Very interesting style of writing. If you carry on with further graduate studies you will probably have to adopt a less literary, more formal academic style. Your linked resources are interesting but I'm not exactly sure how they support your argument in some cases. I liked the clip of Kris singing Sunday Morning Coming Down but I wasn't sure how it fit.

You have come a long way in this course and your effort certainly qualifies for the overall grade of A. Congratulations and have a great holiday.

Regards,

Glen

The Wild West Web-log

By: Dana Lyle Mader: Mr. Mad...

It is my intention to make this paper a "real time" document: an active, reflective, ever changing research plan in re: to the implementation of Web-logs within that of my classroom proper beginning the New Year (a resolution I may be able keep): second (2nd) semester would seem to suffice seeing that it is that I procrastinate willing, or lack thereof (I am a will not) on resolutions. Why so? My current position within that of Mystery Lake School Division, and R.D. Parker Collegiate, is that of the "Making Education Work" teacher. Making Education Work is an up and running research intervention project sponsored by the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation out of Quebec, in partnership with our Provincial Government here in Manitoba:Research:Pilot Projects. There are six sites in the province: Selkirk, Swan River, Thompson (off-reserve), Cross Lake, Norway House and Peguis (on-reserve). It is our mandate to take thirty program students (self-declaring Aboriginal, Metis or Inuit) in each of the sites as near on to senior four matriculation, and beyond: university, college, on the job training (Hydro,Inco) etc et al as possible within that of our four year time line limitation. Each site, has a thirty student comparison cohort group as well. The comparison group is a mainstream entity not entitled to that which we offer. It is our job: the "MEW Crew", to prop up our side of the equation with any, and all supports possible: resource, counsel, academic and career guidance to name but a few, or deemed necessary, to accomplish our task at hand: the development (not to sound mechanical) of an independent student, capable of communicating (problem solving) via the written, and spoken word, or mathematical equation. We have a year and seven months to go. We teach the students but once a day, not time enough for my liking to adequately address the many needs, wants and candy cane wishes of my students: a stocking(s) filled with something other than broken promises, discarded dreams and the day after the night before, for the per usual sixty plus minute allotment (pending on high school timetable structure) and for the remainder: track and fill the cracks (divides) with intensive interventions and adhesives: pass the duct tape please... Mr. Bush.

The curriculum is a "School Initiated Course" designed to address local student needs while still remaining consistent with that which is being delivered at other sites province wide. Needless to say that this has indeed been, and still is... an on going concern/stressor and point of contention among we, the "Private Ryan's", on the front lines of this research/intervention endeavor. I went to Winnipeg last week (Dec. 5th - 7th) to meet with all other site teachers, our Provincial Coordinator and the "MEW" management team. The management team is comprised of Foundation (CMSF) representatives, Ontario and U.S.A. researchers, and officials from the Department (MECY), out of Winnipeg. So needless to say that I am aware of research, and all that it entails, for I have most certainly been embedded and permalinked deep within, and to it, for the previous/past twenty-seven months. I think I'm about to short circuit: my nerves are frayed and memory capacity/capability fails to recall even that of my home phone number at times.
 

Part of our curriculum responsibility is to deliver relevant computer technologies or application skills to that of our student charge. And by now I guess you can assume correctly that I am indeed struggling with this end of the bargain. Headline: "Old School" teacher attempts to bridge the "Gap", and close the "Divide" between that of a Third (3rd) World Order, and that of a First (1st) World Order, through the use of "New School" technological ideologies: applications to apply. It's time to put down the "tin and cans and string" Barney, and sign on to the Wild West Web, or at least that of the Web-log. So I guess it can be said that I had three motivating influences driving my need to sign up for this I.C.T. course: personal, professional and Pebbles: "Bam, Bam, Bam" - Kick it up a notch!  I've decided to try a Web-log application (If that is the proper word mode of operandi?) introduction into that of my classroom simply because I think it is doable on my part and something that my students would seem to embrace readily. In fact, I'm fairly certain that they would (truth be known, truth be told) teach me more so than that of I them.

