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Tuesday, March 31, 2020

AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL ASSOCIATION: MEMBER WEBINAR ON ONLINE TEACHING REPLAY NOW AVAILABLE.


American
 Philosophical Association

Dear DAVID,

Last week the APA held a webinar for APA members, Teaching Philosophy Online: Advice and Tips from Experienced Instructors, to help support philosophers in making the transition to online instruction during the coronavirus pandemic. The replay of the webinar is now available online.

The webinar includes brief presentations from three philosophers based on their experiences in teaching online philosophy courses, followed by Q&A with attendees. The panelists for the webinar are the following:
  • Merritt Rehn-DeBraal (Texas A&M San Antonio)
  • Kristina Grob (USC Sumter)
  • Fritz McDonald (Oakland University)
Whether you’re teaching online for the first time due to the current crisis or whether you teach online regularly and are looking for ways to make your courses even better, this webinar will offer useful advice and insight.

We have also set up an online forum for discussing online teaching on the APA Connect platform. You’re welcome to stop by and join the conversation. If you have a suggestion for a topic for a future webinar, submit this form.

All the best,

Amy Ferrer
Executive Director

The American Philosophical Association
University of Delaware
31 Amstel Avenue, Newark, DE 19716

Click here to change your subscription settings. To unsubscribe, click here.
Higher Logic

Monday, March 30, 2020

AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL ASSOCIATION: General Discussion Digest for Sunday March 29, 2020.

American Philosophical Association

General Discussion

  Post New Message
 
Mar 29, 2020

Discussions

started 5 days ago, Melissa Ebbers (17 replies)
Online teaching forum   external link to thread view
1. Here is a link to an online logic course: John Baldwin
2. For Venn diagrams, I tell them to always have... Craig Vasey
3. Some LMSs have a grid-style question type that... Jonathan Haber
4. Hi Joerg! Here's one question that might be... Melissa Ebbers
5. While I couldn't find a way to create a grid... Jonathan Haber


 
topnext
1.Re: Online teaching forum
Reply to GroupReply to Sender
John Baldwin
Mar 29, 2020 10:25 AM
John Baldwin
Here is a link to an online logic course: https://richardzach.org/
Zach has more information on his blogs.  I am not sure whether testing is included.

------------------------------
John Baldwin
Professor emeritus
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois IL
------------------------------
  Reply to Group Online   View Thread   Recommend   Forward   Flag as Inappropriate  
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2020 23:07
From: Joerg Tuske
Subject: Online teaching forum

Does anybody have any suggestions about how to conduct online logic exams? My University uses Canvas/MyClasses as a teaching Platform and I am teaching a 100-level Critical Thinking class which includes some basic truth tables and Venn diagrams (for categorical logic). I would prefer not to have multiple choice exams but let the students develop truth tables and diagrams instead. Is there a good way of doing this within an online teaching platform?

Thank you for your suggestions!

Best
Joerg

------------------------------
Joerg Tuske
Salisbury University
Salisbury MD



 
topprevious  next
2.Re: Online teaching forum
Reply to GroupReply to Sender
Craig Vasey
Mar 29, 2020 10:37 AM
Craig Vasey
For Venn diagrams, I tell them to always have the minor term circle on the left, the major on the right, the middle on the bottom; to number the segments 1-7 from left to right; draw it on their own, and just report on the exam which segments are shaded or x'd.    Or to draw them and send photos.    Truth tables are not hard to do in Word: Use "Insert table," choose the number of rows and columns you need.  Or, again, they can do them on paper and send a photo of their work.


Craig R. Vasey
Professor of Philosophy
Department of Classics, Philosophy, & Religion
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg VA 22401
540 654 1342


  Reply to Group Online   View Thread   Recommend   Forward   Flag as Inappropriate  
------Original Message------

Does anybody have any suggestions about how to conduct online logic exams? My University uses Canvas/MyClasses as a teaching Platform and I am teaching a 100-level Critical Thinking class which includes some basic truth tables and Venn diagrams (for categorical logic). I would prefer not to have multiple choice exams but let the students develop truth tables and diagrams instead. Is there a good way of doing this within an online teaching platform?

Thank you for your suggestions!

Best
Joerg

------------------------------
Joerg Tuske
Salisbury University
Salisbury MD
------------------------------



 
topprevious  next
3.Re: Online teaching forum
Reply to GroupReply to Sender
Jonathan Haber
Mar 29, 2020 11:12 AM
Jonathan Haber
Some LMSs have a grid-style question type that might support questions built around truth tables, although I don't think Canvas has that item type.

