Version 7.0ish. Digital Humanities. Running. Pedagogy. Linux.

There is an article up over at Inside Higher Ed about once a week classes right now. This article goes into the problems with these kinds of classes. As Michael Arnzen notes, here is basic summary of her argument:

Wilson laments the lack of learning that happens in these longer, less-frequently-meeting classes. The crux of her argument is that there are “not enough practice-and-feedback loops to help students absorb, retain and apply information” in a class that meets once a week. Conversely, in more traditional courses, “students have a chance to replay the information in their heads and practice. With the guiding hand of the instructor, they can get even more direction and be assured that they are ‘getting it.’”

Like Arnzen, I am involved with night classes quite a lot. He teaches them, I take them. Honestly, I have no reason for taking them other than if that is when the class is taught I take it. I have a flexible enough schedule that I can fit in classes at anytime of the day. Once the sun starts to go down there is certainly a change in how the teaching of classes goes about. Classes are longer, students (and professors) are coming from a day of work or school. Many are trying to fit in dinner and a little bit of time to relax. However, like Arnzen I think there are many ways to make night classes work-

The primary benefit of teaching a once-a-week, three-hour course is mostly evident in the amount of time you are given to work with. Having three hours allows both more flexibility and greater focus. Obviously, you have more flexibility in a class with three hours, rather than fifty minutes; if a class discussion is going well and you want to extend it, you can do so. You can commit larger blocks of time to group work, writing exercises, than you normally would, and even screen films or enact skits, and still have time for discussion afterward. It’s great for writer’s workshops or seminars where entire books are being discussed. I find having all that time quite useful; nothing frustrates me more in a traditional class than having to cut something productive off because of the (virtual) “bell.”

I think the best way to handle night courses is to mix it up until you find something that works. Group work, student led lectures, and other formats can keep class time fresh and interesting. More often than not, students who take night courses seem to be more serious about their work. They are often fitting classes in to fulfill a second major or another degree. This seriousness can lead to a very positive and intellectual atmosphere. If a class is very lucky, within a few weeks they will find a learning style that fits for them and will thrive with it.

Another essential for night courses that Arnzen points out is the need for breaks. He recommends at least one, I might go as far as to say a quick five to seven minute break per hour in a three or four-hour class will keep everyone fresh and alert.

There is more to think about here of course. There is no perfect, fail safe, way to deal with a class but Arnzen offers a good starting point.

I found this in my room today-

This was the last page of a review the school social worker did of me in 2^nd grade (1988). I wish I had the rest of this, but here is what was there. I don’t even remember this woman but I do remember the fire department presentations every year. They were really cool. Anyway, here’s a brief look into my childhood:

Observation (Joined in Progress!)

Billy impressed as a quiet child. He did frequently communicate with his neighbors although he did not once speak loud enough for the observer to hear him. For the part, Billy appeared to be on task and worked quietly at his desk, however, in review of his paper after forty-five minutes of work, he had only written his name and one line of words on his paper. It was difficult to read his writing.

Billy was reminded twice during the observation to write neatly. At one point he was reprimanded for talking to his neighborhood and seemed to respond with anxiety and fear. Billy behaved appropriately during the fire drill and as the class assembled to attend a special presentation by the Hopatcong Fire Department.

Summary
Billy Wend was referred for a full child study team evaluation in November 1984 because of motor and behavioral difficulties. The evaluation found Billy to have average intellectual ability, but he was impulsive, had immature motor development, and some visual motor weakness. As a result of the evaluation, Billy’s physician recommended Ritalin, which he continues to take today. He was not found eligible for special education at the time.

Billy’s behavior is much improved, however, his visual motor skills are very weak.  In March 1988 the neurologist did find significant evidence of a mild motor system dysfunction.

Mrs. Wend is very pleased and pleasantly surprised with Billy’s gross motor development and improved coordination. He enjoys the computer very much. He is beginning to develop strong relationships with his peers and spends a lot more time with his friends rather than being by himself.

I have a paper due in a couple hours. I have started this paper; I even did a nifty outline for it. The problem is now that I am having a lot of trouble motivating myself to finish it.

I just have no energy for writing lately. Or, at least, writing about a specified topic on a schedule.

As much as I am enjoying my classes this semester, I am excited for the semester to end a few weeks from now. I really need to reassess many aspects of my life and get my head straight.

I am sorry about the lack of blogging the past week. I was on spring break from Stockton so I basically just chilled out and worked on finishing up digitizing my live tape collection and hit up a couple shows. I also spent a lot of time reading old wrestling pay-per-view reviews over at Online Onslaught. OOld Tyme Rasslin Revue is a neat column which is reviewing, one by one, every WWF/E PPV over the years. Many of them are hilarious, very much in the vein of reviews over on TWOP.

I feel good coming off spring break. Much like The Little Professor, I feel as though this semester has been a bit strange. Perhaps the fact that the majority of my classes are online? Maybe it is only being on campus one day a week? On the other hand, maybe not really getting to see any of my on-campus friends is the cause?

I do know this-I made my schedule this way so I could substitute teach more often. So far, outside of a few good weeks, that has not quite happened yet. I would like to remain loyal to the school I graduated (and would love to end up teaching at) from but with bills piling up it is becoming more difficult.

Perhaps it is time to expand my horizons.

Recently, Little Professor blogged about attendance policies in the classroom. Her post got me thinking about my own experiences with attendance issues in the classroom. I think attendance is an important parting of the learning experience. How many absences a student may use should be up to an individual professor’s discretion based on how many they feel would not take away from a student’s learning experience. If this is one or five, that number is up to the professor. That said, no matter what the number is, as a student it is your job to suck it up and deal with whatever their policies are. Anyone who cannot deal with a stricter (let us argue two absences for an eleven-week semester is “strict,” and say, five or six is much more lenient) attendance policy shouldn’t take the course. I have never met a professor, especially here at Stockton, who is not willing to help and work with a student to deal with their issues and needs. I also have to agree with Little Professor’s sentiment that students who do come to class should not receive extra credit just for showing up when they are supposed to.

What a waste of time sites like ratemyprofessor are. After reading Gerald Lucas’ post about the site I perused the comments left about some of my professors at Stockton. As Lucas notes on his blog, the evaluations seem to be just another stupid popularity contest. If a professor is easy, they get great reviews. If a professor is tough in any way, they are ridiculed and ranked on in very personal ways. Insults about hairlines, whether a professor is a “feminazi” or how old they are come off as childish and pathetic.

I proctored a student evaluation last semester, and it was sad to watch grown adults act as if they were really sticking it to our professor (who had some disagreements with many students in the class about grading, including two who confronted her in the middle of class about it; how fucking rude!) by leaving long and negative comments about her. What a bunch of babies. As a student, I have found evaluations to be nothing more than a popularity contest or an excuse for class to end early. I have witnessed many a student who does not even fill them out, just marking all high or low marks and then rushing out of the classroom. Maybe it is time to reevaluate the place and level of brevity of such evaluations.