eCore not only provides opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed, but the support provided to students by different areas are second-to-none. Take the embedded librarians for example. From History to Sociology and from English to Psychology, when you absolutely, positively have to know, ask a librarian! eCore is thrilled to now have real, live librarians embedded in our courses (all except STEM and Spanish) that are ready to help you when you need it! 

Say hello to Betsy Clark from Georgia Highlands College, who joined us in the Spring 2016 semester as one of eCore's new embedded librarians. 

Can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself, your background, hobbies, and what led you to become a librarian?
I grew up in South Central Pennsylvania (close to Lancaster County/Amish Country). I have a BA in International Studies from Dickinson College and my Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. I specialized in Health Resources and Services.  In college, I spent more time reading and researching  than writing my papers. I think that's one reason I ended up doing this type of job. I  get different questions every day, and it's so interesting to see what other people are interested in reading and researching for class. Libraries are a great place to be curious about many different things.

What exactly is an "embedded" librarian

Basically, we're just online librarians. We're embedded into eCore to help with research and answer any library-related questions.  Almost all of our resources are online now, and we want to be there too!

What are some common questions you are asked each semester?

Citations! Citations! Citations! We are also asked about accessing resources in Galileo, and questions on how to narrow topics for research.

As virtual librarians, how extensive are the "stacks" you can access?

This is a conservative estimate, but through GALILEO, students can browse about 140,000 ebooks and around 10,000 journals. That's a lot of articles!

You have office hours: must the students make appointments or can they just drop in?

They can just drop in. All of our contact information is on our homepage,  so students can e-mail us, post on discussion boards, or call us and we'll get back to them.

What is the usual turnaround when students post a question?

If you catch us on chat, the turn around time is pretty immediate. Otherwise, we try to respond within 24 hours during the week and 48 hours if it's a weekend.

If you could give students one piece of advice regarding library services, what would it be?

When you are searching in Galileo, be specific with your search terms. If, say you're searching for chocolate, what do you want to find out about chocolate?  Dark chocolate? Milk Chocolate? Cadbury? Hershey? Lindt? Are you looking for the history of chocolate? The business side of things?  The chemistry? Shopping for Valentine's Day? The more specific you can be, the better your search results will be. This is true in both Galileo databases and on Google.

Lastly, I can't resist asking if you feel anything like the librarians in the movie, The Librarian: aren't you protecting some precious relics, i.e., ways to do research in a time when there is an overload of information?
I'd be  terrible at protecting relics! If I can drop it, lose it, or break it, I will.  You should ask Karin, the other librarian, how often I lose my keys.  All that travel, though! I wish I did more of that.

Faculty Highlights Online Learning Resources

5:30 AM

What is your title and what is your current non-eCore job?

I'm currently an Assistant Professor of English and the Teaching Matters Conference Coordinator at Gordon State College.  I teach composition, poetry, American literature, world literature, and special topic courses.

What are the two main reasons you teach through eCore?

I am passionate about online education because it provides opportunities to some people who would not otherwise be able to earn a degree. Yet, convenience and easiness cannot be confused; one of the other reasons that online education is so rewarding for both students and teachers is because of its rigorousness. Online education requires more--and continual--dialogue between each (and every) student and the professor. In other words, a student is simply unable to sit in the back of the classroom and remain unnoticed; participation and growth is not only encouraged, it is required.

What do you do differently now than when you first started teaching through eCore?

In my first class, I kept most of my dialogue with students about their ideas restricted to the "hidden comments" section of the gradebook. I would generally respond to discussion posts but really interrogate ideas; but, I realized this is not how I taught in traditional courses and my students (and I) were "missing out" on dynamic discussions. So, now, I try to incite more discussion between students and critical consciousness by asking questions, helping students develop their ideas, and "playing devil's advocate"; and, I focus more heavily on writing and grammar in my comments (in the gradebook).

What would you do to your eCore course if you had a "magic wand"?

Students' computer would actually blink, dance, and sing--like an alarm--every day when they have committed to log-in and engage the course :-) Then, if they still ignore that, I will come on the screen and begin trying to motivate them--reminding them why they are enrolled in the course (and college). And, voila, everyone's "on the right track" for success again!

What's one of the coolest things you do in your eCore classes?

