Rate Your Professors

When I was an undergraduate at Montclair State University in the late 1990's, people used to have entire binders of professor ratings. You would look to register for, say, and art class, and if you knew the right person, you could get a look at the binder of art professors and see who people liked. I ended up taking a class called Art Forum because it involved listening to speakers on art and writing a reaction paper each week. I always liked writing, so this wasn't too scary for me, and I figured seeing a new speaker each week would be interesting. Professor Lay was the instructor, and to this day I would recommend that course (if you didn't mind writing).

Anyway, the problem was you were at the mercy of knowing someone. Today, you don't have that issue, because of a site like RateMyProfessors.com. The site allows students to rate professors anonymously on Helpfulness, Clarity, and Easiness, on a scale of one through five.

For example, if you search for me there, you will find I currently have a 4.2/5.0 for helpfulness, 4.2/5.0 for clarity, and a 3.2/5.0 for easiness. I think these are fair assessments. I tell students the first day that tests include stuff from the book, even if I do not lecture on it, because my expectation is that you are reading the book.

Check me out there if you are really interested and see if your experiences match what other people say:
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=252178

Of course, as someone who has taught for 13 years, I have a lot of ratings. Professor Mosley has even more, due to his large class sizes. Someone who is in their first semester may not have any ratings.

Every time I show this in class I get a good laugh!

My Spring 2013 Semester Schedule

I can't believe it has been almost 6 months since I blogged. Writing certainly has taken up some of my free time!

Just wanted to post my Spring 2013 schedule. It looks like, as I write this, CIS-125-M02 and CIS-101-M13 are full, but there is plenty of room in the other classes so far!

CIS-101-M09	Computer Concepts & Applications	Tuesday, Thursday 11:45AM - 01:00PM
CIS-101-M13	Computer Concepts & Applications	Monday, Wednesday 11:45AM - 01:00PM
CIS-107-M01	IT Fundamentals & Applications	Monday, Wednesday 10:20AM - 11:35AM
CIS-125-M02	Microcomputer Software I	Tuesday, Thursday 10:20AM - 11:35AM
CIS-273-ME1 GD-273-ME1	Web Graphics	Thursday 07:05PM - 09:35PM
CIS-294-M01 GD-294-M01	CIS/GD Internship	Days/Times To Be Arranged with Employer

Fall 2012 Registration

If you haven't registered for the Fall 2012 semester, you can probably register online through Campus Cruiser.

However, if you cannot, or if you would prefer someone works with you, you can also register in person. I will be doing in-person registration at the campus in Passaic, NJ (2 Paulison Ave, Passaic) at the following times:
Tuesday, August 28: 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Thursday, August 30: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

In my experience, the lines at the Passaic campus are usually much shorter than the Paterson gym registration is, so if you can get to Passaic, it might save you some time.

In addition, for students in the Computer Science or Information Technology majors, if you want someone to double-check your schedule, please feel free to email me a copy of your degree audit and any questions you have.

Here is the College's official list of registration times and dates. Remember the Fall semester starts September 5th!
http://www.pccc.edu/registration-info/times2register

The End of Another Semester

So, the semester comes to an end again, a group of students moves on, and a new group prepares for the Spring semester.

Back in the stone ages of the 1990's, when I was in college, some fraternities used to carry around books containing teacher ratings. Of course, nowadays, it is much easier on the Internet. I love the idea behind ratemyprofessor.com - this is a free site that does not require signing up, and it allows you to anonymously post ratings for your professors.

Of course, there are always students who dislike certain professors who everyone else loves, but the more ratings a professor receives, the more accurate you would assume the rating is.

In terms of positives in my class, I know I have a passion for the material and I do try very hard to make it something students can relate to. I also try to encourage dialog in the classroom, and make it safe for students to ask questions. I also try to be entertaining and avoid using the PowerPoint presentations. Sometimes students don't like that teaching style. I also know some students dislike that they need to read the book, be on time to class, and turn work in on time. Personally, I feel like timeliness is critical one students transition to the business world, so I choose to emphasize these things in my classroom.

