Randy Pausch Lecture

Randy Pausch’s last lecture was very enlightening. He had a very humble approach to life, and very thankful to those he encountered along the way. Mr. Pausch was a man that experienced quite a bit in his life. There was a lot of useful advice that Randy gave that anyone can find useful. There were two analogies that he made in reference to a brick wall. In his lecture he stated that “Brick walls are there for a reason; they let us prove how badly we want things, and “let us show our dedication’.

The four main teaching points that I acquired from Mr. Pausch’s lecture were to decide if you’re a tigger or a eeyore, never lose the child like wonder, help others, loyalty is a two way street. The first point seems to be centered in deciding whether or not your how to make something happen or wait for something to happen. The second point is simple, never limit your imagination. The third point is what everyone should do every day, help others. Perhaps we all one day will need help so if we help others the good karma will come back to you. The fourth point hinges on the fact that in order to receive loyalty one must remain loyal. These lessons I will teach my students in the future.

There were a few life lessons that Randy mentioned that can be applied to both the classroom as well as real life. The life lessons he mentioned were to tell the truth, be earnest, and apologize when you screw up. These particular lessons I was taught at an early age. The funny thing is that even as an adult it is still good advice for an adult. These lessons I am contemplating placing on a plaque and placing on the wall in my classroom, or for me the gymnasium.

Randy showed quite a bit of courage during his lecture. He immediately into his lecture let everyone know what his illness was from, and that he would not be talking about certain things. With only a few months to live I would have had the same approach that he had. I would focus on fun and making my final days as memorable as possible. Mr. Pausch mentioned what he called a “head fake”, which is basically getting someone to focus on something very difficult but having fun while their having fun, or by using story telling to help them get through difficult things. I admired the way that he used his last lecture in part as a “head fake” for his three children. Even in his last lecture he was thinking about others and not his self.

The Fischbowl Review

Today I read one of Karl Fisch’s past posts on the fishbowl. The blog that I read was from his July 31, 2008 post titled “It is what we make it”. The funny thing about a blog is the ability of the writer to discuss anything that they choose. The only thing that governs the topics in the fishbowl is Karl’s imagination and perhaps the Littleton Public school board’s unwritten rules of inappropriate language or content. This particular blog was a clear case of personal observation and opinion for Karl.
This particular blog was centered on people’s ability to merge different strengths and ideas by using technology. Karl was emailed and article by one of his colleagues about a group called the Element. The “Element” project is about a group of individuals that want to open up a raw food restaurant in the D.C. area. They focused their efforts in research by asking the stakeholders what they want in a restaurant. Their idea is why they wouldn’t ask before building a restaurant is insane.
Karl’s perspective of the idea is that it’s a very good example of technology being used for the betterment of intelligent collaboration. The opportunity for individuals several hundred miles away from one another or a few doors down can share ideas that can be extremely rewarding. Karl sees this group’s actions as an example that teachers can use to network with other teachers for the benefit of all their students. The connection he is not completely sold on, but he leaves the final say so up to his readers.
For me this blog encourages me to start my own blog once I start teaching. The freedom to voice my opinion in a format that hundreds even thousands can read and respond to. It is also a way for me to network and gain new colleagues. The blog also can allow others as well as me to debate issues both relevant and irrelevant. Karl has shown me that a blog can matter and perhaps even make a difference to someone or something.

Past Podcasts

The first of the two past podcasts that I listened to was “Possibilities for using Facebook in an Educational Setting”, by Allison Midgette and Shaundretta Bethel in fall of 2008. The podcast actually was a very beginning to a topic that the two ladies or anyone else could elaborate on. The two ladies each gave an account of the pros of using facebook. Allison had first hand experience using Facebook in the classroom with students, and Shaundretta did some extensive research of individuals who have used it. It sounded like the ladies were a little bit nervous at first, but as they went on the podcast got better. It was quick, informative and to the point.
There are a few things that I would have done differently. The first thing I would have done different is to speak slower when mentioning some of the websites or procedures for using Facebook. I like to take notes while listening, so if the instructors are speaking to fast I have to rewind in order to get the information I need. The second would be to engage more with my colleagues to create a buzz for others to go out and try Facebook. I would have talked up the use sort of like a salesman. Overall I liked this particular podcast; I thought it was pretty well done.

The second podcast that I listened to was “Blogs and Blogging”, by Silas Smith, Andrea Williams, and Lashonda Pruitt in fall 2008. This particular podcast started out like a how to podcast, but shortly into it Andrea and Silas began to engage into some informative dialogue with one another. This dialogue I liked between the two. What I focused on the most was what Silas referred to as “common sense” actions with dealing with blogging. He was very opinionated, engaging, and to the point. Once again I liked his contribution, and the structure of this podcast.
The only thing that I would do different was to try and get everyone engaged in the discussion. Lashonda gave the facts and Silas elaborated on the facts. The opportunity to discuss, debate, or agree on ideas is at the core of a podcast. Finally, one of the most important aspects of a podcasts if possible is the ability to edit content. If editing is available I urge everyone to use it. Overall I enjoyed this podcast the most of the two I listened to.

