eCollege Anonymous

Not that I'm addicted to eCollege [shudder], but I could use some group therapy about Gradebook. I've never used it before, and I'm finding it just as miserable as I feared it would be. Does anyone have tips for minimizing the pain?

In exchange, I'll swap ya for a suggestion about using the assignment sections for general feedback---I'm experimenting with posting my observations about the general trends right on the assignment page. (Then I let the class know about it via e-mail.) I'm hoping that this will be a way to better support students who want the feedback, w/o losing too much time on students who are less interested.

Graduate Student Senate

Hi everyone!

I wanted to post some of the upcoming Graduate Student Senate activities that are on our September horizon (where hopefully there will be a little less brutal heat, please!!) so that you can get them to your planners. We hope to see you there!

--Library Orientation: Thursday, September 10 from 12-1pm (held in library conference room)

--Back-to-School Social Event: Friday, September 11 from 5-7pm (Blue Mesa Grill @1600 S. University Drive)

--GSS Meeting - Thursday, September 17 from 11-12pm (Beck room on 3rd floor of BLUU)

I hope that I don't need to remind you that there will be FREE FOOD at the Blue Mesa Back to School event. No, no indeed, I do not need to remind you of that. I hope to see you there!

What's Your First-Day-of-Class MO?

After the first day of classes I asked one of my professors how she felt about her courses and students, to which she replied, "I think I scared off the requisite number of them. I tend to be stern on the first day." As an instructor, I am completely opposite (though envious of the ability to be stern enough to make students fear me!). In fact, my first class meeting recruited another student. I tend to allow my policies and syllabus to do the regulating on the first day, while my demeanor is more friendly and fun (I think--it's difficult to self-evaluate).

How do you approach the first day of class? Are you stern and "scary" or more laid back and welcoming? And, for more experienced teachers, how does the instructor's demeanor on the first day of class tend to affect students' perceptions of how serious they are expected to be about their work?

Let the surfer beware.

You've heard of "caveat emptor" of course, but buyers aren't the only ones who need to beware. A friend of mine who studied Latin for a bit suggested a phrase you might use for warning students about relying too heavily on suspicious Internet material:

Caveat Surfor - Let the surfer beware.

Note: The possibilities for bastardized (illegitimate? hybrid? cyborg?) Latin warnings abound, and The Frog Blog cannot be held liable for diseuphonious combinations---caveat illegitimor Latinus.

Fall's First Week

So tomorrow another semester begins, and your students are in capable hands with each of you. Have a wonderful first week of classes!

GI Meet & Greet Breakfast

All GIs got to meet and mingle and hear from campus resources while enjoying burritos from Tres Joses, though they sadly forgot to label the different flavors. Oops.

Three new GIs--Kristi, Meghan, and Marie, with now-veteran GI Sarah, who graciously lent her camera at the last minute.

Alyssa, Laura, and Joel are smiling--perhaps forced to by photog Amanda, or thrilled by their mystery burritos?

Putting your blog on eCollege

During one of those brilliant Koehler workshops on eCollege, I learned how to put my blog on eCollege. I wish I knew this during my summer course. For those who are interested, I've included some directions.
From whatever unit you please (like "Course Home"), click on "Author view," then "Course Items" and then "Add Items." From there you will create a name (i.e. "Class Blog") and the "Item Type" should be "Text, Multimedia." Click the "Add Item" box at the bottom, and click on the item (to the left). Type your hyperlink phrase in the new screen (you should still be in "author" mode); for example, "Click to view class blog" or whatever. Highlight it and click the hyperlink icon on the tool bar (next to the "redo" icon--hover the cursor over it and it should read "add a link"). Link it to website and type in the phrase you chose and post the web address and "add link." Now right click on the link, select "Properties," and under "Target," select "Same window." Click "OK" and be sure and click "Save Changes" on the eCollege window (bottom right). Go to "Course" view and click the link--the blog should appear in the shell.
In reflection, I think I might like this better than Google Reader (www.google.com/reader) because you can leave comments and you cannot on Google Reader. It is a lot easier than it sounds. Hope this works for you! LD