Episode description

September is a great time to look at our syllabi, course designs, our delivery strategies, and our degree programs with fresh eyes.  Often, when we undertake this kind of review, we tend to focus on what’s missing, what doesn’t work.

Carey Borkoski of Johns Hopkins University and Brianne Roos of Loyola University - Maryland make the case for a different approach in a recent paper, published in Impacting Education, entitled “Listening to and Crafting Stories:  Cultivating Activism in Online Doctoral Students.” By using what Carey and Brianne call “deficit-free language,” teachers can see what is actually happening in their classroom, school or college, campus or district, rather than focusing on lack. As a result, these educators can advocate for change.

In this episode, conversation, Dan and Kieran learn how their guests have applied this strategic lens to academic advocacy as a key component of the online Doctor of Education program at Johns Hopkins, how it has been received by their students and colleagues, and how they plan to build on what they’ve learned along the way.

We also want to learn from our listeners! If you have an innovative online program, or a creative approach to teaching in a virtual classroom, we'd love to hear about it. And if you have questions about teaching online we want to hear those, too.  Leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/wiredivyor send an email to wiredivypodcast@gmail.com.