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On “Becoming”
“I believe that real human lives are never as they are “supposed to be;” they are infinitely richer and more interesting. Effective social policy needs to be based on how people really live, and not on how we imagine they do. Only research can tell us the difference.” – Jay Lemke, Ph.D.
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Online Education Explodes Out of the Blue
“Tom Friedman, in his recent New York Times article, captured, in the way that no one else could, the spirit behind our effort. He said the big breakthroughs are what happen when what is suddenly possible meets what is desperately necessary. I’ve talked about what’s desperately necessary. Let’s talk about what’s suddenly possible.” – cited by Daphne Koller The marvels of online education are suddenly exploding in our face, thanks to Ivy League universities’ participation in the MOOC field. However, the presence of these “prestigious” players may do harm to…
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Neuro-Nontypical Kids & Adults
Compiling some writings that clarify the marginalized and misunderstood “gifted” community: “Giftedness is not what you do or how hard you work. It is who you are. You think differently. You experience life intensely. You care about injustice. You seek meaning. You appreciate and strive for the exquisite. You are painfully sensitive. You are extremely complex. You cherish integrity. Your truth-telling has gotten you in trouble. Should 98% of the population find you odd, seek the company of those who love you just the way you are. You are not…
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J K Rowling: “I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination”
Rowling is such a beautiful writer. Here are a few quotes from her 2008 Commencement Speech at Harvard. “Talent and intelligence never yet innoculated anyone against the caprice of the Fates…” “And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” “Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two. Life is difficult, and complicated, and beyond anyone’s total control, and the humility to know that will enable you to survive its…
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Jeff Bezos: Build Yourself a Great Life Story
So I just listened to Neil Gaiman’s 2012 Commencement speech to the University of the Arts graduates. It was inspiring most parts except when he talked about how he lied to get a job. Integrity matters, so I didn’t like that part too much and it marred his entire speech. I still like Steve Jobs, J. K. Rowling and Jeff Bezos’ speeches best. Here is Jeff Bezos, May 30, 2010. Thank you, Mr. Bezos for encouraging us to create epic love stories of life! (Start viewing at 6:00) At the…
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Online Art Portfolio Sites
I have been searching for sites to host my digital art images. Was I thrilled to stumble upon this post by Jennifer Moline, Art Websites: 20 Ways To Promote Your Artwork Online Using Portfolio Sites. This will be handy for instructors and artists looking for places to display their creative expressions. I will for sure be exploring this site further to find a host for my digital shots.
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Assessing Creativity Sternberg’s Way
On a little break from dissertation writing, I chose to read something on creativity research. I know, “You call this a break?” Much too serious? *smile* I’m reading Robert Sternberg’s (2012) article on The Assessment of Creativity: The Investment-Based Approach (IBA). He like Tharp (2005), writes that “[c]reativity is a habit” (Sternberg, 2006a, 2006b; Tharp, 2005), “an attitude toward life” (Maslow, 1967; Schank, 1988; Sternberg, 2003b). He writes about some habitual practices (p. 3) of creative people that have been reported previously. Creative people regularly do a few things: (a)…
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Crusading for Careful Crisp Writing
I begin with a story of a time in a graduate writing class. We were assigned to write dissertation abstracts. It was time to share our work. A colleague projected hers with the instructor’s document camera. We could all read what she wrote except that I could not make out what the abstract was all about. The writing was convoluted and full of technical words from the specific subject area. Surprisingly, everyone around me applauded and the instructor lavished praise on her. This was several years back. I wished I…
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Research into Practice: ‘Cuse ASL
In mid February 2012, I founded ‘Cuse ASL Club with an enthusiastic co-organizer, Corinne Sartori, a Hard-of-Hearing iSchool freshman. I can now say that I’ve happily passed the torch over to Corinne to lead the club as I prepare to finish off my graduate program. Milestones though, there were several: Club launch poster I created with Corinne as model. I was in a hurry and needed someone to help realize my poster concept and Corinne was perfect! She signed “love it” – so apt for an intriguing poster! Corinne does…
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AERA 2012: Lessons Learned
Against the backdrop of the spectacular Vancouver Harbour, the AERA 2012 proceedings unfolded. Picture courtesy of Angi Shelton My schedule was very full and so, regrettably, I had limited opportunity to take in the magnificent sights, sounds and tastes of Vancouver. However, I can attest that what I saw this time around – I was in Vancouver in 2007 — was an improved Vancouver; cleaner, with a subway. My reflections that follow on AERA 2012 are attempts to think of how future conferences can be improved and what I take…
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What makes a strong narrative for design?
A great story is based on a profound yet simple question. Can I sum up the story in a short question? I’m a movie buff and what moves me is usually a story based on a very simple premise. Midnight in Paris is a case in point. Long after the movie was over, I was still relishing the scenes and characters that Woody Allen put together so ingenuously. Gil, Inez, Gabrielle. Why? Because Woody Allen — who claims to write for the Everyday Man — captured an idea that rings…
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What’s ice-skating gotta do with grad school?
I’ve often referred to the metaphor of competitive ice-skating to describe the PhD journey. Michelle Kwan was mentioned in my PhD personal statement. “Michelle Kwan, one of my favorite figure-skating athletes, has always said that “Life is not a triple lutz.” She was a world-class competitor, but even when competing, she knew it was temporary, and not her final destination. Skating to her was about the journey, not the destination, hence her ability to forgo the pursuit of the Olympic gold medal that eluded her. Doctoral studies, like world-class figure…
