James Jackson

Location: chicago, il

About me

James is the Senior Associate at JAJ & Associates, Adjunct Faculty and eLearning Consultant at MaxKnowledge and member of the Board of Advisors of Dream Catchers Global. James was the Associate Provost of Faculty Development, President of the Online Division at Harrison College and the Director for the Center of Technology Resources for Indiana Business College. Because of his extensive background in technology and his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for assisting aspiring business owners, James has provided his leadership/project management skills in many start-up operations mentoring dozens of young leaders over his career. All providing great growth opportunities for his stakeholders.

James has developed more than 50 courses and dozens of programs in the areas of technology, business, progress management and general education. James has been an instructor for more than 15 years during which time he provided training to over 500 trainers and more than 5000 students. His academic background includes a Masters of Education in Occupational Training and Development and is currently working on his doctoral dissertation in Higher Education Administration emphasis on Strategic Enrollment Management. James enjoys working with students and assisting them through complex concepts which he is able to turn into easy to understand and usable skills.

A full profile of my professional career is available on LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesajacksonjr

Connect with me on LinkedIn and here in the Lounge.

Interests

my family, golf, tennis, swimming, and participating in youth sports.

Skills

faculty development, elearning, program and curriculum development, project management, business analysis and technology integration

Activity

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Classroom Discipline

Susan, what actions do you take day one of each group of new students to set the stage for your expectations and to inform students of the consequences of their failure to follow the rules? Just like in a real work environment there are consequences for lack of conformity so may be worth your time to create a lesson plan where you cover the rules and policies of the class and discuss what consequences students expect when they do not follow your rules. Also prepares them well for their first job or their next job in their new career. James… >>>

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Self-Doubt

Herman (Lonnie), great observation. For some students their personality traits are more introverted versus extroverted. Not all students like to be the focus of attention or to even be noticed by their peers. Critical for instructors to take such matters into consideration when developing their lesson plans so they can appeal to a wide range of personality traits. Keep up the great work. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Self-Doubt

Nicole, typically the more technical the course the more complex students feel the material will be to understand. A good practice is to remind them that many other students have come before them and were able to do well in your course. Trust in your methodology and proper study habits will lead to a full understanding of the materials and passing of the course. Keep up the great work with your students. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Self-Doubt

Prairie, great post and I am one of those students that would benefit greatly from your class and your techniques. Breaking down the barriers to learning a new topic or better understanding a misunderstood topic can be a challenge. By showing your students the basic building blocks and steps they can take to review their own work you provide them the tools they need to become successful. Keep up the great work and let me know if you ever take your class online, I would be most interested. : - ) James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Self-Doubt

Ron, great job. Students sometimes do not realize that being confused and not feeling comfortable is part of the learning process and feelings shared by the majority of their peers. When they can hear the instructor share their own experiences the instructor becomes more human and the challenges of the course become more manageable. Keep up the great work. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Self-Doubt

Thomas, are there other exercises you offer those students that may not like being in front of the classroom? For some students bring the focus of attention can be a frightening experience. Thanks for anything you can share. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Self-Doubt

Salvatore, the technique you are describing is called scaffolding, see this article by Jamie McKenzie (http://fno.org/dec99/scaffold.html). By using a building block and creating a structure upon which to build you allow for a prolonged period to continually allow students to gain self confidence and enhance their learning opportunities. Keep up the great work. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Hank, in what ways could you fill the full 90 minutes and not lecture at all? For some instructors this sounds like an impossible question but in reality the focus that has come out of research is the importance of engagement. You can engage your students for the full 90 minutes and not need any time to formerly lecture. The concept you may want to explore is called the guide on the side versus the sage on the stage. One such example is provided but there are many more: From Sage on the Stage to Guide on the Side Alison… >>>

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

David, good to see you gain enjoyment out of the achievements of your students. Students can tell very easily when their instructors truly enjoy the art and science of teaching versus just earning a paycheck. Keep up the great work. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Hank, can you share some of the techniques you use to engage your students and get them to respond in positive ways? For some instructors they feel that engagement is a matter of the subject matter versus just being a good and engaging instructor. Thanks for any tips you can share from your own experiences. James Jackson

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