Tags: Geography

Graphic over pen and written words
Writing Intensive Program turns to the community

In the modern workplace, writing skills are more important than ever. From a study of millions of U.S. job advertisements, Burning Glass Technologies found, “Clear communication, particularly writing, is at a premium in nearly every occupation." Research by Hart Research Associates on employer priorities also found written communication to be highly valued; 82% of employers rated writing as an important skill for new graduates (2015). UGA's…

woman at smart board, photo
Interdisciplinary classroom: Go ask ALICE

Created by Gutierrez, professor of ­mathematics, and his students as a part of a National Science Foundation grant, ALICE is 21 years in the making and originally began as a program called Literatronica as part of an adaptive learning grant.  In discovering how and why UGA continues its ascent among colleges and universities, the answers keep tumbling out of creative faculty, engaged students and novel uses of technology within the…

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A better grasp on textbook material

In large-enrollment courses, Franklin faculty continue to be instrumental in pioneering access to free, online textbooks to help students save money and to improve teaching: The University System of Georgia (USG) has been a nationwide leader in using free online textbooks, and UGA has been at the forefront of those efforts, helping its students save more than $2.5 million since 2013. The bulk of that effort has come through a partnership with…

professor in class with students
Bringing Middle East history, discovery to the classroom

"It gives me some stories to share," Jones said. "When we talk about the Arab Spring uprisings for example, I was in Egypt until about six months before the revolution. Students have a lot of interest in hearing what it was like, how unexpected it was. We really enjoyed meeting Dr. Jones, learning about his expertise and compelling personal story. The history department is among the very best, most diverse banks of expertise on campus, and his…

weather monitor with super G
Climate data in the classroom

New technology installed at two UGA locations will provide real-time weather data and early warnings for severe weather. Donated by WeatherStem CEO Edward Mansouri,the stations were installed in the State Botanical Garden and on the main campus in early August. The station links to the web and provides tools such as text alerts for changing weather conditions and forecasts. Users can also replay time-lapse videos from attached webcams. Marshall…

student computer illustration
Laptops in the classroom

A Washington Post article notes a West Point study that using laptops during class harms smart students even worse than others. But how does computing in class affect learning, the classroom dynamic, the professor's engagement? Anyone can get distracted by distracted people: Now there is an answer, thanks to a big, new experiment from economists at West Point, who randomly banned computers from some sections of a popular economics…

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Social Media and Informal Learning

An interesting new study highlighted on the CHE blog, Wired Campus, expands on the expanding reality of the impacts of social media on informed discussions within and beyond the classroom: In a paper released on Monday, Christine Greenhow, an assistant professor of education at Michigan State University, argues that using informal social-media settings to carry on debates about science can help students refine their argumentative skills,…

students in class, with laptop
The SCALE-UP teaching method

Terrific article on classroom innovations by two of our very best: Steven Lewis and Craig Wiegert: Two physics professors have taken Isaac Newton's first law of motion-an object at rest will continue to be at rest unless acted upon by an external force-and applied it to the way they teach the subject. For decades there was inertia on how physics classes were taught to undergraduates: A lecturer would talk to students about physics without the…


Focus on the Faculty: William Finlay

Intellectually curious, open to new ideas, and excited about learning. This regular feature, in the format of a Q & A, is a great way to learn about our faculty members across the university. Who they are and what they do creates the outstanding experience that is UGA for so many students - be sure and check it when you can. Image: courtesy of UGA photographic services
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