Well, we start out with the best of intentions...It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted so I figured it was time. I had to attend the funeral of a family friend last weekend. It was a long drive (12 hours one way), but at least we got a chance to visit with my sister and her family. I got a good workout playing on the trampoline with my niece and nephew and my two kids. It was fun though!
I'm about half way through my quantitative analysis course. We have finished the "math" portion and we are now concentrating on the analysis of quant. research. I am finding that I can relate a little more since my background is in science, but probably what I like the most is the fact that the text and the instructor(s) are not die-hard advocates of one method. When I took qualitative analysis last winter, the instructor was very much one-sided. I believe that a good researcher should be amenable to all types of research. different types of research requires different approaches, so nothing should be discounted. Validity is another area that must be taken in context. For a data collection method to be considered valid, it must be verified in the context it was meant for. Only then can the method be verified properly. As I have been saying all along, context is important in everything.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Long Time
Well, it's been quite some time since I sat down and composed anything here (over a month! Ouch!) But, in my defense, I have been on holidays with the family over the last few weeks and I am just getting back into the school mode. I just started what should be my last class and then work on the thesis. I have started writing some preliminary chapters including the intro and lit reviews, so I haven't been totally on holidays. Also, on the recommendation of one of my supervisors, I have started to read "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman. I have to admit that so far it is a very interesting read. I agree generally with much of what he is saying. I just find it fascinating what some countries are doing to promote themselves.
Anyways, I just needed to get something down as a way of trying to kick start the process again. My plan is to use this blog as my reflection for the course I am currently taking (Quantitative Research Methods) and then also for my thesis. One more thing; I have just installed Ubuntu which is a flavor of Linux. I am using it in conjunction with Windows on my Laptop. I have only been using it for a couple of days, but so far I like it. I guess now I just need to dust off the old command line skills from when I used to use DOS...! I will also try to keep this updated as to my experiences with it.
Anyways, I just needed to get something down as a way of trying to kick start the process again. My plan is to use this blog as my reflection for the course I am currently taking (Quantitative Research Methods) and then also for my thesis. One more thing; I have just installed Ubuntu which is a flavor of Linux. I am using it in conjunction with Windows on my Laptop. I have only been using it for a couple of days, but so far I like it. I guess now I just need to dust off the old command line skills from when I used to use DOS...! I will also try to keep this updated as to my experiences with it.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Happy Sunday
The title is not just for everyone else, but for me and my U10 girls soccer team. We had our season ending tournament this weekend and the girls walked away with the Gold Medal!! To say I am proud would be an understatement! We kind of got off slow in the first two games but managed to squeeze out two wins on Sat. We won our third game Sun. and then it all game down to the last game. We ended up playing the top team in the league from the season who had also won all of their other games. We had to win as they would have beaten us on goal diff in a tie. Well, the girls responded and played their best game of the weekend. We staked a 2-0 lead and ended the game at 2-1. It was a great game and a great finish for the kids.
Well, I just had to post this and brag a little...Cheers all!
Well, I just had to post this and brag a little...Cheers all!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Another Monday
Well, after being totally water logged yesterday, today is shaping up to to be quite nice. I hope it lasts for my daughter's soccer practice tonight! Unfortunately, I am inside trying to organize my office space so that I can get to work on my thesis. My mind hasn't been totally focused lately, but I think it's time I refocus and dig in.
As I was going through some of my many papers and articles spread haphazardly around the room, I came across one that I had highlighted and kind of struck me. It was in an article about online learning and was a quote from Barry Dahl: "Everybody has this mantra that you really have to build community among your online students, but [community] ranks as so incredibly unimportant to students. My theory is that online learners have jobs and lives outside school. They've got several communities that their involved with, and the idea that they need to develop another community here is our idea, not theirs" I must admit that I agree with him in this instance. Having taken a couple of online courses recently, I admit that I am not that interested in forming another "community" outside of what is required for the class. Now on the other side of that argument, I also agree that as far as learning goes, it is often beneficial to collaborate with people that may have different perspectives. Often times, others in a group will come up with ideas that I would not have thought of since they have different experiences to draw from. I think the point is (at least mine anyways!) that people do have other things to do and other groups that they associate on a more regular basis. This does not mean that friendships and future contact lists cannot be made through this interaction. I think also that the definition of community needs to made. Certainly any course that requires interaction between the learners, whether it be through group work or discussions, will form a "short-term" community based on the common course. People realize this short-term nature of these relationships and hence are not as highly invested in them as they are in their everyday lives.
