One more paper to complete before Winter Break. I've learned a lot this past semester, but it is time for a break.  

I have been going full speed with the doctoral program since May. I am tempted to say that I am burned out...but I am reminded of my high school soccer coach whose favorite reply to that was, "You were never on fire."

Maybe I prefer a slow burn. Back to that last paper, a dispositional reflection. Due Wednesday by midnight. 3-4 pages.

• Connects (a) the core literature from Leading Organizational Change and (b) your experiences within and outside of the course during the last eight weeks, with at least three specific dispositions listed in the Mindset of a Scholar-Researcher (Concordia University–Portland Office of Doctoral Studies, 2018) material.

• The essay should address the following questions:

How has your understanding or practice of the three dispositions changed with the new ethics knowledge and experiences you have developed in the course?
How do you envision these three dispositions applying to your future work as an ethical social scientist?

Continuing on my thoughts regarding efficiencies and organizational development...

Is this really the way education works? 

Who is doing the work? Who decides how the work is to be done?

I’d like to think education is much more efficient than this. Yet, my experience and the shared experiences of other educators tells me we have a long way to go before any meaningful change is achieved. 

Professional development, in-service, assessments, testing, social-emotional learning...

All these things hold value. Only, the seem to come from the top down. Meetings and trainings should be focused on craft and culture. All the mechanics can be shared in a slide deck or posted on the staff intranet.

I've spent a lot of time organizing things lately. Organizing my to-do list. Organizing my research. Organizing my time. Organizing my workbench in the printshop (see below).

And, I've read quite a bit about organization strategies these last few weeks, as required for my doctoral program. Some of these books and scholarly articles are written by experts in the field. Organization Development in Schools and Colleges, for example, details strategies and approaches for organizing (or reorganizing) systems for change.  

For all the organization I have done in my personal life, I now have a deeper appreciation for it. There is satisfaction in building something, or restructuring something, and making it better. It becomes efficient, and efficiency is beautiful...efficiency is art. 

Some thoughts to ponder: 

• There is no magic, only context.  

• Help is the sunny side of control.
  

• The failure case of clever is asshole.
  

• Whatever you're not changing, you're choosing.  
  

• If everyone can have it, I don't want it.  
  

• It's not what you do. It's who you do it with.
  

• TED talks almost fool me into thinking I'm productive. [confirmed]

• You don't have to be first, just different...and better.
  

Currently entering Week 2 of Fall Semester, part 2. Organizing my notes, and realizing that I neglected to add my final Mindset of a Scholar Researcher paper from EDDC 716 (Creativity, Inquiry, and Innovation).

I am not adding all completed school work to this blog. Let's be honest—some of that writing is a bit dull. But, I wanted to chronicle my doctoral studies here and I wanted to have a creative outlet for all those mind-numbing reads and discussions. Besides, I told my Dad I'd host some things for him to read. At least I know I have one reader/follower on this blog. Thanks, Dad! 

I've added the final paper from EDDC 716 along with a few other projects to the Writing tab on this site. If you're curious about the curriculum and minutia of the coursework, check out the Reading tab & the wiki I use to track it all.

The writing samples posted to this site are in APA format but set in 12pt IBM Plex Serif instead of the required 12pt Times New Roman...because I think it looks much cleaner, especially on a screen.

People give me strange looks when I say I have homework or when I say I have reading. Their puzzled expression changes when I explain  that I’m working to complete my doctorate.

Typically, I am then presented with a question like, "Why would you want to do that?" or "What job will it create for you?" To be blunt:

A) I am doing this for myself and B) I do not know.

All I know is that this terminal degree program has kept me busy, and that I have neglected my posts here. This blog was intended to be a chronicle of my experience as a doctoral learner. And, I need to prioritize a few things such as this blog, my health, and quality time with my dogs. 

Since entering the program in late May, the focus on other aspects of my life has been tricky to manage. Yet, I'm still learning. Once I complete the program, I am positive that the job opportunities will present themselves...along with a new set of priorities.

So, I keep doing the work.

Plan the work. Work the plan.

“Instead of buying your children all the things you never had, you should teach them all the things you were never taught. Material wears out but knowledge stays.”

—Bruce Lee

Week 6 of 8. Also the wind-up (or is it wind-down?) of the first half of the Fall term. As my previous post noted, the end-goal of this 8 week session is to develop a framework. Specifically, the alignment between research interest, research question, theories, and a sample of literature. Sounds easy, right?

Finding that unifying these elements is no small task. I didn't anticipate that it would be. However, my research is proving to be the most problematic. There is little data, qualitative or quantitative, that supports my problem statement. At least, newer studies (within the last five years) are scant. 

However, I put this slideshow together. It's basic. It's riddled with errors and it needs clarification by way of refining sample literature. It's also missing the Voicethread narration, but it's a start.

