GEC 2020

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Held April 28-30, 2020. Theme: Mission Accepted: Go Beyond with General Education

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    Critical Thinking for the Legal Professional
    (2020-04-29) Berube, John
    All professions require employees with critical thinking skills. These skills can be in greater demand, depending upon the profession. Although critical thinking can be taught on the job, most employers would prefer strong candidates who already have developed these skills prior to being hired. With these skills already honed, employers can then help their new hires to direct these skills appropriately for that particular job or profession. In order to have employees evaluate the facts and come to the best outcomes, one must have practice to develop these skills. When one develops these critical thinking skills, one is also developing other related skills, such as problem-solving skills and communication skills. Creativity may also be important, particularly when innovation for a solution is needed. For legal studies, these skills are critical. We have several ways to assist the student in developing these skills. Written assignments provide for great ways to assess this skill. Effective discussion board activities, with proper faculty engagement, can be a safe way to begin to develop this skill.
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    A Team Mission: Online Team Discussions in Math
    (2020-04-30) Derkacy, Carrie; Tacker, Tami; Meymaris, Kirsten
    Have you ever wondered what math discussions look like in an online classroom? Or how about GROUP math discussions in the online classroom? Now that is a challenge! It has long been recognized that teamwork and collaboration are essential skills for successful citizens of our world today. And yet, it is not the norm for current online education courses to include group projects (Morgan, 2014). This challenge was undertaken in 2019 within the two high enrollment math classes at PG, MM150: Survey of Mathematics and MM212: College Algebra. Although historically difficult in the online environment, math discussions and group work have been combined and implemented with success. This presentation will share a reflection of best practices and feedback gained from a year of group discussions in these high enrollment math classes.
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    Beyond Text: Video Presence with Express Kaltura
    (2020-04-29) Hohensee, Peg; Meymaris, Kirsten
    It has long been observed and reported regarding the feelings of isolation and lack of community in online education. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) originally developed by Garrison, et al (2000), identified three equally-weighted, major tenets to a successful online education: teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence. An adjustment to this framework, shared in 2016 by Armellini and De Stefani, suggested that social presence holds the more prominent role and that it is not only ”central to higher-order thinking in the 21st century” but also “a major lever for engagement”. Video technology can play a significant role in bringing the research on social presence into practice. Individualized short video communications between the instructor and student have the opportunity to promote better emotional engagement and a higher level of personal connectivity. Michelle Pacansky-Brock’s (2019) called on educators to go beyond “names on a screen” and provide students with “a welcoming environment that is rich with your warm human presence”. The challenge has been set forth, backed by research, to go beyond simple text and connect with our students through video. This presentation will share several places within the online course whereby individualized videos can enhance the social presence.
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    Benefits and Challenges of Student-Led Organizations - An Important Student Support System
    (2020-04-29) Laman, Carol; Bass, Christina
    Studies indicate that engagement is a key component to student success. This engagement in the online community can occur when students build relationships with each other (Lohr & Haley, 2018; Oliphante & Branch-Mueller, 2016). Enhancing the social culture of an online learning environment encourages students to continue with their e- learning and complete their education (Bawa, 2016). Opportunities for engagement must be inclusive and diverse in order to encourage all students to reach their highest potential. A university’s awareness of the diverse populations of its students is essential to focus programs and other interventions to truly meet students’ needs. These populations can include students’ identity (for example, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability, nationality) as well as their alignment with the university (for example, class major) (Komives, 2019). Student-led organizations allow students to plan the agendas, be active in their learning and continue learning outside of the classroom (Wright, 2019). Active participation in these organizations can help students build leadership skills. Leaders of a student-led club motivate group members, keep members interested, plan and coordinate (Oden, 2016). In this presentation, the benefits of student-led organizations will be discussed and the connection to student success will be explored. Participants will leave with strategies to encourage students to join one of the student-led organizations offered at the university and how to help strengthen these organizations.
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    Understanding Student Learning Through Formative Assessment in Online Courses
    (2020-04-29) Bianco, Michelle; Chiong, Tamara
    Formative Assessment: “Do You Understand?” “Got it!” “Okay, good!” What is formative assessment? How can it help in the classroom, both for you and your students? This presentation will discuss the fundamentals of formative assessment and demonstrate different methods of Formative Assessment within the PG classroom, including live seminar strategies to help analyze your students’ mastery of conceptual and procedural knowledge. A review of “built-in” Formative Assessment opportunities will be presented as well as a list of strategies to be used at appropriate moments within the seminar.
