Tag: academic

#AcWri, #AcWriMo, #AcWriSummer, #HEdigID, Higher Education, highered

#HEdigID Chat No. 5: Renew, Refresh, Reboot, Restart Your Academic Writing with Janet Salmons (@einterview) #AcWri

Laura Pasquini

Hello Summer! This year, I am committing to my own projects, design, developments, and ACADEMIC WRITING (#AcWri)! That’s right. I’ve opted to NOT instruct any courses during the summer term. This is a first since I started my faculty career (Fall 2014). This is also an intentional choice. Things are building up and projects need to be completed. I decided this summer will be dedicated to completing ALL THE THINGS! This includes research projects in-progress (data collection, cleaning, coding, and analysis) and getting these to the right publication outlets and avenues.

So based on these goals and writing objectives, I’m thrilled to kick off this summer with a timely Higher Ed Digital Identity (#HEdigID) Chat:

#HEdigID Chat TOPIC: Renew, Refresh, Reboot, Restart Your Academic Writing

This Friday, June 8th the #HEdigID chat will be moderated (MOD) by Janet Salmons (@einterview) to sort out these forgotten or neglected academic writing (#AcWri) projects. This ALL DAY conversation will be hosted on Twitter with the hashtag: #HEdigID and via this OPEN Google doc: http://bit.ly/hedigid5

Do you have goals to get working on a writing project this summer? Are you changing your career goals, and this requires getting a few publications out the door? OR, if you have a writing project you’ve pushed to the side or you have neglected — then this #HEdigID chat is FOR YOU (and me).

“Academic writing includes more moving parts than other types, meaning we have more excuses for setting aside an unfinished piece of work.” ~ Janet Salmons

With a number of things to consider (e.g. updates to your literature review, methods for analysis, or even outlets to publish), you might just need this #HEdigID chat to get you to return to your own writing piece. Whether you are feeling excited or overwhelmed with your own academic writing, come join the online discussion to share what YOU hope to accomplish for your summer writing goals.

Here are the QUESTIONS you will see appear on Twitter and in the Google doc for your responses TODAY (June 8th) for this #HEdigID ALL-DAY digital chat:

  1. Please introduce yourself. Feel free to include: Where are you located? Where you work and/or your role? What you’re writing and working on these days? AND/OR Tell us your favorite place to write! #AcWri #AcWriChat
  2. Tell us about a writing project that you have left behind, let go, or let die. How long ago? What got in the way or prevented you from finishing this #AcWri project?
  3. Describe what kind of writing project are you trying to revive. What is this #AcWri project? Thesis/dissertation? Article? Chapter or book? Report or other professional writing? Please share!
  4. Is it time to revive this writing project? Reflect on your #AcWri purpose, in the context of your goals, do they match? E.g. Should this journal article now be a white paper report and/or blog post? Have you thought differently about a book chapter or book idea format?
  5. Let’s talk about updating this writing project: Is your literature review AND/OR your data out of date? What writing tasks, obstacles, and research will you need to work on to UPDATE this #AcWri piece?
  6. Does your writing PRACTICE or TOOLS need some updating to help you be productive with your project? What areas of writing practice support do you need? What #AcWri suggestions do you have for writers to be effective with their writing process?How will you commit to rebooting this academic writing project? What strategies and ideas do you have to be accountable to this #AcWri plan? Please share SUGGESTIONS and IDEAS for staying on track with this writing project revival!
  7. Final Thought (FT): What is one new SPARK or REASON you are inspired you to return to this academic writing project? What will drive you to prioritize this #AcWri project and commit to finishing it this time?

Converse with us? Join in discuss these questions and more! How to participate:

  • Tweet your response with the hashtag: #HEdigID

  • Share more in this Google Doc: http://bit.ly/hedigid5

  • Use these questions to draft your own personal reflection and response (e.g. blog post, video, audio, drawing or offline discussion)

  • Lurk and learn!

 

Update June 12, 2018:

ARCHIVE of the Tweets from this #HEdigID Chat

Follow-up blog post from the #HEdigID MOD, @einterivew: Keeping Writing Projects Alive

#AcDigID

Social Scholarship: Being a Digital Academic #AcDigID

Laura Pasquini

In thinking about scholarship today, I can certainly see how the web has influenced and impacted an academic’s professional life. Greenhow and Gleason (2014) outline the impacts of social scholarship using Boyer’s (1990) four dimensions of scholarship: discovery, integration, teaching, and application. In the social media age of academics, there are a couple of key questions that still need to be examined (Greenhow & Gleason, 2014, p. 1):

  • What is scholarship reconsidered in the age of social media?