So the question begging to be asked is: "What exactly would I use a Web-log for within that of the classroom proper?" The answer, in part, would be "found" in that of a new age, new wave attempt to tap into each, and all, in some way, shape or form... that of the student's learning style, be it: linguistic:singer song writer; logical:Suduku; spatial:Feeling Blue; musical:Tarzan and Jane (now I understand); bodily:Jailhouse Rock; interpersonal:Honey I'm Home, or intra-personal:The Child Who Walked Alone; I think all can be gotten to: learning style assessment. Or as they say in Newfoundland: "Stay where your to Poy (Aboriginal twang), I'll come where your at". Research: The Blogosphere, has further indicated that:

"As he enunciates his opinions daily, this new awareness of his inner life may develop into a trust in his own perspective. His own reactions—to a poem, to other people, and, yes, to the media—will carry more weight with him. Accustomed to expressing his thoughts on his website, he will be able to more fully articulate his opinions to himself and others. He will become impatient with waiting to see what others think before he decides, and will begin to act in accordance with his inner voice instead. Ideally, he will become less reflexive and more reflective, and find his own opinions and ideas worthy of serious consideration." (Who said this? 2000)

Environmental Interlude: In addition to Web-logs being an assumed automatic favorite of the "tree hugger", "paper saver" and Vegan at the plate, this site: Green print:The Story, most certainly aides, assists, abets and provides alibi... to those keenly aware of the eco-"Bigfoot" print we leave behind on a daily basis. A carbonized footprint, might I add, that all too often have both feet planted/rooted on that of the fossilized (minus the forest, we can't see it anyway) Conservative Right as opposed/opposite the Liberal Left and that which they grow in their garden fare (Hemp): "Get behind me Kyoto":The Accord. The politics of protocol? And around the sun we go, counter clockwise and counter productive, to that of Venus and all possibilities heading the other way: If it tis a man's world, then I would assume that we men are most certainly from Mars? Did you know that:

• 35% of the worldwide wood (www) harvest ends up as paper
• The United States throws out 20% of all the paper made in the world
• One fifth of all the tropical rainforests in the world disappeared between 1960 and 1990
• Only 3% of the Earth's water is fresh
• Europe and America have less than one-half of their original forest cover left
  
• "Fresh Kills Landfill" in Staten Island, New York is the highest mountain on the east coast, south of Maine
• It takes about 31 million BTU's to make a ton of paper: enough energy to power a U.S. home for 2 months

 "Global Warming" is but a myth, Georgie Porgie: Nursery Rhymes. Weapons of mass destruction? Yeah! Right! And did you know that there has never gone untested, or unused, any weapon ever invented? Should there then be added to the list... this tool I now do use? Cyber-bullying, cyber- stalking, terrorist propaganda, the hacking of bank accounts (I'm not to worried in re: to this one, hack away) and security systems, unwanted advertising, marketing schemes: spam and e-mails, lest we forget the uploading and downloading of every gadget, gizmo and Gidget (We wish!) this side of the yin yang yo yo and we can begin to understand why it is that all too many of us "old school" individuals: parents, teachers and administrators alike prop up the RRSP's yearly without fail.

So I guess what I'm saying here is that on my 1st endeavor with that of the Web-log, within that of my classroom (I plan to approach this real, real slow now Mr. Mad Hatter), would resemble something similar to that which I tried to create during this course and within that of this paper thus far. As my skill (A bit of a stretch... Ouch!) expands or grows exponentially to the power of one, then my expectations/objectives would of course increase and or alter to that of two or three. But initially I would use this new fangled web-log as a tool of expression: journals, poems, short stories, essays (written/photo) and as a research vessel with parameters: this/the "Final Frontier" is infinite, so we/I need to intentionally cage ourselves/myself Cornelius in order to bring back that which we/I have learned along this "Milky Way"  trail of trial and tribulation. If you can never reach the end of an abyss that has/holds neither bottom, nor top, nor sides... why for the rush? Of course, it would be the/my intention to  instruct, teach and add jings, podcasts, video casts, wiki's and all things "Google" once I have Minored, Majored or Mastered them in between time: A "PHD" offering would be out of the question at this point in the pendulum swing: I suffer from vertigo and can be found on the center left, hopefully not gravitating (God forbid) on over to the other side, Jimmy?

As you can see I am still at the beginner level here, so experimentation (I did not inhale!) is a big part of my intended learning curve: If I swing at the ball and strike out, at least I was at the plate and can be accused (guilty as charged) of not being on cyber-roids. Whenever I pick up on a new entry level, I access it ad nauseum (division by zero) or at least until somebody closes the portal (Stargate) down on me there... Houston -  hence, why for all thee embedded links: I am attempting to remain grounded (I'm looped enough of my own accord.). Some, I would use to explain and further my own professional position and or lack of knowledge: Why the Web?; others I, or that of my students, would use for creative expression of thine ownself. All, I believe, add relevant meaning and learned ambiance to that of the paper passe' and cyber-nautic experience.

And now I'm of to: The American Psychology Association due to the fact that Zotero is driving me towards a much needed visit to that of psychiatrist.

References:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I