Sunday, September 23, 2007
This week
Monday we'll be meeting in class, then head over to the Davis Library together. Rita Moss, a Librarian on staff, will be hosting us and give a presentation/tour to start us off the Library section of the course. Bring questions relating to general library use or ones particular to what you might need (think ahead on needs w/ your topic). You'll likely be going back there, for certain indiv. topics, or when the search log assignment starts.
Friday, September 21, 2007
we have to blog about our topic, why not leo
I asked ya'll to blog about your research project, to be fair, I'll chip in my research related thoughts as well. Here's some of my late night thoughts,
============================================
Games and Learning
>The exceptional motivation factor that games can evoke is close to being the holy grail of education. What if we could get students this motivated about learning Shakespear?
Many many dedicated people have been in search of this, but such a scenario have yet to be reached on a sizable scale. Actually, this mirrors a parallel to the use of student blogs for classroom teaching. Blog use in the "wild" is often perceived as highly motivated and exceedingly good for discussion - that's perfect, exactly what most instructors would love to have. The reality, reflected in the current state of my course blog at least, is that the difference in context is quite significant. The students blog because they are asked by their instructor to do so, in contrast to the blogs that are purely voluntary in the "wild." However, there are some very promising nuggets in this comparison, a good number of students are making good use of the blogs to advance their projects and thoughtfully engage in interactions on their peers' work via comments. The format and utility of the blog medium allows such a form of interaction to occur, interactions that would not likely happen in class, or on traditional discussion boards.
In the numerous readings on the topic I've gone through, I have reservations about the optimism that putting games and education together equates to highly motivated learning. Two dissertation studies on using games in traditional classrooms have had mixed successes in teaching. The idea of gaming in class can generate interest in its novelty, but it may be poor fits to the traditional class room model.
Blogging out of interest vs. blogging because it was assigned, gaming out of interest vs. gaming because it was assigned. Maybe there's some aspect to the format of games that could have leads to better means for learning.
The term games is loaded with way too many variations to be all that useful as a descriptor, but thats another chunk of thought for another time.
============================================
Games and Learning
>The exceptional motivation factor that games can evoke is close to being the holy grail of education. What if we could get students this motivated about learning Shakespear?
Many many dedicated people have been in search of this, but such a scenario have yet to be reached on a sizable scale. Actually, this mirrors a parallel to the use of student blogs for classroom teaching. Blog use in the "wild" is often perceived as highly motivated and exceedingly good for discussion - that's perfect, exactly what most instructors would love to have. The reality, reflected in the current state of my course blog at least, is that the difference in context is quite significant. The students blog because they are asked by their instructor to do so, in contrast to the blogs that are purely voluntary in the "wild." However, there are some very promising nuggets in this comparison, a good number of students are making good use of the blogs to advance their projects and thoughtfully engage in interactions on their peers' work via comments. The format and utility of the blog medium allows such a form of interaction to occur, interactions that would not likely happen in class, or on traditional discussion boards.
In the numerous readings on the topic I've gone through, I have reservations about the optimism that putting games and education together equates to highly motivated learning. Two dissertation studies on using games in traditional classrooms have had mixed successes in teaching. The idea of gaming in class can generate interest in its novelty, but it may be poor fits to the traditional class room model.
Blogging out of interest vs. blogging because it was assigned, gaming out of interest vs. gaming because it was assigned. Maybe there's some aspect to the format of games that could have leads to better means for learning.
The term games is loaded with way too many variations to be all that useful as a descriptor, but thats another chunk of thought for another time.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Today's class
This was sent to the class list this morning,
Today is the 75th Anniversary of SILS' founding. I was planning on holding regular class session since most students in the class are not in SILS.
After some thought, no class today, but I still want you to use that time productively. Instead of class, we'll have a blog day, take some time to read your classmates' blogs and comment on the revised topics. Plus make a post by 6pm on either A or B,
a) attend the event at memorial hall, starts at 3pm today - post a reflection/after thought on the event.
OR
b) conduct a focused session on pursuing your research project work, and post a reflection/after thought on progress.
Yes, this is required, as replacement for today's class.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
My thoughts on your topics part 2
Questions
Having spent some time searching on the topic seem to have helped a number of people in asking better questions. As everyone's still formulating their focus, you should actively question your questions as you run across new information that matters. In several cases, it seems like the students sub questions could work better as the main research question. Just keep looking for information, that's the only way to get things to "click" and help you formulate the right questions.
