Ideas Generated at the First Workshop
Link to Ideas Page from Winter 2017 (opens in new window)
Context
How will you create a climate of trust and situate your course into the world of the learner?
- Ask students to tell the story of a leader who impacted their life or career. Share 1 or 2 attributes of that leader you would like to develop in your own leadership practice.
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First assignment is active where students are doing something that is authentic to their experience -- this communicates context of course, answering the question "what kind of the course"
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For professional learners -- can the online format best suit their schedules? Have students share why they enrolled in online format.
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In Business class, share images, quotes to help students understand context of quickly changing work world.
- What is at stake for you? have students write a 3 page reflection paper. Goal--getting students to be comfortably vulnerable.
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Use of object to project vulnerability
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Personalized video of introduction
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overview of why the subject matter should matter to you, why it matters from a social/cultural/political point of view, and why it is relevant.
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Online format can help students build skills that help them be effective in a changing work (i.e. at a distance).
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Ask question "what brings you to this course?" - draw upon their own professional experience. Students write 1pg reflection paper then share in seminar.
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Post announcement on Canvas including information that is relevant to the students (how to save money on textbooks).
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Post on Welcome page, how to use Canvas in THIS course.
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Hide Canvas navigation that isn't being used.
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Create a pattern for due dates, activities - not a lot of surprises.
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Ensure that students know what the outcomes are and how each activity relates to specific outcomes.
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Use visuals when possible.
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Ask students "what are things that have shaped your worldview?" Question remain about online format -- how to build trust so student answer honestly?
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Multimodal forms of communication. Johari Method - tool where students demonstrate expertise -- also helps students better understand how they arrive in shared spaces (class). Use a blog that the student owns. A place where students can put forth their views without fear of judgement.
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Ask students how do "show up" for class. Body cues - micromanipulations that are easy to overlook. What are online factors for this consideration?
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Students could create an online avatar (even non-human) that could unpack what makes them who they are, which informs how they "arrive" in class.
- Ask students: "What do you want to contribute?"
Experience
How will you inspire your students to fully experience course concepts, to internalize the material so learning goes beyond an intellectual exercise.
- Create small group projects that offer a practical departure from the readings. Ask each group to approach the same problem from a different perspective (administrator, artist, marketing, audience member, donor/investor
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Have students get physical! Necessary to break up time (3-hour class). How does this translate to online format? Helping student stay engaged with course w/ other distractions (at home).
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Have students share their own experience in relation to topic. So instructor is internalizing student experiences in order to most fully engage. This follows social constructivist learning model.
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Have students explore topics in groups. How to simulate this type of professional experience in online format?
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Focus first on the taxonomy of the content and then application becomes easier to understand. Connect course content to visuals (graphics that represents the key model).
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Take projects and put them in a portfolio.
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Have students pick what term-long project/activity they will engage in. This also includes a reflective component.
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Use activities that don't have a correct answer - as long as the student can justify their choice.
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Case studies (Health care, counseling)
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Videotape role plays
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Dramatizations of patient/client encounters
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OSCEs/simulated patients
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Interview professional in their field
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Stakeholder debates
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Create a work of Art relating to themes in course
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Problem method: learning advocacy and negotiation skills (Law)
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Law clinic
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Application of skills
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Students as teachers - students have film viewing at home (invite friends, etc.) and then hold a Q&A session about the film. Students then report to course the findings from session.
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Civic participation - writing letters to public figures. Creating blogs (including other methods of publishing online) - help students understand how to enter online public dialogue
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Each student has to be the discussion leader once a term.
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Work with a real client, which ups the level.
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Portfolios
Reflection
What techniques will you use to help students create meaning from their experiences?
- Semi regular check in discussions...what are you learning that has surprised you, what has challenged your assumptions or experiences with this topic, what are you worried we're not considering, who/what has been left out of our exploration?
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Use the discussion board with a rubric that encourages deep discussion.
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Take A Stand Exercise - This asks students to reflect on their position and based on what they hear from others, they re-reflect
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Have students reflect on their ongoing learning and process as they move towards growth in their writing.
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Field work--have students encounter difference in a distinct cultural or religious context which challenges your preconceptions.
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Have students reflect on stakeholders exercise and see how they felt as advocating for particular positions and how this will impact their future practice.
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elf-reflections are presented to the class. Students talk about what they learned and what mistakes they made.
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Reflections apply both inside and outside the classroom.
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Bring in a headline and analyze it.
Action
What will you have your students do with their new understanding? How will you encourage your students to engage in transformative action?
- What can you apply to your work/academic life right now? How could you turn some of these leadership models into daily/weekly practical exercises for you or your team
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In addition to what's meaningful to us, what's meaningful for students? What is this learning going to change for you? What are you going to change because of this learning?
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How do we articulate the why of each assignment? What purpose does it serve?
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How can this skill be applicable? What's generalizable? What's specific? Why does this thing work the way it does? What's essential? Distill!
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Write a policy statement and send to a legislator.
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Weigh in on topics - connect to policy
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Have students request medical records or a public disclosure.
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Submit a comment to a regulation that they care about.
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Read cases and then students present the case. If counsel gives a cite, the students needs to be able to access it.
Evaluation
How will you guide students to evaluate their own learning and formulate a plan for further growth?
- How do we know that this will be valuable to students? How do we give students tools to evaluate their own learning.