ANT 275 - The Snowmastodon Project; Paleontology/Archaeology internship with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Six CMC participated in an immersive, week-long, field-based internship with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) at the Zeigler Reservoir near Snowmass Village, CO.
Through daily interactions with DMNS paleontologists Kirk Johnson, Ph.D. and Ian Miller, Ph.D., as well as other scientists, students learned about the historic significance of this “Ice Age Discovery,” including the importance of the find within the scientific (paleontological) record, the implications of the find to contemporary climate science, and the (albeit unlikely) possibility of prehistoric human presence at the site.
This site is the highest elevation site containing mammoth and mastodon in the world. The students made discoveries right alongside world class scientists, who provided interpretations of evidence uncovered on a daily basis, as well as hypotheses to test by further investigation; in short, CMC students and world-class scientists learned together as they explored the magnitude and richness of this find.
Due to the intensive nature of this field experience the students were asked to record their observations daily using a Flip Cam rather than producing a traditional research paper.
James Callahan's Video Blog, Day 1:
Ronnie Hendricks' Video Blog, Last Day:
Each student recorded approximately 5 minutes per day of video describing their learning opportunities, events, lectures, and reflections of their experience.
The video blog included scientific as well as personal observations.
Each day began with a morning meeting at 7, followed by 10 hours at the excavation site, and concluded with an evening meeting after dinner at 8:30 pm.
Conversations between the students and the instructor continue over the course of the summer and early fall as the full impact of their experience develops.
For more information visit:
http://www.livescience.com/14958-mastodon-mammoth-excavation-snowmass-teachers.html
By: Sandy Jackson
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Summary from APUS Webinar on Teaching Online in the Community Colleges
Mary Dereshiwsky on Keys to Becoming an Effective Online Instructor: Dealing with Challenging Students... and More
Seven Keys to Success
Key 1: You shouldn't have to be a techie -- find some support.
Key 2: It's all about continual engagement. Review the post from her last presentation.
Key 3: Let them see you mess up -- humanizes you, lessens student fear.
Key 4: New can be better -- this one might resonate with everyone looking at a change in LMS. It's a chance to review your course, make some of the changes you have been thinking about. Stretch is good.
Key 5: Empathy - walk a mile in their shoes. Keep being a student, keep taking seminars, keep taking classes. Be very visible to your students, especially at the beginning of the term. Respond promptly, post a FAQ, login frequently. Use a lot of "I" statements.
Key 6: Be yourself and convey your own personality in your classes.
Key 7: Get a life! You need to take one day off each week. Don't stay online 24/7
Challenging Students
Susan Ko: Profiles of Difficult Students, http://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/teaching-strategies/managing-difficult-students-in-the-online-classroom.html
Mary Bart: Dealing with Difficult Online Students, https://sites.google.com/site/difficultonlinestudent/
Trigger #1: Start-up jitters
Your course is different from the last one they took. Can generate an avalanche of email. Consider reaching out via phone. Work on humanizing yourself. Be sure you field questions as quickly as possible - move email to discussion area so everyone can see answers.
If they are "lost" ask them to tell you one thing that is confusing, so you can untangle that one thing.
Trigger #2: Technology
Ask students to make a back-up plan for getting to class if their computer breaks down (car analogy). Give them locations of labs, but also help them come up with other alternatives - library, friend, work, etc.
Make sure students know about extra software early.
Be careful of timezones.
Trigger #3: Communication Related
Text only causes issues. Remember you are dealing with a real person. Bring up hot-buttons early - include a plagiarism discussion. Share netiquette links. Walk away if a student slams you and think about it. Stay polite! Reach out to the student, use the phone. Post a reminder to all students. "It's okay to disagree with an idea, but it's not okay to attack a person."
Call on students in the discussion area. Help them stay active.
Alicia Shepard "A's for Everyone" at the Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/02/AR2005060201593.html
Trigger #4: Challenges of Group Work
Use a group contract. (Developed by the groups.) It should include an initial plan for conflict resolution.
Trigger #5: PTSD
As many of 31% of the military population who has been deployed my have PTSD. Many of the 400,000 military students taking classes are taking online classes. These students may have trouble staying on topic and may have high anxiety. Habitual flaming may be a signal. Reach out to them and ask what is bothering them. Be able to recommend your school's support center. Call the support center yourself and find out what they recommend. VA also has resources available online. (APUS is 70% military students, so this is an important topic for them.)