Questions 2
I've asked a number of people to re work their research questions, reasons,
a) Too vague, the question is more of a topic/issue in its current state. - My rec. is to look for more information till something clicks. I don't think I saw a case thats too narrow yet. Lack of confidence on the topic is often associated with lack of information on it, the answer is to keep looking.
b) Topic/issue/question that already has fairly clear set answers, mainly the ones surrounding processes, "how to do/make x y z," descriptive ones, "what is issue x", or the what are pro/con ones. Those are good topics for a short topical paper, but would not fit well with the purpose and activity of the course as we move forward. That said, almost any topic can be researchable, the key is in the questions, and you should see me if you're having trouble with it.
Having spent some time searching on the topic seem to have helped a number of people in asking better questions. As everyone's still formulating their focus, you should actively question your questions as you run across new information that matters. In several cases, it seems like the students sub questions could work better as the main research question. Just keep looking for information, that's the only way to get things to "click" and help you formulate the right questions.
Questions 2
I've asked a number of people to re work their research questions, reasons,
a) Too vague, the question is more of a topic/issue in its current state. - My rec. is to look for more information till something clicks. I don't think I saw a case thats too narrow yet. Lack of confidence on the topic is often associated with lack of information on it, the answer is to keep looking.
b) Topic/issue/question that already has fairly clear set answers, mainly the ones surrounding processes, "how to do/make x y z," descriptive ones, "what is issue x", or the what are pro/con ones. Those are good topics for a short topical paper, but would not fit well with the purpose and activity of the course as we move forward. That said, almost any topic can be researchable, the key is in the questions, and you should see me if you're having trouble with it.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
My thoughts on your topics
In looking at the posts thus far, I'm glad to see many people are putting the blogs to good use. Particularly in publishing their thoughts on their current state of their topic, and thinking ahead toward potential sources and leads to pursue. Though some may need to play catchup.
Several things came to mind as I read your posts,
>Topic narrow/broad issue
I haven't seen any topics that I'd call too narrow, several I'd call too general. This is not about knowing exactly what you want to do, and you will go do it. This is a thinking and writing process focusing on using questions and more questions to get at the specific aspects of the topic that you're interested in. Keep asking questions, and write them down. Don't get caught up on having to figure out the answers yet, you have the rest of the semester to do that part.
>Sources, charged topics etc
Some topics may be politically charged, they are fine to pursue. This applies to all areas of research and source evaluation, but esp in such cases, is to always look at who or what the particular source is linked to. Knowing the who and the what of the source is the basics (what they do, their mission etc). To dig further, in many cases, it's a matter of following the $, who or what pays their bills. Or along the same lines, looking at the relationships and networks they exist in (their friends and enemies). There are more to this but you get the idea.
>Context
...post to be continued
Several things came to mind as I read your posts,
>Topic narrow/broad issue
I haven't seen any topics that I'd call too narrow, several I'd call too general. This is not about knowing exactly what you want to do, and you will go do it. This is a thinking and writing process focusing on using questions and more questions to get at the specific aspects of the topic that you're interested in. Keep asking questions, and write them down. Don't get caught up on having to figure out the answers yet, you have the rest of the semester to do that part.
>Sources, charged topics etc
Some topics may be politically charged, they are fine to pursue. This applies to all areas of research and source evaluation, but esp in such cases, is to always look at who or what the particular source is linked to. Knowing the who and the what of the source is the basics (what they do, their mission etc). To dig further, in many cases, it's a matter of following the $, who or what pays their bills. Or along the same lines, looking at the relationships and networks they exist in (their friends and enemies). There are more to this but you get the idea.
>Context
...post to be continued
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Blogsignment (complete by 9/3 latest)
Blog a response to the following two questions in context of your work on your prospectus thus far, can be a direct or indirect response, as a new blog post on your page.
>Kulthau’s theory, esp the initial stages, do they fit with the processes that you are experiencing right now? How?
>What is my current information need (be specific)? What am I going to do now to fill this information need? Think in context of the stage you’re at.
Your blog should have,
>An about me section on the side panel, brief intro (name, major, and anything else you’d like to share)
>A link on the side panel to the class blog (http://inls200.blogspot.com)
>Posted your current topic write-up (feel free to edit or post newer version as you go)
>Visit every classmates' blogs; make feedback comment on at least 3 of your peer's topic ideas.
>Kulthau’s theory, esp the initial stages, do they fit with the processes that you are experiencing right now? How?
>What is my current information need (be specific)? What am I going to do now to fill this information need? Think in context of the stage you’re at.
Your blog should have,
>An about me section on the side panel, brief intro (name, major, and anything else you’d like to share)
>A link on the side panel to the class blog (http://inls200.blogspot.com)
>Posted your current topic write-up (feel free to edit or post newer version as you go)
>Visit every classmates' blogs; make feedback comment on at least 3 of your peer's topic ideas.
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