apr.may.jun10

8/9/2019 Apr.may.Jun10

1/21

Volume LXIII Number 4

April/May/June 2010


2/21

The TACT Quarterly eBulletinApril/May/June 2010 - Volume LXIII Number 4

In this quarters TACT newsletter...

Letter from the Presidentby Gary Coulton

Executive Directors Report

by Chuck Hempstead

Two Too Big Problems

by Elizabeth Lewandowski

Walking the Talk in a University Teacher

Preparation Classroomby Gloria Gresham and Kimberly Welsh

Textbooks for Texasby Allen Martin

Debunking Myths about Online Courses

by Rob Robinson

Distance Education: A Discussionby Allen Martin

Pictures from the Spring Conference

Key Election Dates/GRF Contrubutions

Membership Application

Page 3

Page 5

Page 6

Page 8

Page 10

Page 12

Page 15

Page 19

Page 20

Page 21

President

Gary Coulton

University of Texas -

San Antonio

Immediate Past President

Debra Price

Sam Houston State University

VP of Financial Affairs

Frank Fair


VP of Membership

Elizabeth Lewandowski

Midwestern State University

VP of Legislative Affairs

Cindy Simpson


Members At Large

Allen Martin

University of Texas - Tyler

Mark Gaus


Peter Hugill

Texas A&M

Executive Director

Chuck Hempstead

(512) 873-7404

Texas Association of College Teachers

5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201 Austin, Texas 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Copyright 2010 by the Texas Association of College Teachers. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be produced in any form without permission; Chuck Hempstead, Editor.

TACT
mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=


3/21

Contact us!

5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201

Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index

Letter from thePresident

Executive DirectorsReport

Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas

Debunking MythsAbout Online Courses

Distance Education: ADiscussion

Pictures from theSpring Conference

Key Election Dates/GRF Contributions

Member Application

CONTENTS

3

The TACT Quarterly eBulletinTexas Association of College TeachersDefending Academic Freedom

TACT

Letter from the President

by Gary CoultonTACT President

Greetings everyone. Its that timeagain; time for another issue of the TACT

eBulletin. I hope your semester is winding

down nicely. Regardless of whether or not you

teach summer courses, I think most of us in

the profession would agree that college teach-

ing is a full time job. In my opinion, part of

the job is to stay up to speed on developments

in traditional and non-traditional instructional

methods. Of course there remains signi-

cant controversy about the value of various

classroom technologies. That controversy is

unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. And as

the controversy lingers technology continues

to evolve.

Whether or not you embrace any of

the new classroom technologies, we owe it

to our students to keep abreast of available

instructional methods. Also in my opinion,

we are best served by keeping an open mind

regarding new instructional technologies. To

paraphrase one of my brightest professors in

graduate school, before rejecting something

(he was referring to theories) you should rst

have an adequate understanding of it.

With that said I must admit that

although not really a Luddite, I am not as

technologically savvy as most of my col-

leagues. Recently, I was fortunate enough

to have a particularly valuable professional

development opportunity materialize (at least

guratively) in my own back yard.

In April the 2nd Annual Southwest

Teaching & Learning Conference was held at

my home institution, Texas A&M University-

San Antonio (TAMU-SA). (TACT was fortu-

nate enough to co-sponsor the conference.)

The event was very successful, due

largely to the efforts of conference founder

and organizer Dr. Tracy Hurley of TAMU-

SA. Enrollment this year increased more than

20% from the inaugural conference. Attend-

ees came from virtually all corners of Texas,

including Tarleton State in Stephenville,

A&M-Commerce, UT Brownsville, and UT

Pan American in Edinburgh.

The conference program included

more than 50 sessions. Some dealt with rather

traditional methods, some concerning on-line

instruction, and a large number of sessions

focusing more recently developed methods of

delivering courses (e.g., Web conferencing,

use of social media, in-class response systems

Hybrid courses, and the creation and use of

E-books).

I think its safe to say that the major-

ity of TACT members spend the majority of

their time engaged in instruction. Thats what

makes keeping up with what instructional

tools are out there so important. (Of course

under the current economic conditions, a little

refresher course on grant writing [to obtain

new instructional equipment] wouldnt hurt

either.)


