When community is not community: A #clPoem for #CLmooc

alone_cat_tracksHave you ever had the experience of trying to join a community but somehow, something or someone or some time or another  just does not allow it to work out? Some experiences this past week inspired me to this poem, again in the spirit of Making via Continue readingWhen community is not community: A #clPoem for #CLmooc

Connected Learning as Poetry

Walt WhitmanI am intrigued by yet one more #ConnectedLearning Mooc, this time a somewhat threatening one known as #CLmooc: the Connected Learning MOOC. Ironic that as I sit here working on this post,  just shared a Tweet with a reference to a related poem. Small world.

While those who want to control education, open and interactive moocs may indeed be threatening experiences, yet this one is different — it is threatening because it is envision on a connected, maker model. It is described as:

a collaborative, knowledge-building and sharing experience open to anyone interested in making, playing, and learning together about the educational framework known as Connected Learning

Its threat is because Continue readingConnected Learning as Poetry

Goals and Intentions for 2014

intentionNew Year’s is a great time to consider . . . time, and how well we live our lives while we have it.

As a did in 2013, I developed some goals and intentions for the upcoming year. I moved this to the top of my site up here, both to keep me honest and to help me easily recall what I hope to focus upon.

I would not mention these and share them publicly if these were not valuable, doable, and within reach (with some stretching). While I will hope for help and support and positive intentions, these are the things I hope to accomplish in 2014:

1. Engage in Timely Communication

I want to engage in communication, such as via Inbox ZERO (delete, delegate, respond, defer, or do) and Social Media (Twitter replies, Facebook replies, etc.), in a more timely way to better engage in and maintain conversations with networks.

2. Use a Thoughtful, Evidence-Based Approach to How I Use My Time

I completed my PhD in Educational Research in 2013, and as a result I tend to observe things around me in researcher-mode, questioning and seeking to find evidence to guide my actions and beliefs. All this takes time, and I hope to make the best use of it.

3. Approach Nature through Principles of Somatic Experiencing

I feel in many ways I am too removed from nature — food, living, breathing, exercise, living in New York City, etc. I will plan to spend more time directly interacting with the Great Outdoors.

4. Maintain Financial Balance

I want to be more aware of what I spend, and where, in an effort to help me move forward toward meeting my goals.

Let the new year proceed, and may we live in interesting times.