Wk 4 Comments on Kwasida's Blog

Kwasida's original post:

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Week 4: Reading - The Art of Possibility

The last couple of chapters of the Zander's the Art of Possibility were empowering. The following were my take- a ways from practices 9-12.

-It's important to not about forcing, tricking or quilt-tripping someone into doing things your way. Enrollment is about helping to generate a spark of possibility for others to share.

- "Rename yourself as the board on which the whole games are being played. You move the problematic aspect of any circumstance form the outside world inspire the boundaries of yourself. With this act you can transform the world."

-  "Invent and sustain frameworks that bring possibility. It is about restricting meanings. Creating visions, and establishing environments where possibility is spoken-where the buoyant force of possibility overcomes the pull of the downward spiral."

-"Tell the WE story-the story of the unseen threads that connects us all, the story of possibility."

Wk 4 Comments on Nesdon's Blog

Nesdon's original post:




Posted on April 24, 2012

Lorenz Attractor

We are each, in whole and part, just small segments of a gigantic interconnected system, in which everything we do, every thought, word and deed, changes in some way the course or the unfolding of the universe. In the early 70’s, Edward Lorenz, working on chaos theory, used the example of a flap of a butterfly wing creating a tornado in Texas.
Many people see this as a metaphor, but in fact it is a mathematical and scientific fact. Chaos theory describes how very small differences in initial conditions can have large effect in the eventual development of the system. In fact in terms of barometric pressure, the main value meteorologists use to track weather patterns, what Lorenz realized was that tiny fraction of a millibar change that the flap of butterfly wing might cause, could actually, when plugged into a computer simulation of a weather forecast, be the difference between having a tornado form or not form some days later.





It is in this way that each of us cannot help but “be the board” and that it is always the story of WE that we are each telling. Our individual natures are in so many ways illusions, albeit powerful and seemingly concrete ones, but trying to see the reality of what is, the profound and infinite connection that exists between each molecule within us and without, and to take responsibility for our reality, in whatever miniscule ways we can (and our power is always miniscule when seen from a sufficiently grand perspective) can be very liberating and empowering.

My response to Nesdon's post can be found here:

Jessica Wunder on April 25, 2012 at 2:57 pm said:

 

Nesdon,

I loved your very first sentence in this post:“We are each, in whole and part, just small segments of a gigantic interconnected system, in which everything we do, every thought, word and deed, changes in some way the course or the unfolding of the universe.”By the end of this weeks reading, that was the idea I held in my own head. It felt like that idea: of interconnectedness (and the impacts we as individuals have on each other) was the true essence of the book.While I may have disagreed with certain aspects, ideas and approaches in the book, this overall ideal is one I agree with whole heartedly.I’ve always been fascinated by the “butterfly effect” of chaos theory, and I too didn’t realize it held it’s basis in scientific theory. Thank you for that.I also agree and appreciate your last sentence, which seems appropriate that i agree with your very first and very last statements, which deal with a connected nature. 

Wk 4 Reading: The Art of Possibility Ch 9 - 12

Image: manostphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Chapter 9 brings many ideas, among them passion (lighting a spark) and attitude. 

It was the latter idea, one of attitude, that got my attention as i read. The idea that it's not always what you are asking for, but HOW you are asking for it, that matters. People want to help, many more so than they realize, but it often takes the right approach to reach that well of good nature. 

Again, through artful language Zander reminds us that our own perspective on a situation greatly influences how we interact with others in that situation, even when we don't realize it. If we can change our perspective (into something more positive), we at least stand a change at changing the outcome.

It was this sentence that really lit the light bulb above my head for this chapter:

"Like a tap to a  kaleidoscope that shifts identical pieces of glass into different patterns, the scene changed before out eyes from bankruptcy to abundance with just the slightest nudge to the frame".  

The Art of Possibility, Zander and Zander, pg 116.

Beautiful.

And of corse, reality isn't always like this. Poor is still poor, whether quality, finances, etc. However, perspective and attitude can make all the difference between a closed door and an opened one. 

"Being the Board" (the next chapter, Ten) follows up nicely on this concept, although it does rehash some of the same ideas. The chapter discusses the idea of framework (or at least that's my interpretation of it). 

But then we move into Chapter 11 which directly states it's about framework, and then goes into more detail and more discussion of framework. 

So now i'm left wondering what it was i was supposed to get out Chapter 10. Or rather, what is chapter 10 really about?

It seems to be this weird in-between mixture of Ch 9 and 11. 