4/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

4


TACT

In closing, I would be remiss if I didnt remind you about the 2011 legislative ses-

sion. It may seem like its a long way off, but before you know it youll receive a TACT

First Alert about the opening day of the session. Perhaps most importantly much preparation

is taking place now for the upcoming legislative session. Governor Perry has already had

state institutions pare back their budgets 5%. More funding issues affecting higher education

will certainly arise during the session. How can you help TACT prepare? The best way is to

contribute to the TACT Government Relations Fund (GRF). We understand that economic

conditions are far from ideal, but please contribute what you can. Any amount will help.

Contribute on-line. Its easy. Go to: www.tact.org.

Gary F. Coulton, Ph.D.

Texas A&M University - San Antonio

Presidents Letter

(contd.)
mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=http://www.tact.org/http://www.tact.org/mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=


5/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

5


TACT

Executive Directors Report

by Chuck HempsteadTACT Executive Director

Tax em All and Let God Sort em Out?

Remember? State government, two issues: the budget, and everything else.

2011 updated version: Budget, redistricting, and nothing else.

If a billion here and a billion there pretty soon adds up to real money, why cant we agree if

were facing an $11 Billion shortfall, $15 Billion, or this weeks $18 Billion? The latter comes

from Appropriations Committee Chair Jim Pitts, so we might want to honor its potential ac-

curacy. Here comes gambling and the slashing of sales tax exemptions and who knows what,

depending on the number of special sessions necessary to wear out enough elected ofcials to

vote for something to be able to go home.

Those of you who have been watching for decades know that not much happens during redis-tricting years, except maybe the theater of quorum-busting groups hiding out in someones

garage apartmentor New Mexicoor Wichita Falls until the media or Texas Rangers suggest

they return to the Granite Dome before their freedom or constituencies become at risk.

O.K., back to higher education. A signicant difference between Texas and other states is

that our college-age population is still growing and fast. With enrollment countercyclical

to economy, and the success of our Closing the Gaps initiative, Texas higher ed is exploding.

The Legislature added signicant appropriations increases last time, especially to student aid

programs. But in interim committees now, Commissioner Paredes is already being asked how

he suggests reprioritizing nancial aid if it were to remain at or decrease.

Two upcoming dates of importance: last chance for your colleague to join TACT at our try usrate of $109 through Fall; and, the TACT Board is meeting June 5 to begin drafting our legisla-

tive agenda for January. What would you like for it to include?

Chuck Hempstead

Executive Director


6/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

6


TACT

Deep in the throes of the end of the

semester, surrounded by papers and projects

to grade, committee reports to nish and a red

light on my phone telling me I have more voicemail, I had no intention of writing an article

for the Bulletin this month. Let the bigwigs

deal with it I thought. As I ate my sandwich, I

perused my email and news online and decided

that two stories were getting too big and full

of too much truthiness to go by without

responding.

Story # 1: From www.quorumreport.

com, an article about a large jump in scholarship

dollars for higher education in which THECBCommissioner Raymund Paredes states that

Texas state aid for higher ed scholarships has

increased 424 percent over the last decade (in

2000 it was $91 million; in 2010, $477 million).

The suggestion made is that scholarship money

in Texas is plentiful for todays college student.

Reality #1: While Texas higher

ed scholarship appropriations have indeed

increased in the last ten years, the reality is

that much of the money goes unclaimed. This

money, in the form of the B On Time Program,while a favorite of the Governor, is not a

favorite of modern students. Todays students

are concerned that they will be unable to fulll

the requirements of the grant. The program

species that if students enrolled in the program

graduate with a B average (3.0 gpa) the money

is a grant but if the student graduates with a gpa

below 3.0 the money is a loan which must be

paid back. This money is not nearly as enticing

to a student as a grant or working extra hours

at a job to avoid having loan payments after

graduation.

The Too Big Truth #1: The storys

allegation that there is plenty of money being

spent on scholarships falls short of the truth

While the money is available, large numbers

of dollars are going unused. At my university

with a student body over 6,000, fewer than 10

students participate in the B On Time Program

Story #2: From www.trnonline

com, an article relating the results of a study

conducted by the National Council on TeacherQuality (NCTQ). The $300,000 study was

pushed for by two Texas senators, one o

whom was Senator Florence Shapiro, and paid

for by the Houston Endowment, a foundation

in Houston. According to the report, teache

education in the state of Texas is abysmal.