As I was going through some of my many papers and articles spread haphazardly around the room, I came across one that I had highlighted and kind of struck me. It was in an article about online learning and was a quote from Barry Dahl: "Everybody has this mantra that you really have to build community among your online students, but [community] ranks as so incredibly unimportant to students. My theory is that online learners have jobs and lives outside school. They've got several communities that their involved with, and the idea that they need to develop another community here is our idea, not theirs" I must admit that I agree with him in this instance. Having taken a couple of online courses recently, I admit that I am not that interested in forming another "community" outside of what is required for the class. Now on the other side of that argument, I also agree that as far as learning goes, it is often beneficial to collaborate with people that may have different perspectives. Often times, others in a group will come up with ideas that I would not have thought of since they have different experiences to draw from. I think the point is (at least mine anyways!) that people do have other things to do and other groups that they associate on a more regular basis. This does not mean that friendships and future contact lists cannot be made through this interaction. I think also that the definition of community needs to made. Certainly any course that requires interaction between the learners, whether it be through group work or discussions, will form a "short-term" community based on the common course. People realize this short-term nature of these relationships and hence are not as highly invested in them as they are in their everyday lives.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
A Web 2.0 debate
I have been reading the debate regarding Web 2.0 started by Michael Gorman on the Britannica Blog. The first thing that struck me as I read his 2 part blog was the irony (as was pointed out by several others) of it all. Here he is making a claim against Web 2.0 on a blog...I won't belabour that point as it has been done already. What I would like to comment on is my interpretation.
Now, I never have and never will claim to be an expert. My kids once thought I was, but as they grow older I fear that pleasant fantasy is fading. What I have come to know and realize is that anyone can claim to be an expert given the proper subject and the proper audience. People throughout history have been called experts in various disciplines (Shakespeare, Darwin, Washington) yet we have often shown that many of these "expert opinions" can be skewed. Even before I started my research, I knew that most research is skewed and biased by the researcher. At the same time, research can also be skewed by the reader as well. When we write or read anything, we bring our own thoughts and ideas into the process. If we know ourselves well enough we will acknowledge these and react accordingly. Our interpretations and musings should be considered based on these biases. In my opinion, the key is to be as open minded as possible and as Meredith Farkas points out, be critical of everything we see, especially if the author claims to be an expert. I remember when I was a teacher preparing for class, I would almost always consult 3 or 4 textbooks as well as other sources just to be sure I got my facts right. The result was usually at least one textbook (written by an expert!) that was not in agreement with a multitude of other sources. Does this mean there was simply a typo, or was it more than that? The point is that we all need to be critical of the information we access, especially in the case of the internet. As Farkas also points out, we are failing our children by not properly preparing them for this critical task. We are training our children to blindly accept all that we give them. We tell them that this source is good and this one is bad without telling them why or how to tell the difference. So much of education is based on output. If we ask for a report on a particular subject, students will simply look at the closest source they have produce what we ask for. How many can recall a time when writing a report in high school; you went to the library, pulled out the first book you could find (or encyclopedia) wrote down the required number of pages and then simply filled in the bibliography with 5 other books that were related but never opened? Let's face it, other than a few exceptions, most students will take the shortest and easiest route possible to achieve the grade. It is our job as educators to get them out of that mindset and to see the value in learning. Get away from standardized testing and rote learning. Teach students to think (critically or otherwise) and to prepare them for lifelong learning.
Ok, I kind of got off topic somewhat. My point is that we need to give humanity a little bit of credit. Web 2.0 is simply another tool that people can use to share knowledge. It is up to each of us to decide (and verify) if the information is correct or relevant. We need to be able to critically analyze the information we view. We need to be able to teach the next generation how to do this. My hope is that they already have an idea. My fear is that they we are too busy trying to hold onto the past that we fail to prepare for the future. Ignorance is best shown by people who don't understand.
