tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72577443070100849292024-03-13T02:50:23.414-04:00etmooc and beyondKaren Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-92177299694015842752023-04-23T22:07:00.001-04:002023-04-23T22:07:54.660-04:00It's ETMOOC#2 Time! Chat GPT<p>So like many people I have heard about ChatGPT . Until ETMOOC#2 I hadn't even used it.</p><p>But it is time. And as usual the best way to try software is to use it so, here is my first interactions with ChatGPT!</p><p>The topic was chosen because one of my staff members said if he wanted to make a lot of money he should write Scottish Highlander romance books. I thought that was quite amusing! So here we go!</p><p><b>Karen</b>: regency romance scenarios:</p><p><b>ChatGPT</b>: </p><p>1. Lady Emily meets Lord Alexander at a ball and they have an instant connection. However, Emily's father disapproves of Alexander's reputation as a notorious rake. Can Emily convince her father to give Alexander a chance, or will their love be doomed from the start?</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Miss Matilda is headstrong and opinionated, much to the chagrin of her traditional parents. When she meets Mr. Edward, she is instantly drawn to his charming wit and adventurous spirit. But can he handle her independent ways, or will his own traditional ideas about women hold them back?</p><p><br /></p><p>3. Lady Charlotte's family is in dire financial straits and she is forced to marry for money rather than love. When the wealthy and enigmatic Duke of Devonshire proposes to her, she sees it as a way to save her family's estate. But as they begin their marriage of convenience, she finds herself falling for the captivating Duke.</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Miss Margaret is a talented artist and prefers spending her days painting portraits and landscapes rather than attending social events. When she meets the dashing Lord Anthony, a patron of the arts, she is torn between pursuing her passion and the excitement of a potential romance.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. Mr. Stephen returns to London after years abroad, having inherited his family's estate and title. When he attends a ball, he meets the intelligent and sharp-tongued Miss Elizabeth. But as they navigate the treacherous waters of London society, Stephen must come to terms with his own insecurities and uncertainty in his new role as a lord.</p><p><b>Karen:</b> Lady Emily meets Lord Alexander at a ball and they have an instant connection. However, Emily's father disapproves of Alexander's reputation as a notorious rake. Can Emily convince her father to give Alexander a chance, or will their love be doomed from the start? What happens next?</p><p><b>ChatGPT:</b> </p><p>Emily spends days trying to convince her father that Alexander is not the man he thinks he is. She tells him stories of Alexander's kindness and generosity and how he has always been there for her whenever she needed help. Emily's father, however, remains stubborn and refuses to change his mind.</p><p>Undeterred, Emily decides to take matters into her own hands. She invites Alexander over to her house and introduces him to her father. Alexander charms Emily's father with his wit and intelligence, and soon he begins to see the good in him.</p><p>As the weeks go by, Emily and Alexander's relationship grows stronger, and Emily's father starts to accept him more and more. However, just as everything seems to be falling into place, Alexander's past catches up with him. An old enemy of his spreads rumors about his scandalous behavior, and Emily's father threatens to break off the engagement.</p><p>Feeling helpless, Emily turns to Alexander for help. He assures her that he will do whatever it takes to prove his innocence and win her father's approval. After a long and arduous battle, Alexander is finally cleared of any wrongdoing, and Emily's father gives his blessing to the couple.</p><p>As they walk down the aisle, Emily knows that their love has triumphed over the odds, and they will be able to face any challenge that comes their way.</p><p><b>Karen: </b>Miss Matilda is headstrong and opinionated, much to the chagrin of her traditional parents. When she meets Mr. Edward, she is instantly drawn to his charming wit and adventurous spirit. But can he handle her independent ways, or will his own traditional ideas about women hold them back?</p><p><b>ChatGPT:</b></p><p>As their courtship progresses, Miss Matilda and Mr. Edward find themselves constantly butting heads over everything from social norms to household chores. Miss Matilda insists on pursuing her own interests and is reluctant to conform to expected gender roles, while Mr. Edward struggles to let go of his deeply ingrained beliefs about how a woman should behave.</p><p>Despite these differences, the two are drawn to each other and find that they complement each other well. Miss Matilda inspires Mr. Edward to break free from societal constraints and pursue his dreams, while Mr. Edward helps Miss Matilda see the value in compromise and working together.</p><p>However, their relationship faces its biggest challenge when Miss Matilda's parents, who disapprove of Mr. Edward's more unconventional ways, threaten to cut her off if she continues to see him. Unsure if her love for Mr. Edward is worth losing her family's support, Miss Matilda must decide whether to follow her heart or submit to her parents' wishes.</p><p>In the end, Miss Matilda chooses love and stands up for herself and Mr. Edward, defying societal norms and expectations. With Mr. Edward by her side, she realizes that being true to oneself and following one's heart is worth any sacrifice.</p><p><b>Karen</b>: Scottish highland lords</p><p><b>ChatGPT:</b> </p><p>Scottish highland lords were powerful feudal lords who ruled various regions of the Scottish highlands during the medieval and early modern period. They were often descended from earlier Celtic chieftains and controlled large territories, their power extending not just over their own clans but also over smaller clans and tribes who owed them loyalty.</p><p>The position of a highland lord was one of great prestige and power. They exercised control over their territories through their own personal armies, known as "tailleas" or "retinues", and through the power of their name; many highlanders would have followed their lord regardless of the specific rights the lord held.</p><p>Some of the most famous highland lords include James Stewart, Earl of Moray, who was the regent of Scotland during the minority of Mary, Queen of Scots, and who was assassinated in 1570. Another is Neil Maccormick, a Lewis farmer who rose to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in Scotland in the mid-19th century.</p><p>Today, many Scottish highland lords still exist as noble families, retaining their titles but little actual power.</p><p><b>Karen:</b> Scottish Highland lords in love</p><p><b>ChatGPT:</b></p><p>The Scottish Highland lords were known for their love of land and power, but they were also capable of great love for their wives and families.</p><p>One famous love story is that of Ewan MacDougall, the 13th chief of MacDougall, and his wife Margaret Campbell. The couple met as children and fell in love, but their families were enemies. Despite this, they continued to see each other secretly and eventually eloped. Ewan's father was so angry that he disinherited his son, but the couple managed to build a life together on the land that Margaret brought to the marriage. Ewan and Margaret were said to have been deeply devoted to each other, and their love story has become a legend of the Scottish Highlands.</p><p>Another Highland lord who was known for his love of his wife was Alexander MacDonald, the 9th Chief of Clan MacDonald of Clanranald. He married a woman named Agnes Campbell, who was the daughter of his family's enemy. Despite the feud between their families, Alexander and Agnes were deeply in love and remained devoted to each other throughout their lives. In fact, when Alexander was captured during a battle, Agnes was said to have gone to great lengths to secure his release, including selling her jewelry and even her clothing to raise ransom money.</p><p>Overall, the Scottish Highland lords were both fierce warriors and passionate lovers, capable of great feats of bravery and devotion in both their public and private lives.</p><p><b>Karen:</b> Highland lord romance books</p><p>ChatGPT:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>"Highlander's Touch" by Karen Marie Moning</li><li>"The Chief" by Monica McCarty</li><li>"The Highlander's Bride" by Lynn Kurland</li><li>"The Highland Duke" by Amy Jarecki</li><li>"The Highlander's Promise" by Lynsay Sands</li><li>"The MacGregor's Lady" by Grace Burrowes</li><li>"The Laird's Choice" by Amanda Scott</li><li>"The Highlander's Conquest" by Eliza Knight</li><li>"The Chieftain's Feud" by Frances Housden</li><li>"To Wed a Highlander" by Michele Sinclair.</li></ol><p></p><p><b>Karen:</b> Highland lords romance story prompts</p><p>ChatGPT: </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>A love story between a young Highland lord and a spirited maiden from a rival clan. Can they overcome their differences and find true love amidst the feud between their families?</li><li>A Highland lord must marry to secure his inheritance, but when he meets a fiery and independent woman, he can't resist her charms. Can they find a way to be together despite the opposition of his family?</li><li>When a Highland lord rescues a young woman from an attack by bandits, he finds himself smitten with her. But she's not what she seems, and he must navigate political intrigue and betrayal to uncover her true identity and win her heart.</li><li>A Highland lord and lady are forced into a marriage of convenience to unite their clans against a common enemy. But when their forced proximity leads to real affection, can they overcome their pride and admit their true feelings to each other?</li><li>A Highland lord and his lady have been betrothed since childhood, but when they finally meet as adults, they discover that their feelings have changed. Can they find a way to break their engagement and be together without dishonoring their families?</li><li>When a Highland lord meets a mysterious woman on the moors, he's intrigued by her beauty and spirit. But she's running from a dangerous past, and he must protect her from those who would harm her, even as he falls in love with her.</li><li>A Highland lord and his lady have been happily married for years, but when a rival clan seeks revenge, they are torn apart. Can their love survive the trials and hardships they face, and can they find a way back to each other?</li></ol><b>Karen:</b> A Highland lord and his lady have been betrothed since childhood, but when they finally meet as adults, they discover that their feelings have changed. Can they find a way to break their engagement and be together without dishonoring their families?<p></p><p><b>ChatGPT:</b></p><p>As children, Laird Ewan MacLeod and Lady Moira Cameron had been promised to each other by their families. They grew up knowing that they were betrothed and that they would one day marry. But when they finally met as adults, something had changed.</p><p>Moira had always pictured Ewan as a fierce and unyielding lord, but instead, she found him to be kind and thoughtful, always putting his people first. Ewan, on the other hand, had expected Moira to be meek and mild, but he found her to be a fierce and independent woman, not at all what he had imagined.</p><p>As they spent more time together, Ewan and Moira realized that they had fallen in love with each other. But their families had already set the date for their wedding, and breaking an engagement was considered dishonorable and could lead to a feud between clans.</p><p>Desperate to be together, Ewan and Moira came up with a plan. They would ask their families to delay the wedding for a year, citing the need to build up their respective estates. During that year, they would secretly court each other and find a way to break off the engagement without causing a scandal.</p><p>It wasn't easy. They had to sneak around, stealing kisses in secret glens and sharing clandestine meetings under the guise of discussing trade deals. But they were determined, and their love only grew stronger.</p><p>Finally, the year was up, and Ewan and Moira knew that they couldn't keep their families waiting any longer. They went to their respective elders and confessed their love for each other, begging for their understanding and forgiveness.</p><p>To their surprise, the elders were not angry, but instead, they were relieved. They had been worried that their children would be forced into a loveless marriage, and were overjoyed to hear that Ewan and Moira had fallen in love.</p><p>In the end, Ewan and Moira were able to break off their engagement without dishonoring their families. They were married soon after, with the blessing of their clans, and they lived happily ever after.</p><p><br /></p><p>What does this tell me about ChatGPT? It can write story prompts- some of them fairly good. But as you can see, I chose the one highlander romance scenario that didn't make sense and it kept not making sense as ChatGPT expanded the story. Now I am using the free version- so I have no idea if the paid version can write an entire Scottish Highlander romance. But I am pretty sure that for now, my staff member is going to have to write his own book. </p>Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-51386725782765307262023-01-28T21:24:00.000-05:002023-01-28T21:24:13.561-05:00ETMOOC 10 Years Later: Ten wonderful things ETMOOC has done for me<p> Hard to believe it has been 10 years since I first started ETMOOC.