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J M Nelson, Professor Emeritus, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota, 1972 - 2002.
Experience
1964 - 1966 - High School Mathematics, Eldorado High School, Eldorado, Texas
1966 - 1969 - Mathematics and Computer Science, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas
1972 - 2002 - Professor of Information Media and Director of Instructional Development and Research, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
References
I would be glad to supply academic and personal references upon request.
Accomplishments
Throughout my career at St. Cloud State University I had a split assignment, nominally 50% teaching and 50% instructional development and research. The academic program offered graduate degrees in Information Media and Human Resources Development and Training. In addition to teaching graduate classes, I advised graduate research and, as Director of Instructional Development for the university, supervised several faculty and staff plus numerous graduate assistants who worked with university faculty in the development of of instructional strategies and materials. I also consulted occasionally for industries that provided internships for our graduate students, and, for a few years, served as Research Director for the Dean of Learning Resources Services.
While at SCSU I helped design instructional programs in every college, and almost every department, in the university. I also helped design and supervise the production of non-print promotional programming for the university. One of my instructional design projects included redesigning the ballroom dance general education class in preparation for a new, general education curriculum mandated by the chancellor. Unfortunately, the new course was never implemented; university politics eliminated all the physical education activities classes from the general education curriculum and replaced them with one, required health and lifestyle class.
I participated in the design and publication of the following books.
A Comprehensive Guide to Sports Skills Tests an Measurement, 2d. ed., ISBN 0-8108-3884-2
The Art and Science of Racquetball, ISBN 0-89917-942-8
Golf: Playing it Straight, ISBN 0-8403-9084-X
Practical Aerobic Conditioning, ISBN 0-89917-491-4
Tennis: A Practical Learning Guide, ISBN 0-89917-846-4
Retirement
Widowed soon after retirement, I returned to ballroom dance as a primary social activity. A former colleague recommended me to a dance studio near my home that wanted to develop an adult ballroom dance program to complement their youth program. With the freedom to do anything I wanted, I revisited the course development project in ballroom dance, read extensively, revised the syllabus further, and offered a free dance class for prototype testing. The prototype was successful, and, with a bit more revision, I was soon offering regular dance classes at the studio.
Dance Club. With no local venue for ballroom dance, students were frustrated. I began hosting Saturday dances at the studio, and soon our students and other local dancers formed the St. Cloud Ballroom Dance Club, which continued to rent the studio each Saturday evening for a variety ballroom dance, with attendance growing and membership reaching 80 in its second year. The increasing popularity of ballroom dance brought more classes to the community, and four of the students from the first two classes went on to become respected dance teachers in the community. I "retired" again, and the club continues to flourish
Physical Status. I still weight the same, 150 pounds, and wear the same size clothes, as I did in high school. I dance regularly with partners from ages 16 to 92. I exercise several times a week, and, thus far, have no major physical impairments. I have lost most of my hair, and the remainder is turning gray. I don't smoke or drink alcohol. I might have lost my incredible good looks, but I have tried to maintain what's left of my integrity and my sense of humor. With luck, I could live to see the completion of another research project.
Top of Page - Credentials - Collaboration - Rationale - Logistics - Contact
I need a collaborator for comparing a systematically designed ballroom dance class to a traditional ballroom dance class.
Your Contribution.
Tenured or tenure track faculty collaborator at an accredited college or university.
Willingness to collaborate on a research project.
Willingness to co-author articles for submission to appropriate professional journals.
Willingness to propose presentations at appropriate professional conferences.
Funding and release time from your institution. (Optional for me, but would seem desirable on your part.)
My Contribution.
Instructional design and learning theory research and consultation.
Library research, much of which has been done.
Collaboration on parallel course design.
Participation as teacher of the prototype course. (Compensation not an issue.)
Co-author and co-presenter for articles and presentations resulting from our research.
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In the process of redesigning the general education ballroom dance class, I discovered the cause of much of the frustration and failure of beginning ballroom dancers. I also discovered a relatively easy way to avoid frustration and perhaps increase both the ease of learning and the enjoyment of ballroom dance.
When I returned to the ballroom dance community following several year's absence, and with the opportunity to work with a local studio in developing a ballroom curriculum, I was able to confirm many of the findings from my earlier work.
Retired, single, and with continued interest in research and writing, I focused that interest on ballroom dance. I began to see that the teaching of ballroom dance was amazingly similar everywhere I observed, whether in Minnesota, Texas, or on a cruise ship, whether in a school, a community center, a commercial studio, or at a pre-dance lesson, whether taught by a certified dance teacher or a self-proclaimed expert. I also found that the traditional dance curriculum seemed to have evolved concurrent with major developments in learning theory and instructional design, but those worlds did not coalesce. Our knowledge about human learning appears to have had no influence on the teaching of ballroom dance.
Free to do whatever I want wherever I want, I decided to compare a dance class based on principles of systematic instructional design with the traditional dance class. Commercial studios have proved reluctant to risk such a venture, so I have returned to the academic community in search of a collaborator.
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Proximity. "Have dance shoes, will travel." I am willing to consider temporary residence anywhere I can find a collaborator at a location that is not excessively inclement during the test period.
Curricula. Whatever your present course structure, I would presume that you would have the academic freedom to make adjustments to your class that would satisfactorily replicate the traditional curriculum for beginning ballroom dance. My preference would be that the scope of each class would be identical; only the presentation sequence would be different.
Experiment. Our comparison poses no threat to the subjects. There is no question that either course would provide a comparable introduction to ballroom dance, and there is the suggestion that one might be a bit superior in some aspects. The scope of each course would be identical; the difference would be in the sequence. My students seem to enjoy my class, most learn to dance, and I think they do so with greater competence, comfort and confidence than in the traditional setting. I also think that they emerge with the ability to learn styles and variations easier than the traditional student, but that has yet to be investigated objectively.
Findings. We would each be free to adapt our findings as appropriate to our personal objectives. We will, of necessity, collaborate on the comparative curricular components, and, whatever the outcome, we will advance knowledge, and you could well emerge with a publication, a presentation, and perhaps a promotion. I will acquire better credentials in the ballroom dance community, and I will continue to write, offer workshops, and perhaps find other places for collaboration. We might even wish to do a follow up study.
Incentive. I would hope that for you it would be like having a "post doc fellow" at your disposal as a research assistant in a professional advancement project. For me, it seems like an exciting way to combine my enjoyment of ballroom dance, objective inquiry, and academic interests.
Compensation. I would be pleased with whatever we might work out. I would consider anything from a part time academic appointment to student worker status. I am financially independent, so I need to live somewhere, and I am usually away from home about half the time, so living near your campus could well be as good as any other place.
Accommodations. I would consider most anything reasonable: extended stay motel, campus housing, apartment near campus, or sharing a home with a local resident.
Top of Page - Credentials - Collaboration - Rationale - Logistics - Contact
Top of Page - Credentials - Collaboration - Rationale - Logistics - Contact