EdVentures in Technology
teaching, learning and change
July 10, 2007 at 10:19 pm · Filed under EdTech, Higher Education, PSU E-Learning Blog, TechTalk
I’m down in Boston, Mass. and today was day one of Blackboard’s user conference. Steven Leavitt of Freakonomics fame gave the opening keynote and did an admirable job. My takeaway points:
- Incentives matter - For both good and bad. Leavitt opines that anything worth winning is worth cheating for. My take, if you make the prize too valuable, people will often cheat to obtain it (he sites the example of tax returns prior to the requirement to include your dependents SSNs and the overnight “disappearance” of over 7 million children that tax year). But also, folks like to feel like they are valued and therefore it is important to ensure that the incentive is relative to the task.
- One small idea can tip the balance - In the example above, a single IRS employee made the suggestion twice over a period of years. His suggestion, once acted upon, has meant an over 30 billion dollar increase in revenue. You never know when your one simple suggestion could have such an enormous impact, so act!
- Education is ripe for a revolution - We’re still trying to teach the same way we did 40 years ago. The corporate world has evolved, why hasn’t education? By the way, Leavitt also mentioned that the idea of tenure in the world of higher education has to go because it no longer serves it’s original purpose and now simply ensures that mediocrity is rewarded. I’m sure that will stir the pot with educators but perhaps he has a point.
I just finished listening to Tapscott’s Wikinomics, perhaps I should now add Leavitt’s Freakonomics to my list.
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July 3, 2007 at 5:05 pm · Filed under Creativity, Learning Theory, Random Thoughts, Teaching & Learning
Now that I have your attention, I will shamelessly admit that the title was just a hook. Yes, you should read this book. If not for yourself, for your children or for your neighborhood’s children. My thanks to Christian Long over at think:lab for his post which brought The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden to my attention.
I just happened to be online in a Borders bookstore after an off-campus meeting when his post came in to my reader. Checked out the author’s site, watched their video, and immediately bought the book for my own motley crew. My seven year old is already hard at work on his knots, having mastered the reef knot and clove hitch, working on developing his own mnemonic for the figure-8 and trying to figure out the bowline.
What I love about this book is that it encourages kids (and those of us refusing to grow up) to get out and play like we used to. As has been pointed out in the blogosphere, learning is messy. So is life. Yes there will be bumps, bruises and tears along the way, but they make the laughter, joy and happiness (dare I say learning?) all the sweeter. This book is just one more reminder.
Now get out there and play!
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April 23, 2007 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Twitter Log
- @elsua: Hey Luis, probably doing a lot of post-winter clean-up, and a bunch of time with my kids! Hope you’re feeling better! #
- @elsua: Good night Luis, catch you later. #
- @davecormier: So how did tonight’s EdTechWeekly show go? #
- Go BoSox! Back to back to back home runs to tie the game at 3. Manny, J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell. I almost feel bad for their pitcher, NOT! #
- NO WAY - Back to back to back to back home runs! Varitek was not to be denied! #
- 4-3 Sox over the hated Yankees on 4, count ‘em 1…2…3…4, back to back homers. I have never seen that! #
- @coolcatteacher: Don’t get me started on IT sabotaging pedagogical uses of tech in learning. My wife is running into that in her school too. #
- OMG I am sooo tired of listening to the ESPN Yankee fanboyz. Give me RemDawg! #
- Enjoying the rest of the Sox-Yankees rivalry, then hitting the rack. G’night all… #
- Sox SWEEP the Yanks!!! #
- Ok, now going to bed. #
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April 22, 2007 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Twitter Log
- Sox over the Yanks 7-5. w00t! #
- @jutecht: Howzit bruddah? How’s your rescuee? #
- @jutecht: Yeah, that’s how we ended up with our fish, and our rabbit, and our mouse, and our ball python. Good luck with that! #
- @jutecht: I’m very sorry to hear about the kitten Jeff. At least she was knew love before the end. #
- Minor scare this morning - our short tail ball python escaped from her cage and was MIA. Found her in the kids toys. Hunting maybe? #
- Starting vacation - a whole week. What am I going to do? #
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April 21, 2007 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Twitter Log
- 2800 hits yesterday - Holy smoke! More than double my best day ever. #
- Good morning to my Twitter friends! It’s glorious mornings like these that I wish our conversations were real rather than virtual. #
- @jutecht: Rock on Jeff, that’s one lucky kitten. Still trying to convince our rescued ball python she wants to eat! #
- 70+ degrees and I’m still shoveling snow! Only in New England… But at least I can sit on my deck again! #
- Summer is coming - Beach volleyball on the tube, Sox v. Yanks this afternoon. My first sunburn at yesterday’s media support event. Oh joy! #
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April 20, 2007 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Twitter Log
- Getting prepped for an off-site media setup - big fundraising effort for campus PE center. Lots of big mucky-mucks. Oh boy! #
- @crafty184: Firefox baby! If only to have a backup browser! #
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April 20, 2007 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Twitter Log
- Getting prepped for an off-site media setup - big fundraising effort for campus PE center. Lots of big mucky-mucks. Oh boy! #
- @crafty184: Firefox baby! If only to have a backup browser! #
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April 19, 2007 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Twitter Log
- At home after school concert, watching the Sox and trying to relax. I don’t think I’m succeeding. #
- Coming out of a great meeting with a faculty member. We’re working on getting two of their courses online for the summer term. #
- Bb dev phone conference in 15 minutes. #
- Heading to hold a faculty workshop on Microsoft Vista and Office 2007 #
- None of our faculty apparently care about new OS’s or versions of Office. Wonder if they will care in the fall? #
- Back from a WebCT workshop on the Assignment tool. #
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April 18, 2007 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Twitter Log
- Made it home, thank god for the kindness of neighbors. Ours spent a lot of his time plowing our drive (or attempting) and in a suit no less! #
- In to work after doing the vehicle shuffle. Road is now passable for high clearance 2WD vehicles but my poor Matrix would be wrecked! #
- @coolcatteacher: I missed breakfast, any more waffles? #
- @jutecht: Check out some of the Skype add-ons. There’s a Pamela call recorder that might work. Check out Jeff Lebow’s WebCast Academy. #
- @jutecht: http://tinyurl.com/yrwsxk #
- @jutecht: Regarding posting your Twit log to your blog, I use Twitter Tools. http://alexking.org/projects/wordpress #
- @coolcatteacher: That’s the one thing I miss about living down south, the incredible food! Yes, I even miss the grits with honey not cheese! #
- In a Portal Content Committee meeting prepping for Luminis 4 rollout. #
- Back from Portal Content Committee meeting, touching down in my office before lunch with a faculty member. Busy afternoon ahead! #
- Off to lunch with faculty member to discuss a library technology plan. #
- At ITS Managers meeting #
- Finished classroom tech walkthrough, now in a Techology Advisory Group meeting talking about outsourcing campus email. #
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April 17, 2007 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Twitter Log
- Well it was a long walk in on what is left of my driveway! Not sure if I’ll be going anywhere tomorrow if the brooks keep rising… #
- In MIS meeting but at least I could get out albeit via 4WD. #
- Making the trek home and wondering how the roads are… #
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