- Don't try this at home, you have way too many other things to do!!!
Ta Ta for now......."All In"
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Is this over yet??
Ok, Ive made it through the blog, 12 hours gone...vanished..poof!! So the final part of this assignment, tips for the web weary traveler. I have one.
Ta Ta for now......."All In"
Ta Ta for now......."All In"
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Catching up!
WOW!! Developing a Blog, yep I said developing. This is meant to be characterized as arduous, and exhausting, which it is. Sitting in front of the computer and trying to think coherently, while putting together sentences that have some redeeming value is work. Blogging in the truest sense, I think is supposed to be fun, an art form, meant to search out and find your creativeness, find the meaning behind the things you value and direct you to be able to describe them with as much detail as possible. Were we all meant to be writers? Do we all express ourselves with conviction, and tone that captivates our audience? Whether it be talking about our daily activities, interests, or the things that just plain piss us off, should we blog? is it therapeutic? Do we find ourselves entertaining the idea that we could actually affect someone else with the words that we write, or do we see this as an opportunity to just let off steam, start a conversation, or even worse actually believe that we can enlighten someone. I'd like to believe that, this is nothing more than an exercise in gaining new knowledge of technolgy and applying it in a context that will help me educate kids someday.
Honestly Ive spent four hours reading, and exploring this whole web 2.0 environment. One could say well that is what we are supposed to do. I'd like to think in simpler terms, technology is supposed to be presented in a way that is non-intimidating and motivates the user to embrace it. Not so!! This technology puts me on edge, I wrestle with knowing that my privacy is compromised, YES!! my privacy, I'm not comfortable putting all of my info out there for the world to see. Really who actually cares?? I do see the value in it from an educational standpoint. New and exciting ways of communicating through the asyncronous environment are always welcomed, but what happens when you have to look people in the eye and search for acceptance of what you say? Then all bets are off, we lose the capacity to exchange ideas with people in real time face to face, when we spend too much time communicating digitally.
NOW FOR THE GRAVY!!
Here comes the critical thinking paper, don't everyone trip over themselves to get this read, I'm sure it won't be as popular as Dan Brown's new book!! But here it is anyways
Critical Thinking W-200
Robert Vincent
9/02/09
The writer makes a point to identify how teachers teach; specifically outlining a behaviorist approach geared towards learning through time tested lecture teaching, but also points out the more revolutionary techniques of constructivism and connectivism. These latter techniques in my opinion are the key to real learning. There is an Old Chinese proverb that illustrates this point, “Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand” This quote reflects poignancy to learning that is unparalleled. The problem is how does accountability manifest itself to be able to have tangible evidence that children are actually processing and learning the fundamental curriculum that has been taught through involvement? I can certainly identify with this kind of learning process, and actually I reinforce it within my business. Let me give you an example, every time I hire someone new, on their first day of work, the majority of their training for that day involves going around and physically touching every single item or food product that I carry. This kind of hands on involvement bridges a connection to where things are located quicker, which in turn gives the employee a stronger sense of confidence and awareness of his or her new working environment. Does this answer the question of accountability? Only to one person..Me. Identifying new ways to test these new ways of learning is the answer. What those new ways are, I will leave to the politicians and higher level educators.
The main issue of this article is accountability, and how it can be enforced? The author lances the boil of outdated standardized testing methods, and gives a fair assessment of how they do not work, or how they do not give verifiable results of students learning and understanding capabilities. The only problem I have is she stops short of offering real constructive ideas for change. She offers a solution that is clearly laid in the lap of the student. Connecting accountability to whether the student is allowed to advance or graduate. This could easily be seen as punishment or worse, deferred accountability by the educators, which would lessen their credibility with parents and students, because they have evaded their own accountability.
No one ever speaks of a reward based system. Rewards for teachers who alter students learning abilities and who also help foster renewed motivation and responsibility. Offering real rewards for the student that face the challenges of learning, while coming from very different and challenging socio-economic backgrounds. Tying learning to advancement is the answer, so why not tie real rewards that are equitable to gaining admission to higher level learning institutions? This concept needs to be visited by the school boards and administrators in the school systems.
There is a lot of rhetoric being promulgated upon us relative to “No Child Left Behind”. Many of my friends are educators. In fact my best friend is a High School Principal. I hear over and over how the constraints of NCLB are so hard. I never hear about how NCLB was a long time coming, or how it can be retooled to allow educators more latitude to adjust their teaching methods, which in turn creates positive adherence to the standards. This writer attacks NCLB as a vehicle for increasing and focusing on standardized testing. Well if that’s the case, then why are so many classes taught with engaging and group inclusive learning? I have experience substitute teaching in two different school systems. I eat lunch with teachers, carry out their lesson plans. A lot of their course work is involvement based, versus lecture oriented. I may not have enough experience or knowledge of the different teaching environments that are out there, but the experience that I do have, characterizes a more engaging form of learning then when I was in school.