</p><p>Why after all this time do I still engage with this community and with the people I met along the way? </p><p>Because ETMOOC was the beginning of giving me a space to learn and grow, to share ideas, to experiment fearlessly with people who were willing to let that happen. Not only let it happen, but encourage it, challenge constructed ideas of learning and open new windows to what can be a better way of learning and doing. </p><p>It encouraged curiosity, creativity, openness and sharing, risk taking and fun! </p><p>The first thing you have to understand about ETMOOC is the mastermind behind this course, Dr. Alec Couros, is a <a href="http://etmooc.org/course-conspirators/">networking</a> god. He got together a most superb team and enlisted the help of people everywhere to make an exciting, innovative course. It was obvious he thought very deeply about what he was trying to create and the people who supported the whole learning experience were equally onboard. </p><p>This is not an extensive list by any means nor is it in any particular order except #1. </p><p>1. <b>My Professional Learning Network</b>: This is the greatest gift I received from participating in ETMOOC. I may be a small voice in the wilderness, but the network I have grown started from the kernel sowed by my participation in ETMOOC. I have been engaged with this group for 10 years. From there to #CLMOOC and #Rhizo14, and #ccourses and #olcmooc to #TVSZ (all versions!) I've ended up interacting with amazing people that have been a part of my life since. We've all grown and changed, but we still connect. </p><p>2. <b>Personal Connection</b>: It doesn't matter how often I am online, but I can still reach out to this networked group anytime I want to trial a new idea, comment about the world we live in, offer words of praise, support, enlightenment or have the same reflected back at me. Given the nature of my job and my home life, sometimes I have disappeared for months at a time. But that connection still exists. And I use it. Almost daily when I am online.</p><p>3. <b>Self Awareness</b>: I've learned a lot about myself as I took this 10 year ETMOOC journey, both as an educator and a student. Understood why sometimes learning new things is hard and frustrating. How sometimes that frustration is a good thing and sometimes a bad thing, especially if I allow it to turn me away from learning something new. I've also realised I am lousy at self care and won't really be good at it until I stop investing so much of my energy in my job. As a friend once said, "How are you going to use your precious energy?" So I am contemplating that a lot lately. </p><p>4. <b>People</b>: As I look back at the spaces ETMOOC opened up for me, I have been lucky to interact with so many talented people. University professors, classroom educators, artists, instructional designers, graphic designers and other people who value creativity and expression. Sharing and supporting comes so naturally to people. And some of them have remained friends to this day. How often can you say, "I took this course and I still hang out with them 10 years later". Online?</p><p>5. <b>Creativity</b>: I enjoy creating silliness just because it is fun. Being introduced during ETMOOC to #DS106 was mind blowing for me. #DS106 Radio? A blast! I had so much fun creating sound content. Whether it was my own Halloween show, Headless DS106, The 3Ts Cooking Show, Three Fingers of Gin for #DS106 Noir, it was all a mix of goofiness and learning how to use software like Audacity. Where would I be without it? It taught me the art of the possible with their amazing #DS106 <a href="https://ds106.us/" target="_blank">handbook</a>. But also their amazing Daily Create! Do I do the Daily Create everyday? Not anymore but I love seeing what other people produce. Some of my best <a href="https://tdc.ds106.us/writings/danger-afoot/">poetry</a> and life <a href="https://tdc.ds106.us/writings/my-golden-bubble/">reflections</a> are on the DS106 website. Thank you Jim Groom (I am a True Friend) and Alan Levine! </p><p>6. <b>Being a Zombie (or a DragonBovine)</b>: #ETMOOC lead to #TVSZ. I am huge fan of games and #TVSZ 2.0-6.0 were so much fun!!! I created movies, wrote a ton, posted pictures to free myself from being eaten (or to entice people into allowing me to eat them...) and generally paid no attention to my paid employment for a few days in order to play. Created out of the fabulous brains (BrAIns!BRaInS!!!) of Pete Rorabaugh and Jesse Stommel, it was fast paced game with ever evolving rules and layers and always supported by Janine DeBaise and her students. Hugely enjoyable! </p><p>7. <b>The Impermanence of Software</b>: As part of this reflection, I have been rereading my blog. So much of what I created is no longer there. Storify- shutdown 2018. Mozilla Popcorn Maker- video editing software-Is hosted at the Internet Archive as of 2016. Windows Movie Maker-Shut down in 2017. My projects didn't make it over. Piktochart is still here, and Audacity, but I am not sure what else will disappear with my content. DS106 is still there (thank goodness!) but it does make me think of the ephemeral aspects of creating. Maybe I need to learn how to be a stone mason so I can make a more permanent record. (oh wait, that doesn't necessarily last either!)</p><p>8. <b>New Software</b>: I have to admit I haven't kept up with all of the software changes. I think one of the reasons I do more writing and less video and photo oriented Daily Creates is I am a still a beginner with creating product using photo editing and video editing software. It takes some dedicated time for me to learn new programs and currently I have little to none. But when I finally have some breathing room (retire) I'll make the time.</p><p>9. <b>Memories</b>: It's been a while since I blogged. Three years. The pandemic has taken a toll and I feel like I work harder now than I ever have. Maybe it's because I've had to restart so many things, rewrite rules, review new policy, etc. It hasn't helped that my father became ill and died during the pandemic. But reading through my blog reconnected me with the joy of the journey, the giddy and heady fun of learning and creating, especially the silly stuff, when it seems I may have had a sense of humour. No ETMOOC, no blog.</p><p>But I've also recognized that I stopped writing my blog when I took my current position. I still write all the time, but it is historical, or museum related, or policy oriented, or analytical. Not for pleasure. Not for fun. I spend so much time writing that doing it for my own personal growth and enjoyment has become a thing of the past. And that is sad. </p><p>What else is sad? I can see how safe I felt online back then. When I first got comfortable with Twitter it was a safe space. Much of the free software we were using at that time didn't seem too threatening. Now we all have to really think hard about the impact of social media on our discourse and our lives. Of how much we share. or if we should share at all. It's no longer feels like a safe space. Thanks to Chris Gilliard via Alan Levine who really opened my eyes.</p><p>10. <b>Social Media Training</b>: More than ever, students need to be able to understand how they can be influenced by social media. This means that for the people in the classroom right now, student and teacher, media training is a must. We need an ETMOOC reboot more than ever. Not only how to use the software for making, but how it can be manipulated and made for creating disinformation and misinformation.</p><p>Thank you to everyone who created such hilarious, fun, illuminating and worthwhile offerings with me all those years ago. Thank you to everyone who continues to connect and share with me. Who reaches out to encourage me. You make being online uplifting. I hope I do the same for you. </p><p>Thank you ETMOOC. You've been hugely influential on who I am today. And don't the best learning experiences always do that?</p>Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-29951693219477215002020-06-02T03:11:00.000-04:002020-06-02T03:11:11.507-04:00#Summer2020BlogFestSo I follow Laura Gibbs regularly on Twitter @OnlineCrsLady. I was first introduced to her work while I was taking #etmooc and her knowledge, advice and approach to education always encourages me to explore an issue more, engage more or just rethink an issue. Or it can reinforce what I am already thinking is the right way to go.<br />
And having students create the content is always the right way to go. No matter what grade level. After all, you as the educator already have your formal education- you're making sure your students work through the process of completing their formal education. And what better way than to have them articulate, through a blog, that process because that is what you as an education do in formal education, you evaluate.<br />
The questions you need to ask and answer are:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Has your student engaged in the process of understanding the subject matter?</li>
<li>Can they demonstrate that they have internalized this understanding and can apply it? </li>
<li>If you ask them a question about the subject matter can they answer it?</li>
</ul>
A blog can act as both formative and summative evaluation in an education setting. Perfect for building an online course! You can add video, memes, table and graphs, equations, photos etc. All formal areas of education, including STEM require a student to articulate their learning and what better place than a blog? Where they control the input and output? True student agency.<br />
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Something to think about.Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-67394313569117238862020-04-04T13:31:00.001-04:002020-04-04T13:31:23.791-04:00Remote Elementary and Secondary TeachingIt's been awhile so forgive me for the long post but I feel I have to write something in the age of Zoom and remote emergency teaching because I am hearing a lot of horror stories coming from parents about what has been sent home and how much screen time students at all grade levels are being asked to consume. About children crying, about parents crying and teachers too.<br />
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So let's all start by taking a deep breath. And then just read and breathe.<br />
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1) Online/remote emergency teaching is not going to mirror classroom teaching ever. So don't even think it will.<br />
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2) As a teacher, if you are relying on old lessons plans that you've used for years, <b>stop</b>. While the material might be solid the delivery method isn't. Forget worksheets, fill in the blank and colouring sheets.<br />
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3) How long are you expecting your students from Grade K-12 to be online? Here is a <a href="https://www.eyepromise.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Screentime-Recommendation-Chart-Final_AAP-WHO.pdf" target="_blank">visual guide</a> for the amount of screen time students should be consuming from all media. And you are now, as a teacher using online teaching, part of the time usage for consumed media. So don't expect to lecture for three hours to students and expect them to absorb this information. It's not going to happen.<br />
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4) Students are on lockdown. They are worried and they are scared. Their parents are worried and they are scared. And you are worried and scared. Remember everybody's emotional and mental health in this time.<br />
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So what are you going to do to deliver the curriculum?<br />
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1) Remember nested units? These are your friend. A little more complicated to deliver but much easier to have students work at from home. My advice? Nest art or ICT curriculum into every activity. Most students will find it easier to complete this way. Why art? Art actually has a huge amount of procedure and technique involved in developing competence. ICT curriculum is the same. And what is easiest to teach online? Procedure based tasks. So hang all work off of procedural based tasks. Remember when a student creates a video or audio recording of an assignment this requires creative thinking, problem solving and the understanding of procedure on their part.<br />
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2) If you are going to teach online create no more than 5 minutes of video of what you want students to learn. Show an actual example and walk your students through the procedure/task/concept you want them to master. Use lots of pictures, examples and diagrams. Send up a follow up email with all of the tasks you want then to do listed so if they didn't understand the visual /audio cues in the video, they have it in text form. If this is high school coordinate with your fellow teachers as to when an assignment is due so as not to overload anyone. Why do this rather than face to face through Zoom? Online meeting are exhausting both physically and mentally for both you and your students. By creating online videos and or PDFs this allows students and parents to make the decision on what time is right for them to do classroom work according to their schedule. And it means the student can review the video or text over and over again.<br />
