- "Uncommon Approaches to Common Courses": 2001 CEI Fall Conference
The North Carolina Conference of English Instructors will hold its annual fall conference October 28-30 at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort at Wrightsville Beach. The conference is hosted by Cape Fear Community College, and Local Arrangement Chair and Cape Fear instructor, Cherl Saba, has done a great job coordinating the event. The Blockade Runner is a beautiful resort with deluxe accommodations at a very reasonable price. The resort has a weight room, an indoor heated pool, and a sauna. The rooms are newly renovated and charming. You have a choice of harbor view ($75 + 9% tax) or ocean view ($87 + 9% tax). Both offer spectacular scenery.
Cheryl is still looking for conference presenters and presiders, so contact her now with your ideas for a presentation or to volunteer to preside over a session. You may call her at (910) 251-5931 or email her.
Please plan to join your fellow and sister CEI members at Wrightsville Beach in October for what promises to be an exciting and energizing experience.
CEI Officers and Reps
President
Vice-President
Secretary/Treasurer
Membership Chair
Newsletter Editor
CEI Online
Eastern Regional Reps
- Sharon Mills
- Bill Gural
- Cheryl Saba
Central Regional Reps- Anne Helms
- Clem Welch
- JoAnn Buck
Western Regional Reps- Freddy Bradburn
- Tom Hearron
- Brett Wallen
According to the CEI Constitution, the duties of a regional rep are as follows: "Regional Representatives will communicate with faculty within their respective regions; represent faculty within their regions; attend regularly scheduled Executive Board meetings, as well as annual business and regional meetings; work with the Board to nominate representatives when vacancies arise."
Just for English teachers !!
An English professor announced to the class; "There are two words
I don't allow in my class. One is 'gross' and the other is 'cool'."
From the back of the room a voice called out, "So, what are the words?”
Info from Rick
The CEI website now contains tools for students and teachers who are using Blackboard. This information is available in the "Table of Contents" under "Distance Learning Links" or "Blackboard Help and Tips."
For teachers who are teaching ENG 102 or 114 or any other course that asks students to create tables, pie charts, line charts, and bar charts, the "Word Help" in the Resources section now includes information.
Finally,anyone who has changes in their school's listing of faculty, phone numbers and email addresses, or courses offered, please let Rick know through email.
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- Define Appropriate Internet Resources to Improve Student Research
Russell F. Dennison
Winona State University, MN
(reprinted with permission from The Teaching Professor [an excellent newsletter, if you haven't seen it], Aug/Sept 2001)
Are Internet resources acceptable scholarly resources for writing academic papers? Ask a range of professors and you will get a range of responses. I have seen that some instructors do not permit students to use Internet sources when researching for a paper. I have also seen that some instructors permit any Internet resource to be used.
Recent research shows that students are citing books less often and Web documents more. Other recent research shows that many students are not very critical of Internet resources.
Student learning often suffers when faculty take extreme positions on Web material. If students are not permitted to use Internet resources, they might:
- miss large amounts of scholarly information
- not learn how to locate online information effectively
- not learn to use Internet resources critically
- and regard the instructor as hopelessly out-of-date.
If students are permitted to use any Internet sources, they might:
- not learn how to locate online information effectively
- not learn to use the Internet resources critically
- and restrict themselves to only easily found resources.
These all-or-nothing positions with respect to Web resources create problems as libraries continue to switch to online sources of information. In a growing number of cases, paper indexes and abstracts are not being renewed in favor of online versions.
A brief definition of what are acceptable Internet resources in a particular course could be provided in the syllabus or supplementary materials and covered in class just as are other topics such as plagiarism. In most courses, students could be given a range of acceptable resources (Internet or not) and be held accountable for their wise use.
There are a number of Web sites and publications to which students could be directed for information on how to evaluate materials online, such as Thinking Critically About World Wide Web Resources by Esther Grassian and Evaluating Information Found on the Internet by Elizabeth E. Kirk. For faculty I recommend a Web site that provides an outline, learning activities, and links to other relevant sites: Lessons Learned: Exemplary Practices in Teaching Web Evaluation by Susan E. Beck.
This is a time of change in scholarly communication and in information storage and retrieval. In the past, students received indirect guidance in the selection and use of information resources through reading lists and library collections. Because information had a physical presence, guidance was provided at the physical location of the information. However, in an online environment, relying on indirect advice is much less effective. Direct advice should be offered in the syllabus or be provided through course lectures and/or assignments given either by the instructor or librarians.
Internet Movie Database Anyone?
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President's Corner Dear Beachcombers and Beach Goers, I should say!
I refer, of course, to the sand and surf opportunities inherent in the Fall Conference to be held at the Blockade Runner, Oct. 28-30. From your September paycheck, save some shekels specifically earmarked "CEI/BR" for the touring, the shopping, the fun-having!
As we all begin a new fall semester under the constraints of sparse budgets and dense teaching loads, I wish us a clear vision, boundless energy, and moral and physical strength to undertake the challenges of 2001-2002.
At Faculty Orientation today, we heard Bunk Spann talk about establishing "community" in our classrooms and using the metaphor of "dialogue" student-to-student and student-to-material rather than "the empty vessel" image pervasive in our institutions. What he said gave me a different perspective, one that I aim to incorporate into each syllabus where I can.
If we need a renewal of spirit, the Fall Conference can serve that purpose well. We do need to conduct business to consider these items: Who are willing to take on the newsletter editorship and the vice presidency? Do we need to raise dues slightly to be able to offer a scholarship to a prospective English teacher? How can we recognize extraordinary contributions to CEI from among our membership? Please consider a leadership role in CEI. The rewards are mostly intrinsic (a heavenly crown, an obit item, etc.), but you are needed! Your time, skills, and energy are what make this and any organization vital.
My greatest thanks again to the executive board and to Cheryl Saba for all their ongoing hard work.
Wishing all a successful beginning in fall 2001,
Your president,
Liz Meador
Reminder
Please bring any photos, archival materials, scrapbooks, etc. of past CEI events for display at the fall conference.
Also, bring newspapers and/or literary journals published at your college.
There will be an exchange table set up at the conference for any handouts you would like to share of syllabi, assignments, etc.
Notes from the Editor This is my last newsletter as CEI editor. I have enjoyed my two years editing The Well-Turned Word, and I encourage you to consider running for newsletter editor during the elections in October at the CEI Fall Conference in Wrightsville Beach. Editing the newsletter has been a worthwhile experience. Thanks to all who submitted work and offered suggestions on how to make the newsletter more effective and a special thanks to Rick Lewis for getting the newsletter online on our CEI Web site. Check it out!
What do you think...?
How has teaching changed since you began as an educator? Do you see a significant difference in the attitude towards learning by students? Faculty? Administration? Let's hear what you think. Email, fax, or snail mail your replies to me, and I'll send them on to the next editor.
Fun Facts (?)
Here are some fun "facts" about the 1500s that a friend sent to me through email. It is part of my Email Urban Legends Collection. Kim Turnage
Lenoir Community College
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