Volume LXIII Number 4

April/May/June 2010
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
April/May/June 2010 - Volume LXIII Number 4

In this quarter’s TACT newsletter...

Page 3 Letter from the President

President
by Gary Coulton Gary Coulton
University of Texas -

Page 5 Executive Director’s Report

San Antonio

by Chuck Hempstead Immediate Past President

Debra Price
Sam Houston State University
Page 6 Two Too Big Problems VP of Financial Affairs
by Elizabeth Lewandowski Frank Fair
Sam Houston State University

Walking the Talk in a University Teacher VP of Membership

Elizabeth Lewandowski
Page 8 Preparation Classroom Midwestern State University
by Gloria Gresham and Kimberly Welsh VP of Legislative Affairs
Cindy Simpson
Page 10 Textbooks for Texas Sam Houston State University
by Allen Martin
Members At Large
Allen Martin
Debunking Myths about Online Courses University of Texas - Tyler
Page 12
by Rob Robinson Mark Gaus
Sam Houston State University

Page 15 Distance Education: A Discussion

Peter Hugill
Texas A&M
by Allen Martin
Executive Director
Chuck Hempstead
Page 19 Pictures from the Spring Conference (512) 873-7404

Page 20 Key Election Dates/GRF Contrubutions

Page 21 Membership Application

TACT
Texas Association of College Teachers
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201 Austin, Texas 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423

Copyright © 2010 by the Texas Association of College Teachers. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be produced in any form without permission; Chuck Hempstead, Editor.
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom
Letter from the President
CONTENTS
by Gary Coulton
TACT President
Cover Page
Index
Letter from the
President
Greetings everyone. It’s that time
Executive Director’s again; time for another issue of the TACT
Report eBulletin. I hope your semester is winding
down nicely. Regardless of whether or not you
Two Too Big Stories teach summer courses, I think most of us in
Walking the Talk the profession would agree that college teach-
ing is a full time job. In my opinion, part of
Textbooks for Texas the job is to stay up to speed on developments
in traditional and non-traditional instructional
Debunking Myths methods. Of course there remains signifi-
About Online Courses cant controversy about the value of various
classroom technologies. That controversy is
Distance Education: A
unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. And as
Discussion
the controversy lingers technology continues
Pictures from the to evolve.
Spring Conference
Whether or not you embrace any of
Key Election Dates/ the new classroom technologies, we owe it
GRF Contributions to our students to keep abreast of available
instructional methods. Also in my opinion,
Member Application we are best served by keeping an open mind
regarding new instructional technologies. To
paraphrase one of my brightest professors in
graduate school, before rejecting something
(he was referring to theories) you should first
have an adequate understanding of it.
With that said I must admit that
although not really a Luddite, I am not as
Contact us!
technologically savvy as most of my col-
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201 leagues. Recently, I was fortunate enough
Austin, TX 78731 to have a particularly valuable professional
tact@bizaustin.rr.com development opportunity materialize (at least
[p] (512) 873-7404 figuratively) in my own back yard.
[f] (512) 873-7423
3
In April the 2nd Annual Southwest
Teaching & Learning Conference was held at
my home institution, Texas A&M University-
San Antonio (TAMU-SA). (TACT was fortu-
nate enough to co-sponsor the conference.)
The event was very successful, due
largely to the efforts of conference founder
and organizer Dr. Tracy Hurley of TAMU-
SA. Enrollment this year increased more than
20% from the inaugural conference. Attend-
ees came from virtually all corners of Texas,
including Tarleton State in Stephenville,
A&M-Commerce, UT Brownsville, and UT
Pan American in Edinburgh.
The conference program included
more than 50 sessions. Some dealt with rather
traditional methods, some concerning on-line
instruction, and a large number of sessions
focusing more recently developed methods of
delivering courses (e.g., Web conferencing,
use of social media, in-class response systems,
Hybrid courses, and the creation and use of
E-books).
I think it’s safe to say that the major-
ity of TACT members spend the majority of
their time engaged in instruction. That’s what
makes keeping up with what instructional
tools are out there so important. (Of course
under the current economic conditions, a little
refresher course on grant writing [to obtain
new instructional equipment] wouldn’t hurt
either.)
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

President’s Letter
(cont’d.)
CONTENTS
In closing, I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you about the 2011 legislative ses-
sion. It may seem like it’s a long way off, but before you know it you’ll receive a TACT
Cover Page First Alert about the opening day of the session. Perhaps most importantly much preparation
is taking place now for the upcoming legislative session. Governor Perry has already had
Index state institutions pare back their budgets 5%. More funding issues affecting higher education
will certainly arise during the session. How can you help TACT prepare? The best way is to
Letter from the
contribute to the TACT Government Relations Fund (GRF). We understand that economic
President
conditions are far from ideal, but please contribute what you can. Any amount will help.
Executive Director’s Contribute on-line. It’s easy. Go to: www.tact.org.
Report
Gary F. Coulton, Ph.D.
Two Too Big Stories
Texas A&M University - San Antonio
Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas

Debunking Myths
About Online Courses

Distance Education: A
Discussion

Pictures from the

Spring Conference

Key Election Dates/

GRF Contributions

Member Application

Contact us!
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423

4
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

Executive Director’s Report

CONTENTS
by Chuck Hempstead
TACT Executive Director
Cover Page

Index
Letter from the
President
Executive Director’s Tax ‘em All and Let God Sort ‘em Out?
Report
Remember? State government, two issues: the budget, and everything else.
Two Too Big Stories
2011 updated version: Budget, redistricting, and nothing else.
Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas If a billion here and a billion there pretty soon adds up to real money, why can’t we agree if
we’re facing an $11 Billion shortfall, $15 Billion, or this week’s $18 Billion? The latter comes
Debunking Myths from Appropriations Committee Chair Jim Pitts, so we might want to honor its potential ac-
About Online Courses curacy. Here comes gambling and the slashing of sales tax exemptions and who knows what,
depending on the number of special sessions necessary to wear out enough elected officials to
Distance Education: A vote for something to be able to go home.
Discussion
Those of you who have been watching for decades know that not much happens during redis-
Pictures from the tricting years, except maybe the theater of quorum-busting groups hiding out in someone’s
Spring Conference
garage apartment…or New Mexico…or Wichita Falls until the media or Texas Rangers suggest
Key Election Dates/ they return to the Granite Dome before their freedom or constituencies become at risk.
GRF Contributions
O.K., back to higher education. A significant difference between Texas and other states is
Member Application that our college-age population is still growing – and fast. With enrollment countercyclical
to economy, and the success of our Closing the Gaps initiative, Texas higher ed is exploding.
The Legislature added significant appropriations increases last time, especially to student aid
programs. But in interim committees now, Commissioner Paredes is already being asked how
he suggests reprioritizing financial aid if it were to remain flat or decrease.

Two upcoming dates of importance: last chance for your colleague to join TACT at our “try us”
rate of $109 through Fall; and, the TACT Board is meeting June 5 to begin drafting our legisla-
tive agenda for January. What would you like for it to include?
Contact us!
Chuck Hempstead
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Executive Director
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423

5
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom
Two Too Big Stories, or
CONTENTS “Truthiness” in Action
by Elizabeth Lewandowski
Cover Page TACT VP of Membership
Index
Letter from the
President Deep in the throes of the end of the
Executive Director’s semester, surrounded by papers and projects
Report to grade, committee reports to finish and a red
light on my phone telling me I have more voice
Two Too Big Stories mail, I had no intention of writing an article
for the Bulletin this month. “Let the bigwigs
Walking the Talk deal with it” I thought. As I ate my sandwich, I
Textbooks for Texas perused my email and news online and decided
that two stories were getting too big and full
Debunking Myths of too much “truthiness” to go by without
About Online Courses responding.
Distance Education: A Story # 1: From www.quorumreport.
Discussion com, an article about a large jump in scholarship
dollars for higher education in which THECB
Pictures from the
Commissioner Raymund Paredes states that
Spring Conference
Texas state aid for higher ed scholarships has
Key Election Dates/ increased 424 percent over the last decade (in
GRF Contributions 2000 it was $91 million; in 2010, $477 million).
The suggestion made is that scholarship money
Member Application in Texas is plentiful for today’s college student.
Reality #1: While Texas higher
ed scholarship appropriations have indeed
increased in the last ten years, the reality is
that much of the money goes unclaimed. This
money, in the form of the B On Time Program,
while a favorite of the Governor, is not a
favorite of modern students. Today’s students
Contact us! are concerned that they will be unable to fulfill
the requirements of the grant. The program
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
specifies that if students enrolled in the program
Austin, TX 78731
graduate with a B average (3.0 gpa) the money
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
is a grant but if the student graduates with a gpa
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423
below 3.0 the money is a loan which must be
paid back. This money is not nearly as enticing
6
to a student as a grant or working extra hours
at a job to avoid having loan payments after
graduation.
The Too Big Truth #1: The story’s
allegation that there is plenty of money being
spent on scholarships falls short of the truth.
While the money is available, large numbers
of dollars are going unused. At my university
with a student body over 6,000, fewer than 10
students participate in the B On Time Program.
Story #2: From www.trnonline.
com, an article relating the results of a study
conducted by the National Council on Teacher
Quality (NCTQ). The $300,000 study was
pushed for by two Texas senators, one of
whom was Senator Florence Shapiro, and paid
for by the Houston Endowment, a foundation
in Houston. According to the report, teacher
education in the state of Texas is abysmal.
Reality #2: While NCTQ did in fact
conduct a study, the study was done using
research methods that would be unacceptable
in any college freshman class. NCTQ initially
sent a complex request to the deans of Texas
colleges of education. The request was long
and involved with no clear purpose and the
deans, already busy with various nationally
reputable accrediting bodies, decided not
to participate in the study. The study was
therefore completed by reviewing the
information available on university websites.
If no information was available on a particular
question, the resulting answer to the question
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