Honestly, I pride myself in creating a community; I want all of my students to feel comfortable discussing ideas and questions with each other and myself. I also like to think that I allow flexibility while maintaining the course's integrity. Something that I instituted a couple of semesters ago (and it seems to work effectively) is to provide a deadline for portions of the units' assignments; for instance, all activities to help write an essay are due one day (but graded as soon as each individual student completes the smaller assignments)--before the actual essay is submitted. This allows students with complex scheduling concerns to complete their work when it's most convenient--and it encourages students who enjoy "working ahead" to do so. So, while "hard deadlines" still exist, there is flexibility that students are not penalized for having intense work and/or family schedules.

Other than yourself, who do you think is a simply fabulous eCore instructor, and why?

I'm so fortunate that I can't count because I must mention a few individuals on the eCore team that I believe are absolutely fabulicious! Christy Smith, Ashleigh Paulk, Reynard Van Tonder, Michael Harris, and (last, but certainly not least!) Brett Miles--I cannot sing their praises enough! They are passionate about helping both students and teachers reach their potential; and, no matter how silly my questions are, they never make me feel like I'm bothering them...even with the incredible amount of work they are responsible for!

Tell us a secret - something about yourself that few people know.

I'm easily startled, which entertains my friends. I love viewing scary movies, especially sci-fi and supernatural thrillers--but I'm afraid to watch them by myself! And, it doesn't matter if I've seen the film before...I will still scream, jump, and cling to whomever is brave enough to watch the film with me!

Faculty Highlights

7:00 AM

Dr. Nat Hardy is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at Savannah State University. He was recently elected President of the Georgia Council of Graduate Schools, which works to build awareness of the benefits and value of a graduate degree to the students and citizens of Georgia. eCore is proud to have had Dr. Hardy as an eCore instructor since 2012. Take a minute to learn a little more about Dr. Nat Hardy.

Where did you complete your degree(s)? B.A. (English) University of Alberta, M.A. (English) McMaster University, M.F.A. (Creative Writing) Louisiana State University, M.Ed. (Higher Education Administration) Georgia Southern University, Ph.D. (English) University of Alberta.

What drew you to your field of expertise? I was always an avid reader of literature and I truly enjoyed writing. During my undergraduate degree at the University of Alberta, I switched my major from Philosophy to English because I was a much better English major than a Philosopher, this in spite of my Germanic Enlightenment roots. My English professors were also instrumental in my decision. I was very fortunate to have an outstanding undergraduate faculty mentor, prolific scholar, and exceptional teacher, Professor Jonathan Locke Hart, who also encouraged me to consider English as a B.A. major or minor. Several years later, after completing my M.A. at McMaster University, I eventually returned to the University of Alberta, where Professor Hart served as my doctoral supervisor. Under Dr. Hart’s mentorship, I was able to earn several scholarships and awards, and I was also able to complete my dissertation in a timely manner because of his vigilance to keep me on track. I truly stand on Professor Hart’s shoulders today and I am grateful for his continued inspiration, guidance, and humanity.

Why did you choose to become a college instructor? Once I began teaching at McMaster University as a graduate student, I caught the ‘teaching bug’. I quickly learned that being on the opposite of the podium was even more energizing than being a college student. I thrive on the spontaneity of teaching, as a professor has a lecture planned out, however, each class inevitably takes it own unpredictable series of twists and turns. It’s the ‘in-the-moment’ experience that I enjoy from both teaching and learning from my students; every day is a new day in the college classroom.

What do you like most about teaching online? I enjoy the flexibility and the digital medium. With teaching online I am able to get all the students to engage in the material and the discussions, because the engagement is required for the course. This is not necessarily the case in a traditional brick and mortar classroom, where students can sit at the back of the room and never engage with the class or instructor for an entire term. I also like teaching for eCore because I have the opportunity to teach students from a wide variety of universities throughout the University System of Georgia and beyond. This regional and international diversity fosters a unique and dynamic learning community that one doesn’t usually experience in the traditional on-campus classroom.

What was your most challenging subject in school, and how did you get through it? I think Symbolic and Sentential Logic was my most challenging undergraduate class. Formal logic required an abstract mode of thought that only part of my mind could ever seem to grasp. While I struggled through and passed, this class convinced me to change my major from Philosophy to English. My undergraduate institution also required proficiency in two languages other than English, thus I had to struggle with learning (and passing) both French and English courses. It was challenging at the time, but well worth it, as I have a working knowledge of two other languages.

What do you like to do in your free time? I enjoy spending quality time with my six-year-old daughter, Madeline.  I try to travel with my daughter and expose her to new cultural experiences and events. I also enjoy gardening and landscape designing when I am not teaching or being a doting father.