Now, I never have and never will claim to be an expert. My kids once thought I was, but as they grow older I fear that pleasant fantasy is fading. What I have come to know and realize is that anyone can claim to be an expert given the proper subject and the proper audience. People throughout history have been called experts in various disciplines (Shakespeare, Darwin, Washington) yet we have often shown that many of these "expert opinions" can be skewed. Even before I started my research, I knew that most research is skewed and biased by the researcher. At the same time, research can also be skewed by the reader as well. When we write or read anything, we bring our own thoughts and ideas into the process. If we know ourselves well enough we will acknowledge these and react accordingly. Our interpretations and musings should be considered based on these biases. In my opinion, the key is to be as open minded as possible and as Meredith Farkas points out, be critical of everything we see, especially if the author claims to be an expert. I remember when I was a teacher preparing for class, I would almost always consult 3 or 4 textbooks as well as other sources just to be sure I got my facts right. The result was usually at least one textbook (written by an expert!) that was not in agreement with a multitude of other sources. Does this mean there was simply a typo, or was it more than that? The point is that we all need to be critical of the information we access, especially in the case of the internet. As Farkas also points out, we are failing our children by not properly preparing them for this critical task. We are training our children to blindly accept all that we give them. We tell them that this source is good and this one is bad without telling them why or how to tell the difference. So much of education is based on output. If we ask for a report on a particular subject, students will simply look at the closest source they have produce what we ask for. How many can recall a time when writing a report in high school; you went to the library, pulled out the first book you could find (or encyclopedia) wrote down the required number of pages and then simply filled in the bibliography with 5 other books that were related but never opened? Let's face it, other than a few exceptions, most students will take the shortest and easiest route possible to achieve the grade. It is our job as educators to get them out of that mindset and to see the value in learning. Get away from standardized testing and rote learning. Teach students to think (critically or otherwise) and to prepare them for lifelong learning.
Ok, I kind of got off topic somewhat. My point is that we need to give humanity a little bit of credit. Web 2.0 is simply another tool that people can use to share knowledge. It is up to each of us to decide (and verify) if the information is correct or relevant. We need to be able to critically analyze the information we view. We need to be able to teach the next generation how to do this. My hope is that they already have an idea. My fear is that they we are too busy trying to hold onto the past that we fail to prepare for the future. Ignorance is best shown by people who don't understand.
Friday, June 8, 2007
It's Friday!
Ok, I must confess that I have been a little lax in my efforts this week. For some reason my motivation has been off. Ah well, today I have read a couple of things that I wanted to comment on.
I'll start off with a couple of comments on PLE's. Now, I will state up front that I have not read near enough on this subject to make myself anywhere near knowledgeable enough, but there are some things that struck me. This all started with a comment post by Jay Cross concerning comments made by Stephen Downes. Admittedly the title is what first attracted me as I have come to respect Stephen's opinion even if I don't always agree with him. In defense of "personal" in PLE, I have to agree that it is very much personal learning as we all learn in different ways. For some this may mean collaboration with others is part of their learning environment. For others it may mean burning the midnight oil alone at home. In my opinion (for what it's worth!) these could both be considered PLE's since individuals are learning. I have always believed that learning is a very personal endeavour as is how one accomplishes this. So no matter what is involved, we all have our own PLE. Now, I admit that my knowledge in this area is limited and I probably should have read more before commenting, but it was something that I had in my mind that I wanted to get out.
In addition to PLE's, Jay also comment on corporations and schools and their similarities (and differences). Jay says "Corporations don’t tell employees to stay silent unless they are called on. They don’t aspire to behavior modification and thought control. They don’t assume that management has all the right answers." Now these comments are kind of extreme, but there are definitely companies that don't want disruption in the ranks. They don't want to be told that their way isn't working, especially by the working class. Some do believe that management does have all the answers and consequently are top-heavy, meaning too many managers, not enough workers (It think gov't...but I digress). They feel that they can train them to work better by simply running a corporate strategy course every once in awhile, or by having the CEO's come around with a Rah Rah speech once a year. They fail to listen to the people that are on the front lines and see what is going on. Now, does that mean that we should all rise up and tell management that they are wrong? No. But we do need to recognize that these environments do exist. Things are changing, but who nows if this will be for the better or worse. And no I don't think that corporate learning specialists are simply saying things because that is what is wanted (at least not all of them...) but unfortunately again, they do exist and it is usually the good ones that are hurt because of them (one bad apple...!).
Schools on the other hand, can be very authoritarian, but in some ways they need to be. Kids today are exposed to so much and given way more freedom than past generations. This is good for the ones that have the common-sense and restraint to know how to react, but bad for the ones who don't. Again, it is all based on what we perceive to be right and wrong. Society changes as do it's values even if we don't agree with it.
Another article I wanted to comment on was from Educational Discourse as is again related to the access to technology today. As stated we must be careful to teach our children what is good and what is bad information. We must be able to teach them how to corroborate there sources and determine the relative value. As is stated, the negative aspects of information will always be there, whether it be from newspapers, TV, or the internet. If we can teach people to question and not trust blindly, there is a better chance that what they learn will be more valuable and relevant and chances are, the bad ones will eventually go away. Technology and the information it brings is here to stay. It is up to us as educators to show our students what is valuable and how to tell the difference from what is not.
Well, as I said before, take my comments for what they are worth. I know I have not been in the arena long, but I am learning to skate.