*Once this Voicethread is complete, I will post it here for your critique. Feedback welcome!

Learning about frameworks: conceptual, practical, and theoretical. Framework(s) is a word that gets thrown around a lot in education circles. But, there are so many other considerations:

• alignment
• findings
• data
• rhetoric
• the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow

Wrapping up the third week of the first half of the Fall semester. Currently, learning about creativity, inquiry, & innovation. Also, researching instructional technologies. A lot. 

Finding that there are numerous studies that speak to the efficiencies in using tech in the classroom, but very few speaking to the enhancement of learning, or infusing higher-order thinking skills. I am working "to interpret, analyze, synthesize, and develop an argument for [my] research."

By the way, what ever happened to the Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy?

Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.

—Eric Hoffer

North Shore | Lake Tahoe 

I had a one week break before the Fall semester began. It was nice having that week free of doctoral studies, as I prepared to return to the classroom full time. I am now a week into the Fall session, and two weeks into the middle school 2019-202 year.

It has been a struggle to balance classes and research, but not in ways I anticipated. Meaning, I feel guilty for retiring to my office to read or write when I could be spending that time in ways that benefit others and myself.

But, I keep telling myself that this is only for a short time. Labor Day weekend is coming, and I am working furiously to complete the assignments due Saturday so I can enjoy some time to play. #selfcareisnotselfish

Side note: someone asked about the picture in my previous post. Specifically, the question addressed the way in which spacing is achieved within the words and the material at the end of the bottom line. The answer lies in quads and spacers (pictured above). Much like kerning and tracking on digital text layouts, there are defined widths used in letterpress. However, working with metal type is more like mortising.

Have I bored you to tears yet? Good. The em dash and the (more common) en dash form the basic units of spacing. For filling larger spaces, furniture and reglets are needed. Typesetting requires careful intent and deliberation...which is why it is such a great metaphor for learning. 

Over the last eight weeks, I have done some deep thinking on transformative learning.  

And, I have given consideration to the metaphors we use to make meaning. This one seems fitting.

Mirror image | hastily set in Cooper Black 48pt

filed under: 3-Word Rules 

This concept is now 10 years old. And, It fascinates me that many in education are still debating the merits of art and design within the frameworks of STEM. There is value in STEM, but where does it lead? 

I posted this graphic on Instagram today, and someone asked me to explain. My response was this:

This graphic exemplifies the STEM vs STEAM debate. STEM learning is valuable, but it is mostly based on principles. To find creative solutions, those STEM fundamentals must either contain or lead to an element of art, design, and empathy. 

I posted a similar sentiment over a week ago. At that time, I was considering the merits of incorporating art and the ways in which it stands in contrast to STEM.

When applying the STEM > IDEA concept to public education, I would argue that we are not there yet. We are only now beginning to appreciate what design thinking offers students and the ways the design (or IDEA) impacts learning. 

image credit: John Maeda, Rhode Island School of Design  

A few photos from CUE LDI 2019 @ Asilomar 

What is good design? What makes it good or bad? Can it be hostile, beneficial, neutral? 

#failforward

Made it to page 100...in what is quite possibly the densest text I have ever been required to read to date.  

It's a worthwhile read but there is a lot going on in each chapter. Additionally, I'm reading (digesting) a ton of other material each week. Just look at this list of other required studies for Week 4/Summer Session II. 

These past 12 weeks of schoolwork have helped me realize what tools are necessary.

Essentials: a .5mm mechanical pencil, and quality pen, a good highlighter, and a trusty pocket notebook.

Also, some lip balm. Because, I tend to bite my bottom lip when I am deep in concentration.

Because I am not a huge fan of BlackBoard as an LMS, I created my own container for all of my coursework. It's a bit antiquated, and the mobile apps is horrible. The alerts and notifications lag, and the whole system needs an overhaul. Moving content over to my own space is a bit of a hassle, but it allows me to organize the course content in a way that makes sense to me.

For the past three months, I have used Google Sites. Sites works well for embedding videos, creating subpages, and displaying the required readings (texts, and PDFs). Sites look great on mobile, too. However, the Site seems to take up a lot of storage space in Drive. This is a problem because I am only in Week 12, and have about 132 to go. And, it has no task list, unless I embed Google Calendar and maintain separate entries.

I thought about hosting a personal wiki as a solution, but that just seems like a lot more work. For the sake of trying to find a flexible solution (for laptop and mobile) that has a smaller footprint, I am going back to Byword and using Notion to create a wiki. I love the features on Notion's iOS app (and website), and I love that the Markdown files in Byword barely take up any disk space. Both have awesome readability, too. And, that makes a huge difference. Here's my first attempt at creating a wiki entry on Notion.

Can we just admire this beautifully designed book cover?

It's simple. It's colorful. And, it's probably the best one I have yet to see...in my relentless slog of reading material as a doctoral candidate.