What’s your favorite movie of all time? That’s a tough one. Right now, I think V for Vendetta is my favorite, though I could give you a rather long list of movies I would take with me if I were stranded on a desert island.

If you had to choose a different profession, what would it be? If it weren't for my lack of scientific skills, I would have liked to have been a physician, a general practitioner, or, alternatively, if I were better at math, I would have liked to have studied architecture and become an architect as well.

If you won the lottery, what would you do with your winnings? I would open my own university and call it: “The University of So You Thought You Knew It All.”

What is something interesting about you that your students would be surprised to know? Before entering college, I lived in Northern Scotland for two years where I worked as a rough neck on an offshore drilling rig in the North Sea. I was once what they call a “North Sea Tiger” and now I am a “Savannah State University Tiger,” funny how things seem to go full circle, appropriate somehow. Although the Chinese zodiac labels me as an Ox, deep down, I know I’m a Tiger.

What advice do you have for students taking online classes for the first time? The most successful students plan ahead and work ahead. Students should post to discussions well before the deadline. Those who wait are often at a loss in discussions, as they discover and bemoan that “everything has already been said.” In literature courses, it is crucial that students ‘read’ the works we examine. The students who do poorly are the ones who fail to have read and digested the assigned readings. Don’t cut corners; do the work. My best advice: “If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.”

Faculty Highlights

6:49 AM

Dr. Sanjeev Arora

Dr. Sanjeev Arora is a physics instructor for USG eCore, and was recently recognized by Affordable Learning Georgia for Innovation and Early Success in Textbook Transformation for his work in transforming textbooks to no-cost Open Educational Resources. Dr. Arora's work in this area contributed to $14,000 in savings to college students in 2014. More information on the ALG awards is available at www.affordablelearninggeorgia.org. 

Let's take a minute to learn a little more about Dr. Arora!

What is your title and what is your current non-eCore job?

I am a professor of physics and have been teaching as a full-time faculty member at Fort Valley State University since 1993.

What are the two main reasons you teach through eCore?

When I first came aboard in fall 2011, I was pretty much sitting on the fence as far as comparing the benefits (and pitfalls) of “face-to-face” vs. “online” teaching were concerned. I needed to first learn, and hopefully master, the technique and the pedagogy behind online teaching before I could really form any categorical opinion on this issue.

Teaching for eCore has validated, in my mind, the effectiveness of online instruction. I have immensely enjoyed interacting with some of the non-traditional students in my courses. Teaching my face-to-face physics classes at FVSU seldom affords me the opportunity to meet adult learners and understand their issues in the manner offered to me by my eCore classes.

Another reason I love teaching for eCore is that I am able to instruct students from academic institutions across the state.

What do you do differently now than when you first started teaching through eCore?

I have truly recognized the need to be flexible while maintaining the highest possible standards and integrity in my courses. While this statement itself might seem contradictory in nature, I believe this one skill (mindset?) is critical for effective instruction in all possible formats. When students request for extensions as far as submitting their assignments is concerned, I am more empathetic (provided there is no obvious pattern of taking an undue advantage).

What would you do to your eCore course if you had a "magic wand"?

I would really like to add video-recordings of myself going over the physics content to enhance the course. We might be missing out of enrolling some students who really would like to watch their professor explain the concepts on the board.

Dr. Arora displaying the department poster at a local high school.

What's one of the coolest things you do in your eCore classes?

I have developed the habit of calling my students randomly during the semester. It obviously is a good idea to do so, when a student is lagging behind and you wish to motivate the student. But I call sometimes to say “bravo” to a student who has written an excellent report or has shown me a unique way to solve a problem. I believe as educators, we do not say “kudos” to our students as often as we point out their mistakes. I can almost sense that sometimes the students are actually surprised that I have called just to praise them. I can almost visualize their faces beaming with joy at the other end. What better way to boost their self-esteem than providing them with positive feedback in a truly non-patronizing manner?

Other than yourself, who do you think is a simply fabulous eCore instructor, and why?

I would name all my colleagues at FVSU who teach for eCore. They have provided me with the initial support and have shown me the “ropes”. While I have not perused through all the faculty patch interviews, I am pretty confident that most of esteemed colleagues would have mentioned Christy and Ashleigh as true beacons of wisdom when the online (offshore?) waters get patchy once in a while!

Tell us a secret - something about yourself that few people know.

