Day 147, August 10, 2020

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Perseids



Ted Johnson, our astronomy, physics, and engineering professor let me know that tonight is the peak of the Perseids meteor shower, the consequence of traveling through debris left by the Swift-Tuttle comet. He recommends after midnight when this portion of the Earth moving into the field. 

I remember once when the kids were very little, we bundled them up in blankets and took them out to the edge of the field where we lived in Amherst to watch a late meteor shower. It was one of those spectacular evenings where the show was stunning. We had lawn chairs set up and in the blurry vision of near sleep the kids cried out whenever another meteor shot across the atmosphere. 

It is late, and I'm tired, so I'm going sign off. The world continues its journey around the sun, the season is progressing, there's an anonymous melon/pumpkin/gourd growing in the garden, the sweet corn is really good right now, and the other day I picked up an apple pie at a farm stand and there are still two healthy sized slices left.

Take care and be well,
Leo


The view from Apex Orchard's Farm Store

From Our Friends:

From Academic Impressions: 

Starting Courageous Conversations to Foster Diversity and Difference
September 30, 2020 | Webcast
Feel more confident promoting inclusion by beginning important dialogues at your institution.

Fix Your Climate: A Practical Guide to Reducing Microaggressions, Microbullying, and Bullying in the Academic Workplace
Book | by Myron R. Anderson, Ph.D and Kathryn S. Young, Ph.D


Microaggressions, microbullying, and bullying are the silent destroyers of a university’s climate.


We are excited to announce a new book from Academic Impressions. In this comprehensive handbook, two leading experts on hierarchical microaggressions present in-depth scenarios, strategies, and worksheets for addressing these issues on your campus. Read more.


From ICM Speakers:

On August 19, 2020, join ICM Speakers for a conversation and live Q&A with NADIA LOPEZ. As the founder of Mott Hall Bridges Academy and The Lopez Effect,Nadia has gained recognition for developing sustainable and socially empowering programs to help the under-served. Driven by her passion for connecting marginalized communities to the private sector and the world of academia, Nadia is an expert on issues of inequities that impact often-dismissed communities and offers applicable advice on creating and cultivating progressive community growth.


From CISA:

Where can you find local food? Check here: https://www.buylocalfood.org/find-it-locally/

From Teaching Tolerance:

This school year will be unlike any other. These resources can help you as you discuss racism and police violence, support your students through coronavirus and routinely practice self-care. They can also help you show up for your students—and yourself—whether you’re working remotely or in person.

From the Community Foundation of Western Mass:

As the next stage of our COVID-19 response effort, the Foundation is making a minimum $2,000,000 in funding available to regional nonprofits that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and face financial crisis with our new Stabilization Grant Program.

The grants aim to provide operating support for nonprofits that are beginning to recover from the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Complete program requirements can be found here.

From the AAC&U:

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
STEM disciplines are notoriously lacking in diversity, with a notable gap between STEM and non-STEM academic fields. […] To help change the status quo, Project Kaleidoscope now focuses on professional development for STEM scholars and leaders. Read more >>

I have a shared photo album with the kids called, Koreans are Taking Over
the World. Whenever I see evidence of Korean people in mainstream American
culture, I take a photo and add it to the file.

Today's Online Teaching Tips:

From Education Admin Web Advisor (really, sheesh):

Tips for Preparing for and Teaching Your Live Online Video Class Lesson

Tuesday, August 11

11:30 AM Eastern; 10:30 AM Central; 9:30 AM Mountain; 8:30 AM Pacific

Veteran educator Dr. Robert Hill will show you how to prepare live online lessons infused with the best instructional practices. You will learn how to ensure that your students will get the most from your online synchronous instruction.

Please join us!

 
 
 

From Academic Impressions:

Incorporating Virtual Labs and Lab Kits in Your Courses
August 10, 2020 | Virtual Training
What you need to know before you begin: How to implement virtual and remote labs in fall courses.

From Magna Publications:

We are offering a free Magna Online Seminar, “Help! I’m Moving My Course Online!”– Practical Advice for New Online Instructors, in which you’ll learn some basic ideas to consider to help you design a course that is easy for your students to navigate. You and your students will make it through the semester!

Learn more about this live seminar!

From the Online Learning Consortium:

OLC Ideate Labs for Online STEM

Last call for speaker submissions – closing today.

More than 700 leaders and frontline innovators in STEM have already registered for this free virtual event with MERLOT, kicking off Wednesday, August 19.

The conversation won’t stop here! If you are looking for continued engagement and community building with others committed to the future of Online Labs for STEM, you’ve come to the right place. Start making new connections during the event and learn about additional opportunities to build on the momentum.



OLC Ideate Labs for Online STEM
August 19-21, 2020
 

Designing with Accessibility in Mind

7-Day Online Workshop Begins Monday, August 17

This workshop is sure to add helpful techniques and tools to your accessibility toolkit in order to become compliant and inclusive.

"This is a great course that makes participants aware of different types of disabilities among users of digital content. The included educational material is very well organized and makes the participants eager to know more about accessibility. I recommend the OLC courses as an excellent example of joining people from different regions in the world."

Izabela Mrochen, PhD, 
Professor Assistant,
University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland




Begins Monday, August 17
 

Complete all four of our workshops on the topic of accessibility and universal design for learning and earn your OLC Accessibility Badge. Learn more.

Begins Monday, September 14
 

Complete all four of our workshops on the topic of accessibility and universal design for learning and earn your OLC Accessibility Badge. Learn more.

Applying Universal Design Principles to Increase Accessibility and Engagement

7-Day Online Workshop Begins Monday, September 14

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) takes into consideration that students learn differently and, therefore, should be provided with different options for learning materials and for demonstrating learning. This workshop will help you understand the core concepts of UDL and apply them to an online course setting.

"I had heard of UDL but didn't know what it actually encompassed. I was thinking 'accessibility,' which is part of the consideration, but not really 'learning about addressing the buy-in of the audience' by offering multiple paths to the one goal."

Dr. Mary Williams,
Professor of English,
Midland College, Midland, TX

From Campus Technology:

  • MIT Develops Open Source Tool to Support Spontaneous Online Conversations

    Researchers at MIT's Sloan School of Management have developed a new software platform for having private, on-the-spot conversations online. Called Minglr, the open source tool is designed to replicate the kinds of interactions people might have before and after meetings, in the lobby during breaks of conferences and around the office coffee machine, in a virtual environment.

    More








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