Reality #2: While NCTQ did in fact

conduct a study, the study was done using

research methods that would be unacceptable

in any college freshman class. NCTQ initially

sent a complex request to the deans of Texascolleges of education. The request was long

and involved with no clear purpose and the

deans, already busy with various nationally

reputable accrediting bodies, decided not

to participate in the study. The study was

therefore completed by reviewing the

information available on university websites

If no information was available on a particular

question, the resulting answer to the question

Two Too Big Stories, orTruthiness in Action

by Elizabeth LewandowskiTACT VP of Membership
mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=http://www.trnonline.com/http://www.trnonline.com/http://www.trnonline.com/http://www.trnonline.com/mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=


7/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

7


TACT

was not no information available but no or 0. This questionable method of gathering

data resulted in the information one might expect i.e. the universities with the most detailed

websites were ranked the highest and those with the least detailed websites were ranked as the

worst teacher training programs.

The Too Big Truth: The research was conducted in such a manner that the results of

the study are worthless in evaluating the quality of teacher education programs. Large amounts

of money were spent to receive worthless data.

Why do I care? Im not a college student and Im not a member of a teacher educationprogram. I am however a member of TACT and I am appalled by the use and abuse of money

While those of us in higher education are perceived as ivory tower faculty out of touch with

reality, I suggest that is not we who are out of touch but some of our representation in Austin

If funding Texas scholarships means appropriating money for a program that history tells us is

unsuccessful and spending $300,00 for essentially worthless research is our state governments

idea of careful nancial management in the current economy, then I am indeed sorry to be a

Texan.

If you feel as I do that our leaders in Austin are not tuned in on the realities of todays

higher education then join me in supporting TACT. Join me in making a $50 donation to the

Dr. James M. Puckett Ph.D. Government Relations Fund to help TACT provide our state leaders

with relevant, useful information about higher education. If each member of TACT donates$50, our organization will be able to spend more time telling our state leaders the Reality and

the Truth about Texas higher education.

Two Too Big Stories

(contd.)
mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=http://www.tact.org/node/add/grf?reset=1&id=1http://www.tact.org/node/add/grf?reset=1&id=1mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=


8/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

8


TACT

According to Douglas, Frey, & Lapp

(2009), modeling may be our most powerful

learning tool. Learning how to manage a

classroom where students are actively engaged

is not fostered through lecture-based, teacher-

centered classrooms. This type of learning is

promoted when the instructor walks the talk

each and every day. One delivery method

that allows students to construct knowledgeis the workshop approach. For the past two

years, the workshop approach was utilized

as the instructional delivery method in my

university classes for the early childhood and

middle level teacher candidates. As Bennett

(2007) describes it, the workshop allows the

daily pursuit of understanding important

things (p. 6). The workshop provides a

predictable structure, regular routine, ritual,

and orchestrated system for learning. It is

cyclical and has three main components: mini-

lesson, worktime, and debrief (Bennett). The

components are not static but allow the teacher

to rotate through the cycle multiple times in a

single class.

Mini-lesson

At the beginning of each meeting

time, students are summoned to the large

group area with a transition. A transition is a

short jingle, song, or chant that relates to the

learning. Students sit on the oor encircling

the instructor. At rst, this takes some ofthe students by surprise, especially the male

middle level candidates. After explanation of

the delivery method, students adapt and eagerly

await the beginning of class as was expressed

by this middle level teacher candidate, I

really enjoyed the workshop approach. It

was a relaxed atmosphere, and I really felt

comfortable in participating. It denitely was

an attention getter. I did not have time to let

my mind wander to other things. Image 1

shows teacher candidates assembled in the

large group area.

Image 1: Students gather for the mini-lesson

For about 10 minutes, the instructor focuses the

students on the topic for the day, and leads them

through a think a-loud or demonstration.

Immediately, students complete guided

practice over the topic to ensure understanding

as demonstrated in Image 2.

Image 2: Students rehearse content through a pair

share under the careful eye of the instructor.

When the instructor is sure students are ready

to complete work related to the content taught

they are released with a transition to engage in

individual, pair, or group work.

Walking the Talk

In a University Teacher Preparation Classroomby Gloria Gresham and Kimberly Welsh


9/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

9


TACT

Worktime

In worktime, students engage in the

work. The work may involve implementing

a new strategy, reading an article related

to the content taught, or reecting through

writing. During this time, the instructor is

conferencing with individuals/small groups or

moving about the room to question or listen

in. Image 3 displays a student conference.

