might find yourself working in ICU one night, the ER the next night, and so on. Working the float pool is one way that you can dip your toes into all specialties and see what you like. You will eventually find something you enjoy.”
5. Soft skills will be key to your success
From establishing a rapport with patients to working alongside doctors and other members of the healthcare team, communication, teamwork and critical thinking are essential skills for new nurses. Focus on developing these in addition to your nursing skills. Doing so will help you provide a better experience for your patients and will help you form strong relationships with your colleagues.
“Your attitude, work ethic and integrity will determine your success. Your ability to be flexible and adapt to a quickly changing environment will allow you to be effective in the workplace,” says Stewart.
6. Advancing your education can help you take advantage of new opportunities
As you gain experience in the nursing field, you might discover that you’re interested in advancing your career and pursuing specific specialties, such as nurse education or advanced practice nursing. Pursuing your MSN will allow you to take advantage of these opportunities.
“I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2017 and it wasn’t long before I started thinking about advancing my education with an MSN,” says Joleen Brewer, who is currently enrolled in Herzing’s Family Nurse Practitioner program. “I have a passion for teaching and I wanted to do more for my patients and help them learn how to lead healthier lives. Becoming a nurse practitioner seemed like the perfect next step for me.”
It’s normal to feel nervous about starting a new job, but hopefully those first few weeks will feel a little less intimidating thanks to these insider tips from your fellow nursing graduates. Remember, this is only the beginning of your nursing career journey! The best is yet to come.
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