Richard Converse

Richard Converse

Location: cincinnati

About me

Hello everyone!

I began as an adjunct instructor with Cincinnati State in 2004. I completed both my undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati, after which, I began research in biodegradation in the UC Department of Molecular Genetics. I currently hold an M.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Cincinnati and have over 25 years of research experience as a Molecular Biologist—during that time, I studied plant genetics, biodegradation, muscle development, corneal disease, heart development, brain development, cancer, and, the genetics of Herpes Simplex Virus latency. I have worked in bacterial, mouse, and yeast systems during this period. My interests include: gene regulation, evolution, human development, molecular genetics, biochemistry, and, of course, teaching.

Since 2004, I have instructed courses for the University of Cincinnati, Sinclair Community College, Xavier University, Antonelli College, the University of Phoenix, and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. The courses I have instructed include Biology, Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, Molecular Biology, Ecology, and Health & Wellness.

I'm excited to be a member of this community!

Sincerely,

Richard--

Interests

nfl, college basketball, science

Skills

molecular biology, teaching

Activity

This is a very important topic. One of the most important aspects of RCA is to gather all the relevant information. The task here is to separate FACT from OPINION. Ask the relevant questions: 1. What happened? Provide (or find) the evidence. 2. Who was involved? Provide (or find) the evidence. 3. What effects will result if this problem is not solved--diagram this and provide reference material and relevant data. 4. How soon should we solve this problem? Why? Provide data to support your conclusion. 5. Once the problem is clearly defined, then a solution can be proposed--this also involves… >>>

This is a challenging topic. Feedback should be designed to improve an employee's performance by: 1. Reducing incidents or practices that impair performance and productivity. 2. Promoting (and praising) incidents or practices that demonstrate outstanding performance and productivity with an eye to increasing the use of these practices. For a model employee, the job is easy--point out the positive practices and request more of the same. For an employee who is having a difficult time adjusting to their role, the job is considerably more difficult...you want to discourage the practices and behavior that are detracting from that employee's performance without… >>>

This is an important topic... Meetings are an vital part of a smoothly running organization, however, they can be abused as a tool for efficient operation. I have been in situations where no meetings were ever held, and the project lost focus and had to be tabled. I've also been in situations where SO many meetings were held that it was impossible to get any work done. One of the most important aspects in planning a meeting is knowing WHEN a meeting is appropriate. It's vital to strike a balance between micro-management and no management. I welcome all input! Richard--

Student retention (as far as instructors are concerned) is centered around one question:

Are your students learning the material?

 

One of the most difficult concepts for an instructor to come to grips with is that WE work for the STUDENTS...essentially, the students have hired us to steward them through this material...if that isn't happening, then you are not effective at what you do. The instructor's job is to figure out how to improve that relationship in any way possible.

It is not the mark of a successful instructor that they are considered "hard" or "demanding" because the majority of… >>>

Choosing the most effective communication method is important, but what is more important is that the message is UNDERSTOOD and COMPREHENDED. One of the most effective ways to do this is to assess the understanding of the group following the presentation--the best way to do this is to tell the group that there will be an assessment at the end of the presentation which will have some sort of incentive attached to it. You can use a short quiz, or an oral Q&A, or both..if your message isn't understood...it isn't effective. I welcome any feedback! Thanks!

Kevin--

 

This is an excellent practice--I have found that I can do much more with a student who has the desire to learn and will put in the effort required, than a smart student who is not motivated.

 

Kudos

Stress in life is unavoidable, but how you deal with it will determine it's ultimate effect. One of the most important things you can do with a stressful situation is to analyze it rationally and determine what productive action you CAN take, and recognize what you can't control. As an example...I am finishing a term in which I am teaching 13 classes simultaneously--this is the largest workload I've ever taken on. Prior to the beginning of the term, I felt as if this might overwhelm me, but using a systematic approach, I have limited the stress considerably. One of my… >>>

I can share a wealth of knowledge regarding this topic. I have been personally faced with the following conundrum: What does an employee do when his/her boss requests (with the threat of termination) that you do something that is unethical? The situation I'm relating occurred over 20 years ago--I was a manager in charge of a project which was failing to generate the data my supervisor wanted to see. The supervisor demanded that I produce (aka fabricate) the desired data or lose my job. My choice was clear. I took the blame for the failure of the project and quit… >>>

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