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    Corporations, Myths, and American Culture
    (2020-04-28) Deaver, Linda; Caseldine-Bracht, Jennifer
    Since its inception, the U.S. has supported a tension between protecting the interests of the individual and agrarian community versus promoting the financial and industrial agenda of the corporate world. While corporations have always played an important role in American culture, the twentieth century has seen an unprecedented expansion in the role of corporations in American politics and in American culture. At present we as a nation see this same tension, this same division, in our values and in the narratives, the myths, that explain those values. Religion, spirituality, and patriotism are but a few of the concepts used in the narrative of our culture to develop the myths that shape our lives together. Myths provide the cohesion that holds culture together by giving its people shared traditions and shared beliefs. Often, myth is seen as static archetypal symbol reflecting, while at the same time shaping, the values of a culture. However, cultures change just as the U.S. has changed, and myths change to support those cultural changes. In this paper, we will demonstrate how myths within the current narrative may be unnecessarily divisive and how we may replace them to move toward more robust, inclusive, and truthful narratives.
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    Guidelines, Timelines, and Deadlines, Oh My! A Project Management Discussion
    (2020-04-30) Scalise, Tonya; Themer, Amy; Johnson, Leslie
    "A successful technology project is one that is delivered on time, that comes within budget, and that meets or exceeds stakeholders' expectations." (Lehmann, 2017). Defining a successful project may be easy, but managing a project in an online environment comes with a variety of challenges. Ensuring the success of a project means facing these bandwidth challenges head on. Come join us for a discussion of common bandwidth challenges that come with higher education projects (particularly course design and revision) and research based solutions for overcoming them.
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    Emotional Intelligence Modelling in Distance Education
    (2020-04-28) Williams, Aprile
    This presentation will provide participants with strategies to model emotional intelligence (EI), through the understanding of the education model of Transformative Emotional Intelligence (TEI), to assist students in their EI development. The three TEI skills this presentation will focus on are self-awareness, stress-management, and drive strength. Through the discovery of EI and the development of EI skills, specifically self-awareness, instructors assist learners with engagement and find learning to be personally meaningful, which allows them to focus more easily on healthy and successful outcomes (Nelson, Low, & Hammett, 2017). According to Majeski et al. (2017), EI skills are directly linked with elements of teacher presence, social presence, and cognitive presence, and are integral to engendering successful online learning environments. Because students who possess increased levels of the EI skills of stress-management and drive-strength do better in higher education environments, instructors who model those skills in the online post-secondary learning environments may enhance student success by teaching EI through their example (Buzdar et al., 2016; Lanciano & Curci, 2014; Nelson et al., 2017; Stillman et al., 2018). Buzdar, Ali, and Tariq (2016) concluded the prevalence of EI has a significant effect on students’ readiness. More recently researchers have suggested that EI is related to increased self-awareness of adult learners, and facilitates rapport building that enhances chances for success in online learning (Ebrahimi, Khoshsima, & Zare-Behtash, 2018; Nelson, Low, & Hammett, 2017).
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    Diversity & Inclusion Across the University
    (2020-04-28) Pelletier, Patti; Moody-Villarose, Larasz
    This presentation is focused on examining the Purdue University Global environment, including practices and policies that support individuals with diverse outcomes, resources, and curricula toward broadening equitable access that is responsive to diversity and inclusion. The presentation will pick up where the diversity series left off with a summary of the diversity series and where we are going next. The accomplishments we have made to date toward the planning for diversity and inclusion at Purdue Global and what we need to accomplish by 2022.
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    Digital Connectivity and Students…Distraction or Deep Learning?
    (2020-04-28) Aubuchon, Debora
    Today educators are going beyond where educators have been before. It is easy to take for granted the importance of everything digital. In 2008, The Atlantic published “Is Google making us stupid?” This question has yet to be conclusively answered. Students and professors commonly have smart phones, smart watches, and laptops or notebooks and are constantly connected to work, family, friends, and social media. While there are benefits to staying connected, there may be unrecognized costs. Is constant connectivity affecting the ability for critical thinking and deep learning? Research in the scientific community is divided as to the benefits and the threats of the modern world’s reliance and nonchalance regarding digital connectivity. When discussing social media, for example, Rozgonjuk, Saal, and Taht (2018), found incorporating social media tends to result in shallow learning of the content. On the other hand, Samuels-Peretz (2017), found students reported social media had positive effects including improved retention of content. This presentation will share additional research on the effects of constant connectivity, share strategies for moderating digital usage, and open the conversation regarding digital usage for students and faculty.
