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Dr. Kellie Alston | E-Learning & Faculty Development Consultant

@kelliealston

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Helping college faculty learn from one semester...
before designing the next.
↓ Follow "Dear Professor," to Hear Student Voices On Distance Learning

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Reflective practice is a significant part of your growth and development. Incorporate it into your life systematically and be amazed by the outcomes.

The Professor's Week in Review offers a systematic approach to digging deep, being mindful, and discovering truths. It allows you to focus on specific areas of your higher ed experience every single week.

All you have to do is make an appointment with yourself and commit to the process.

I'm inviting you to spend 16 weeks this fall using The WIRe Journal to assist you in developing a reflective practice routine.

Go to bit.ly/thewirejournal or tap on the link in my bio to access the paperback, hardcover, or digital download.

Make it a mindful semester!🥰

#professors
#collegeinstructors
#collegefaculty
#reflectivepractice by @kelliealston

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a year ago

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Season 3 of Dear Professor is on the way. ✨

Beginning September 23, you’ll hear from 13 students and former students whose experiences across higher education remind us that online learning is never just about logging in, submitting work, and moving on.

They remember what happened.
They know what helped.
They know what made learning harder.
And they have something to say.

New episodes begin Wednesday nights at 8 PM.

If you teach, design, support, or lead in higher education, I hope you’ll listen with an open mind and a willing heart.

Follow Dear Professor on your favorite podcast platform or subscribe to my YouTube Channel at bit.ly/kellieschannel so that you don't miss an episode.

Are you ready to hear what students have to say?

This is just half of the incredible guests who will grace us with their presence and online learning experiences--from associate to doctoral degrees--this season covers it all. 😉

#dearprofessor #onlinelearning #studentvoices #highered #collegestudents by @kelliealston

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2 months ago

If you are like me, this is the time of year when you start looking for that perfect wall calendar, desk calendar, planner, or journal in preparation for the new year.

If you are teaching college students in the upcoming semester, a must-have is The Professor's Week in Review: A Journal for Weekly Reflections on the Higher Ed Experience.

The journal provides 16 weeks of guided reflection along with a list of resources and checklists devoted to reflection on self-care, professional development, research interests, and faculty and committee meetings.

It is a helpful tool for incorporating mindfulness consistently so that you can be fully present in the moment, paying attention to your thoughts and feelings without judgment, thereby improving your mental well-being, and enhancing your focus and self-awareness.

Purchase your copy at B&N, Amazon, or Vervante.com. Go to bit.ly/drkelliealston or click the link in my bio.

Get a group discount when you order 10 or more from Vervante.😉

Make it a mindful semester! by @kelliealston

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3 years ago

When a group project doesn't start on the right foot, what are the chances that it will work out?

In this Remember the Time clip, Alison Beaman recalls a group project that did not go as planned, initially. Her story invites us to consider what students experience when asked to choose their group members.

These stories matter because online students can show us what helped them learn, what made learning harder, and what college faculty might otherwise miss. Join us on YouTube every Sunday as a new story unfolds.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel or follow Dear Professor on your favorite podcast platform. Turn on notifications so you know when each Remember the Time story airs.

▶️ bit.ly/kellieschannel

🎙 your favorite podcast platform

#groupprojects
#collegecourses
#dearprofessor

What has your experience with group projects been? by @kelliealston

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25 days ago

How is your week going, really?

It is September, and most colleges are already two to four weeks into the fall semester. The newness is beginning to wear off, the pace is picking up, and the weeks may already be blending together.

This is the perfect time to make reflection part of your weekly routine.

I created The Professor’s Week in Review because I needed this practice for myself.

As a lecturer, I was always noticing things: what worked, what felt difficult, what students seemed to need, what brought me joy, and what left me concerned. But during jam-packed weeks, those observations could easily disappear beneath the next assignment, meeting, email, or deadline.

I wanted a space separate from my lesson plans, grading, and professional responsibilities. I needed a private, safe place where I could tell the truth about my higher ed experience and record my observations, feelings, concerns, joys, hopes, and plans.

The journal gave me a way to pause, notice, and process.

Once I could see my experiences on the page, I could make more strategic decisions about what to continue, what to revise, and what I needed to release.

Perhaps you need that kind of space, too.

A guided journal with specific, open-ended questions can help you move beyond simply asking, “How was my week?” It invites you to look more closely at what happened, how it affected you, what you learned, and what you want to carry forward.

Journaling can support mindfulness, reveal your personal and professional growth, and give stress and anxiety somewhere healthy to go. Yes, sometimes you simply need to vent on paper! Over time, your journal also becomes a precious keepsake of your higher ed experience.

Imagine setting aside just 15 to 25 minutes each week with your journal, a cozy atmosphere, and your favorite beverage. That small ritual could become one of your most essential practices, a chance to slow down and smell the roses when the demands of the semester make you forget they are even there.

Don't have the journal? The links are in my bio.
🌟 bit.ly/thewirejournal
🌟 bit.ly/hardcoverwire

Make reflective practice intentional and amplify your personal and profession growth. by @kelliealston

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a month ago

I know it's the weekend and you need to lay your burdens down, but I promise that this activity is worthwhile.🤗

Before you move any further into the semester, pause and ask: Do I truly know who's behind this computer screen?

