Wk4 Miscelanous

Coming to close this last required blog week 4 of MAC13, I read "The Art of Possibility" and enjoyed the material very much. Maybe, I am old and I take the time to see this opportunity as one to remember and hold on as the most memorable of the concepts read sticks in my mind.
Thank you Professor Bustillos for having this book in your course and having your students blog about the readings and guiding each of us to excel.
As I write the last of the four weekly blogs I can not leave out an A for the professor who uses the concept of having her students do their best work placing grades in a second plane. That professor instructs EDM573, Lisa.

Wk 4 Reading

While reading about taking the blame to make the situation part of the past in order to continue life in a happy status (Peachy pink) I started to think about the game I play in my marriage to prevent escalating of a situation I take the blame to keep my sanity and avoid unnecessary conflicts. (pg 144)
Blaming comes easier than apologizing because when we are angry the blaming moves freely from our brain to our lips and beyond causing damage and personally I have chosen many times and afterward I wish I should have reacted differently. Yes, again referring to my marriage.
Cool letter giving himself an A and using it as a leverage on Cora come to think about it is like martial arts that use the attacker strength against themselves, interesting approach to find a solution to a situation.
As chapter nine closes, I realized that there is a need for change to move away from the blaming game and apologizing to being the driver of our own existence in order to have a better relationship.

How hard is to say things that hurt and sometimes can cause irreversible damage, I am referring to teachers in our schools specially if they make errors against children. I noticed not too long ago a teacher wrote -20% for being dumb. Such outrageous offense is one that left behind the possibility and took the downwards spiral, why? are we in the 21st century and still behave as heartless individuals? coming from a teacher is damaging to the student self-esteem and confidence in the educational system.
Not loosing the focus of what is it that keep us on a particular task, when I read about the NASA letters in chapter ten, I paused and thought about the answer to why did I come to FSU for this program? I have lost the actual reason. Perhaps I decided to learn more for the children in the classroom to help them be better equipped for their tomorrow's or I needed to gain knowledge in technology, I am still looking for an answer.

With great curiosity, I read the book's closing chapter and mentions the WE concept and my mind started to go into the mode of examining what is needed the most to get it?, my answer was after 15-20 minutes: humbleness to recognize the existence of others. "Imagine" by J. Lennon, what an hymn could be to reach a point of happiness, nirvana perhaps?. Well the part it seems well placed is about solving problems as the last chapter is approaching its end, I see it as a disclaimer that will work in combination the idea of choosing the practices that apply to each one of us and apply them in our daily lives.

Wk 4 Comment

Week 4 Post - Coming Full Circle
There have been many posts about getting over walls and hurdles while completing the last steps of our Master’s program. Some of my past posts have compared this process to similar challenges I have taken on in the past. During all of these challenges, something always gets in the way of success. The challenge of completing this program is no different. This post is about coming full circle with the process.
I took on this challenge at both an ideal time and probably the worse time in my life. It was ideal as I have begun the personal process of moving on and improving my life. Earning my Master’s degree has been a goal of mine and it is now becoming a goal obtained. The opportunity found me and I tool advantage of it.
It came at the worse time as there were a few personal life matters that needed to be resolved. My first month coincided with the peak of this difficult time. My hesitation to begin this journey was due to the other aspects in my life I needed to deal with. Through the push of friends, I began the program in spite of everything else I needed to work through and focus my energy on.
I am happy to announce that both events went rather well. I survived my personal ordeal and my first mont of FSO. I was also gained a group of friends in FSO who stuck together throughout the program.
Now, I am about to enter the final month and I wonder where the time went. As I pull together all of the pieces from the past year to create a final media project, I find myself where I started. Some of the personal ordeal has resurfaced, at the worse time possible. I am learning how to pull together aspects of a project while still holding down work and family obligations. It will be an adventure entering the next cycle.
Photo Credit: From en.wiki: Calligraphy by Kanjuro Shibata XX "Enso".



I share similar situation but with in a different shade, I started great all pumped-up and ready to begin this journey. As I write this comment, it has been NINE calendar days since I have some sleep without the ugly nightmare of not finishing the program (I still have pressure from assignments and projects). The unneeded stress was caused by some sort of mishandling of my certification documents that were needed to obtain tuition funds so to make the story short, I maxed my credit cards and being unemployed did not help me get any loans. I paid last Friday (24th) the last installment.
It is interesting to share things with others, makes the load slightly easier and brings camaraderie even if we have never have shaken hands nor see each other's face. I am happy that the group cohesiveness is there for support even if it is just a word of hope from another classmate, which means a lot.
I visit FaceBook seeking help, support, word on challenges encounter, and keep in touch with family and friends beside classmates.
I am excited to be near the finish line and doing all I can to do my best. There is always hope and tenacity will get me there. I have done almost everything in this country (US) trying over and over until I get it done. Since my experience counts for knowledge and in turn this knowledge is power, I will succeed!!!

