Teaching, Learning, Technology & Reflection

Table 1: Mechanisms of Community Formation in Philosophy for Children Group solidarity through dialogical inquiry The primacy of activity and reflection The articulation of disagreements and the quest for understanding Fostering cognitive skills (e.g., assumption finding, generalization, exemplification) through dialogical practice. Learning to employ cognitive tools (e.g., reasons, criteria, concepts, algorithms, rules, principles Joining together in cooperative reasoning (e.g., building on each other’s ideas, offering counterexamples or alternative hypotheses, etc.) Internalization of the overt cognitive behavior of the community (e.g., introjecting the ways in which classmates correct one another until each becomes systematically self-corrective)—‘intrapsychical reproduction of the interpsychical’ (Vygotsky) Becoming increasingly sensitive to meaningful nuance of contextual differences Group collectively groping its way along, following the argument where it leads (Lipman, ...

...symbolic interactionists were among the first in the social science community to join issue with postmodernism... interactionists have rejected the subject-object dualism , spectator's theory of knowledge , and correspondence theory of truth , opting instead for the subject-object relativity , participant observation , and perspectival approach to truth . (p. 303) emphasis on the marginal, local, everyday, heterogenous, and indeterminate (p. 304) self-identity, seen as socially constructed, emergent, and plural (p. 304) Unmistakable though it is, the affinity between interactionism and postmodernism is highly selective.   Source: Modernity, Postmodernism, and Pragmatist Inquiry: An Introduction by Dmitri N. Shalin (1993). Symbolic Interaction, 16(4):303-332

 Register thus accounts for the probabilistic relationship between particular situation-types and the meaning choices most likely to be realized in the texts that are constructed in relation to them. However, it does not account for the sequential organization of those meanings as a text that enacts a particular, culturally recognizable type of activity in that situation. For this, the concept of genre is more appropriate.(p. 9) Source: Wells, Gordon (1999) Dialogic Inquiry: Towards a Sociocultural Practice and Theory of Education. Cambridge University. URL: http://assets.cambridge.org/97805216/31334/sample/9780521631334wsn01.pdf

John Medina's great new book entitled "brain rules" ECS or Emotionally Competent Stimuli, a.k.a., "the hook". A hook is a relevant story or anecdote designed to stimulate emotion such as fear, happiness, laughter, or incredulity. The hook can be used to summarize the last key concept or to introduce the next module, but most importantly, it "touches" your audience. from TGI Newsletter 44

keywords : Mental model, cognitive structure, cognitive flexibility, new information, assimilation, accomodation Lakatos (1970) distinguished between two types of propositions within students’ conceptual frameworks. Hard core propositions cannot be altered without rebuilding the large sections of conceptual framework, but protective belt propositions can be altered while preserving the key meaning in the existing conceptual framework. Brewer (1993) suggested there are seven basic responses a student can assume when entertaining new information including: ignore the data, reject the data, exclude the data from the domain of theory A, hold the data in abeyance, reinterpret the data while retaining theory A, reinterpret the data and make peripheral changes to theory A, or accept the data and change theory A, possible to theory B. (p.73) Chinn and Brewer (1993) proposed three factors that interact to determine how students respond to new information: students’ prior knowledge , if...

Something cool: when you copy text from pdf file (not made from pdf maker) to Word, you will have some hard returns. To copy text in a good flow, in Acrobat: Advance menu-->Accessibility-->Add tags to document. It will create tags in PDF file. When you copy and paste again, it works like magic... collaborate: you can reply to somebody else's comments and you can see the thread. We put everybody's file on an internal server. It would be interesting to have students make comments to peer's work in this way. You can also add a streaming video from external url or browse for a flash such as a calculator and make them flow... Word: Acrobat ribbon. Portfolio: put folders, files, and media together and organize them. Use the extended version of Acrobat. More info: http://tinyurl.com/A9inEDUportfolio

Saat (2004) addressed the acquisition of integrated science process skills in a web-based learning environment. This qualitative study explored the process skills of grade 5 students by examining student and teacher-student conversations. Findings indicated that students acquired process skill in three phases, namely, recognition, familiarization, and automation. (IIPI, CMC, discourse analysis)

read about Edward Bakst and creativity.. http://edlab.tc.columbia.edu/files/EdLab_Bakst.pdf Here is a quote: "Bakst is also working on the design of a space that will foster creativity among multiple disciplines. He calls this space the incubator. The incubator will allow creative minds from around the world to socialize , brainstorm , and transform each other’s works. It will be an open space of innovation in all forms." I bold the three words and I think them key words in learning communities and they are on different levels. We lack the emphasis on the third level: transform. This is closely related to my dissertation, too...This is where re-construction of knowledge system begins. Below are some of Bakst's own words: "Life narrows us. It’s a few of us who manage to not be narrowed." "Teaching is basically screwing up students’ minds. It’s wonderful to get your students to a point when they decide to disregard everything they’ve learned and ...

Today I read about ambient intelligence environment. Below are some quotes from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambient_intelligence In computing , ambient intelligence (AmI) refers to electronic environments that are sensitive and responsive to the presence of people...In an ambient intelligence world, devices work in concert to support people in carrying out their everyday life activities, tasks and rituals in easy, natural way using information and intelligence that is hidden in the network connecting these devices (see Internet of Things )... The ambient intelligence paradigm builds upon ubiquitous computing , profiling practices and human-centric computer interaction design and is characterized by systems and technologies that are e mbedded : many networked devices are integrated into the environment context aware : these devices can recognize you and your situational context personalized : they can be tailored to your needs adaptive : they can change in response to you a...

