Session 3 - How do we know if our learners "get it"?

Response to our three key questions from our session "Ticket Out"

Session 3 - January 27th

What are you curious about?

Faculty Focus

• It is really cool! Sign up for the email blast: http://www.facultyfocus.com/

I am thinking about what activities might help best get ideas across.

• Here is a link from the Cornell Center for Teaching Excellence that might help: http://cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/engaging-students/index.html

What are the different lesson plan formats and which one is best for me?

• Time (and use!) will tell. Here is a resource from the University of Michigan: http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/p2_5 

How do you interact with students following the lesson plan?

• I believe our conversation on assessment will help!

The method and value of close reading..

• Here is an article that might help: http://nieonline.com/tbtimes/downloads/CCSS_reading.pdf

How specific should course objectives be? At what cognitive level?

• We would hope that most of our objectives are at higher cognitive levels, here is a great handout to help with course objectives:  http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opa/resources/docs/writing_learning_outcomes_handbook3.pdf

How do you give guided practice in a lecture based course?

• Just because you are lecturing, does not mean you can not use different engaging strategies to allow students to apply content in some way. This resource from UNC-Charlotte might help: http://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/best-practice/large-classes/effective-instruction

Lessons and objectives for Urban Agriculture:

• Here are some examples: http://w23.columbiaurbanag.org/columbiaurbanag/on-farm-education/lessons-and-activities/index.html

How to effectively balance providing information vs. stopping for interactive activities if topic is very dense?

• Aren't we using interactive activities to help students learn? There is a difference between "teaching" and "providing info". If we just want to provide info, why not just give them a book or hyperlink?

How do "wrap up" or "Cognitive connect" with a class?

• Here are five tips! http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/five-tips-for-wrapping-up-a-course/

What did you learn?

1. Importance/value/Components of Learning Objectives
2. Taxonomy of Cognitive Behavior (Bloom's)
3. Elements of Lesson Plans
4. Many professors fail to use the great tool of lesson plans!
5. Mnemonic devices!
6. Criterion = ho will students know they are successful!
7. Action verbs are important.

What do you want to learn more about?

How will we select topics for workshops?

• What do folks need/want to learn about? What could you read? Who could you ask? Here is Canvas Discussion Thread to use: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1735974/discussion_topics/11309909 

How do different learners respond to crafted learning objectives and efforts!

• Ahh...Session 4 will help with this! Assess, modify, apply, assess!

What should a lecture focus on?

• Here is a link on improving lectures: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/best-practices-improving-lectures/, but note...active learning has been evidenced to trump lectures, read here: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/more-evidence-that-active-learning-trumps-lecturing/

How much info to put in the syllabus?

• Review our second session handouts on Google Drive!

What is "Guided Practice" and "Independent Practice"?

• We generally believe that most individuals "learn by doing", thus in class we would like to provide opportunity for students to apply the concepts we are teaching both when we are available to correct (thus guided) and on their own (independent)

Examples of Cognitive Connect

• Cognitive connect just means you are working to help your students build their internal schema by letting them know how this particular session connects to the previous session and the next session. 

How do you time material in a lesson?

• It comes from experience! Until you do it once, it is often "best guess". In addition, sometimes classes move at different speeds!

Alignment of objectives, lessons, and assessments?

• This is a great resource from Carnegie Mellon:  https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/alignment.html

Why are lesson plans not used in some courses?

• I have no idea.

How to link whole-course objectives with single lesson objectives?

• Think of your whole course objectives as broader larger goals. You break down those goals into manageable steps so they student can accomplish with specific lesson objectives. Example:
• Course Goal: Bake a Cake
• Lesson 1: Measuring Ingredients
• Obj 1: Using measuring cups
• etc

Periscope Reflections of Dr. Jackson and Dr. Foster

Session 2 - How do we communicate expectations? Ticket Out Response

Response to our three key questions from our session "Ticket Out"

Session 2 - January 20th

What are you curious about?

• Interested about methods! 
• Be sure to be taking notes of the role-modeling engaged in each class!

• Where do "Theories and Principles" Intersect?
• Let's discuss this further in our canvas site! https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1735974/discussion_topics/11309048

• How can we cultivate value in our classrooms? Creating an experience that students do not want to miss?
• We will continue to explore this as the class moves along, but let's use Twitter to share ideas!

