Week 4 Media Project Simulation Land

Simulation Land is intended to train teachers and administrators about the educational usefulness game and simulation programs are. This web sites goal is to actively involve the participants in learning about the programs out there that they can incorporate into their instruction. To do this, the web site has tabs that are broken up into many curriculum. This makes maneuverability threw the web site quickly.

Another aim of this site is to increase collaboration amongst members. The participants become a member of Simulation Land fan page on Face book. They share new techniques that they have learned or are using.

Visit the site and explore all the different curriculum that interest you.

Here is the WEB SITE

Week 4 Chapter 12 How have you enabled someone?

Cole and Christian at first school dance..Photo by Dennis Keegan

How have you enabled someone?


Have you had the pleasure of lifting a teammate, student, stranger up enabling them to realize their dreams and exceed anything that you could have imagined?

I would like to think that I have been able to do this with my students, but more importantly I hope that I have been able to do this with my own children. It is truly amazing how we as teachers can see how our instruction can affect students. When I look back at this statement above “have you ever had the pleasure of lifting a teammate, student, stranger up enabling them to realize their dreams and exceed”, this makes me think of friends that have confided in me over a given situation. These times are normally when a person is seeking confidence from another or advice. If you are one of these people who are asked for advice, you should feel honored. This means they respect you and you are of importance to them.
You can be thought of as a dream guider. This is a gift, which you will be remembered for, for a long time.

Reaction Post Week 4_Kevin Farmer Thesis and other thoughts

Kevin wrote:

Week 4--Thesis and other thoughts

Well, we have turned in our thesis. An experience that is an accomplishment regardless of the grade. The amount of reading, thinking, writing, and re-writing at this point seems to be like a grey fog. I can not remember individual writing experiences, it seems to blend together.

These last three weeks as I was mostly proof-reading there were sections I didn’t remember writing. I remembered the concepts but the actual experience of writing is wiped from my memory.

I know we are not done but I am proud of our little group. We have grown in our educational understanding, in our writing ability and in our friendships. It is an experience I am glad I have been apart of, but would not soon want to repeat.

I know we still have things to complete but I feel nostalgic and for this evening will enjoy that feeling. Tomorrow I will set my attention at the next part of our task. But for tonight may we enjoy a Sabbath. A moment where we can reflect on what we have done and be grateful we have reached this milestone.

I especially want to thank my wife and family for their support of me being gone to do homework. (I really do not know how many more times I can leave to go study when my daughter says, “but I don’t want you to go do your homework.”) I wish to express my gratitude to God for grace to give me strength when I was weak.

This picture is my family from this past Christmas.

Week 4--Thesis and thoughts
Kevin,
I enjoyed your comment; “I know we are not done but I am proud of our little group”. In all my years of schooling I have never created such friendships before. I believe our small group will stay connected through the years to come. I look on to these next few weeks remaining filled with feelings of great accomplishments. We have a lot to be proud of; we also have family that has been there through all of this, which it has been difficult for them as well. I am looking forward to spending more time with them.

Congratulations to all of us!
Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 12:27 PM

Week 4 Chapter 10 "Choices"

Life is about choices, some you “make” and some you “take”. I believe that taking and making choices are different. Thus carrying different outcomes.
When you make a choice, you have paused and thought about it. You thought about the ramifications on you and others around you. Your conscious of your actions and feelings, therefore this will direct your thoughts thoughtfully. I look at it like this, when you make a cake you do it with the thought that others will enjoy it. You are seeking gratitude of others and their happiness.
In taking a choice, you are doing this to better yourself or feel better inside. These choices seem to be thoughtless; outsiders looking in may view your choices as risky. When taking a choice, it is the moment that feels your rush. This is why your thought process is over powered by your emotion and you act on impulse.

week 3 Reaction to Chad Pucik"HOW FULL IS YOUR GLASS?"