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3) Use the time you were supposed to be teaching in a classroom to make one on one connections with your students and parents. Where are they having problems? Is there anything you can clarify? Be available by email, Skype or Google Hangout. Zoom unfortunately has privacy issues. Make a weekly or bi-weekly calendar and have parents and older students sign up for a 5 to 10 minute chat. Make sure you contact every student if only just to check in and maintain the bonds you have already forged.<br />
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4) Be creative. But there are lots of teacher created videos and material on the web. Not everything has to be created by you. You need to be kind to yourself too.<br />
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5) Take advantage of online supports that already exist. For instance, the <a href="https://archive.nwp.org/cs/public/print/doc/resources/e_voice.csp" target="_blank">National Writing Project</a> in the USA is celebrating National Poetry Month in April. The poetry prompts start April 6th. In Canada, <a href="http://www.our-story.ca/teachers/" target="_blank">Indigenous Arts and Stories </a>provides resources for teachers at all grade levels. There are tons of great resources just waiting for you.<br />
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6) Use this time to master a few online tools that will make your life easier. Where I learned a lot of the tools I currently use now was <a href="http://etmooc.org/topics-schedule/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://ds106.us/" target="_blank">here</a>. Seven years later I am still using many of the tools that were taught in these two courses and I am still in communication with many of these brilliant people. When you look at the list of <a href="https://couros.ca/" target="_blank">who</a> put these <a href="http://etmooc.org/course-conspirators/" target="_blank">courses</a> <a href="http://jimgroom.net/about/" target="_blank">together</a> some of the best educational thinkers today were way ahead of the curve. It wasn't just mastering the technology, but showing <b>how</b> to incorporate it into my practice that was so useful. It's okay to try and fail with this stuff, because it is how we all learn.<br />
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7) Embrace the online design experience. To teach online content you need to be very clear in your own mind about what the outcome is to be. What do you want the students to learn? Good online design means thinking about what you want to achieve first, then how are you going to measure that achievement and then creating the content that will get students to the place they need to be. It will actually improve your face to face classroom teaching when you get back.<br />
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And if your stuck? Don't know what to do or how to do it? Sign up on Twitter. And then post a tweet to someone in the #etmooc #clmooc world. A Great Teacher will get back to you soonest and help. I know. I reach out to them all the time.<br />
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Be safe and stay at home. <br />
<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-55144729394719622822016-03-12T13:50:00.000-05:002016-03-12T13:50:07.191-05:00The Wild West and the Feminine RoleSo Western106 is winding down. The sun is setting as we ride out to the range one last time. I sat on my front porch and watched the cattle be driven by my door but didn't help in the round up of the herd.<br />
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The West should have been a great topic to have fun with. It has great visual images, readily identifiable characters and has had great staying power as a genre, plus all that lovely language! Yeller belly, the Code of the West, hog tied, a lick and a promise, stop yer bellyaching, fit as a fiddle and reach for the sky to name a few. There are tons of websites out there to help you get the language right.<br />
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But as many have noted, it really is a man's genre. This is not to say there haven't been some strong women interspersed here and there throughout the genre, but we're like vanilla extract added to a chocolate cake. It enhances the flavour, but it is so subtle that you don't notice it.<br />
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If you're a woman, you've noticed it I am sure. It's like women in history generally. If you're not a queen, filthy rich, a poisoner or great beauty, well you're just part of the great unwashed. (Unless you're a witch. Men fear witches. Burned a lot for 400 years+. But that is another story.) Women are like wallpaper in history. Just part of the background. In the Western, it is the man, his battle with the elements or other men that is the focus. It's a war movie, but instead of fighting for king and country, it is more individual because you are fighting over your cattle, your land and your gold. And your women. We're just another type of reward for the conquering male hero in the Western.<br />
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So I feel limited as a creator in this genre, more than any other I have participated in in DS106. Horror, fantasy, film noir, gothic, mysteries would allow me to be a strong female protagonist but I feel that in this genre it means that my role could only be a violent one (or a wilting flower). And I just didn't feel like strapping on the gun. Or analysing the genre. Perhaps because I just didn't want to see that society and the gender roles within North American society haven't changed that much since the Western started rolling out 200 years ago.<br />
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I appreciate, as always, the DS106 communities support of my level of participation and the opportunity to express my views.<br />
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Riding off into the sunset....<br />
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<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-91265851037434389402016-02-07T22:46:00.000-05:002016-02-07T22:49:51.024-05:00The Caribou Trail and the Western GenreSo I should probably confess right up front that the Western Genre is not a personal favourite of mine. Or should I say certain aspects of it aren't. What are those aspects, you ask? Well The Caribou Trail was probably the worst possible movie for me to watch to get myself into the mindset for #western106. This is not to say I haven't watched a few westerns in my time. Two Mules for Sister Sara, True Grit, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Little Big Man, Blazing Saddles. And some Westerns were very, very good. But unlike film noir, which are often small, focus, character driven movies set in the time period of the viewer when first produced, westerns are based on historical "facts." And history as we know is written by the "winners". And there was a lot of stretching of the "facts" in these movies and others.<br />
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Let me list the reasons why Westerns don't do it for me:<br />
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a) Lack of Historical / Geographical Accuracy: Westerns take great big historical liberties. The Caribou Trail is a prime example. This movie takes place in the northern interior of British Columbia. A beautiful province that had a gold rush in the late 1850's. The hero is a cattleman from Montana hoping to settle his cattle in the area. Well Montana wasn't really settled yet in the late 1850's and there weren't herds of cattle there yet as the Americans hadn't finished off killing the buffalo by then. The cattle could and did come from California up to the Caribou but maybe California isn't "Western" enough? (Though we all know geographically speaking it is a lot further west than Montana.) The Caribou Trail really got started in the early 1860's and while a few Americans moved up the Caribou Trail from the Fraser Valley gold rush it was mostly Canadian and British who participated in the Caribou Gold Rush. Last but not least, the movie was filmed in Colorado.<br />
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b) Racial Stereotypes: Every Indian is a "bad" Indian in a Western. And every "Indian" is usually a Blackfoot. They wear "war paint" and live in "teepees". There is a "Chinaman" who cooks and cleans and takes care of everyone. Now I know this isn't a big deal for some people, but for me this is huge. This type of stereotype is harmful and continues to be perpetuated. Canada has just finished going through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission where it was found that the Canadian Government deliberately committed cultural genocide starting in 1880. It was part land grab, part "You need to be English or French but not Indian." Residential schools have been operated during my lifetime. It was part of government policy. And it has harmed thousands of people.<br />
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For many years the Chinese were also discriminated against in this country. We needed them to help build the railway that united Canada, but wanted them to go home when we were done with them. We had multiple Immigration Acts that controlled the number of Chinese that could come to this country. Even into the late 1930's white women <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/jailed-for-love-woman-gets-apology/article1009574/" target="_blank">were jailed</a> for having relationships with Chinese men.So yeah, the stereotypes make me cringe.<br />
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c) Guns and Violence: They are everywhere in the Western and in this movie. Is the Western really a romance in disguise about people and their guns? Is the reason Westerns resonate is because of the American love affair with their weapons? If you look at the opening of the west, from the time Daniel Boone crossed over the Appalachians into Kentucky in 1767, the opening of the west was just a giant land grab from the natives. Everyone wants to pretend that the Americans fought for their freedom from "British Tyranny" for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but in truth the real reason that the American Revolution was fought was for <a href="https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gwmaps.html" target="_blank">land</a> and taxes. After the French Indian War was resolved through treaty settlements, the British wanted financial contributions from the states to help pay for the war (through taxes) and also to appease their native allies by restricting American access to their lands west of the Alleghenies. But <a href="http://lehrmaninstitute.org/history/founders-land.asp" target="_blank">land was wealth</a> and natives were in the way. The idea that might (and the gun) was always right seeped into the American conscious and has been firmly lodged there ever since, regardless of the fact that it was not ideals that propelled a nation into being but greed for land.<br />
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d) Women and Violence: I am not sure I even have to write anything here about this. A woman in the Western genre falls into the same stereotypical slots she always does: A mother, a wife, a hooker. And if she is able to look after herself she has a gun.<br />
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e) The only person who looks good in a Western are the white men.They always win.<br />
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From an educational perspective, I feel uncomfortable promulgating these myths and stereotypes. So I am going to have figure out a way to participate in #western106 that doesn't make me feel like I am helping promote these ideas. Ideas on how to do that without spoiling everyone else's fun is very much appreciated! Maybe I'll just do an updated version of Blazing Saddles!Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-18611564339744501542015-12-31T11:14:00.000-05:002015-12-31T11:14:51.510-05:002015 in ReviewSo 2015 is on its last legs. What have I got done educationally this year? I didn't participate in any moocs, but I did stay connected with DS106, Postetmooc and TVSZ. So nothing new, just the maintenance of existing relationships. What did I do instead? I turned inward. I explored where I was with my own education. Was I happy with my level of education? Should I go back to school and do my PhD? Did moocs have a place in my life still? What aspects of my skills as an instructional designer should I develop? Should I branch out? Should I remain an instructional designer, when I am chained to a desk all day and feel it is not physically healthy?<div>
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So what are the answers to these questions? I would like to say that I have them, but I do not. I am not leaning towards doing a PhD, feeling the way I do about higher education, but I do so love exploring new ideas with people. So moocs may still be part of the picture. I recognize that this was not a year that I stretched myself intellectually but it was a year that I stretched myself artistically. I am still exploring whether that is more important to me than continuing to put letters behind my name so I can have the opportunity to teach. </div>
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I am still enjoying exploring my options! As always, I am more than willing to participate in learning new things. Bring on the new year. </div>
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Wishing all the very best for 2016 to you all!</div>
Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-45178347839052907502015-11-19T21:55:00.001-05:002015-11-19T21:55:58.282-05:00Etmooc Third Anniversary Challenge Part 2Okay, I love Etmooc and how it continues to morph and change. Just read a post from Alan Levine (two posts actually) and as usual they were a hoot! <a href="http://cogdogblog.com/2015/05/28/the-cmooc-that-would-not-die/" target="_blank">The CMOOC that wouldn't die!</a> and the accompanying <a href="https://plus.google.com/+AlanLevine/posts/UxtGXF61umP" target="_blank">poster</a> looking at the long life of Etmooc. Well, there is a reason for that and today's nominee is one of those reasons.<br />
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<a href="http://rhondajessen.com/?p=6790" target="_blank">Rhonda Jessen</a> has influenced my <a href="http://rhondajessen.com/?p=6506" target="_blank">thinking</a>, kept me engaged (even when I want to curl up under a blanket and read rather than post) and is one of the founders of Post Etmooc, a fellow zombie and a <a href="http://ds106.us/wp-content/audio/headless13/shrinking-questions.mp3" target="_blank">DS106 cooking partner</a>.<br />
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Little did I know when I started Etmooc, that I would find a great educator to share the experience of immersing myself in multiple online communities. Sometimes I think that is the secret to collaborative learning; that of finding not necessarily like minded people, but people who are willing and giving of themselves, to share an exploratory journey fearlessly. Three years later I know I can send an email and ask, "Do you have time to do a radio show?" "Feel like being a zombie this weekend?" or a "I am swamped and can't make it!" and know that I will get an encouraging response. This has been especially important this year as I have not been engaged online as much as in the past. Knowing that I can still reach out, even after a few months of no contact, allows me to be present fully in both the physical and digital space without it impacting negatively on each other, without stressing about performance and participation. Once again, it comes down to remaining engaged positively and keeping a good life balance.<br />
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Thank you Rhonda for that positive engagement!<br />
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<img alt="Rhonda Jessen in Sydney, Australia" src="http://rhondajessen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Rhonda-Jessen1-300x291.jpg" /></div>
<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-89065420304508505892015-11-17T18:40:00.000-05:002015-11-17T18:40:23.628-05:00Etmooc Third Anniversary Challenge Part 1So Susan has sent us all a <a href="https://sspellmancann.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/etmooc-is-alive-and-well-a-challenge-for-all-etmoocers/" target="_blank">challenge</a>.<br />
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My first selection is Alan Levine and his post <a href="http://cogdogblog.com/2015/11/11/all-a-mazings/" target="_blank">All A-mazing</a>.<br />
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Why this post and this Etmoocer?<br />
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First because this post speaks to me about the importance, not just of elementary teachers and the first years at school, but the power of setting goals for students and demonstrating that you, as a teacher, believe that every student can succeed and meet goals with support, encouragement and love. I truly believe that this magic formula works. I saw it happen in the schools I taught in. I also saw when it didn't happen, when teachers didn't embrace the joy of learning, or as the blog mentions, when teachers have discouraging, self-defeating outlooks about their students.<br />
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Students all know when you don't think much of them.<br />
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Second, Alan Levine was a presenter in Etmooc and introduced us all to DS106. I'd like to say that I DS106 everyday (I don't, wish I did!) but I value the time I do spend on any project with fellow DS106ers, particularly radio projects! He has been generous with his time to his students and fellow DS106ers and is a living, breathing embodiment of all of the great qualities a teacher should have. Thank you Alan.<br />
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Finally, this post struck a chord with me because I didn't have a Miss Apple Daisy of a teacher for Grade 1, in fact I had one of the discouraging types of teachers. I never have forgotten her name. And maybe it is time I say "thank you" to Mrs. Lynch because I have made sure throughout my teaching career (and all of its twists and turns) that I teach in a positive, uplifting manner and respect my students and their learning.<br />
<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-55997552900798722362015-03-15T17:18:00.000-04:002015-03-15T17:23:31.268-04:00#Noir106 and #NoirDS106Players present "Fatal Femmes"<br />
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Now from the look of my blog since the beginning of 2015 you would think that I have been cocooned during the coldest winter in years (at least here in Ontario, Canada) far away from the keyboard but in fact, I have been busy writing, writing, writing. And what makes it so fun is the collaborative nature of the project. In January, I started hearing about #noir106, a new version of #headless106, just with a different theme. Now I am not fond of Gimp and this laptop doesn't have Fireworks on it, so I actually don't make a lot of gifs anymore, but I do so love radio. And I like using Audacity even though I know Garageband is far superior (but not free). And I love to write. So I emailed quite a few people who I have worked with in the past and said "How about a #noir106 radio show?" And everyone signed up. I created a working document in Google Docs with a timeline for when things had to be done. We knew we had to have it done for the week of March 9th to coincide with the students who were enrolled in #noir106. No time limit on the length of the show and no rules about what we were going to put up. That's it.<br />
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The amazing benefits of working this way was that we used a single document, that could be edited over and over again. We had a brainstorming section, where new ideas could be added and subtracted. <a href="http://www.techsavvyed.net/">Ben Rimes</a> suggested a noir radio play and did a huge amount of voicework, <a href="http://rockylouproductions.com/">Rochelle Lockridge</a> ended up being the overall executive producer, <a href="http://ds106.us/author/christina-hendricks/">Christina Hendricks</a> wanted to do some writing and soundwork but ended up doing so much more, <a href="http://theds106shrink.tumblr.com/">Mariana Funes</a> wanted to work on voiceovers, commercials and more (and did), <a href="http://rhondajessen.com/">Rhonda Jessen</a> was committed to the cooking show and of course we had the blessings of <a href="http://iamtalkytina.com/">IamTalkyTina</a>. This is the benefit of synergy. We all brought energy, ideas and knowledge to the project. And more people. Before I knew it the project had grown to include <a href="http://jimgroom.net/">Jim Groom</a>, <a href="http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/">Kevin Hodgson</a>, <a href="https://plus.google.com/104078047498793487097/posts/FzYqfwRmoTS">Ronald L</a>, Rhonda's husband Tom, <a href="https://storify.com/johnjohnston/ds106-good-spell-episode-26">John Johnston</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/easegill/status/388891625566392320">Nigel Robertson</a> with original music provided by the Headless Inkspots, <a href="http://vivrolfe.com/about/">Viv Rolfe</a> and David Kernohan. And it is all original content. <br />
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For me, watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yGqctCOcNQ">Blond Ice</a> was the key to moving the project along. Until I saw the movie, I really was unsure about how I was going to approach the whole topic of noir. I ended up writing a song that evening to send to <a href="https://thebergerons.wordpress.com/who-we-are/nana-lou/">Nanalou Burgeron</a> to record, then researching and doing more reading on the whole noir phenomena after WWII, particularly the role of women in noir. I ended up writing the radio play "Three Fingers of Gin"with help from my sister <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tattoosbysugartats">Angela Ludbrook</a> and my son Peter Young, while Mariana and I collaborated on the DS106 on the Couch piece. Then it was on to writing the commercials and the cooking show. Luckily, Rochelle Lockridge produced the radio play and Christina Hendricks was in charge of the foley so you will notice how wonderfully high end the radio show sounds. Ben Rimes as Jack and Talky Tina as Daphne de Beauvior were amazing.<br />
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Here is the poster for the<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #252525;"><a href="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8607/16493665587_1643207dc7_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8607/16493665587_1643207dc7_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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radio show according to Talky Tina.<br />
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Mariana also made a great poster showing her mastery of the gif.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #252525;"><a href="http://33.media.tumblr.com/1999840d1b0750a2c38e76fd76cb7edf/tumblr_nki0mb03gl1tsdqnlo1_1280.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://33.media.tumblr.com/1999840d1b0750a2c38e76fd76cb7edf/tumblr_nki0mb03gl1tsdqnlo1_1280.gif" height="320" width="221" /></a></span></span></div>
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But Rochelle had a slightly different cover of the play which I think has the actual title displayed correctly.<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-c4086101-1f29-c3ba-c3b7-fa30b1d6777c"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ip9hevhp4trysdi/3_Fingers_of_Gin_Final.mp3?dl=0" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="FascinateFemmeNoirPoster_3.jpg" height="319px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/8zKZAQw08WPcl-HhamSSvu6Is6XaBgGZtA0He4JqA6QRdHn6nhy2g_6tX5wknEau2NISBQO0taDWk136UbcMaIIpus1RzdrzxKO7P3an4cUoKbQ9xsfm1ongQV8nhpwhxqbG_A" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="226px;" /></span></a></span><br />
The great thing about how the show worked was how well we worked as a team, even though we live in different places in the world, in different time zones and all of us are very busy. And it was done on time and I hope without anyone feeling pressured. There was of course a minor contract dispute but when one of the players is the star, egos start to get in the way. It was quickly resolved. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />On a side note, I find it interesting that roles espoused to women during the late 40's and into the early 60's in cinema have had such a long term impact on how North American culture still perceives women, their work and their level of participation in society. The echo of the "domestic goddess is a good girl and women of ambition are bad" is still reverberating through our society and I fear will continue to echo for many years yet. It certainly was a factor in my own life, one I fought against for many years and still fight against. When I was young it was more overt, but while it may not be as explicit, it is still there. It demonstrates the power of the spoken word, visual images and media to bring about change for both good or ill.<br /><br /><br /> As for the complete show it will be on <a href="http://ds106rad.io/listen/">DS106Radio</a> "Fatal Femmes" scheduled for 3/23/15 at 9PM EDT. Hope you tune in for a listen!Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-48739128001781414912014-12-31T15:26:00.000-05:002014-12-31T15:26:55.787-05:002014 in reviewWell today is the last day of 2014 and, as always, a time of reflection. This year, I have limited my time online, more because of life circumstances than through inclination.<br />
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So what have I learned in 2014? I have experienced the loss of loved ones. I have continued to deal with the impact of illness on one's family. My parents have moved from the family home. I have started a new job far from my family. I have tried to maintain my connections online. And I cannot do it <u>all</u> well, so the first thing to go was my online presence. And yet, when I needed a break, when I needed to be creative, when life seemed a little overwhelming, I turned to my online world first.<br />
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There were many projects I would have liked to have created this past year- radio shows being first and foremost (I love DS106radio), some movies, gifs and posts as well. Writing I didn't do, stories I didn't finish. I didn't engage in #ccourses at all! I was barely present in #oclmooc even though I was a co-conspirator (though I did finish all my work for my presentation for the last week I still haven't sent in my info for the online bio!) and I didn't even publish a reflection about any of my experiences. That doesn't mean I didn't learn anything, I just didn't share my learning. Does that means it didn't happen? In a world of testing and reflecting and sharing, maybe. (So have I regressed to be a lurker again?) But the solace and pleasure I took from interacting infrequently online was enough. The fun of playing #TVSZ 6.0 brightened my spirits for weeks. My educational community can do that for me.<br />