I am an avid karaoke singer, who loves to belt out one melody after another, much to the chagrin of my bemused audience. I am passionately interested in reading books and articles on philosophy and psychology and currently seem to lap up any material I can lay my hands on concerning the debate between free will and determinism. Was I destined to teach for eCore and have a fabulous time doing it? Even if I “willed” it, it has been a tremendously satisfying choice so far!!

Dr. Arora singing away the "physics" blues.

Faculty Highlights

8:30 AM

Kelley Christopher is an instructor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of West Georgia, and an eCore Instructor. 

In her experience teaching Intro to Criminology classes, Kelley found that hugely relevant issues within the criminal justice system such as female offenders, corrections, capital punishment, and race, were not adequately covered in many introductory books. In an effort to fulfill that need, she recently co-edited a textbook titled "Filling in the Gaps" to cover those specific topics.

Please take a minute to learn a little more about Professor Kelley Christopher!

Where did you complete your degree(s)? 

New Mexico State University and Troy University for graduate work. I completed my undergrad work at Southern Oregon University.

What drew you to your field of expertise? 
My fascination with human behavior; particularly deviant and criminally deviant behavior. What is notfascinating about human behavior? And it does not matter that I have studied criminal deviance for 35 years; these folks still fascinate me.

How long have you taught eCore classes? 
Since 2010

Why did you choose to become a college instructor? 
I love being with students and being able to witness their own passion for knowledge come to life.

What do you like most about teaching online? 
Being able to “chat” with students at all hours and the flexibility that online teaching offers. We also get students who live in other states/countries and they often add depth and a different perspective to sociological issues.

What was your most challenging subject in school, and how did you get through it? 
Oh my goodness; anything that even remotely resembled math. Of any kind. Ever. I labored through it several times before I finally passed during my undergrad work. I was an embarrassment!

What do you like to do in your free time? 
I have a 4 year old grandson who (seriously) did hang the moon. I love just being with him; he is one of the funniest people I have ever known! I also love the work in my yard… pulling weeds and planting. There is something very grounding about having your hands in the earth that I need.

What’s your favorite movie of all time? 
It would probably be The Color Purple. My favorite line is, “I think it p*******s God off when we walk by the color purple and don’t notice it.”

If you had to choose a different profession, what would it be? 
Seriously an awful thought since I love teaching….but if I really had to choose, I would be working with The Innocence Project. Hands down my ultimate dream job.

If you won the lottery, what would you do with your winnings? 
Pay off my and my Mom’s houses, provide homes for my children and siblings, and invest the rest so I could have a comfortable retirement and be able to leave my kids some money.

What is something interesting about you that your students would be surprised to know? 
I love to “remodel” my home/s. I have all my own tools~seriously. I love the Home Depot and Lowes. You can take me to Tiffany’s once in my lifetime and take me to Lowes every weekend and I would be fine with that. I can do anything except electric work. I got zapped by a water heater about 15 years ago and that was the last time I fooled with anything electric (you only need to get hit with a 220 once before you learn not to do that again).

What advice do you have for students taking online classes for the first time? 
Stay on top of the reading and assignment schedule and if a wrench gets thrown into your mix, let your professor know right away. I will work with anyone who I believe is operating with integrity and am less willing when I think someone is being shady with me. 

Faculty Highlights

8:24 AM

Professor Billy Morris

Billy Morris is an Associate Professor of Geology at Georgia Highlands College, and has been an instructor with eCore since the very early days of 2001/2002. We talked to Professor Morris about his appreciation for online teaching, how he came to be a geologist, and his life outside of the virtual classroom. (He has a pretty INSANE cookie-baking record!) He's also got some really great advice for online students.

Where did you complete your degree(s)?

Georgia Southern University and Emory University.

What drew you to the field of Geology?

My parents are responsible. They took me camping and hiking for as long as I can remember, and they liked to collect things, rocks, fossils, plants, stray animals. It was fun and I haven’t stopped since. I would not do well in a city or an office, would much rather be outside. Geology is a way to do that.

Why did you choose to become a college instructor?

My mom taught college for 40 years and my dad managed the college bookstore, so I grew up around college students. I find the combination of earth science and the energy of higher education to be irresistible and gratifying.

What do you like most about teaching online?

Of course the flexibility of schedule is great, but the immense amount of visual, graphic, and spatial information is wonderful for teaching/learning Geology online. Often the class is made up of students who have or currently live outside the southeast US, and it’s great fun to hear of their travels and experiences. These students bring a fresh perspective to the course that can be hard to find in a classroom.

Just a little fishing in my spare time...

What was your most challenging subject in school, and how did you get through it?