• Developing course goals beyond "communicating" and "critical thinking"
• This document may help: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9rwwS2lj61cVlYtd19RbXJPVTA

• Examples of Syllabi in AEE courses?
• Here is my AEE 311 Syllabus: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9rwwS2lj61cZmplejhLSDBKM1E 
• Here is my AEE 412 Syllabus: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9rwwS2lj61cQnh2Z1NvUFRyeVE

• More about Learning Theories!
• Check out: http://www.learning-theories.com/ 

• How about attendance?
• Here is a resource: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/five-techniques-for-improving-student-attendance/

What did you learn?

1. About Group work!
2. Cultivate self-directed learners to extend shelf life of course!
3. You can teacher students to be self-directed
4. You can have fun translating ideas/concepts to different mediums! (ie Playdoh)
5. Listen and learn with KIVA!
6. Summarized 7 Principles of Learning
7. Three fundamental theories of learning
8. Learning Theories have had a historical progression as science evolves?

What do you want to learn more about?

• Is there a Syllabus template or form? How do we do this Syllabus contract thing? How much can you change a syllabus? What other Faculty Senate Policies do we need to know?
• Hmm..let's work together on this discussion thread on Canvas: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1735974/discussion_topics/11309046

• Student-Centered Learning- How does this impact the classroom? Pro/Con
• Let's take it to Canvas for a class discussion:
• https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1735974/discussion_topics/11309068 

• How to effectively engage a LARGE class (100s of students)?
• Believe it or not, some of same strategies for smaller classes can work with larger classes. For example, Think-Pair-Share can work in any size group! Here is a resource to check out: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/active-learning-ideas-for-large-classes-simple-to-complex/ 

• Who is John Dewey?
• A great man! Learn more: http://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/john.html

• More methods for effective teachers-student communication
• We can do that with good assessment! Which we will learn more about in Session 3!

• Expectancy: To what extent can a teacher help improve agency during just 15 weeks? 
• Assessment will help with this! Wait for Session 3!

• How do we construct a useful lesson plan?
• Yay for Session 3!

• Approaches to assess self-learning throughout a semester!
• Yay for Assessment and Session 3!

• What is a good and qualified teacher?
• I think you will enjoy this reading: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9rwwS2lj61caEhoekk1WWhieGM

Student Introductions: Sara Mueller, Wildlife and Fisheries Scieces M.S.

Greetings all! It is a pleasure to meet you and join you in the AEE530 community of learners.  While we all share a passion for learning and teaching, we all come at this challenge with a variety of perspectives and experience.  I am as excited to share with you, as I am to learn from you.

I am currently a MS student in Wildlife and Fisheries Science.  I also completed my undergraduate degree under the same degree title here at Penn State.  I initially entered the program with hopes of becoming a full time environmental educator; however, I have fallen in love with research and will likely find myself on a path to a university faculty position. Some of my current research involves using macroinvertebrates (stream insects) to determine water quality, comparing the stomach contents of fish to determine their ability to adapt to invasive species, and invasive species ecology in northwest Pennsylvania.  My MS thesis revolves around the macroinvertebrate communities in the D.C. area in response to invasive algae and human development.

***

Baba Dioum, a Senegalese environmentalist is attributed to the quote:

"In the end we will conserve only what we love.
We love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we are taught."

This is the framework that I believe can be used to foster a better understanding of the natural world around us, which will ultimately lead to the sustainable lifestyles any “green” or “eco” movement dreams to achieve. Although it is easy to see how applicable this is to young, malleable minds, it is not too late to change older and more experienced minds as well.

To students of all ages, I encourage everyone to never stop discovering!

Student Introductions: Rita Graef, Pasto Ag Museum Curator

“Connecting the history and science of our agricultural past to the present day.” 

That’s what I do, or try to do, each day that I serve as steward of a fabulous collection of tools and artifacts used in farming and rural life from a time before gas engines and electricity.

My name is Rita Graef and I have been the curator for the Pasto Agricultural Museum since 2011. I am responsible for the museum collection and exhibits, managing volunteer and donor relationships, overseeing facilities and operations, planning and implementing programming, marketing and fundraising initiatives. 

