With the new year coming up, there's a good chance you're coming up with some resolutions. Personally, I like the idea of coming up with a few really easy New Year's Resolutions just to make it easier when I bomb in another area. I think…
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At the start of this semester, I made a goal of meeting with each student one-on-one. I believe in the power of check-ins and I wanted to make sure my students felt known. I could tell you all about Anderson and Garrison's research showing the…
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Sometimes I wish I could go back in time to visit my 9-year old self and say, "Dude, you got this. Right now, it’s hard but someday you'll be using your voice to make art. Trust me, it gets better. Way better." I was in…
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Right now, I'm feeling the effects of social isolation. My social circle is essentially my wife and my kids. I'm only going out when necessary to go to the grocery store. This Thanksgiving will be the first in years that I don't see friends or…
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During this pandemic, many students have described feeling lonely and isolated as they shifted into online environments. This disconnect is amplified when distance learning courses are designed with only individual work in mind. This occurs when students access an asynchronous class and watch videos, read…
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The shift toward virtual and hybrid learning can be challenging; especially around student engagement. However, sometimes the real challenge isn't one of student engagement so much as student empowerment. In this article, we explore how teachers can design distance learning with student self-direction at the…
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When we think of innovative companies, it's easy to imagine an open-air tech startup with ping pong tables and free drinks and huge windows and chairs so modern you're not sure how you're supposed to sit in them or look at them. Sometimes I look…
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When we hear the terms "virtual learning" or "remote learning," it's easy to imagine students spending eight hours a day in front of a screen. However, as educators, we know that this approach isn't developmentally appropriate. Children need to move around and interact with their…
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In the 1960's, cities built multipurpose stadiums for football games, baseball games, and concerts. These were supposed to be sleek, modern, and broad enough to encompass the needs of every entertainment industry. They were designed to be all things to all people. However, the multipurpose…
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In my last article, I wrote about ways that we can get to know our students in virtual and hybrid courses. I also did a webinar on building a community online. You can watch it on replay here. One of the best ways to build…
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Dr. John Spencer
I’m a professor and a maker. Sometimes I make things. Sometimes I make a difference. On a good day, I get to do both.
