I need a little help from my friends in the next couple

days. I explain why below, and I'll send (possibly silly)

souvenirs from Switzerland to those who provide examples I

can use and share with all of you via TLT-SWG.

I need examples of how someone (faculty member, support

staff, librarian, ...) has figured out how to enhance

- EVEN A LITTLE - community and connections among the

students:

1. In large enrollment courses WITHOUT committing very

much extra time, money, or guilt; and

2. In any size course, by using some kind of assessment

(in this 2nd case, I especially want examples how to use

assessment to improve discussion and collaboration online).

NOTE: When considering a response to these requests,

please define the terms "community" and "connections" in

any ways that make sense to you - consistent with your own

philosophy of education. As you might guess, I'm

especially hoping to get some good examples that take

advantage of information technology options, but I'll be

pleased to accept any kinds of suggestions.)

Steve Gilbert =============================================

== One brief overnight trip (today) then Sally & I depart =

== Wed. afternoon to join our sons, daughter-in-law, and ==

== Sally's father and sister in Zurich. We will then =====

== travel to a very small village near Meiringen (where ===

== Sherlock Holmes ALMOST lost his life) where we will see=

== our daughter as Viola in Twelfth Night this coming =====

== weekend! ==============================================

===========================================================

SWITZERLAND - UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH, MARCH 23, 2004

A week from tomorrow I'll be meeting with a group of

faculty members, et. al at

hosted by Luzius Meyer Kurmann, coordinator of E-Learning-

Activities of the IPMZ (Institut für

Publizistikwissenschaft und Medienforschung = approx.

Institute for Public Information and Media Research/Studies

- excuse my rusty German translation)

The main topic I have been asked to address is something

like: "Improving teaching and learning WITHOUT too much

extra time, money, or guilt: using information technology

to enhance community and connections online [and in the

classroom?] FOR LARGE TRADITIONALLY LECTURE-STYLE COURSES."

One example I recently heard about that did not rely on

technology: in a large sociology course (300+ students),

the professor requires all students to work in small groups

on course-related projects outside of class time. He first

offered a wide variety of topics and allowed students to

sort themselves into small groups (4-7 per group) as

determined by their interests in those topics. However, he

gave additional assignments during the term and required

the students to remain in the same small groups. The

student who described this course to me expressed some of

her own initial frustration, but explained how she

eventually adjusted to the arrangements and found the

interaction within her own group useful, supportive, and

conducive both to learning effectively and to feeling more

connected with others in the course and with the course

itself.

You can hear this student from the U. of So. Fla. describe

this situation by clicking on the following and jumping

directly to slides 15-17:

2. BCCOOC AND ASSESSMENT

For many in higher education, unfortunately, "assessment"

has unpleasant connotations. However, through the work of

the TLT Group's Flashlight Program I have learned that

assessment can be a valuable, constructive part of any

effort to improve teaching and learning. As we prepare

our first online event about BCCOOC and Assessment, we

would like to collect some useful examples of how

assessment can be used CONSTRUCTIVELY to assist efforts to

build community and connection within courses, both online

and in the classroom. We're especially interested in

examples that improve online discussion and online

collaboration in courses. Watch

we'll offer the first [soon-to-be-rescheduled] online event

on this topic - in which we'll try to include some of your

examples as well as those known to the leaders of this

session. They will also provide a useful way of thinking

about the role of assessment for such purposes.

Note: For info about eligibility for complimentary "seats"

and other registration info, see:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Steven W. Gilbert, President, The TLT Group

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