Pre-Break work

Thanksgiving break is approaching and I am fairly excited for a break. I gained some valuable information from the redaings this week but the article, Partners in Cognition: Extending Human Intelligence with Intelligent Technologies, was a little dated. "The report discusses research in another five areas that are relevant to teaching and environments that support effective learning: the importance of social and cultural contexts; transfer and the conditions for wide application of learning; subject matter uniqueness; assessment to support learning; and the new educational technologies.
Teachers have a critical role in assisting learners to engage their understanding, building on learners' understandings, correcting misconceptions, and observing and engaging with learners during the processes of learning."

"The most effective learning occurs when learners transport what they have learned to various and diverse new situations." We have placed much emphasis on specific techniques and theories
this semester but what it all really boils down to for me as an educator is that I want may students to learn and apply what they have learned. I want them to look back on their college experience five to ten years from now and value what they have learned. I want them to find knowledge useful because if people do find knowledge useful and beneficial to them then they will probably continue learning.

Reflection in general

Another weekend of reflection. I only wish this reflection stuff wouldn't creep into my personal life. Looking in a mirror and analyzing what you see is tough sometimes.

Entering the Final Stretch

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed for this coming week. There is the project presentation for class this weekend, and the reflective paper due the week after Thanksgiving. I haven’t had any direction on that paper so I’m a little apprehensive about that project. On top of that, I still have to Blog, do readings and corresponding postings, research social network sites, and continue the project development. Well, that’s enough of that. I will persevere.

The readings this week were insightful. They were both related to learning environments in a way and they tied in well with my group project. The framework for designing learning environments helped the most. What’s really cool about this project is that I get to have one of my classes involved. The interest from the class stands at about 50%. I will give them this week to continue blogging and then we will begin assessing the educational value of the Bolg.

Fired up

Higher education continues to amaze me. We learn about formative and summative evaluations, learner-community-assesment- and knowledge-centered learning environments, and life long learning, yet administration, and political factions for that matter, fail to invest in the main staple for learning-the TEACHER. What happens to administrators once they asume their position? Do they forget where they came from? Do they succume to the status quo? WHAT? I am fired up about the fact that only 1-3 % of budget are earmarked for professional development. Where's the incentive for learning, especialy on a teacher's salary.

Reflection for week Nine

This assigned readings this week were focused on being an expert teacher. Essentially what it boils down to is knowing what you teach, knowing how to teach, and knowing who you are teaching. These are the what, how, and who of teaching. Of course it goes much deeper than that but that is the bottom line. Some key points of interest that I reflected on as I engaged in the learning process was that a great teacher loves to learn and engages in the lifelong learning process. An expert teacher engages her class in relevant learning activities and will adjust her teaching strategy to accommodate the learning style of the class. A great teacher will create a learning environment conducive to learning while displaying a passion for learning and enthusiasm for the subject.

Sunday Football

I took a much needed break today and watched a little football. Here is my reflection on that event.The Dallas Cowboys are:

Self-centered
Over indulged
Pompous
Indignant
Catered to
Egotistical
Narcissistic


How long will this team be able to BUY their way into playoffs, and for that matter, buy wins in the Super Bowl. I am specifically referring to the super Bowl XXX fiasco, debacle, on January 28, 1996 when Neil O’Donnell blatantly threw two interceptions directly into the hands of cornerback Larry Brown of the Cowboys. The Cowboys sealed the victory by converting Brown's interceptions into 2 touchdowns which winded up being the ultimate demise of the Steelers in that particular Super Bowl.

At leaste the Steelers have more Super Bowl ring. SIX, count em’ Cowboys fans SIX. Yes that means you have to use the fingers of both hands.


Steelers Rule !!!!!

I will blog latter on this week about a more scholarly subject for IDT 744.

Adapting to technology

My Wiki is really aggravating me today. I seem to get locked out every couple of weeks. No wonder it is so diffiult to incorporate technology into the classroom. I'm doing homework again tonight, just like every night and I find myself wondering, how will I "really" incorporate technology into my teaching style. We read, yet again, about learning centered, knowledge centered, and community centered taching environments. Each one of these approaches has merits and I would like to use all of them. In reality, however, I usually focus on one or the other depending on the type of students I am teaching.

This week I have begun to sink my teeth into my project for IDT 744. My partner and I plan to use a blog space for my CJ 280, Victimology class. I have a difficult enough time trying to get these students to find professional research articles on Ebsco host let alone trying to get them to delve into the strang and mystifying land of technology. They love to text, and some of them like to use apps on their phone but as for blogging, the students I have discussed this with do not blog.