Canvas does allow you to create questions with multiple fill-in-the-blanks and multiple drop-downs that might be suitable for questions related to truth tables.  While I know you said you weren't interested in multi-choice style questions, if you make use of exhibits (such as graphics of truth tables) or illustrated answers (which are supported in Canvas), you might be able to get pretty far measuring what you want to measure.  If you want to post a sample question or two that you like to use in your written exams, I might be able to suggest some options.  You might also benefit from that set of YouTube videos I mentioned previously on how to apply professional test-design principles when creating online assessments.  There's a section on creating linear test items, basically the item types your LMS allows you to automate. 

Best,

Jonathan

------------------------------
Jonathan Haber
Chief Learner
Degree of Freedom
Lexington MA
------------------------------
  Reply to Group Online   View Thread   Recommend   Forward   Flag as Inappropriate  
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2020 23:07
From: Joerg Tuske
Subject: Online teaching forum

Does anybody have any suggestions about how to conduct online logic exams? My University uses Canvas/MyClasses as a teaching Platform and I am teaching a 100-level Critical Thinking class which includes some basic truth tables and Venn diagrams (for categorical logic). I would prefer not to have multiple choice exams but let the students develop truth tables and diagrams instead. Is there a good way of doing this within an online teaching platform?

Thank you for your suggestions!

Best
Joerg

------------------------------
Joerg Tuske
Salisbury University
Salisbury MD



 
topprevious  next
4.Re: Online teaching forum
Reply to GroupReply to Sender
Melissa Ebbers
Mar 29, 2020 12:14 PM
Melissa Ebbers
Hi Joerg! Here's one question that might be helpful for deciding what approach to take: what would the format for this assignment be, if you were still offering the course in the physical classroom? For example, would you ask students to create and print a document with their answers, or write out their answers by hand, or allow them to choose among those options, or something else? The reason that I ask is that you might be able to do something very similar here. If you'd ask them to create and print a document, then as Craig highlights, they could create the truth-tables in Word (or similar), and create the Venn Diagrams either in Word, too, or in Paint (or similar) and copy and paste them into the same document, and then upload it. If you would ask them to write out their answers by hand, you could ask each of your students to let you know whether they have access to either a scanner or camera to create an image of their work that they could upload. (In the past, I've allowed students to do either of these, based on what works best for them.) If neither of these approaches would work well in this case, could you say a little more about what you have in mind so that we can help better in that way?

Also, if anyone is scheduled to teach online logic in the coming terms and would be interested, I would be happy to share my experience using Cengage's MindTap. Their digital platform gives students access to the eBook version of the text (which, when I asked them, most students strongly preferred over using the more expensive print version), and it allows instructors to create randomized problem sets for each section covered in the course. I've used the Hurley: youtu.be/BnqdYwvQzX4  The randomized assignment feature that is covered starting around 40 seconds into this video -- youtu.be/poW5DzHHXKI -- is really valuable: it allows you to create randomized problem sets. I used this feature to allow my students to complete as many practice problem sets as they'd like before completing a graded assignment with the same type of questions that differed in the details. My students *loved* this feature. They made good use of being able to do the problem sets, and reported that it helped them to make sure that they were ready for the homework assignments, quizzes, and chapter tests. Also, if, while doing the practice problems, they discovered that they weren't sure about something, they could identify the need to ask a question about it, which they were encouraged to do. Let me know if it would be helpful to say more about the platform, and the various ways that I've used it in my intro to logic course.

------------------------------
Melissa Ebbers
------------------------------
  Reply to Group Online   View Thread   Recommend   Forward   Flag as Inappropriate  
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2020 11:11
From: Jonathan Haber
Subject: Online teaching forum

Some LMSs have a grid-style question type that might support questions built around truth tables, although I don't think Canvas has that item type.

Canvas does allow you to create questions with multiple fill-in-the-blanks and multiple drop-downs that might be suitable for questions related to truth tables.  While I know you said you weren't interested in multi-choice style questions, if you make use of exhibits (such as graphics of truth tables) or illustrated answers (which are supported in Canvas), you might be able to get pretty far measuring what you want to measure.  If you want to post a sample question or two that you like to use in your written exams, I might be able to suggest some options.  You might also benefit from that set of YouTube videos I mentioned previously on how to apply professional test-design principles when creating online assessments.  There's a section on creating linear test items, basically the item types your LMS allows you to automate.

Best,

Jonathan

------------------------------
Jonathan Haber
Chief Learner
Degree of Freedom
Lexington MA



 
topprevious 
5.Re: Online teaching forum
Reply to GroupReply to Sender
Jonathan Haber
Mar 29, 2020 2:06 PM
Jonathan Haber
While I couldn't find a way to create a grid-style question in Canvas, you can create a table in Word and add drop-down menus in the cells of the table to create a truth table that looks like this:

IYou'll still need to manually grade the results, but this adds a bit of automation to the process.  Here's a video that explains how to add drop-down menus to a table in Word.  It doesn't llike Google Docs allow you to do this, but you could always just leave cells blank and have them fill in the correct answers to create a document with tables you can grade manually.


