All posts by Alisa Cooper

engaging students, GCC Students, risk-taking, Teaching Ideas

Weekly Gaucho Podcast – Try Something New

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You may not know that GCC has an unofficial student podcast. In this bonus episode for the Weekly Guacho podcast, I explain a little bit about the podcast and how I get students to contribute episodes as part of our journalism class, JRN213: Writing for Online. You can visit our blog and podcast here: http://weeklygaucho.com/?s=podcast

Students are very creative when given the opportunity, so my message to you is to “just jump.” Try something that might make you nervous for fear of failure. You’ll be surprised by what can happen. If you’re interested in trying it, I added the podcast assignment to Canvas Commons, so you can download it to your class and try it out.

And for an added bonus, here’s a link to my favorite student episode from Season 5.

The Weekly Gaucho Podcast Season 5 Episode 18
 
professional development, Write6x6

Who Wants to Go to Space Camp?

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I’m not a space nerd. I’ve had absolutely no interest in space or science for that matter my whole life. But if you have a good friend like Sian Proctor, you kind of get dragged into it a little. I watched her takeoff into space in a rocket ship, build cool things on a reality TV show and live on a Mars simulation for a summer. None of those things are anything I would ever want to do. Nope. Not me.

But Dr. Proctor is cool and we started teaching together at SMCC 25 years ago, so when she asked me for help I always try my best to help out, even if that means flying to Alabama to attend Space Camp. Yep. I went to adult Space Camp last summer and I was sure I would not like it.

It was awesome! I had so much fun, and Sian is looking for some new faculty and students to go this summer with her foundation. All expenses paid. At Proctor Foundation for Art and Science, we are dedicated to bringing community college students and faculty on experiential journeys of scientific research and exploration. Our focus is on the BIPOC community: those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color. Check out how to apply here: https://proctor.foundation/

And check out my adventure below.

Apply today or encourage your BIPOC students to apply. Or you can donate to the foundation. Applications are being accepted through the end of February. So hurry.