1-23 - U-101

I must admit that I wasn't overly thrilled when this was assigned. Not because I didn't like the assignment, but because I didn't know about it to plan for it. Plus, having to have it completed at the end of the night. For those of us on the East Coast, that meant we had 2 hours, for me--1 hour. I plan on using this assignment for a segment of my AR. I think putting a version of this assignment in my Tapped In office would be a terrific way for the staff in my division to get to know me (having just started there in September). I'm also thinking what a great idea to have everyone do something like this. They have limited technology skills, but it would be a fantastic way to introduce some web editing (basic editing) while doing something authentic. The staff in this division are itinerant workers who rarely get to meet as a group and that makes it difficult to get to know each other. Something like this would be fantastic. I am currently doing AR on CoPs as I think this would be wonderful to cultivate for this group.

My U-101:

Websites:

OMET is my newest Website and will show an evolution in my philosophy related to education and my growth related to technology
Achieving Educational Value is a Website that I created for teachers in a South Eastern School District. The site was designed to provide resources related to teaching strategies, best practices, standards, etc. It was meant to serve as the beginning of a Library of links that teachers would contribute.
WALT is a Website I created for an assignment at Penn State. The laptop carts weren't being utilized effectively and this site was one of a number of soltuions to help address that problem.

Books:

Thinking in the Future Tense - This book has had a major impact on my thinking and opened my eyes to look around at the world and see why it is sometimes difficult for change to occur. Knowing why charge is difficult helps me to devise ways to reform. It also helps keep me balanced rather than angry at those that are hold outs.
Arabian Nights - I love these tales because they teach ethics and values. Mostly I love them because of the way they are weaved together--to teach us how to live. While each story is an adventure and quite exciting, the main point of the stories are that they teach the Sultan: kindness, passion, caring, etc.
Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software - I think thatlooking at how things are related and how they are connected is very powerful and probably the most imporant thing that I do better.

Movies:

Chocolat, and Pleasantville because they both have themes of accepting differences and not being afraid to change. I think the last 5 years of my life have been about change, both professional and personal. The other movies/music are things that I just like--not for any particular reason.

I love the beach - I think because it's so calming and allows me to escape from the sometimes hectic life that I lead involving technology. However, I think that most Amercians are feeling this same need today. Too many things, changing so quickly, and we're all trying to keep up. This really scares me because I know that we're having trouble as adults, and I know we're aren't preparing our students to survive in the world they will encounter. I really feel an urgency to fix that--it's why I'm at OMET--it's why I sometimes try too hard--it's why I'm so driven.

karen.connaghan@pepperdine.edu