Chad Wrote:

All to often people focus on negativity when a part of their finely laid plans go awry. While disappointment is certainly an acceptable feeling, dwelling on it is unacceptable. Reading through chapter 7 in The Art of Possibility, the author addresses ways in which to take a look at the negatives in order to find the positives or to even create positives.

I think it unfortunate that most people see only the negatives. All to often I see friends and family get upset over what seems like little things. It’s important for people to be able to turn negatives around to the best of their ability and to stop placing blame or escaping a situation simply because they feel it’s insurmountable.

When a situation like that happens to you next time, take a step back and really look at the events that have happened. Is it truly that bad? Is all hope lost? Is there anything you can do to change or adapt to what has happened? I think you’ll find there are almost always ways to make the situation a little more positive. Sulk if you must, I still believe that sulking can help relieve a little pressure, but don’t dwell on the negative. I think you’ll find that if you can do that you’re glass will be at least half full.

Sources:
Glass.jpg photo by 96dpi



Chad,
As a parent I try to teach my children that it is ok to feel disappointment in life. Sometimes these disappointments can be learning experiences, which in the long run can help us, grow up. Although some adults are never able to “look at the glass as half full” they struggle with accepting change as well.
According to Chad Pucik, “I still believe that sulking can help relieve a little pressure, but don’t dwell on the negative”. I agree with this statement, people need to be able to move away from those negative experiences, look for positives in your situation although it maybe difficult a bright outlook can improve your negative circumstance.
Even as a student, I can see how it can be difficult to look at a situation such as a class without feeling overwhelmed. During this program, I was overwhelmed many times, I often felt negative about the amount of work and pressure I was under. At times I felt like not one understood how stressful it was to be a full-time student, teach full-time, and be a single father of three boys. Instead of focusing on a pity for myself, I needed to focus on the good, which was the education. This chapter was one that I read, which I ended up passing along copies to colleagues at work.

Week 3 Will Google Buzz replace Facebook?

Facebook image retrieved from http://lifeinthenhs.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/facebook.jpg












Google Buzz image retrieved from www.hotindienews.com/ 2010/02/12/1018852


Will the Google Buzz be the next social network and take over Facebook?

Google officially launched a new site called Google Buzz in February 2010. This new tool started off by attaching itself to peoples gmail account This created some privacy issues and problems with the first launch. Google acted quickly to ratify these issues and put together a team to study the new tool. As with any new application, tool, program, site, or software their can be conflicting software or privacy issues.
Recently you may have notice Facebook doing something similar to you when surfing through the site, the other night I had a pop-up ask me if I would like to add any of my yahoo mail addresses I had to my Facebook. I recalled Google Buzz automatically doing this. Facebook, must have learned from the complaints that Google Buzz received that this application was one that should allow the user more control.
After looking at both sites, Google Buzz and Facebook. My feelings are that Facebook will maintain leadership in social networking due to its ability to accept other applications and its popularity. Currently, Facebook has an estimated 400 million users, which will attract companies whom wish to advertise. These advertising campaigns will pay for Facebook alone. Facebook will not have anything to worry about the same reason as ebay not worrying about craigslist.


References:

Facebook image retrieved from
http://lifeinthenhs.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/facebook.jpg

Google Buzz image retrieved from:
http://www.hotindienews.com/2010/02/12/1018852

Week 3 Chapter 8 What are you doing in your daily life that expresses your passion or the things you are passionate about?

Imagine 1 Connor by Dennis Keegan








Are you working with your passions?

In my daily life I am most passionate about my teaching and photography. My teaching has been apart of my life since 1995 and I have been teaching middle school all of those years. For this passion I care deeply about, or I would not be continuing my education in order to better my instruction to my audience.
My hobby takes me into my other passion, which is photography. Here I can lose myself in my surroundings or objects that I maybe shooting. But for me the photo just doesn’t stop at the moment you take the picture. The editing is another area I enjoy very much, taking an image from its original shot and changing it into something else.