  • How ought we to conceptualize social scholarship —a new set of practices being discussed in various disciplines?

Whether faculty are reluctant or embrace social media in their work life, it is apparent our institutions are not directing these online initiatives. Both policies and programs to support graduate students, researchers, and scholars have not met the needs of this growing social scholarship integration (Greenhow & Gleason, 2014). Social and digital spaces are thriving in academia. Academic social networks are on the rise and there are a number of reasons why scholars use social media and digital resources (Van Noorden, 2014). In thinking about how scholars interact and participate on social media, there are increasing considerations and questions faculty have about engaging/being online. Although I wish there was an “app for that” as an easy solution for an academic (see below), I think it takes some thought and intentionality for identifying and developing social/digital scholarship.

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Image: Handy Academic Apps by PhD Comics

In the upcoming, Developing Your Social Media and Digital Presence for Faculty, Researchers, and Scholars (#AcDigID) online workshop, I hope to dig into digital identity development, discuss open and shared practices on social media, and share challenges and affordance being a networked academic. Whether you are a faculty who teaches online, face-to-face, or in blended learning environments, an early career scholar, or seasoned researcher — this workshop might be for you if you are interested in crafting your digital identity and interested in being part of a networked community of academics online. [Note: Future iterations of this OLC online workshop in 2017 will be targeted towards practitioners and administrators in higher education.]

OVERVIEW OF THE WORKSHOP: What does your online identity look like today? Have you Googled yourself lately? In academia, it is becoming increasingly vital to publish and share your teaching, service, and research scholarship. Besides developing an online presence and utilizing social media for professional development, faculty, researchers, and early career scholars are actively utilizing open and digital channels to enhance their instruction, share research findings, and find support in a community of connected scholars. Scholars are using online networks to share syllabi, ask questions for research needs, solicit support for peer review, and be part of the sharing economy for research impacts. In this workshop, we will explore meaningful ways to craft an active, online persona that includes using social media and other digital resources for teaching, service, and research in academia.

Learning Objectives

  • Evaluate social media and digital platforms for faculty development, connected scholarship, and to enhance research impact.
  • Establish effective strategies for developing an online digital identity within the open, networked community online.
  • Outline the benefits and challenges of open and digital scholarship, specifically with regards to social media and other networked platforms.

This is an asynchronous, week-long online workshop which will begin on a Monday (1/23) and end on the following Sunday (1/29).  If you want a look at the #AcDigID workshop agenda, here is the outline for short-course:

  • Why Does Social & Digital Identity Matter in Academia?
    • Getting started, digital identity development, and state of scholars online
  • The Tools of the Digital Academic Trade: Social Media
    • Twitter, hashtags, blogging, podcasting, LinkedIn, and more!
  • Being a Connected and Digital Scholar
    • Digital research impact and influence: ORCID iD, Academia.edu, ResearchGate, etc.
  • Openness in Academia: Benefits & Challenges
    • Working “in the open”  and the tension between benefits & challenges of online
  • Building Your Social and Digital Presence Online
    • Creating your own space and place for scholarship
  • Developing Your Digital Academic Identity
    • Bonus: Ways to aggregate and showcase your digital academic self

Dates Offered: January 23-29, 2017; Registration Page (to sign up)

To prepare for the workshop ahead, I am adding articles, resources, and suggestions. If you are an academic who is/was on social media, academic networking sites, or just online – please consider sharing your #AcDigID ADVICE and KNOWLEGE below:

  • ADD TO THE TWITTER LIST: Are you on the“Academics Who Tweet” Twitter list? I would like to get a variety of scholars from all disciplines and areas in higher education. Let me know if YOU or someone else should be added.
  • USE the #AcDigID Workshop HASHTAG this week to introduce yourself, say hello, share resources, or offer advice. I am encouraging learners to follow, read, and use this same hashtag during the week of January 23-29, 2017.
  • TELL YOUR #AcDigID STORY: Interested in coming to talk about your #AcDigID development? How did you become a networked academic? Why do you participate in networked, online communities higher ed? Let me know – happy to have you join during our #AcDigID Online, Synchronous Meeting on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 from 12-1 pm CST. [Drop me a DM on Twitter: @laurapasquini]
  • PARTICIPATE & TWEET during the #AcDigID Twitter Chat: Join us for the LIVE Twitter chat on Saturday, January 28, 2017  from 10-11 am CST.  Using the workshop hashtag, #AcDigID, I will moderate a Q&A 60-minute chat digging into the questions, challenges, and ideas/suggestions for being a networked scholar.

