Richard Schrand

Discussion Comment

I used to teach at a college where it was expected the instructors 'friend' their students on Facebook, give their personal email addresses (not just their college emails), add them to their tweet list (and it was encouraged to be on Twitter), etc. Some instructors even went to student's parties. A recent video has a student stating his instructor is his best friend. I never did any of that. To me, this is fraught with peril. One instructor literally tweeted how proud he was that he could take a photo and tweet while driving. This sends the wrong message to… >>>

Richard Schrand

Discussion Comment

Late Assignment Criteria

I'm going to play devil's advocate here. It's stated that taking points off the grade for a late assignment "replicates the deadline criterion of the work world". No, it doesn't. In my field, if you are late, you lose the client, you lose money and, ultimately, you will lose your job. Do this enough, you lose your business. There are no valid "Oh, we didn't get finished on time...." excuses because client deadlines are written in stone. Added Note: I give each student a sheet outlining the project and the due date and time. I also put this info online… >>>

Richard Schrand

Blog Comment

Relevant information

What do you mean by 'special needs'? I have a wide range of students, with one recent student - older and coming back to school well after the first grandchildren were born - who could not retain information at all. I could sit with this student, walk him/her through each step, repeat it with him/her doing the work 100%, go back to my desk and be called over within a couple of minutes ultimately repeating what I had just spent fiteen or twenty minutes working on with the student. Best I could do at that point was go to the department… >>>

Richard Schrand

Discussion Comment

The Experienced Student

I utilize the student's knowledge. While we are not set up to have assistants, I can take advantage of a student's knowledge on a subject to help me during class. If I'm busy with a student and another needs some help, I will often ask the more knowledgeable student to help their peer. That student then gets extra credit in class.

Richard Schrand

Blog Comment

Holding students' atention

This is a basic presentation principle. Vary the pitch. Vary the speed of delivery, slowing down for emphasis. Entice the students to want to add to the discussion by asking questions with a level of enthusiasm that is infectious without going overboard. Students will tune out if you appear too excited as well as if you sound bored. There's a middle ground that causes audiences to participate, to become part of the experience. That's what needs to be strived for. And even the most jaded student will find themselves caught up in the discussion if the instructor uses inflection well.

Richard Schrand

Discussion Comment

When Do We Stop Treating Students as Children?

I'm sorry you feel this is bordering on offensive that I don't feel I am paid to play games with my students. I am an adjunct instructor. I am given a set amount of time to teach technical aspects to a field that is constantly and rapidly changing. I am there to share my knowledge, my experiences, and prepare these students for what they are going to face in the real world...which these days ain't too pretty as we continue to pump out hundreds of people to fill dozens of jobs! Of course the material is new to them. And… >>>

Richard Schrand

Discussion Comment

When Do We Stop Treating Students as Children?

There's a lot of talk about telling students how to study for your class, how to do their work so they will pass, playing games to make them feel less stressed. Many of these techniques sound like we are sending our kids off to their first day of kindergarten or teaching grade schoolers, but not college students. I expect my students to take notes. I expect them to organize their notes. I see too many instructors giving students study guides...to the point the student cannot function when being tested from a book because they don't know how to discern pertinent… >>>

Richard Schrand

Discussion Comment

The Experienced Student

There is always, especially in technical institutes, the student who literally knows the information covered in the class or for the entire term/semester because they already have professional experience with the material. When it is impossible to move them into another class, what are suggestions to help keep their attention and enthusiasm during the term/semester?