My bottom line is this, education with all of its flaws, is still a priority in this country. While we do have substantial poverty and areas of economic distress. We are putting more students into college than ever before, this in and of itself is an indicator that higher learning and the fundamentals that students have gained through secondary education are working. They may not be working at the pace that political rhetoric demands, but working nonetheless!!
Well that's enough for today...tommorrow we will cover my tip sheet on how to enjoy and navigate this CRAP!!
thats an acronym
Caustic
Redundant
Arduous
Project
Enjoy your day!!
Honestly Ive spent four hours reading, and exploring this whole web 2.0 environment. One could say well that is what we are supposed to do. I'd like to think in simpler terms, technology is supposed to be presented in a way that is non-intimidating and motivates the user to embrace it. Not so!! This technology puts me on edge, I wrestle with knowing that my privacy is compromised, YES!! my privacy, I'm not comfortable putting all of my info out there for the world to see. Really who actually cares?? I do see the value in it from an educational standpoint. New and exciting ways of communicating through the asyncronous environment are always welcomed, but what happens when you have to look people in the eye and search for acceptance of what you say? Then all bets are off, we lose the capacity to exchange ideas with people in real time face to face, when we spend too much time communicating digitally.
NOW FOR THE GRAVY!!
Here comes the critical thinking paper, don't everyone trip over themselves to get this read, I'm sure it won't be as popular as Dan Brown's new book!! But here it is anyways
Critical Thinking W-200
Robert Vincent
9/02/09
The writer makes a point to identify how teachers teach; specifically outlining a behaviorist approach geared towards learning through time tested lecture teaching, but also points out the more revolutionary techniques of constructivism and connectivism. These latter techniques in my opinion are the key to real learning. There is an Old Chinese proverb that illustrates this point, “Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand” This quote reflects poignancy to learning that is unparalleled. The problem is how does accountability manifest itself to be able to have tangible evidence that children are actually processing and learning the fundamental curriculum that has been taught through involvement? I can certainly identify with this kind of learning process, and actually I reinforce it within my business. Let me give you an example, every time I hire someone new, on their first day of work, the majority of their training for that day involves going around and physically touching every single item or food product that I carry. This kind of hands on involvement bridges a connection to where things are located quicker, which in turn gives the employee a stronger sense of confidence and awareness of his or her new working environment. Does this answer the question of accountability? Only to one person..Me. Identifying new ways to test these new ways of learning is the answer. What those new ways are, I will leave to the politicians and higher level educators.
The main issue of this article is accountability, and how it can be enforced? The author lances the boil of outdated standardized testing methods, and gives a fair assessment of how they do not work, or how they do not give verifiable results of students learning and understanding capabilities. The only problem I have is she stops short of offering real constructive ideas for change. She offers a solution that is clearly laid in the lap of the student. Connecting accountability to whether the student is allowed to advance or graduate. This could easily be seen as punishment or worse, deferred accountability by the educators, which would lessen their credibility with parents and students, because they have evaded their own accountability.
No one ever speaks of a reward based system. Rewards for teachers who alter students learning abilities and who also help foster renewed motivation and responsibility. Offering real rewards for the student that face the challenges of learning, while coming from very different and challenging socio-economic backgrounds. Tying learning to advancement is the answer, so why not tie real rewards that are equitable to gaining admission to higher level learning institutions? This concept needs to be visited by the school boards and administrators in the school systems.
There is a lot of rhetoric being promulgated upon us relative to “No Child Left Behind”. Many of my friends are educators. In fact my best friend is a High School Principal. I hear over and over how the constraints of NCLB are so hard. I never hear about how NCLB was a long time coming, or how it can be retooled to allow educators more latitude to adjust their teaching methods, which in turn creates positive adherence to the standards. This writer attacks NCLB as a vehicle for increasing and focusing on standardized testing. Well if that’s the case, then why are so many classes taught with engaging and group inclusive learning? I have experience substitute teaching in two different school systems. I eat lunch with teachers, carry out their lesson plans. A lot of their course work is involvement based, versus lecture oriented. I may not have enough experience or knowledge of the different teaching environments that are out there, but the experience that I do have, characterizes a more engaging form of learning then when I was in school.
My bottom line is this, education with all of its flaws, is still a priority in this country. While we do have substantial poverty and areas of economic distress. We are putting more students into college than ever before, this in and of itself is an indicator that higher learning and the fundamentals that students have gained through secondary education are working. They may not be working at the pace that political rhetoric demands, but working nonetheless!!
Well that's enough for today...tommorrow we will cover my tip sheet on how to enjoy and navigate this CRAP!!
thats an acronym
Caustic
Redundant
Arduous
Project
Enjoy your day!!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The first post
My first post???
Short and sweet is the motto today. If I cant have a shoulder to lean on, then I will stand with my eyes towards the sky!!
Short and sweet is the motto today. If I cant have a shoulder to lean on, then I will stand with my eyes towards the sky!!
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