Calculus 2. Persistence - I took it more than once.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I have a few acres, a greenhouse, fruit, nut, berry orchards and a field garden. I like to eat good food, so I spend a lot of time tending plants and the land. I like to fish, hunt, camp, hike, climb, but when it comes to the cold wet time of year I move into the music room and play guitar, mandolin, and keyboards.  I just bought a 1960 Hammond tonewheel organ at Goodwill that’s in amazing condition, so I’m having a concert every night!

What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Easy – Babe

If you had to choose a different profession, what would it be?

Captain of charter fishing boat.

If you won the lottery, what would you do with your winnings?

Pay off the house. Buy a big sailboat. Leave the rest for the kids.

What is something interesting about you that your students would be surprised to know?

Where to start?

Hitchhiking to
Denali National Park
in Alaska

I’ve hitchhiked through Alaska with one of my kids for their ‘Senior Trip’. It was awesome!

I have officiated two different wedding ceremonies where I had the honor of joining good friends in marital bliss.  In spite of me and to their credit, they’re still together!

I have an intense relationship with my youngest daughter on a foosball table. We’re both good, and we take turns whipping each other. She went to grad school up in Ohio where she learned some new tricks, but I've had to show her that old age and treachery can beat new tricks any day.

The Annual Fifty Dozen Cookie Day

Here’s another - I love to bake cookies, but only once a year right before Christmas on Fifty Dozen Cookie Day. This is the holiday set aside for baking as many cookies as is physically possible in a normal home kitchen. My son and I started this family tradition when he was 15 and bored and I said “I wonder if we could bake 50 dozen cookies today?” He bit, and we burned out a couple of hand-mixers, came way short and had a great time. Since then we’ve pegged out and quit keeping count. Maximum was a few years ago at 176 dozen and required a couple of Kitchen Aids and an oven manager. We don’t have anything else to prove, but we do have a lot of friends coming over to join this year’s fun!

What advice do you have for students taking online classes for the first time?

Get into the course fast and deep. Check in with your instructor and let your intentions be known. Get all the required supplies immediately. Set a schedule for completing the coursework and if it breaks down, let your instructor know right away. You’ll find that staying on track and in touch is the key to success.

Faculty Highlights

5:42 AM

Phillip Mitchell taught as an assistant professor of English at Gainesville State College for four years. In fall 2012, he left to pursue a doctoral degree in creative writing at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, but continues to teach remotely as an adjunct for UNG.

He has also had seven songs place in the semi-finals and one song place in the finals at this year's UK Songwriting Competition, an international contest that gives winners the opportunity to work with top names in London's music business.

The most challenging part of being an eCore/eMajor instructor is ...….?

Keeping up with the grading. That’s been the biggest challenge of my career.

Describe the most interesting online student you've had.

I’ve had several interesting students. They’ve traveled all over the world. Some have families. Some have been working in professional careers for several years. They all bring a lot to the discussions.

The definition of success is……………………?

Doing what you’re passionate about, what enlivens you and keeps you going.

Who in history would you like to spend an hour with and what would you talk about?

I’d like to talk with John Keats or Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Or any of the Romantics, I suppose. I’d ask about their creative processes and their inspiration for poems. I’d particularly like to know more about Coleridge’s “Kubla Khan.”

Describe the best night of your teenage life.

Graduating high school.

What did you think was “cool” when you were around 8 years old?

Hanging out with my older brother.

Describe your first car.

1988 Mazda 626. Bad alternator. Bad radiator. Stranded me more than once.

The chore I really hate is………………?

Washing dishes.

What would you tell the 10 year old you?

It’s going to be a rough ride but worth it. Hang in there.

Most Sunday afternoons, you can usually find me………………….?

Grading!

What was the last movie that made you cry?

I’ll keep this one to myself, of course.

What are two things most people don't know about you?

I’m an ordained minister and I like cheesy 80s pop music.

The most used appliance in my house is…………………..?
Dishwasher now, thank goodness. I lived in a flat last year that had neither a dishwasher nor a dryer.

What was your favorite joke as a child?

This is a tough one. I was quite a jokester. I think it’d have to be “what do you get when you cross an elephant with a rhino? Elephino!”

What song makes you sing when driving in your car? Why?

I sing to almost everything I listen to in the car. This is one of the things I miss most about living the US. Now that I’m in the UK, I take the train or long walks. If I were to sing, I’m sure I’d get some funny looks. I’d have to say Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” is my favorite driving song, for obvious reasons. Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” is a close second.

Faculty Highlights

6:24 AM