This weekend, complete the Learner Analysis Pie. Consider your students’ characteristics, motivations, training, and experiences. What you discover may reshape what you say, do, and plan next.

Save this carousel and begin your reflection. Then, watch Episode 7 of Reflective Reset Sundays on YouTube.

▶️bit.ly/kellieschannel

The link is also in my bio.

Have an incredibly fulfilling weekend!🥰

#FacultyDevelopment #OnlineTeaching #LearnerAnalysis by @kelliealston

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a month ago

Dear Professor is returning.

Season 3 begins September 23.

This season features 13 students and former students, 13 conversations, and experiences across higher education that deserve our attention.

They remember what happened.
They know what helped.
They know what made learning harder.
And they have something to say.

New episodes will premiere on Wednesdays at 8 PM, and I cannot wait to share these conversations with you.

If you work in higher education, I hope you’ll join me this season and listen closely.

Follow the podcast on your favorite platform or subscribe to my YouTube Channel so you never miss an episode.😉 And, please share it with at least three friends, relatives, or colleagues.🤗

▶️ bit.ly/kellieschannel by @kelliealston

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a month ago

Take several seats in your course.

It is time for the "If I Were a Student Course Walkthrough."

The walkthrough invites you to examine four areas that shape a student’s ability to move with confidence through your online course: Instructor Access, Roles, ART, and Navigation.

This is not an audit.

It is an opportunity to notice what is working and what may need to become stronger.

Swipe to take a seat.

Which area might reveal the most?

Join me on Episode 7 of Reflective Reset Sundays, a guided experience that helps you consider the ways you can help students take ownership of their learning.

See my stories or bio for the link.😉

My ▶️: bit.ly/kellieschannel.

#CollegeTeaching #ReflectivePractice #StudentEmpowerment by @kelliealston

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a month ago

Before you begin preparing for next week, take a moment to close this one.

Dim the lights, grab your journal, and join me on YouTube for the Cozy LoFi Guided Week-in-Review Reflection. You will be guided through different aspects of your week using prompts from The Professor’s Week in Review.

Pour your experiences, feelings, ideas, and concerns onto the pages.

No judgment. No outside opinions. Just you, your thoughts, and a quiet moment of reflection.

The room is yours.

See my bio for the link to this LoFi session. This session was created in honor of who you are and what you give each week to your students, your discipline, and yourself.💙 by @kelliealston

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a month ago

That assignment sitting in your grading queue may be telling you something you were never taught to look for.

So, before you grade another assignment, pause long enough to ask two questions.

The answers may change what you notice, what you conclude, and what you do next.

In Episode 6 of Reflective Reset Sundays, I invite college faculty to bring one piece of student work and a willingness to look beyond the obvious.

I know how "grade-centered" we are and I get it. I love an "A" just as much as the next person, but when you look beneath the surface, the grade isn’t the point.

The signal is.

Join me at 8 pm EST to watch “Before You Grade Another Assignment, Ask These Two Questions”.

I'm excited about this episode because this topic says more about how, why, and what we teach.😉

#ReflectivePractice #FacultyDevelopment #CollegeTeaching #Assessment #ReflectiveResetSundays by @kelliealston

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2 months ago

In Episode 4 of Reflective Reset Sundays, we will explore how your communication shaped the student experience.

Together, we will create a Communication Climate Check and reflect on three areas:

👁️ Announcements and email
💬 Instructional videos
➡️ Feedback

For each one, we will ask:

What did students notice?
What message did they receive?
What could I strengthen?

This is not about judging your past communication. It is about learning from it and choosing one practice to strengthen before you teach again.

Join me tomorrow, Sunday, August 16, at 8 p.m. ET on YouTube.

Bring your Reflective Reset Companion, a journal, or a blank sheet of paper....and a beverage. We take our time when we Reset.

▶️ Tap the link in my bio or visit bit.ly/kellieschannel.

#ReflectiveResetSundays #ReflectivePractice #FacultyDevelopment #OnlineTeaching #CollegeTeaching by @kelliealston

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2 months ago

Before another semester begins, take some time to consider a question we rarely stop long enough to ask:

How are students experiencing my presence through the way I communicate?

In Episode 4 of Reflective Reset Sundays, you won’t just hear me talk about communication. You’ll examine your own.

We’ll use the Communication Climate Check to look closely at three places where your presence travels through an online course:

👁️ Announcements and email
🎥 Instructional videos
💬 Feedback

For each one, you’ll reflect on three questions:

What did students notice?
What message did they receive?
What could I strengthen?

Then, I’ll give you five uninterrupted minutes to sit with the larger question:

How did my communication shape the student experience?

That reflection may help you recognize practices you want to keep, patterns you are ready to change, and opportunities to communicate your presence more intentionally this semester.

Before the announcements begin, the emails start arriving, and the grading piles up, give yourself this time.

Pause. Examine. Reflect. Reset.

🎥 Watch Episode 4 of Reflective Reset Sundays:
Tonight, 8 p.m. EASTERN at bit.ly/kellieschannel

Bring your favorite beverage, some blank paper, a journal, or your Reflective Reset Companion (see my bio). We take our time each week.😉

See you soon.

#ReflectiveResetSundays #CollegeFaculty #OnlineTeaching #FacultyDevelopment #ReflectivePractice by @kelliealston

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2 months ago