I am a fan of articulating learning objectives or expected learning outcomes. (They are outcomes once they’ve happened. Expected outcomes or objectives when you start.) Articulating clearly what you expect students to learn as a result of taking your course can benefit students. It makes it easier … [Read more...] about On defining learning objectives
Academic citizenship & getting better at saying no
There are a lot of tasks that when done well no one even notices. They are essential to the smooth running of your department, institution, and scholarly association, and yet they are often invisible. Even if doing the actual tasks gets some recognition, thinking about what needs to be done and … [Read more...] about Academic citizenship & getting better at saying no
Before you can say no …
It’s all well and good for people to tell you “You need to get better at saying no” but there are lots of good reasons saying no is difficult. Even the people giving you that advice aren’t very good at hearing no when it’s them asking you to do things. The upside of the autonomy you have in … [Read more...] about Before you can say no …
Your colleagues aren’t any better at saying no than you are
Do you struggle to prioritize and set boundaries? Do you have so much to do that some of the most important things are not getting the time and attention they need? Has someone advised that you need to get better at saying no? Are you wondering how the hell you do that without becoming a Selfish … [Read more...] about Your colleagues aren’t any better at saying no than you are
Setting boundaries
One of the elements of a good plan is boundaries. Boundaries enable you to juggle your various different responsibilities without having too many balls in the air at once. According to the OED the term boundary has the sense of both the thing which serves to mark the limits of something and the … [Read more...] about Setting boundaries
