IRB and my project

OK here we go, about to take on the writing of my IRB application and I am nervous.  I do not have any idea what to do here, but tomorrow hopefully if I have something of worth, then I will be able to get good feedback, and the good news is, then I am on track with the FLC timeline.  yikes.  Amazing how this research piece gets me all  squirrely inside!

current thoughts on my project and course

Positives:

1. students are actually connecting the dots this semester for the first time ever between the NCSS goals of social studies education and these current event projects.  I think it is because I actually had them explicitly make these connections by having them read articles I obtained at the NCSS conference on citizenship government and civic duty and also remembering the branches of government etc...and really the biggest thing is these governing agencies, which it all kind of comes down to.  They get involved with their project and find out who these agencies are and it gives them a better context for remembering how these branches work.  I think it connects them to content as well as why they are doing these projects

Negatives:

1. I think that I could have them do their projects earlier:  I think the service learning ideas are awesome at the beginning of the semester but by the time they are supposed to go out and do them, they lose interest.  I think that this is something about how the course work builds in block and it might be more helpful to do these early on. 
2. The other thing I could do, which I am hesitant to do, but could, is to have them all do something to do with food.  Have food be the running theme and they could choose what they want to do with this theme, for instance they could go into GMO etc or go another route.  Then I could set us up to do a whole class project at green valley. I know this is what my FLC would like me to do since they really buy into the defn of service learning as something that the faculty member kind of sets up etc.  I really have bought into the notion it should 100% come from the student.   I also have bought into the idea that they should be the ones to set it up since when they teach they should set it up.
3. OK if I continue with having them set it up, then I should have them assess whether or not they met the needs of the community they served, and set up a questionnaire for them to ask their people who they served...the only thing is those who did a beach clean up etc, I wonder about that...and how they could do that?

PLanning my FLC project from June 2011 and planning for Nov 28 meeting

1. List several things you can put into your portfolio that will demonstrate to an outside reader what you do now and the types of results you obtain: I would like to do a blog.  (which I began, whew, somewhat on it).  I would like to reflect on the blog and let my students view it too to provide feedback.  I could link resources etc.Link student's blogs from my class. Link webct threads somehow but keeping it anonymous? Include survey results. Have students in their blogs focus  on NCSS goals of citizenship and civic duty and thoughts. Have them also do blogs where they apply social studies concepts to service learning.  read articles we did in class, which I also did, where they read up on citizenship and connected their topic to this concept.
2. List 2-3 things that I do not currently collect that could help me:  I could collect surveys...and actually learn how to construct a better survey.  Have several checkpoints.  Mid semester evals and long term surveys to see if they implement service learning in their own classrooms.  IRB for future research and focus groups.
3. Thinking about changes that I would like to implement:  link it better to teaching social studies (which fall2011 feedback in their blogs indicate they get why they did these projects and it feels connected!  which rocks.Teach a total day on how to teach with service learning in their own classes, more in depth...unlike what i do now but more like the MACC workshops, showing them ideas and then giving them to them...and do this after they do their projects.  My idea for next semester is to have them do their projects in the Beginning, WHEN they are not as busy.

Teaching philosophy

From Job searchs in the past:
From my dossier:

I entered my courses at SSU blending my pedagogical and philosophical goals along with the needs of SSU and North Shore Boston culture. The core of my educational beliefs revolves around:

·         Experiential education: A hands on, minds on philosophy, where the students engage in authentic problem solving, models of teaching, and critical thinking.

·         Social constructivism: A scaffolding approach used to teach concepts, where I build upon students' prior knowledge. Peer communication, dyad's, team work, group work, and interaction are at the cornerstone of my teaching style, consistent with the social construction of knowledge.

·         Integration of technology: I use a technological approach to facilitate communication with and among students. Students integrate new technology in their performance assessments, while increasing their comfort level with new developments in the technological field.

·         Model lifelong learning: I am enthusiastically committed to the profession of teaching, and I continuously learn new instructional strategies as I deepen my knowledge of the course content.

·         Place based education: Threaded throughout my service, scholarship and teaching is my commitment to place based pedagogy, an approach which gears curriculum toward inquiry on a local level, bridging the gap between schools and their communities.

·         Service Learning and citizen participation:  This pedagogy has slowly threaded itself into not only my assignments, but also my teaching philosophy, as foundational to being an active participant in the community process. Training teachers how to teach has become interwoven with the need to train teachers to be engaged in community.

·         Availability for students:  My availability to students outside of class is evident via email, appointments, WEBCT, and office hours.  Availability creates positive rapport, approachability, and a general sense of care and support. 

The student evaluations have been positive and encouraging.  The student feedback keeps me focused on my ever evolving approach to my teaching structure, focus, and assignments.   I continue to become increasingly comfortable at SSU and have developed a strong commitment to the university, my colleagues, and the student population.