But the 12th, and last chapter sums everything up nicely i think. The result of everything said previously, the sum of all the previous ideas… that the life journey of an individual isn't really about just the individual, even if they think or desire that to be so. Everything we do influences someone else in some way, so we should do what we can to make those influences positive ones, to impact the society of "US".

I rather like that idea. 

Image: Sarunyu_foto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wk 4 Leadership Project: Article and Sharing

My leadership project, the culmination of these last 11 months of hard work, is a paper that I plan to submit to at least two, if not three journals.

My paper pulls together all the parts of CBR we have been doing: research (literature review), implementation (methodology), data analysis (Results) and reflections (conclusion).

I plan on submitting to three journals:

http://www.nctm.org/publications/jrme.aspx

1. The  Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 

This journal is part of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, which is the organization that came up with a wide collective of virtual manipulatives for use in the classroom. It was here that I got the idea and many of the resources for my CBR project, and I look forward to being able to add my experiences with these manipulatives to the collective of information they provide.

http://www.aace.org/pubs/jcmst/default.htm

2. The Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching      

The title kind of says it all, as this journal focuses on instructors using computers to teach math and science and according to their site... "is the only periodical devoted specifically to using information technology in the teaching of mathematics and science."   
My project, studies and findings focus specifically on the proposed benefits, and results of actual implementation of using computers and tech to teach mathematics, so I think my article would be a good fit here

http://www.aace.org/pubs/ijel/

3. The International Journal on E-Learning

Is another publication I am considering, as they too focus on the results of actual implementation  of "E-learning". This has a much broader audience, including businesses and technical education, so I'm not sure if my article will fit in, but i would like to submit and see what they say.

You can read about the journey and steps I've taken this month to decide upon, create and consider publication for my article in these posts:

1. Wk 1 Leadership Blog Post: Leadership Role Model
2. Wk 2 Leadership Blog Post: To Publish or Present
3. Wk 3 Leadership Blog Post: Where and Who to Submit To?

And finally, you can find the actual article, in all it's rough draft glory here:

Improving Student Engagement and Motivation in College Algebra with Virtual Manipulatives 

Wk 3 Comments on Michael's Blog

Michael's original post:

Week 3 Leadership Post: Where Do I Want To Share My Project?

When I first discovered that I would be needing to share my work on a larger scale, I sort of freaked out about it.  After taking a deep breath and realizing what was being asked of me, the answers essentially became no-brainers.  There are a few options that I could have chosen, but I have decided to go with two in particular, with a few potential back-ups to mention as well.

My first choice is a well-known state convention that's as large as almost any national convention of its kind: The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Annual Clinic & Convention.  Tens of thousands of music educators, professional musicians, exhibitors and students descend upon San Antonio, Texas every year to partake in all of the learning opportunities and other festivities that go on during this four day period.  Texas is a major player in the way music education is crafted nationally, so presenting my work here has great potential to have a ripple effect on a national level.

What makes my first choice a potential home run is how it directly effects my second choice.  The Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME) is partnering with TMEA this upcoming year, meaning that submitting for one organization is essentially submitting for them both!  My hope is that my work is of value to other music educators, and that I am given the opportunity to demonstrate that work for a very large and exceptional audience such as that which will be attending these conventions.

Some other places I had considered presenting are the National Association for Music Education, and The Midwest Clinic that occurs in December in Chicago, but their windows for submissions have already closed.

Posted 36 minutes ago by Michael

Labels: impact sharing TMEA week 3 TI:ME national leadership

You can see my comment to Michael's post here:

 Michael,

The first lines of your post made me smile, as they reminded me of my own post and the process I took to determine where I was going to submit.

It is a daunting process! It's easy to get "freaked out" and overwhelmed. And, as I mentioned in my own post, now is when it gets a little more "real", which, I think, causes the freak out to become even more pronounced.

But, like you mentioned, the reality of the situation is much less scary and complicated.
I'm glad you were able to find sources that meet your needs so well. I too am pretty excited to submit my work to the journals I found.

I wish you the best of luck! We're almost done. :)

Wk 3 Comments on Carl's Blog

Carl's original post:

MAC Wk 3 – Leadership: Is That Your Final Answer?