Still not sure if there are only six steps to success on the path to quality literature review, though. Further, if the steps are linear then why is the path of the arrows somewhat erratic? 

I'll reconsider those questions once I've completed the book. Meanwhile, I'll simply appreciate the bold lines and the color palette of this cover.  

source: amazon

Spent the morning bottling old vine zinfandel with my Dad. Much needed break from the books.

A little “reset” before it’s back studying. Kinda like the wine, I think I might be suffering from bottle shock. 

Upside: "bottle shock" is a temporary condition. Most oenophiles will tell you that "bottle shock" is a slight disruption characterized by muted or disjointed flavors.  

It typically occurs after wine transfers, filtration, bottling, and sometimes during transport. 

The cure? Let it rest for a few days. Let it settle...

This is brilliant. And, it makes my inner typography nerd happy.

Em Dash: Why Should You Love It?

image source: flowersandfluerons

Stop reinventing the wheel.

Stop rehashing past practice.

After all, if everyone is doing it then "best practice" is merely mediocre. 

What is the best highlighter? Liquid, gel, pencil? What brand would you purchase again, or what is your "go-to" brand? 

As a doctoral candidate, I've spent a lot of time with "required readings" these past months. And, I have many more months ahead. About 36 months, to be precise. I knew that I would be spending a lot of quality time with analog texts, but I didn't anticipate how much I would be highlighting. 

And, most highlighters are garbage. I know that a quality highlighter exists, but I have yet to use one that made me happy. Maybe that is where I went wrong: buying whatever was on sale at Staples or Target. Some dry out too quickly. Some smear too easily. Some do not transfer properly. Some bleed through the pages. #frustrated

So, I did a little digging on the interwebs, and found a wide variety of opinions. JetPens has an entire blog post about highlighters, and I appreciate the thoroughness of the post. I don't mind paying for quality because quality pays for itself. The problem is finding the quality. I asked twitter and Instagram earlier today, and I'm curious to read the responses...but I may just have to spend the money and write my own review.

This week threw me a bit. It started Monday when I realized that I had forgotten to post at least two responses on the BlackBoard discussion for one of my classes. Thankfully, the professor allowed me to make up the work the following day. And, I only lost one point out of 20. 

But, that one misstep derailed me. I was on a roll prior to that. In the previous three weeks of the classes, I was working ahead. Somehow, I completely missed that assignment. I'm not sure how or why I forgot about them, but it bothered me all week...I beat myself up and engaged in a lot of negative self-talk.  

After a few days of questioning my worth, I have finally decided that it was a simple mistake. Maybe I got wrapped up in the weekend, and enjoyed spending time with my family. Maybe I was preoccupied with the 4-6 page paper I had due Saturday night for the other class. Whatever the reason, I have decided that I can only do my best. And, I cannot ruin it for myself simply because I missed (and made up!) one simple assignment.  

Mistakes men make   

1. Doing things
   
2. Not doing things
   
3. Thinking about doing things 
   
4. Not thinking about doing things
   

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about words that start with work...

• workshop
• workspace
• workflow
• workload
• workforce 
• workshitssheets 

What is work, and what does it have to do with schools and learning? 

Some would argue that the education system is not doing enough to support the workforce. It is not a Millennial issue, or a standards issue. It is about emotions, and it is about relationships. It is about responsibility. 

Developing A Sense Of Responsibility: Why Emotional Insight Is Critical For The Future Of Work

And, it is now a presidential debate issue, with 18 of 23 presidential candidates supporting some type of tuition relief or assistance. 

"However, a 2013 McKinsey & Company study of youth, education providers, and employers in nine countries showed that while 72 percent of higher education institutions believe they prepare their students well for the workforce, half of students are not sure if their credentials improve their opportunities at finding a job. This disconnect can also be seen in the private sector where only 11 percent of business leaders ‘strongly agree’ that students have the vital skills for the labour market, compared to 96 percent of chief academic officers who believed their institutions were either somewhat or very effective at providing the necessary skills to students. While a post-secondary degree is still proven to be a career asset, the current level of disconnect between what employers want versus what is being taught must be addressed."

—McKinsey & Company, "The Voice of the Graduate"

✱ hat tip to David Culberhouse for sharing these ideas  

I miss this place, this bedroom in my house that I walk past every day on my way to the other bedroom in my house that is now an office, a workspace.    

It's not that my printshop is gone...it’s just that I have been spending a lot more time in the office. Like a lot a lot. It’s been over two months since I last printed. 

As a doctoral candidate, I am reading, writing, and researching in almost the free moments available. And, I miss this free moments of arranging type, setting forms, and pressing ink onto paper. Dearly. 

I read this article today, about the benefits of working with your hands, and missed printing even more. 

Some day, I will have my weekends free to print again...

Dreams are forever, but the rent is due each month.