StigmergicWeb

I’ve been mostly neglecting this blog for a while. Sorry about that, but it has been a season of endings, beginnings and renewals.

First - some endings. I suppose the biggest ending has been the conclusion of my M.Ed. I don’t have the official piece of paper in front of me conferring that esteemed title upon me, but I think I can safely say that I have finished the degree (before it finished me). My project - an educator’s guide to using digital audio - started off as an interactive web site, spent a short time as a CD-ROM, then finally ended up as a video on DVD. I was happy with a lot of the process of creation, and I learned a lot about using audio to support learning. As for the final product, I’m extremely unhappy. I’m sure that a big part of that is the hard drive pooched during the editing of the videos. I’m also unhappy because I don’t think I created the right product for my topic.

As I was doing the final re-editing of the video, it occurred to me that I was mostly doing talking heady stuff. I had originally intended to have a lot of instructional, semi-geeky screencasts on things like using GarageBand, but when I thought about who this was designed for - teachers who are interested in some quick info so they can use audio as part of their instruction or as a method for student learning - I realized that the how to approach was all wrong. Teachers do need some this is how you do it instruction, but even more important they need and want an idea of how this tool works pedagogically. So, I re-shot and re-edited with that focus in mind. What didn’t occur to me is that changing the focus of the project should have changed the nature of the final project. The final project could have worked much better as straight audio in the form of a CD or as a podcast or both. Considering the nature of my project, I found this epiphany to be rife with irony. It would be nice to re-visit this as a podcast one day. I found some exemplary educational podcasts that I intended to be used in the final project but ended up on the cutting room floor. If you were one of the people I talked to, I apologize for cutting you from the project. I think it would be very interesting to talk to some edu-podcasters as part of an educational audio podcast series. I’ll put this on the someday/maybe list.

More endings - my final class for the M.Ed. I was intending to take a class in the fall/winter of the coming year, but realized that more than anything I just wanted to be done, a sentiment shared by my wife. There was one class in spring session that caught my attention - EDCMM 478: Still Photography in Education. My interest was partially based on my desire to get the degree done but also based on my long-dormant interest in photography. The biggest reason for being interested in this class was that it would be the last class taught by Barry Brown, one of my mentors and advisors in the EDCMM M.Ed. program. It turned out to be a perfect choice. Photography is one of Barry’s great passions in life, and he got me going on taking pictures again. The class was a lot of work - lots of time in the darkroom for the b/w photography section, and two nights a week of driving to and from Saskatoon - but I feel like I’m a better photographer as a result, and I’m enjoying taking photos more than ever. Thanks, Barry, and I hope the retirement thing works out for you.

A minor ending - I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Wow - when the engine room flooded with radiation and Harry had to go in there to restore warp drive. Oh … wait a second, that was The Wrath of Khan. My bad ;^)

Short review - good book, not the best in the series but it does provide an ending to the series that feels satisfactory to me. A number of unresolved questions get answered in the book, and it does give a proper sense of finality to the overall story arc.

Now some beginnings. At work I’m going to be involved in the design of an online course for my school division’s impending online schooling initiative. I haven’t been involved in the design of a complete online course before so this will give me a chance to work more deeply in the world of online learning. This work is especially interesting and daunting since it is the beginning of a new initiative for the school division.

I’ve also started working on a project with Alec Couros. The project is Alec’s - I’m just along for the ride - so I’m not sure it is up to me to give away any details. I think, if I may be allowed a teaser, that the project has to do with tools that are open, connected and social. This ought to be a blast, and I’m really looking forward to working with Alec.

More beginnings start on Monday (yikes - where did the summer go?) when I head back for another year of teaching, learning and other coolness at NBCHS where I’ll be teaching some fun classes and also working with teachers and students using digital tools for learning. I’ve got a few ideas about what I’d like to do this year, but I’m going to work with teachers on the idea of digital storytelling. I’d also like to hold some digital photography workshops for teachers and students during the year. I’ll give Barry the credit for inspiring me to take on that project.

Finally, the renewals. Most important has been renewal of time spent with the family. My wife has been extremely patient while I was working (and playing) my way through the M.Ed., so I’m planning on spending a lot more time with her along with The Boy and The Girl. The boy’s entire life and over half of the girl’s life have gone by while I’ve been working towards the M.Ed. degree. A greater presence in their lives is long overdue.

I should also be doing a little more blogging, and some more podcasting with the posse. I’ve got a show that was recorded in March that is still in production. I’m hoping next year the production process is a bit faster!

OK - that’s the state of my life as the summer draws to a close and a new school year looms in front of me full of new adventures in learning. If you are in the same situation, I wish you good luck and lots of fun in the coming year. Stay tuned for the details of my continuing learning journey and the meagre thoughts and reflections that pass through my brain.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 at 11:10 and is filed under fatherhood, learning, teaching, reflection, life away from the computer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.