The Pasto Agricultural Museum is part of the College of Agricultural Sciences, and located in the middle of the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Farm, nine miles southwest of State College Pennsylvania. 




We are surrounded by cutting edge research work in Agronomy, Plant Science, Entomology, and Horticulture. Special projects nearby include investigations in Sustainability practices, American Chestnut breeding, and more. Each August, Ag Progress Days brings Penn State research and extension education, as well as new tools and equipment, practices and ideas to the mid-Atlantic region’s farmers.

I am excited to participate in AEE530 as I try to better understand teaching and learning in agricultural science for the audiences I work with.

Email: rsg7@psu.edu

Blog: http://implementblog.blogspot.com/

Pasto Agricultural Museum info at www.agsci.psu.edu/Pasto and https://www.facebook.com/PastoAgMuseum

Learning Styles: Does evidence exist?

Another follow up to week 1 deals with "learning styles".

Do they exist? IS there evidence?

Dr. Jackson provided the following three links for your consideration:

Article
Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., and Bjork, R. (2009). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105–119
LINK: http://www.physics.emory.edu/faculty/weeks//journal/pashler-pspi08.pdf

Commentary:
- Wired.com: http://www.wired.com/2015/01/need-know-learning-styles-myth-two-minutes/ 

- Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-research

PSU Student Ratings of Effectiveness - Follow up to Week 1

In responding to a question on whether or not Student Ratings of Teacher Effectiveness, I wanted to connect you with the following resources for your own personal review.

The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence at Penn State provides the following website with interesting support information: https://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/srte


Dr. Fern Willits, a distinguished professor emerita, has lead a research team going back decades looking at SRTEs at Penn State. Here are some of her publications:

• Perceptions of Faculty and Students Concerning the Elements of Teaching Quality (2011)
• Undergraduate Students’ Evaluations of Teaching Quality at University Park. (2011)

Here is a 1997 report on SRTES:  http://www.opia.psu.edu/planning_research/reports/srte/1997/analysis 

Student Introductions: Jenna Reeger, Plant Biology Ph.D. candidate

Have you ever taken or taught a class that was frustrating, ineffective and just…bad? How about a class that was so fantastic that it changed the way you think? I have. What made these classes so great or so not great? What could the professor have done differently (assuming I was doing everything right as a student)? That’s what I want to find out this semester in AEE 530.

My name is Jenna Reeger, a second-year Ph.D. candidate in Plant Biology. I study rice root biology to help make rice more tolerant to drought. My alma mater is Ohio Wesleyan University, where I received bachelor's degrees in chemistry and botany. I love plants and science and hope to share both with my future students. I am not sure whether my career will be primarily teaching or research, but I want to be the most effective instructor I can be, whether I teach a little or a lot. I have been a student almost all of my life and enjoy learning, so I’m looking forward to learning about learning (whoa). 

At Penn State I am a member of Graduate Women in Science (GWIS), serving as President-Elect, and also enjoy biking around town, drinking coffee, and visiting the Arboretum.  I am looking forward to the upcoming semester with all of you!

Email: jer302@psu.edu

Twitter: @Jennaceae

Student Introductions: Bill Zimmerman, Higher Education M.Ed. candidate

Immediately after coming to Penn State in 2012, I was hooked on working at a university. The energy created by tens of thousands of people bettering themselves is like nothing I’ve ever experience. The optimism among students sweeps you up and gives your work purpose. Shortly after starting in Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications, I began pursuing a master’s degree in higher education. Not really a means to a particular job, I see it as a way to insure that I continue working in such a vibrant work environment.

I’m currently working as social media manager, overseeing daily planning and administration of Penn State's official social media accounts as well as content production and curation. I'm also a contributor to Penn State News as a writer and photographer, and host of "This is Penn State,"​ a monthly Web series that looks at the expertise, commitment and creativity of Penn Staters.

A journalism graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, I worked nearly a decade as a newspaper reporter in western Pennsylvania. In Fall 2015, I taught News Writing and Reporting in the College of Communications and have been focusing the remainder of my master’s studies toward teaching. I’m excited to begin AEE 530, and I’m confident that I’ll emerge a much more effective and empathetic instructor.