Image 3: The instructor is assessing studentcomprehension over content taught..

Debrief

The class ends as it begins in the large

group area. Students celebrate their learning

by sharing their understanding, thinking, and/

or work accomplished during worktime as is

revealed in Image 4 (Bennett, 2007).

Image 4: An early childhood teacher candidate

early exhibits her work.

The power of this method is relayed by

this student, This type of modeling is exactly

what we need as developing teachers so tha

we can see exactly how the type of lesson

approach works in a practical, real world

example. I liked the large group time because

it created an environment that felt safe and

exhilarating. In small groups, we were able to

help each other explore the material while the

teacher had more time to observe, assess, andsupport us in our educational goals. Learning

was transparent for us and the teacher. In

debrief time, we had the opportunity to reiterate

what we had just learned. I could sum this up

no more eloquently. The workshop approach

is a powerful instructional delivery method

to use in university classrooms, especially

classrooms where teacher candidates are

preparing for a teaching career.

References

Bennett, S. (2007). That workshop book;

New systems and structures for

classrooms that read, write, and think

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Douglas, F., Frey, N., & Lapp, D. (2009). In a

reading state of mind: Brain research

teacher modeling, and comprehension

instruction.Newark,DE: International

Reading Association.

Walking the Talk

(contd.)


10/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

10


TACT

Textbooks for Texas: Just Right, Right ofCenter, or Outrageous?

by Allen Martin

Wild things have been asserted about

how the public school social studies books are

going to be written. One problem is that weare just nished with the SBOE mark-up of the

Text Book Committee draft. Many discussions

and changes are certain. Second, the wording

of the TEKS draft is scattered and confusing,

not just because it is in a mark-up stage, but

also because the choices of editorial terms

are confusing and undened. I have seen

excoriations in newspapers across the country

of the new social studies books. Remember,

also, that the idea that all the other states

adopt the texts that the SBOE adopts is just

overwrought.

The Tejano heroes, i.e., the Mexicans

who fought with the Texans during the

revolutionary period, are indeed included in

the current draft. Contrary to newspapers in

other states, Texas is not planning to throw out

mention, or even respect, for Jos Navarro,

Lpez Zavala, Erasmo or Juan Segun,

etc. Nor are the text books planning to do

away with African American notables such

as W.E.B. Dubois, Barbara Jordan, Martin

Luther King, and Thurgood Marshall. Study

of various people may be moved to different

grade levels (e.g. Thomas Hobbes, Bill Martin,

Jr., Dolores Huerta, than in the past and several

will be dropped entirely from social studies

texts: Florence Nightingale, Henrietta C. King,

Miriam A. Ferguson, Henry Cisneros, Roy

Bedichk, Sandra Cisneros, Clarence Birdseye,

Robinson Crusoe and Paul Bunyan, Louis

Daguerre and C.M. Dad Joiner, Phil Gramm,

Susan B. Anthony, Shirley Chishom, Eugene

Debs, Robert Lafollete, H. Ross Perot, Ralph

Nader, John Steinbeck, Archimedes, RoberBoyle, Nicolaus Copernicus, Marie Curie

Albert Einstein, Erathosthenes of Cyrene

Robert Fulton, Galileo Galilei,Vladimir Lenin

Sir Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, Pythagoras o

Samor, Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, James

Watter, Sigmund Freud. (Cactus Jack was no

deleted, he just had his real name claried

John Nance Garner.) Thats all of the deleted

names I found from the social studies books

at this stage of the revision process. Some o

these names are now only in other texts, such

as science books.

Figures added in 2010: Santa

Barraza, Diane Gonzales Bertrand, Denton

Cooley, Glenn Curtiss, Horton Foote, Rau

a. Gonzalez, Jr., Milton Hershey, Stonewal

Jackson, Lydia Mendoza, Chelo Silva, Sam

Walton. But also added at some recent time

were: Abigail Adams, John Q. Adams, Richard

Allen, Susan B. Anthony, James Armistead

Crispus Attucks, James A. Baker, Philip

Bazaar, Todd Beamer, Alexander g. Bell

William Blackstone, Simn Bolvar, Omar

Bradley, William Carney, George W. Carver

Csar Chvez, Wentworth Cheswell, and many

others (but the SBOE seems to show some

gures as being recent inclusions that were

not so recent).