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I'd like to thank everyone I interacted with over 2014. We may never met except virtually but I have treasured the experience. May the next year be one of learning, loving and creating. May your troubles be small and your blessings many.<br />
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Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-33363221990569376272014-11-16T21:03:00.001-05:002014-11-16T21:03:27.109-05:00#dragonbovine'Huh?' I expect you're thinking. What is <a href="http://online.fliphtml5.com/segh/zike/" target="_blank">#dragonbovine</a>? It's a team in the latest installment of <a href="http://tvsz.us/story-2/" target="_blank">#TvsZ</a>. In 6.0, the original teams were #teamnature and #teamtechnology, a new twist on the game. And #dragonbovine is a further hack of this change. Players took the 'game' into their own hands, creating new teams such as Fish or Alpha Wolf. And Dragons.And that's the beauty of #TvsZ. It can be hacked, players can move in different directions than expected by the designers of the game, but because the rules are simple, there is an official keeping the mayhem to a minimum, the game is only limited by the imagination of the players. I have yet to see an unsuccessful game of #TvsZ because of its ability to mutate into the game the players want to play. Add the ability to make the game a platform for learning new skills and connecting with others only enhances its allure in my eyes. Gaming and learning new skills? Yes please!<br />
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Where did the Bovines come from? Out of the brilliant mind of <a href="http://www.rockylouproductions.com/" target="_blank">Rochelle Lockridge</a>. She suggested we form our own group. We were going to be <a href="http://thebergerons.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">the Burgerons</a>, named after a story family created by various collaborators for <a href="http://ds106.us/" target="_blank">DS106</a>. It quickly morphed into the Bovines (how I don't know) but I can be a cow for a few days. Within a few hours though, talks began between #teamdragon and #teambovine and the #dragonbovines were born. As always, <a href="http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/" target="_blank">Kevin Hodgson's</a> comic genius and suggestions for different tools for collaboration helped solidify our team.<br />
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Who can resist a flying, flame spewing cow? I can't! And as a team, we worked collaboratively building a mythology, communicating our #dragonbovine ethos (if dragons and cows can work together, surely humans should be able to! Thanks <a href="http://www.janinedebaise.com/" target="_blank">Janine DeBaise</a>!) and #recruiting others to our side. We produced some <a href="https://storify.com/Nanalou/team-dragonbovine-manifesto" target="_blank">fabulous work</a> together and had a blast.<br />
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I admit, I now have a fondness for drawing <a href="https://twitter.com/karenatsharon/status/533824880609726464/photo/1" target="_blank">flying</a> Holsteins.<br />
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A different type of #TVSZ but as always an immensely valuable playing and learning experience.<br />
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P.S. On a side note, #TvsZ had its usual positive influence on my work ethos. I have an iPhone (my first Apple product!) and I am still trying to figure everything out. Playing #TvsZ helped me learn a little bit more about using this piece of technology.Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-13612389841422200762014-09-29T13:47:00.000-04:002014-09-30T09:14:33.422-04:00Why I ConnectSo right now I am playing in the spaces of <a href="http://connectedcourses.net/" target="_blank">#ccourses</a> and <a href="http://oclmooc.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">#olcmooc</a> and both are dealing with the 'why' of connected learning. Of course, the glib response would be 'why not?' but this is a serious, serious question that deserves a considered, reflective answer.<br />
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I wasn't always a connected learner. I haven't been a formal classroom teacher for years but I remember well the isolation of the elementary classroom, the one adult in a room full of students. I was the "font of all knowledge," the "guru of learning through play," but essentially I was alone. When I ran into a student I could not reach, I turned to colleagues for help, my principal or a specialist. Sometimes that was not enough. I did not have all answers, but I felt like a failure when I did not. When a student slipped through my fingers like water and I could not catch them as they fell. Some had been falling for a long time. Some had just started to fall. But the responsibility rested on me to catch them and sometimes I missed.<br />
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So why am I such a big rah-rah fan of connected learning? Because teachers/educators no longer have to be isolated in the classroom. They have a bigger pond to cast their net into now as they fish for answers. I can ask fellow educators, K-12 or higher ed, professors of education, social workers, informal educators, designers, techies, "What would you do in this situation?" or "What resources should I access?" or just a simple one "Help!" And lo! I actually receive answers, helpful answers, potential ideas or requests for more information. Educators want to help each other. Now it's not just you, alone in your classroom, it's you and everyone you're connected to, working together to help others learn.<br />
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Since I've become connected I've learned that I can contact designers of programs when I have issues with the program they've just rolled out (and they listen!), written collaborative stories, poems, games, had someone <a href="http://womenlearningtech1.wikispaces.com/" target="_blank">teach me the basics of programming</a>, learned to create a <a href="http://ds106.us/ds106-radio/" target="_blank">radio show</a>, worked with others to create <a href="http://venture-lab.org/education" target="_blank">learning solutions</a> for problems and met, online, some amazingly talented and creative people. I've <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/openspokes" target="_blank">vlogged</a>, blogged and tweeted my way through this journey. This has been wonderful for me as I play and learn my way through new experiences but it has had the effect, I believe, of making me a better teacher. Because who doesn't learn when they brush up against greatness? When they are presented with differing viewpoints? When learning opportunities are offered like a never ending smorgasbord?<br />
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So how do you take advantage of this? Open your mind, open your heart and discard your prejudices of being exposed on the web. Yes, there will be bumps along the way, but it was the same when you learned a new language or a new talent in a face to face classroom. It never does come effortlessly. There is always work involved, frustration to feel, anger at something not quite working or feeling like you're stupid, stupid, stupid! Until of course, something clicks, someone offers a different perspective and then your feel like your brain has been just hit by a ray of sunshine and you've got it!<br />
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So jump in, don't be fearful, people are kind and open minded in this learning space.<br />
<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-7247945417345136202014-09-19T11:50:00.000-04:002014-09-19T12:54:53.788-04:00Why I teachSo #ccourses this week has asked the question why do I teach? And the answer is: Do I still teach? I am an instructional designer now rather than a face to face classroom educator. And I've never taught at a university, though I do teach adults. Now I create self contained online lessons that have both a knowledge portion, "This is how you do this.", and a testing function, "Show that you understand the skills that were just demonstrated and can apply them." The adults who view my offering have no choice in whether they wish to receive them as it is part of their job to watch and learn the tasks as instructed. So is that still teaching? Or is it skills training? Or an amalgam of both?<br />
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Why do I teach? Why do I still identify myself always as an educator? My 'why' is that to explore with others is integral to who I am as a person. Yes I explore ideas by myself constantly. But for me and this held true even when I was an elementary teacher, the learning journey is so much richer when it is a shared journey. Because it is a journey of asking questions and exploring the answers together. Because my perspective is narrow and comes from only my experiences and the knowledge I've garnered through study. Only when I open myself up to other perspectives do I really soar as a thinker and a learner. I always think better when discussing ideas.<br />
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So for me connecting is an entrenched learning style. And I am also at the point in my learning where I decide my level of engagement. By that I mean, does the learning opportunity actually ask me to be engaged and creative and produce something that brings meaning to my life and the lives of others? Or does is only ask that I absorb and judge?<br />
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I've been to a lot of universities. I am an older woman after all. And I've learned to play the university game- shut up, listen, discuss in the approved manner (deferring ever to the professor's biases), regurgitate, write, test. First time round, I was a miserable failure at this. I was young and had been told that university was where I would really learn things. And I did, but I also learned that what I thought really didn't matter. And I rebelled. And when I did, my marks suffered. In this way university was a repeat of high school. Only when I went back to university in my thirties and forties did I understand how to play the game and play I did. I needed the degrees for work (that's a big why!) I still got my hand slapped when I fell off the wagon and actually wrote or spoke what I really thought and once again it would show up in my grades. I call it the 'how dare you contradict me' problem. I do contradict. I do question. Why is this so and this not so?<br />
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Just like a K-12 classroom educator, the professor is the final adjudicator of a student's capability. But if you thought the power relationship is one sided in K-12, it is even more uneven in higher ed. Because in K-12, there is more monitoring of the teachers, an approved curriculum that must be followed, there are parent teacher interviews to be conducted, constant student and teacher assessment, follow ups, no fail policies, etc. In university, it is very different. I've been in courses where there have been three assignments in total to judge if a student is successful. And what happens to the student who disagrees with their professor? Or who is not a great writer but a great speaker? Bad marks, the opportunity of advancement denied, a career change, a path not taken.<br />