To learn more about my work, go to http://sites.psu.edu/billzimmerman/ and give me a follow at https://twitter.com/ThisIs_BillZ.

Student Introductions: Maurice Smith, AEE Ph.D. Student

I am so elated to take this course to learn more about teaching and learning within the collegiate sector. My name is Mr. Maurice D. Smith, Jr., and I am a native of Sussex County, Virginia, earned a BS (2009) degree from Virginia State University and the MS (2012) degree from Virginia Tech.

I am currently a PhD student and Research Assistant in the Agricultural and Extension Education program at The Pennsylvania State University. Prior to pursuing my doctoral studies, I was a 4-H youth development extension agent at Virginia Cooperative Extension (Sussex County), and a Program Research Technician to the Deputy Assistant USDA Secretary for Cultural Transformation.

I am a proud member of the Minorities in Agriculture, National Resources & Related Sciences (MANRRS), and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.

To learn more about me, visit www.mauricesmithjr.weebly.com.

Email: mds469@psu.edu

Session 1- What is Learning? Ticket Out Response

After each class session, students have the opportunity to respond to three questions as a "Ticket Out"

Session 1 - January 13th

What are you curious about?

• Adding the most value to class time. Making it "non-Googleable". 
• Hint: If you are reading a PowerPoint...they can google it.
• How to write a good blog post?
• Here is a five step process: http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2015/02/09/how-to-write-a-blog-post 
• What can I do with the workshop?
• Anything related to Teaching and Learning
• Are SRTE's correlated to learning?
• I have never read anything that said so, but Dr. Jackson and I will dig around
• I am curious to see how I can integrate technology into my classes. I am worried technology is tempting distraction.
• Remember, you call the tune :). Technology can be a tool or a hindrance, but you as an instructor make decisions on how it plays out. Here is an interesting article: http://blog.cengage.com/technology-classroom-distraction-asset/ 
• Personal Learning Networks
• Learn more here: http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/pln-challenge-1-what-the-heck-is-a-pln/
• Can you provide examples of course assignments?
• For some, but many are BRAND NEW, so there will be the opportunity to continue to resubmit until we reach where we need to be!

What did you learn?

1. A list of stuff I want to do next time I teach! It got me excited, e.g. set objectives/goals each session, engage students early.
2. They don't care what you know until they know that you care.
3. The importance of teacher/learner relationships
4. Standard Operating Procedures of AEE 530
5. Definition of Learning
6. Wait time! 7 seconds
7. Sharing expectations like "being present" as opposed to no cell phones
8. Possible Influence of Social Media on teaching career/professional life
9. New People and interests!
10. Tech tools to use in practice.
11. No tangible scientific evidence of learning styles

What do you want to learn more about?

• How to show students you care? 
• We will talk about this more during session 7, but there are two immediate specific strategies:
• 1 - Ask about them.
• Find out what their life passions are. Send a pre-course survey or require a face to face 10 minute session in the first 1/4 of class.
• 2 - Great them at the door and engage with them as individuals...not as a group as a whole.
• Teacher/Student interactions both in and out of the classroom.
• We will role model and discuss in all sessions!
• Effective teaching practice
• The micro teaching assignment will help! Learning by doing!
• Evidence for/against learning styles.
• I will find some info to share in our google drive
• Different teaching methods to allow for more active teaching that moves from abstract to concrete and from reflective to active
• We will have opportunity for this in future sessions!
• The different certificates available!
• Teaching and Learning with Technology:http://twtcert.tlt.psu.edu/
• Graduate Teaching Certificate: http://www.gradschool.psu.edu/current-students/tacert/ 
• Each technology platform's pro/cons.
• We will learn from experience and have great chance for conversation at TLT Symposium! http://symposium.tlt.psu.edu/
• How to write a lesson plan?
• Yay for Session 2!!
• What would a SoTL proposal look like?
• More to come, but it would have a introduction, brief review of literature, purpose/objectives and methods!

Periscope Reflection Episode 1

Welcome! AEE 530 Instructor Introduction - D. Foster

Hello!

