1. Moderated by Bill Shields M.S. Department of Geography-Geology A Discussion of Large Lectures

2. Connecting Communicating Course Management Three “C”s to survival

3. Not one class of hundreds, but hundreds in one class ▫ Try to connect at the individual level. Make it personal for everyone. Be human, let them get to know you ▫ Share your day with stories and observations. Speak to individuals a few times each lecture ▫ Walk around and chat with students before lecture begins. ▫ Calling out students and putting them on the spot can be fun and entertaining. Connecting

4. Say it early and say it often ▫ You are lucky if 50% of students are listening at any one time. ▫ They need to know where to find information. Empty your inbox daily ▫ Getting a quick email response can make or break you in the eyes of students. Develop and use tools that work best for YOU ▫ Blackboard, email list serves, discussion boards, Facebook, clickers. Communicating

5. Limit yourself ▫ Don’t spend more than a minute / student / week, grading homework ▫ Don’t spend more than a 30 seconds / student, grading exams ▫ Scantron dilemma Managing your content ▫ Blackboard vs World - One program that does “ok” versus several that do “great”. Course Management

6. Email listserv http://helpdesk.illinoisstate.edu/kb/1139/Requesting_a_listserv/ https://listserv.ilstu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?RESET-COOKIE&X=36FB8D4D9FE865FADF http://helpdesk.illinoisstate.edu/kb/1139/Requesting_a_listserv/ https://listserv.ilstu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?RESET-COOKIE&X=36FB8D4D9FE865FADF Discussion board https://www.proboards.com/ https://login.proboards.com/login/3026257 https://www.proboards.com/ https://login.proboards.com/login/3026257 Class website http://geo.illinoisstate.edu/weshiel/ http://geo.illinoisstate.edu/weshiel/ Helpful Links

7. Greetings, Let me take this opportunity to welcome you to ISU and to the Principles of Geology class you are enrolled in for this coming fall semester. I am Bill Shields, the instructor of your class. I would like to address some of the common questions concerning this class.  There is a recommended textbook for the lecture part of this class. You can get by fine without this, but it is a good reference that can help you.  There is a required lab manual. The lab manual is sold online and delivered to you the first week of class during your lab by your lab Teaching Assistant (TA). You will do not need the receipt to pick up your manual as I will have a list of those who have made the purchase.  Link for lab manuallab manual  There is NO (ReggieNet) page for this class.  There is a web page for this class http://geo.illinoisstate.edu/weshiel/ On this website you will find: textbook info, the syllabus (also attached), class schedule including exam dates (also attached), PowerPoint presentations, study guides, Teaching Assistants /Lab instructor contact info, homework assignments, and grades. I am still in the process of updating our webpage for this semester. You will find some of the link are not active yet.http://geo.illinoisstate.edu/weshiel/  You do not need a “clicker” in this class.  I do not allow audio or video recording of my lectures without my permission.  NO Labs will meet the first week of class.  I start lecturing exactly at the designated time and end exactly 50 minutes later. My watch is calibrated daily to the U.S. atomic clock and is never more than 3 seconds off. Please be in your seat on time. If you are late you might not be allowed in. I realize the first week of class you are still finding your way around campus and I will make allowances for this.  NO There will not be assigned seating in lecture, but accommodations will be made upon request To ensure an environment conducive to learning, I ask the following:  You may leave your cell phone turned on but I do not want to see them out. Please set them to vibrate…no ring tone or music that postdates 1980 as newer music irritates us older folks. This is to comply with the University initiative for emergency communication. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE YOU PHONE IN CLASS. If you do, you may be asked to leave, no questions asked…period.  Attendance will not be taken. You are responsible for your own education, although I have been known to call student’s dorm rooms during lecture to make sure they’re ok. We WILL have unannounced attendance quizzes during lecture which cannot be made up.  You will not be able to reply directly to this listserv email. It is setup so I can bulk email this class with important information. If you want to contact me, email me at weshiel@ilstu.eduweshiel@ilstu.edu  When you email me, please include your NAME and LAB Section number. This will help me find your information faster and assist you better.  When you email me, please include your NAME and LAB Section number. This will help me find your information faster and assist you better.  Yes, I know that the line above is repeated. See, already I begin to sharpen your observational skills (no extra charge).  You will probably receive this email a couple of more times before classes begin because more students will add this class. I just wanted to answer some of your questions early. I look forward to meeting you and introducing you to the wonderful world of geology. Bill