Welcome to Digication Scholars Conversations.
I'm your host, Kelly Driscoll.
In this episode, you'll hear part one of my conversation with Janet
Van Loon, assistant professor in the education department and Co-director
in the Center for Social Science Research at Bucknell University.
More links and information about today's conversation can be found on Digication's
Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Full episodes of Digication Scholars Conversations can be found on
YouTube or your favorite podcast app.
Welcome to Digication Scholars Conversations!
I'm your host, Kelly Driscoll, and I'm So pleased to welcome today, Janet Van Lone.
Janet is assistant professor in the education department and Co-director
for the Center for Social Science Research at Bucknell University.
Welcome, Janet.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm very glad to be here, Kelly.
Yes, thank you so much.
And I actually had the opportunity to, see Janet present at a recent ABLE event,
and that's how I got to know a little bit about what Janet was working on at
Bucknell University using Digication, and then had the opportunity to learn
a little bit more about you, um, when I discovered your professional ePortfolio
that you created in the platform.
Reading that just made me so excited to potentially have
the opportunity to talk to you.
So, I'm so excited that it's come to fruition and here we are today.
And, um, just can't wait for you to be able to share your
story with our listeners.
Thought we would just kind of kick things off today with you sharing a little bit
about how you made your way to Bucknell.
Oh, that's a long story.
I'll try to give you the brief version.
Um, yes, as you, you explained, I'm an assistant professor, so
I'm still working towards tenure.
Um, and I, I like, since I've been here, they've called me early,
an early career professional.
Um, However, this is not really my early career because I had a
career prior to this, um, being in the education department.
I worked as a middle school teacher.
That's how I started my career, um, working in as a middle school special
education teacher outside of Philadelphia in the Rose Tree Media School District.
Um, I absolutely loved teaching middle school, um, and You know, speaking of
portfolios, way back when we used to get our teaching jobs, we would bring
in a giant binder with all samples of student work, and we would lug this
giant thing around to job interviews, um, and then put it out on the table and
hope that maybe somebody worked on it.
So this is such an upgrade for pre service teachers, and I always
share the stories of the giant.
Portfolios that we had to drag around when I was looking for jobs.
But, um, yeah, so I started my career as a teacher, um, and never really had plans
of leaving my middle school position, but, um, a move with my, my husband's position
took us to the Finger Lakes in New York.
Um, at the same time I had two young children, so I took a little break from.
Teaching in the classroom and started working in the education department
at Hobart and William Smith Colleges as a student teaching supervisor.
So that was my first introduction into working with pre service
teachers and higher education.
Eventually, I started teaching as an adjunct there, some education courses.
Um, and once I did that, I decided that I absolutely loved
working with pre service teachers.
That, um, there were so, there was just so much hope, um, and I felt.
really impactful in that work and being able to be in the classroom um, and help
them really get their feet on the ground.
The first year or so of teaching can be really challenging, um, so I want
my pre service teachers to leave feeling really well prepared um,
to teach a wide variety of students and know how to meet their needs.
Um, so that, that was my goal and when it came time to decide whether to go back
into the classroom or not, um, I decided.
to go back to school and get a PhD, um, which I did at the
University of Connecticut.
I really liked their program in, uh, educational psychology and special
education, um, and finished that in 2018 and was hired here at Bucknell for what
is absolutely the perfect fit job for me.
Um, I get up and love.
Coming to work every day.
And, uh, sometimes, you know, a career takes you in a, it's not a straight path.
It's kind of a zigzag when you follow your passion.
Um, and that has landed me here.
And one of the things that I love about this job so much is that I'm
still spend a lot of time out in schools with my pre service teachers.
Um.
During the student teaching semester, I spent an entire fall semester.
I'm out in schools with them.
Um, so I'm still on the ground, you know, in the middle of K-12 education,
seeing what's happening, seeing firsthand the challenges, um, the joys, the
funny stories, all of that, and helping my student teachers along the way.
Um, and then I, I love, um, Um, all of the research that I am able to do.
I'm also the Co-director for the Center for Social Science Research here, working
with students on research projects.
So there's just a lot of ways to be really creative, um, at the
higher ed level and, and really form relationships with my students.
Um, That end up lasting a long time.