Apr 21

Posted by shuptrine

After digging a little deeper into all of the journals I listed in my last post I determined that I was way off the mark. The old adage is true, “never judge a book by its cover.” Most of the journals I found last week were either tied directly to a University and had limited, if any type, of distribution outside of the campus boundaries, or the focus and scope did not match my research.
So I started over and after a period of struggle where nothing seemed to be the right fit, I finally decided on the following two periodicals.
1. Techniques – Techniques is the primary publication of the Association for Career and Technical Education. I’m drawn to this publication for a number of reasons. First, my CBR was implemented in a CTE class. Secondly, they have an entire series within the publication dedicated to career readiness. This topic is directly related to my literature review, and much of my data indicates the challenge-based learning process enhances career readiness. I also had the opportunity attended a regional ACTE conference last week, and listened to many great presentation and participated in a number of excellent round tables. So needless to say I am still feeling a bit euphoric and would love to add my voice to this organization.

2. Contemporary Issues In Education Research (CIER) – This publication appears to be a bit more formal than the first but a few elements interested me in the CIER as well. The CIER has an open access policy based on the principle “that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.” I was turned off by many of the “members only” policies I found at many of the other journals I encountered. This makes me think of a bunch of old academics that close-minded to anything outside of their own research, so the open access policy of the CIER was a welcome relief. I also believe that my research about the CBL process along with career and college readiness fits nicely with their goal of “understanding cutting edge issues in education.” The only down side I discovered about this journal is the $60 submission fee and the $250-$450 publication fee. I suppose if they deem my article worthy this is a small price to pay to add my voice to the evolution of human discovery.

 You can read my response to Carl's post here:



Jessica Wunder | April 22, 2012 at 4:27 pm

Carl,
It was refreshing and interesting to read your post about digging deeper into the reality of the distribution of the journals you were looking into. Many people would simply have looked t the titles, submitted the papers and be done with it. Your dedication to really reaching out and striving to make a genuine difference in the methods and attitude in education is amazing.
I find I also admire your willingness to start over and re-start your search because the what you found didn’t meet your needs (and high standards). Again, I think a certain number of people would have said “whatever” and not taken that extra time.
Your comments about “feeling a bit euphoric” resonated with me. I too am quite excited about submitting to the journals i have chosen, and find myself nervous, excited, and anxious, all at once, at the idea of submitting.
I am glad my journals do not have the high publication fees yours does. Yikes! I must admit, again, your dedication is outstanding if you are willing to pay that publication fee. It would honestly make me think twice (Where is all that money going to anyway?)
But I wish you the best. I loved your last sentence: “I suppose if they deem my article worthy this is a small price to pay to add my voice to the evolution of human discovery.”
(even if I think the fees are too high myself)

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Wk 3 Leadership Post: Where and Who to Submit to?

 I must confess…that I put this particular activity/ blog post off for a bit. Or at least, I put it off by my standards.

I usually start thinking about my blog posts for the week, well, the starting Monday of the week. By the time i sit down and write them (usually Friday) I've spent several days already, if not the entire week thinking, and mulling them over, composing sentences in my head, editing, etc.

Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But this time I put it off. I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps because the idea of actually submitting to a publication is kind of daunting, and this post makes that process more "real" but having us not only consider, but commit (in a fashion) to that process of submitting to a publication.

I told myself that I was putting it off because i thought this particular post would be easy: pick two journals to submit to, and write about it. Easy.

Whatever the reason (most likely, a mixture of both), I didn't really think about it too much. I put it off, and put it away in my mind.


So of course, when I set down this weekend to actually look at the publication list and decide and write my post, it wasn't quite as simple as I imagined.

The list was long and daunting.

Where to start?? Who to submit to?

How would i choose? What criteria would I use?

Again, another admission… I have to admit I just kind of sat and stared at the list for a few minutes, before coming to any sort of coherent conclusion. I just, took it all in.

After a few moments, sense took over and I started to come up with ideas for criteria and formulate in a plan.

I won't detail that particularly boring bit of process, but in the end two journals won out (and perhaps a third):

1. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education
(http://www.nctm.org/publications/content.aspx?id=10160)

Once I saw the name, I knew I wanted to check it out. Once i realized they were affiliated with the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics), I knew I had to submit. The NCTM sponsored the website of virtual manipulatives that i used for my capstone project, and it was their site and information that helped a lot in brainstorming and research for my project. 
While at first when the process of submitting a paper was presented, I told myself i would mind or be upset if my paper wasn't accepted. But i have to say I'm kind of excited about submitting to the NCTM after reading all their work and using their resources. I really hope my submission is accepted to this journal.


and

2. The Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching
(http://www.aace.org/pubs/jcmst/default.htm)

My project was about using technology to improve student motivation and engagement with math and this appears tone an entire journal dedicated to that prospect. I'm pretty excited to submit to this journal as well.



