Feb 23: Does Financial Aid Cover your Ethnography?

Before I discuss the evening, I need to ensure that everyone is very clear on my expectations so far. . .

• I have asked that you tweet at least two (if not more) times per week on educational topics (I also discussed in class last week the need to leave feedback for peers)
• I have asked that you leave a comment in the comments section for the weekly blog post
• I have asked that the reading responses be sincere and completed before class the next week (even if we do not meet in person)
• I asked for the Ethnography questions to be emailed to me on or before Friday
• The Rethinking High Schools web-based presentations, assessments, and comments should be completed

As of 10:30 p.m. on Monday evening, not many have completed all of the requirements.  This is not exemplifying a sincere effort on the class as a whole.  I will be very lenient when it comes to grading the chapter presentations and ethnographies, as I appreciate your willingness to take on a task that is still a work in progress for me; however, this does not apply to the aspects of the class that are clear and the expectations explicit. I expect that you are all capable of reading the class blog and the class tweets to keep up with the simple expectations of reading responses and using Twitter. . .This will affect the personal blog/attendance and participation grade of the class.

Okay, now I feel better. . .now let's discuss what we are doing in class Tuesday, Feb 23.

• Debrief Ch 1-3 (Designing Groupwork)
• Marshmellow Toothpic/Problem Solving
• Video
• Ethography Questions/Work
• State Findings and support w/data (not the reverse)
• Due dates
• (1-2 page) written Executive Report that outlines the design of your study, major findings, and reflections on the process (shared with me via GoogleDocs)
• Discuss HW & Compassionate Discipline Assignment

This week's Question: If this class were Pass/Fail, how would it affect your effort (think about this in terms of last week's question)?  Explain.

Reading Reflection 4: Designing Groupwork

A simple request for your third reading reflection:

For each of the first 3 chapters of the Cohen text book Designing Groupwork for Heterogeneous Classrooms:
• summarize the content in 2-4 sentences
• connect the content to another reading, experience, or curiosity in 1-2 sentences

And close with the next thing you would like to know or are wondering about, related to designing groupwork for heterogeneous classrooms.


Please complete by Tuesday, Feb 23.

Feb 16: Completing the Circle or Not. . .

"Procrastination is the Art of Keeping up with Yesterday"

Okay, I hope everyone feels refreshed after an entire week away from class.  I got home late last night and spent some quality time with the class blog and on CSUSM Educators.  I noticed that many of you seem to put off your assignments to the last minute. . .I hope this simply means that you are master procrastinators and not forgetting to do your work.

Some thoughts:

• When answering the weekly question, you only leave a comment under the post; you do not create a separate post on your blog. . .and answering the question is important for me to know that you are receiving the information I am trying to communicate to you.
• In the reading reflections, I would like to see some more thoughtful responses to the 3-2-1 format.  This should not simply be a list, but a complete thought as to why you wrote/feel/abhorred what you read. . .Also, ensure you have completed the response before the next class session (even if we do not meet in person!!)
• Use Twitter to not only post your thoughts, but to learn something. . .you can also reply to your peers to let them know that someone has a modicum of interest in what they wrote!!
• Don't forget that I am requiring two posts per week, but you are welcome to do more!!

Tonight:

• I want to discuss your chapter presentations and answer any question about posting/assessing, etc. . .It is also important that you know how to leave feedback for your peers' groups
• We will discuss your thoughts on Disrupting Class/30-Second Video Demonstration
• The Broken Circle Activity
• Discuss Ethnography Assignment/Expectations for next week
• Competitive/Non-Competitive Gaming (if time permits)

Week 4 Question: Discuss something that you have learned well outside of school without little or no help from a teacher.  How did you learn?  Why do you think you were successful? (suggestion: could be gaming, sports, knitting, etc. . .)

Feb 9: What doesn't Kill us. . .Makes Assignments Longer?

