Autodizactic - Latest Comments

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

Jake Kohlmeyer — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:46:08 -0000

Go for it!

Re: If a picture’s worth a thousand words, isn’t art class more valuable than reading?

David Wees — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:07:10 -0000

Yeah, that's a fabulous activity as well. Perhaps both activities would be useful?

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

Steve J. Moore — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:49:33 -0000

I'm looking forward to learning vicariously Zach :)

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

Cori — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 01:54:12 -0000

I am reading. I am here, listening and learning along with you.

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

Jenn Matters — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:52:10 -0000

I adore Boulder. There's a lot of potential for things to happen in that community. I hope you take them by storm!

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

monika hardy — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 23:58:33 -0000

oh my...
this is the best news ..ever...

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

Ahbinpa — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 23:51:56 -0000

Congrats Zac!! You're made for this... You will need to learn to ski if you don't already. And you'll probably need to get a dog. Both my nephews went to CU and are now living in Denver (well, one lives in"Stapletopia") if you need contacts in the area.

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

Raymond Johnson — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 23:37:43 -0000

Welcome to CU, Zac. You can't get here soon enough!

Sense the challenge, not the fear of failure. The environment here at CU is too supportive for fear, and everyone from Dean Shepard on down recognizes the investment you're putting into the program and the investment we're putting in you, and for that reason we don't want you -- or will let you -- fail. And that includes me. As happy as I am for you, I'm selfishly happy for myself, as I know having you around will push me in some ways that need pushing.
You may have a different set of assignments, but in my Multicultural Ed class (required of all 2nd year students) we wrote an autobiographical/sociohistorical essay examining our family and the various circumstances (including policies, privileges, disadvantages, etc.) that shaped our educational path. Something tells me you'll enjoy that assignment, and enjoy hearing about the stories of your classmates. I sure did.

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

mozzadrella — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:54:15 -0000

I didn't really understand the sense of uncertainty until I read this. I'm really proud of you and the work that you'll be doing.

Re: Does this mean I’ll need to change my twitter handle?

Debbie Schinker — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:32:45 -0000

Congratulations, Zac! What an exciting journey your life is turning out to be - and I'm glad you're still sharing it with us! It's ok to be scared - that's sometimes when the most impactful growth occurs. Maybe the girls and I can come out and visit you. You do ski, right? If not, add it to your list of things to learn! I know this great instructor. :D

Re: What’s the barrier between gov’t. agencies and civic engagement via social media?

Lindsey Edwards — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:25:55 -0000

My name is Lindsey Edwards and I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed this post and the question that you have raised about this situation. I referred to the original article in order to obtain more information about the subject and to fully understand the details. I can see why there have been some difficulties and the program has had little success over the last few years. The questions being asked and to whom they are being asked has not been as much of a focus throughout the project. They really need to work together as a whole agency to produce these questions that truly represent what is being done and what the public would be interested in discussing. They also need to be better about seeking out those in the public who are willing to give knowledgeable and well thought out opinions on the various subjects. There are plenty of people who have researched and would love to help engage in discussions with these agencies. The agencies as well as the public need to be more intentional about engaging through social media. Thanks again for your great post. I will be summarizing this post as well as the other post I commented on in my class blog tonight.
Link to my blog: http://edwardslindseyedm310.bl...

Re: There’s a chance for learning in the NYC teacher scores

Lindsey Edwards — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:25:20 -0000

My name is Lindsey Edwards and I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed reading your post and it gave me a lot of insight into the issue of the scoring of NY teachers. You are right if teachers want to see a change made they need to research and produce a better process for scoring and then teach it to those who produce them. The teachers need to have a forum to discuss and understand there scores and the things that need to be worked on and addressed. Instead of complaining about the process they need to take charge and fix it, then utilize it to help them become more successful educators. Thanks so much for your great post! I will be summarizing some of your posts on my class blog [http://edwardslindseyedm310.bl...] on April 1, 2012.

Re: Faced with problems as opportunities, students can make amazing things

Chanel Ellison — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:43:03 -0000

Hello again Mr. Chase.
Wow, this was a really inspiring video. I actually watch the documentary special on ABC with Diane Sawyer. It was so good but it did give off the impression that the children there only had dreams, but no chance of a successful future. I believe these students had a right to make this video and it is the perfect video for people who have heard of or watched their situation. I hate knowing that they were perceived in this way because every child deserves a chance. This video just show that great potiental these students actually have. They realized how they were viewed by the world in a negative way and they took charge. I will continue to pray for this school district to succeed in all ways possible!

Re: Class blogs should be open spaces

Chanel Ellison — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:14:01 -0000

Hello Mr. Chase,
Well it is different in this class because now people can "Google" me and find all sorts of information. Our blog is very public and our professor gives us assignments that have to do with blogging our whole life stories. But if we refuse to do them, of course that will be some sort of deduction towards our grade. So, no I don't really think it's that fair but we just suck it up and deal with it. Unfortunately, many people have already dropped the class, and I'm thinking it has to do with the reasons I explained.
The only plus I see from our public blogs is the experience we get from using it.

Re: If a picture’s worth a thousand words, isn’t art class more valuable than reading?

