Action Research

Been struggling with the Latest ARP draft, not so much the content as the progress. The action part.
I decided to and I have met with the building secretaries at the Elementary schools since they are the most "experienced" users of the system in general terms and have been the central repository for all grading information for report cards and such. It is likely they will be asked questions about the gradebook trial and it is only fair, (and smart) to keep them informed as well.
The response was positive and discussion did bring up some more points to consider.
One of the primary difficulties is the timing. there is only one full grading period left to use. I have done some one on one with some but not all the teachers, and still and not sure even the small group will be fully ready. This alters my plan somewhat. I will post some of the text notes I have been keeping at a later time.

Memories of a successful Learning Experience

A tough one this. Not being a teacher and having to come up with "a successful learning experience I designed" However, I can think of one. Years ago, I ran a workshop on internet applications for Upward Bound while I was getting my degree. I focused primarily on Internet searching and source citation and set them up with email accounts on the university email system so they could do email "pen-pals". I contacted two schools: one in Wisconsin and one Iowa, (Simon and Mary were the teachers names) and also put the students on to what used to be penpals.net (but has now become unrecognizable) so they could converse using email.
This was the early 90's-the web hadn't yet become what it is today. Email was primarily a business or paid service, yahoomail and the rest hadn't taken off.
Most of these kids were amazed at what you could find, and shocked to discover that not all of it was true. From course evaluations I learned that they enjoyed the email and felt more connected to other students. Many asked if they could retain the accounts after they left so they could continue the conversations.
Many of these students wouldn't print 3 sentences but were regularly sending 15 to 20 email messages a session. I was using floppy disks for email storage for security and continually had to supply additional floppies as their "mailboxes" became full.
I had designed it to be an introduction, a primer; with some fun thrown in. I wanted it to be an academic information course as well. Things got off track more than once but I think I succeeded in those aspects. More importantly I think I learned something as well-when you trying too hard to get something across sometimes you have better success if you let go a little,

Stagers class-this post long overdue

Just when it started to get interesting and we are back to the same posting mess. When will people learn. It isn't quantity-it's the content. I would rather have one car or computer that worked reliably than 10 that were constantly on-but really weren't worth a darn. I find it disheartening when I hear comments that I am not posting enough-"that my contributions are part of the experience" and so on-they aren't if they aren't valid-or so out of sync with the flow of "conversation" as to be irrelevant, and ignored. I contribute plenty to the synchronous-when we get one, and I read the posts and synthesize, evaluate and make my replies considered. I realize it's not worth time to post to a dead link-so do others and I can't blame them. but It's not worth MY time either. If I really believed it was of any value to rack up posts for counting as a measure of learning. I would have set up an autoblogger and autogenerated reply for all of this. Yes, it can be done-quite easily. But I AM HERE TO LEARN about reform, and technology and learning-not go through the motions using technology -but responding to the same old school bean counters tally sheet. Follow the basic rule of email. Compose your replies-THINK b4 you post-computers are fast but "people" need time.

ARP and ARP again

Well, ARP plan draft 2 is posted. Think the review was positive...can't be sure. Need to more fully develop the timeline so I can post that as well. Problem is: other than the action part-actually getting the gradebook out there, and getting the assessments ready-stuff i have in process already... I am not sure anout how to "chunk out" the cycle portion. Posted my concerns to Margaret-maybe she can help clarify..back to Lit review!

A little Behind

Okay a lot behind. In fact a whole elephant of behind... but who's to tell? Anyone that looks. ANYway. Lots has gone on since last posting. Some of the frustration is still here but at least it is course related and is not answered with the question it has been: What is the point?
The point is the same as I began, and now that I can continue with OMET a heck of a lot better.

Blogging

I haven't been to diligent about keeping up this blog. Email from Bill reminded me. There are so many things to do. I keep thinking that somewhere in all of this a structure will emerge but it seems as if it just becomes more confusing. Is this what this program is attempting to accomplish? To make even the most tech-savvy of us frustrated by the wealth of choices?
It seems like the minute i think I have a handle on it there is something else. This silly ditty runs through my head. I call it:

Here's a little rhyme...

Here's a blog, there's a blog, a wiki-wiki, mindmap.
Gliffy- moodle, tapped in, google scholar rap.
If you want to make sense and save yourself a dime
better get a second life or you won't have the time.

Webgifts

Well, having posted my webgift. I am wondering where it all goes from here....