tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post7783347025853050313..comments2023-12-07T03:01:28.197-06:00Comments on Tangled Weblog: You might want to start saving up to send your kids to a private university.JMGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15163521274652768781noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-30975013900358100842008-11-28T08:52:00.000-06:002008-11-28T08:52:00.000-06:00You would have to ask my students. I try to be. ...You would have to ask my students. I try to be. Sometimes I feel like I am working with a brick wall though.Tony Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05497055762329338990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-42057976432409761942008-11-27T10:20:00.000-06:002008-11-27T10:20:00.000-06:00I agree with you about some people's attitudes tow...I agree with you about some people's attitudes toward their online teaching. Just from my supplemental use of online activities for my classes, I know that to have a successful online class takes lots of work.<BR/><BR/>As far as adjunct faculty, I adjuncted for a semester for very little money. I agree that most adjuncts teach because they love the rewards that you mentioned. That's definitely the best part of my job. But an adjunct professor, as you mentioned, has very little extra time to devote to good one on one time with students. <BR/><BR/>However, and adjunct's salary won't pay the bills and hardly ever comes with benefits, so most adjunct work at a regular job as well. When universities rely heavily on adjunct faculty, they can't supply the necessary educational experience for students simply because adjuncts don't have the time or energy to devote to continued learning and research. (The same for faculty like myself who routinely teach five classes.)<BR/><BR/>Tony, I'll bet you're a really good teacher!JMGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15163521274652768781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-33368914656493982272008-11-27T09:34:00.000-06:002008-11-27T09:34:00.000-06:00My next comment is not to disparage online teacher...My next comment is not to disparage online teachers.<BR/><BR/>However, I think schools run a higher risk of getting instructors in online classes who are more motivated by spare cash with minimal effort than those who are motivated by the interaction and desire to help students.<BR/><BR/>It is why I think most adjuncts do a pretty good job. They are doing it for the desire to help (plus they assign little busy work because they have not time for it either). <BR/><BR/>I like the small bit of extra cash I get, but it does not come close to compensating for the time I spend. I could put in the same effort consulting on the side and make a lot more money. I have little motivation to eat up my free time making more money.<BR/>But I love trying to give my engineering students a piece of education that is very difficult to get in school and that primarily comes from work experience.<BR/><BR/>If I can give them just a small percentage of that knowledge proactively, it provides them a competitive advantage over their graduating peers in the market place. This does nots how in their initial pay, but will show in their immediate success after taking a job.<BR/><BR/>And I have gotten feedback from past students that this is working. When I get that feedback, that is my real payment. It feels great.<BR/><BR/>One trend I am seeing from my seniors that I don't really like, is too many are going directly to grad school. In engineering, that is not that big a help. I am a firm believer that they can get more from their graduate investment if they have at least 3-5 years practical experience. There is no substitute for the learning context this creates.Tony Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05497055762329338990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-71658247339478221642008-11-26T16:14:00.000-06:002008-11-26T16:14:00.000-06:00You did!You are right. Teaching completely online ...You did!<BR/><BR/>You are right. Teaching completely online would be a drag. I have fun going to class and interacting with the students.<BR/><BR/>And even if I did require discussion boards or blogs, they wouldn't put the effort into it that they need to to make it interesting like we do here.JMGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15163521274652768781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-7955296317801552762008-11-26T14:58:00.000-06:002008-11-26T14:58:00.000-06:00But they won't be getting your repartee personally...But they won't be getting your repartee personally. And even if they don't get smarter from it, it is half the fun of teaching.<BR/><BR/>I was going to write witty repartee, but when I looked up repartee for spelling, I realized it that would be redundant, even though you see it that way often.<BR/><BR/>I probably just did more research than the majority of your students do for their assignments.Tony Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05497055762329338990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-72487916838853624512008-11-26T14:06:00.000-06:002008-11-26T14:06:00.000-06:00I know one thing: If I expect to keep my job long ...I know one thing: If I expect to keep my job long term, I need to get busy and design my courses for online consumption. I can upload writing assignments and grade them just as well as the next warm body can. Heck, if I have to teach 125 students each semester, I might as well make it easier on myself.JMGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15163521274652768781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-34863504044348859162008-11-26T13:12:00.000-06:002008-11-26T13:12:00.000-06:00Probably Haliburton.Looks like the TBR wants to cu...Probably Haliburton.<BR/><BR/>Looks like the TBR wants to cut overhead and long-term benefit costs. They could care less about educating.<BR/><BR/>The type of approach laid out in the memo will only exacerbate an already decaying education system in which education admin is abdicating its responsibility and blaming faculty and students for the results and behaviors.<BR/><BR/>In this memo they clearly believe that they can abdicate system and process design to technology as if it were a person rather than an inanimate tool.<BR/><BR/>How did the administrators get to be this dumb. Probably went through TN public education.<BR/><BR/>If this country does not fix the quality and integrity of public education, we are in deep trouble. Fleeing to private schools is not the answer. Only the well-off will get an education.<BR/><BR/>And fixing the problem is not just about throwing money at the problem or pulling money away from it.Tony Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05497055762329338990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-66668218040126851322008-11-26T10:43:00.000-06:002008-11-26T10:43:00.000-06:00Yeah, this stuff obviously was not thought up by e...Yeah, this stuff obviously was not thought up by educators.JMGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15163521274652768781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13259631.post-22296567314476105872008-11-26T10:23:00.000-06:002008-11-26T10:23:00.000-06:00I smell a consulting firm ...I smell a consulting firm ...Ayatollah Mugsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09125273995287780992noreply@blogger.com