It has been a long time since I’ve posted to this blog. In April or May, we put my PhD on hold for 8 months so that I can care for my mother, who at the time was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer. I lived with her most of the time, with a couple of short trips back to California to deal with my health issues, until she passed away on July 1st. Then we spend a couple of weeks trying to get her house and affairs in order. Since my dad passed almost 2 years ago, we are now in need of dealing with the estate. In many ways it isn’t that complicated, but still it is time consuming.
I did do some academic professional development last week. I attended the week long Project LEAD Institute sponsored by the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC). I learned a lot about the science around breast cancer as well as how different types of research are done. I’m particularly fascinated with epidemiology – it is a field that is exploding with access to new electronic data sources.
This fall I’ll be teaching two classes at uMass-Boston: (1) Foundations in instructional design and learning technology, and (2) The design and instruction of online courses. It will be great to set students up for success in the program in the first course, and then see them again towards the end of their degree in the second course. I’m also looking forward to wrapping my brain around the latest trends in instructional design and online learning. Right now I’m feel a little out of touch – but I suspect that will change pretty quickly once I get back to some semblance of normalcy.
If you have any suggestions for the latest trends in learning technology – what the hot tools of today – I’d be happy to hear your suggestions. What tools to you use in your teaching?
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