I'm still in touch with a lot of my alum who have graduated and
they're now in teaching positions.
Um, so it's, it's wonderful.
Can't say enough about it.
Yes.
And thank you so much for sharing that background and history.
And as you were speaking, I just, uh, we have all of these interesting
kind of intersections, Janet.
So I just don't even know where to start, but I'll, I'll start
with a big thank you first.
Um, because I know from My own background and story.
I have two children that were in special ed classrooms in middle school, and I
cannot say enough about the power of the educators that they had at that time.
And we felt so grateful to have that available for them.
It was a huge time of transition, um, as adolescence is for everyone, but I
think there's other layers of challenges that go along for some students.
And so I first want to just send a big thank you through the,
through the screen here for all the work that you did in that area.
And I'm sure it's playing a part in the.
importance that you set in building relationships with the students that
you're working with and is probably a big reason why you're remaining in touch
with so many even as they go off into their careers and in future classrooms.
So it makes a lot of sense that that's been Part of your, your background
and continuing to work hard to make future classrooms better through all
the preparation work that you're doing with your, your current students.
Yep.
I hope so.
But, um, yeah, it's, it is really a privilege to work with these students.
Um, they are, they are so inspiring, really.
They, they end up inspiring me because they, Are bright and
creative, and they are choosing to go into a field that, you know, we
know we have challenges right now.
Um, we have teacher shortages, um, and and they're out there working
so hard to make a difference.
Um, so it's just such a privilege to be a part of that
process and to to be a mentor.
to, to them as they get started in their careers.
And, um, you know, I hope that they know that they can come back to me.
We just try to be supportive throughout their, their own journey.
So, yes.
Yes.
So at Digication, we've talked a lot about the importance of being seen,
being heard and being recognized.
And You had some language kind of around that, even just built
into your whole philosophy around teaching and how you approach that.
Could you talk a little bit about that and maybe some strategies
that you have to connect with your Students and try to build up
that kind of recognition for them.
Oh, yeah.
Um, so I guess I can talk a little bit about my approach to teaching and how
I try to model for my students what I'm hoping they can create in the classroom.
Um, one of the, one thing that I really want them to do is, is to understand
the importance of the relationship that they're forming with their students
in their class, their K-12 classrooms.
Um, so in order to do that, I need to be a model of that practice and, um.
Try to try to do that with them, um, and create an environment in the classroom, my
college classroom, that Is is a model for what they can do in their own classroom,
which, of course, is going to everybody is a little bit of a different style.
Um, and and they'll find their own way, but creating a space for
students that is inclusive, um, where everybody feels a sense of belonging,
um, where everyone feels like they.
They will be challenged, and they're going to be held accountable and to
high expectations, but at the same time, like, it is okay to make a mistake.
Um, it is okay to ask questions.
Um, I want you to ask questions.
I will ask, ask you not what questions do you have, but You,
you have to think of a question.
Um, so it's, it's really about creating a space where everyone
feels a sense of belonging.
And there are some really specific things that I do to create that space.
Um, one of the things in the beginning of the semester and our semester started,
uh, we're just about to head into week three, um, is that when students come
in, they They all make a name tag.
I think knowing names, like, immediately is really important.
And then I have them all, um, for the first Several weeks of classes,
they have to sit in a different spot.
I think oftentimes when we're, when we're going into a college class, we'd like
first day you pick your, your spot and you stay there the entire time, right?
Right.
That is my spot, but I completely like throw things off by, um,
just having them constantly switch and sit next to new people.
And I really reinforce, um.
That behavior coming in.
As soon as you sit down, you're not sitting there and taking your phone out.
You are sitting there and talking to the people around you and making connections.
So I give them some prompts, not to answer about necessarily about the class, but
to get them building a class community.
So asking there, the person next to them, something about themselves.
And it's kind of forced interaction, but I think in this day and age, um, with
phones and technology, it's really nice to have part of that forced interaction
in a classroom and that's something that I want them to be able to to
create in their own K-12 classrooms.
And I'm sure once they've had some time to have those interactions and
learn more about each other that that community becomes quite important,
especially when they're out doing their.
Student teaching and you know, right in the thick of it, right?
It really does.
And, and I'm, I'm intentionally creating for them a collaborative environment.
