In the 1991 epic film City Slickers, the old cowboy Curly (Jack Palance) tells Mitch (Billy Crystal) that the secret to life is "One thing ... you find that and everything else don't mean [nothing]." When Mitch asks what the one thing is, Curly answers, "You gotta find that out for yourself."
Watch the scene on YouTube.
This year's college-wide theme is Back to the Vision, and at GGC, one of "the cornerstones of our Vision [is] innovative use of educational technology." GGC is "a model for innovative approaches to education." As you consider how the innovation aspect of the GGC Vision applies in your teaching this year, I'd like to give you a challenge based on Curly's secret to life.
I've been working with GGC Faculty for a while now, and I can see that most of you have found your One Thing in teaching. You do the committee work and grading and all the rest as a way to get to teach students and enrich their lives. Curly would be proud. You have your One Thing, but I would like to encourage you to to consider the power of one thing: one innovation, one small change in how you teach. Could one small change, consistently applied make a difference in your students' learning? Could it also add to your enjoyment as a teacher? I believe it can. ...
I originally posted this in August on a GGC blog, and had two excellent articles from Faculty celebrating their one thing that has added benefit to their teaching in Blackboard.