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I'm ok with student mutiny. I am ok with exploring areas that were not planned. So for me, the sooner professors learn to be a guide at the side of their students (an old elementary teacher strategy from the late 90's) instead of the sage on the stage the better off I think all higher education institutions will be.Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-74377974022980926892014-09-12T20:33:00.000-04:002014-09-12T20:38:51.948-04:00So let's Compare and Contrast<br /><br />So here's the thing. This appeared on my Facebook feed today. A Grade 6 Washington D.C. teacher assigned her class a compare and contrast <a href="http://rare.us/story/teacher-asks-middle-schoolers-to-compare-hitler-and-bush-for-homework/">assignment</a> and there has been major back lash because she was using a Scholastic <a href="http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/magazines/scope/pdfs/SCOPE-041811-Partisans.pdf?target=_NEW">text</a> about Hitler and WWII to contrast with an article written about George W. Bush and the Iraq War, a text the school board admits was used the previous year in a separate unit.<br /><br /><br />So where is the issue? What is the fuss about? Have we not been using compare and contrast as a tool to promote higher order thinking skills for a while now in classrooms? Or was it because politics have gotten in the way? Or because the president in question is still living? Has American society (and perhaps Canadian as well) become so polarized that even a classroom discussion contrasting events cannot be envisioned? Or was the furor over the idea that behaviour we consider most extreme, like that of Hitler, should be compared to anyone at all? Then how do we talk about <a href="http://historyofrussia.org/stalin-killed-how-many-people/">Stalin</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Zedong">Mao</a> or <a href="http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-genghis-khan">Genghis Khan</a>? The teacher has been reprimanded for using poor judgement even though both texts have been approved by the board.<br /><br /><br />So was this an exercise that should have been left for a higher grade level? Or was it the idea that questioning past historical events is not acceptable? Would a compare and contrast between <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/us/24f.asp">Andrew Jackson</a>, he of the Trail of Tears and Hitler have been acceptable? Or between <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/when-canada-used-hunger-to-clear-the-west/article13316877/">Sir John A. MacDonald</a> and his policy of starving the natives and Hitler been ok? When do we discuss eugenics? The cleansing of people with developmental delays through sterilization in Canada? Residential schools? Using aboriginals in starvation experiments? The internment of the <a href="http://www.japanesecanadianhistory.net/the_war_years.htm">Japanese</a> in World War II and the internment of <a href="http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/natcul/histoire-history/internement-internment.aspx">Germans</a> in the Great War in Canada and the US? How do we discuss war, genocide, hate literature and the general ugly side of human behaviour in class and at what grade if this simple compare and contrast exercise is abjured? <br /><br /><br />Are not we, as teachers, required to look under the rocks of history and peer at subjects that are difficult to discuss? Because if we don't discuss them, challenge enshrined beliefs and ask our students to look objectively at issues of the day, what will we discuss with them? And if part of our role is to encourage citizenship, critical analysis and critical thought how do we do that when we can't even ask the questions?Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-48243221221642308522014-09-07T11:46:00.001-04:002014-09-07T19:21:06.464-04:00Kingston CoderDojo and Connected CoursesSo I've been offline for a while for various reasons, the main one being I am of that age when parents need more care and support and this has been a support summer, from that perspective. Thank goodness my parents' health is now good and they have moved onto the next stage of their lives without too many problems.<br />
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In the meantime, in 2013, I approached the Kingston Frontenac Public Library about creating a CoderDojo and this fall we will be launching the pilot project for students ages 11-17 in October! Volunteers are always welcome! It is the first small city in Canada to set up a CoderDojo so I would love for this project to become a template for other small cities throughout Canada.<br />
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As well, many thanks to Mariana Funes for suggesting Connected Courses for the fall. Time to jump back into postETMOOC as well. I admit my creative juices are a little depleted and I need an injection of connected learning! So I am looking forward to being creative and engaged.Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-68811400140648379822014-06-18T09:48:00.000-04:002014-06-18T09:48:00.158-04:00#TVSZ 4.0Now I am big fan of #TVSZ, a zombie twitter game as you may or not know. I've written about it <a href="http://karenatsharon.blogspot.ca/2013/09/storytelling-tvsz-and-what-i-learned.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://storify.com/karenatsharon/the-ira-glass-of-zombies" target="_blank">here</a>. I've created <a href="http://karenatsharon.blogspot.ca/2013/02/twitter-vs-zombies-using-popcorn.html" target="_blank">movies</a> (sadly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGlaMTev7_c" target="_blank">more</a> than <a href="https://karenatsharon.makes.org/popcorn/m09" target="_blank">one</a>!) about zombies. So you can tell that I think #TVSZ is an wonderful learning experience. The brainchild of <a href="http://www.jessestommel.com/" target="_blank">Jesse Stomme</a>l and <a href="http://prorabaugh.com/" target="_blank">Pete Rorabaugh </a>it is a petri dish of online learning.<br />
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Now let me explain why you should play #TVSZ 4.0 if you have never indulged. This round of play starts <a href="http://tvsz.us/" target="_blank">Friday June 20th, 2014!</a><br />
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1. It's a game. This means it's fun. It's not an obligation, it is play. And like all play, the learning is not always effortless but it is driven by the compulsion to participate, which means the learner moves forward over the obstacles because of their desire to participate fully. What are the benefits? Through play I learned to:<br />
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And what was so wonderful was these were skills that were transferable! So by playing #TVSZ it opened up a whole host of other learning opportunities. I've been reaping the rewards ever since.</div>
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2. Creative production. Since #TVSZ is played on the web, to play you must communicate. This means that to play effectively you end up writing stories, taking photos, creating videos, making music, etc. as the game evolves. To play wholeheartedly you must produce and often to a deadline. If you've ever participated in <a href="http://ds106.us/" target="_blank">DS106</a>, they use a similar method of stimulating creativity. Within my blog are lots of #TVSZ posts I wrote while playing #TVSZ 3.0. They were silly, but fun. Some of my writing was, dare I say it, elegant, over the subject of zombie feeding habits.</div>
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3. Friendship. Truly an unexpected side benefit of #TVSZ. Who knew that being a member of the zombie hoard would be so life affirming? I am still in communication a year and half later with the people I bonded with playing #TVSZ 2.0. And that has been enriching my life ever since.</div>
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4. Learning. With #TVSZ you are learning constantly because the rules change every 12 to 24 hours. There is no complacency in this game so you must be flexible and adaptable. And aren't those the qualities we want to nurture in ourselves and our students? </div>
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I look forward eagerly to every game of #TVSZ as another opportunity to learn, create and play. Register <a href="http://tvsz.us/registration" target="_blank">here</a> for #TVSZ 4.0. And have fun!</div>
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Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-87576242331866925982014-04-02T13:49:00.000-04:002014-04-03T08:26:45.871-04:00Education and AutismIt's <a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/world-autism-awareness-day" target="_blank">World Autism Awareness Day</a>.<br />
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Autism and pervasive developmental disorder is a personal part of my life because one of my nephews, a lovely boy named Henry, was diagnosed with autism when he was five. I have to admit when he was a toddler I only saw him a few times because we lived far away, but I no sign of any disorder at that time. But by the time I moved closer to home in 2009 it was obvious that Henry had communication and attention issues. He lives in Ontario where it takes a shameful amount of time for diagnosis and to get access to treatment. In Henry's case, over three years between the diagnosis and action. Three very critical years. It is lucky for Henry that he is intelligent, taught himself to read by the time he was 5 years old and that our family as a group works very hard at fostering communication skills. But that isn't enough. </div>
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What was missing in Henry's life was the school component/social component. Henry, prior to enrolling in the school he's in now, was having a great deal of difficulty in school. JK and part of Kindergarten was completed in a regular school, where they believed he needed to be sent to a behaviour class (this was prior to the diagnosis.) They also didn't believe that Henry had taught himself how to read. The rest of kindergarten and Grade 1 was completed in a Waldorf type school environment. A small class, focusing on life/social skills, where Henry thrived but also began to wonder when he was going to a "real" school. Since there was no nearby Waldorf school and given Henry's wish to go to a "real" school he transferred to a local school at the end of Grade 1. The principal was welcoming and so was the teacher. Grade 2 was great. Henry still had problems, as he doesn't like to write or do math and he has no understanding of social boundaries and touching. But his Grade 2 teacher knew he had ability and pushed him to do what he didn't like and so did his aide. But Henry didn't have any friends and in fact a fellow student broke his collarbone by picking him up and throwing him to the ground. Grade 3 (this year) has been not so good. A different teacher, a different aide, and the inclusion in his class of the student who broke his collarbone has made this year in this particular school much less successful. Henry is easiest to deal with when he is left to read and so that is what they have been doing. Once again, there is talk of sending him to the "special class" since he has not improved in regards to understanding social space and stopping the inappropriate touching of people (he really likes belt buckles and belly buttons).</div>
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So why am I hopeful for Henry? For a number of reasons. At Christmas, Henry got to play with his cousins for three weeks (they live in Australia, so we do not get to see them often). They are the same age. He noticeably improved in his social behaviour because of that interaction. And in February, after three years of waiting, Henry was finally been placed in a school where he can thrive. Three days a week he is in the new school and two days a week he is in his old school. Suddenly he is excited to go to the new school. He has friends, real friends. And the work he is being requested to do appeals to him. The government will help fund this opportunity for one year but I hope for Henry's sake it is for longer. </div>
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My questions are many. Why does it take the Ontario government so long to diagnose and provide services for autistic children? Why do teachers, all teachers, not have training in how to create a truly inclusive classroom? Why is special education taught as an ABQ (Additional Basic Qualification) instead of part of basic teacher training across Canada? My sister showed me the potential training the Ontario government was going to originally give to Henry's regular classroom teacher prior to making the decision to offer him a place in his new school. It was a booklet. That's frightening. </div>
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Finally, why do we continue, as a society, to judge what is "normal" and what is not? One day I hope we will stop marginalizing anyone who is not like us or is different. As teachers, we should be at the forefront of creating a warm welcoming space for all of our students and demonstrating that different is ok. It is interesting how social media is becoming a vehicle for shrinking our differences. Witness this link that <a href="https://whatelse.edublogs.org/" target="_blank">Sheri Edwards</a> sent me a few days ago. I am sharing it <a href="http://doctormadscience.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Thanks Sheri!<br />
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P.S Another <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/ajit_narayanan_a_word_game_to_communicate_in_any_language" target="_blank">link</a> Sheri sent me!</div>
Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-58210069493317058562014-02-11T11:39:00.000-05:002014-02-11T11:39:14.084-05:00Oral vs WrittenI have finally watched the week four video. One last thought before I move to week five on the idea of "Is books making us stupid?" I write for many reasons. To keep records, to list what needs to be done for the day, to communicate with others, to work out my thoughts, for the sheer joy of a cleverly turned phrase.<br />
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Dave is right about the distance of writing, but wrong to think that this is somehow a cheat or dishonest in terms of communication. I think the reverse. I think that because one has to consciously think about what one is going to write, one is actually self censoring prior to writing as well as editing once it is down on paper. I am glad of that objectivity, glad of that distance. Too often words spoken in haste lead to unhappiness. Interpretation of oral words is just as culturally biased as reading is. Are we just celebrating the immediacy of the spoken word vs. the thoughtfulness of the written? The preference for the engaged immediacy of the spoken word can be as dishonest a cheat as the written word for are we truly truthful when we speak? And do we remember what was actually said or what we think was said? Is any communication truthful then? Or just simply truth as I know it and interpret it?<br />
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How is the give and take within an educational community any different? I have been present during some fabulous lectures, but most likely the ideas were synthesized after both reading information, discussion with peers and the application of practice. And I expect the lecture was written down first, prior to delivery. In a round robin discussion, how many times have I seen them veer off course because they have gotten bogged down in semantics or the inability to communicate a larger idea or guide the discussion? Sometimes groups mesh as an engaged community, sometimes they don't. Communication, like all human endeavors, is a flawed one.<br />