I look forward to seeing some of you in the OLC workshop, and others joining the #AcDigID online meeting (1/25), Twitter Chat (1/28) and contributing to the conversation using the #AcDigID workshop hashtag soon!

References:

Greenhow, C., & Gleason, B. (2014). Social scholarship: Reconsidering scholarly practices in the age of social media. British Journal of Educational Technology, 45(3), 392-402.

Van Noorden, R. (2014). Online collaboration: Scientists and the social network. Nature, 512(7513), 126-129.

#phdchat, Job Search, PhD

The Vitae: Brewing Academic Experience for Your CV

Laura Pasquini

A key part of the academic application is the vita. Since I mentioned I’m on the job market, a number of peers have asked me, what does my curriculum vitae (CV) look like? My response – it depends. It depends on the type of position – academic or nonacademic – and the institution. For the most part, I have a standard CV that I tailor for my applications and will update as I review my  academic job search spreadsheet o’ fun this week.

Screen Shot 2013-11-26 at 10.56.41 PM

Besides the cover letter, the vitae is probably the most important document for your academic job search. The vitae provides a detailed, yet distinct, review of your academic experiences and background that is chronological, skill-based, and in a combination of formats.

Viva Vita Java

The CV is a presentation of you on paper (for the most part) that highlights your expertise and development as a scholar. Although the organization resembles a resume, a vitae does not have length restrictions and it focuses on your academic experiences (you may want to include non-academic information if it strengthens your CV, and this information is relevant and specific for your discipline):

A typical CV includes:

  • Your Information (e-mail, address, mobile, website, etc.)
  • Education (undergraduate and graduate school)
  • Dissertation information & faculty advisor (title, expected graduation, if ABD)
  • Areas of research (or teaching) interest
  • Publications – peer-reviewed and relevant non academic publications
  • Grants, honors & awards
  • Teaching scholarship – link to teaching portfolio if applicable
  • Related work experience & positions (academic & non-academic; paid & unpaid)
  • Names of references (phone and email)

Format, style, and visual presentation of the CV is really up to you; however I recommend reviewing vitae examples, and getting other faculty or scholars in your discipline to review it. A few helpful tips on the curriculum vitae from Barnes (2007) includes:

  1. List your publications on the first page – show how you are already contributing to the literature in your discipline.
  2. Separate academic from nonacademic publications – distinguish between peer-reviewed articles, book reviews, & nonacademic publications.
  3. Separate publications from presentations – differentiate writing from teaching.
  4. Provide lists in chronological order – most recent first and move backward in time for easy reading & review.
  5. Include works in progress – identify if it is in review, accepted, and dates.
  6. Avoid filler – be confident and concise in your details.
  7. Include honors and grants immediately following publications – introduce most recent achievements & that you are able to acquire funding sources.
  8. Include related and nontraditional employment – consider the position and what experiences are relevant for your applications, perhaps you should industry, university administrative role(s) on your CV.
  9. Include postdoctoral experiences in the “education” section of the vita.
  10. Include service-related experiences – leadership role in a department, committee work or organized a conference helps to make you look like a more rounded candidate.

Format and style for your CV is a personal choice. You may wish to organize your CV differently for research-focused vs. teaching institutions vs. nonacademic roles vs. positions. There are a number vitae examples to review here, here, here, and here. I would also recommend looking at faculty profile pages for vita examples at the departments/institution you are applying to, and be sure to review CVs from scholars whose work you follow in your field. More often than not, CVs examples are posted online (pros & cons of this) and shared – as it also shares academic scholarship and experiences.

Ask your faculty advisor, current faculty, and respected researchers for advice. Many would be happy to support your academic search, and gladly review your CV — plus a few may want to have a copy of this document if they will serve as your reference. Get support with editing and fine tuning your vitae. Another set of eyes, and feedback from an outside perspective will help you improve your CV.  Good luck with your applications — I’m off to edit and update my own.

Reference:

Barnes, S. L. (2007). On the market: Strategies for a successful academic job search. Lynne Rienner Publishers.

