Teddy’s Reflection for 03.02.2010
Teddy’s Reflection
For class session 03.02.2010
I was very upset when I could not find the class last session. My arrival to class early was side-tracked by a bathroom run and therefore I was unable to find my colleagues. Sorry about that! Nevertheless, after harrassing a few people to leave our regular class area, I got on the computer to check my email to see if Darren sent a communication. There was none, so I began hunting down the class in Elmer Fudd mode! Behold! Those guys and gals were in the other room, across from the bathroom. Well, I immediately sat down with great relief and Darren very nicely welcomed me into the their midst and the teleconference. It was the most! I was thoroughly enthralled and delighted to speak with our virtual guest lecturer Dr. Elizabeth Barkley. Much of my excitement was due to prior investigation of our speaker. Her work using portfoloios is truly cutting edge in education.
Next, we took time to explain what we read in the various chapters assigned in class. It was a bit overwhelming to attempt to explain such detailed readings in ten minutes. My chapters on “How Children Learn” and the “Mind” were simply awesome. I have read them three more times since our last class. With so much critical information about synoptic connections, retraining the brain and memory development, I find my self feeling less and less of an authority. In essence, I feel like a true amature when attempting to explain these complex topics. We really learn alot of facinating things in CTCH 604!
Jason’s Class Reflection for March 2nd
Last week’s class began with a video conference of sorts. I thought that the guided tour though the e-portfolios was really eye opening. This is a true example of someone “publishing” SToL research. I also began to think (as I’m sure others in the class did as well) about using e-portfolios as a tool to better my own teaching and make my findings public.
I also enjoyed our discussion of the How People Learn reading. Breaking that book into chapters and having everyone focus and explain a few chapters was a great choice. The reading was very detailed and having everyone read it all would not have worked. I also enjoyed hearing about the other chapters from everyone. I never really considered how important understanding brain functions is to teaching and learning. The “hard sciences” surrounding brain functioning could greatly contribute to teaching and learning if they are willing to write at in an accessible manner to those outside of the discipline.
Teddy’s Reflection Log 02.28.2010
Teddy’s Reflection Log 02.28.2010
Reflection of class 02.23.2010
First, let me say that we had a superb class last week in CTCH 604! Dr. Darren Cambridge did a super job of executing the opening of class with the Doubter/Believer game. Prior to that, we had a grand time among ourselves conversing about our assigned textbooks. Excitement prevailed as we shared tidbits of our readings. Class began a few minutes later. We were on a high and ready to play the Doubter/Believer game! The game allows us to pose a research question while others give supporting statements that agree. This represents the “Believer” side. Later, the game turns and is representative of the “Doubter” side. Next, the presenter poses the same research question, while others express points of weakness or flaws. Participants are encouraged to make comments as the presenter take notes quietly. The point here is to help each researcher focus or refine the research question.
Second, we individually gave a synopsis of our assigned textbooks and their relevance to the scholarship of teaching and learning. My book, entitled “Opening Up Education”, covered information concerning open teaching, access, agency, ownership, open content, contextual aspects, open data sharing among researchers-teachers-students, open digital libraries and future open learning environments and resources. Jason’s book “Making the Most of College” documented a collaborative study of student conversations and interviews about the lives of college students from the student’s perspective. Carrie Anne’s book “The Art of Changing the Brain” investigates how biological structures in the brain can be taught in order to make newer & deeper connections (deep…….).
Finally, Aracelie reported on the book “Making Their Own Way”. A wonderful textbook that we all need to read again and again about “Self Development”. It was like a fabulous mini-conference exclusively for CTCH 604 educators. I hope this mini-conference can or will be replicated/duplicated in the next semester of Darren’s course the “Scholarship of Teaching and Learning”. We were totally enthralled and engaged during the entire class session!
Carrie Ann’s 2/23 Class Reflection
Last weeks class gave me new avenues and perspectives on how my research proposal could develop. I agree with my colleagues that the Believer/Doubter game does help you look at your research question/proposal with a fresh perspective. Seeing and hearing others viewpoints and questions on what you are basing your research question is of help. Sometimes you are so close to an idea that you lose sight of areas that can become cloudy and you need someone else to help make ideas a bit more polished and clear. I am now going over my notes from the “game” and changes are being made to my proposal, hopefully now some grey areas aren’t so cloudy now.
I really enjoyed hearing the summaries of my colleagues’ assigned books. Though I do like the book that Teddy presented, I found more of an impetus to read Jason’s and Acaelie’s books. The viewpoints of the students that were interviewed in the books that were reviewed by Jason and Acaelie gave us insight into the student mind, and this is where meaningful academic connections are made. I hope to in the future to read all of the books presented in class since there is so much to learn in the area of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
Jason’s Class Reflection 2/23/10
I really enjoyed our last class session. The Believer doubter game helped me to focus my research question for the semester, and most likely for my dissertation. I came to the conclusion that although my ideal research question would be at a much larger scope, realistically I need to narrow it down. I also got the great feedback of combining my questions to including the independent variable of “teaching to think like a sociologists”. I need to figure out exactly how I am going to build this into my research question, but I think that I am closer after last week’s class.
I also enjoyed hearing the book presentations. Everyone seemed to enjoy their books and did a good job of explaining each. While I tend to focus on how different teaching is between disciplines, activities like this remind me that we all have a lot to learn from the same books.