MAC Blog Post 1: Week 2 - Project Proposal

Click the link to view my project proposal.

MAC Blog Post 4: wk 1 reading: Teaching Optimism

I recently completed a master’s program in education and cognitive science.  One of the courses focused on teaching thinking skills and cognitive assets to students. The book The Art of Possibility complements this course well.  I teach the asset of optimism to my students using the ABC approach discussed by Dr. Martin Seligman in his book The Optimistic Child. In addition I use techniques discussed by Dr. Daniel Amen in his book Mind Coach, on how to teach children to be more optimistic. I will definitely include tips and exercises from The Art of Possibility when working with my students in the future.

Optimism is seen as a cognitive asset because it appears to underlie perseverance, which leads to success against difficult odds. Surveys of successful people show that the more optimistic a person is, the more likely they are to keep going until they succeed. If one cannot see possibilities then one cannot see the possibility of success. I strive to teach my students explicitly how to see different points of view and possibilities. We examine case studies and we discuss possible points of view. Engaging in guided practice with an optimist that sees many possibilities seems to be the best way to scaffold people into thinking about the various possibilities and options in the situations life confronts us with. Many of my students suffer from depressive disorders. Seeing life from a negative vantage point is their default setting. I hope that trying to stay positive and teaching them the skills to help them do this will make a positive difference in their lives.

MAC Blog Post 3: Project

My project proposal is going to include my Udutu course created in the LMO class. This project is an e-course to provide background on the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. This is an example of an e-course that can be used by at-risk groups to provide necessary background information for a history class to enhance classroom learning. It can also be used as a stand-alone e-course based on the needs of the target audience.

My thesis is about e-l earning and at –risk students. I have defined at-risk students broadly to include students having difficulties in traditional K-12 school settings; non-traditional students (such as working students with family obligations, and those that are incarcerated.); K-12 students with exceptionalities (both special education and gifted); English as a second language learners, and digital natives.  This is a very broad group that includes most students in public schools in the United States today. This research should benefit teachers and students in many classrooms. I will specify the issues that e-learning can address for each of these groups of students, and tools that can be used to create an e-learning support system to promote successful school engagement, completion, and life long learning by these groups.

An Illustrated Explanation of Disruptive Innovation in Education from Carl Anderson on Vimeo.

MAC Blog Post 2: Comment on Peer’s Blog

“Wk1 Project Content Proposal

I have incorporated Zoho Writer in my thesis as a mean to help new immigrants who have English as their second language. I have the notion in my mind, but it is not the same when I put it to work. There are many factors like lack of technology at home and the social challenge that verbal and written communications playing a major role for these immigrants.

I will continue to development of my content proposal and see how can I have a decent write up. The degree of stress I experience when writing English is extreme and half of the time the final product still needs more work at the end, but I do it over and over until it is complete.

I continue to make Screenflows and iMovies of how to use instructions for students and circling around how to read and use the results. Work in progress I will say.”

POSTED BY DUETIMESR AT 10:42 AM

LABELS: WORK IN PROGRESS, ZOHO WRITER

You definitely need to give yourself an “A”! Congratulations on the progress you have made in this program! I know for a fact that as driven and competent as I am, that I would not be able to complete this program in Spanish the way you have in English. People often forget how difficult it is to translate many things both cultural and language based, between languages. Keep going! You are going to succeed this time just as I am sure you have succeeded at a great many other things in your life. It is great that you are helping immigrants with English as their second language. This is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. Immigrants are the foundation of American culture. Helping new immigrants to be included in this culture adds to American culture in an important way. Keep up the great work!

MAC Blog Post 1: WK 1 reading: The Art of Happiness

This weeks reading was amazing! This assignment validated my way of living and thinking. Often people call me a naïve Pollyanna, and do not understand the way that I choose to see the world.  I am always telling people, especially my students, that we can choose to be happy or we can choose to be miserable. I choose happy.  The story about the Korean student who chose to give himself an “A” as opposed to seeing himself as number 68 is a prime example of the way that I choose to see myself. This is difficult, and requires constant re-evaluation and metacognition on my part, but it is well worth it. The point of view espoused in the Art of  Possibility is the key to happiness.  I have found that self -evaluation and knowing thyself is the first step to happiness. The book speaks well to standards of evaluation and the role they play in point of view. When I lived by other people’s standards I often fell short and was miserable. When I validated my own opinions, created my own standards, and gave myself an “A” by accepting that my opinions and standards were just as valid as anyone else’s; I left the world of blame and inadequacy and entered the world of happiness. The ability to visualize oneself as successful is the key to the type of positive thinking that changes lives and creates the reality of success. This concept is the essential element in many self-help books like Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. Seeing possibilities is truly an art that is at the root of living a magical and successful life.

Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling is a wonderful and engaging way to teach students language arts and storytelling concepts.  Digital storytelling projects can also increase student confidence in their abilities, and can add the  much sought after WOW! factor to a lesson.  Click here for  an example of a digital story written, illustrated, and narrated by an elementary school student. This digital story was created using iMovie, a scanner, and Keynote presentation software.

Phweet

Visit http://phweet.com/ for a conference call option to use with Twitter.