Two Too Big Stories

(cont’d.)
CONTENTS
was not “no information available” but “no” or “0”. This questionable method of gathering
data resulted in the information one might expect i.e. the universities with the most detailed
Cover Page
websites were ranked the highest and those with the least detailed websites were ranked as the
worst teacher training programs.
Index
The Too Big Truth: The research was conducted in such a manner that the results of
Letter from the
the study are worthless in evaluating the quality of teacher education programs. Large amounts
President
of money were spent to receive worthless data.
Executive Director’s
Report Why do I care? I’m not a college student and I’m not a member of a teacher education
program. I am however a member of TACT and I am appalled by the use and abuse of money.
Two Too Big Stories
While those of us in higher education are perceived as “ivory tower” faculty out of touch with
Walking the Talk reality, I suggest that is not we who are out of touch but some of our representation in Austin.
If funding Texas scholarships means appropriating money for a program that history tells us is
Textbooks for Texas unsuccessful and spending $300,00 for essentially worthless research is our state government’s
idea of careful financial management in the current economy, then I am indeed sorry to be a
Debunking Myths Texan.
About Online Courses
If you feel as I do that our leaders in Austin are not tuned in on the realities of today’s
Distance Education: A
Discussion
higher education then join me in supporting TACT. Join me in making a $50 donation to the
Dr. James M. Puckett Ph.D. Government Relations Fund to help TACT provide our state leaders
Pictures from the with relevant, useful information about higher education. If each member of TACT donates
Spring Conference $50, our organization will be able to spend more time telling our state leaders the Reality and
the Truth about Texas higher education.
Key Election Dates/
GRF Contributions

Member Application

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5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423

7
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

“Walking the Talk”

In a University Teacher Preparation Classroom
CONTENTS by Gloria Gresham and Kimberly Welsh

According to Douglas, Frey, & Lapp shows teacher candidates assembled in the
Cover Page (2009), modeling may be our most powerful large group area.
learning tool. Learning how to manage a
Index classroom where students are actively engaged Image 1: Students gather for the mini-lesson
Letter from the is not fostered through lecture-based, teacher-
President centered classrooms. This type of learning is
promoted when the instructor “walks the talk”
Executive Director’s
Report
each and every day. One delivery method
that allows students to construct knowledge
Two Too Big Stories is the workshop approach. For the past two
years, the workshop approach was utilized
Walking the Talk as the instructional delivery method in my
university classes for the early childhood and
Textbooks for Texas
middle level teacher candidates. As Bennett
Debunking Myths (2007) describes it, the workshop allows the For about 10 minutes, the instructor focuses the
About Online Courses “daily pursuit of understanding important students on the topic for the day, and leads them
things” (p. 6). The workshop provides a through a “think a-loud or demonstration.”
Distance Education: A predictable structure, regular routine, ritual, Immediately, students complete guided
Discussion and orchestrated system for learning. It is practice over the topic to ensure understanding
cyclical and has three main components: mini- as demonstrated in Image 2.
Pictures from the lesson, worktime, and debrief (Bennett). The
Spring Conference components are not static but allow the teacher Image 2: Students rehearse content through a pair

to rotate through the cycle multiple times in a share under the careful eye of the instructor.
Key Election Dates/
GRF Contributions
single class.

Member Application Mini-lesson

Contact us!
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423
At the beginning of each meeting
time, students are summoned to the large
group area with a transition. A transition is a
short jingle, song, or chant that relates to the
learning. Students sit on the floor encircling
the instructor. At first, this takes some of
the students by surprise, especially the male
middle level candidates. After explanation of
the delivery method, students adapt and eagerly When the instructor is sure students are ready
await the beginning of class as was expressed to complete work related to the content taught,
by this middle level teacher candidate, “I they are released with a transition to engage in
really enjoyed the workshop approach. It individual, pair, or group work.
was a relaxed atmosphere, and I really felt
comfortable in participating. It definitely was
an attention getter. I did not have time to let
my mind wander to other things.” Image 1