W4 TeacherTube

Teachertube contains many videos that can be used in the classroom and also as professional development for new teachers. I found many for ESL/LLE classroom as well as other subjects. It seems that one can have the best of the Internet videos that can be found on the regular Youtube and complement them with Teachertube. I am not a member of neither one, but perhaps in the future it could become a necessity.

Wk4 Lastfm tutorial

Great experience, I used Pandora before and I enjoyed the Last.fm even more because I got a radio station that served a perfect music listening within cumbia rhythm. I have bookmarked and It is going to be part of my favorites tab for entertainment while working on the computer. I have no complaints for Last.fm site.

Week 4 Scratch Tutorial

I practiced with Scratch and discovered that is so easy to write codes without writing them just by using the objects provided in the application.
I found hard to draw since it is a free application and it doesn't provide fine tools to work with a sprite. Overall, is a good a application to use in a classroom, allowing students to create and make their sprites do and say what they want.

The Media Project

This is where you can find my Media Project
http://web.me.com/robertorivera/RobertoRivera

Practice 1

I am practicing to upload a picture to my blog

Wk4 Project

I published my Media Project yesterday and I will update the lessons. I somehow feel that is not enough and that I must add a sound file to show some musical knowledge acquired over the program. I have seen few of my classmates projects and I want to emulate some of their practices but I need to practice and dedicate some time to practice.
I really would like to create a video training similar to Lynda's with great graphics and sound well produced. I hope to get to do it.

Stress Gone

I feel so happy today that nothing can dull my day.
I am so excited because after so long I have taken care of my tuition at FSU and I can breathe freely.
Six months or so I was working under the impression that is was worthless because I was not going to be able to meet my financial obligations for the university.
I must celebrate by making a big steak and lobster dinner.

WORLD!!! I AM SO HAPPY!!!

Stress Down

I am so relieved that I want to sleep for a long time, but I need to work on some final touches on my media project.

Wk 3 Comment

Deborah Panttaja
Week 3: The Education Network (Media Project)

http://educationnetwork.ning.com/

My media project is still in progress however I am posting this link in case anyone wants to take a peek!

I am creating an educational e-learning network for CA 4th grade students. Within the network there are groups for Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. It will take a lot of time to fully create my educational network, but when finished I would like the network to include all grades, K - 12.

To create my media project, I am using Ning.com, Udutu, and most of the media projects I have created throughout the Master's Degree program.


This media project interested me because envisions more than one subject and it has a great organization of sections at its site. The colors are in harmony with the screens and tabs are clear and easy to follow. I noticed the blog and sign in/sign up areas, overall appears to be well organized.
Fully functional and ready to accept contents. At this moment I have only praises for this project.

Wk3 Miscelanous

Agnes deMille quotes Martha Graham about the things exists one time because we are one individual with one opportunity to express that one time. It is scary to become aware of that one chance, which will be gone and will never return. How sad could be for humanity to feel that something was there to be experienced, but pass unperceived and disappeared into the past.
I like the BTFI concept because it seems that injects the idea of
getting your act together
and ahead life will get better
I wasn't planning for a rhyme but it works while following the two steps for
chapter 8.
Step 3 in the next chapter reminded me that if we let others know what we like and are willing to share could open new communications. The spark lighted on the first visit to the failing school created all sort of connections besides possibilities like to bring a chance to students to experience classical music. Making a second visit strengthened hope in students and made them become aware of the importance of music in their formation.

Wk3 Reading

Being positive is about making every effort to create an environment that nourishes love and respect not just for family but in all walks of life. The father in the book made every effort to create and maintain distance between him and his son and it seems that these type of walls are very common among members of numerous families.
The author mentions that children are interested in popular music and I believe that parents are responsible for that and the reason is that parents has the opportunity to embed a little about the arts in their children. Does not cost anything but to listen few minutes a day and the children are exposed to and maybe they like a piece or two. I learned this from my father who just to listen to classical music every now and then, and from there I discovered I like Stravinsky and Chopin (I've passed the practice to my daughter adding The Beatles to the listening)

Wk3 Project

Working on on finalizing the thesis has taken its toll on my time. It is challenging to scholarly write and I do the best I can. I have practiced my script and made my images but still need lots of retouches here and there I am looking forward to share my product to get feedback and constructive criticism.
I feel that my media project is not that great because every time I see it I find an error or two, but I keep working on it. I can wait to see some other products to see and ask questions about particular process followed by my classmates.
I really feel that everything is going to be alright.
I was making a video and I tried to make it slow-motion and it seems that I will not be able to do so. The reason being is that it is mostly text and static graphics and I am hoping to at least use it in the the introduction.