I always say teaching is not a competitive sport.
Um, and the more that you feel that you are surrounded by, and not
everybody has to be your best friend.
So, um, you know, I've had student teaching cohorts where a couple of them
actually live together and that's great.
They are really good friends.
But, um, but it.
That's okay.
In this classroom, it doesn't matter who you are, where you came from, we're
all going to collaborate together and, and be colleagues here because when
you get out to your teaching position, that's what you want to create there,
a really supportive environment.
So, yeah, yeah, that's great.
So, um, I know you mentioned a bit about the research work that you're doing too.
Could you talk a little bit about that also?
Sure.
Uh, so I, I have kind of my own research agenda.
I, my, focus in my research is looking at, I do a couple of different things.
I started looking initially at using video analysis in student teaching
classrooms, so having pre service teachers video their teaching and then actually
look at themselves for certain things.
Using certain teaching behaviors and strategies and find times that
they were doing it or find times that they would have liked to do it
or how it would have been useful.
Um, so that's one thing that I do that I, that I find is really interesting.
Um, But at Bucknell, we have a lot of opportunities to get involved in
helping our students become researchers, which is really fun, or having our
students be involved in our research.
So I've had students work on their own projects and I'm kind of
providing some support for them.
And, uh, or, you know, just work on some things with, with me this
past summer, I had a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
They, they had grant opportunities for, um, they were called
teacher prep to practice grants.
So we got a grant here at Bucknell and we use that to work with our partner
districts and their mentor teachers and bring them in for in service training.
But I also did a research study with it and I had students that were really
working on that study, so they came to the trainings as both participants
of the trainings end as researchers and they collected some data and then
throughout the summer they were analyzing that data and there, I still have one,
um, researcher who's working on that right now and we're actually going to
be presenting, uh, sharing that work coming up at a conference in Chicago.
So there are just a lot of different ways to get students involved in research here.
Yeah.
And what a great opportunity for the students too to be involved
in the research and have all of this encouragement from you.
To be out there presenting at conferences alongside people that have been in
the field probably for, for decades.
And just go on.
Yeah, it's, it's a great opportunity, you know, especially for undergraduate.
We were working with undergraduate students.
So, um, I know when I was an undergrad, I didn't have opportunities to do research.
Um, so it's, it's just a really, I think in some ways unique.
Um, I think if you're at an institution where there are doctoral
students, then maybe those, those opportunities don't go, you know, to
the undergraduate students as often.
But we have so many students here who are involved working directly with
professors, either on, on their own research projects, um, or helping the
professor like in their research lab.
And my other role on campus is the Co-director for the Center
for Social Science Research.
Um, We, we have some student fellows that, you know, they're advised, they
have a faculty advisor, but it's a project that they've developed just something,
a question that they had, um, they're really are often new to research methods
and, um, just kind of getting started.
So we use a cohort model where we, through the center provide them
with some support and guidance.
Um, but then they have their faculty advisor who has expertise
in whatever area they're working in.
Um, so, you know, the social sciences, we've got psychology, sociology,
anthropology, political science from many different, uh, fields.
So I'm not an expert in, in those fields, but we have the
faculty to support them as well.
You have all of that access.
Yeah.
It's really wonderful.
I think I happened upon one of the, um, I don't know if it's one of the
students that was associated with this grant, but this, um, uh, paper that they
had published, and I believe they also were presenting at a conference and it
was around trauma informed teaching.
Oh, yes.
Oh my gosh.
I mean, we need, We need more of that.
Yes.
So, yeah, absolutely.
Um, that was part of the grant, but that, that was actually another student
that I had who has now graduated and is doing amazing work in that area.
Um, If you saw that on my portfolio, I did.
Yes.
Yeah.
I'll give a shout out.
Her name is Nicole Rettig.
And, um, she did, she's published about three papers at this point
on trauma informed practices.
Um, so she is quite a superstar.
So, yeah, those kinds of experiences are, and then to watch her, you know, initially
get some experience and come in and have these questions about like, well, what
are we doing about helping teachers when we have kids who have experienced trauma?
What does that do?
How does that, you know, does that burn the teachers out?
How, how do they work with students, you know, initially?