I'm also considering the International Journal on E-Learning.
(http://www.aace.org/pubs/ijel/)

Because another one wouldn't hurt, right? I just need  to check their submission requirements to see how much extra time/work would be required to submit.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

and while this marks the "reality" of starting to create and submit a scholarly paper for submission, I find that if I'm honest with myself, I'm more excited by the prospect than scared.

And in another sense, this marks the "beginning of the end" of the EMDT program. This is both a happy and a sad thing to think about, but that's a whole other post in itself. Perhaps that will be next one.

For now, I have a paper to write!

Wk 3 Reading: The Art of Possibility Chapters 5 -8

As i have said before, I find moments where I agree with the text, and moments where I disagree.
But I really enjoyed the chapter on "Leading from Any Chair" the most. While in other chapters I found myself agreeing with parts of a chapter, but not others or even the majority, here I found myself agreeing for much, if not all of this chapter.

I really liked his image/example of a conductor, in making the point.

Luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This seance especially struck me that "….but his [the conductor's] true power derives from his ability to make other people powerful."

While it applies acutely to the example of a conductor, this idea can really be applied to anyone in a position of authority, and especially management.

As many grumbling employees in any position may attest, managers themselves don't always do a lot. It's often the employees below that do the "grunt" work (hence the term). But, a mangers "power" resides in his ability to empower those below him or her and inspire them.




I appreciate the idea of the "White sheet", and wish more working environments used them and used them *honestly*, where employees aren't afraid to give feedback.

Also by offering others the ability to provide feedback, and contribute, they feel like they "own" part of the conversation, business, practice, etc. When people have that sense of ownership, they do strive to do and be better.

And I think that should be the focus of any leader; to encourage others to become their leaders in their own right, and to constantly strive to be better.

This also ties into the 8th "practice"/chapter of giving way to passion. We as educators, and leaders, have the ability, and maybe even the responsibility to inspire and promote the spark of passion in our students, and even each other as fellow educators. I like, and agree with the idea that just as important it is to "find" one's passion, it's equally important to continue to nuture it, lest one becomes numb and forgets the purpose…  or, as it is more eloquently stated:

"Like the person who forgets he is related to the waves in the sea or loses continuity with the movement of win through grass, so does the performer lose his connection to the long line of the music when his attention rests solely on perfecting individual notes and harmonies."
The Art of Possibility, Zander and Zander, pg 116.

It is so easy to lose sight of the larger picture and your bigger goal, when you get stuck in the mundane, repetitive tasks that are required for that larger picture. I agree it's important to remember and get back in touch with that initial passion… however, I feel the chapter/author is lacking and disappointing in helping the reader to understand or find realistic ways to actually get back in touch with that passion.





This book, ironically, has a lot of potential, but falls short in the worst places I think.

There are many examples, anecdotes and stories of experiences and elegantly worded passages, but not always a lot of practical sense or advice.


Perhaps I need to read it again.

Wk 2 Wimba Archive comments

Wk 2 Wimba

The wimba gods have not been smiling on me this month. I had a bad reaction to something the night of the week 2 wimba and spent the night alternating between being sick and sleeping.

I look forward to attending in week 3. really!

I had watched all the copyright videos prior to the wimba session and prior to watching the archive, so this session felt much like a review.

I liked that there were intermediate polls to interact with the wimba session. Sometimes wimba sessions can be tedious and I like bits of interaction, even if they are simple polls. It was fun to test my own knowledge of copyright, taking the polls.

(I was pleased to see i got the first one "Copyright basics: Definition of Copyright" correct. )


It was good to see a discussion of copyright vs trademark vs patents. I know many people are often confused about the differences in these, and I frequently hear students make comments or assertions about copyright that really fall under trademark laws.


Again, much of what was covered in this session was review for me. It seemed that the wimba session mirrored/was a reiteration of the videos we were to have watched already.

I did enjoy the fair use section, as it was a good refresher, and i  think that is the one of the more important aspects of copyright, especially for educators.

 I was glad to hear the discussion about copyright and how the laws affect artists and education, in both positive and detrimental ways.
I liked the idea that was presented (I don't remember who said it) about creating/having a website to collect or act as resource to get "quotes" for using songs for educational use.

He had a good point about how sometimes it's not the cost, but the hoops one has to jump through to get permission to use a song that is the most difficult for students, educators and artists.

The entire discussion really highlighted how much copyright law needs to be revised, and I think, personally, that specific clauses/laws should be created for educational use. Yes, we have educational use under fair use, but as was discussed, the laws are unclear, and the process so difficult, that educators currently are left either 1. breaking the law, or 2. not teaching as effectively as they could.