I'll start off with a couple of comments on PLE's. Now, I will state up front that I have not read near enough on this subject to make myself anywhere near knowledgeable enough, but there are some things that struck me. This all started with a comment post by Jay Cross concerning comments made by Stephen Downes. Admittedly the title is what first attracted me as I have come to respect Stephen's opinion even if I don't always agree with him. In defense of "personal" in PLE, I have to agree that it is very much personal learning as we all learn in different ways. For some this may mean collaboration with others is part of their learning environment. For others it may mean burning the midnight oil alone at home. In my opinion (for what it's worth!) these could both be considered PLE's since individuals are learning. I have always believed that learning is a very personal endeavour as is how one accomplishes this. So no matter what is involved, we all have our own PLE. Now, I admit that my knowledge in this area is limited and I probably should have read more before commenting, but it was something that I had in my mind that I wanted to get out.
In addition to PLE's, Jay also comment on corporations and schools and their similarities (and differences). Jay says "Corporations don’t tell employees to stay silent unless they are called on. They don’t aspire to behavior modification and thought control. They don’t assume that management has all the right answers." Now these comments are kind of extreme, but there are definitely companies that don't want disruption in the ranks. They don't want to be told that their way isn't working, especially by the working class. Some do believe that management does have all the answers and consequently are top-heavy, meaning too many managers, not enough workers (It think gov't...but I digress). They feel that they can train them to work better by simply running a corporate strategy course every once in awhile, or by having the CEO's come around with a Rah Rah speech once a year. They fail to listen to the people that are on the front lines and see what is going on. Now, does that mean that we should all rise up and tell management that they are wrong? No. But we do need to recognize that these environments do exist. Things are changing, but who nows if this will be for the better or worse. And no I don't think that corporate learning specialists are simply saying things because that is what is wanted (at least not all of them...) but unfortunately again, they do exist and it is usually the good ones that are hurt because of them (one bad apple...!).
Schools on the other hand, can be very authoritarian, but in some ways they need to be. Kids today are exposed to so much and given way more freedom than past generations. This is good for the ones that have the common-sense and restraint to know how to react, but bad for the ones who don't. Again, it is all based on what we perceive to be right and wrong. Society changes as do it's values even if we don't agree with it.
Another article I wanted to comment on was from Educational Discourse as is again related to the access to technology today. As stated we must be careful to teach our children what is good and what is bad information. We must be able to teach them how to corroborate there sources and determine the relative value. As is stated, the negative aspects of information will always be there, whether it be from newspapers, TV, or the internet. If we can teach people to question and not trust blindly, there is a better chance that what they learn will be more valuable and relevant and chances are, the bad ones will eventually go away. Technology and the information it brings is here to stay. It is up to us as educators to show our students what is valuable and how to tell the difference from what is not.
Well, as I said before, take my comments for what they are worth. I know I have not been in the arena long, but I am learning to skate.
Monday, June 4, 2007
It's Monday
Well, the title kinda says it all. The weekend was spent running kids around to various activities. We did take time and go see Shrek 3 on Sun. I have to say that it was pretty good for a third installment. That's the advantage of having children...we can get away with going to see kids movies!!
I'm still plodding through my research. I have to admit that I've hit a bit of a wall recently and am not sure how to break through. I am still waiting for some confirmation from my supervisor's with regards to the scope of my topic, so I've been trying to continue with lit review etc. I guess that I just have to keep plugging away.
I also have to confess that my inspiration for doing this came in a roundabout way. I recently took a course on distributed learning and the "textbook" happened to be Stephen Downes' OLDaily. I have to admit that I first thought it a little strange to have this as a "textbook". But after looking at the information and the links he provides, I realized what a wealth of information was being made available to me. I have since subscribed to various RSS feeds found through his links and have set up my Netvibes homepage for my reader. I can spend a lot of time simply going through the information provided. I had also created an e-portfolio as part of the same class, but had to move it when I changed ISPs. I am hoping to revise it some day (soon...!). I like the idea of having a place to keep my work as it progresses. This is a long journey and one that I hope can be chronicled some day. Anyways, thanks Stephen for your information and inspiration. I still subscribe to and read your newsletter daily!
Well, back to my readings...maybe some lunch first!
I'm still plodding through my research. I have to admit that I've hit a bit of a wall recently and am not sure how to break through. I am still waiting for some confirmation from my supervisor's with regards to the scope of my topic, so I've been trying to continue with lit review etc. I guess that I just have to keep plugging away.