8
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

Walking the Talk

(cont’d.)
CONTENTS
Worktime
In worktime, students engage in the The power of this method is relayed by
work. The work may involve implementing this student, “This type of modeling is exactly
Cover Page a “new” strategy, reading an article related what we need as developing teachers so that
to the content taught, or reflecting through we can see exactly how the type of lesson
Index
writing. During this time, the instructor is approach works in a practical, “real world”
Letter from the conferencing with individuals/small groups or example. I liked the large group time because
President moving about the room to question or “listen it created an environment that felt safe and
Executive Director’s
in.” Image 3 displays a student conference. exhilarating. In small groups, we were able to
Report help each other explore the material while the
Image 3: The instructor is assessing student teacher had more time to observe, assess, and
Two Too Big Stories comprehension over content taught.. support us in our educational goals. Learning
was transparent for us and the teacher. In
Walking the Talk debrief time, we had the opportunity to reiterate
Textbooks for Texas
what we had just learned.” I could sum this up
no more eloquently. The workshop approach
Debunking Myths is a powerful instructional delivery method
About Online Courses to use in university classrooms, especially
classrooms where teacher candidates are
Distance Education: A preparing for a teaching career. 
Discussion
References
Pictures from the Bennett, S. (2007). That workshop book;
Spring Conference
New systems and structures for
Debrief classrooms that read, write, and think.
Key Election Dates/
GRF Contributions Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
The class ends as it begins in the large
Member Application group area. Students celebrate their learning Douglas, F., Frey, N., & Lapp, D. (2009). In a
by sharing their understanding, thinking, and/ reading state of mind: Brain research,
or work accomplished during worktime as is teacher modeling, and comprehension
revealed in Image 4 (Bennett, 2007). instruction.Newark,DE: International
Reading Association.
Image 4: An early childhood teacher candidate
early exhibits her work.

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tact@bizaustin.rr.com
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9
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom
Textbooks for Texas: Just Right, Right of
CONTENTS Center, or Outrageous?
by Allen Martin
Cover Page
Index
Letter from the
President
Wild things have been asserted about
Executive Director’s how the public school social studies books are
Report going to be written. One problem is that we
are just finished with the SBOE mark-up of the
Two Too Big Stories
Text Book Committee draft. Many discussions
Walking the Talk and changes are certain. Second, the wording
of the “TEKS draft” is scattered and confusing,
Textbooks for Texas not just because it is in a mark-up stage, but
also because the choices of editorial terms
Debunking Myths are confusing and undefined. I have seen
About Online Courses
excoriations in newspapers across the country
of the new social studies books. Remember,
Distance Education: A
Discussion also, that the idea that all the other states
adopt the texts that the SBOE adopts is just
Pictures from the overwrought.
Spring Conference
The Tejano heroes, i.e., the Mexicans
Key Election Dates/ who fought with the Texans during the
GRF Contributions revolutionary period, are indeed included in
the current draft. Contrary to newspapers in
Member Application
other states, Texas is not planning to throw out
mention, or even respect, for José Navarro,
López Zavala, Erasmo or Juan Seguín,
etc. Nor are the text books planning to do
away with African American notables such
as W.E.B. Dubois, Barbara Jordan, Martin
Luther King, and Thurgood Marshall. Study
of various people may be moved to different
Contact us! grade levels (e.g. Thomas Hobbes, Bill Martin,
Jr., Dolores Huerta, than in the past and several
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201 will be dropped entirely from social studies
Austin, TX 78731 texts: Florence Nightingale, Henrietta C. King,
tact@bizaustin.rr.com Miriam A. Ferguson, Henry Cisneros, Roy
[p] (512) 873-7404 Bedichk, Sandra Cisneros, Clarence Birdseye,
[f] (512) 873-7423 “Robinson Crusoe and Paul Bunyan,” Louis
Daguerre and C.M. “Dad” Joiner, Phil Gramm,
10
Susan B. Anthony, Shirley Chishom, Eugene
Debs, Robert Lafollete, H. Ross Perot, Ralph
Nader, John Steinbeck, Archimedes, Robert
Boyle, Nicolaus Copernicus, Marie Curie,
Albert Einstein, Erathosthenes of Cyrene,
Robert Fulton, Galileo Galilei,Vladimir Lenin,
Sir Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, Pythagoras of
Samor, Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, James
Watter, Sigmund Freud. (Cactus Jack was not
deleted, he just had his real name clarified,
John Nance Garner.) That’s all of the deleted
names I found from the social studies books
at this stage of the revision process. Some of
these names are now only in other texts, such
as science books.
“Figures” added in 2010: Santa
Barraza, Diane Gonzales Bertrand, Denton
Cooley, Glenn Curtiss, Horton Foote, Raul
a. Gonzalez, Jr., Milton Hershey, Stonewall
Jackson, Lydia Mendoza, Chelo Silva, Sam
Walton. But also added at some recent time
were: Abigail Adams, John Q. Adams, Richard
Allen, Susan B. Anthony, James Armistead,
Crispus Attucks, James A. Baker, Philip
Bazaar, Todd Beamer, Alexander g. Bell,
William Blackstone, Simón Bolívar, Omar
Bradley, William Carney, George W. Carver,
César Chávez, Wentworth Cheswell, and many
others (but the SBOE seems to show some
“figures” as being recent inclusions that were
not so recent).
In April, a member of the State Board
of Education, Barbara Cargill, stated the
following:
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

Textbooks for Texas

(cont’d.)
CONTENTS
“Here are examples of some of the outstanding standards that have passed so far:
American History:

Cover Page • The student understands the concept of American exceptionalism.