Considering

I am sitting today thinking about the future and I rediscover that I know many things and that many others, I ignore. As I sit here at my computer, I see one or two projects that have to do with electronic repair and I have neglected for about three months or so. Well, I pick a day to work and complete both of them, a week from today, Monday March 22nd.
Meanwhile, I continue to write and rewrite the modifications/changes/revisions/additions/deletions and whatever it takes to complete this thesis. At the same time I remember a quote by Henry Ford:

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/henry_ford_2.html

Wk2 Miscelanous

I kept the starfish segment in my mind and I keep going back to read its words and I encounter more meaning to the lines. One of those times rereading it I saw the value of a little help we can give to others in challenging situations like hungriness, homeless, jobless, et. The help I am referring to means a lot to the recipient, but to a person that wants to avoid helping others or don't want to assist in any way means nothing. That takes me to think about how and when do change our mind about things and usually is when we are standing on the other side, that's when our mind changes in a hurry. The reason is that we are not watching from afar but we are in the presence of whatever it is the case at hand i.e. an automobile accident seems different when somebody had one than when we are in one. So, I find the association or threads to be guiding me to think some more about life in general.

Wk 2 Comment

Comment on Jorge's Week 2 Reading

WHAT A CONCEPT! Treat others as you would have them treat you!!!

I am really excited that Benjamin Zander has brought to the surface, a long awaited "Apology" sought to speak, on the behavior of many who are in charge or in position of power. It's quite one thing to influence others through the process of rote and tradition but quite another to do it with care and respect.

The idea that so much can be accomplished through the power of 'sharing power' that it may have been too simple a concept to warrant the interest of the elite and affluent and even a greater feat, for the intellectual to fathom.

In his passage, he spoke of events plagued with ritualistic behavior (during times when 'Maestros' conducted Orchestra). Many conductors thought themselves to be Master and Lord of their ship (Conducting an Orchestra in layman's term [WHOOA - Did I just become snobbish??]).

His ability to detach himself from "himself" allowing others to peer into the realm of participation especially at these crucial points of events serve to prove that a leader learns to lead
by following and setting examples. GOOD JOB Mr. Sanders!


Jorge, I want to share my experience like the detachment you mention on what I did for new teachers in foreign languages at the school where I worked. I was the Chairman of Foreign Languages and part of my assignments was to lead the clubs and after my first 2 years I decided to pass that leadership to new teachers in their second year at the school. I felt good about it and these new teachers shone in their roles as club leaders. (New teachers came to foreign language every two years and leave because they were part of a teacher education from the University of Notre Dame)

Wk2 Reading

To practice, teaching oneself to become a contribution gives me a sense of realization as a part of this global existence that all living things are intertwined with one another. I think that the pride of ownership concept is close to feeling as a contributor because in the end the changes are both good.

I was reading and the memories stirred up in my head about a boy that was convinced by his teachers that he was failure, no good student, useless individual in the classroom, and stupid. That boy continued growing up and got to high school due to his father's pressure on him. The first day of classes in chemistry he was placed in the leaders chair when he answered a question that no other student could answer right away. He had to share to the class how to arrive to a simple explanation of the chemical reaction presented, so he became temporarily a leader. That day "La Moiza" ,(The teacher), empowered the life of that young man and sent him all the way to compete for the top performers for the next three years of high school. I associate the opportunity to give someone a chance to be all that they can be as an empowerment that can be used over and over, like that boy has done.

Rule Number Six was a treat that brings a view of how humor may change the outcome of any situation, and maybe even used in serious situation appearing uncontrollable. Agreements take place easily when there is an open and sincere approach when searching for the truth, like the case in the story of the old and young partners.

I see light at the end of the tunnel

I have been at a battle with individuals that failed to correct errors and my tuition is due two days after the final draft of the thesis and it wasn't until yesterday that one responsible person offer to act on my behalf.
Maybe attending graduation, but my stress level has decreased considerably. I started to read today and working on my blogs. On Tuesday during class the Internet connection lost power and the bandwidth was bouncing up and down and finally yesterday became useless. Spoke to a customer rep. and she said to change the modem from 2005 to a newer version so I did this morning and it is working as supposed.
Yea! for me, my tuition, and my Internet connection. :)

Wk 2 Project - Abstract

643 - 2 - 1

I was looking at all the discussion regarding abstracts and I had a complicated time reducing mine from 157 or so words to the required 120 without leaving out any information and this is what it came out.


