Dear Karen and Rick,
First, I have to agree with you - we need students to be able to "orient themselves", but I believe that a mandatory course is not the right solution.
a)we would send the wrong signal, a liberal arts education is supposed to set you free to pursue your own (professional) interests; taking you by the hand is getting you somewhere, but is not allowing you the choices: so many of our studies are regulated, a further regulation would not help. It would penalize the BEST students, get them bored. We need to challenge both. The old form of FIRST YEAR SEMINAR was able to achieve this, and it offered CONTENT, was clearly academic, and allowed to increase retention on the upper and lower ends of the scale. SMALLER classes on the INTRODUCTORY LEVEL, with LES MULTIPLE CHOICE and more essay questions, also allow to develop some of the independence needed in a college curriculum (as a tradeoff, this would mean larger classes later).
b)I agree, we need the skills, and electronic skills are part of literacy; however, in view of growing micromanagment by assessment agencies, I believe we have to defend our freedom to teach in the classroom what is needed according to the judgment of the instructor - a mandated skill I would LIKE to see on this campus: writing and critical thinking (immersed in the curriculum clearly does not do the job, as the essays I am currently correcting show). Unlike skills like use of e-mail, those don't outdate. And strangely enough, those students that use e-mail less seem to do better in the writing and research skills. It empowers those who have no access to computers at home to compete on a different level - and time managment skills differ. Nelson DuBois in Ed. Psych. was offering such courses successfully - but they would not bring success to all. We should not attempt to become what high schools seem to fail: a remidiate institution.
Your Achim
(Achim Koeddermann, Philosophy)
-----Original Message-----
From: Teaching Breakfast List on behalf of Karen Sterns
Sent: Tue 10/12/2004 8:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Email Use by Students?
I agree with you Rick...such a course would be a great idea for incoming students.
Karen
-----Original Message-----
From: Teaching Breakfast List on behalf of <Rick Jagels>
Sent: Mon 10/11/2004 8:56 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Email Use by Students?
Re: Email- I believe you may be correct. When students check their mail (at my insistence) in our computer lab, they typically have hundreds of spam messages- and don't even know how to delete them other than one at a time. The problem is compounded by the fact that many use another service (hotmail or aol) and never check their [log in to unmask] account. I wonder (if it were important to you to have them read it) if a quiz grade was a reply to X number of your e-mails. There is a way to request a notification to sender when they open the message...
The blackboard issue is interesting; for certain courses it seems invaluable. The posting of syllabus, assignments, discussions, self-evaluation quizzes, lecture notes makes it a gold mine for students inclined to use it. As someone who regularly checks on students' awareness of their performance and progress as well as an occasional tutor, I'd beg a teacher inclined to use it to PLEASE use it.
Both these show, I believe, a need for a mandatory college orientation course. Such a course would include time management skills, reading a syllabus, blackboard familiarity, reasons for the use of e-mail to contact professors, how to get tutoring (CADE is doing great things, TA's are a great resource, some depts even sponsor drop-in!), even note-taking and basic study skills. Even ivy leaguee schools realize that students coming from GOOD highschools are entering college underprepared- never mind the majority from mediocre schools!! Jim- weren't you working on such a course??
Rick Jagels
College Assistance Migrant Program
-----Original Message-----
From: Teaching Breakfast List on behalf of Jim Greenberg
Sent: Fri 10/8/2004 10:38 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Email Use by Students?
I received this email from a faculty member:
I have been sending email notes to students as always this fall and in
discussions I have realized that many students are checking email less
frequently than the used to. Is there any data on this? It seems that
cell phones, instant messaging and the like is rendering email a less
preferred method of communication.(?)
I am also curious if we have any data on Blackboard usage. Some
students have encouraged me to us it, but an approximately equal number
of students have said they don't like it.
What are your observations/comments? Is there something happening here?
Mr. James B. Greenberg
Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Milne Library
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820
email: [log in to unmask]
phone: 607-436-2701
fax: 607-436-3081
IM: oneontatltc
"Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"