Pete Mickelson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:33:48 -0000

As an engineer, I'm enjoying this discussion. The very word "text" derives from the onomatopoeic "tek" and its many variants (tick, tock, tax . . . ). "Text" is the past tense of "to tek" and is the result of an early relative of ours chipping a permanent icon or "logo" into stone. The action of tekking is one of our earliest and most permanent works of art. We began tekking with pictures of animals, for example, and later with logos representing sounds and ideas. The first logo of import was "X" graphically representing the position of two arms tekking two stones together to form a tool. The logos CH or K or X or T are derivative and represent the sound we artisans make when tekking tools.
A successful tool is acknowledged by the ancient Greek "nai" for "yes; it is approved" and becomes "teknai" -- a good technique. Logging the technique for use in future generations calls for logging the process using - yes - drawings, as well as logos (A, B, C, D & words) so that the technique will stand for all time (as in a patent) and be available for teachers and practitioners to improve as better ideas arise and as further ingenuity (engineering) progresses.
We engineers could not ever fully describe our inventions without a combination of pictures and words, and the way words change in a "living" language renders them less and less permanent than the drawings.
Imagine, for example, how horrible it feels when an engineer reads in the newspaper about "Technology's Danger to Children" when technology literally and simply means tekking, approving and recording - tek-nai-logos. Does the newsman think that logged instructions for making a thermostatically-controlled furnace are somehow dangerous to children? No. He thinks "technology" means a tool like a computer connected to telephone wires might allow them to see a picture of a naked woman, or worse.
Text is in the mind of the beholder, just as the "meaning" of modern art (naked women or otherwise) can be interpreted by the beholder as good or bad or ugly or beautiful.
Text is an artform.

Re: Faced with problems as opportunities, students can make amazing things

Zac Chase — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:47:49 -0000

Had exactly the same response. Let me know what your students think?

Re: Faced with problems as opportunities, students can make amazing things

Jabiz Raisdana — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:56:25 -0000

A W E S O M E!

Thanks for this. Goosebumps and tears welling up. Love it. Will hare with students tomorrow.

Re: Class blogs should be open spaces

Zac Chase — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:01:12 -0000

Chanel, thanks for your comment. It's a little crazy to think that anything I'm writing here could be part of a class.
Thanks for taking the time to explain the setup of your course. How do you feel about it? Part of me cringes at the required structure of it, but another part of me suspects, absent those requirements, many people in the class would never step outside their comfort zones. Is that a fair assessment?
I know what you're saying about harsh comments. It stings. It also helps to remind me to be thoughtful in how I comment or reply. It's a great moment of Golden Rule education.

Re: What if we built syllabi like this?

Zac Chase — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:49:02 -0000

I see what you did there, Laura, piled another book on the ole "to-read" stack. Touché. The more I think on this, the more it feels like a right model for creation of what I guess we'd call more "traditional" kinds of media.

If you end up implementing the idea with your students, please let me know how it goes. I'd be incredibly curious.

Re: What if we built syllabi like this?

Zac Chase — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:46:32 -0000

So will I. I very much want it to be more than an exercise. Surely, the reddit community can shout loud enough to get the attention of some industrious legislator.

Re: What if we built syllabi like this?

Clix — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:45:22 -0000

I will be interested to see what actually happens with the reddit bill.

Re: What if we built syllabi like this?

Laura Blankenship — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:48:06 -0000

My friend Kathleen Fitzpatrick did that with her last book, as have a few other authors. She's now in charge of MLA communications and scholarship, looking at how MLA members publish online. It's a great model.

I'd love to do it with my students. It might actually solve some problems I'm having with my curriculum. :)

Re: Class blogs should be open spaces

Chanel Ellison — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:28:02 -0000

Hello Mr. Chase,I enjoyed your post very much. I found it very easy to relate to because I am actually commenting on your blog for a class I am taking in college. Our personal blogs are similar to the second class you explained, but a little more complex. We have to post weekly from assignments that are given to us. We comment on a child’s blog from around the world. We comment on a teacher’s blog weekly. We also comment the blogs of our own classmates. It is pretty much a blog based class and posting is NOT optional. Because everyone in this class is a future educator, our personal blogs are not placed in the “walled garden”. Our professor encourages us to make it as public as possible; from leaving our blog addressed to leaving our Twitter information. I agree with what you said about making your class blog public. Knowing that people from around the world are looking at my blog and receiving comments from others besides my classmates always makes me want to work twice as hard. I find myself put more effort towards my blog so my audience can enjoy it. I know that it is probably hard to write a post and not getting any kind of feedback on it. I guess that is one of the positives of having an open blog. But sometimes you can get comments that are a little harsher than you expected which doesn’t make you feel very good about your opinions. That is the negative part of a public blog. Hopefully, these courses you are taking will consider open blogs for the future. Thank you for your time and happy blogging!My Blog- http://ellisonchaneledm310.blo... Class Blog- http://edm310.blogspot.com/

Re: What I’m Doing This Year: The Resolutions

Zac Chase — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:12:18 -0000

I'm glad you finally commented, you creeper. ;-) Reflection and revision are two of the greatest and most powerful tools we wield as teachers and as citizens. Thanks for joining the conversation.

Re: If I take a course, but it’s not for credit, does it make a sound?

Zac Chase — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:10:50 -0000

Thanks for the encouragement, Emily. I didn't get in to the course. I'm keeping tabs on it online.

I'm trying to work away from thinking of classes as being for credit. Ideally, they're for learning, right? I want to get my brain to start seeing them that way.