It's a great site, and here are links directly to my ratings pages:

Ratemyprofessor for me (Passaic)

Ratemyprofessor for me (Bergen)

Spring 2012 Semester Schedule

I am in the process of figuring out my Spring 2012 schedule. Of course, my schedule is up in the air until we are certain some classes will run. For the moment, here is what I know.

Definitely mine:
CIS 125 M02 (Microcomputer Software I): Tue/Thu 10:20 AM to 11:35 AM Paterson Campus
CIS 273 ME1/GD 273 ME1 (Web Graphics): Thu 7:05 PM to 9:35 PM
CIS 294 M01/GD 294 M01 (CIS Internship): Times TBA

Probably mine:
CIS 101 P01 (Computer Concepts and Applications): Mon/Wed 10:20 AM to 11:35 AM Passaic Campus
CIS 101 P02 (Computer Concepts and Applications): Mon/Wed 8:55 AM to 10:10 AM Passaic Campus

Here's where it gets complicated. If the CIS 125 P01 runs at Passaic, that will probably be mine, but if it does not, then I may get one of any number of classes.

At Bergen:
INF 163 001 (Internet Concepts and Applications): Mon/Wed 3:55 PM to 5:50 PM Paramus Campus

PCCC Surplus Sale

Every few years, PCCC does a surplus sale, where they get rid of all their old equipment. Outdated computers, desks, and other stuff are made available for very low prices. Last time they did this, one of my friends bought 10 older computers for his mosque for $6 each, with the intention of putting Linux on them. If you can get here early for it, it is a nice opportunity. Students are given priority, so if you get here between 10 am and noon the first day, you will only be competing with other students.


They have the surplus sale in the parking lot of the Community Technology Center (218 Memorial Drive, Paterson), right by the intersection of Memorial and Market.

Even if you are not a PCCC student, it is open to the public noon to 3 on Wednesday, and 10 to 3 on Thursday. Here's the info:


DATES: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 and Thursday, October 13, 2011
TIME:  10:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M.

On Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon it will be open to students with a valid ID only. Open to the public after 12:00 noon on Wednesday and all day on Thursday.

PCCC Registration Fall 2011

For all my PCCC students - I hope you have registered at this point, but if you have not, it's okay. Registration is going on right now. Of course, in the interest of getting people registered, they generally have a large gym registration in Paterson. If you are a student with a major, you can request to see someone specifically. I generally can only give very basic advice to Criminal Justice majors, and I am sure the Criminal Justice department doesn't know the IT program as well as I do. The Center for Student Success also has a number of qualified people, but there is no way anyone could know every nuance to every single program the college offers, let alone what schools our programs transfer to, etc.

If anyone in the IT or Computer Science majors saw someone outside of the major for registration, you can always come see any of the faculty members in-person. I personally will be at the Wanaque campus from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Monday the 29th, and again at the Wanaque campus on Wednesday the 31st from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Our other faculty members (Professors Atshan, Bamkole, Siegel, and Yip) will be in the gym in Paterson at various times, so you could go in and see one of them.

I'd say it is always better to ask if you are unsure, rather than end up stuck with a schedule that holds you back.

Evolution

My semester is now officially over. I have from now until September off, and then I will be teaching six courses in the Fall 2011 semester (my complete Fall schedule is linked here). I got to thinking about the last year, and how it has changed me as a professor. Here are some of the things I learned this year.