Come in with those questions and then undertake like these really
interesting research studies was really cool to be a part of.
Yeah, absolutely.
And I know, you know, for in K-12 teaching, there's these
kind of built in opportunities for professional development.
Um, and I know in the The districts that I've been in, they're kind of
presented with a, a menu, if you will, of, of different opportunities.
And I've always just felt like I feel like some, you know, I know there's
risk of burnout, but I feel like there's certain Topics, um, you know, trauma
informed teaching, um, special needs students that may, I wish could be kind
of at the forefront of that menu because there's so, you're encountering so much
of that in every classroom really today.
Um.
Yes.
That I, you know, I wish there were ways to, um, yeah, kind of,
you know, I would hate to require certain professional development
over others necessarily, depending on everyone's different backgrounds.
But I wish that there could be more emphasis on things that could
reach more students potentially.
That's my Right.
Right.
Yeah.
There's so much to know.
Yeah, right.
And, and when we have like the rates of early career teacher attrition right now,
we really need to be targeting, um, using, you know, professional development as a
tool to target skill development in areas that are going to help teachers to stay.
And, you know, you're really hitting it on the nose there thinking
about trauma informed practices.
And then also, um, one area that I'm really interested in also
is positive behavior supports.
So how do we kind of create a classroom environment where we're preventing, um,
You know, the disruptive behavior from happening, creating a really positive and
nurturing environment that kids can be productive and learn and grow and feel
good about themselves, while at the same time protecting our teachers, especially
early career teachers, health and well being so that we don't burn anybody out.
That's really critical right now.
Yeah.
Um, and for so many students, you know, that classroom environment, it
may be the only time where they are feeling safe and supported and It
sounds like you've taken my class.
I say that all the time.
I told you coming into this, I was really excited to speak to you, um, because so
much of what you're doing just, um Really speaks to my, my heart and, um, and we
have these interesting parallels in that.
So when I was creating Digication, um, you know, I didn't set out with
a, um, you know, fancy business plan.
I'm going to go make a product.
Um, I was creating it alongside my, um, co founder and husband, uh, Jeffrey Yan.
And we were both teaching at Rhode Island School of Design at the time.
Okay.
And I was teaching in the education department and he was as well.
So we were in this kind of process of trying to modeling best practices
with technology for teaching.
And We're init.
We were initially kind of working with students and having them learn a lot
of what we felt didn't necessarily address becoming a better teacher.
So we're like, we really need to create some tools that make it easy
for them to do what we wanna do.
They don't have to learn.
HTML and JavaScript and all of these things to be able to connect with each
other and present their work and ideas.
And there weren't things that really fit everything that we were
trying to do for the individuals.
Students and also the program and, you know, replacing those big binders for
them to be able to share after graduation.
So, you know, I was familiar with all of that.
And so we had started teaching around the same time a little over 20 years ago.
And, uh, and classrooms in some ways were very different than they are today
in terms of the types of technology.
Um, but I think in many ways.
Are the same and that, you know, we're still human beings that are looking for
connection and mentorship and community and you mentioned belonging, you know
all of these things are just central to to who we are so providing those spaces
for students to connect with money one another and You know, share their stories
and, you know, all of that builds up and models what they can then bring
into their classrooms, as you said, and I think it's very, very powerful.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So, I wanted to, um, We're going to delve in a little bit into
how maybe you got introduced to Digication and some of the ways that
you're using it with your students.
And then we can also talk a little bit about how, how and
why you use it personally.
Okay, that sounds good.
Um, yes.
So the first group that I used it with, it was, they were my pandemic group.
So there was just so much going on then.
Um, and they, we needed to have, we wanted to have the portfolio finished by the
end of their student teaching semester.
My elementary group, um, student teachers in the fall semester.
So we, I introduced it to them as soon as they got back, but it was
the first time that I was using it.
It was a new platform at Bucknell that Bucknell was kind of rolling out
as part of their Pathways program.
Um, so I decided to give it a try in my student teaching seminar.
Um, but I wasn't really Uh, proficient at, at using it.
I didn't know a lot about it.
Um, so that semester I was really learning alongside my students and
there are some folks at Bucknell who have expertise in using it and
they were very familiar with it.
