It's a new day here in Dubois

Hello world I thought I would post today since I haven't posted in many moons. Things here are good in Wyoming, and the weather is cool, and I am ready for the snow.

7/14

Reflection: How has the course been effective in broadening your perspective and skill set for managing technology for change?

It has helped me focus on my abilities and how to share those with others through my e-portfolio. This class opened the door of possibilities for me with the use of technology and how we can use it for change. I do understand that technology doesn't take the place of people, but that it can aid in the learning process. I have also experienced the process of change within myself with the use of technology within my classroom.

7/7

Reflection: What types of influence do I have in my current local and global communities? How can I expand that influence?

I have very little influence at the current because I am new to the school district. Each day I have been trying to reach out to others to get to know them and build relationships. I need to get involved in the States Industrial Arts and Technology Educations Organizations. By getting involved in my community and at the state level, I feel I can share my excitement about the learning process and spread the gospel of what learning can look like.

6/30

Reflection: From where does global change derive? How can we use global change to promote deeper learning across the globe?

This questions seems to be a continuation of 6/16's question. All change comes from within the individual which can then spread to others through modeling and leadership.

With the ability for more of the globe to access the internet daily, enables us to be more connected globally. That in it's self will enable the global community to learn from each other and expand learning opportunities and knowledge building experiences.

1/19

Reflection: In-class discussion with guest speakers around the value of making “connections” with your learning community.

I have always known that many times it is who you know, not what you know. Reaching out to others and making connections within my learning community has allowed me to make connections outside and expand the community. It has opened up doors that I never thought were possible or even known were there. It has been a very enlightening experience to open my self up to others and what they have to offer. It seems so funny I have not done this in the past because people who are passionate about what they do are also passionate about sharing it with others.

6/16

Reflection: From where does personal and local change derive? How can we use change to promote deeper learning as individuals and in our local settings?

Personal change can only come from within, but what can promote that? I think watching others who are passionate about what they are doing can promote an excitement to change ones self. Once an individual changes them self then they can model that behavior or excitement to others.

I have just accepted a new job and I am working on using this change to promote deeper learning for myself and finding ways to share this with others that I will be working with to promote an excitement for learning for the students as well as the teachers.

6/9 Reflection

How does globalization change the needs and demands on US, K12, higher education and corporate learning environments?

The first demand is finding new ways to communicate through the use of technology, be it video conferencing or holographic simulation. Being able to access knowledge from all parts of the world enables groups of people to have greater access to knowledge to solve problems.

What does k12 need to do, they need to create an environment where students can develop greater problem solving skills. A place where there is not a limit to possibilities and solutions to problems. A place where expert learning can occur at a much younger age that will carry on throughout their lives.

5/26 Reflection

Where do you see technology & education developing next? How do you think the symbiotic relationship between the two will evolve over the next 10 years?

I see that technology will continue to be a focus in the school systems in the future, but the intent and use of that technology will vary. I am afraid that education as we know it now will continue to be the same in the future as a whole. People for some reason want to hold onto the past and tend to believe things were always better back then. I do think that those of us who understand the possibilities of learning and how technology can aid that will make leaps and bounds in what can be accomplished.

5/19 Reflection

Reflection: How can authentic learning tools improve student engagement and deepen learning? What does the apprenticeship model tell us about learning?

The answer to the first question is when you are able to provide students with authentic learning tools, that they can put into their hands and use. You are able to enroll them into a learning experience that they see real value and opportunities for applications. When this happens you have them engaged and you just need to stand out of their way and let the learning experience begin. Students who can experience this type of real, relevant and personal learning can create knowledge about that experience and its process. They they will be able to transfer that knowledge into other subject areas.

The apprenticeship model tell us that if we create opportunities for students to engage in real life learning experiences in the work place, under the tutelage of a mentor. We find that these students flourish with excitement and find an inter drive to learn more. They seem to draw from the passion of the expert and become excited about the process also.

5/12 Reflection

Why do educational organizations choose to employ portfolios? What value does the use of rubrics in evaluating activities and portfolios bring? How can peer review affect learning progress and growth?

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Brian's Duck Call

This is Brian Demoing his duck call he made in class.

668 e-portfolio

What is the role of an electronic portfolio in my ongoing academic and professional career in educational technology?

In my future I will be able to use a e-portfolio in many ways. First off I will always have a place to show my current abilities and projects I have finished or working on currently. It will also be a place for me to review and reflect my previous work, of what I did that succeeded and what failed. Then I can build on what worked in my teaching practice, and file what practices failed in what situations and possibilities of why. It is also a possibility that I will be looking for a new job or career move in the future, and I would be able to use my e-portfolio in an interview to show my experience, and abilities.