It's a shame that so many educators struggle in the sea of laws of mis information. I think more educators need to have the kind of discussions that were held in wimba, and even asking for changes from our legislature.

Wk 2 Comments on Alison's Blog

Alison's original post:

EMDT Month 11 – Alison Oprea

The Art of Possibility Chapters 1-4

April 13, 2012

As I read the first four chapters of The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, I started to reflect on how their ideas impact me.  As I was growing up, there was an unspoken expectation that I was going to do “right” – go to college, get a good job, get married and have my 2.5 kids.  I was afraid to fail.  Because I was afraid to fail, I took no risks.  In college, my viola professor was desperately trying to get me to play a piece I was working on more passionately, but I just didn’t get it.  Trying to get me to open up, she told me to yell.  Yell anything.  Scream.  But I couldn’t do it – in fact, I couldn’t even make a sound.  To me, that was so wrong, and definitely NOT proper.  However, over time I started to realize that that was exactly what I needed.  All these ideas of what were right and wrong and what was expected of me were all things I had conjured up myself.  I was hurting myself in this “safe” place I kept myself in.  I began to take risks, and I began to see the world differently.  While I allowed myself an A in many things, I realize now that there is so much more I should be giving myself an A in.  Not only that, but giving others around me an A.  Changing that perspective and opinion in others, be it students, colleagues, friends or family,  I can only begin to imagine the difference in changing my life as well as others.
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You can see my comment to Alison's post here:

Alison,
I can definitely understand the "unspoken expectation that I was going to do “right” and not wanting to take risks because of that expectation.

However, my own life and experiences FORCED me to take risks, if i wanted to continue with what was expected of me. Eventually, I was able to separate myself from what was expected, and came to conclusions about what I wanted and started taking risks based on what *I* wanted.

But those initial issues in my life forced me to become comfortable with making (and assessing) risks.


Reading everyone's posts about this book has made me *really* think about how different experiences radically change people's outcomes on life and continues in a spiral to continue to affect how we think and act. This seems to be part of the central thesis of the book, along with how to stop that spiral.

I may not agree with all parts of this text, but it has definitely made me think and assess my own ideas, ideals, experiences and outlooks on life.

Wk 2 Comments on Dwayne's Blog

Dwayne's original post:

Wk2 – Reading

Chapter 1 - “It’s All Invented Anyways”

The idea that jumped out at me during this chapter was to enlarge the box. In doing so, new opportunities appear. I love the illustration that he gave of the nine dots in the shape of a box. In the instructions, It said to connect the dots with four straight lines without taking the pen from the paper within the square framed by the outer dots. There is really no way to complete this problem. It is impossible to connect all four dots with four straight lines. I believe sometimes in our creativity, we are confined by limitations and rules that others or ourselves have put upon us. We kill our creativity this way. Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to rewrite the rules just as was done in his illustration. By simply altering the phrase and inserting, “Fill free to use the whole sheet of paper”, it then gave you the ability to complete the task. Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to use the whole paper.

Chapter 2 – “Stepping Into A Universe of Possibility”

Measurement – It is amazing how we measure our lives, our goals, our finances, and our relevance to those around us. The author stated, “We grow up in a world of measurement, and in this world, we get to know each other and things by measuring them, and by comparing and contrasting them.” Even tonight as I took my son to the ball field to practice baseball, we met up with a young friend of his. They both took turns batting and throwing and they had a great time together. On the way out, all my son wanted to find out from me was “Did he throw better than his friend? Did he hit better than his friend? Who did I think was a better player?” My mind went back to reading this chapter. Sometimes we just need to let life unfold. We don’t need to measure ourselves all of the time against others. We need to self-evaluate on our own strengths and weaknesses and set goals for ourselves.

Chapter 3 – “Giving An A”

I love when the author talked about training young musicians from early childhood urging them to be “extraordinary technical masters” and encouraging them to “develop good practice habits”. He explains that it is dangerous to have musicians so concerned with competition because they will find it hard to take risks with themselves to become outstanding musicians. I love the quote that he gave from the cellist, Graspar Cassado, “I am so sorry for you; your lives have been so easy. You can’t play great music unless your heart has been broken. An A is not an expectation to live up to, but a possibility to live into.