1. Teaching less classes yields better results. I have in the past had a tendency to take on a very heavy load, and only teaching two courses a semester has left me with more energy to get in to the classroom. 
2. There is a better way to teach application software. This was inspired by one of my students in INF 101, Kevin. Teaching application software in introductory computing classes is difficult, because of the different levels of students. I've tried to teach this a number of ways. First I would lecture and leave the computers open, which led to people not paying attention. I feel like my job is to structure a lesson to promote the maximum possible learning, so I did not like that. I then tried using hardware to lock the computers and offer class time to work on things, but as soon as I stop lecturing students seem to disappear. I then moved to a model where I first demonstrate the software (with the computers locked), and use ungraded groupwork to practice (with two students sharing one machine to prevent drifting), and then assign an individual case problem to students. This seems to work well, but in the CIS 101/INF 101 courses, there is never enough time to leave for that groupwork. Kevin inspired me to try something different, so I combined groupwork and lecture for Access and PowerPoint this semester. I would lecture and demonstrate, and the groups would follow along. It gives the advanced students a chance to teach, and what better way to reinforce skills than by teaching? It gives less advanced students more individualized attention, since they are more likely to ask a peer a question. Finally, it keeps everyone focused on the work. I really liked how this turned out and I will use it in the future in certain classes.
3. Electronic tests have many advantages. At PCCC, I never really investigated giving tests on hte computer. We have a campus portal (which allows students to submit assignments, allows faculty to share files, etc.). This portal does not allow students to take tests online. We also have WebCT, which is primarily used for online classes at PCCC, but is available for regular classes. I may continue to use the portal for assignments, and use WebCT for tests. It's convenient, ends up with less mistakes (and no true/false answers that look like a combination of the letter T and F), and saves me from reading handwriting for essays. Bergen has a software tool called Respondus LockDown browser, which allows me to prevent students from using the Internet and other electronic files. This tool works both in WebCT (which we used this year) and Moodle (which we are moving to). At PCCC, I don't think we will have the software, but I can use the monitoring software we have in our classrooms in Hamilton Hall.
4. Open book tests work. I always was sort of against open book tests, but I tried it this year, and I see similar results to non-open book tests. The trick I never caught on to is a time limit of 45 seconds to one minute per multiple choice/true false/completion question. With a strict time limit, looking up every answer is near impossible, and students still need to prepare for the tests. Even better, if they know it is open notes, they may take the time to really organize their notes. Organizing notes requires students to re-read the notes, review them, and even look up things they are not familiar with. This is a good thing. I found the standard deviation and average for the open book tests were similar to tests I've given in the past. Anecdotally, I feel like this gives students with a good work ethic an advantage over students who come in to the class with some knowledge.
   
5. I can kill less trees. I generally would create and print assignment sheets for every assignment I give out, and run off copies. I would also make those descriptions available electronically. I did everything electronically this year in my INF 163 course, and it went well. I figure students can print things manually if they would like a copy.
6. Doing textbook supplement authoring is kind of fun. Since I had so much time on my hands, I did some freelance textbook supplement authoring. I've done test banks, PowerPoint presentations, scorecards (rubrics), lesson plans, and book reviews. I've actually had some fun doing this, and I may pick up a small project or two. 
7. Sign language interpreters have a tough job.  I had one deaf student each semester, and in a technical course, it becomes difficult for the interpreters to keep up. I have a tendency to throw out all sorts of technical terms and abbreviations, and interpreters are experts in translation, not in technology. In addition, there are many technical terms that need to be fingerspelled (in which the interpreter spells it one letter at a time). Bergen actually had a grant to provide signers for students, so they sent a team of two signers to every class, and paid a student notetaker. Even with that, there were challenges. For example, Bergen's INF 101 course has podcast and video assignments, and the publisher hadn't made accommodations for deaf students. The college allowed the interpreters to work with the student in an open lab, and the publisher did eventually provide transcripts and captioning. It was a learning experience for me, to be certain.

All in all, I think being taken out of my comfort zone has led to growth, and for that, I am grateful. I look forward to returning to PCCC, evolved.

Fall 2011 - What I'm Teaching

I've got my tentative Fall schedule set up. I figured I would pass it along.

At PCCC - Passaic Campus
CIS-101-P02 Computer Concepts and Applications
Monday, Wednesday 8:55AM - 10:10AM

CIS-101-P01 Computer Concepts and Applications
Monday, Wednesday 10:20AM - 11:35AM

At PCCC - Paterson Campus
CIS-152-ME1 Internet/E-Commerce Technologies
Thursday 7:05 PM - 9:35 PM

CIS-170-M01 Website Design and Tools
Tuesday, Thursday 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

CIS-290-M01 Database Fundamentals
Tuesday, Thursday 10:20AM - 11:35AM

At Bergen CC - Paramus Campus
INF-163-001 Internet Concepts and Applications
Monday, Wednesday 3:55 PM - 5:50 PM