Brandon's Duck Call

This is Brandon's first finished duck call. He will demonstrate how it sounds in this video. He did a great job designing, problem solving and building it. Brandon even cut out a piece of brass and soldered it together into a circle to make a band to put on the barrel of the call. It showed great initiative and perseverance on his part. It goes to show that learning can be very fun and exciting as well as frustrating and demanding.

April 5, 2008 Reflection

Reflection: What is the role of an electronic portfolio in my ongoing academic and professional career in educational technology?

An e-portfolio can be a way for me to showcase my thoughts, ideas, projects and the process of going through those in a digitally creative way. It is an opportunity for me to present myself in a positive and progressive way. Using a e-portfolio I can show my work to to people all over the world in seconds, where as the traditional portfolio would take days or weeks to mail. Reflection of the process and my projects is closely related to a e-portfolio, I will be able to see my progress as I update it and areas I could improve in. It is a place for me to show examples of my knowledge, understanding and expertise in various ways and in multiple areas.

Weekly question

What application from this course most impacts my ongoing action research project?

In the second cycle of my action research project I am working on defining my essential questions for the "Special Projects" class I am currently teaching. Reading and discussing Ubd has really helped me focus on why I am teaching what I am. It has helped me reevaluate my objectives and goals for my classes. Since my teaching is what my action research is about, backwards design is really helping me focus on what my goals are and what I should be teaching.

My Action Research in Progress

This is a video of my students and one of their expert mentors helping them build a project, and working through some of the design problems.

4/7

Melissa asks: In your current professional environment, how are educational experiences or programs assessed? Is the evidence collected from the assessment used to inform change? Why or why not do you think this occurs?

In my current teaching environment I am teaching a class without a classroom. My students come to my house about 2 days a week for class and the other two days we go to one of my students mentors house or shop.

• Assessments for this class are:

1. Rubric's for student involvement during project experiences.
2. Rubric's students project blog.
3. Exhibition at the end of class to shop process and product of project.
   

• Is the evidence collected from the assessment used to inform change?

1. I am always assessing the students involvement and adjusting my performance to help the students improve and succeed.
   
2. I read all of my students blogs, and take that information and reflect and see if there are possibly different ways to reach my students for them to gain a better understanding.
3. At the end of the class during the students exhibitions I take notes and reflect on what I did and what the student did and the outcome. Then I look at different possibilities that might make the experience more profitable for the students during my next class.
   

• Why or why not do you think this occurs?

1. I think it occurs in my situation because I am excited about what I teach and do in life, so I want to share that with my students. Does that mean I always do a great job at assessment and then implementing those assessments the next go around? No, but I do the best I can with the time I have.

Brent

UbD success in ways I would have never thought

I had an interview the other day for a new job and one of the highlights of the interview was for me was when they asked my about my curriculum design. We then spent the next 5 mins talking about UbD and how successful it has been with them in their school and how excited they were to see that I also have found success with using it.

I was offered a job with this School Dist. right after the interview, and I think that from what I have learned in this class was one of the reasons why they offered me the job. Wow things are good in my world. :-)


Brent

3/3 Design Practices

From your experience in OMET thus far, what design practice has resonated with you the most? Why?

This might sound cheesy but I would have to say backwards design. It has really made a connection with me, it is the link to my teaching that I have been searching for. I have always done a good job at teaching for the standards and the essential questions, but there has always been something missing and UbD as filled that gap. I found that by following the backwards design method those empty areas and lost moments can be filled. It also help my students be able to find more relevance to what they are doing and why. Relevance in my students lives is the greatest driving force to this to this model and from what I can see is why it is so successful.

Brent

2/25 665

Are my students engaged in their learning?

I would have to say that they are fully engaged in what they are learning. First because what they are learning was student directed, they selected the what they wanted to learn about. My students wanted to learn how to build Duck Calls, and what a journey it has been. They have seen how such a simple device can evolve into something very big. They thought it would be a fairly simple task and they have learned math, drafting/3D drafting, wood working, metal working, safety, blogging, their eyes have been opened wide in their quest to learn. My students have been so excited through this whole process, it has just been amazing. People ask "How do you really know if they have learned, how do you know your assessment is valid?". Well I can look at my students faces and see the gleam of excitement daily, the look of fulfillment when they finish a task, or the energy at the end of the project when they show you what they have created and the process they went through to get there. There is also the sense of excitement to start on a new adventure again.

665 Question for Week 2/18

Melissa asks: How did you select the technology you are utilizing? How are your learners responding thus far?

We as a group (Teacher & Students) selected SketchUp for a couple of reasons. First off it was FREE, and next because it has the capability to download into a program that we can utilize with CNC Machinery.

