First Day of Internet Law class (Jan. 9) - What were Computers Good for Before the Internet?

 Do any of these images look familiar?

Also, what was IBM's first "killer app," Lotus 1-2-3?

What did technology look like on campuses in 1999?

 

As we entered 1999, the internet was in its infancy for figuring out learning outcomes where computers could make a difference. I have no recollection on how this N.Y. Times reporter found me, but here's a quote from January 1999:

 "And many professors are incorporating technology into their classes, with 44 percent of courses using e-mail in some way, according to the Campus Computing Project survey; that number is up from 8 percent just four years ago. Take Perry Z. Binder, assistant professor and director of the paralegal program at Clayton College & State University in Morrow, Ga. Binder, who says he 'couldn't tell an A drive from a C drive before 1995,' today has his students use laptop computers in class to look up statutes. They can read the course syllabus online, and they can continue class discussions or ask questions in what Binder calls 'the Bull,' an electronic bulletin board he has set up for his students."

Universities Embrace Technology, but Distance Learning Faces Controversy, N.Y. Times (Jan. 6, 1999)

New book on College Teaching coming out in January

 

In Chapter 1, you caught a glimpse of my gifted artistic talent. Throughout the semester, I introduce main topics with hand-drawn pictures. For example, to begin the intellectual property material, I’ll ask the class what patented invention is displayed here. Incredulous students guess what the absurd picture is and it becomes a fun vehicle to generate discussion. And no, it is not a flying saucer. That would be silly.

2023 Book Awards for Classroom LIGHTBULBS for College Professors

 

   2023 Gold Medal E-Lit Book Award in Education/Academic/Teaching

             2023 Finalist Readers Favorite Book Award in Non-Fiction/Education

            #1 AMAZON NEW RELEASE in Pedagogy (Jan. 2023)

            “Much good advice from a very enthusiastic and imaginative teacher.” —JAY  MATHEWS, Washington Post education columnist

 

“Binder’s Reminders” for Classroom Motivation

 “Binder’s Reminders” for Classroom Motivation

Recall and write a quick story from your teaching career related to each corresponding letter of the LIGHTBULBS acronym. On days when you feel unmotivated, re-read those notes as a reminder of the value you bring to the classroom while enriching student lives.

Listen to all learners

            My Reminder: Open mind to open-note exams

Your Story Reminder:

Inspire students with real world discussions

            My Reminder: Chips all in moment

Your Story Reminder:

Give hope to everyone

            My Reminder: Graduation speech

Your Story Reminder:

 Help students engage through exaggeration and humor

            My Reminder: Limping Crazy Man

Your Story Reminder:

 Teach to your strengths

            My Reminder: Messing up the first class I ever taught

Your Story Reminder:

Be available at all times, whether in person or electronically

My Reminder: Student in prison

Your Story Reminder:

 Understand that students may lack your life experience or knowledge

            My Reminder: Read the car contract

Your Story Reminder:

 Let your passion rub off on students (today’s story)

            My Reminder: Buffalo Creek miners and Grandpa justice/Marsh Fork Elementary School

Your Story Reminder:

 Be willing to walk in your students’ shoes

            My Reminder: Student loses driver’s license

Your Story Reminder:

 Stay within yourself?

            My Reminder: Grandpa justice/Marsh Fork Elementary School, Part II

Your Story Reminder:

 

Book excerpt: Classroom LIGHTBULBS for College Professors (2023)

Perry Binder, J.D. is an award-winning author and professor at Georgia State University. He is a member of the Scientific Committee for the annual Future of Education conference in Florence, Italy, where he was invited twice as the closing keynote speaker. Each year from 2016-2022, Perry’s book, 99 Motivators for College Success (2012), was sent to hundreds of rising high school seniors nationwide, as part of the Book Award Program at Randolph College in Virginia.

 

Part II: Experimenting with ChatGPT in Class

This summer in Internet Law, I am tweaking my project below.  Not a dramatic change but a small step toward integrating AI into student projects.

How the Internet Changed Professions 

Understatement: The internet has changed how we do business, whether in the United States or worldwide.