Out of Office Message and Privacy Risks

I remember as a child my parents used to have an answering machine.  For those of you too young to remember those, they were basically like voicemail, except they plugged in to the wall.  I remember at some point my parents changed the message from "we are not home right now" to "we can't take your call right now".  I remember the explanation was that if you said "we are not home right now", a criminal would know you weren't home, but the other message might give them pause.  My parents did not lock the doors, by the way, so I do not think an answering machine message would deter them.  I suppose I can see not wanting to say "we are out of the country from June 1 through June 10", but do you really confuse criminals by saying "we can't take your call right now"?  I guess I never felt like it would be a deterrent.

The reason this came to mind is because as I mentioned I am going to be away from PCCC next year.  I am considering what to do with my out of office message.  By putting one out there, there is a slight risk of that information being used against the College.  A smart social engineer could in theory find a way to leverage that information.  However, the alternative is to check my work email, and I am in theory not supposed to when I am on leave.

We use Microsoft Exchange.  This will allow me to put up an out of office message.  I have the choice to reply only to people in the same domain (@pccc.edu) or only to people outside our domain (everyone else), or simply everyone.  Most people would just put up an out of office message saying to contact their department chair, but the problem is that by doing so, I open up two accounts for spam.  If a spammer sends an email that gets past the email filters, they will get a reply not only showing my email is active, but also giving the spammer my department chair's email address. 

I could also make it a little more complicated, for example, say email
person at pccc dot edu
(which would of course translate to person@pccc.edu)
...but some people would get confused with this.

Making matters more complicated is that I have some business contacts that I would like to be able to contact me.  If I want them to be able to find me, I should probably provide some sort of email address for them to use to contact me.  So, the end result is going to be me setting up a new email account, to protect my home account from spam, and an added risk to both my email address and my department chair's email address.

Now, to figure out what this message should say...

Leave

I know I announced this in some of my classes, but I wanted to make a public mention of this.  I will be taking a leave of absence from PCCC next year.  Since I am tenured, this is not an end, but rather a chance for me to take some time and recharge. The College has supported me in this, so I thank them for that.

My plan is to return in the Fall 2011 semester.  I still plan on updating this blog and being around, and of course I will be at graduation this year (and next year).

10/SP Grades

I am always happy to see technology make things easier for people.

I remember when I first adjuncted a class in 2001, my students wanted to receive their grades.  They told me it took them weeks to get the information from the College.  I was happy to email the grades to them, but this being 2001, many of them did not have email (and the College didn't buy a portal until 2004 or so).

It used to be that we would have to fill out paperwork, send that paperwork to another office, and then that office would manually enter this information in to the computer.  Yes, I would take my electronic files, turn them in to paper copies, and then have someone else turn the paper copies in to electronic copies in the College's database.  Then someone would print letters, put them in envelopes, and put them in the mail, and a month later, students would get their grades.

Now, it's all electronic.  When I enter grades, the Registrar's Office just hits a button and students can access their grades.

I sent grade information in for all my classes by Wednesday of this week, so at this point, all students are able to see their Spring 2010 grades.  Two days to get grades...we have come a long way since it took a month to get them.

I think most of our professors assume you know how to get the grades (this is what a College Experience course should teach you, among other things).  If you do not, you can find the information on the College's Web site:
http://pccc.edu/prospective/registration/grades

PCCC Emergency Alert System

School was canceled today (Saturday 2/6) due to the predicted snow.  It's always interesting when they cancel school and that predicted snow never materializes.  I am reposting information about the school's emergency alert system, the "Panther Alert". 

Basically (and of course, this was partially in response to the shootings at Virginia Tech a few years back), the school has an automated system that will alert you to school closings and other emergencies via phone, email, and text. You can specify up to 6 phone numbers (cell, home, work), two email addresses, and a cell phone for text messages.

Link to Full Instructions

Short version of instructions: if you log in to your school portal account in Campus Cruiser, you would click on the tab at the top labeled "Panther Alert". Click on that. Log in using your school email address - username@pccc.mailcruiser.com and your student ID number.