My students have thoroughly enjoyed the experience of learning how to use SketchUp and also being able to actually visualize their project before they start to build it. My students have also developed better relationships with some of their parents from being able to show their parents what they are doing, instead of trying to explain something they are unable to explain very good.

My students are designing two different projects each that differ from each other. They will also be entering their work in a weekly contest that SketchUp offers.

Very exciting adventure, to see the change in myself and my views and how those changes effect my students process of learning.

Brent

665 Question Week 2/25

Melissa asks: How did you select the tech you are utilizing in my ARP, are my learners engaged in their learning? Why or why not?

I am using SketchUp which is a 3D auto drafting program that google offers for free (Basic package). I am also using Blogs (wordlpress) for my students to reflect and keep a journal of their process through this class.

Are my students engaged with their learning? I would say that their are more engaged than they have ever been in the 12 years that I have taught. I have some of their parents wondering a bit why their child is staying up so late at night working on ideas, sketches, planning and researching. I find it exciting and motivating for my self to watch them so excited about what they are doing and the results of their experiences.


I am still having a really hard time not telling them the answers all the time. I have found that I mostly do this because there is always such a shortage of time in class. I am getting better, it is hard though.

Brent

SL Learning Theorist Exhibit Movie 3

This is a video of the Learning Theorists presentations in Secondlife, #3.

SL Learning Theorist Exhibit Movie 2

This is a video of the Learning Theorists presentations in Secondlife, #2.

SL Learning Theorists Exhibit Movie 1

This is a video of the Learning Theorists presentations in Secondlife, movie #1.

Vincent Van Gogh Exhibit

If you would like to look around the exhibit a bit longer then teleport to to the following address: Luctesa 77, 122, 25

If you would like to start the tour directly teleport to the following address: Luctesa 116, 136, 25

665

How have I selected the technologies I am using with my Action Research Project? How have my students responded so far?

I think I need to have a student evaluation, on how I am doing and what I should be doing better. I think I will do that this week. I am sure there are things I am doing or not doing that I can improve.

Brent

Assessing Learner Success

Melissa asks: Why are we more concerned with completing assessments successfully, than acquiring the courses goals and objectives?

I think much of it stems back to "TESTING" and how so many people view success on the "A" grade. ACT, SAT, exit exams, scholarships, college entrance it seems as though the grade is the goal, and not the skills/knowledge brought forth from the experiences of their education.

When have I had an experience with this in my life?

My parents always wanted me to do well at school, but I don't remember them pushing me to get straight A's at school. I think the idea of the grade meaning more then the knowledge began at college. The classes I took that I enjoyed I always seemed to do really well in and so I go very good grades. On the other hand the classes that seemed irrelevant to me and my life I struggled through. The problem was by this time in my life, grades had taken a different shape and form. They became the driving force for many students to achieve from the class. My problem was I felt their stress and it transfered to me and I felt the same pressure to get good grades. Interestingly enough, when you search and strive for one you tend to loose the other (grades or knowledge & skills). Can you get both equally, I think it may be possible but we as individuals have practiced one or the other so long it will be hard to change. Being around others who model good skill may be the only real possible way of changing. It seems for me that surrounding my self with good role models is the only way I have been able to develop behaviors that I wish do attain.

Brent

Standard that impact my practice

A standard that impact's my practice or environment.

One of the standards I see myself impacted by is "for the student to be able to transfer knowledge and understanding from one topic to the next." In Ubd it says that "it (key ideas) should be learned in such a way that it does not fly away from memory once the unit is over or the test is completed".

SketchUp

Today was a great day, we talked more about the class and my expectations. Then we reflected on why they do certain things with the wood lathe to be safe. Then we went and sat down and looked over SketchUp and a few drawings that I have done over the past few days. They were so excited to see what I had done and how they could get started. They looked like they could hardly wait to start designing. Wow, what fun to see kids excited about learning.

Great days like today make it worth it, now I have to design my classes so most days will be like today.

Brent

Essential Question

Did my learning experience map out a goal? It was not written down but it was understood between the two of us that we are trying to understand better how people learn and how to get there. I would say it was understood between us where we were wanting to go.

Having a goal, and understanding that goal is what drives me in my learning.
It gives me a topic to focus all other topics around and connect to. It is what is in the back of my mind all the time trying to understand and make connections of the experiences I am having on the outside. With out the goal in mind there is no direction, and no way to connect past experiences with new ones. That is what is wrong with most school systems, students don't have those goals out front most of the time and then, if they do the path that is given to learn is disconnected from the goal. In Ubd it talks about just because the students are engaged doesn't mean they are learning what you want them to. They will be learning but what they are learning may have nothing related to what your goal is. First there must be goals but the path there must also be planned carefully and thoroughly, or the students will get lost .

