Jim Luke [teaching]

Teaching at Lansing Community College, Fall 2010:

Online:

• Econ 202 Principles of Macro – two sections CRN’s 70116 and 70118 on ANGEL
• Econ 213 U.S. Business and Economic History – section 70124 on ANGEL

Hybrid:

• Econ 201 Principles of Micro – section 70112,  Tues at 4 pm, Gannon 176
• Econ 202 Principles of Macro – section 70121, Thurs at 4 pm, Gannon 184

Face-to-face Lecture:

• Econ 202 Principles of Macro – section 70120, Tues-Thurs at 12noon, A&S 171

I participated as part of LCC’s team at the Higher Learning Commission – AQIP Strategy Forum in Chicago, May 12-14, 2010.

No sooner do I make a post about open textbooks and the impact it could have on community colleges, then there’s a news item in the local Lansing State Journal about a retired Michigan State Univ prof that’s written an open textbook about organic chemistry that’s being used in our own backyard, as well as around the world:

Ex-MSU prof writes free online textbook | lansingstatejournal.com | Lansing State Journal.

I had a discussion the other day with a couple colleagues where the issue of textbook costs arose.  I am a huge advocate of open educational resources and open textbooks (see If You Believe in “Intellectual Property”, How Do You Teach Others? – Answer: you can’t). I also know from my consulting work in the 1990′s that there’s no real reason why textbooks should be as expensive as they are today.  Print-on-demand can bring the costs down dramatically.

So I thought I would add a few links to the blog for those interested in getting started investigating the idea:

• Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons
• Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources
  • Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources – Member List
• California Open Textbook Project
• Connexions
• a good video & post about Dispelling Myths about Open Textbooks
• Two publishers doing good stuff:
  • Flatworld Knowledge
  • Textbookmedia.com

Finally, I have new post at my economics blog about the Economic Alchemy: How to Raise Tuition but Lower Student Costs.  Also, I advise that people not confuse “online books” with “low-cost” or “open”.  Yes, “open textbooks” and newer low-cost books can be put online. But the “online books” being promoted by the major oligopoly publishers are NOT low-cost solutions.  In practice, they major publisher solutions like CourseSmart actually end up raising student costs.  For more about that, see my post on Online Books.

I did a quick interview for Channel 6 WLNS today with Jessica Maki.  The GM Lansing Delta Plant is rolling out and shipping the new Chevy Traverse models today. See my Econproph.com post for my comments.  Should be on 6:00 news tonight.

(special treat, I got to be filmed by “Camera Man of the YEAR!” Dave Parks — seriously, congrats Dave.)

I completed the “Search Committee Training” provided by the HR dept.

After over two years of learning more about e-portfolios than I ever expected, the E-portfolio Ad Hoc Task Force’s work at LCC is complete. I think.  We made final recommendations to the Provost to implement RosEvaluation system from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (with a couple of caveats).  For more details, contact me.

Channel 6 called and interviewed me about the proposal in the Senate to extend unemployment benefits by “15 days”. See my Econproph.com post for my comments.  Should be on 6:00 news tonight.

I completed (finally) the development of a website for the LCC College-Wide Assessment Committee.  It’s at: http://lcccwac.wordpress.com/

We’re looking at bringing the hosting of the site in-house.

I presented a peek at my Principles of Econ online courses at the CTE workshop “Online Course Demos” on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010, along with Jean Lynch-Brandon. The session was well attended with approx. 25 other faculty and administrators in attendance.