Gomes Week #6

Wow, Jing has thus far beaten me… However, I will continue to try to figure this thing out! Does anyone know of a Jing-for-dummies website that I can access?

Gomes Week #5

I thought this week’s reading in Ko and Rossen was very interesting. While the class syllabus is always important, I have found that the syllabus for an online class takes on additional importance.

In both face-to-face and online classes, the syllabus is important because it sets course expectations from the very start. Attendance, exam dates, assignments, etc. should be clearly articulated in this document. Students should know what they’re getting into at the very start of the class!

In the text, I found the statement “In an online environment, redundancy is often better than elegant succinctness.” How completely true this sentence is! Since we do not have an opportunity to constantly remind students about the expectations of the class, the syllabus needs to point out important assignments, due dates, etc. clearly and often.

One of the problems I have found with this redundancy philosophy, though, is that my online syllabus can become very long. I once had a draft of a 14-page syllabus. A document this long would not be effective. Students would never read and follow a document that long!

Gomes Week #4

Hello one and all!

Fall has finally arrived and I hope everyone in Southern California is enjoying the cooler weather!

This week I spent a lot of time reading over Getting started with HTML. It was informative…and overwhelming. I’m glad he started the article with the answer to the question “What is HTML?” because I did not have a clue.

I was excited to see that you area able to add links to other pages through this type of document. It was also very intersting to see that this type of document allows for ordered lists, which should aid in my ability to keep myself somewhat organized.

I am wondering: does anyone use HTML regularly? If so, how user-friendly is it? How long does it take to become an expert?

Gomes Week #3

Hi Everyone!

I hope your week has gone well.

This week’s materials were very interesting. The questionnaire was interesting. I earned a 13. More than a half hour of lecture at a time tends to be unproductive in my classes: students’ attention begins to drift off, or students catch up on their sleep. I think small groups are very productive. In large groups, there is usually one or two very vocal students who end up dominating the conversation. Therefore, I chose 3 for the first two questions.

I teach adult learners, therefore I think it is important that they play an active role in shaping their understanding of the material presented in class. This can sometimes be a tricky issue: students often veer off topic and need to be guided back to the subject at hand.

I feel assessments should be used to test application of skill rather than factual knowledge. We now live in a world in which information can be accessed from almost everywhere. Memorization is no longer required: rather a working knowledge of the material and an ability to think through problems should be emphasized.

The seven principles reading seemed to articulate many issues that I use in my classroom every day. Many of them seem to center around one issue: communication. Two-way communication is key to fostering a productive and dynamic learning environment.

I finally got my book…

After much anxiety about my order, I finally received my book last night. I have spent some time reading through Chapter 1, and much to my relief, there are definitions conveniently listed throughout the chapter.

I have been teaching online for over two years now, and I am constantly reminded that most of my students have much better computer skills than I do! I sometimes wonder how I am supposed to lead a class when my students have a much clearer understanding of how computers work than I do.

In the past, I have admitted that I also sometimes need help and have questions and emphasize that students are not the only one learning in the class: we are all learning together.

Does anyone else share my anxiety?

Cari’s Bio

Hello!  My name is Cari Gomes.

I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Hawai’i in Hilo, Hawaii and have professional work experiences in business administration and bookkeeping.

After several years in the business world, I realized that science was my true calling and I returned to school to study Geology. I earned my Masters degree in Geology, specializing in Soil Formation from the University of North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina. I am currently a community college instructor, where I teach Geology and Oceanography. I thoroughly enjoy my role as an adult educator. Teaching undergraduates the beauty of the physical world around them has become an all-encompassing passion for me.

In addition to my teaching responsibilities, I am also an active member in the San Diego Association of Geologists. This is a professional organization working to promote geology and science education through the organization of field trips and monthly meetings featuring experts on current geological topics.

I currently live in beautiful San Diego, California, a city I consider by adopted home town. I have been married for 9 years to a U.S Marine. While his multiple deployments have been a huge challenge, my husband motivates me and supports me in ways that I appreciate every day. I live a truly blessed life, and would not change it for the world!