PS - remember your email is @pccc.mailcruiser.com - not @pccc.edu.

Late Registration Date and Times

For those of you who are current students, the late registration times and dates.  If you have not registered yet, these will be the last dates you can register for the Spring 2010 semester and not miss any classes.

Main Campus, Wanaque and Passaic
Jan 14, 15        1:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Jan 16              9:00 am – 12 noon
Jan 19             11:00 am - 7:00 pm

If anyone wants to see me for advisement in person, I will be at the PASSAIC campus during the following times:
Thursday, January 14 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Friday, January 15 from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM

My Spring 2010 Schedule

Here is my current schedule for the 10/SP semester. I will be teaching the following courses:

CIS-101-M10 COMPUTER CONCEPTS/APPLIC (Paterson - Intensive Writing)
Tuesday, Thursday 11:45AM - 01:00PM

CIS-125-P01 MICROCOMPUTER SOFTWARE I (Passaic Campus)
Monday, Wednesday 11:45AM - 01:00PM

CIS-152-M01 INTERNET/E-COMMERCE TECH. (Paterson)
Tuesday, Thursday 10:20AM - 11:35AM

CIS-273-ME1 WEB GRAPHICS (Paterson)
Thursday 07:05PM - 09:35PM, HAMILTON HALL, Room H307

CIS-294-M01 CIS INTERNSHIP (Paterson)
To be Announced

I will also be coordinating the Web Technology capstone course.  There seems to be an issue with the section numbers at the moment, so I didn't want to post the incorrect section number.

Spring 2010 Registration

The school has posted the Spring 2010 semester on the school Web site.  You can go to pccc.edu and click on the "Course Schedule" link.  Click on "Credit Course Schedule", and then you can select "Spring 2010" as the term.  Registration starts next week, and I would highly recommend getting in as soon as possible to do your schedule - this way, you get the best possible schedule.

The first step in this process, if you have chosen a major, really should be to see a faculty advisor in your major, rather than someone from the Center for Student Success.  The reason is that the counselors in the Center are really typically generalists - that is, they have a general knowledge of all the programs at the school, but typically aren't experts in them.  With all the programs available at the College, who can blame them!

Instead, you should see a faculty advisor.  For example, in the Business major, there are three choices for the math elective.   Some transfer to certain schools better than other schools, and realistically, the faculty in the major (in this case, Professors Cox or Gheorghiu) will know these details because they are the ones who typically do the transfer agreements with the four-year colleges and universities.  In addition, the faculty are typically more in tune with what courses are offered in what semesters, and how pre-requisites may hold you back.  Plus, on a personal note, it's really a great chance for me as a faculty member to work directly with students.

You can see any faculty member in your major, and I would recommend seeing a faculty member for advising now, even if you don't plan on registering yet.  This way, if you do end up registering late, you don't have to worry about getting bad advising during late registration.

For the Information Technology, Computer Science, or Graphic Design majors, you can typically see me, and as always, my office hours are linked near the top left hand side of my blog.

Fall 2009 Transfer Events

One of the things you should be thinking about NOW as a PCCC student is transfer. You don't want to wait until the last moment. The Center for Student Success brings in representatives from four-year colleges and universities, and has other events designed to help you with transfer. As Paterson is our main campus, most of the events will be held there.

Here is the email I just received about this. For our IT majors graduating this semester, I would highly recommend the NJIT Immediate Decision Days. You sit with a representative and get an answer on the spot about whether you are accepted or not. You need to make an appointment beforehand, however.

Transfer Advising Groups
Would you like to know more about the transfer process? Attend a Transfer Advising Group session! The Transfer Advising Groups are held in the Center for Student Success, A-230. No need to sign up in advance. For more information, call Liz Harrison, Student Development and Transfer Specialist at 973-684-5664.

Monday, October 5, 12:00pm
Tuesday, October 13, 5:00pm
Wednesday, October 21, 12:00pm
Thursday, October 29, 5:00pm
Just have a quick question about your transfer application? Stop by the Center for Student Success on Wednesdays from 3:30-6:30pm, or Thursdays from 10:30-11:30am, ask to see the Transfer Specialist. If appropriate, you may be asked to schedule an appointment to discuss more detailed questions.