------------------------------
Jonathan Haber
Chief Learner
Degree of Freedom
Lexington MA
------------------------------
  Reply to Group Online   View Thread   Recommend   Forward   Flag as Inappropriate  
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2020 23:07
From: Joerg Tuske
Subject: Online teaching forum

Does anybody have any suggestions about how to conduct online logic exams? My University uses Canvas/MyClasses as a teaching Platform and I am teaching a 100-level Critical Thinking class which includes some basic truth tables and Venn diagrams (for categorical logic). I would prefer not to have multiple choice exams but let the students develop truth tables and diagrams instead. Is there a good way of doing this within an online teaching platform?

Thank you for your suggestions!

Best
Joerg

------------------------------
Joerg Tuske
Salisbury University
Salisbury MD



 
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Sunday, March 29, 2020

CNN- Pelosi on Trump's coronavirus response: 'As the President fiddles, people are dying'

Washington (CNN) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday criticized President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying "his denial at the beginning was deadly" and that as he "fiddles, people are dying."
"We should be taking every precaution. What the President, his denial at the beginning was deadly," Pelosi said in an exclusive interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union."
As US cases surge, Pelosi questioned when Trump was informed about the coronavirus and his knowledge on its potential impact. "I don't know what the scientists said to him, when did this President know about this, and what did he know? What did he know and when did he know it? That's for an after-action review. But as the President fiddles, people are dying. And we just have to take every precaution."
Asked by Tapper if she believes Trump's downplaying of the crisis has cost American lives, Pelosi responded, "Yes, I am. I'm saying that."
    "Because when he made the other day when he was signing the bill, he said just think 20 days ago everything was great. No, everything wasn't great," she said. "We had nearly 500 cases and 17 deaths already. And in that 20 days because we weren't prepared, we now have 2,000 deaths and 100,000 cases."
    Early in the outbreak, the President downplayed the extent of the possible damage from coronavirus but in recent weeks the White House coronavirus task force has sharpened the national response, forcing in part measures to get medical equipment to states and hospitals.
    After the number of reported coronavirus deaths in the US doubled to more than 2,000 within two days, officials are advising residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut not to travel domestically. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the travel advisory Saturday, urging residents of the three states to "refrain from nonessential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately."
    When asked about Trump suggesting he wants to relax social distancing guidelines in parts of the country, Pelosi said, "His delaying of getting equipment to where it -- it continues his delay in getting equipment to where it's needed, is deadly. And now I think the best thing would be to do is to prevent more loss of life rather than open things up, because we just don't know."
    Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert and a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, was also asked about the idea of relaxing guidelines in some areas. Fauci, reiterated his stance, that "you don't make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline." But Fauci also told CNN that he's "not against releasing the restrictions" as long as the proper measures such as efficient testing are in place."
    "I'm actually for it, in an appropriate place. But I don't recommend it unless we have the tools in place in real time to do the things I just said," he told Tapper. "If we can do that, we can keep things contained without slipping into the need of having to mitigate the way they are in New York, in New Orleans, and other places now. So it's doable. But it's only doable if you put the tools in place."
    On Friday, Trump signed a historic bipartisan $2 trillion stimulus package in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The bill allocates at least $1.25 billion to the states and $500 million to the District of Columbia. Some have criticized the bill, including New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Democratic governor was critical of the funding amount, saying the bill did not "address the revenue shortfall."
    Asked about Cuomo's comment, Pelosi said, "We have to do more." She called the bill "a down payment."
      "I've talked to the chairman of the Fed, the Federal Reserve Bank, Mr. Powell, Chairman (Jerome) Powell, and asked him to do much more because they have the authority to do so, even more authority, since we passed this bill," she told Tapper. "But we have to pass another bill that goes to meeting the need more substantially than we have."
      This story has been updated with additional comments from Nancy Pelosi on CNN's "State of the Union."

      Saturday, March 28, 2020

      RENT MORATORIUM. NOW. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ.

      David, on April 1st, New Yorkers’ rent checks are due.
      I am pushing for a rent moratorium before then, but all of us need to put the political pressure on immediately.
      Right now, we’re in a moment unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Because of coronavirus, unemployment is projected to hit a larger percentage of the population than the Great Depression. My constituents are worried about whether they’ll be able to afford rent next month.
      I’m part of active conversations about this, and I need to show that I’ve got thousands of New Yorkers behind me.
      Two-thirds of New York City residents are renters.
      New York has already issued a mortgage moratorium. That’s good. But if we don’t also enact a rent moratorium, New York will essentially be providing relief to people based on class.
      Relief and protection from displacement shouldn’t just be for homeowners and the wealthy.
      It should be for everyone.
      Look. A rent moratorium is possible. It’s not about a lack of money, capacity, or logistics. It’s about power and political will. So let’s leave no doubt about where we stand.
      Let’s show our courage,
      Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
      P.S. If you’ve been financially impacted, one thing that you can do is call all your bill providers, tell them you’ve been financially impacted by COVID-19, and ask to defer your April payments – phone bill, mortgage, credit cards, student loans. Many are doing so, but you must contact them to get it done.





