I knew there was something to this social network thing I participate in. Elizabeth Landau of CNN wrote an article called Happiness is contagious in social networks. It essentially states that someone who is happy in a social network makes others happy. And a happy face in a Facebook profile picture attracts other smiling friends to that person. According to the following video, your health is also affected positively by the gift of happiness.
I was concerned that I may need to unfriend my Facebook and Twitter friends with profile pictures that don’t smile, but apparently I just have to make sure I have an exponentionally higher number of happy people to bring my own joy meter up. Anyways, it’s time to spread some cheer. So, are you smiling in your profile picture?
I’ve been trying hard to see the future as bright, but certainly we are going through many issues that deter me from that outlook. For example, I have usually buy extended warranties with purchases of large item electronics because I feel I am investing in peace of mind. Such was the case in purchases of a Roomba and a Robosapien V2 more than a year ago from Sharper Image. Now I am in a quandry because I don’t have an opportunity to take my items to a retail store when the items I set out to protect fail. It has caused me to question the wisdom of my decisions.
This is happening in other areas. Yes, I have been the victim of viral e-mail warning me not to purchase gift cards. But such a warning feeds upon our fragile minds when we once thought our decisions were made on solid ground.
Should we “rethink” perceptions about the products that tantalize me? It seems that way, as illustrated by Bart Simpson explained in a Mapple video.
I have had times when I almost upgraded my mobile phone again because it could do so much more. I was tempted just this week to buy the latest holiday lights because my current set does not seem as bright as the new ones I see my neighbors displaying.
But I have been more determined not to covet (grounded in my own beliefs) and instead appreciate where I am as well as those around me. Furthermore, I see that giving my time has been more valuable, whether I teach Sunday School at Church of the Open Door, volunteer for Computer-Using Educators of Los Angeles, or spend time with my family at home. And much pleasure do I feel when contributing to my PLN through Twitter, Facebook, and other networks (hmmm, Yoda speak).
So what are other ways to change the way I see things? This is my 2 minute brainstorm:
Today in our LAUSD Local District 5 Principals Meeting, we showed video footage of Dalton Sherman’s address to the Dallas Independent School District. Of course, this 5th grade student from Charles Rice Learning Center spoke in front of Dallas administrators, teachers, and other faculty and staff back on August 25, 2008. But since then, his words have made the YouTube circulation and has been blogged about by a number of educators (funny, I guess I’m contributing to this fervor).
The reaction by administrators and Local District 5 faculty was still of unanimous inspiration. It is amazing how this young orator is able to connect with not just those in the 17,000+ audience at American Airlines Center, but also to so many via the videosharing circuit (YouTube, TeacherTube, etc.). So many principals came up to me during the break to find out how they could get a copy. My response was to search for it in TeacherTube. I stated, “Just search/type: Do You Believe in Me?”
I was able to make it to EduBloggerCon “West” 08 for some timely professional enrichment and finally meeting face-to-face several people that are part of my personal learning network (via Twitter, EdTechTalk, Classroom 2.0, etc.). The informality and fluidity of the day was a nice alternative to the more structured feel of the main 2008 CUE Conference that goes into full swing today.
It was wonderful to also have others not at Palm Springs, California join through the live video stream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/edtechlive. I find it wonderful that I can now access archived clips from one of the session rooms in EdubloggerCon “West” 08 by visiting the Edtechlive Ustream channel.
We ended the day with a discussion about the viability of holding events such as this in the future. One of the issues brought up included how it has transformed from a gathering of edubloggers (writers and readers) into more of a gathering of educators advocating for change in how we should facilitate learning. Is the EduBloggerCon name misleading? I found it interesting that one fellow colleague at this event mentioned his apprehensions of attending because he thought that much of this would be focused primarily on blogging. Others may argue that the name is already becoming familiar to those that have participated in the initial iteration of EduBloggerCon. Nevertheless, the consensus was that this was a valuable day and should be held again in the future. Of course, those going to NECC 2008 in San Antonio, Texas will have that opportunity. If anyone is heading to San Antonio, Texas early enough on Saturday, June 28, 2008 and is interested in attending EduBloggercon 2008, go to the wiki at http://www.edubloggercon.com/NECC+2008.
Yesterday, I was disturbed by both a conversation I had with a colleague as well as reading an editorial in the Washington Post. But my spirit and passion were re-energized by blog posts that further looked at the issues brought up by the dialog I engaged in as well as the editorial I am referring to.
First, one of my colleagues told me about his struggles with implementing the use of a collaborative tool in schools (I’ll be writing this in general term so I don’t out any of the people involved in this discussion). The issue involved this person’s experience with having the accounts to access this tool made available for teachers but finding it not being used once the resource was made available. So when he was given a request by the school to provide access to more accounts, he suggested that they first learn how the tool could be applied to classroom instruction with the help of his facilitation. Unfortunately, his immediate supervisor showed dismay in denying the request for more accounts. The dilemma for my colleague was that he believed they should learn how to use the tool with what they already have to encourage the rest of the faculty to see the value in its use. My own opinion regarding this would be that implementation of the tool would not succeed at the school unless it was rolled out with professional development that shows the potential value of the resource and increase the chance for the faculty to have buy-in.
At the same time, I read an editorial titled A School That’s Too High on Gizmos that was published recently in the Washington Post and written by English teacher Patrick Welsh at T.C. Williams High School, expressing his feelings toward the implementation of technology tools in his school. He blamed the wasted class time and low staff morale on the different tools that the teachers were expected to use. This has certainly caused many to criticize his writing, but it also served as an illustration of how technology tools introduced without buy-in from the faculty will certainly doom projects that were meant to help students in their learning. How timely it was that I could depend on my personal learning network on Twitter to guide me to two posts responding to the Welsh editorial that helped ease the tension regarding this issue. I first read Sylvia Martinez’s take in the Generation YES Blog post titled Oh there’s so much wrong with this story. Her examination of the editorial included pointing out that Mr. Welsh created a sense of false choices when he quoted a principal at another high school saying, “[Technology] will never replace good teaching.” Like Sylvia Martinez, I do not think anyone is claiming that technology is supposed to do that. But the use of technology in the classroom provides more ways to engage the learner, provides a venue for a variety of expression, and brings so much more to the teacher if implemented with guidance.
Late last night, I also read Diane Cordells’ post in Journeys titled The Extension of a Man’s Hand. She looked at the Mr. Welsh piece and posted several questions to try and further understand the situation. For example, she asked, “What professional development was provided for staff members in preparation for moving into such a high-tech facility?” Her thought-provoking probe into T.C. Williams High School provided me with personal support in my beliefs that you cannot just offer up a tool and expect others to use it or want to use it. I like what Diane Cordell wrote in her post and provide it here:
“Tools change but the need to facilitate learning remains constant. It is possible to educate students without high-tech “gizmos” but when they are available, it is foolish and irresponsible not to utilize them.”
And so I find my task to help facilitate the learning necessary for teachers to use technology in ways that are valuable to student achievement. When I lose my heart to continue on with this personal goal, I find others who help me down the “yellow brick road” to find it. This form of collaborative learning continues to benefit me.