Section A.  Use a free AI tool (I use the free version of ChatGPT 3.5) – figure out what prompt to use.  Choose ANY profession. Discuss how the internet has improved, complicated, revolutionized, and/or adversely impacted the profession and the people working in that profession. (500-700-ish words)

Section B.  Do not use AI.  In your own words, reflect on the information in Section A by agreeing or disagreeing with any of the points.  Then, conduct research on the web: Give specific examples of how the profession operated successfully in a pre-internet era versus a post-internet era.  In addition, identify how the legal knowledge learned in this course will benefit you if working in that profession. (3 full pages)

Section C.  Do not use AI.  Find one case in the news where some aspect of the profession relating to the internet is currently being litigated (or from the past that was litigated) in court. (whether at the pre-trial, trial, or appellate stage).  Give the facts of the case, the main issue/s involved, which party or parties you believe will prevail (and why) and how you believe this case will impact the future of the profession and/or the people working in the profession. (2 full pages)

Experimenting with ChatGPT in Class

 

In Fall 2023, I am teaching Consumer Law & Advocacy again.  Instead of having students write a demand letter from scratch using a template, I will have them generate one with ChatGPT 3.5.  Then, instead of filling out a small claims court complaint form, they will use AI to write a professional complaint.  Finally, I will generate Mediation scenarios using AI, with separate facts for each side in our simulations.  

Stay tuned!

Speaking with High School Students about College

Great time speaking at LaunchGSU with students from Northview High School about law issues and going to #college

Prominent Authors Reading Classroom LIGHTBULBS

Many thanks to award-winning authors, Honey Parker and  Blaine Parker, for taking the time to read the book!

All - Check out the Careful-ish Series (Honey) and Free the Pizza! (Blaine)

Monday Motivation: Actual Questions Students Asked Me in Class

 

Sometimes people don’t always know when you’re joking!  These are actual questions that students have asked me in class: 

“Are you a member of an organized crime family?” 

“Are you really in the witness protection program?” 

“Have you ever killed someone?” 

“Why do hot dogs come in packs of 10 and buns in 8?”  

Student Prisoner Stories from Classroom LIGHTBULBS book

 

My student, “Betty,” was arrested after attending a Tone Lōc concert. She unknowingly wound up as a passenger in an allegedly stolen vehicle. The next morning, I received a phone call from Betty’s grandmother asking me to bail out her granddaughter. 

After getting the cash from grandma, I went to the county jail where the guard took me to a dim and dank holding cell. I was looking all lawyerly with my blue pinstripe suit and sharp leather shoes and briefcase. Another guard escorted Betty into the cell. Her hair was disheveled, a stiletto was missing from one shoe, and she looked frazzled. 

I said: “Betty, we have two options, I could get you out of here now, or” – as I reached into my briefcase – “right now, you can take the Midterm Exam that you missed last week.” 

Betty’s reaction? “Get me the frick out of here!” 

Ninety minutes after the exam commenced, Betty was set free. I’ll let you judge for yourself how true the prior sentence is. 

Always remember: It’s good to be the prof.

Excerpt (pages 83-84) Classroom LIGHTBULBS

Amazon Review Praises Classroom LIGHTBULBS for social/emotional dimensions of teaching and learning

 

A very kind Amazon Review by California professor praised book for "demonstrating the value of social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning."

Click here to read Review

Classroom LIGHTBULBS is rising the Amazon sales chart

 

Book is rising the chart in unexpected category: Adult & Continuing Education (March 8) https://amazon.com/dp/B0BS8SMXFD

99-Cent Kindle Promo, March 7-13 - Classroom LIGHTBULBS book

 

All - Have a Kindle on me for a limited time.  ENJOY!  

Please consider writing an Amazon Review when you are done reading it.

Click Here for Kindle Link 

Perry

Qualities of an Effective Teacher from Anonymous Student Survey

 

In the book's Introduction, I post results of an anonymous student survey (college juniors and seniors) on the qualities of an effective teacher. Their one word responses:

Adaptive Articulate Dedicated Empathetic (top response) Energetic Engaging (top response) Enthusiastic Helpful Immersive Knowledgeable Organized Passionate (top response) Patient Positive Practical Reliable Versatile

Stars of the Academy of Legal Studies "reading" Classroom LIGHTBULBS

Pictured at top: Jody Blanke, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and Law, SHSB, Mercer University (Atlanta campus) and former President of ALSB

Below: David Orozco, Bank of America Professor of Business Administration,  Florida State University and award-winner author. Latest book: Business Law & Strategy (Second edition, McGraw Hill)

Reignite Your Career Passion and Motivation to Succeed in 2023

 

My new book, Classroom LIGHTBULBS, aims to energize college professors and curious teachers seeking a fresh perspective on teaching.  I believe that the quotes to begin each chapter have a thought-provoking appeal to people in any profession.