So they came in, thankfully came into my student teaching seminar
and they gave us some guidance for putting, you know, setting up our
portfolios and getting things started.
And I found that The student teachers, you know, of course, they're, um, a
little better with technology than me.
And they, they were really picked it up very quickly.
Um, and I found that and they were using it.
So they were consistently using it.
And I realized at some point over the summer that I wanted to be able to be
the person and I'm going to have to send them to somebody else on campus and make
an appointment to get some help with, um, with their, With their ePortfolio, I
wanted to be able to provide that guidance and feedback and help them get set up.
And in order to really learn it, I needed to make my own portfolio.
So, this was happening at the same time we have a, a 10 year
review process that we go through.
Um, and I was up for my 4 year review and I was putting all
of that together and I thought.
It would be, you know, we break everything down as professors into our teaching,
our scholarship, and our service.
And I thought it would be really neat to, you know, my, my student teachers making
a portfolio based on our Pennsylvania teacher preparation competencies.
I can kind of outline what I've done on my portfolio and have it as like a, a
little extra thing for my tenure review.
So that was my, my first.
Kind of two goals in making my own professional portfolio.
One was to learn how to be proficient and use it so that I can help guide my
students and answer questions from them.
And then the other was just to have something, a way to, to kind of display
my own work in, in, on a platform that was inviting and user friendly and pretty.
Um, so that was kind of what, what got me started with it.
About 3 years ago or so, and from there, so that was my 1st
cohort that I used it with.
And then the process over the next 2 cohorts, like, I feel really good about.
This group that I'm working with right now.
Um, I finally figured out just in our program kind of where to start and
how to, how to help them so that their student teaching is very intensive.
So they really need to.
Know the platform and have the, it's also not just knowing the platform,
it's understanding what I want them to do and, um, right, like it's, this
is all connected to the Pennsylvania teacher preparation competencies.
So they need to know the competencies, they need to understand the
rubric and what we want them, the kind of artifacts that we want
them to use for each competency.
They need to understand, um, how, what the reflections should be
looking like, um, that are connected to each artifact that they choose.
So, I've pulled it back.
Fortunately, I work with the students this semester before.
Um, so, we That my group right now, they're not student teaching to the fall
until the fall and this week in class that we got them all set up on Digication.
They are just at that very beginning stage of setting up their portfolio.
Bucknell has a number of videos where they kind of walk students through.
So in class, we took time and.
Watch some of those videos.
They followed along.
They started their portfolios.
I showed them some examples.
We looked at the, um, rubric for the expectations.
Um, and my goal for the end of this semester is that
they have everything set up.
With at least two artifacts in different competencies and reflections so that I
can provide them feedback on those and they really understand the expectation.
And then when their student teaching, there's, they, they're
already, they can just go Right.
Familiar with how to get all of that content and Exactly.
Right.
And they're not simultaneously, um.
Trying to just get started on their portfolio, um, and figure
out what the expectations are while they're student teaching.
They can see, Oh, this would be great for my portfolio.
I'm going to plug that in here.
So I'm excited about it.
Yeah.
And I mean, with the results that you've gotten, even in these, you know, first
few cohorts have been quite extraordinary.
I love how, for those that have.
You know, chosen to make theirs public, how incredibly visual they are.
And I love the way that they're organized because even someone that may not be
familiar with the, um, you know, the student outcomes, student teaching
outcomes that they're working towards and the standards that are set by the state.
It still feels very comfortable going in and learning about them and the, um,
different kinds of, you know, curriculum and lesson plans that they're developing.
But when they get into the details, they have that opportunity to look at their
reflections, why the students feel like they've met certain standards, and I
feel like it's a very inviting, open way for the students to be able to kind
of share that experience and alignment with a multitude of different audiences.
Absolutely.
And I love, uh, and it's something that you actually included in, uh, as a, um,
section of your portfolio is advocacy.
And I do think, you know, when they're kind of thinking about
what they're, what they're sharing and how they're sharing it.
That all of that material does become this extraordinary tool for advocacy.
If you know, if they're sharing it with different people, um, beyond the program.
And even as these early teachers with this experience have so much to offer.
In what they have done.
Um, I saw, um, a student, I think it was, um, sort of a science oriented kind
of lesson plan for, around pumpkins.