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    The Impacts of Climate Change
    (2020-04-29) O'Neal, Christine; Torres-Roman, Julie; Furr, Annissa
    Most students have heard of climate change but few understand the data supporting it or the impact climate change could have on their lives. This research-based presentation will provide an introduction to climate change with supporting data, discuss potential consequences of climate change with a focus on infectious diseases and public health, and address the importance of climate change education for our students.
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    Diversity and Inclusivity in the Classroom: Using MBTI to Interact Inside and Outside of the Classroom
    (2020-04-28) Owens, Angela; Williams, Nikki; Howlett, Paulette
    “If educational interventions want to improve the learning efficiency of learners and have positive effects on learners, it is necessary to understand the individual differences of learners” (2018, Min, Chen, Liu, & Zuo). Understanding students can be a challenge, especially in the online environment. While personality tests are not used through the admissions process, an understanding of the typical characteristics of the personality types defined by the MBTI® as well as corresponding learning styles can create a more inclusive environment among the diverse population. The presenters will give an overview of MBTI® and how it can be used to interact effectively with students and colleagues.
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    Wellness Informed University
    (2020-04-29) AuCoin, Dena; Orpustan-Love, Denise
    This Lightning Session will explore the concept of what it means to become a Wellness-Informed University. Inspired by the pioneering national movement to create trauma-informed education within universities, the Wellness- Informed University concept is designed to infuse existing and new education, training, practices, activities, and support on trauma, stress, and the connection to health, wellness, and self-care throughout the university. This 5- minute PowerPoint presentation of 15-20 images narrated by 2 presenters will introduce this innovative, grounded idea to the audience by exploring the following questions: 1. What elements does a Wellness-Informed University include and what does it look like? 2. Who would be impacted, such as faculty, staff, and students? 3. How could the collaborative infuse wellness informed education and practices on stress, trauma, and self-care to faculty, staff, and students? 4. What could be the potential outcomes, such as reported improvements to employee health (i.e.; reduce sick days, workers comp.), and student health (increased student success and retention)? 5. Who would be interested in starting a plan for an interdisciplinary collaborative/panel of faculty, staff, and students among the departments to share resources, literature, grants, and research proposals?
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    Student Engagement for Both On-Ground and On-line Students
    (2020-04-29) Gellens, Suzanne; Wachtel, Lois
    We will explore ways to engage students and increase interactions and relationships with the professor and colleagues to improve learning. Challenges to both on-line and face-to-face courses will be examined with discussion of varying techniques and interventions. We will talk about how to engage students in discussions and improve student-to-student exchanges. The dialogue will include ice breakers, group exploration, student teachers, and current events to vary the presentations and keep students' attention. As instructors, we must connect with our students in a variety of ways.
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    Sustainability Approaches Across the Disciplines
    (2020-04-30) Riley, Michele; Hall, Celine; Keathley, Michael; Hohensee, Peg
    The School of General Education’s Academic Chairs will host an interdisciplinary panel to explore sustainability from their respective fields of study including Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Composition. Interdisciplinary study allows students to synthesize ideas from multiple disciplines, thus promoting a deeper learning experience. Starting with science, sustainability will be discussed from an environmental perspective. Moving on to humanities and social sciences, we will then discuss the social ramifications and/or solutions from several globally diverse communities. Using mathematical concepts, we will examine the financial impact of sustainability. Finally, we will integrate aspects of composition into the discussion and convey the importance of communication and getting involved at the community level. This presentation will help demonstrate how faculty can easily weave topics into their discussions using an interdisciplinary approach to enrich their classroom discussion boards and seminars.