Chapter 4 – “Being A Contribution”

I love when the author asked his music class to write down how they contributed over the past week. He did not want them writing about how they contributed musically. He wanted things such as, “Did they help an old lady cross the street? Or did they set their boyfriend straight?” He wanted the student to look deeper, to look into themselves. The contributions on paper grew each week because the students became more aware of them. He had the students describe what contributions they had in the week ahead. Like the author said, “Like a pebble into a pond, and imagine that everything that they do sends ripples out beyond the horizon.” The author is truly challenging us to become a contributor. Rewards of a contributor are an extremely deep and rewarding.

Posted by Dwayne at 9:18 PM



You can see my comment to Dwayne's post here

Dwayne,  it's funny, when I initially read the first chapter of our text this month, it put me off a little bit. I was reluctant to really absorb what they were saying, and I still do disagree with parts of the text.
But it does also hold some really great points, and excellent view points.
I think you really hit on what the first chapter is about (and maybe even the entire book) when you said: "Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to rewrite the rules just as was done in his illustration. By simply altering the phrase and inserting, “Fill free to use the whole sheet of paper”, it then gave you the ability to complete the task. Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to use the whole paper."
If the text itself had expressed it like this, I think I might have understood their true point, and "gotten it" a bit easier. The authors used the expression, but I liked (preferred even) your expansion on this topic.
I really, REALLY like your phrasing there. The idea of giving oneself permission to "use the whole sheet" is really one of the most important things we can do in our lives. Our biggest limiter is ourselves, and that is what i think the entire message is about. It's definitely something to think about, as we go about our daily lives: "what am I doing, unconsciously, to limit myself?" "How can I use the whole sheet?" are questions we should be asking every day.
Great thoughts. :)

Wk 2 Leadership post: To Publish or Present

Wk 2 Leadership post: To Publish or Present

This answer to this was easy for me: publish.

I have to admit, this wasn't a difficult decision for me. Although it may seem an odd thing for an instructor, when it comes to presenting, I get very shy. While i can easily stand and present material to a group of students, for some reason, the idea of presenting my CBR to a roomful of instructors, administrators and educators was daunting.

I thought about using this as an opportunity to get "over" this fear and reluctance. But in doing so, I thought about what my presentation would be like: what i would say, what i would include, what would people *see*… and I don't feel that i have enough media to present an interesting presentation. I was not comfortable taking pictures or video of my students participating in their challenge project, so I do not have any "live action" media footage to include.

While my readers here may not agree or understand why ;),  I consider myself a writer. This is the medium I prefer and am most comfortable.

I have been writing, in some form or another since I was 5.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 I wrote my first story in kindergarden, about two ponies (I still remember to this day), much to the dismay of my fellow classmates. I showed the story to my teacher, and she decided to include the entire class in a project to correct the spelling and grammar.

From an instructors perspective, this was a good way to include a shy student, and include lessons on spelling and grammar.  Being the said student however, I could have easily been discouraged from writing again, as many students were unhappy about having to work through more spelling and grammar lessons. ("Don't do that again", I still distinctly remember hearing from one classmate).

To my credit, I am stubborn and in this aspect, self assured. Or perhaps, cursed with an over abundant imagination. Whatever the reason, I didn't stop writing…couldn't stop even.

So, in this, I am comfortable, and confident.

My literature review came easily to me (it was the editing that was the hard part) as did my phase reports.

I already have a good idea already of how I want to structure the article, and flashes of insight and blocks of text have made their way into my mind, often at the oddest at times (usually when a pen and paper are not handy, like the shower).

Where I am not sure of, is where to submit.

I am not particularly worried about this decision at this stage, however.

I have looked at Dr. Bedard's list and it is *huge*. This has both merits and detriments. On the one hand, the list is daunting to look at and through. On the other, it provides a wealth of possibilities.

And part of me, figures, "If, by the end of week 3 you don't have who to send it to figured out… just send it to as many as you can!"

:D

Hey, it's a possibility. And, statistically, the more I submit to, the greater chance of being published… which, as a writer, has long been a goal for me.

Hey, it could happen.

It seems this month is all about possibilities. :D

Image: Sarunyu_foto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

WK 2 Reading: Art of Possibility Chapters 1-4

"Like Ripples in a Pond"

 Image: Master isolated images / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

On the first four chapters of "The Art of Possibility" By Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

Chapter 1:

The first chapter is all about assumptions we make, in our everyday lives. On the one hand, these assumptions are important: they are snap decisions or conclusions we come up with, based on a small amount of data. We make these assumptions to essentially save time. The brain does this as a way to categorize information, to allow for more efficient processing. It says "If this situation is similar to another situation I've encountered, chances are high the result will be the same".

If we didn't make these assumptions, we would spent an inordinate amount of time and energy analyzing and processing every piece of data we encounter.