       

      Friday, March 27, 2020

      THE HATE CHRONICLES. THE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE MINDSET, MOTIVATIONS, AND GOALS OF THE FAR RIGHT FANATIC. #1. (ABBREVIATED F.R.F.). PARTS 1-2.

      .



      Eye

      It is a mistake for Progressives to think that those who make up the Most Conservative Elements of the "NEW REPUBLICAN PARTY" ARE ALL CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH. WHILE THEY MAY VOTE AS A BLOC,THE PRIMARY MOTIVATION DIFFERS FROM GROUP TO GROUP.

      While They are usually Packaged Together, ULTRA CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS HAVE REALIZED THAT FINDING THE ONE KEY ISSUE THAT DRIVES CERTAIN GROUPS OF VOTERS TO THE POLLS, OFTEN WILL TURN THEM INTO LOYAL ALLIES, who will support an agenda full of Issues They may care little about.


      It could be GUN CONTROL, SAME- SEX MARRIAGE, GOVERNMENT SPENDING, SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, IMMIGRATION LAWS, REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE etc. THE STRATEGY IS TO PUT FORTH AN UNCOMPROMISING, RIGID, AND VITRIOLIC POINT OF VIEW ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE, APPEALING TO THE BASER ELEMENTS OF HUMAN NATURE.

      THE REASON: TO LEARN OF THE ONE ISSUE THAT EACH SECTION OF INDIVIDUAL VOTERS MOST IDENTIFIES WITH, AND MANIPULATE IT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.

      IT'S A TACTIC THAT REQUIRES NO INTELLECTUAL EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE LISTENER. THERE IS NO NEED TO UNDERSTAND, OR EVEN CARE ABOUT THE OPPOSITIONS POINT OF VIEW. IT PLAYS ON RAW EMOTION, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR CONTEMPLATION OR REFLECTION.

      THE INDIVIDUAL IS ENCOURAGED NOT TO THINK ABOUT AN INTELLECTUAL JUSTIFICATION FOR THE OPINION THEY ARE SUPPORTING, BUT TO REACT TO THE WORDS OF THE AUTHOR AND\OR SPEAKER, AND ACCEPTING THE MESSAGE AS TRUE, AND WORTHY OF SUPPORT.  THIS, IN TURN, ENCOURAGES AGREEMENT WITH OTHER OPINIONS THAT ARE EXPRESSED THE SAME WAY.



      THE HATE CHRONICLES. THE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE MINDSET, MOTIVATIONS, AND GOALS OF THE FAR RIGHT FANATIC. #2. (ABBREVIATED F.R.F.)




      Death, Darkness, Dark, Hood, Hooded

















      What you must realize, as you listen to the latest Diatribe by Donald Trump, is that many of the things that matter the most to the average American Citizen are either Unimportant to the F.R.F., or represents something they believe should be eliminated altogether.

      For example, think about the current administration. What type of Supporters does Mr. Trump surround himself with. In General, Concepts such as "CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS", "THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD", "TERRORISM", and "LOGIC" ARE ARBITRARY TERMS THAT CHANGE DEFINITION, DEPENDING ON THE WHIMS, PREJUDICES, AND BIASES OF THE F.R.F., EITHER THE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP. They bring a WHOLE NEW MEANING TO THE PHRASE "SELF CENTERED."

      Donald Trump was able to build a Foundation of Support, Tenuous as it may be, because he convinced RACISTS, BIGOTS, MISOGYNISTS etc., to come together and HATE AS ONE GROUP. Even though he has never come close to a working majority, a SHAM ELECTION AND THE TACIT APPROVAL OF THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTY has allowed this "COALITION OF HATE" TO BLOSSOM INTO A FLOWER OF EVIL. 

      Fortunately, many Americans are waking up to the TRUE NATURE OF DONALD TRUMP, AND THE FACT THAT HE ONLY CARES ABOUT: HIMSELF, AND THOSE WHO WILL FEED HIS ENORMOUS EGO. The National Republican Party became big Trump Fans after no one in the DEMOCRATIC PARTY QUESTIONED THE INITIAL RETURNS FROM THE 2016 ELECTION.*

      See part 3.

      *I guess it never occurred to anyone that DONALD TRUMP ACCUSING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF FIXING THE ELECTION, BEFORE A SINGLE VOTE HAD BEEN CAST, MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE BY THOSE WHO KNEW WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN WHEN THE POLLS WERE OPEN.