What is your title and what is your current non-eCore job?
I'm currently an Assistant Professor of English and the Teaching
Matters Conference Coordinator at Gordon State College. I teach
composition, poetry, American literature, world literature, and special topic
courses.
What are the two main reasons you teach through eCore?
I am passionate about online education because it provides
opportunities to some people who would not otherwise be able to earn a degree.
Yet, convenience and easiness cannot be confused; one of the other reasons that
online education is so rewarding for both students and teachers is because of
its rigorousness. Online education requires more--and continual--dialogue
between each (and every) student and the professor. In other words, a student
is simply unable to sit in the back of the classroom and remain unnoticed;
participation and growth is not only encouraged, it is required.
What do you do differently now than when you first started
teaching through eCore?
In my first class, I kept most of my dialogue with students
about their ideas restricted to the "hidden comments" section of the
gradebook. I would generally respond to discussion posts but really interrogate
ideas; but, I realized this is not how I taught in traditional courses and my
students (and I) were "missing out" on dynamic discussions. So, now,
I try to incite more discussion between students and critical consciousness by
asking questions, helping students develop their ideas, and "playing
devil's advocate"; and, I focus more heavily on writing and grammar in my
comments (in the gradebook).
What would you do to your eCore course if you had a
"magic wand"?
Students' computer would actually blink, dance, and sing--like
an alarm--every day when they have committed to log-in and engage the course
:-) Then, if they still ignore that, I will come on the screen and begin trying
to motivate them--reminding them why they are enrolled in the course (and
college). And, voila, everyone's "on the right track" for success
again!
What's one of the coolest things you do in your eCore classes?
Honestly, I pride myself in creating a community; I want all of
my students to feel comfortable discussing ideas and questions with each other
and myself. I also like to think that I allow flexibility while maintaining the
course's integrity. Something that I instituted a couple of semesters ago (and
it seems to work effectively) is to provide a deadline for portions of the
units' assignments; for instance, all activities to help write an essay are due
one day (but graded as soon as each individual student completes the smaller
assignments)--before the actual essay is submitted. This allows students with
complex scheduling concerns to complete their work when it's most
convenient--and it encourages students who enjoy "working ahead" to do
so. So, while "hard deadlines" still exist, there is flexibility that
students are not penalized for having intense work and/or family schedules.
Other than yourself, who do you think is a simply fabulous
eCore instructor, and why?
I'm so fortunate that I can't count because I must mention a few
individuals on the eCore team that I believe are absolutely fabulicious!
Christy Smith, Ashleigh Paulk, Reynard Van Tonder, Michael Harris, and (last,
but certainly not least!) Brett Miles--I cannot sing their praises enough! They
are passionate about helping both students and teachers reach their potential;
and, no matter how silly my questions are, they never make me feel like I'm
bothering them...even with the incredible amount of work they are responsible
for!
Tell us a secret - something about yourself that few people
know.
I'm easily startled, which entertains my friends. I love viewing
scary movies, especially sci-fi and supernatural thrillers--but I'm afraid to
watch them by myself! And, it doesn't matter if I've seen the film before...I
will still scream, jump, and cling to whomever is brave enough to watch the
film with me!
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