This is why they are so hard to overcome; the process is hardwired into our brains.  I think it's important to remember that this process isn't always bad.

I think, part of the act of truly making the world "your own" and making your own possibilities a reality, is recognizing when it is a good idea to overcome these assumptions and think outside of the box.  This may be the most difficult step, maybe more difficult than the act of thinking outside the box and overcoming your pre-made ideas.

Because if we ALWAYS ignore those assumptions, it's easy to find yourself making mistakes and poor decisions that would have been easily avoided.

The key I think is balance.. knowing when to make assumptions, and when to ignore your assumptions. That is difficult to teach, and difficult to master, but i think this balance is what the chapter tries to tell the reader about, although it can be hard to see.

Image: Jomphong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Chapter two was an interesting chapter to read. It brings up an interesting idea about how we, as humans, are always making measurements (and comparisons, using those measurements) in our daily lives and interactions. I especially found the bit about how we use those measurements as part of a survival mechanism. Human/animal behavior has always interested me, and I enjoy examining, and "taking apart" behaviors. Why do we do the things we do?

So I found the survival and survival thinking chapter particularly interesting. We don't think about these reasons of why we're doing what we're doing or thinking what we're thinking. We just…DO them. It's nice to be able to turn it around and get a look from the "hindsight" view of why humans, including the reader, tend towards certain scopes/viewpoints.


However, in chapter 2, as with the previous chapter and the chapters after it (3 and 4), I find i agree with parts of it, and disagree with others.

I'm still not sure how I feel about chapter 3, the "giving" chapter. I can see where the author is going, and what he is trying to convey. But again, as I read, I see dozens of other possible ways the situations he described could have gone. I see a dozen different scenarios in my head, and they all don't work out the way the author assures us they will.

I did enjoy chapter 4, probably more so than the any of the previous chapters. I identified with the idea  of and agreed with "Being a contribution".

I particularly liked the quote:
"When you play the contribution game, it is never a single individual who is transformed. Transformation overrides the divisions of identify and possession that are the architecture of the measurement model, recasting the tight pattern of scarcity into a widespread array of abundance. "
- The Art of Possibility Zander & Zander (1995) pg 61

But so far, this book seems to be the ultimate guide to "being an optimist".

Being a realist (but not a pessimist I think) myself, I can find merit in some of what they are saying, but I also find some of the outlooks it it suggesting impractical. It may have worked for the authors, but not in all situations/lifestyles.


What I think is important to remember (and this is something i say often) and practice is balance.

The book does speak of this, but in some places it emphasizes it whereas in others it seems to stray from this idea.

Wk 1 Leadership Blog Post:Leadership Role Model

I have to admit that this blog post stumped me for a while. I have several people I admire, that you could call role models, but I don't think of them as leadership role models.

But the more I dwelled on this matter, the more i realized that the point of this blog post isn't so literal. It's all right there in the description: "individuals or organizations that you admire and spell out what it is that attracts you and how you might incorporate this into your own leadership style."

The idea to take those ideas and perspective and attitude that the person you admire brings, and combine it and make it your own.

So, I go back to my biggest role models: Marie Curie and Charles Darwin.

Well known scientists, but I don't know how many people think of them when they think of "leadership". 

But let's dig a little deeper and see why they're my role models, first. 

Both Curie and Darwin did things that were' popular at the time.


Curie was a female scientist, who led her own research. At the time, in the early 1900's there weren't many woman who were working outside the home at all, and even fewer in the scientific fields. The few women who were in research often worked in their husbands labs, or under other male scientists. But madam Curie had her own ideas, and published papers based on her research.

Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the only woman to date to win in two fields, and the only person to win in multiple sciences.

By unattributed [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Darwin's story is a bit better known (although often misunderstood or misconstrued). 

By J. Cameron (Unknown) [Public domain],
 via Wikimedia Commons

Darwin came up with his ideas on evolution and natural selection in 1838. Darwin knew, before publishing his ideas in "On the Origin of Species" that his ideas would not be popular or well received. Similar ideas had been proposed by other scientists at the time, and were not well received by the scientific community. 

Darwin also suffered from many health issues during his lifetime, and continued his work on his theories and studies of natural selection despite his health problems. 

By the end of his life time, Darwin had convinced most of the scientific community at the time of the validity of the theory of evolution as descent with modification. 

So why do I bring these two up? Both Darwin and Curie were working against the standard, or norm for their time. Both pursued their beliefs, despite criticism and the threat of ostracism. They were pioneers in science, pursuing their passion and beliefs with conviction.  

