In early Fall 2008, I began blogging, primarily for myself, as a working and reflective exercise to capture my transition from lecture delivery as a teacher to designer of learning experiences for students.
I got stuck with the redesign using Fink’s guide, but did indeed see evidence of a changes during Fall 2008 and spring 2009. However, these were not noted in the blog at the time – really it is hard to sit down and reflect when you are used to just doing things, and adapting as you go.
In May 2009 – I took on a new role as Interim Director of the Millard Oakley STEM Center at TTU and reflection time was “poof”. However, attending a GREAT multi-day workshop taught by Fink and Associates in Chicago strongly reinforced my inherent expectations of instructional design. I also wrote a CCLI proposal to NSF for a redesign of measurements course in mechanical engineering. It did not get funded, but they did hold onto it for 12 months, so…maybe it goes in again – but who will teach it :-)? And revisiting a tried submission for NSF STEP program, a team of dedicated friends wrote the Math Success for STEM Majors (MSSM) proposal.
May 2010 – Grand Opening of a 26,000 sq ft building called Ray Morris Hall, home of the Oakley STEM Center. whoosh, a year later and we are still tweaking issues, talk about learning as you go, the chapters I could write.
June 2010 – The MSSM was funded and work begins on this five year journey of redesign of PreCalculus and an Introduction to University Life course. Happy post some links later to MSSM.
August 2010 – We wrote in Dee Fink on the MSSM project to be a consultant and provide his workshop on site here at TTU for more than 20 STEM faculty across campus. And he visited twice once in Fall and once in Spring 2011 to follow-up with redesign and offer feedback.
Fall 2010 – Taught ME2330 Dynamics with a full redesign and while the sample size was small, 8am classes are a real draw, lol, the outcomes were good. Just trying to figure out when an administrator is supposed to teach, so I can refine after first offering.
Spring 2011 – I became full-time permanent Director of the Oakley STEM Center.
Summer 2011 – (proposals + admin) = (admin + proposals) = never enough time
Fall 2011 – teaching a “redesigned” ENGR1020 for the MSSM project and also teaching a HON4013 STEM Education Honors Colloquium, as overloads to full time admin. Truly there are good reasons to do this. It aligns with other elements of my job.