Finish reading the book and chapters on self-organizing natural intelligence and write email to the committee answering Dr. Frick's questions... get started on analysis of data confirming with human subject

For the first time, the game design person collaborates closely with the grant proposal writing/ research team. I really like this approach. John was very patient in describing the details of the design in his mind. And we let him know our research questions and see if the design allows us to answer those questions. We also make it clear that we match the reserach questions based on the design, not vice versa. However, whereever possible, on the condition the game design is not forfeited, the game design will try its best to make the research easier. This approach makes both the designer and the researcher more excited about this project. (ITEST)

Due to problem of submitting using the PureEdge package, submission is now done through Adobe Forms Pilot. Finally, these form names have meaning to me: SF424, PHS... I will get the template done today!! No more delay...

DUNS number: When reading NIH proposal solicitation, I learn this word. It means: Data Universal Numbering System, "a system developed and regulated by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) which assigns a unique numeric identifier to a single business entity" (based on Wikipedia).

Event: BFlex & BFusion 08 Conference September 6, 2008 Place: Kelly Business School Instructor: Matt Boles, Adobe Customer Training I came to the pure Beginner Session. Not sure of my "programming" skills at ALL. The instructor is really nice. Clearly explaining everything and really really patient. So it is easier than I expected, at least till now. That is why I have some extra time to type this blog article... Here are some notes: Introduction tags: cfset cfout cfinclude notes: Manage the DreamWeaver Site: Advanced tab-->Local root: find the local root of the CF administrator folder Edit in the DreamWeaver page: in my old MacroMedia version, choose: Dynamic page, Cold fusion. #sign to put in front of variables to instruct CF to evaluate the value. better practice to scope the variables, such as: #Variables.lastName# is better than #lastName#, although the latter works, too. The CF comment will not make it to the browser, unlike the html comment CF variables are type...

I am cleaning up my Endnote library and are confused about the reference type of "report" and "white paper". A google search finds the following: There are lots of different types of reports, including: Analyst reports Industry reports Analytical reports Book reports (the oddball of this list) Some reports examine data from studies while others take a critical look at a specific topic. Reports usually tend to be highly informative and may include opinions and projections. Reports are generally written by member organizations, like IEEE, Gartner Group or the Society for Technical Communication. White papers: Include both informative AND persuasive information Usually are written by a company or individual for promotional purposes Often are used directly in a sales capacity (as a lead generator or leave-behind piece) Argue a very specific position Discuss processes in detail Often examine benefits of a solution In summary: Reports simply report the facts, where white...

I am reading Sonny's revised proposal for the ID marketplace. It really feels great to see my ideas there, too. When your idea is valued, you feel your own value. Although previously written document was valued too, this one is the first time that my own ideas go to the stage of early design :-)

There are many reserachers... who refer to Novak and Gowin (1984), but clearly mix concept maps with Buzan's (1974, 2000) mind maps, which are much simpler association maps. Most articles published that describe the use of concept mapping refer to Novak and Gowin (1984). Novak (1998) has applied for a trademark of his style of concept mapping: Concept Maps TM. from http://cmc.ihmc.us/papers/cmc2004-206.pdf Example of Concept Map: http://bulsa.helsinki.fi/~maahlber/ Ahlberg, M. & Ahoranta, V. 2002. Two improved educational theory based tools to monitor and promote quality of geographical education and> learning. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 11(2), 119 - 137. http://www.multilingual-matters.net/irgee/011/0119/irgee0110119.pdf "A concept map is a graphical knowledge representation method (Åhlberg, 1990a, 1993), among many (e.g. mind maps, Buzan, 1982, 1993). Concept maps were originally based on Ausubel’s learning theory (Novak &...

I was asked this question in an interview. And it makes me think since after... Just to list some ideas here. Technology literacy includes: knowledge (facts, concepts, principles, etc.) of related technology skills attitudes (how it is related to personal life, learning and career, and how it is related to the society; why it is important to have technology literacy...)

I read this in Will Richardson' Weblogg-ed entry on "Networked Learning Practice" "The more I consider it, the more I find myself moving away from a frame of social networking towards one of networked learning (which is obviously social by nature). More toward the literacies of networked learning."- http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/network-learning-practice/#comments Since I have not attended to his presentation, I am not sure if what I have in my mind matches his. However, it does remind me of one of the research I have thought about doing: "My Network Technology Profile" or something like that. Researchers who study social network study only one network and study each person or message as a node and is interested in the connection between the nodes. However, we know that each person (many at least) have more than one network. For example me, I use wenxuecity, blogger, facebook, msn, skype, and many others. My presence and role in each network is different....

Today I heard a new concept (not really) "teacher 2.0". See this blog: http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/2007/06/schoolnet-unvei.html For me, teacher 2.0 does not necessarily mean teacher who use Web 2.0 tools in their teaching. It means an approach and ideology of teaching that keeps updated with the progress of the world. Interestingly, this blog also have some ideas on Administrator 2.0. This makes me think of many other 2.0s, such as learner 2.0, employer 2.0, employee 2.0, family 2.0, lover 2.0, friend 2.0...:-)