I remember the first time I realized I was interacting with a chatbot customer service agent, rather than a real one. It took a while to figure it out, because many phone/utilities companies outsource their customer service to folks in developing countries, and agents often work from a script – in other words, scripted languageContinue reading “The death of authenticity?”
New learning journeys
It’s always so interesting learning with other educators. I often think about what my fellow learners would be like leading a classroom, as I’m reminded of how different I am as a learner vs. as a teacher. I know I’m a great teacher. My growth trajectory has been to become more learner-centred over the years,Continue reading “New learning journeys”
Final reflection on a Strange Crochet
On brand, I’m running late. But my recent experience with Open Networked Learning in my PBL group has been on my mind. I remember several years back, taking a certificate in online teaching & learning – not a very good program to be fair – one focus was to convince us all of the validityContinue reading “Final reflection on a Strange Crochet”
How are you, really?
On Monday I attended a workshop: “Courageous Conversations” hosted by the East-West Center in Hawaii. “Leaders are often called upon to facilitate meaningful, civil, and sometimes difficult conversations” – and these courageous conversations are more important than ever in an increasingly polarized and divisive society. I see courageous conversations as bridge-builders; the opposite of shamingContinue reading “How are you, really?”
A Strange Crochet Mantle
As the costume designer for our Strange Crochet video production, and taking inspiration from Dr. Marti Cleveland-Innes, teacher as bricoleur, I gathered old materials and brought them together in new ways. Working with these new media, in a different scale, I was clumsy in something that had felt natural to me before. I was forcedContinue reading “A Strange Crochet Mantle”
On Stuckness and Superpowers
Watching the recorded webinar for topic 4 (Design for Online & Blended Learning), I am aware of the privileges I bring from my background area of expertise. Teaching in, and administering an applied program, so many of the principles described explicitly by Dr. Marti Cleveland-Innes are intuitively and implicitly part of my practice. In normalContinue reading “On Stuckness and Superpowers”
Product VS Process
I have been thinking a lot about Product vs. Process in the education world. I find great joy in helping student transcend their results-orientation, if only for a moment, perhaps because I find it so hard to transcend myself. I do this both consciously and intuitively, through curriculum and instructional design, assessment practices, and modeling.Continue reading “Product VS Process”
Focusing energy
Whenever I meet with my group, I feel inspired, refreshed, energized. It’s exactly what I was hoping for, but I don’t have the time to devote myself as much as I’d like – and it leaves me wondering what on earth I’m doing with my time. These days it’s 2-4 evening meetings a week, plusContinue reading “Focusing energy”
Focusing energy
Whenever I meet with my group, I feel inspired, refreshed, energized. It’s exactly what I was hoping for, but I don’t have the time to devote myself as much as I’d like – and it leaves me wondering what on earth I’m doing with my time. These days it’s 2-4 evening meetings a week, plusContinue reading “Focusing energy”
Collaboration, Facilitation, Safety
For the past two weeks I have been facilitating topic 2 – Openness and Sharing – with my partner. I am trying to spin the swirling threads into some cohesive meaning. In my work, I approach projects with a need to tie them up with a bow. My work begins with an anticipated arrival, itContinue reading “Collaboration, Facilitation, Safety”
What was the topic, again?
A whirlwind couple of weeks, in our first ONL topic – I had to look it up to refresh my memory: Online Participation and Digital Literacies. In some ways I felt like I lost sight of the topic as we navigated new collaborative relationships and figured out a new tool… in other words, while weContinue reading “What was the topic, again?”
Systems, lifeworlds, and sacrificial lambs
When we make things out of fabric, we know the strengths and limitations of the material and work with them. Even more interesting, we turn the limitations into strengths. We emphasize linen’s creases and felt the wool. The other day I read about Orsola de Castro’s take on clothes moths – she leaves a ‘sacrificialContinue reading “Systems, lifeworlds, and sacrificial lambs”