• Describe how American values are different and unique from those of other nations.
Index
• Describe U.S. citizens as people from numerous places throughout the world who hold a
Letter from the common bond in standing for certain self-evident truths.
President • Discuss the meaning and historical significance of the mottos ‘E Pluribus Unum’ and ‘In God
Executive Director’s
We Trust.’”
Report
This is a huge, contentious issue process. Lots of confusion will continue because of
Two Too Big Stories many reasons, including that there is a lot to it.

Walking the Talk You can always email sboesupport@tea.state.tx.us to express yourself on the state
Textbooks for Texas
education issues.

Debunking Myths
About Online Courses

Distance Education: A
Discussion

Pictures from the

Spring Conference

Key Election Dates/

GRF Contributions

Member Application

Contact us!
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423

11

TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom
CONTENTS
Cover Page
Index
Letter from the
President
Executive Director’s
Report
Two Too Big Stories
Walking the Talk
Textbooks for Texas
Debunking Myths
About Online Courses
Distance Education: A
Discussion
Pictures from the
Spring Conference
Key Election Dates/
GRF Contributions
Member Application
Contact us!
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423
12
The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
Debunking Myths About Online Courses
by Rob Robinson, Ph.D.
Director, UT TeleCampus
In the roughly 15 years since the
first truly web-based online courses were
introduced, a number of persistent myths
have emerged among faculty regarding
quality, motivations, and workload. In
my role as "dark side administrator" of a
large online operation, I hope to be able
to dispel some of these myths. These
myths are much like the storied Phoenix.
In this case I am referring to the mythical
bird rather than the oft-criticized universi-
ty, as these are myths which continuously
emerge from the ashes of debunking.
Myth: Online courses are of poor qual-
ity.
This is absolutely the most per-
sistent myth out there, and it is re-ignited
every time a "degree mill" is exposed.
The basic fact is that the quality of an
online course is directly proportional to
the plan and execution of the instructional
design of the course. You, as a teaching
faculty member, should not be left un-
trained to wander into the world of digital
pedagogy. Quality courses emerge from
a partnership between the faculty and
instructional designers. There are simple,
powerful ways to engage students in an
online course.
I am frequently asked to provide
evidence regarding the quality of online
instruction. My initial response is to ask
what evidence we have that classroom
instruction is of the highest quality? Why
is classroom instruction, which is seldom
ever systematically reviewed for qual-
ity, the benchmark? However, there is a
growing body of research literature which
points to the quality of online courses
as being on par with – if not superior
to – classroom courses. One of the more
recent pieces of evidence is a Department
of Education report titled Evaluation
of Evidence-based Practices in Online
Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review
of Online Learning Studies. It is worth
highlighting one of their conclusions:
Students who took all or part of
their class online performed better, on av-
erage, than those taking the same course
through traditional face-to-face instruc-
tion. (p. xiv)
The quality of any course, regard-
less of delivery modality, is related to the
effort put into it. This leads to the next
myth…
Myth: Online courses require a lot
more work than classroom courses.
Honestly, this myth is based
in fact. The development of an online
course is a non-trivial amount of work
on the part of the faculty. Partnering
the faculty with instructional designers
and multimedia specialists can reduce
the workload, but the intellectual effort

TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom
CONTENTS
Cover Page
Index
Letter from the
President
Executive Director’s
Report
Two Too Big Stories
Walking the Talk
Textbooks for Texas
Debunking Myths
About Online Courses
Distance Education: A
Discussion
Pictures from the
Spring Conference
Key Election Dates/
GRF Contributions
Member Application
Contact us!
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423
13
The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
Debunking Myths
(cont’d.)
required by the faculty can be significant. member and the institution share joint
In fact, I am of the opinion that this activ- copyright of the course. This allows the
ity should be recognized as the schol- author to keep control over her materi-
arly work that it is. However, the most als, while allowing the institution to have
frequently heard complaint regards how continuity in their course offerings if
much work is required to teach an online the faculty members departs the institu-
course, rather than the work expended in tion. In those cases where the institution
developing it. Again, there are straight- asserts sole copyright of the course, the
forward ways to mitigate some of the authoring faculty member should review
work. Elements like establishing clear their employment contract to review the
guidelines in the syllabus regarding when work-for-hire language.
you, as the instructor, will respond to
student emails; making sure that students Myth: Online courses are simply a
have all-hours access to technical sup- ploy by the administration to generate
port, and designing the course for scale, more revenue.
all help reduce teaching workload. Perhaps based on history, this
myth is understandable. Many highly
In fact, perhaps the worst thing touted online ventures were launched
one can do when designing an online with great fanfare in the early 2000s,
course is to simply replicate the activities were expressly designed to generate in-
and assessments that are used in a face- stitutional revenue. Most of those opera-
to-face class. The move to online instruc- tions have now ceased to operate. Those
tion presents the opportunity to use the left standing are institutions and organi-
technology of the Internet to manage the zations which approach online programs
workload. Use group-based activities via as a way to increase access and improve
discussion boards or Web2.0 applications; learning and not just a simple money-
scatter quick online assessment through making venture. While online delivery
the course; make the syllabus very com- is not the money-machine many thought
prehensive and require students to read it, it would be, it is a profound game-chang-
and then have a quiz over it to reduce the er in terms of allowing adult learning to
administrivie load of student questions. gain access to the intellectual riches of
our institutions.
Myth: Online courses result in a loss of
control by the faculty of their intellec- Myth: Online courses are a way for
tual property. administration to replace high salary
While anecdotal evidence faculty members.
abounds to keep this myth in circulation, It is true that the ranks of full-
by far the most common policy regard- time, tenured faculty are declining as a
ing intellectual property issues in online percentage of instructors in institutions
courses is that the authoring faculty all across the country. What is false is
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

