Last Year #14: Ready, set . . .

I'm feeling a bit ackish.  As in Bill the Cat:  "Aaaack pthththt!"

Three of my classrooms become visible on Blackboard at midnight, tonight.  I'm teaching three sections of interpersonal communication, using the textbook Looking Out, Looking In by Ron Adler and Russell Proctor.  (When I started teaching it the authors were Adler and Neil Towne) I'm letting my students use either the 13th or 14th edition and will need to rewrite my bi-weekly tests so that they can be answered with either edition.  I've tried less expensive textbooks over the years but have not been happy with any of them because they don't cover the appropriate material or they are written poorly.

A rundown of the various prices for the 14th Edition (all currency in $ not GBP or EU).

Amazon
Buy new hardcopy .....  113.56
Rent hardcopy .............. 71.25
Buy new for Kindle ....  138.49
Rent new for kindle ...  92.49

Used (other dealer) ...... 100.00

COCC bookstore
Buy new hardcopy ..... 184.75
Buy new ebook .......... 100.49
90 day rental ............... 59.41

Cheapest prices I found on 13th Edition: 
 At Bookbyte, 90 day rental was $20.
At ecampus.com a quarter rental was 9.57

Did there "need" to be a 14th edition?  It looks like there is a bit of new stuff about social media and mediated communication, but not that much added from the 13th addition.  I have concerns about the textbook racket.  But more on that anon.

I've spent much of today making last minute changes to the first week.  I'll be getting rid of all my written lectures this year, replacing them with short videos and prezis that will give students a brief overview of the specific parts of each chapter they should target for successful course completion.

Kake looking tough circa 1995

Sadly, the goofy "welcome" video I made this afternoon convinced me that I hate my current hair style and need to revisit my stylist.  I also saw every single year of my life in my face which is fine when my face is animated but not so good when it's at rest -- I look a bit scary then.  But as I recall, one of the first things I was told by a peer team member in 1989 was that I didn't smile enough and appeared too fierce when I was thinking.  So I guess that my intimidating gaze is not an aspect of age but of the instrument itself.

Which same instrument will be spending LOTS of time turned toward the screen this week.  Students need to introduce themselves by 5 pm Wednesday so that I can figure out who to let in from each of the 18 person wait lists.  I don't plan to let in more than two extra in each section.

On Thursday there will be wailing and moaning and gnashing of teeth.