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

Small Groups

Kathy, by keeping the groups mixed up you also help students to understand that in the workplace they will not always have the option of teaming up with those they already know. You are giving them a very usable skill in getting to learn about new work partners and collaborating with strangers. Keep up the great effort. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Small Groups

Ian, excellent ideas for how to manage groups. Another option is to also have each member of the team rate each others contributions. Ratings in the workplace is common these days so this also helps students understand how they will be rated by their peers. The main focus is to ensure each student carries their own weight within their own talent levels. Thanks for sharing. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Traits of Successful Instructors

Edna, you get it and obviously understand the importance of going that extra inch to gain an entire mile. Education is not a one size fits all situation. Each student has a different need and for some additional time before or after classroom time is critical to taking learning to the next level. Thanks for your dedication and keep up the great work. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Traits of Successful Instructors

Jim, excellent topic and great post. Too often instructors feel they must be perfect in the eyes of their students and can never show they make mistakes. By being honest and showing students that we all make mistakes and can actually learn from them we build a safer learning environment and build better trust within our students. Thanks for bringing this critical topic forward and keep up the great work. Your students are very lucky to have you as a mentor. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Traits of Successful Instructors

Michael, well stated. For some students thinking independently can be a real challenge as their natural environment may not require such skills. Critical thinking, creative thinking and problem solving are all part of modern day information literacy but are also skills that need to be taught and practiced. Does your institution have any specific courses that train students to think critically and creatively and to be problem solvers? Thanks for anything you can share. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Errol, students and parents can tell immediately which instructors care and which ones do not and it is obvious you are one that cares. Your natural love of your subject matter, your students and yourself as a professional can go a long way in achieving the desired learning outcomes. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Fear Factor with Tests

Issy, test taking anxiety can be an issue for all students regardless of their GPA or aptitude. Best practice is to get students comfortable with the test taking process and ensure they fully understand the role tests play in the learning process. Never use a test as a method of punishment but use them to ensure the learning outcomes are reached. Make sure students fully understand the role that tests play in your lesson plans. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Traits of Successful Instructors

Scott, well stated. Be fair but firm and treat everyone equally but do not operate like a robot. Take full advantage of being human and making professionally focused decisions with any given situation. No two situations are 100% alike and each requires an instructor to use their best judgement. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Traits of Successful Instructors

Nancy, a good guide will always be in control. Do not confuse the two as mutually exclusive. James Jackson

James Jackson

Discussion Comment

Traits of Successful Instructors

Chanel, instructors that can guide the learning process through control and an intelligent heart tend to achieve all of their desired learning objectives. Great post and thanks for sharing. James Jackson

End of Content