In April, a member of the State Board

of Education, Barbara Cargill, stated the

following:


11/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

11


TACT

Here are examples of some of the outstanding standards that have passed so far:

American History:

The student understands the concept of American exceptionalism.

Describe how American values are different and unique from those of other nations.

Describe U.S. citizens as people from numerous places throughout the world who hold a

common bond in standing for certain self-evident truths.

Discuss the meaning and historical signicance of the mottos E Pluribus Unum and In God

We Trust.

This is a huge, contentious issue process. Lots of confusion will continue because ofmany reasons, including that there is a lot to it.

You can always email [email protected] to express yourself on the state

education issues.

Textbooks for Texas

(contd.)
mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=mailto:sboesupport%40tea.state.tx.us?subject=mailto:sboesupport%40tea.state.tx.us?subject=mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=


12/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

12


TACT

In the roughly 15 years since the

rst truly web-based online courses were

introduced, a number of persistent myths

have emerged among faculty regarding

quality, motivations, and workload. Inmy role as "dark side administrator" of a

large online operation, I hope to be able

to dispel some of these myths. These

myths are much like the storied Phoenix.

In this case I am referring to the mythical

bird rather than the oft-criticized universi-

ty, as these are myths which continuously

emerge from the ashes of debunking.

Myth: Online courses are of poor qual-

ity.

This is absolutely the most per-

sistent myth out there, and it is re-ignited

every time a "degree mill" is exposed.

The basic fact is that the quality of an

online course is directly proportional to

the plan and execution of the instructional

design of the course. You, as a teaching

faculty member, should not be left un-

trained to wander into the world of digital

pedagogy. Quality courses emerge froma partnership between the faculty and

instructional designers. There are simple,

powerful ways to engage students in an

online course.

I am frequently asked to provide

evidence regarding the quality of online

instruction. My initial response is to ask

what evidence we have that classroom

instruction is of the highest quality? Why

is classroom instruction, which is seldom

ever systematically reviewed for qual-

ity, the benchmark? However, there is a

growing body of research literature whichpoints to the quality of online courses

as being on par with if not superior

to classroom courses. One of the more

recent pieces of evidence is a Department

of Education report titled Evaluation

of Evidence-based Practices in Online

Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review

of Online Learning Studies. It is worth

highlighting one of their conclusions:

Students who took all or part of

their class online performed better, on av-

erage, than those taking the same course

through traditional face-to-face instruc-

tion. (p. xiv)

The quality of any course, regard-

less of delivery modality, is related to the

effort put into it. This leads to the next

myth

Myth: Online courses require a lot

more work than classroom courses.

Honestly, this myth is based

in fact. The development of an online

course is a non-trivial amount of work

on the part of the faculty. Partnering

the faculty with instructional designers

and multimedia specialists can reduce

the workload, but the intellectual effort

Debunking Myths About Online Courses

by Rob Robinson, Ph.D.Director, UT TeleCampus


13/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

13


TACT

required by the faculty can be signicant.

In fact, I am of the opinion that this activ-

ity should be recognized as the schol-

arly work that it is. However, the most

frequently heard complaint regards how

much work is required to teach an online

course, rather than the work expended in

developing it. Again, there are straight-

forward ways to mitigate some of the

work. Elements like establishing clearguidelines in the syllabus regarding when

you, as the instructor, will respond to

student emails; making sure that students

have all-hours access to technical sup-

port, and designing the course for scale,

all help reduce teaching workload.

In fact, perhaps the worst thing

one can do when designing an online

course is to simply replicate the activitiesand assessments that are used in a face-

to-face class. The move to online instruc-

tion presents the opportunity to use the

technology of the Internet to manage the

workload. Use group-based activities via

discussion boards or Web2.0 applications;

scatter quick online assessment through

the course; make the syllabus very com-

prehensive and require students to read it,

and then have a quiz over it to reduce the

administrivie load of student questions.

Myth: Online courses result in a loss of

control by the faculty of their intellec-

tual property.

