June 24, 2008
This post doesn’t have anything to do with class, but I found it amazing. For years there have been scams claiming that you can buy a device that allows your car to run on water. Now it appears that the Japanese company Genepax has invented the real deal.
Watch the video and ask yourself:
1) when and where will one be available?
2) why is it that the Japanese are always one step ahead of American corporations?
3) why isn’t the main stream American media all over this story??
June 23, 2008
Wow! Lots of great posts this last week. We are approaching the half-way point of summer session and we are doing some thoughtful reflection.
Jamie is about where many people are at week two. She has a potential thesis topic, but is not really sure it is one she will want to live with all next year. In other words, she has commitment issues.
Aimee shares a very inspirational poem from one of her favorite poets, the wonderful Maya Angelou.
Michael takes a break from thinking about his proposal to give us his predictions for the upcoming NBA draft.
Blake gives us some interesting insights into how he thinks. He is grateful that ADD was not a diagnosis when he was growing up because he would have been on ritalin by age six. (I have often thought the same thing about myself). In any event, enter Blake’s brain at your own risk!
Jennifer shares some really important thoughts about what is really important in our lives (no, it is not just coming up with a thesis proposal), and the importance of staying grounded.
Johnna continues to worry about narrowing her thesis topic. See here, here and here. I hope she can find a way to research the topic because I think it is a very important one.
Dennis has posted some great photos of his travels and family.
Richard continues to keep us updated on interesting news. He links to a notice of the death yesterday of one of America’s greatest philosopher/comedians.
Sara shares a great slideshow of presentations during Leadership class.
Joshua has some thoughtful observations about teaching, destiny and his name.
All in all, some fascinating reading. Thanks to all of you for sharing. By the way, I heard a rumor that Willie has a blog. Anyone know what the link might be???
June 17, 2008
In his classic, The Interpretation of Culture (1973), Clifford Geertz uses Gilbert Ryle’s example of two boys in a classroom to illustrate “thick discription.”
Consider. . . two boys rapidly contracting the eyelids of their right eyes. In one this is an involuntary twitch; in the other, a conspiratorial signal to a friend. The two movements are, as movements, identical; from an “I-am-a-camera”, “phenomenalistic” observation of them alone, one could not tell which was a twitch and which was a wink, or indeed whether both or either was a twitch or wink.
Yet the difference, however unphotographable, between a twitch and a wink is vast; as anyone unfortunate enough to have had the first taken for the second knows. The winker is communicating, and indeed communicating in a quite precise and special way; (1) deliberately, (2) to someone in particular, (3) to impart a message, (4) according to socially established code and (5) without cognizance of the rest of the company. . . The winker has now done two thinks, contracted his eyelids. Contracting your eyelids on purpose, when there exists a public code in which so doing counts as a conspiratorial signal is winking. That’s a there is to it: a speck of behavior, a fleck of culture, and -Voilà! – a gesture. (p.6)
June 17, 2008
June 15, 2008
A Bird’s Eye View Jamie gives us some excellent advice about staying balanced. Nothing keeps you from performing at your best more effectively than stress. Have fun and stay calm! 
Aimee’s Weblog One way Aimee has fun is by checking out yard sales. This looks like a great weekend to join her.
Bigmcal’s Weblog Michael enjoyed the guest speakers in the Leadership class. I agree. The Kurdy’s are a wonderful couple and are great role models when it comes to “teachers as leaders.”
Blake’s MAT experience Blake talks about a source of stress I am sure you all face- money. I wonder, Blake, if I buy one of those Woozle tee shirts do you get a cut? I know it is not much, but it might pay for half an order of fries.
Jennifer’s Blog Jennifer echoes Michael about enjoying the Kurdys. She is worried that she may not be able to be in a good mood all the time. To be honest, one of the traits I most admire about this MAT cohort is that you are all in a good mood most of the time. You are all fun to be around as a result.
Mrs. Hammond Johnna is honing in on her research question. Help her out with a del.icio.us tag or two!
Research Design Weblog Hooray! Dennis is a blogger. Be sure to comment on his posts so he will be encouraged to keep updating! Now we need to get Willie on board. I have Willie’s avitar all picked out.
Oops! that may be the wrong Willie.
Zuercher Richard links us to a pretty controversial “scared-straight” exercise used in a California school. i wonder what would have happened if some students in the school had telephoned classmates and pulled the same “prank”? I am guessing they would be in big trouble.
Sara’s MAT Weblog Sara’s metaphor for MAT summer session is free fall on a Skycoaster ride.
Tiachateau’s Weblog Josh shares some of his experiences in Japan including the value of experiencing “culture shock.”
All in all, the blogs make for wonderful reading. Keep posting and commenting!!
June 11, 2008
I created a Screen cast describing how to add graphics to your blog. I made this screen cast with a program called Screen Flow (Mac only), uploaded it to TeacherTube and added it to my VodPod account. From Vodpod, I posted it directly to a page on the blog. It was also added to my Vodpod widget on the blog. The advantage of adding it to the Vodpod widget is that the viewer can go directly to my account and click on “full screen”.
You will notice that watching a video like this directly on the blog is a bit difficult because the details are hard to follow. Full screen gives a better experience.
June 11, 2008
Congratulations to the graduating class of 2008 at The College of Idaho.
June 8, 2008
Welcome to our class blog for summer session 2008. This blog will serve a number of purposes:
1- Communication I will post frequently during the next six weeks. I will expect you to check the blog daily for current updates. Dennis, Willie and I will all use the blog to keep you “posted” as to any last minute changes. All of you will be able to comment on the posts, so it is my hope we can have a bit of a “virtual discussion” using the blog.
2- Community Once each of you create your own blog, I will include you on the blog roll. That way we will all be linked and can give each other suggestions, encouragement, support, etc.
3- Synergy The most important goal for you this summer is to create a good proposal for your thesis. As we learn more about each others’ research interests, t is likely that each of us will find sites and sources that would be helpful for someone in the cohort. By each of us joining “Del.icio.us, we will be able to “tag” sources and make them available for the whole group.
4- Tutorials Most of the things we will be learning about in 613 involve a series of procedures (i.e. creating a blog, making a video). It is unlikely that any of us will be able to recall those procedures the first time they are presented to us. Consequently, I will create some tutorials that you can look at outside of class.
5- Feedback One of the nicest things about blogs is that they can be used to give and get fairly immediate feed back. With that in mind, I would like each of you to follow the link below and take a short survey. Thanks!
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