I also have to confess that my inspiration for doing this came in a roundabout way. I recently took a course on distributed learning and the "textbook" happened to be Stephen Downes' OLDaily. I have to admit that I first thought it a little strange to have this as a "textbook". But after looking at the information and the links he provides, I realized what a wealth of information was being made available to me. I have since subscribed to various RSS feeds found through his links and have set up my Netvibes homepage for my reader. I can spend a lot of time simply going through the information provided. I had also created an e-portfolio as part of the same class, but had to move it when I changed ISPs. I am hoping to revise it some day (soon...!). I like the idea of having a place to keep my work as it progresses. This is a long journey and one that I hope can be chronicled some day. Anyways, thanks Stephen for your information and inspiration. I still subscribe to and read your newsletter daily!
Well, back to my readings...maybe some lunch first!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Today's View
Well, I guess if I want this to be even remotely successful, I have to actually post regularly. Today I was busy chaperoning for my daughter's Gr.3 class at the zoo. Fortunately it was a nice day (maybe a little hot!) and the kids were fairly well behaved so it was a good day. I have to say that one of the things I enjoy about being a full time student is the ability to partake in these little adventures with my kids. I have essentially become "Mr. Mom" the last couple of years and I enjoy it (I'm cooking dinner as I type this...). At the same time I am looking forward to getting back into the workforce.
With regards to my studies, I have to say that my interests lie in anything to do with Ed Tech. I must admit that I had somewhat of a misguided view as to what Ed Tech really was when I started. I thought it only dealt with "technology" in education, but then learned that it encompassed much more. In particular, the area if ID has become a central focus for me. I have taken 3 courses in ID and would love to get some real world experience in the field. Even though I am still defining it, my thesis work is in the area of accreditation in engineering and how internship programs support certain criteria. I would also like to look at how this type of experience can be expanded to all students, either through the regular curriculum or through university based programs. One of the main themes that I have latched onto is that of "context" Everything is better learned if the student is able to see what happens when in certain situations. I believe that it helps students to better appreciate the complexities of a problem when they are able to see the results first hand; when they are able to manipulate the variables and see the results first hand. There is no comparison for first-hand and hands-on learning. This is true, not only when designing instructional events, but also in engineering design. What looks good on paper doesn't always work in real life since the context/environment may be different. The best designers have to be able to think outside the box to discover problems and solutions that may exist outside the normal parameters. Context is, in my opinion, the most important consideration in design.
With regards to my studies, I have to say that my interests lie in anything to do with Ed Tech. I must admit that I had somewhat of a misguided view as to what Ed Tech really was when I started. I thought it only dealt with "technology" in education, but then learned that it encompassed much more. In particular, the area if ID has become a central focus for me. I have taken 3 courses in ID and would love to get some real world experience in the field. Even though I am still defining it, my thesis work is in the area of accreditation in engineering and how internship programs support certain criteria. I would also like to look at how this type of experience can be expanded to all students, either through the regular curriculum or through university based programs. One of the main themes that I have latched onto is that of "context" Everything is better learned if the student is able to see what happens when in certain situations. I believe that it helps students to better appreciate the complexities of a problem when they are able to see the results first hand; when they are able to manipulate the variables and see the results first hand. There is no comparison for first-hand and hands-on learning. This is true, not only when designing instructional events, but also in engineering design. What looks good on paper doesn't always work in real life since the context/environment may be different. The best designers have to be able to think outside the box to discover problems and solutions that may exist outside the normal parameters. Context is, in my opinion, the most important consideration in design.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Introduction
Well, here it is. My first ever Blog post. I have been thinking about this for some time...ever since I took a Distributed Learning course as part of my graduate degree. I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering and Educational Technology. I know, the combination is a little unusual. I originally started my degree in EE, but soon realized (Ok, a year later!) that I did not want to do EE research. I had been a teacher for 5 years at a post-secondary institution, and realized that that is where my passion was. I wanted to be involved in teaching somehow, so I switched to an inter-disciplinary and have not regretted it. I am much more involved and interested in educational topics (not to mention my marks are better also!!). I have pretty much finished my course work and am beginning my thesis work. I am currently trying to nail down my focus, but it will probably be in the area of accreditation, internship programs and industry needs.
My goal for this blog is to interact with the community and expand my knowledge base. I subscribe to various RSS feeds and like to see what is going on in the area of education, specifically post-secondary/higher education. I will be posting my thoughts on what I read as well as information from my research. I hope that this will be productive for all of us.
My goal for this blog is to interact with the community and expand my knowledge base. I subscribe to various RSS feeds and like to see what is going on in the area of education, specifically post-secondary/higher education. I will be posting my thoughts on what I read as well as information from my research. I hope that this will be productive for all of us.
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