While anecdotal evidence

abounds to keep this myth in circulation,

by far the most common policy regard-

ing intellectual property issues in online

courses is that the authoring faculty

member and the institution share joint

copyright of the course. This allows the

author to keep control over her materi-

als, while allowing the institution to have

continuity in their course offerings if

the faculty members departs the institu-

tion. In those cases where the institution

asserts sole copyright of the course, the

authoring faculty member should review

their employment contract to review thework-for-hire language.

Myth: Online courses are simply a

ploy by the administration to generate

more revenue.

Perhaps based on history, this

myth is understandable. Many highly

touted online ventures were launched

with great fanfare in the early 2000s,

were expressly designed to generate in-stitutional revenue. Most of those opera-

tions have now ceased to operate. Those

left standing are institutions and organi-

zations which approach online programs

as a way to increase access and improve

learning and not just a simple money-

making venture. While online delivery

is not the money-machine many thought

it would be, it is a profound game-chang-

er in terms of allowing adult learning to

gain access to the intellectual riches ofour institutions.

Myth: Online courses are a way for

administration to replace high salary

faculty members.

It is true that the ranks of full-

time, tenured faculty are declining as a

percentage of instructors in institutions

all across the country. What is false is

Debunking Myths

(contd.)


14/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

14


TACT

that this is a result of the proliferation of online courses. In fact, the rapid growth of

enrollments in online degree programs at traditional colleges universities argues for

more, not fewer, full time teaching faculty.

There is no reason to fear or pooh-pooh the growth of online courses. They

clearly meet student needs, increase access to learning, and have comparable quality to

face-to-face courses. They are no longer just something that continuing education units

or those for-prots do they are now at the academic center of most institutions.

The pedagogical opportunities for innovation in online courses are quite exciting, and

it is my hope that you wont fall prey to the recurring myths regarding them.

Debunking Myths

(contd.)


15/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

15


TACT

Let us consider The Last Profes-

sor, Stanley Fish (NYT 1/18/09). He

states that higher education, properly un-derstood, is distinguished by the absence

of a direct and designed relationship be-

tween its activities and measurable effects

in the world. . There is an important

difference between learning which is con-

cerned with the degree of understanding

necessary to practice a skill, and learning

which is expressly focused upon an enter-

prise of understanding and explaining.

I was a Ph. D student at UT when

Frank Erwin proclaimed that the Univer-

sity of Texas should teach work-skills, not

scholarship. If you want to teach a skill,

do it by distance. If you want to edu-

cate, you have to be there (WAM, Being

There, Academe, 1999). Ideas must be

worked on, eshed out, and tested (life

is not a multiple guess test), all with the

consultation of professors and fellow

students.

But this leads into my rst point:

With distance education (DE), who needs

professors, that is content providers.

The content is in the tank or private col-

leges, thank you for your contributions.

Now, the work is for the actor, commu-

nicator, talking head. I began studying

this issue in the early 1990s by becoming

a Senior Fellow at THECB. And then

wrote in the TACT Quarterly Bulletin

about DE and faculty protection. Inthose days faculty had rm defense: just

say no. But that was when faculty were

enticed to teach distantly, and if they

agreed, they bargained. The bargaining

has not totally gone away, I did this just

last year ( a special sort of case). But for

the most part, a faculty member faces a

heavy hand, and the bargain is close to

the notorious offer he cant refuse.

I was amazed that when the UT

System rst presented DE to my campus,

that the faculty missed all the larger is-

sues, thinking only of mites while missing

the monsters. We had a big brain-storm-

ing session, all the brains seemed to be

blown and washed away. A year or two

later, as I tried to bring the light, profes-

sors here and elsewhere would perceive

the dawn and say, Oh, one professor

could teach the course for the wholeuniversity system. Well, that was a start.

For several years, my campus has been

teaching courses to the world, including

ying; 9/11/01 was in the old days when a

terrorist had to go to Florida to take nal-

approach training.

Distance Education: A Discussion forTACT/TCFS/AAUP

by Allen Martin


16/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

16


TACT

Throughout this time of profes-

sional insouciance, their/our percentage

of the university/college work force be-

gan to nose dive. We are being overtaken

by all sorts of teachers and machines

that are not tenured and who will not be.

Years ago, when I was writing articles

for the AAUP, I became aware that most

of the University Professors werent.

Now, its not even close: where did theygo? You might say, replaced by junior

college faculty, and that would be sub-

stantially correct, but further, why would

someone pay university prices for a DE

course that is also offered at the local JC?