My name is Daniel Foster and I am an agricultural teacher educator at Pennsylvania State University. I am very excited to be partnering with you and Dr. Kathy Jackson to teach AEE 530: Teaching and Learning in Agriculture for the first time.

I am positive that together we will develop a strong community of learners to have a class experience that helps you advance to your professional goals and aspirations.

There is perhaps no greater opportunity to make a positive impact on the world than through an effective instructor sharing what they are passion about.

Prior to Penn State, I received my graduate degrees at The Ohio State University and taught secondary agriculture in Willcox, Arizona. Recently, I have been a vocal advocate of my teacher candidates of agricultural education at Penn State and other teachers of agriculture to develop a professional blog. I believe that this will go a long way in helping us tell the story of school-based agricultural education to strategic partners.

On a personal note, I love my wife Melanie Miller Foster (@Global Melanie) who works in the Office of International Programs at Penn State, our dog - Shiner, parliamentary procedure, auctioneer, Arizona Wildcat Basketball and Shiner Beer.

My Twitter handle is: @FosterDanielD
My personal blog is can be found at: http://exponentiallyimpactful.blogspot.com/ 

The blog is entitled Exponential Impact. I truly believe that each of us has the capacity as agricultural educators to make an IMPACT not an impression. To exponentially change the world around us for the better.  I appreciate you reading and passing on those nuggets of knowledge that you think are worthwhile.

As we talk about truly being catalysts for positive change, we have to ask: WHO is going to do the Job? Who is going to embrace the role of being the torch bearer?

I wanted the first blog entry for the AEE 530 course that is focused on the extremely important task of teaching and learning in the fundamental industry of agriculture to include the poem below:

Everybody, Anybody, Somebody, Nobody and Someone Else

Let me tell you the story

Of  four young lads by the name

Of Tom, Dick, Harry and Joe.

Their full names in fact were as such;

Tom Somebody,

Dick Everybody,

Harry Anybody,

and Joe Nobody.

Together they were the best of friends,

But I must confess

when to came to a task they weren't very good.

You see when ever they were given a job,

They all began to fight.

Because this is how it always went;

Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it,

And Anyone could have done it

But in the end Nobody always ended up with the task.

When Nobody did it,

Somebody was angry because it was Everybody's job.

But Everybody thought that Somebody would do it instead.

Now Nobody realized that Nobody would do it.

So consequently Everybody blamed Somebody

When Nobody did what Anybody could have done 

In the first place.

Now don't start arguing yet

because I have another story 

of these friends to tell;

Now as you may have guessed

these four were fun, active, busy people

But what they accomplished was a shame and Everyone knew it.

You see Everybody had a good idea,

But Everybody thought Somebody would follow it through,

However Somebody  thought Anybody would work on it.

And Anybody thought Everybody should do it.

So Nobody ended up working on it...AGAIN!

Now one day a contest was announced,

All the boys were sent to enter.

Now Everybody thought Anybody could win the prize.

Anybody thought Somebody would win.

And Somebody thought Everybody would get a prize.

Nobody was the smartest of the four.

And Nobody was very faithful.

Nobody worked very hard.

Thus Nobody won the prize!

No I have one more tale to tell you

of another friend of the four

this is a sad sad tale of the death of

a man called Someone Else;

You see all the boys work at a firm

and at this firm worked Someone Else.

Now the four were greatly saddened

to learn of the death of one of the most

valuable member - Someone Else.

Someone's passing created a vacancy

that will be difficult to fill.

He had been around for years and for

everyone of those years,

Someone did far more that a normal person's

share of work.

Whenever Anybody mentioned leadership,

Somebody  always looked to this wonderful

person for inspiration and results;

"Someone Else can do that job!"

When there was a job to do, a need to be filled

or a place of leadership, one name was always given....

....Someone Else.

Everyone knew Someone else was the largest giver

of time and money.

Whenever there was a financial need,

Everybody, Anybody and Somebody always

assumed that Someone Else would make up the difference.

Now Someone Else is gone.

And the boys all wonder what they will do,

No longer can they utter the words;

"Let Someone Else do it"

If it is going to be done, one of them

will have to do it....And I guess most of the time

it will be Nobody.