Aaugh. . .I would like to go into a series of educational cliches about how everything doesn't always work out the way it was planned, but I am just too frustrated to do so.  For the sake of community; however, please insert your favorite educational cliche here. . . . . . . .breathe, now let it go ;-)

Okay, well, I haven't heard back from the people at the library mediasite, so I cannot wait any longer.  I hope that they may still have slots where you could fit in if at all possible.  If this is something you still have the time and patience to try, please contact Justin Power @ juspower@csusm.edu.  You can say you are part of our EDSS 530 class and would like to do your mediasite.  If not, we will have to change plans, but still using the CSUSM Educator network to post the chapters on your group pages.  Since I will be out of town, I will just have to let go of that idea and ask that you find a creative way to display your chapter presentation on your CSUSM Educator group page.  Look at some of the projects from Dr. Lawler's class.  I saw some simple embedding of GoogleDocs presentations in blogs (ch 2 & 3), some cool uses of Google Sites (ch 4 & 8; ch 5), iWeb (ch 9 & 11 ), wikispaces (ch 10 & 12), and even Facebook (ch 6 & 7).  Some used comments for assessment, some embedded GoogleForms. . .Choose any way that you can get your chapter covered using technology and put on your Group Page. . .don't forget the assessment piece.  I apologize for this; I was really counting on having you experience the mediasite as a means of presenting information.  Please communicate with me and each other if you have questions or need help.  I will be able to access a computer most days and will do all that I can to help make this as painless as possible.
Be creative and have fun, but ensure you cover the chapters. . .you can also do a short movie, a podcast, or anything else you or one of your partners has expertise in producing. 
Let's shoot for a Feb 16 due date for the project. . .you can have a few extra days to give your peers comments.


Reading Reflection (s):  I would like you to read Ch 1 from Disrupting Class, found on the drop.io page; also, I will post an article on our drop.io site from Dr. Lawler, "What Makes School Ethnography ‘Ethnographic’?" which might go a ways in helping you understand the basis and purpose of an ethnography.  In each reading, which will be separate posts. . .Week 2 will be Disrupting Class, and Week 3 will be the ethnography piece.
Let's use the 3-2-1 format for the reflection:  3 things that you learned/connected with; 2 thing you disagree with or have questions; and 1 thing you would really like to learn more about. . .

Don't forget to answer the weekly questions. . .


Week 3 Question:  What is the most surprising thing you have seen in the classroom this semester. . .this could be positive or not so positive. . .I visited a JCCS classroom last week only to find a student I had worked with on a Photoshop project in September had been shot 4 times over Thanksgiving break, twice in the arm, once in the hip, and lost an eye.  With all this (he lives in SE San Diego, but isn't involved in gangs), he was smiling and seemed eager to participate in class. . .I was just blown away.

Sample Ethnography Video

Feb 2: Will the Course Go on for Six more Weeks?

Okay, who is tracking the groundhog?  I wonder if Punxsutawney Phil will show his face this year. . .I'm not certain whether or not that means we will also have 6 more weeks of class or not. . .but it is fairly ironic, isn't it?


I really expected that the class would have accomplished more that it has (@ 10:25 pm, Monday, Feb 1) but perhaps we need some more time to discuss the assignment and the technology requirements.  I hope that everyone will bring her laptop and we can make some more progress in class.  If not, we will have to make a trip to the library or some reasonable facsimile, but I know that we will catsup. . .assuming everyone can cut the mustard ;-)
Check your blog address on the class website t ensure you can meet the minimum requirment... .]




Please remember that this course is a survey course for secondary education in the 21st Century. . .I want to push you to really evaluate your practice as well as utilize technology as a medium of the course content . . .and your class content. . .which I see as more important than the original goals of EDSS 530.


Tonight:  I will ensure that you understand how to complete the Rethinking High Schools chapter summaries. . . and how to post your projects to the class ning network. . .and how to do the assessment, etc.  We will also discuss the Ethnography and how it will work look as a finished project.


Important: I have posted the Intro and Chapter 1 of the book, "Disrupting Class," by Clayton Christensen.  I would be ecstatic if you could access the document on the drop.io/edss530 page and bring a copy to class (only if you do not have a laptop).  PLEASE TELL YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS TO BRING TO CLASS. . .I am really interested to see how "Second to None" relates to current theories on learning and education. . . .
password:  what does Shaun White do for a living?


Week Two Question:  What is the best book you had to read in high school?  I am still stuck on "Catcher in the Rye," but perhaps I am being sentimental. . .