Debunking Myths
(cont’d.)
CONTENTS
that this is a result of the proliferation of online courses. In fact, the rapid growth of
enrollments in online degree programs at traditional colleges universities argues for
more, not fewer, full time teaching faculty.
Cover Page
There is no reason to fear or pooh-pooh the growth of online courses. They
Index
clearly meet student needs, increase access to learning, and have comparable quality to
Letter from the face-to-face courses. They are no longer just something that continuing education units
President
or “those for-profits” do – they are now at the academic center of most institutions.
Executive Director’s The pedagogical opportunities for innovation in online courses are quite exciting, and
Report it is my hope that you won’t fall prey to the recurring myths regarding them.
Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas

Debunking Myths
About Online Courses

Distance Education: A
Discussion

Pictures from the

Spring Conference

Key Election Dates/

GRF Contributions

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 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom
Distance Education: A Discussion for
CONTENTS TACT/TCFS/AAUP
by Allen Martin
Cover Page
Index
Letter from the
President
Let us consider “The Last Profes-
Executive Director’s
Report sor,” Stanley Fish (NYT 1/18/09). He
states that “higher education, properly un-
Two Too Big Stories derstood, is distinguished by the absence
of a direct and designed relationship be-
Walking the Talk
tween its activities and measurable effects
Textbooks for Texas in the world.” …. “There is an important
difference between learning which is con-
Debunking Myths
cerned with the degree of understanding
About Online Courses
necessary to practice a skill, and learning
Distance Education: A which is expressly focused upon an enter-
Discussion prise of understanding and explaining.”
Pictures from the
I was a Ph. D student at UT when
Spring Conference
Frank Erwin proclaimed that the Univer-
Key Election Dates/ sity of Texas should teach work-skills, not
GRF Contributions scholarship. If you want to teach a skill,
do it by distance. If you want to edu-
Member Application
cate, you have to be there (WAM, “Being
There,” Academe, 1999). Ideas must be
worked on, fleshed out, and tested (life
is not a multiple guess test), all with the
consultation of professors and fellow
students.
But this leads into my first point:
Contact us! With distance education (DE), who needs
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201 professors, that is “content providers.”
Austin, TX 78731 The content is in the tank or private col-
tact@bizaustin.rr.com leges, thank you for your contributions.
[p] (512) 873-7404 Now, the work is for the actor, commu-
[f] (512) 873-7423 nicator, talking head. I began studying
15
this issue in the early 1990s by becoming
a Senior Fellow at THECB. And then
wrote in the TACT Quarterly Bulletin
about DE and faculty protection. In
those days faculty had firm defense: just
say no. But that was when faculty were
enticed to teach distantly, and if they
agreed, they bargained. The bargaining
has not totally gone away, I did this just
last year ( a special sort of case). But for
the most part, a faculty member faces a
heavy hand, and the bargain is close to
the notorious “offer he can’t refuse.”
I was amazed that when the UT
System first presented DE to my campus,
that the faculty missed all the larger is-
sues, thinking only of mites while missing
the monsters. We had a big brain-storm-
ing session, all the brains seemed to be
blown and washed away. A year or two
later, as I tried to bring the light, profes-
sors here and elsewhere would perceive
the dawn and say, “Oh, one professor
could teach the course for the whole
university system.” Well, that was a start.
For several years, my campus has been
teaching courses to the world, including
flying; 9/11/01 was in the old days when a
terrorist had to go to Florida to take final-
approach training.

TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom
CONTENTS
Cover Page
Index
Letter from the
President
Executive Director’s
Report
Two Too Big Stories
Walking the Talk
Textbooks for Texas
Debunking Myths
About Online Courses
Distance Education: A
Discussion
Pictures from the
Spring Conference
Key Election Dates/
GRF Contributions
Member Application
Contact us!
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
[p] (512) 873-7404
[f] (512) 873-7423
16
The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
Distance Education
(cont’d.)
Throughout this time of profes-
sional insouciance, their/our percentage
of the university/college work force be-
gan to nose dive. We are being overtaken
by all sorts of teachers and machines
that are not tenured and who will not be.
Years ago, when I was writing articles
for the AAUP, I became aware that most
of the University Professors weren’t.
Now, it’s not even close: where did they
go? You might say, “replaced by junior
college faculty,” and that would be sub-
stantially correct, but further, why would
someone pay university prices for a DE
course that is also offered at the local JC?
So, who cares if the professoriate
is on its way to being a curious memory?
I hope that you can think of many rea-
sons. One that some might miss is that it
is the professoriate that guarded against
the corporatization of the academy; i.e.,
we have been in the teaching and scholar-
ship business, not the money and power
business, ad are our modern administra-
tors. We kept the universities honest and
the students, too. Individual professors
still care, but they have lost the ability to
fight the good fight because their numbers
and power are ebbing. Today, we are be-
ing replaced by those who teach to great
numbers of people via DE. At least this
used to be synchronous, now the latest
gimmick is to infuse the synchronous into
synchronous education modules. Oh, we
have come so far. The rub, dear Watson,
is that technology is not the issue: rather,
while you were gushing over gadgets,
your ilk was being bum rushed into the
side streets.
Can you believe that people are
still defending this stuff by talking about
the disabled? Let us count the puns: that
has always been a crutch, the excuse has
never had a leg to stand on: all in bad
taste you say; what do you have to say
about the shortchanging of genuine edu-
cated, deep thinking, the idea of advanc-
ing people onto higher planes (no, get the
spelling in your head)?
But there is point #2. The pur-
pose of distance education has always
been curious. What has driven DE? Why
have universities been so manic about
providing all this stuff? Lots of reasons,
but quality education is not one of them
(my “Really Smart Classrooms” TACT
Bulletin 200?). Why did your chancellor
say we have to spend tons of money on
this method of delivery? I mean, what
was really the driving motive? Competi-
tion perhaps, but why did the 1957 Chevy
have fins, why were those bigger the next
year and the year after? Well, I submit
that it was not crippled people or frivolity
but huge money and power, the perennial
driving forces. Where is it going to come
from? At last, the answer: You. You
have been an expensive trouble maker
or at least you’ve been put in the way.
You want to be paid only a bit less than
administrators, you want AAUP right
and input, even shared governance. UT
Administrators scoff at the idea that there
is big money to be garnered by stealing
your lectures, but they are lying. Many
corporations and universities are awash in
money from lectures.
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom
Distance Education
(cont’d.)
CONTENTS
Such outrages had been building
up – those cocky fellows of the 1960s
Cover Page remember the epigram, “The Huns are
not only at the gates but they’re inside the
Index university, and they’ve got tenure!” The
Letter from the answer was to stop them dead; the death
President was to be slow, but that was acceptable
Executive Director’s
to administrators. The fiendish plot was
Report to steal the brains of the scholars! Then,
once the administrators have the brains
Two Too Big Stories (“in the can” as the expression was a few
Walking the Talk
years ago), they could foresee running
universities without challenge and without
Textbooks for Texas professorial expenses (except for those
whose research brings in big bucks), the
Debunking Myths
About Online Courses
only expense that had to grow was money
for the administrative class.
Distance Education: A
Discussion Now, let’s see how this works. I
made the quip land then months later it
Pictures from the
Spring Conference
was a New Yorker cartoon: a professor
comes home and tells the family he has
Key Election Dates/ lost his job, replaced by his own lectures.
GRF Contributions That’s the ticket. Get the professor to
teach a DE course; get the course, and
Member Application
then adjuncts (cheap people) can be the
teachers of record (a pun there) again and
again. As I traveled the country talking
about these issues and was getting calls
from all over the country and the UK
(mainly through my article in AUTLOOK,
UK, 2000), I heard the stories of dead
people teaching courses for years. This
Contact us!
is not so often painful to the bereaved
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201 now, since this is not so commonly done
Austin, TX 78731 on public access TV, but the heirs make
tact@bizaustin.rr.com no money off the pilfered lectures. The
[p] (512) 873-7404 popular administrative trick is to get a
[f] (512) 873-7423 hireling, get them to DE, then let them go.
17
This has been slightly difficult in the past,
because of professors rising to the aid of
the neophytes. When the only profes-
sors left are researchers with a course on
the side, they are unlikely to rise up and
defend the professoriate or the non-tenure
track faculty.
Yes, this is point #3, the intellec-
tual property policy; you’re welcome. But
after I worked on getting this going and
then my partner, Georgia Harper, put it in
lawyereeze, and it was approved by the
UT System and then adopted by every
university in the country (save one, that
I know of), faculty are still getting taken.
How is this? Well, the IP policy makes it
clear that if you create it, it is yours; but,
as I wrote in “Intellectual Property Cov-
ers Distance Education, if You Work at It”
(ASA 8/18/01), you must not be a chump.
Professors are rarely chumps but they are
becoming rare. The pigeons are the young
chickadees, “another sucker born every
minute.” The administrator says that you
will teach a course by distance, sign here.
Most everyone does, thereby giving away
years of hard work and rights, heck, you
could be sued for using your own words
without a signed letter of permission.
Here’s a brilliant solution: don’t sign the
contract, keep your IP, better yet, refuse
to DE. The IP issue is huge: I spent three
days talking about it at the 1998 “Summer
Workshop of the AAUP” in Marquette,
MI, in the Upper Peninsula one summer.
(I looked forward to the relief from the
Texas sun – the Uppers had 105 degrees
and no air conditioning!) The attendees
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