#phdchat, Book Review, Higher Education, PhD

I’m “On the [Job] Market”: The Application Process

Laura Pasquini

As academic job postings and other employment opportunities are becoming available, I decided it was time to prepare my own application materials and announce that I’m ON THE JOB MARKET. It should be no surprise to many as I am ABD (not a title), and I have been diligently working on my dissertation— so there is really no better time for a job search.

Well I was going to save this for holiday reading...but it looks like I'm On The Market NOW #phdchat I’ll be honest. I’m quite accustomed to the thrill of the job hunt (I am in my 3rd position of employment, since I have moved to Texas 5 years ago); however the academic job search has upped the ante. My future career planning involves a potential re-location (either in the US or abroad) and new career beginnings (either as a junior faculty member, research or other), which means this job search and application process is being treated like a job itself.

To prepare for my job search and career planning…

I have been talking to many researchers in the field, administrators in higher education, companies who seek my support, current faculty (off and on campus), mentors, and peers over the past year [Thank you for these discussions and talks – you know who you are]. More than not, many are quite open to offer advice, share professional experiences, edit my application materials, provide a reference, or send potential job postings my way (hint, hint). In my spare time, I have been reading Barnes’ (2007) “On the Market: Strategies for a Successful Academic Job Search,” specifically,  Chapter 4: The Application Process. This section of the book includes great questions to ask and think about before the application process, and examples of deciphering what academic job postings mean to decide what I want. Here are some current, pre-application questions I am currently pondering:

  • What type of position am I most interested in?
  • What sort of institution or organization do I want to work for?
  • Where do I want to live?
  • Do I want to apply for administrative or faculty track positions?
  • Who will write my reference letters?
  • Will my academic search focus on research or teaching institutions?
  • What is my best academic “fit” for department?
  • Do I want to look beyond higher education & academia?
  • Who will I connect to discussion the application process?
  • What is my timeline and schedule for applications?
  • How will I best organize a joint career search with my partner in crime?

Fortunately, most of my academic application requirements are “works in progress” from my doctoral program and portfolio requirements (Thanks #untLT department!) these past few years. My current objectives are to edit and prepare materials I have for my academic job search and application, including:

  1. Cover Letter
  2. Curriculum Vita
  3. Letters of Recommendation
  4. Writing Samples and Other Supporting Documents
  5. Teaching Portfolio (Dossier)
  6. Social Media Spaces & Places
  7. Application Schedule – to track applications & submissions

This chapter also includes helpful templates for CV’s and cover letter formats. I plan on re-tooling and modifying my current application materials based on position type and job description, so a review of these examples were helpful. Here are a few suggestions for cover letter writing items to include – 17 elements for the academic cover letter:

17 elements of the academic cover letter. #phdchat

Do you have academic job search advice? Tips on the application process? Considerations for the academic research and faculty positions? Potential openings I might be interested at your institution? Let me know. Academic job search advice is welcome.

 

Reference:

Barnes, S. L. (2007). On the market: Strategies for a successful academic job search. Lynne Rienner Publishers.

#AcWri, Learning Technologies, LPQuarterly, OpenAccess

The @LPQuarterly – Year Two, An Editor’s View, and Volume Two

Laura Pasquini

It is my second year editing and working with the Learning and Performance (a.k.a. @LPQuarterly) here at the University of North Texas.

The Learning and Performance Quarterly (ISSN 2166-3564) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal from the Center for Knowledge Solutions at the University of North Texas. The journal takes a broad look at current developments and research that involves innovative learning, training, human resource development, and performance management across academic and professional disciplines.

Creating an open access, academic writing space from scratch is a bit like a “start up” – it takes a lot of time, investment, tears, creativity, stress, and collaboration (not in any particular order). In being an open educator and seeing academic channels open for scholarly publications, It was only fitting that our agraphia writing/research group from the Department of Learning Technologies consider developing an interdisciplinary, online space for scholars, practioners, and researchers to publish in our field. In coming from the University of Toronto, I knew that the Faculty of Information Quarterly (FIQ) was a student-led, peer review project — so I figured that our talented group could do the same thing.

lpq_logo_enhanced

After reading Karina Quinn’s (a.k.a. @riotk ) blog post, “How to start an Open Access journal,” I thought I could have helped to co-author that post. 🙂 I shared some similar stories and a deep respect for her experiences in open access publishing. So, with that, I thought I would share a few of my lessons learned (from Fall 2011) about the academic publishing process:

