Working Smart

Beth, Executive VP

For many years my department colleague Beth talked about "Working Smart". (She's worked so smart that she has worked her way up to Vice President, but that's another story).  The kind of working smart that I am interested in is that which creates more time for using my unique gifts to benefit students.  That means spending less time on repetitive yet important tasks that complement my central focus.

Enter, the use of "macros" for repeated email responses (e.g. "Could you meet with me to talk about my classes?") and repeated grading responses (e.g. "Excellent start, and needs more focus on.....")  I'll bet you can think of plenty of examples.

There are multiple tools available for creating macros.  I'll focus on these three:

1. Gmail Canned Responses:  This feature is available to you via your LBCC email account.  You do need to enable the Canned Responses Lab in your Settings. After it is enabled, you can start creating your canned responses and easily retrieve them (and edit if needed) as you desire for repetitive emails. For complete instructions setting up Canned Responses, click here. 

2. Turnitin:  This tool is available to all LBCC faculty to use to create macros for common grading comments. Not only that, but you can drag and drop the comments without touching your keyboard once!  Turnitin supplies some premade macros, but I find the most valuable ones to be the ones that I have created. If you like to DIY, and don't use Moodle, click here to learn how to set up your user account.  

If you do use Moodle, Turnitin is embedded!  It's super easy to start using it there and your students will have a seamless experience.

Karelia , English
Department Chair

3. Shortkeys: There are two key differences about Shortkeys.  First, it can be used in ANY program.  It will work in Gmail, Word programs, Googledocs, Moodle, Turnitin, etc.  It is not tied to one particular software program.  Second, it has to be purchased. It costs $25/one user; $40/two users and costs continue to go down by volume.   

I learned about Shortkeys, from my Division colleague, Karelia, a leader in the Land of Working Smart.  Sharing techniques among departments and divisions can help all of us to move forward--our colleagues have many great ideas and in the role of Faculty Fellow, I want to be a key part of this cross-pollination.



I'd be glad to visit your office or department meeting to talk more about which tools would work best for you and/or to give you a more detailed tutorial on any tool that you are exploring. I will tailor my visit to what you need.

Liz

Luxury or Necessity?

Two weeks ago speaker Scott Hanselman suggested that to be most effective at work, one could (should?) take an hour each Friday to reflect upon the week.

That’s one of those ideas that makes me crazy.   I don’t have an hour a week to clean my kitchen, much less to reflect.   What if my peers saw me? Wouldn't my colleagues think that I was incredibly spoiled, taking time to “reflect”?

But, to be honest, I require it of my students; I tell them it will make them better teachers. Reflective teachers learn from their experiences, evolve, and improve. Over and over, to my beginning pre-Education students I urge them to reflect; I require them to reflect; I grade them on reflection.  

So, here I go. I scheduled it on my calendar a week ago.  I looked forward to this hour with pleasure.  And then I got here and didn’t know what to do.  Did not know what to do. Time to change my modus operandi.

First thing, leave my office. Start walking in the beautiful sunshine.  Get away from the computer and the list of tasks.  Who can I go visit?  I’m sure Scott would like a visit, a distraction. Oh, wait. I’m supposed to be reflecting, not socializing.  Well, couldn’t Scott and I talk about my work reflection?  Ummmm.  More likely we’ll joke and scheme about getting away from work.  Bad idea.

Keep walking.  If I’m going to reflect, what is the framework I will use?  I can think of several:

• what worked this week, what didn’t?  
• what did I get done, what didn’t?

I like going more big picture than that:

• what progress did I make toward overarching goals?
• did I live and work in sync with my principles?
• have I ended the week with a feeling of satisfaction and peace?
• don’t I need to email Paul the minute I get back to my office?  ooooh….oops, fell into  problem -solving.  Got to get back to reflection.

Back to my office.  I reflect better when I write.   Meanwhile, I email Paul (sometimes getting something out of your “psychic weight inbox” is worth it).  Then, back to reflection. Yes, but this reflection is turning into a blog post. Is that the same as reflection?  

For this week, it will be. For this week, I’ve reminded myself of the value of reflection.  I’ve reminded myself of my efforts to work with strength and peace. I’ve reminded myself that I am developing habits that help me achieve goals, rather than to putting out every fire.  And next week I’ll reflect again.  

Happy Fall.

Several folks have asked to see the presentations I have created for the sessions I have led at inservice this fall.  I am glad to share them with you.  

Be aware:  these presentations are just that--a few visual cues that led to a much deeper conversation.  After you view them, I hope you will follow up with conversations of your own.

Here they are:

Flipping the Learning Culture at LBCC (9/16 at 1:00 with Richard Gibbs)

Tablets:  What do students do with electronic devices in class? A report from the faculty who pilot tested the LBCC purchased tablets. (9/23 at 9:00 with Chris Riseley, Chris Ruderman, and David Bird)

Introduction to Flipping  (9/23 at 1:00 with Perry Carmichael)

Flipping 2: Creating lectures to be delivered outside of class.    (9/23 at 3:00 with Darci Dance and Mary Campbell)

If you'd like me to address any of these topics with a group of LBCC staff, please get in touch.  I am glad to tailor any discussion to the needs and interests of your group.

Liz

Turnitin at LBCC 

Educating for Academic Honesty                                 

• Did you know that we have a site license for Turnitin here at LBCC?
• And that its value as a grading efficiency tool is at least as valuable as its plagiarism check use? 
• And that you can use it even if you are not a Moodle user? 

If you are interested in decreasing your electronic grading time (I've reduced mine by about 30%) and/or using the plagiarism checking tool, you will be pleased to know how intuitive and easy it is to use.  

Here's a link for using it within Moodle.  

And a link for creating an LBCC instructor account if you don't use Moodle.  

Please post your Turnitin Questions or Comments here or contact me via email for Turnitin help.  

Exploding the Flipped Classroom

What's Happening at LBCC

 When I "took the job" of Faculty Fellow in Technology, I was given the freedom to create much of it.  The job description read "encourage innovation".  That meant not only following my own intuition and knowledge about technology and teaching, but like Disraeli, following my colleagues. 

I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?
Benjamin Disraeli 
 

Faculty at LBCC have always been creative.  Find the time to innovate our teaching is the challenge.  Full teaching loads, advising, and committee work challenge our energy limits.  

Still, the will exists.  My job is to support and encourage the innovation related to technology.  The interest and work toward "flipping the classroom" is exploding at LBCC.  

There are dozens of faculty (from every possible discipline) exploring this methodology.

Multiple discussions are occurring around campus within department meetings, public demonstrations, and informal conversations.  Click here for upcoming "flipping" discussions.  Contact me if you know of an activity that belongs on this calendar. And I'd be glad to come to your gathering to lead or participate in a discussion.

This is my favorite flipping resource. Dan Spencer shares this google doc worldwide and everyone has commenting rights.  He  has "chapters" on lots of related topics and he includes a little summary of every resource he shares (so you get his opinion on it before going to the website).  I'm one of 660 folks who follow him on Google +.  Great articles!

Here is my personal folder of flipping resources that I am creating as I work with LBCC faculty and staff.