University Transfer Admission Information Sessions
Get the facts directly from the source. These sessions are led by admissions representatives who are experts on the transfer admission requirements for their institutions. Everyone is welcome and advance sign-up is not necessary.

Caldwell College
September 22, 11:00am-2:00pm, Broadway Lobby
November 2, 11:00am-2:00pm, Broadway Lobby

College of Saint Elizabeth
September 29, 4:00-7:00pm, Broadway Lobby
October 20, 4:00-7:00pm, Broadway Lobby

New Jersey Institute of Technology
November 3, 11:00am-3:00pm, Broadway Lobby

Historically Black Colleges and Universities College Fair!
November 17, 2009
8:30am-12:30pm
PCCC Gymnasium
Paterson Campus

Gather admission and scholarship information from over 40 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Many colleges will be waiving their admission application fees if you apply at the fair. This is a very special opportunity to learn more about these prestigious institutions. See Liz Harrison, Transfer Specialist in the Center for Student Success, if you have questions about the fair.


Transfer Admission Immediate Decision Programs
For students with 40 or more completed college level credits, Spring 2010 admission only. Students with scheduled appointments will meet with a university admissions representative, have their application reviewed, and receive an admission decision on the spot. The programs are held in the Center for Student Success at the main campus in Paterson.

University Interview Date Time
Montclair State University November 4, 2009 11:00am-2:00pm and 4:00-6:00pm

NJIT November 9, 2009 11:00am-2:00pm
November 19, 2009 3:00-6:00pm

NJCU October 14, 2009 11:00am-1:00pm
November 18, 2009 11:00am-1:00pm

Rutgers-Newark November 10, 2009 12:00-6:00pm

William Paterson University November 2, 2009 2:00-6:15pm

PCCC's CWE and you

PCCC has a requirement that, before you graduate, you successfully pass the College Writing Exam, or CWE (formerly GWE). I am about to mention this in my classes, so I wanted to type up what I am going to say here to share.

First of all, you don't need to wait until your last semester. As a matter of fact, it is advisable that you do not. Why? If you do not pass the CWE, you don't graduate. You will notice it is listed as a requirement on your degree audit.

Secondly, they give you two hours. Many students assume that two hours is there in case they need it, but the expectation is that you are using that time not only to write, but also to plan and revise your work! There is no harm in taking 15 minutes to outline, then writing, and then re-reading it and editing, and since you can take it on the computer, you can cut and paste bits and pieces, delete, etc.

The school has set up some free CWE preparation workshops that are free, and you can find information on them here:
CWE Workshops

Fall schedule updates

I had a minor change to my Fall 2009 schedule. I will be teaching a regular CIS 101 course CIS 101 M09 instead of the CIS 101 learning community course. If you have friends in CIS 101 M09 you can feel free to warn them to get out now.

Original Post with my Fall schedule

How to Avoid Me in the Fall 2009 Semester

I've received a few student emails lately asking which courses I am teaching in the Fall. Oddly enough, some of these have come from students I do not know, which I always take as a high compliment.

As far as I know, here is my Fall schedule. The reason I say "as far as I know" is because any of the other full-time faculty members in my department always have the right to bump me from a class if they want to.

CIS-101-M09 Comp Concepts/Applic (this is updated as of 8/6/09)	Tuesday, Thursday 11:45AM - 01:00PM
CIS-125-W01 MICROCOMPUTER SOFTWARE I (Wanaque Campus)	Monday, Wednesday 11:45AM - 01:00PM
CIS-152-ME1 INTERNET/E-COMMERCE TECH.	Tuesday, Thursday 05:40PM - 06:55PM
CIS-290-M01 DATABASE FUNDAMENTALS	Tuesday, Thursday 10:20AM - 11:35AM
CIS-294-M01 CIS INTERNSHIP	To Be Scheduled
CIS-295-M03 CAPSTONE PROJECT (Web Technology)	To Be Scheduled
CIS-295-M04 CAPSTONE PROJECT (Business Technology)	To Be Scheduled