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    Celebrating Diversity in the Women's Suffrage Movement
    (2020-04-29) Riley, Michele; Scarpena, Kate; Collins, Stuart; Harrison, Jennifer; Muir, Kevin
    As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment this year, let us take a moment to explore the diversity within the women’s suffrage movement. The topics explored in this panel are as follows: historical overview of the movement, lesser known suffragettes from the National Women’s Party, male suffrage allies with a spotlight on Frederick Douglass, National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (NAOWS), and federal and state voting legislation and laws prior to the passage of the 19th Amendment. These diverse suffragist topics complicate the “typical notion” found in U.S. history books that maximize the main actors; without showcasing the fascinating diversity of the multi-fabricated social movement. Finally, our panelists and audience will have an open discussion on the importance of highlighting the centennial anniversary.
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    Exploration of Women in the Adult Classroom
    (2020-04-28) Lark, JoLene
    There are differences in how women learn in adult education versus men and this is an issue that affects the United States as well as the rest of the world. Most traditional courses do not differentiate for gender and it is an everyone takes the class in the same way model. There has been much research done on this topic and one such resource is an article composed by Donnalee Rubin that investigated this topic. Per Rubin (1993), “teachers are more likely to overcome the influence of gender bias on their teaching if they adopt a process-based method and work intimately with their students through nondirective, supportive conferences” (p. xii). The purpose of this paper is to look into how females learn in the adult classroom as it relates to contemporary practices that are currently utilized in higher education as well as how women interact and fit in within the adult learning theories such as andragogy. Also, how being female impacts adult cognitive development and teaching methods that may enhance women’s learning will be explored.
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    Language Learning and Lifelong Learners: A Call to Humility, Curiosity and Empathy
    (2020-04-28) Erickson, Paige
    Language acquisition offers an opportunity for humility, new perspectives, and empathy. Language learning builds compassion for non-native speakers, and provides a sense of how adult students may approach their education. Adult learners have often been leaders in their communities, fields, and families, but pursuing a degree requires taking a path of humility to actualize one’s potential. With reflections on a decade of studying German, Turkish, and Hungarian, including a connection to works of Hungarian literature, this presentation will highlight the lessons language learners share with lifelong learners at Purdue Global. Language can connect one to a mindset. “There is a term in Hungarian, the ‘kiskapu’, which translated directly means ‘small gate’; figuratively it means the side entrance...the way round. It’s a concept dear to Hungarians that you can talk your way out, or talk your way in (Fischer, Loc. 180-182).” The path to self-discovery often means finding a way around one’s initial expectations. This presentation features a call for faculty to new empathy with students. It will offer ideas on how to come to the classroom with delight for curiosity and appreciation for the unknown.
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    Interactive Technology Use and Student Persistence
    (2020-04-28) Edwards, Carol T.; Lao, Teresa
    In this collaborative presentation, we will discuss the issue of student persistence and student engagement in relation to interactive technology. Student persistence is a term which is widely use in academia and is a pervasive issue in higher education, online institutions and online courses. In an effort to increase student persistence educators have included interactive technologies in many of their courses. However, many of the students in the online environment are technologically challenged. They were not trained in software application or computer hardware. As a result, they have fewer job opportunities. These digitally challenged students or as they are called by Prensky “digital immigrants” enter the online environment as a means of improving their education and they do not have the necessary technological skills needed to transverse the online platform or the training needed to access the online course materials. Conversely, there are the “digital natives” who are proficient in technology and enjoy using advanced software applications and computer hardware. These students find it relatively simple to utilize the online environment and access the course materials. Would introducing interactive technology increase or decrease student persistence, student engagement, and student satisfaction and bridge the digital divide for the students?
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    Mission: Omission - Teaching Students to Leave Out Information in Professional Writing
    (2020-04-28) Holmes, Eric
    In the long tenuous relationship between higher education and the workforce, a lot of hand-wringing has occurred regarding the way that students are taught to write in college vs. how they are expected to write in the workforce. This invariably has led to an underprepared crop of entry-level graduates who, “struggle in their transfer of writing skills learned in college to the writing tasks of the workplace” (Kohn, 2015) One employer recently noted that recent graduates have a, “real issue with putting together short, concise, and clear written communication about something, whether it's a project or a problem that they're trying to solve. This is a real problem, and it's getting worse, not better." (Sparks, 2018) While this problem cannot and will not be solved in a brief presentation at the 2020 Gen Ed Conference, this presentation, entitled Mission: Omission - Teaching Students to Leave Out Information in Professional Writing will at least draw attention to the virtue of teaching brevity in professional writing and will demonstrate why two of the standard six questions of non-fiction writing (Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?) are best left unanswered.