Comments for Teaching In Pajamas http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:00:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 Comment on How Many Online Courses Is Too Many? by Jodi http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=49&cpage=1#comment-210 Jodi Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:37:18 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=49#comment-210 John: I agree that there are many people having trouble finding any online teaching, and then there are many who are doing too much. It seems to be feast or famine when it comes to finding assignments. Getting in is the hard part; once you are teaching and established, learning to say no to assignment is the hard part. Experience with online teaching seems to be the key. Once you have experience, schools seem to scoop you up as soon as you apply. ~Jodi John:

I agree that there are many people having trouble finding any online teaching, and then there are many who are doing too much. It seems to be feast or famine when it comes to finding assignments. Getting in is the hard part; once you are teaching and established, learning to say no to assignment is the hard part. Experience with online teaching seems to be the key. Once you have experience, schools seem to scoop you up as soon as you apply.

~Jodi

]]> Comment on How Many Online Courses Is Too Many? by John http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=49&cpage=1#comment-206 John Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:47:32 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=49#comment-206 This is an interesting article. We have many many teachers posting on our site because they cant find enough online teaching opportunities. This is an interesting article. We have many many teachers posting on our site because they cant find enough online teaching opportunities.

]]> Comment on Waiting for the Fallout by MiaT http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=80&cpage=1#comment-196 MiaT Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:51:03 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=80#comment-196 Feedback: Timeliness may not be as important as quality It seems that the online institutions (at least for undergraduate programs) are unyielding when it comes to "student feedback." However, it does not seem that much training and/or professional development goes into helping adjuncts meet the standards. I am an online adjunct instructor at MNO University and I have noticed that students won’t complain about the feedback as long as their grades are good. Sometimes it is impossible to give "detailed feedback" to students in a timely manner when the assignment present with difficulty. While the administration at my place of employment don't seem to complain much about timeliness are whether or not one is meeting the quality guidelines for "effective feedback," I have noticed comments from them in my individual end of term evaluations. Very vague comments such as: feedback not good--no suggestions for improvement. During a recent annual faculty workshop, all best practices were reinforced with new tips, suggestions, etc; however, when it came to feedback the same 5 sentences that were included in new faculty orientation were there. Undergraduate students are still developing their scholarly skills, so perhaps the online schools need to invest more into "feedback quality" rather than firing someone because of "feedback tardiness." MiaT Feedback: Timeliness may not be as important as quality

It seems that the online institutions (at least for undergraduate programs) are unyielding when it comes to “student feedback.” However, it does not seem that much training and/or professional development goes into helping adjuncts meet the standards. I am an online adjunct instructor at MNO University and I have noticed that students won’t complain about the feedback as long as their grades are good. Sometimes it is impossible to give “detailed feedback” to students in a timely manner when the assignment present with difficulty. While the administration at my place of employment don’t seem to complain much about timeliness are whether or not one is meeting the quality guidelines for “effective feedback,” I have noticed comments from them in my individual end of term evaluations. Very vague comments such as: feedback not good–no suggestions for improvement. During a recent annual faculty workshop, all best practices were reinforced with new tips, suggestions, etc; however, when it came to feedback the same 5 sentences that were included in new faculty orientation were there. Undergraduate students are still developing their scholarly skills, so perhaps the online schools need to invest more into “feedback quality” rather than firing someone because of “feedback tardiness.”
MiaT

]]> Comment on Waiting for the Fallout by KS http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=80&cpage=1#comment-169 KS Mon, 24 May 2010 19:18:24 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=80#comment-169 I worked for a college that sounds very similar to ABC. I missed a deadline once because my mother had a heart attack. I followed up with the people I was supposed to follow up with and yet, weeks later, was still reprimanded. Today, I received a phone call and was informed that I have been let go. I'm not exactly sure how I fell below the standard they had set out. I can not log in to see, and the last I checked, my reviews were all right (minus the heart attack week). I did not plan on returning to XYZ college, but being fired still feels like being fired. I was nervous every time I had an email or call from my superior as he/she never called for positive things, and I don't think that's a job I want. I wish you the best. I worked for a college that sounds very similar to ABC. I missed a deadline once because my mother had a heart attack. I followed up with the people I was supposed to follow up with and yet, weeks later, was still reprimanded. Today, I received a phone call and was informed that I have been let go. I’m not exactly sure how I fell below the standard they had set out. I can not log in to see, and the last I checked, my reviews were all right (minus the heart attack week).
I did not plan on returning to XYZ college, but being fired still feels like being fired. I was nervous every time I had an email or call from my superior as he/she never called for positive things, and I don’t think that’s a job I want.
I wish you the best.

]]> Comment on Digital Bilingualism: I’m a Mac, and a PC… by Dixie http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=72&cpage=1#comment-141 Dixie Sat, 22 May 2010 02:30:01 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=72#comment-141 Jodi - it is very easy to add your Mac created powerpoint to agenda builder. Save your powerpoint as pictures which will put them all in one folder. In Agenda Builder, select the Insert - Directory option. Navigate and select the folder that contains the powerpoint "pictures". The entire folder with all slides will be imported. You will want to rename the slides so that they have meaningful names. This can be done prior to uploading into Agenda builder if you wish. Hopefully this will help with creating your class content. Jodi - it is very easy to add your Mac created powerpoint to agenda builder. Save your powerpoint as pictures which will put them all in one folder. In Agenda Builder, select the Insert - Directory option. Navigate and select the folder that contains the powerpoint “pictures”. The entire folder with all slides will be imported.