Um, and I love the way that they presented it.
You know, you just have this like great big picture of.
Kind of the materials that were given to the students and some of the vocabulary
that was associated with those materials.
Um, but they also did a lovely job, um, documenting what the
actual plan was going to be.
So you can kind of read through that as a PDF.
And then they have images that were very thoughtfully taken that, you know, don't
show the students faces, but show them kind of interacting with the project and
it's just so, um, you know, thoughtfully organized and, um, yeah, I think just,
just wonderful invitation on each of the pages where they've included their
work and then you get some insight into their process and thinking and what
they learned from, from that experience.
And I was curious, you know, as we're kind of talking about, um, kind of your
thought process and, and how you want to scaffold this experience for them,
you know, when they were going to be introduced to it, how they were going
to be using it alongside the student teaching, um, did you talk about at that
stage and maybe it's something that's kind of built into the curriculum before they
even get to this, this kind of process of, um, reflective learning or, you know, why
you want them to have this kind of body of work at the end that they can share?
Yeah, absolutely.
I think.
In our certification program, like from freshman year until they graduate,
reflection is a component that is embedded into everything that we're
asking them to do, um, and I'll say guided reflection, you know, prompting
students, um, to To think about, think really critically about what they're
seeing, about what they're doing, um, about the needs of their classroom and
their own personal growth as a teacher.
Um, which I think is one, as I, as I was thinking about what we might talk about
today, um, I started just considering like next steps for where I might go
next with, with Digication and, um, We're currently really using this as more of
a product portfolio, so it's polished, you know, and kudos to my students.
Like, they are, the reason they look so good is because my
students are creative and they are organized like they're teachers.
So that's what you're going to get.
Um, so, It's, it's, they're polished and that's intentional because they are
sharing these with potential employers.
So many of our students, um, you know, rather than bringing the big
giant portfolio, like I did when I was looking for my teaching position, um.
They are putting, just bringing like a pamphlet or they're putting it on their
resume, a QR code for their portfolio.
And then right in an interview, it's, you know, they're pulling it up.
Somebody can take their phone out.
They can say, reference something that they know is on their portfolio
in the middle of an interview.
You know, if they're asked a question about classroom environment What
kind of environment do you want to take, uh, create in your classroom?
They can talk about that and say, I have an example on my portfolio
in my classroom environment tab.
Um, so it is very much a product portfolio right now.
I would like to include, keep that because that is very useful
for them in, in their job search.
Um, but in also include as, as you're saying, this idea that like just
being reflective and thinking about growth as a teacher, like we are
in this field, lifelong learners.
We need to be lifelong learners because the field is changing.
The research is always giving us new information and guidance about what to do.
Um, and, and.
The needs of our students in our classrooms are always changing.
So we need to constantly be learning and be reflective about our practice
and be willing to kind of, um, think really critically, you know, whether
you've been, whether you're a first grade, first year teacher, or you've
been teaching for 20 years, really thinking critically about your practice.
And.
And where you can grow and learn.
So I'd like to, as a next step, um, at some point, include a process
component of that, uh, just showing how did they start and how have they
grown that they can go back and see, oh, well, look where I was in my first
field placement when, you know, we did a group lesson and I was nervous to
even get up in front of the class and how far, how, how was I feeling then?
Like, maybe it went really well and you have great pictures from it,
but what was my reflection then?
Like, how was I feeling about that?
How did it go?
Um, and I think that growth and knowing that that growth is not
just a part of your pre-service teacher program, but a part of your.
of your life, of your career as a teacher, um, is really important.
So I think that's going to be one of my next steps for it.
Here's a preview of what's coming up next in part two of my conversation
with Janet VanLone, Assistant Professor in the Education Department and
Co-director of the Center for Social Science Research at Bucknell University.
I like what you said about, like, the messy moments kind of being, oftentimes
being what gets us to where we are, um, but I think sometimes, you know, as I
said, I'm working with undergraduate, traditionally undergraduate students
who are, you know, 18 to 22 years old, give or take, um, and um, I, I think
they sometimes come in with this idea that like they should, shouldn't have
these messy moments that everything should just be, be just great, right?
You know, not everything's going to go well all the time and that's okay.
That's all part of the process.