In the United States, the number of immigrants increases continuously and with them, the number of their descendants. These individuals need an education addressing 21st century skills to become a competitive asset to the work force and the country. A difference could be made in their education providing an education with some technology-based tools, which in turn help young students to enhance English language learning. To help this part of the population to become citizens that actively participate in the growth of the nation and their own family, Web 2.0 tools like Zoho may enhance their education. Community involvement in and out school will play an important role in the use of technology to learn English as a second language.

Please, comment to get a chance to change before March 21st

Wk1 Project Content Proposal

I have incorporated Zoho Writer in my thesis as a mean to help new immigrants who have English as their second language. I have the notion in my mind, but it is not the same when I put it to work. There are many factors like lack of technology at home and the social challenge that verbal and written communications playing a major role for these immigrants.
I will continue to development of my content proposal and see how can I have a decent write up. The degree of stress I experience when writing English is extreme and half of the time the final product still needs more work at the end, but I do it over and over until it is complete.
I continue to make Screenflows and iMovies of how to use instructions for students and circling around how to read and use the results. Work in progress I will say.

Releasing Pressure

How easy it is to be at the mercy of those in office and a simple situation created by a useless individual makes me a sufferer when it comes to know whether or not I will finish my program.
How sad, how offensive, how helpless, is my situation when I have come to the end for nothing, but remembering that I've been kick and that I am still alive and hope is still there.
Not just the assignments place pressure, the situation caused by the office makes it worst and I know that I will prevail because is just and necessary.
I feel better because I shared the problem with my program director and the student advisor.

Wk1 Comment

613 W 1-3
wk-1-post #4 can you digg it?
I love the Internet. There is so much wonderful information to be had. Thanks to search engines we can easily find relevant information that is just a click away. But what if you want to just browse current events, news, and some funny images and clips? Well, that’s where Digg.com can help. Digg is a website that sorts relevant information based on what the users find the most relevant. If you are browsing the Internet and you find and interesting blog, or a funny clip, you can digg it. WebPages with the most diggs will be presented on the front page of Digg. This format allows the users to control what kind of information is important, instead of a single editor working for a news site. Articles can even be sorted into several categories, such as: technology, world & business, science, gaming, sports, and a few more. The categories even have subcategories. If you really like my article, you can click on the Digg link to the right.

Posted by cobbBR


I like this type of information delivery because it makes a point to inform me about material that others found interesting and have tried. Also, gives me pointers and a link to experience and decide if is worth to add it to my box of important resources. This particular link was not part of my resources, I will evaluate it and see if I will bookmark it for future use.

Sources:
can you digg it?
Cobb's Corner
Blog retrieved on March 5 2010 from http://cobbbr.blogspot.com/2010/03/wk-1-post-4-can-you-digg-it.html?showComment=1267803940510_AIe9_BFbzHxAXypA7Tj3CWyLHgztLyh5qNw6lbB8kERRZv7MrAbciXZnqdngku4Krel14_MRP-BAH02K77xx0zSD9PhJlJWGnKLdZYLTXF_tXVikUNCl3n4IGIjColUmz6GyBY_oJHqpoNVnSYSv2M5ESn3V4mpiQPx-p7G23XZP_DT5bHBnHlYLadmE1NAUqQBqRzGGdYqVGRvXwWSuruN6hb2LuCaF2ShfhUAfHmmZ_AbIS5pJgXs#c8759973230842125490

Wk1 Miscelanous

613 W 1-2
Reviewing my draft feedback gave me a headache because it is always a challenge to correct written work, specially when the work is in English. I found that my abstract comes to 147 words and I tried to take from here and there and this is hard (extremely difficult) and I will keep trying until I get it to 115-120. I don't know if journalism students do practice this type of activity while in school because the news must have a short form when they appear on a news paper or and advance of the news to come later on TV. Not alone I felt when I read others have the same problem because the abstract sounds so nice with all the bells and whistles, but the rule is the rule and I must follow it.

Wk1 Reading

613 W 1-1
I had a great time reading about the A. Personally, I sat and reflected upon the question how to start, and with whom? After a little while I said to myself " I'll be the guinea pig". I took my feelings and realities of my thesis draft faults/errors and began to balance all the goodness and progress made against the errors (I will say there numerous). As time went by I remember many classmates writing in the chat box during last night's Wimba session, words of support and community spirited words of strength and determination to meet the requirements to graduate while in my mind was all the comments on my thesis draft that needs some attention. I gave myself an A around 4:40 p.m. and as I was giving me that A I remembered what the instructor said last night about having accomplished something to be the second to last month of the program (something like that).
Almost forgot, I tried to figure out the puzzle (I did it before, some years ago) and after 12 times trying I continue the reading and read the solution, which made me think about a poster that says "Teach differently" (I believe is Apple's".

Easier than WIKIS?

I come to notice the level of pressure has changed and become less stressful.I don't know if is just me, but to tell you the truth my breathing is easier.