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Old dogs and new projects |
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Written by E. Alana James
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Monday, 10 November 2008 00:00 |
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Hi everyone, Key on my mind today are both the ups and the frustrations of living half way around the world from where I grew up. I am unclear whether and to what extent these stories would be different had we continued the life we were living before - I leave that to those of you who knew us "when." The ups: six months ago Stefan, our 16 year old lab was failing. We had lost his sister, and he had a big lump on his hip that had to be removed. He was so lackadaisical that we didn't know if he had enough will to live to make it through the anesthetic. Today, and every day when I take him for his morning walk, as he comes running across the beach to me my heart is filled with gratefulness for his presence in our lives. Today I celebrate that he is here to teach the puppy what good dog behavior is like, also he gives her a best friend and safe space for her terrors (and she tends to be afraid of many things). I also am delighted to tell you that he has become quite assertive. For instance he won't go for a walk with Harrient and Monty unless I come along (good for me that), or when he wants something we know it (and of course give it to him). Life with older animals is grand isn't it? So much friendship to be grateful for! The frustrations that I have faced recently have to do with taking over tasks that should have been easy only to have the long history here of "how things are done" bite me in the behind. I took on being leadership Chair for my Rotary club. Alas, quite by accident I also took on hosting the area finals - didn't have a clue what I was saying yes to, nor did our club president. Couple this newness with the fact that this year for some reason the communication from other places was not good, or timely, so largely I was figuring this out on my own. As you might imagine this has caused ups and downs, even to the point that at one stage I was quitting Rotary altogether. Thankfully it appears no one was harmed by my unusual choices (although a few bitched) and everyone finally played along. Wednesday is the last day until next year and by 7pm Wednesday night we will have three young people who will win a trip to Strasbourg where they will spend the week discussing issues of the European Union with others who have one in similar competitions. There are many tests by fire in our lives, thankfully both of these had positive endings. Love to you all, Alana |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 14 November 2008 11:02 )
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Regular am blogging begins. What makes me happy? |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 06 November 2008 00:00 |
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 Hi everyone,
It's been a long time since I have written a blog entry and I have missed it. Not that life has not been grand lately - it has (more about that as we go) but still the sheer satisfaction of getting up early, writing from my heart (and head) and seeing the output of my work published on the web has been missing. I was talking to Toni Hull (one of the doctoral students I mentor) and I told her that what I had done to get my dissertation written was to get up in the morning to do it. BINGO that is what I needed to do as well, so like many teachers before me I am taking my own advise. Last night in our multicultural group discussed "What makes me happy." This is a group where new friends from many countries meet to discuss everything under the sun and where I learn a whole lot from their experiences. I am continually confronted with the privilege of having grown up in a safe and abundant place- but for them safety and abundance is all that is needed for life satisfaction. My friend from Poland and from Malaysia both agreed that to live in Ireland is easy and comfortable because they can get on with their lives not having to worry, a contrast to the real issues they faced before. I feel humble when I understand what others have lived through. My friend from Yugoslavia/now Bosnia remembers the months of severe transition. After the Soviet Union's power fell apart there was no government, no currency, no police and no civil service. What remained was power taken over by bullies with guns. "What makes me happy?" I realized that I am happier than I have ever been in my life. What makes me happy? Connections with people and ideas. The multicultural group makes me happy. Thank heavens I live in a time of the internet because I did not have to leave behind the connections of my previous life when I moved here, yet also I can take on global awareness and see where it leads me. I connect with ease to a world of ideas, like a kid in a candy shop I don't know where to turn there are so many treats - and if I try to take them all in I turn green with a stomach ache! We talked for two hours last night about happiness (falling sometimes into discussing what makes us unhappy - corruption etc). Let me leave this first blog of a regular new habit of blogging by asking you, my reader, what makes you happy? Please feel free to sign in and comment, and until we chat again, thanks for reading. Alana |
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CCK08: Thoughts on connections in instructional design |
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Written by E. Alana James
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Tuesday, 21 October 2008 00:00 |
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Hi everyone, I'm celebrating the separation of the www.futureofeducationproject.net from www.reinventinglife.org - YEA I can write here as an independent academic in the world - separate from concerns of the big project. I want to put my first focus on the CCK08 course, because, while this week (instructional design) will have implications for the project, I want to address these issues from the broader arena of my life as an educator. My baseline questions include: 1. What does connectivism in instructional design mean to my work online with doctoral students? 2. What does it mean when we design trainings and professional development? 3. What do I think this means for education if/when we move towards a non-school paradigm? To read the rest of the article follow the Read More link..... |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 October 2008 11:01 )
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CCCK08 & The Future(s) Project as a disciplinary network |
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Written by E. Alana James
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Monday, 22 September 2008 00:00 |
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Hi everyone, Prior to reading this you may want to also look at "CCK08 Starts Week Three (posted under WorkLife/The aggregate blog). The Future(s) project is naturally a participatory network. Aren't all networks participatory? I can't say, but since this one will have groups on the ground building pilots for new styles of educational practice then it will definitey have more than the exchange of ideas - and thus can be differentiated from a learning network by being a participatory. If you are interested, the rest of this article discusses Downes ideas as they relate to the Future(s) of Education project - available by following the "read more" link. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 22 September 2008 12:41 )
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CCK08 - Tie to transformational education |
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Written by E. Alana James
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Saturday, 20 September 2008 00:00 |
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Hi everyone, The following diagram says it all in shortened form, but if you want to read the comment during which I understood a missing component in my search for what makes education/learning transformational, then follow the "read more" link to the full deal.  |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 20 September 2008 07:18 )
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