To me, they are embodiments of the idea that "What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular".

And I think a true leader needs to remember this idea. It is easy to do what is accepted, and what everyone wants, But a leader needs to be able to realize what is important, what is best for the situation, regardless of how others feel about it. A good leader should pursue their beliefs, but not be blinded with that either.  Just as Darwin made modifications to his original ideas and theories (and as many scientists do), a leader should not be afraid to modify and adjust plans, procedures and methods as needed by different situations and changing times. 

Week 1 Comments on Carl Shuptrine's Blog

Carl's original post:



MAC Wk1 Reading – Defining “Transformative” in the Digital Age

MAR 27

Posted by shuptrine

I have long debated and struggled with the boundaries established by the word Copyright. It is an issue that I deal with on a weekly basis in my own classroom and school with students and adults alike. Some days I choose to obey or enforce the law, and I admit that some days I turn a blind eye, or make justifications for breaking this particular law. For this reason I can firmly state that I wholeheartedly agree with Larry Lessig’s affirmation that copyright law was created for, and had its place in a different era but is now completely outdated. In its current form, copyright law is entirely incapable of keeping up with and adjusting to a digital landscape that is evolving at exponential rates.

“Good artists copy.

Great artists steal.”

-Pablo Picasso

The meaning of this quote by Pablo Picasso has long been debated, but it speaks directly to the topic at hand. All creative endeavors are influenced by what has come before them as well as the culture in which they are created. Contrary to the literal meaning of the quote I think that Picasso would have considered the artists that copied to be the copyright infringers as opposed to the artists that steal. To ‘copy’ is to simply take someone else’s work, and having made no changes, claim it as your own. To ‘steal’ is to take someone else’s work and make it your own by applying your own personal flair.

In the past this idea of borrowing from others or drawing influence from your world was much slower process and usually resulted in more extreme departures from the original idea. In todays world, digital technology has enabled this process to happen in a matter of minutes or hours with results that tend to be more subtle variations of the original. If you look at the one subtle variation to the next you might be inclined to call foul. However, if you were to look at the most current variation and compare it to the original it is likely that you would consider a transformative process had occurred. It is almost as if the creative process that Picasso was describing, that traditionally progressed within the secret confines of an individual’s mind, has simply been brought out into the open for all to see and for all to participate.

So in my opinion it all comes down to what one considers “transformative”. Let’s examine Shepard Fairey as an example. Fairey’s arguably most popular and possibly most controversial work is the Obama Hope poster created during the 2008 presidential election. However this is not the only image that Fairey has appropriated into his repertoire. Here are many other examples compiled by Mark Vallen on his website, Art For Change.

On a first pass the plagiarism appears blatant and extreme. However, it would be hard to argue that all of Fairey’s works aren’t part of a cohesive and highly unique body of work. Many argue that Fairey does to little if nothing to transform his appropriations.  This was the primary argument against him in the Obama Hope poster lawsuit. Examining the original photo and the resulting poster anyone can see that they are almost identical.

However, I will leave you with this. The photo got no more attention than accompanying an article where as the poster unified millions of people behind a man that was then elected President of the most powerful nation on the planet. If that is not transforming a piece of art I don’t know what is.

Unfortunately the Fairey controversy is the result of an old system and protections based on outdated laws. Great strides have been made in just the last 5 years in the realm of Creative Commons. CC offerings used to be sparse and of poor quality, now they are plentiful and quite comparable to pay-for-use options. Had Fairey utilized a photo with Creative Commons licensing he could have probably avoided a serious headache.

You can see my comment to Carl's post here




Jessica Wunder | April 1, 2012 at 3:12 pm

Carl,
I too agree with that idea that the original reasons and intentions for copyright law are not longer applicable in today’s world.

I absolutely loved and very much agree with your statement; ” In its current form, copyright law is entirely incapable of keeping up with and adjusting to a digital landscape that is evolving at exponential rates.”

it is definitely time for reform on that aspect of the law. Much money is wasted on lawsuits and court cases being held due to unclear, fuzzy, outdated, contradictory laws.

I also really like your idea that much of the issue comes down to the idea of “transformative”. If someone starts with a preciously created work and transforms it so much that the original work cannot be identified, then it would seem logical that the new work is free of copyright issues.

Unfortunately, such determinations are not black and white, as the Fairey issue demonstrates.

It makes me wonder if, in our computer savvy era, it might happen where a computer program is used to determine the likeness one work has to another, within a certain percentage. I wonder if that might be in our future?