Distance Education
(cont’d.)
CONTENTS
came to understand and embrace the IP is mainly all about, i.e., make money off
issue, but it took hours for them to fully the geese that lay the golden eggs and let
Cover Page get it. Few faculty members, except the them go). Yes, corporations and universi-
few professors left in universities, will ties are competing for mega-dollars: The
Index ever take the time to learn the law and be universities have whole offices to scoff at
Letter from the prepared to protect themselves. Thus, in the idea that they are making a killing, but
President general, I think that We Are Doomed, to the professoriate is dying and both corpo-
Executive Director’s cite Derbyshire’s book. rations and universities are killing us.
Report
Turning now to the little problem,
Two Too Big Stories point #4, that is obvious to all who have
Walking the Talk any awareness of DE: It fosters grade in-
flation, that is, academic fraud. You have
Textbooks for Texas not seen and talked with those distant peo-
ple, you don’t know who took those tests
Debunking Myths
About Online Courses (in the cases I know about where the fac-
ulty member sits with the test takers, the
Distance Education: A grades are vastly lower than when the tests
Discussion are taken remotely and without professo-
rial proctors). Who wrote those papers?
Pictures from the
Spring Conference Yes, we have good ways to see online pa-
pers, but it is expensive – who pays for the
Key Election Dates/ online papers that have to be bought in or-
GRF Contributions der to prove that the “students” bought the
Member Application
online papers? Moreover, there are many
other ways to have papers written by oth-
ers (one encyclopedia company has been
doing custom jobs for years). They, and
more and more faculty, do not care nearly
as much as they used to – this is all part
of the corporate university. Again, keep
in mind that DE is run by real corpora-
Contact us! tions (they teach all subjects at all degree
levels), like the ones that had me be the
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201 skunk at the picnic at Jackson Hole, 1997,
Austin, TX 78731 and “legitimate” universities (see Atlan-
tact@bizaustin.rr.com tic Monthly, “The Corporate University”
[p] (512) 873-7404 first made the general population aware
[f] (512) 873-7423
of what the modern American university

18
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

Pictures from the Spring Conference

CONTENTS

Cover Page

Index
Letter from the
President
Executive Director’s
Report

Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas

Debunking Myths
About Online Courses
Image 1: Peter Hugill, Mark Gaus, Debra Price, Lieutanant Governor
Distance Education: A Dewhurst, Chuck Hempstead, Allen Martin, Gary Coulton.
Discussion

Pictures from the

Spring Conference

Key Election Dates/

GRF Contributions

Member Application

Contact us!
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tact@bizaustin.rr.com
Image 2: Rob Robinson, Allen Martin.
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19
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

Key Election Dates 2010

CONTENTS Oct. 4 — Last day to register to vote in general election.
Oct. 18 — First day of early voting in general election.
Oct. 29 — Last day of early voting in general election
Cover Page
Nov. 2 — General election.
Index
Click here for more information on elections
Letter from the
Source: Texas Secretary of State’s Office
President
Executive Director’s
Report

Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk
Textbooks for Texas
Debunking Myths
About Online Courses
Distance Education: A
Discussion
Pictures from the
Spring Conference
Key Election Dates/
GRF Contributions
Member Application
Contact us!
5750 Balcones Dr., Suite 201
Austin, TX 78731
tact@bizaustin.rr.com
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20
The James M. Puckett, Ph. D.
Government Relations Fund
The TACT Dr. James M. Puckett, Ph.D. Government Relations Fund is a result of optional
contributions made by those committed to TACT’s heightened public affairs program. It is
not used for candidate contributions, but is used for activities that will increase awareness of
TACT among influences of public policy. Your contribution will assist in TACT’s legislative
efforts to improve Texas higher education. All expenditures are approved in advance by TACT’s
President, President-elect and Legislative Committee Chair.
Click Here to Contribute
Thank you to the following contributors
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Jonathan Coopersmith
Mary DeShazo
Frank Fair
Clarke Garnsey
Chuck Hempstead
Elizabeth Lewandowski
Andrea Williams
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Debra Price
 The TACT Quarterly eBulletin
TACT Texas Association of College Teachers
Defending Academic Freedom

CONTENTS
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Report

Two Too Big Stories

Walking the Talk

Textbooks for Texas

Debunking Myths
About Online Courses

Distance Education: A
Discussion

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Key Election Dates/

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