  • It takes time to build a journal. TIME!
  • You will have to always CHECK your journal email for communication updates from authors, reviewers, editors and then some. This SHOULD be separate from your personal and work e-mail to keep your life organized, and if your editorial board needs access to the journal email.
  • You can NEVER have enough quality peer reviewers on your roster. Search them out. Invite them. Mentor/support them. Grade and evaluate them with your editorial team.
  • Surround yourself with many talents on your editorial team – think of copyediting, layout, recruitment, and more!
  • Find great scholars and researchers to publish – help to build your street cred and raise the bar for your journal content.
  • Communicate & Market – share what you are doing with different professional associations, student groups, conferences, research listservs, social media outlets, and then some. I started bringing flyers and cards for the journal to places I would go to invite potential authors/researchers, copy editors and most of all peer reviewers.
  • Connect to your friendly neighborhood librarian for advice, indexing, database set up, and then some. They have some GREAT experiences & ideas.
  • Sharpen your editing TOOLS – read books, review websites, watch tutorials, learn about publishing guidelines, school yourself in APA 6th,  talk to other editors, peer review in for other academic journals, and more!
  • Offer developmental writing workshops and opportunities for graduate students and junior scholars, e.g. HOW TO: Effectively Review, Submit & Publish Your Academic Manuscript. . This is a great space for learning, and provides them with opportunities to inquire about academic writing. Also, find experienced scholars and faculty who can share their publication experiences – the good, the rejected, and then some!
  • You will learn new tech skills: read “how to” for the Open Journal System (OJS), linking to EBSCOhost databases, and meta data fun times!
  • Consider how your virtual team will function, meet, and connect on a regular basis to publish issues.
  • Identify a workflow and easy to use spaces for archiving meeting notes, recruitment/marketing material, and communication for your editorial team.
  • Understand your institutional policies for publishing if you are a university. Our university is Open Access, and I’m proud to say that our Provost just signed the latest SPARC agreement to for Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act (FASTR) bill. What will it mean for an open access publication at YOUR campus?
  • Build in transition and mentoring into your role as an editor. Look for peer reviewers who might be great copy-editors, and consider your change in role as an editor.  I am currently working with our Assistant Editor, Tekeisha Zimmerman, this year who will take on the main editor role for 2014.
  • Never doubt the power of your network. Talk up what you’re doing in person at conferences, when you meet researchers, and get SOCIAL online. We share our call for papers and information about writing on Twitter (@LPQuarterly), our LPQ Facebook Page, and on LinkedIn Groups that are relevant to LPQ.

PUblishing

With the support of the LPQ editorial team, I have been able to work with a number of brilliant contributing authors, peer reviewers, and readers within the fields of education (K-12 and higher ed), learning technology, human resource development, human computer interaction, knowledge management, training and development assessment, and performance management systems. We are currently seeking manuscript submissions for the following categories:

  • Research Articles – Qualitative/Quantitative
  • Concept/Theory Papers
  • Case Studies
  • Book or Media Reviews
  • Invited Articles

If you are interested in submitting an article, the 2013 call for papers is OPEN. Please submit your manuscripts ONLINE today!

For more information or questions, please contact the Learning and Performance Quarterly Editors:
Laura A. Pasquini, Editor
Tekeisha Zimmerman, Assistant Editor
Dr. Jeff M. Allen, Managing Editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On behalf of the editorial LP Quarterly team, we invite you to read the current issue, or visit the archives for your research and learning.

Here is the most recent issue,Learning and Performance Quarterly, Vol 2, No 1 (2013) that is…

HOT-OFF-THE-PRESSES

Table of Contents
http://www.sageperformance.com/ojs/index.php/LPQ/issue/view/7

Editorial
——–
Transforming Teaching, Knowledge Management & Performance Measurement
Systems
Laura A. Pasquini,      Tekeisha Zimmerman,     Jeff M. Allen

Invited Articles
——–
Traditional Teaching or Innovative Teaching via Technology?
Victor C.X. Wang,       Patricia Cranton

Concept/Theory Paper
——–
A Conceptual Model for Community of Practice and Its Implications for Human
Resource Development Practice
Hee Sung Lee,   Jeong Rok Oh

Performance Measurement Systems and Culture:  An Integrative Literature
Review
Shelby Danks

Book Review
——–
A Year Up: How a Pioneering Program Teaches Young Adults Real Skills for
Real Jobs with Real Success
Michael F. Koslosk