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Recap of Inaugural GradShare (November 2001)
Graduate Students:
This is a final statement about the Gradshare event of October 26, 2001.
Approximately 23 graduate students participated in the event, discussing issues such as Technology, Policy, Equity, Teacher Learning, and Narrative & Language [interestingly, no one from the Student Development group showed up].
For the most part, these discussions occurred across units and disciplines.
From what I observed and have heard, the event was successful, and benefited participants in different but significant ways.
Throughout the afternoon, Dean Palincsar was present and very supportive of our efforts.
At the conclusion of the event, we held a discussion around the questions: (1) What was valuable for you about today? and (2) Where do we go from here?
Graduate students wrote responses to these questions, and these have been compiled by Andra Miletta. I will include these responses below, as a final summary to the event.
Although this is a final summary, I certainly hope this is not the end of this movement. What seems to be a developing opportunity for graduate students is the possibilities in both forming and participating in an SOE graduate student government. Widespread student input and energy will be essential if this is going to become a reality, and become a meaningful reality.
I also want to thank those who participated in the event. As was stated, 'showing up' is more than half the battle. Your presence said as much as what was said in the groups themselves.
Jason Margolis
3rd Year Doctoral Student
Teacher Education
***GRADUATE STUDENT RESPONSES TO THE EVENT ***
What was valuable:
- Making intellectual connections with grad student across different
areas in SOE
- I got a lot of useful information about the research of other
students
- Learning about obstacles students experience and what supports
they draw
upon
- Thinking about and listening to the brainstorming tips
- Having the perspective of people further along in their programs
talk about the program in the context of doing research
- Feeling of comraderie, new climate and sense of community in
SOE, fighting isolation of grad school, learning about students
with related interests
- Specific suggestions and feedback (giving and receiving)
- Introductory comments on community building and why we're here
- Verbalization forces unspoken assumptions to be revealed
- People actually listened and talked with each other
What's next?
- Another similar event to which faculty are invited to listen
and learn and to talk about work in progress - troubleshooting
and collective problem solving
- A session devoted to methodological issues with faculty speakers--like
a fireside chat
- Peer mentoring opportunities to provide feedback regarding courses,
milestones, and apprenticeship opportunities - 1st year connections
with 3rd year students, for example
- Need more time next time, but keep informality, once, maybe
twice a semester - could try random groupings? Choose your own
group? Groups by methods/data types?
- Strictly social events - innertube water polo team for example
- Weekly seminars with refreshments for sharing current research,
practicing giving talks, or just developing networks
- Writing groups or other support and study groups
- Create a space (electronic?) for work (papers, prelims, grant
proposals, course syllabi, etc.) that others can access or respond
to; set a date to stop by and share feedback
- Create a source list of who's who so we know who to talk to
and ask about research work
- Compensate grad student leadership positions to sustain and
expand these efforts
- Better public spaces to gather informally
- Brainstorming session on what role a student government in
the SOE would play
- More student representation on SOE committees
- Teacher movies screenings in the Brownlee Room with post-film
discussions
- Prep sessions for upcoming conference presentations - practice
and get feedback
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