My name is Irene Knokh and I’m the EDUCAUSE ambassador for U-M.
Starting this month, I will provide articles of interest, upcoming trends, and generally be your advocate for EDUCAUSE.
Some EDUCAUSE highlights from March
Best career advice for women in IT
Have you ever said to yourself, “I wish I knew this or someone told me this?” Teri Abbo’s article is a mentoring piece for women in IT, and, for that matter, in any profession.
Teri is a participant of the EDUCAUSE Women in IT Community of Practice Group. She asked her colleagues, “What is the best piece of advice you ever received regarding your career/opportunities to help you achieve the position you are in now?” My paraphrases of some of the answers:
- Recognize your own contributions, or no one else will either.
- Create positive perceptions, and remember that you don’t need to prove everything you know when responding to talking points from colleagues. This part can be really difficult, especially if you’re struggling with impostor syndrome. Many of us have been there, and, once you step over that bridge, it becomes a little easier. I wish that I would have paid attention to this advice from my mentor years ago.
- Don’t try to be someone else. You are a professional; bring your own professional background to the table. YOU. Are. YOU.
- Observe other colleagues and leadership. Learn from them.
Read Teri’s blog for a complete discussion of wonderful insights from your IT colleagues.
Tech and human conversation: Creating rewarding videoconference meetings
Should I even ask if you are “Zoomed out” or “Teamed out?” Whatever web conferencing tool you use, there’s now a term for that cognitive overload: “Zoom Fatigue.”
Whether in person or online, there are times we are just exhausted from long meetings. Sometimes, there are dead silences, and those may be awkward. Willie Cross writes about being curious, what to do with these silences, and how to alleviate “Zoom fatigue.” Willie briefly discusses the research Jena Lee published in the Psychiatric Times on challenges with digital conferencing, especially if combined with general anxieties about the world we live in. Willie’s proposal to all these issues? “JFT. Just. Freaking. Talk.”
This idea is based on Jena’s article about getting people to open up to discuss a topic. Facilitating such a conversation takes skill, tact, and nuance, all are worth it to have your colleagues being engaged.
If your participants are feeling heard, this approach will work with both in-person and virtual meetings. Willie’s boss calls these talks “joint functional team sessions.” Try JFT at your next meeting or retreat.
Does it work? Drop me a line. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
The power of asynchronous video
A set of seven articles discusses the benefits of asynchronous video and provides specific guidance about how to effectively incorporate these tools to improve learning.
Read them for nuggets of wisdom – or validation that you’re doing this right.
Quick bites from March
Digital transformation discusses the process for planning for the future. Check out the EDUCAUSE roadmap.
EDUCAUSE has just released a new version of the Learning Space Rating System (LSRS) as campuses are working on transitioning from the pandemic. The LSRS “provides a set of measurable criteria to assess how well the design of classrooms supports and enables multiple modalities of learning and teaching, especially that of active learning.” Register for the free “quick talk” on April 9 to discuss the new version.
“See” you next month,
Irene
If you have any questions about the content, tidbits you’d like to share, or anything EDUCAUSE related, email me, Irene Knokh, instructional design and technology consultant, Professional Development and Education for Nursing, or Chris Eagle, EDUCAUSE coordinator for U-M.