I feel confident that these students have the intelligence to actively participate in this project and I further believe that they will contribute valuable information and learn from the experience. Plus, a little extra credit will serve to increase participation :-)

Student life

I feel like a chameleon-student, teacher, advisor, mentor..... Sooooo many hats soooo little head. had a phone/internet with Dr. Whitehouse and my project partner yesterday and I'm feeling really positive about the project for IDT 744. We have a focus. We are going to use a bolg for my CJ 280 (victimology) class and have them add video links or some other digital media link. We will post three different news storys regarding the same victim and have the students analyze how each article presented the victim and identify a corresponding theory for each story. Does anyone out there have any feedback regarding this project?

Just Wondering

Just wondering if all this homework is worth it. Wondering what will come in the future. I am really learning this semester and I feel very productive, but will it be worth it. The sacrafice of time, being just a little jealous of the care free life my friends seem to have, looking at my motorcycle on sunny days fanatsizing about all my future trips when I finally get some free time, making a list of all the "fun" books I'm going to read when I don't have to read text books as much, are a few ideas I'm wondering about today. But, alas [how often do you get to use the word alas :-)] I now begin my homework.

What does it mean to be an adaptive and analytical educator in the 21st century. I posted the beginning of my response to this on my group Wiki site yesterday. That's the official version-you know- the one for an actual grade- but what is the "keep it real" answer?

Teaching is the best job I've ever had but ironically, it's the lowest paying job I've ever had, but that's ok because you can't put a price on happiness.

I find myself confronted with the demons of secondary education. I have been grading papers lately. That is always an arduous experience, not only because I get the on set of carpal tunnel, or burn 2 to 3 red ink pens, but because it brings to light the age old debate: who’s to blame-Schools or parents.

I am learning so much in all three of my classes this semester, but specifically, for this blog entry, I will discuss integrating technology. Blogs, Wikis, and social network sites are great but seriously, how can I use them appropriately when I have to teach my students some basic English and writing skills, not to mention APA format? This is one area we have not discussed in class and I am open to suggestions. There are so many exercises I would like to incorporate into my classes as a method of accomplishing the learning objectives but I have to deal with some basics first. Building a constructivist pedagogical model of learning is an excellent idea in theory but perhaps would be better suited upper level undergraduate courses.

Being Cyber Pimped

I was sharing my educational endeavors with one of my classes last week. I was explaining to them how I have been learning how to use various technological tools such as, creating a blog, using twitter, building a Wiki, finding social network sites, and more. I made some comment in gest about how I felt used by technology and that I felt like I was working on a technological street corner because I have never used the web so much in my life. I usually use it for research purposes. Then one of my students (shout out to you Vanessa Little) said "you've been cyber pimped" and the light went on in my head. She served as my impetus for an "Ah Ha" moment.

My students are amazing. They really don't give themselves the intellectual credit they deserve.

Until next time...
Peace

Teaching

Teaching is the most awesome job I have ever had.. My classes rock! but that's just because the students are so incredible. What makes teaching so fun is all the different personalities in all my classes and none of the students are mean people. This one class I have, CJ 206, is one of my favorites. They applaude when I enter the class room. It started as a joke because I was messing around one day and got on my soapbox about how teachers are under appreciated and how we should be applauded and I especially should have my own theme music when I entered the class room due to the entertainment value of my lecture series. Low and behold they were listening, actually listening.

Take not my fellow educators out there in blog land, your students are listening!!!

On a side bar note, I'm contemplating the creation of a cartoon. Are there any illustrators out there?

Peace
H

Monday, 9/14/09

Tody's adventure:

WVU is out to get me :-) remember that I am important to them. I have not received money from my student account for a Fall tuition waiver but it has been sitting there for a week, seriously. Then payroll did not deduct money from my paycheck for my summer deferment pay so now they will take additional money out over the next months. That check for working at the pool during the summer just doesn't cut it.

So that's my dilemma for today. An ongoing saga I have is related to love. That's right, you read correctly, love. I am a helpless romantic. Just watched "Definately, Maybe" again and I'm a sucker for a sappy love story. As for my love life, well, that's complicated.
Stay tuned for more on that.

Peace

The title of my blog is meant to be a bit facetious. My life seems really boring now compared to 10 to 20 years ago but I have to create this blog for my class so I am going about it with an open mind. Perhaps I will have cathartic experience and it will all be worth it.