So, who cares if the professoriate

is on its way to being a curious memory?

I hope that you can think of many rea-

sons. One that some might miss is that it

is the professoriate that guarded against

the corporatization of the academy; i.e.,

we have been in the teaching and scholar-

ship business, not the money and power

business, ad are our modern administra-

tors. We kept the universities honest and

the students, too. Individual professors

still care, but they have lost the ability to

ght the good ght because their numbers

and power are ebbing. Today, we are be-

ing replaced by those who teach to greatnumbers of people via DE. At least this

used to be synchronous, now the latest

gimmick is to infuse the synchronous into

synchronous education modules. Oh, we

have come so far. The rub, dear Watson,

is that technology is not the issue: rather,

while you were gushing over gadgets,

your ilk was being bum rushed into the

side streets.

Can you believe that people are

still defending this stuff by talking about

the disabled? Let us count the puns: that

has always been a crutch, the excuse has

never had a leg to stand on: all in bad

taste you say; what do you have to say

about the shortchanging of genuine edu-

cated, deep thinking, the idea of advanc-

ing people onto higher planes (no, get the

spelling in your head)?

But there is point #2. The pur-

pose of distance education has always

been curious. What has driven DE? Why

have universities been so manic about

providing all this stuff? Lots of reasons,

but quality education is not one of them

(my Really Smart Classrooms TACT

Bulletin 200?). Why did your chancellor

say we have to spend tons of money on

this method of delivery? I mean, what

was really the driving motive? Competi-

tion perhaps, but why did the 1957 Chevy

have ns, why were those bigger the next

year and the year after? Well, I submit

that it was not crippled people or frivolity

but huge money and power, the perennial

driving forces. Where is it going to come

from? At last, the answer: You. You

have been an expensive trouble maker

or at least youve been put in the way.You want to be paid only a bit less than

administrators, you want AAUP right

and input, even shared governance. UT

Administrators scoff at the idea that there

is big money to be garnered by stealing

your lectures, but they are lying. Many

corporations and universities are awash in

money from lectures.

Distance Education

(contd.)


17/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

17


TACT

Such outrages had been building

up those cocky fellows of the 1960s

remember the epigram, The Huns are

not only at the gates but theyre inside the

university, and theyve got tenure! The

answer was to stop them dead; the death

was to be slow, but that was acceptable

to administrators. The endish plot was

to steal the brains of the scholars! Then,

once the administrators have the brains(in the can as the expression was a few

years ago), they could foresee running

universities without challenge and without

professorial expenses (except for those

whose research brings in big bucks), the

only expense that had to grow was money

for the administrative class.

Now, lets see how this works. I

made the quip land then months later itwas a New Yorker cartoon: a professor

comes home and tells the family he has

lost his job, replaced by his own lectures.

Thats the ticket. Get the professor to

teach a DE course; get the course, and

then adjuncts (cheap people) can be the

teachers of record (a pun there) again and

again. As I traveled the country talking

about these issues and was getting calls

from all over the country and the UK

(mainly through my article in AUTLOOK,UK, 2000), I heard the stories of dead

people teaching courses for years. This

is not so often painful to the bereaved

now, since this is not so commonly done

on public access TV, but the heirs make

no money off the pilfered lectures. The

popular administrative trick is to get a

hireling, get them to DE, then let them go.

This has been slightly difcult in the past,

because of professors rising to the aid of

the neophytes. When the only profes-

sors left are researchers with a course on

the side, they are unlikely to rise up and

defend the professoriate or the non-tenure

track faculty.

Yes, this is point #3, the intellec-

tual property policy; youre welcome. Butafter I worked on getting this going and

then my partner, Georgia Harper, put it in

lawyereeze, and it was approved by the

UT System and then adopted by every

university in the country (save one, that

I know of), faculty are still getting taken.

How is this? Well, the IP policy makes it

clear that if you create it, it is yours; but,

as I wrote in Intellectual Property Cov-

ers Distance Education, if You Work at It(ASA 8/18/01), you must not be a chump.

Professors are rarely chumps but they are

becoming rare. The pigeons are the young

chickadees, another sucker born every

minute. The administrator says that you

will teach a course by distance, sign here.

Most everyone does, thereby giving away

years of hard work and rights, heck, you

could be sued for using your own words

without a signed letter of permission.

