Reflection on Episode 13 with Designer Ryan Hughes and Curriculum Developer Katherine Burton:

Dear Sugata and Trollinger:

       I have not been listening to your podcasts for awhile and I should be as they are absolutely dynamite for GCU and the humor lightens me up so I enjoy my students and teaching and facilitating my online classes more. Thanks for all your hard work and Happy Valentines' Day! Now . . . here is my feedback and comments on this particular broadcast below.

       Ryan - I appreciate the clear and concise explanation as to the difference between an instructional designer and a curriculum developer. I also understand now that you have editors for both areas and that the program developer P.M. such as Ryan, then passes a program along to a curriculum developer like Katherine who then does the actual course development. Okay, Ryan - you have a BA in English Lit from ASU. Small world! I have an MA in English Lit from Chi Nan University in Taiwan, but my BA is Mandarin Chinese from ASU. Go Sun Devils! :) I made connections through my ASU Chinese professors to work and study abroad in Taiwan when I was very young, about 22 years old and spent ten years over there in total.

       Katherine - what you are doing fascinates me. First of all, you are working with nursing and business. I am a former CNA with 2-3 years experience and watched my mom in her RN/management career her whole life as a federal employee. Also, I realize the vitality of business models after working with clients and science universities in Taiwan and the importance of time efficiency, organization, goals and clear models. So Katherine, I understand you are developing new course material and also care about effective learning strategies. Terrific!

       This podcast included a discussion about "retrieval practice" and also Katherine mentioned supportive and creative materials the teacher introduces that she encourages. Katherine - let me summarize what I hear and learned from you today first. Students forget information and you want them to review it more often. So you are suggesting that a classroom concept that is introduced should be re-posted or discussed twice in some format such as an assignment of class activity before it is tested. 

       Now, I understand that this material needs to be relevant and fit the course. CATS? I write my own CWV and Academic CATs for my classes online. Let us discuss just building rapport and getting the bored and uninvolved students engaged first in your online class. To keep students involved, you can do something fun such as a FUN CAT. For example, post a recipe for Valentine's Day and then let them discuss it. Students love to eat. You can hide that post in the middle of serious material as a Hidden FUN CAT. Believe me, they will perk up! : ) I do not have time to discuss CWV or Academic CATS here. Look at ENG-250, ENG-260, Shakespeare ENG-450 and the 15 or so classes of ENG-106 you have on file for me on the old systems like trad-one or the three former servers from lc-ugrad that are already shut down. 

       Katherine mentioned flashcards as an example of foreign language learning. I can validate the importance of flashcards from my own childhood. My dad was a master at teaching us (my two sisters and I) math and language skills with flashcards - beginnning Koine Greek, for instance. Also I learned speed reading and other skills for fun as games. At 8 to 12, I had no idea of the time and effort my parents put into educating me carefully. I know now! : )

        This was very refreshing and helpful and encouraging. Thanks to all of you so much. Happy Valentine's Day. I have to go run to the kitchen and start dinner now. Blessings and Lopes up! 

Instructor Rachel Lynne Givan

Syu Ra chi

[email protected]

(845)505-3629