The LIGHTBULBS acronym highlights ten universal qualities of an effective teacher. Each letter of the LIGHTBULBS is supported with my unique perspectives on student engagement, compassion, and justice, as told through humorous, serious, and relatable stories from the classroom and life experiences. These anecdotes serve as an easy way for instructors to remember to apply the acronym and get fired up to teach before walking into class.

I hope that many of these quotes get YOU fired up to reignite your career passion and motivation to succeed in 2023. The first letter of each bolded sentence forms the LIGHTBULBS acronym:

Listen to all learners

Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right. --Jane Goodall

Inspire students with real world discussions

It is impossible to unsign a contract, so do all your thinking before you sign. --Warren Buffett

It hurts a lot when … you don’t even understand what you’re reading in your contract. --Mary J. Blige

Give hope to everyone

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. --Helen Keller

Help students engage through exaggeration and humor

Seven years of college down the drain. --Bluto (John Belushi), Animal House movie

Teach to your strengths

I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. --Leonardo da Vinci

Be available at all times, whether in person or electronically

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. --Maya Angelo

Understand that students may lack your life experience or knowledge

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid. --Albert Einstein

Let your passion rub off on students

The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice. --Rev. Martin Luther King

Be willing to walk in your students’ shoes

No matter how many times you are knocked down, in the end the swinging of your own blows will exhaust them. --Erin Brockovich (the person, not the movie)

It ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. --Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa movie, not the person)

Stay within yourself?

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

When you’re finished changing, you’re finished. --Benjamin Franklin

I’ll conclude with these career and success quotes from other chapters in Classroom LIGHTBULBS:

We create our future, by well improving present opportunities: however few and small they are. --Lewis Latimer, inventor of a long-lasting light bulb filament

You don’t get better if you win all the time. You look at yourself more when you lose. --Jeremy Lin, professional basketball player

© 2023 Perry Binder, J.D. is an award-winning professor at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, and the author of Classroom LIGHTBULBS for College Professors (Amazon #1 New Release in Pedagogy, Jan.2023) and 99 Motivators for College Success (2012).

The Magic of Collective Laughter

 “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” --Robin Williams

Let’s face it, we all lose focus on days when unexpected professional or personal issues pop up.  For the occasional times when the LIGHTBULBS acronym doesn’t refocus me or light my fire when heading to class, I have a backup measure when I arrive at the classroom.

The power of humor: Icebreakers to start every class

I begin each session with a segment called “What’s New in the Law News?”  In the spirit of “less is truly more,” all you need is a headline to spark a collective imagination.  I print out the first page of articles and display the headlines on the doc cam with accompanying crazy photos:

Man being fired brings emotional support clown to meeting

Teen taking train selfie kicked in head by conductor

Woman fakes her own death to get out of bad online date

Man stabbed at haunted house by friend who thought knife was a prop

Rattlesnake, uranium, whiskey found at traffic stop

Cop pulls over driver for speeding with 8,000-pound potato

After I go through my items, I try to spur discussion by asking everyone:

“What did you find new in the law news?”

I usually get a mix of funny, twisted, and serious items, providing entertaining dialogue and a segue to our lesson.

              Many of you likely have an icebreaker or novel technique to start class.  If you do, take notice of whether it gets you laughing and excited to dive into whatever you are teaching.  If not, look for ways to tweak it.  Lean on the magic of collective laughter to help get through a challenging day.  In this regard, re-read Chapter 9: Help students stay engaged through exaggeration and humor.

To me, education at all levels is a two-way street.  You get to impart knowledge to, instill hope in, and foster dreams for mostly eager students.  In turn, they can elevate your mood and inspire your growth as an instructor and person. 

Excerpt: Classroom LIGHTBULBS for College Professors

For me, #COVID changed #HigherEd In-Person #Teaching forever

 

For in-person courses, I now flip all of my classes with podcasts instead of returning to a lecture format; live stream every session from my laptop; and administer open-note exams.

Excerpt: Classroom LIGHTBULBS book

Pensive Readers :) of Classroom LIGHTBULBS

 Thanks for the laughs on #MondayMotivation

People Reading Classroom LIGHTBULBS

 

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