Brent

Backwards Design in SL

I am very excited to be working in a new LC in Melissa's class. They are Dervin, Samiya and Israel. I have not worked with any of them so it will be fun to get to know them better through this process.

We have started with the idea of technology and learning in a virtual world (SL) to teach a lesson. We have thought about going through a museum, possibly a hospital or a place where there are crimes against humanity. So we will see where it goes when we start to brain storm.

Brent

Learning

I had a learning experience the other day with one of my friends. We were talking about learning and how we learn. He teaches classes on saddle making and drawing. We were talking about learning and distractions and how that effects if you are able to learn. Each of us has a different level of distractions, and some people can get to a point that they can't be distracted, that has been called in the zone (Flow) by some. In either case they are capable to focus all of their energy into a specific project, thought or idea. The conversations then went back to distractions and my friend talked about music and that it is made to make you want to move which is a distraction. He suggested that you listen to classical music, because it is designed to undistract a person and allows you to focus and get into the flow and be creative. Interesting conversation while building saddles, huh.


Brent

Results

I think my results were what they brought to the table at the end of the class, their welds for the day. The results I wanted was to see progression for them as an individual. I chose this because the purpose of the project to for them to become more proficient at welding as an individual. They do that through practice and reflection while working with other students and myself cycle after cycle.

I think the best part of welding is that you have an actual piece or artifact that they can hold and you can look at to compare to previous days work.

Brent

Successful learning experience

I think one of my successful learning experiences was giving my arp students the opportunity to figure out how to start-run-operate a metal lathe without any help except for safety aspects.

It was the first experience that many of them had had ever trying to figure out how to do something without a parent or teacher giving instruction or answers along the way. They really had a hard time at first, but as the process went along it go easier for a few of them.

What made it successful, was they had a relevant experience dealing with a tool that they would directly be involved in using with their projects.

My role was to make it a safe, relevant, reflective and skill development activity.


It was a moment of change for me in my learning, and the possibilities that are out there.

665 LD

Well I thought I would get started and write my first post for Melissa's class 665. I have started reading UbD and it has been very enlightening so far, what an idea to design backwards. I try to design me classes in this manner, but I have never really thought in depth about why so deep. It has already opened my mind to new ideas of how I should approach designing my curriculum for my classes. I am looking forward to this class and what I can learn and get out of it.

Brent

Reflections 7-21-07

Reflection - Morning @ 6:45am
Just sitting here on the patio over looking the campus. The mornings have a very quiet and relaxing effect on me. As I was pondering and reflecting this morning on my what I had learned yesterday. It came to me that this overwhelming mountain of information and work had pushed the limits of what I and the group had done before. We as a group had succeeded in accomplishing the tasks we were given collectively with out any external rewards or punishments, or competition. What a great sense of accomplishment I feel today. This is brent checking in :-)

Brent going home to see my wife and kids

lego car

Reflection 20 July 07
Emotions have been up and down the last few days, because of the overload of information. Tonight I feel a bit tense, stressed and tired because of the personal mental energy I output today. I know others gave more in different ways helping me and others, and I hope by my sharing of what I could bring to the table was beneficial to someone. It is hard mentally for me to work hard to find solutions and results don't come. When I give to the community it is much easier to ask the community for help. I also feel good if in some way I can aid on of my cadre.

Nerd Rope reflections

What is holding the fab4 together? Tables, chairs, computers, the "room", food card, no car, logo lego's and the deep desire to get our car working. Today has been very stressful for me. My computer kept kicking me off of the net, which in turn made me not be able to follow along with the instructions and practices today. I feel like I missed information which I really needed instruction on. Enjoying working on the lego project with the fab4, and it is always interesting who takes the lead on different parts of the project.
Why my frustration, I am so programmed to do good and when I feel like I am failing, its hard on me. I want deeply to do good, and succeed and become the best me!!!!!! When I feel like I am not gaining it effects me to the core. Another one of my issues.

Reflections 7-18-07

My biggest fears would be?
I would probrably have three areas 1. The time constraint
(trying to manage family, work, and school). I fear that I will not be able manage enough time for everyone, and my learning process. 2. The fear that I won't have my skills at a level to be able to function with the cadre and be a productive member. 3. My last fear would be able to maintain my stress level and sanity

My biggest hope would be?
To be able maintain a high level of excitement that will keep me leaning forward through this learning process. While changing my way of thinking how/what learning is, and how to find it. Then be able to take it and run forward, while sharing it with anyone who will listen

logo

I think our logo car might work ok