Heres a brilliant solution: dont sign thecontract, keep your IP, better yet, refuse

to DE. The IP issue is huge: I spent three

days talking about it at the 1998 Summer

Workshop of the AAUP in Marquette,

MI, in the Upper Peninsula one summer.

(I looked forward to the relief from the

Texas sun the Uppers had 105 degrees

and no air conditioning!) The attendees

Distance Education

(contd.)


18/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

18


TACT

came to understand and embrace the IP

issue, but it took hours for them to fully

get it. Few faculty members, except the

few professors left in universities, will

ever take the time to learn the law and be

prepared to protect themselves. Thus, in

general, I think that We Are Doomed, to

cite Derbyshires book.

Turning now to the little problem,

point #4, that is obvious to all who have

any awareness of DE: It fosters grade in-

ation, that is, academic fraud. You have

not seen and talked with those distant peo-

ple, you dont know who took those tests

(in the cases I know about where the fac-

ulty member sits with the test takers, the

grades are vastly lower than when the tests

are taken remotely and without professo-

rial proctors). Who wrote those papers?Yes, we have good ways to see online pa-

pers, but it is expensive who pays for the

online papers that have to be bought in or-

der to prove that the students bought the

online papers? Moreover, there are many

other ways to have papers written by oth-

ers (one encyclopedia company has been

doing custom jobs for years). They, and

more and more faculty, do not care nearly

as much as they used to this is all part

of the corporate university. Again, keepin mind that DE is run by real corpora-

tions (they teach all subjects at all degree

levels), like the ones that had me be the

skunk at the picnic at Jackson Hole, 1997,

and legitimate universities (see Atlan-

tic Monthly, The Corporate University

rst made the general population aware

of what the modern American university

is mainly all about, i.e., make money off

the geese that lay the golden eggs and let

them go). Yes, corporations and universi-

ties are competing for mega-dollars: The

universities have whole ofces to scoff at

the idea that they are making a killing, but

the professoriate is dying and both corpo-

rations and universities are killing us.

Distance Education

(contd.)


19/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

19


TACT

Pictures from the Spring Conference

Image 2: Rob Robinson, Allen Martin.

Image 1: Peter Hugill, Mark Gaus, Debra Price, Lieutanant Governor

Dewhurst, Chuck Hempstead, Allen Martin, Gary Coulton.


20/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS

20


TACT

Key Election Dates 2010Oct. 4 Last day to register to vote in general election.

Oct. 18 First day of early voting in general election.

Oct. 29 Last day of early voting in general election

Nov. 2 General election.

Click here for more information on electionsSource: Texas Secretary of States Ofce

The James M. Puckett, Ph. D.Government Relations Fund

The TACT Dr. James M. Puckett, Ph.D. Government Relations Fund is a result of optional

contributions made by those committed to TACTs heightened public affairs program. It is

not used for candidate contributions, but is used for activities that will increase awareness of

TACT among inuences of public policy. Your contribution will assist in TACTs legislative

efforts to improve Texas higher education. All expenditures are approved in advance by TACTs

President, President-elect and Legislative Committee Chair.

Click Here to Contribute

Thank you to the following contributors

Gary Coulton

Jonathan Coopersmith

Mary DeShazo

Frank Fair

Clarke Garnsey

Chuck Hempstead

Elizabeth Lewandowski

Andrea Williams

George Parangimalil

Robert Strader

Debra Price
mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/index.shtmlhttps://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/grf?reset=1&id=1https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/grf?reset=1&id=1http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/index.shtmlmailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=


21/21

Contact us!


Austin, TX 78731

[email protected]

[p] (512) 873-7404

[f] (512) 873-7423

Cover Page

Index



Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas





Member Application

CONTENTS


TACT

Act Now...!

Final days to receive your $20

Amazon gift card when you join

TACT or refer a friend to join.

Offer ends May 31, 2010.

Visit www.tact.org, and join

TACT Today!
mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/membership?reset=1&id=3https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/membership?reset=1&id=3https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/membership?reset=1&id=3https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/membership?reset=1&id=3https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/membership?reset=1&id=3https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/membership?reset=1&id=3https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/membership?reset=1&id=3https://hempsteadassociates.com/tact/node/add/membership?reset=1&id=3mailto:tact%40bizaustin.rr.com?subject=

apr.may.jun10

Documents