Test 2

Test 2

Class 15: Thoughts on My First Blogging Experience

I began my first blog about 15 weeks ago.

Have I had a change of heart since my first posting?

Well, I can say that at times I had difficulty thinking up a topic to write about. After I went to AERA, I had so much I wanted to write about; I was glad I had a place to express it and document my ideas. I think it depends on if I feel like I have something to say to the general public. Up until this blog project, I never even visited my friends’ blogs due to the thought that I was afraid of getting sucked in and wasting large amounts of time (when I should be studying), but, I have changed that too. I now check their blogs regularly and have not lost too much time. It is nice to know what is going on with them. In general, I think blogging is fun and can be addicting. It can also provide a false sense of security, so bloggers should keep in mind the whole world can view their information. I would blog again. Good project.

Class 14: AERA Conference Tips

Here is a list of tips for attending AERA that I have compiled from my own first time experience, talking with other professors, and reading the tips from the AERA Graduate Student Council newsletter.

1. Look at the AERA schedule online before you go and plan out which sessions you want to attend. The list of sessions is as thick as a phone book and is very overwhelming; plan ahead so you don’t miss something.
2. Check in with AERA to pick up your name badge and session book as soon as the registration desks are open to avoid the long line on Tuesday morning.
3. Be aware that the sessions are spread out among three to four different hotels that may not be close to one another; you will be walking quite a bit.
4. Get cell phone numbers of colleagues and professors who will be attending the conference so you can meet up with them.
5. Check the weather before you go and pack appropriate warm clothes if needed; again, you will be walking outside.
6. Attend the new members session, Graduate Student Council sessions, and SIG meetings that interest you, even if you don’t know anyone, just go and you may make some friends or you may discover that it is not be the right fit for you.
7. Understand that you will not be able to see the whole conference your first time. There are so many wonderful sessions; it will take several conferences to get a feel for the association.
8. Carry your conference hotel maps with you at all times or you will be very lost.
9. The hotels keep you very hydrated and offer bottled water, tea, and coffee at most sessions.
10. Take an empty bag to the exhibit hall so that you will be able to carry all your brochures, pens, and free stuff.

Class 13: AERA 2008 Friday

8:15-9:45 Problem-Based Learning Session

There was an interesting study that used multiple modes of technology interaction to enhance large class enrollment courses. Students used Facebook, email, Second-Life, and Moodle to get and complete assignments. There was a discussant at the end that gave some final comments and asked the presenters some questions.

Later that day…

Went to FAO Schwartz and the Apple store

The Apple store is open 24 hours a day and is always busy. I got to try out the new MacBook Air, too!

Off to the Guggenheim Museum to see the exhibit by Cai Guo-Qiang called Inopportune: Stage One. The most spectacular piece is made up of nine full size cars, with sparkling lights protruding from the car body, that hang from the ceiling of the museum at different levels of elevation. The museum exterior is under renovation.

Class 12: AERA 2008 Wednesday & Thursday

Wednesday

8:15-10:15 Design Considerations for Instructional Methods and Media

Five presentations were given in about 17 minute time slots and were followed up by a question and answer time. A faculty member concluded the session with a critique of the papers with the presenters. I was interested in a session that explained multiple approaches to distance learning by incorporating social networking sites, email, and artificial reality games.

12:25-1:55 Poster Sessions

The poster session area was laid out as rows of bulletin boards lined about five side by side with space between for session attendees to browse. Participants’ posters were displayed by attaching their information to the bulletin board. Posters came in all shapes, sizes, and colors; some were printed out PowerPoint slides, others were full size posters, still others were mounted on poster board. I gathered some information on screen capture videos.

4:05-6:05 Presidential Address

This was held in a large, beautiful ballroom. The address was a time of recognizing AERA members, hearing a research study conducted by the AERA president, and introducing the upcoming AERA president.

Thursday
Time to be a Tourist

Visited Ground Zero-
I know we all remember exactly where we were on that day. It is a place that brings mixed emotions.

Visited The Modern Art Museum (MoMa)
Has all my favorites- Andy Warhol, Van Gogh, Picasso, and other greats.

Class 11: AERA 2008 Monday & Tuesday

Monday:

2:15-3:45 Digital Learning Environments

Five papers related with digital learning environments were presented in this session. One thing that interested me was the way that online learning can be structured; it doesn’t always have to follow a straight online format. There can be variations, such as face-to-face meetings at the beginning and end of the course.

4:05-5:35 Developing a Meaningful Research Agenda

This session was a small group discussion led by a panel of students and faculty all at different stages of the professoriate. It was an informal discussion and the panel was asked to give advice on- how to develop a research agenda, how to get tenure, and the best piece of advice they would give to doctoral students.

Here are my notes on the session:

-Need to think longitudinally about research
-How can item “A” lead to item “B”
-Don’t always have to stick to the same topic, but need to be in the same theory or field
-There needs to be some kernel that ties the work together
-Too many different topics make your work look scattered
-Do what your are passionate about
-Know yourself

Best Advice:

-Hit the ground running at your first job and have data you can use
-Use graduate school as a time to gather data
-Take extra data during your dissertation that you can use later
-Use graduate school as a time to have think time
-Maintain your relationships with family and friends

Tuesday:

7-8 AERA Welcome New Members

The president of AERA and a few of the board welcomed new members and gave advice for navigating the conference and making the most out of their time. A time for Q&A was given at the end.

9:05-9:45 Paper Discussion about Portfolios

I sat with a colleague and other conference attendees around a round table and listened to her research study. The round tables were a more intimate setting compared with group sessions and allowed for greater dialogue. I came away from that session thinking about how I can use a similar portfolio evaluation idea with my students.

10-11:30 Visited Exhibit Hall

The exhibit hall was full of book publishers and there were plenty of freebies to go around. The best giveaway I found was a solar calculator! Lots of people were buying books.

12:25-1:55 Tips and Tricks for Getting Published

This was a panel discussion led by the Graduate Student Council and a panel of journal editors. The tips they gave were:

-Know your content area
-Get in a structured writing group with people from the area to critique your work
-Find a mentor that publishes with students
-Make sure you know the journal that you are submitting to…cite the editors in your article
-Develop thick skin. Learn to separate yourself from the work. Revising and resubmitting is a good thing.
-Collaborate with others early on
-Never throw away your writing

Class 10: AERA 2008 First Impressions

The American Education Research Association (AERA) 2008 conference was held in New York, New York this year. This was my first time to attend the conference and it was an eye opening experience. An estimated 16,000 people were present at the conference and the sessions were spread out among four hotels. It gave me a feel for how big this organization really is. I am going to explain more about the sessions I attended and my site seeing in NYC in upcoming blogs. Stay tuned!