Introducing The Midpoint

At the end of every class, I ask my students to write a reflection on Medium. I call it the “struggle and progress” assignment.

The idea is you need two things to learn: 1) You need to struggle and accept the possibility of failure, and 2) You need to feel like you’re making progress.

Knowing I’m asking students to reflect on these topics is a good way to hold myself accountable. If I haven’t made students struggle and helped them make progress, I failed them during that class.

But it’s also a way for me to find out what students are actually taking away from each lesson plan. I’m always surprised when I read these — what resonated, what they’re excited about, what fell flat, what was difficult, what external stresses impact their experience and what else is on their minds at that particular time.

Without this regular feedback loop, I wouldn’t be able to adapt as effectively and make sure we’re on the same page. These reflections help narrow the invisible gap between student and teacher.

Medium helps me find a happy medium, if you will, between my plans and their needs. That’s why I’m starting a new Medium publication called The Midpoint.

Weekly reflections are just one of the many ways I use Medium inside and outside the classroom. These are my goals with The Midpoint:

Why

Medium isn’t just about writing. It’s optimized for sharing ideas, as Ev Williams has said:

I’m glad you like good writing and that you find it on Medium. I enjoy it, as well. But good writing is not the point of Medium. It’s not what we’re optimizing for. The goal is to create a place people get smarter, share knowledge, understand and be understood. A place that where ideas that matter can be shared, built upon, and affect the world.

Right now there are so many tools in #EdTech that have bells, whistles and fancy features — which often confuse and distract from the true goal of finding, sharing, exploring and critiquing ideas. The first goal of this publication is to show why Medium’s fast onboarding and thoughtful community is such a natural fit for education. It works well with writers and “non-writers” alike to get back to the core of learning.

Who

I have used Medium for students who major in arts, sciences, business, pre-med, etc. It’s not just for those who consider themselves writers. Some of the highest praise for Medium I’ve heard from a student came from a nursing major. It’s key to write case studies of students and teachers who have used Medium for their own needs, to show how it’s applicable in all fields.

What

Then we start getting down to the nitty-gritty. I would like this publication to have examples of syllabi, projects, how-to training sessions, writing prompts, and other successful examples from educators who have used Medium.

How

Finally, I envision this publication as a conversation with multiple voices as students and educators experiment, learn and break boundaries with Medium. The publication will add writers and editors who share what they learn and their own experiences.

So on that last note, I’d like to invite you to pitch this publication with your thoughts, ideas and experiences. Send an email to timcigelske @ gmail.com or tweet me if you’d like to be added as a writer.

I’m looking forward to finding a happy Medium together.