The Fischbowl

The blog on the fischbowl certainly leans towards truth. Anyone who calls themselves an educator must always be savvy in some form of technology, and operate at a level no less than basic. The simple task of data entry is what every teacher should know. Entering information concerning grades, attendance, and letters to parents are what every teacher is required to do. Karl Fisch mentioned the standards for which a teacher should be held to regarding technology, but he failed to mention the extent into technology that one must go. As an educator how much technology must you be familiar with? Knowing how to email, put together a podcast, host a web cast, design and maintain a web-site, etc. What is enough knowledge of technology? Another question that he should have asked is if an educator is extremely efficient in technology does the school he or she is teaching at equipped to pass it on to the students? I realize that Mr. Fisch at times uses his blog as a spark plug for conversation, which I think this particular blog was geared toward. Conversations and opinions can lead to something productive and beneficial. Hopefully educators will stay productive at educating themselves and offering their students all the benefits possible from that education. From what I can ascertain from the blog Mr. Fisch feels that educators should be self motivated when it comes to learning technology. As a physical education major the extent that I use technology would not supersede that of an English or math major. However, my own personal experience with technology may go far beyond anything that I would need on a playground, court, or field. As I enter the world of teaching I feel that my own self motivation toward learning technology will be much greater than what my employer will require.

Podcasts

My experience with podcasts is somewhat limited to information pertaining to sports. I signed up as an ESPN insider and I was able to listen to past radio shows. The shows that I listen to are always entertaining and most generally have commercials along with them. The podcasts that I listened to on iTunes were very similar to what I have been accustom to listening to. The only difference is the content. The first four Pod casts that I listened all started with small talk by the hosts. The small talk consisted of various things such as the weather in their cities, setting up the Pod cast just to mention a few. Once you get through the small talk by fast forwarding, the information is pretty informative. You have to listen very closely because you may miss something because of all the small talk. The MacBreak weekly was very long and uninteresting to me. If I were into technology I would have found it extremely interesting. However, I am not into “tech” talk. The one beneficial aspect of it is the fact that it was free to download. The second benefit is that there seemed to be several experts involved in the podcast. Today I have no use for this particular podcast, but perhaps in the future it may become relevant. The overwhelming thing that I noticed about these particular podcasts is that they can center on almost anything. The information that is being relayed could be factual, opinionated, or completely biased. The discretion is up to the listener. The format that someone could use should always be one that attracts listeners no matter what. The individuals who conduct these podcasts are always looking for feedback. Interest from others is what seems to spark their creativity. Podcasts are a great idea in motion.

Blogs in the Classroom

The world of technology may not have reached all parts of society yet, but it has certainly left its footprint deep in many of America’s schools. One example of technology impacting schools is the story of Brenda Dyck’s middle school enrichment class at www.education-world.com. She started using blogs for her class back in 2004 as a way for them to reflect. The class was assigned the Eleanor Rigby Project, which was about the homelessness. The blogs that the students had, Mrs. Dyck help them create at www.blogger.com. It gave the students an opportunity to reflect on the project and offer possible solutions to homelessness. The student’s blogged daily and Mrs. Dyck used some of the student’s blogs as discussion topics in future classes. The students in Mr. Dyck’s class were very detailed in their blogs. An example of the type of blogs that students turned in is a follows: "One of my own opinions on homes and the homeless is that there are people in the world who may have a roof over their heads but can still be homeless, like orphans and wives whose husbands abuse them. To me a home is more than a house; it is a place where you feel "at home." How can you call a place a home if you feel alone and insecure there? There is a song by the Dixie Chicks called "A Home" and it sort of talks about that. The chorus goes: 'Not a night goes by that I don't dream of wandering, through a house that might have been a home. I listen to my pride... and every day I wake up in, in a house that might have been a home.' The song also touches on the fact that a lot of people are homeless because of decisions they have made. I would like to explore that a little more. I know that I would never get over myself if I knew that I was on the street or all alone just because I did a few stupid things." The feedback that Mrs. Dyck received from the students was overwhelming and was an excellent way to revitalize the student’s interest in writing. The next website that showed examples of blogs being used in classrooms in the USA was at www.56c2008.edublogs.org, whereby a teacher named Mrs. C posts great ideas for class topics. She appears to post new material about every six days. The topics that she engages her students in vary from science to history to astrology. The class is made up of fifth and sixth grade students. There is another teacher mentioned by the name of Mrs.R who also teaches various subjects, but Mrs. C does a majority of the blogging. The world of blogging has become an international phenomenon. An example of blogging being used in an international setting is at www.repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/handle/1822/6381?locale=es.com. On this website it explains how blogs are being used in Portugal pre service teacher education programs. There were 26 student teachers, 14 from natural science and 12 from foreign languages. They were all asked to setup and maintain web-blogs for their future students for ten weeks. In a post interview the teachers thoroughly enjoyed their experience blogging although they never had any prior experience blogging.