Closing
It's not about you. Keep problems in perspective. Don't make them personal. Do some reading and investigation. Most of the triggers are not about you, they are a part of the student's situation. Reach out to difficult students in a positive way.
Lisa
Lisa
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Estes Park 2010
I was honored to attend the Fall 2010 yoga conference in Estes Park. Hundreds of yoga students and a collection of top yoga teachers from around the world congregate annually at the Estes Park YMCA for the annual Yoga Journal conference. I go to these conferences to stay current in the world of yoga and to enhance my teaching by being with these great teachers.
John Friend, one of the leading teachers in the world, taught to a class of almost 700 people. The energy in the room where 700 yoga practitioners are moving through a challenging and dynamic practice is exceptionally vibrant. John teaches what he has coined Anusara yoga. Anusara translates from sanskrit as “stepping into the currents of grace.” The primary intention of this form of yoga is a spiritual one, to connect with something bigger than ourselves, grace, and then move through the challenging poses with serving that intention as the ultimate purpose. It is a very inspiring and uplifting practice.
At the conference, John discussed the three A’s of the Anusara teaching method, attitude, alignment, and action. Attitude is the intention you do the practice with. There are two motives for doing yoga: simply to express the radiance of the heart in each pose and to reunite with the bliss and love in your heart if you are feeling disconnected from it. Alignment refers to the outer form of the pose as well as the how the physical pose reflects the attitude. The openness of the heart is expressed in the physical pose. Action refers to the balance of muscular energy and the organic energy of the pose. The muscles draw in to the skeletal structure to create stability and organic energy carries the expansive, energetic qualities of the heart and radiates from within the pose outward and represents freedom and expansion.
John discussed in depth that the teacher in yoga is not better than the student. They are of the same divine nature, yet the teacher has been on the path up the mountain before and is the guide. The teacher guides the student safely up the mountain with the intention that the student will feel better about themselves along the way. The teacher sees the beauty in all students serves that beauty and recognizes that we all are on our own path to free ourselves from pain. Without judging, there is recognition that each person moves along their own path to free themselves from suffering.
The teachings that John offers are woven amidst a strong and dynamic yoga practice which at this conference focused on deep backbends and intense hip openers. It is fun to contemplate these bigger, spiritual ideas that he offers while walking around on your mat upside down in a back bend. It is hard to do anything but breathe and possibly laugh.
Jill Barker
John Friend, one of the leading teachers in the world, taught to a class of almost 700 people. The energy in the room where 700 yoga practitioners are moving through a challenging and dynamic practice is exceptionally vibrant. John teaches what he has coined Anusara yoga. Anusara translates from sanskrit as “stepping into the currents of grace.” The primary intention of this form of yoga is a spiritual one, to connect with something bigger than ourselves, grace, and then move through the challenging poses with serving that intention as the ultimate purpose. It is a very inspiring and uplifting practice.
At the conference, John discussed the three A’s of the Anusara teaching method, attitude, alignment, and action. Attitude is the intention you do the practice with. There are two motives for doing yoga: simply to express the radiance of the heart in each pose and to reunite with the bliss and love in your heart if you are feeling disconnected from it. Alignment refers to the outer form of the pose as well as the how the physical pose reflects the attitude. The openness of the heart is expressed in the physical pose. Action refers to the balance of muscular energy and the organic energy of the pose. The muscles draw in to the skeletal structure to create stability and organic energy carries the expansive, energetic qualities of the heart and radiates from within the pose outward and represents freedom and expansion.
John discussed in depth that the teacher in yoga is not better than the student. They are of the same divine nature, yet the teacher has been on the path up the mountain before and is the guide. The teacher guides the student safely up the mountain with the intention that the student will feel better about themselves along the way. The teacher sees the beauty in all students serves that beauty and recognizes that we all are on our own path to free ourselves from pain. Without judging, there is recognition that each person moves along their own path to free themselves from suffering.
The teachings that John offers are woven amidst a strong and dynamic yoga practice which at this conference focused on deep backbends and intense hip openers. It is fun to contemplate these bigger, spiritual ideas that he offers while walking around on your mat upside down in a back bend. It is hard to do anything but breathe and possibly laugh.
Jill Barker
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