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This year I will be married for thirty years. As I look back, many of our arguments and fights were over our inability to adequately communicate our ideas verbally, by improperly interpreting the other's words, expressions and making assumptions as to meaning. A part of our life together has been lived apart due to his career. A phone call could lead to hurt, while a letter soothed the sting because we could explain ourselves fully. In a letter, I could explain what was in my heart and head, I could express my anger, hurt, love, loneliness and all of the other emotions that encompassed our relationship at that time.<br />
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I think, and this is an assumption, is that Dave is asking us, in the same way Prof. Sicoly (my research and methods prof) used to do, is to not make assumptions. To take every item of truth that we hold dear, whether written or oral and question it. And to remember that long after the spoken word has gone silent and no longer reverberates in our head, that the written word has a very long life span.<br />
<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-58740969418001508502014-02-10T13:16:00.000-05:002014-02-13T10:01:27.247-05:00Books is Making Me StupidConfession time: I still haven't watched the video for topic #4. Instead I made a video on, you guessed it, "Books is Making Me Stupid." The title seemed appropriate.<br />
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Since the question/statement has been rattling around in my brain all week I started to write some thoughts down (walking the dog is my time for clarifying thoughts!) I then recorded it using Audacity and hunted around on <a href="http://www.freesound.org/" target="_blank">Freesound</a> for some background music. But none of the music matched the rhythm of what I had <a href="https://soundcloud.com/karen-young-6/books-is-making-me-stupid" target="_blank">sung</a>. So I just started looking for jazz instrumentals that had an underlying beat. I played the music, while I spoke the song. It's not perfect (there is some squealing in the background which came from I know not where) but overall I was pretty pleased with it. You'll notice that the <a href="https://soundcloud.com/karen-young-6/books-is-making-me-stupidfinal" target="_blank">final</a> is different from the original.<br />
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Now there are some things I wanted to do differently in terms of the images I chose, but two things happened: a Windows 8.1 upgrade (yuck!) and sheer laziness. (I just didn't want to be bothered hunting around for software that strips the sound off the video and leaves me the video alone, I always seem to pick up a virus, it was late, I was tired, Windows was hurting my brain, yada, yada, yada.) So instead I just went to Goodreads, plugged in the different words, picked a book that tickled my fancy and just worked on the timings in Movie Maker. For the videos I just went online (I knew I was going to use a still from Zoolander), except for the last clip of Mariana Funes, who graciously sent it to me so I could work on a zombie video. I was having trouble finding the steamed image, when I remembered how wispy Mariana's video was and decided to use a chunk for my video. Thanks goodness for my time in DS106 that gave me some background in making a video!<br />
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So here's my final product. As always, the video seems to look and sound so much better in Movie Maker. In YouTube the music in the background is fainter. Oh well.<br />
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<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-83083144371476185492014-02-08T10:16:00.001-05:002014-02-08T10:16:55.725-05:00I am uncomfortable....with this week's topic! "Is books making us stupid?" Now I haven't even watched <a href="https://p2pu.org/en/courses/882/content/1799/" target="_blank">Dave's video</a> and I haven't read anyone's post because in my mind I am thinking "Uh, no?!" and "Fix the grammar!" So I know Dave is being deliberately provocative to try and make me challenge some long held assumptions about literacy and reading, books and the idea of fixed knowledge. So I'm uncomfortable and really reluctant to go there- to engage at all. After all, I am a readaholic- I always have at least 3 or 4 books on the go. There is not a day that I do not read something, even if it's drivel. But I am also driven by curiosity to know what Dave has posted. Honestly, I completely understand Pandora!<br />
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But the statement alone "Is books making us stupid?" does speak to me on so many levels. First, of course, is the idea that books are a source of fixed knowledge- that once written down, it is finished. Except at its heart this idea is false. Any writing, and therefore any written idea, is fluid. Volumes are edited, abridged, reworked, rewritten, lost and then found (think Shakespeare, the <a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/537853/William-Shakespeare/232445/Shakespeares-sources" target="_blank">great borrower</a> and the great <a href="http://ojs.library.dal.ca/YAHS/article/viewFile/491/486" target="_blank">influencer</a>- the ultimate in recycling of ideas!) The fact that an idea is written down gives us time, as the reader, to mull over in our minds what the writer means to convey. The beauty of it is that as soon as the thought is coalesced into writing it is no longer the property of the writer but the reader. Each of us, when we approach a text bring a different viewpoint, life experiences and cultural dynamic to bear. We shouldn't expect to engage in understanding text the same way, because we are different people.<br />
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As to those who read and cannot find the "correct" meaning as according to the educational powers that be, good for you! If you can articulate your point of view and derive a different meaning from a text, that is as it should be. As far as I am concerned, your perspective is valid (after all, you're reading the writing of someone who loathes "Waiting for Godot" supposedly the best play of the 20th century! What about Pinter? Or "Rhinoceros"?) As well, different words, especially in English, have multiple meanings and multiple interpretations. I find that as I get older, my writing and language usage is becoming archaic (Karen the dinosaur!) Does this mean that I am a poor communicator or that I should stop writing? And reading?<br />
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And how can books be making us stupid, when the internet runs off of text? Text messages, blogs, visual presentations, email, Twitter, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN85S9-85-Inch-Ultra-120Hz/product-reviews/B00CMEN95U/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_link_next_2?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addThreeStar&pageNumber=2&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending" target="_blank">reviews</a> all rely on our ability to interact with text. Or perhaps books and text are making us stupid because we have stopped listening to each other? And yet, if that were true why is YouTube, Skype and Google+ hangout and radio such communication mainstays?<br />
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As educators, our challenge is to make sure that our students are comfortable engaging with text as well as the spoken word and other forms of media. Reading is such an immense hurdle for so many students and writing even more daunting. Is that because we assume there is a "right way" to interact with text? A right way to write? As an elementary teacher, I've had some brilliant students, gifted at writing and reading, in understanding the contextual meaning as defined by what the ministry has determined a book means, etc., etc. But I've also had some students who are gifted, imaginative writers who cannot spell and grammar eludes. To them I say, keep writing! (Hire a good editor!) Because in the end, what we really are trying to develop in each student is their gift or talent in the area of communication.<br />
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Next stop? Dave's video!<br />
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<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-31504099425565322342014-01-31T13:36:00.001-05:002014-01-31T14:46:52.021-05:00Uncertain, Uncertainty and I don't know!I sometimes wonder why I bother to write my thoughts down as there are so many thoughtful responses and replies to the "uncertainty" question <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LceRGrwwfkU&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Dave Cormier </a>posted this week in #rhizo14. Often I write to clarify my own thoughts on my path to figuring out the "I don't know, but I hope to find out/understand." And I read from the community to help me in that process and also from the sheer delight of seeing how other people think, because it is not how I think.<br />
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There is <a href="http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/2014/01/30/teaching-in-the-age-of-uncertainty/#.UuoqFF_aGXw.twitter" target="_blank">Kevin's</a> excellent post on how he views uncertainty which marries nicely with my ideas about change. It helps that one of the books that was recommended during ETMOOC (I think) was the <a href="http://www.arbesman.net/the-half-life-of-facts/" target="_blank">"The Half Life of Facts: Why Everything We Know has an Expiration Date"</a> by Samuel Arbesman. What we learn changes and mutates over time, as does what we teach. Where's Latin, for example? I only got one year of Latin because there were not enough students who wanted to take it ( I loved Latin too!) And yet Latin was the staple of higher education 100 years ago.<br />
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I loved <a href="http://connectiv.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/wonderment-and-uncertainty-and-tea/" target="_blank">Jaap Bosman's </a>post about the place of wonderment in uncertainty. I know I feel anxious and frustrated as I learn new things, but also exhilarated and I am soooo pleased with myself when I finally understand how something works. Learning something is rather like opening a present (and I rip my presents open rather than try and save the wrapping paper, though that has been changing too as I grow older!)<br />
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<a href="http://teachnorthern.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/ego-and-the-swarm/" target="_blank">Lou Northern's</a> discussion about the place of ego and it's barrier to being open to uncertainty was a great read but I, like <a href="http://francesbell.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Frances Bell</a>, was struck by this phrase<span style="background-color: white;"> </span>"What am I assuming that makes me so sure that I’m right?" I love this. <br /><br />But really, I am not sure about the idea of embracing uncertainty. Life is uncertain at its core and the only way we have to deal with it's very unpredictable-ness is by clinging to certainties. When we teach in the elementary panel, we are encouraged to create a place of safety for the learner. Isn't that in conflict with the idea of embracing uncertainty? For life and sometimes learning are not safe. Can we only embrace uncertainty at a certain age? When we have internalized the reality of living in an uncertain world?<br /><br />
Certain things are certain for now. The sun will rise and fall, everything born will die, gravity still works, ice is cold. So should we only teach the concrete, for only that is true and all else, fleeting and ephemeral?<br /><br />I don't know.Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-43269140704656131172014-01-29T14:05:00.000-05:002014-01-29T14:05:03.440-05:00Enforced Independence/Learned HelplessnessSo this week in Rhizo#14 (<a href="https://p2pu.org/en/courses/882/content/1797/" target="_blank">Rhizomatic Learning</a>) we've been asked to discuss Enforced Independence or what happens when we give people the opportunity to make educational choices in what they choose to learn, how they approach tasks and complete/not complete the given task. Dave said, "Once you give people freedom it's hard to take it back." To me, the question also seems to be "how to get people to reflect about the education system as a whole." Lately I think the education system is more about teaching learned helplessness than teaching independence.<br />
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So this is the starting point: <a href="http://youtu.be/LBSXzFdvWmA" target="_blank">Dave Cormier's video</a><br />
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There are so many good ideas to discuss in this vlog it's hard to know where to start. I found myself nodding my head as I watched the video. So many of his observations are in tandem with the way I view the education system. Here to me is the meat of the discussion. I've paraphrased what Dave has said.<br />