You will want to rename the slides so that they have meaningful names. This can be done prior to uploading into Agenda builder if you wish.

Hopefully this will help with creating your class content.

]]> Comment on Blackboard Addicts Anonymous by Doug http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=5&cpage=1#comment-114 Doug Thu, 13 May 2010 17:27:53 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=5#comment-114 Hi Jodi / Susan, Yes, I have been teaching Strategic Planning for Organizations for 3 years, now and this course is taught about 24 times per year. With this same university, I just receive PSY Adult Development and Life Assement - entry level course. My master's degree is in Organizaitonal Management. Thanks for your suggestions, and in the meantime I will keep plugging away with submitting my resume. Doug Hi Jodi / Susan,

Yes, I have been teaching Strategic Planning for Organizations for 3 years, now and this course is taught about 24 times per year. With this same university, I just receive PSY Adult Development and Life Assement - entry level course. My master’s degree is in Organizaitonal Management.

Thanks for your suggestions, and in the meantime I will keep plugging away with submitting my resume.

Doug

]]> Comment on Getting to Know You by Krista http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=76&cpage=1#comment-99 Krista Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:59:30 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=76#comment-99 I have 2 Facebook accounts, a personal one and a professional one. I LOVE having this interaction with my students. And since I am a Spanish teacher, I find learning opportunities to post on my wall, or write on their walls in Spanish. I have connected my Twitter account to this professional Facebook account, so that when I find learning sites to tweet, they go right to my FB page as well. But that aside, I really do enjoy getting to know my students socially on Facebook, if they will invite me to be their friend. I do not initiate this, they do, and it is not required of them for class. I have a mother/daughter combination in one class that lost their husband/father in a car accident this semester. I have appreciated keeping up with their grieving process through their posts. I have 2 Facebook accounts, a personal one and a professional one. I LOVE having this interaction with my students. And since I am a Spanish teacher, I find learning opportunities to post on my wall, or write on their walls in Spanish. I have connected my Twitter account to this professional Facebook account, so that when I find learning sites to tweet, they go right to my FB page as well. But that aside, I really do enjoy getting to know my students socially on Facebook, if they will invite me to be their friend. I do not initiate this, they do, and it is not required of them for class. I have a mother/daughter combination in one class that lost their husband/father in a car accident this semester. I have appreciated keeping up with their grieving process through their posts.

]]> Comment on Digital Bilingualism: I’m a Mac, and a PC… by Jodi http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=72&cpage=1#comment-91 Jodi Sat, 17 Apr 2010 21:26:18 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=72#comment-91 I have never tried the Adobe Connect, but is sounds like the same problem I have had with Saba Centra. Those Microsoft Works files are a pain! One school I teach at allows me to give 0's to anyone turning them in. I have since started putting it as a requirement in my syllabi that all papers must be in MS Word in my other classes. So far, every University supports this statement. ~Jodi I have never tried the Adobe Connect, but is sounds like the same problem I have had with Saba Centra.

Those Microsoft Works files are a pain! One school I teach at allows me to give 0’s to anyone turning them in. I have since started putting it as a requirement in my syllabi that all papers must be in MS Word in my other classes. So far, every University supports this statement.

~Jodi

]]> Comment on Digital Bilingualism: I’m a Mac, and a PC… by T. S. Price http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=72&cpage=1#comment-90 T. S. Price Sat, 17 Apr 2010 21:14:16 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=72#comment-90 I am also a Mac user, and generally have not had a lot of problems. Here are two that I have had: 1. I teach an online chat for about two hours per week using adobe connect. I have yet to find a way to load documents because of a missing link. 2. Those pesky .wps files (microsoft works). There may be a may to put microsoft works on a mac, but have not looked in to it too much. I am also a Mac user, and generally have not had a lot of problems. Here are two that I have had:
1. I teach an online chat for about two hours per week using adobe connect. I have yet to find a way to load documents because of a missing link.
2. Those pesky .wps files (microsoft works). There may be a may to put microsoft works on a mac, but have not looked in to it too much.

]]> Comment on Digital Bilingualism: I’m a Mac, and a PC… by Footy Pajama Man http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=72&cpage=1#comment-78 Footy Pajama Man Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:57:07 +0000 http://www.adjunctnation.com/blogs/teaching-in-pajamas/?p=72#comment-78 I wish my college used the Saba Central system. They use Blackboard and I think it lacks in everything that is needed for online collaboration. Basically Bb sucks and does nothing that Saba does to create a work flow. I wish my college used the Saba Central system. They use Blackboard and I think it lacks in everything that is needed for online collaboration. Basically Bb sucks and does nothing that Saba does to create a work flow.

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