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"They need to be independent , they need to be responsible for their own learning. They need to be able to self assess and self re-mediate. They need to ask, "I don't know how to do this. I am going to figure it out.<br />
I don't know what this is. I am going to find out what it is." So they can participate in a community.<br />
You can't have any type of freedom unless you're independent enough to do those tasks."<br />
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"We have crushed that out of our education system."<br />
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We, as educators, take small children, whose conversation can be summed up with "why, what, how, etc." and Dave's question of "I don't know how to do this. I don't know what this is. I am going to find out what it is," and knock it out of them so that we can add it back at a later date. And then we wonder why it's so hard to do this. We, as participants in the current system, help create learners who are helpless, incapable of exercising their curiosity and afraid to ask questions and explore. This is why some elementary teachers are now focusing on issues of self regulation in the class. <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/self-regulation-technique-helps-students-focus-in-class-1.2440688" target="_blank">And students turn around when you do this</a>. But it's not enough to hand kids back the ability to regulate their physical bodies (though the idea of having a classroom of 7 year olds glued to their chair all day never made sense to me.) What about what they want to learn? <a href="http://www.geniushour.com/" target="_blank">Genius Hour</a> is one example of allowing students freedom from the curriculum. And students learn to self assess and self re-mediate. How to ask <a href="http://www.geniushour.com/2013/10/06/a-constructivist-take-on-genius-hour-using-wonder-wall/" target="_blank">good questions</a> and find resources.<br />
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And isn't that really what our job as teachers, parents and mentors are? To be able to show children how to do something and then stand back and watch them learn?<br />
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So the real question we need to ask is, what are we afraid of when we hand over the task of learning to the learner?<br />
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<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-48638976728866198132014-01-22T15:39:00.001-05:002014-01-31T14:48:14.366-05:00 'The underbelly of education according to Karen'I learn best when I work with others. I talk my way to learning. I need the discourse to help me refine my ideas and to open up new avenues of thought and connections. My entire learning history is based on fusing my thoughts with the thoughts of others. So from that perspective I've always been a "cheater." In the spirit of my need to connect I ran my ideas by Mariana Funes who has turned me onto the blog of <a href="http://jlserranosanchez.blogspot.com.es/2014/01/cheating-as-learning-or-cheating-as.html" target="_blank">Jose Luis Serrano</a><u> </u>and my good friend <a href="http://rhondajessen.com/?p=4488" target="_blank">Rhonda Jessen</a> where she also writes about cheating as a weapon in school.<br />
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So, I am a complete failure as a student. Just so you know upfront. My report cards in elementary school read something like this: Term 1- A, Term 2-B, Term 3-D. This started in Grade 1. I knew school wasn't really for me when I got into trouble for writing my own sentences, instead of copying the ones that Mrs. Lynch had written. And I was so angry that I couldn't write my own sentences and still get credit for it. I banged my head against that particular wall for years. Every report card read "needs to apply herself." And I talked too much. I didn't "try" hard enough.<br />
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Well, of course I didn't try! What was the point? I wasn't allowed to learn what I wanted to learn and express myself in the way I wanted to express myself and don't get me started about my inability to finish projects on time because of my obsessive compulsive need to make everything "perfect" (I've sort of got over that-maybe.) So I "failed" my way through elementary and then "failed' my way through secondary. It's not that I couldn't do the work, I just didn't want to do it. I did what interested me and left the rest. I made sure that I would pass all the exams and when I could, I would negotiate with my teachers a different way to do the assignment- something that made sense to me and was interesting to do. I was learning some of the time, but I wasn't happy and almost left school (only the threat of not being able to go to university kept me there.) I was the despair of my teachers. I was told that I would be incapable of completing university. But I applied anyway and got in. I explained my erratic marks to "stresses" at home. (Which was true enough, but not the real reason.)<br />
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So finally I was at university, the promised land of learning. Where I would be able to speak my mind, write what I <u>really</u> thought and pursue all of my various passions (according to my mother, who had gone to university in England.) Ha! Was I sold a bill of goods! Same old, same old. No, I was not allowed to disagree with the professor, no, I was not allowed to modify an assignment so it was more meaningful to me, no, do not write what you think, hand everything in on time, you must take this course to graduate, etc. etc. My undergraduate experience was shaping up to be a repeat of K-12. Except, as I took year three and year four courses suddenly I was allowed, no encouraged, to start writing what I was thinking, to modify assignments, to question (but not disagree with) the professor (as my sister says, you are allowed to savage other students with your intellect but not the professor.) But the damage had already been done. I had failed so often that when a legitimate life issue caused me to need to leave some courses mid-term, I was rusticated. A big academic black mark! I went back, finished up and thought, "no more university for me."<br />
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Less than four years later, I was back, starting my first Masters in a completely separate field. How? I was admitted on an undergraduate basis and just slid over to the Masters while no one was looking. I never completed that Masters because we moved before I could finish it. When I applied for my teaching degree I was admitted on probation. (I had that big black mark! And I didn't have any university credits in English and I had too many in science!) By then, I was in my thirties, and knew how to game the system.<br />
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The first thing to understand about school, and by this I mean all school, is that in its present iteration it's a power game. You, as the student, have no power. You may think that you do, but you don't. Always hand your work in on time, even if it is not as good as you would like. Disagree with your professor at your peril (I still did it (do it!) but I knew there would be consequences and there always are.) It's always better to nod and agree. Keep your answers short and don't explain your thinking, except in an essay format and even then, don't venture into territory that might lose you marks. Be thankful for the professors who are open minded, not into power games and willing to discuss ideas with you. Find a good study group that understands your need to talk out your thinking and share. Drop a course as soon as you see A) the professor doesn't like you because they'll mark you down or if you start B) getting sleepy when they talk (My Cultural Anthropology professor had a soft monotone voice and class was right after lunch in a darkened auditorium (I ended up taking it three times!) or C) You violently disagree with everything they say. You'll fail. I meet with professors before a class now to vet them to see if we'll mesh.<br />
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And be prepared to cheat. Because you have no power, how else do you balance the system? Some students copied others work (sometimes without permission), others shared past exams they'd managed to score (guilty!), we all ended up in study groups to support each other, still others had friends do their homework for them (I've done friends homework). Coles Notes? Used them. I passed an exam using them and never read the book. I abhorred those who go the library and clear out the bookshelves of resources or deface books so no one else could have access to the information but I understood the reasoning. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair, but I did understand. Because, as I've said before, the education system really isn't about inspiring a love of learning, it's about understanding who holds the power and doing what you need to succeed since your future is often based on school success.<br />
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You see, this is the problem. We're told as children to share, work together, help each other, that life is fair and equitable. But it's not. You can play by the rules, follow a rubric, swallow your ideas and still find yourself wondering "What did I do wrong this time?" Because the system isn't fair.<br /><br />So how could've my educational journey been different? How might my story have changed if the system had been more aligned to supporting actual learning and creativity instead of some government/business idea of what education should accomplish for the betterment of society? I still ended up being a life long learner and even a teacher, despite knowing that the system is warped. (Though I did think of quiting half way through the teaching program because of the possibility of becoming "one of them." Sort of like the pod people in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_the_Body_Snatchers">Invasion of the Body Snatchers</a>.) And isn't sad that, while people participating in Rhizomatic Learning 2014 and the open education movement are trying to smush students lightly, the vast majority of our colleagues are still trying to wedge their students into that tightly controlling box called the education system. #rhizo14<br />
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<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7257744307010084929.post-18282896115550453442014-01-16T23:14:00.000-05:002014-01-23T13:43:34.372-05:00ETMOOC Anniversary and Noam ChomskyWell, Tuesday January 14th was like old home week as the ETMOOCers gathered around our twitter feed (<a href="http://storify.com/rljessen/etmooc-anniversary-etmchat" target="_blank">#etmchat/#etmooc</a>) and chatted about what we had accomplished since starting ETMOOC. Quite a buzz! Some people described it as a high school reunion! As always it was a pleasure to share and discuss different ideas.<br />
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After the chat, I was energized as I always am after an ETMOOC exchange of ideas. I am currently reading Noam Chomsky's "Chomsky on Mis Education" and after the twitter chat several of the ideas he was discussing really struck a chord with me. They explain why the ETMOOC community is so strong and why we all feel that it has been such a powerful learning tool. Chomsky mentioned, while writing about John Dewey and his approach to education that, "education is not to be viewed as something like filling a vessel with water but, rather, assisting a flower to grow in its own way...In other words, providing the circumstances in which the normal creative patterns will flourish." (pg 38)<br />
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Everyone learnt that one in teacher's college, right, but how often do we see it happen? Well, it happened in ETMOOC and it happens in DS106 everyday. So using social media tools to connect, share and collaborate allows for the 'normal creative patterns' to flourish. What connected communities like <a href="http://etmooc.org/" target="_blank">ETMOOC</a> and <a href="http://ds106.us/" target="_blank">DS106 </a>allow to happen is for us, as academics, teachers, administrators and trainers is to throw off the shackles of curriculum, 'what you should learn/do/know' and actually play and make our own meaning without fear of judgement. It allows us to grow in our own way.<br />
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The other interesting aspect of ETMOOC and other connected learning I've participated in (<a href="http://blog.nwp.org/clmooc/" target="_blank">CLMOOC</a>, Open Spokes, Headless13, etc.) is that it promotes a "free association on terms of equality and sharing and cooperation, participating on equal terms to achieve common goals that were democratically conceived." (pg 39) ETMOOC had us working, playing and learning on the same level. The hierarchy of the school structure vanished and we all worked together for both common goals (lipdub) as well as our own personal learning goals. According to Chomsky this produces "free human beings." Certainly I feel as if I've been released from bondage. I may never go back to regular school again! (Oh well, no PhD for me!) I wonder what <a href="http://www.rense.com/general70/student.htm" target="_blank">elementary school</a> would look like if we approached education in this manner? And would society be willing to let children play their way to learning?<br />
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<br />Karen Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019069344952899925noreply@blogger.com0