Brenda Video

 Second video-inspired post. Enjoy.

Reading Series

This may be challenging to see, but this is my reading series challenge. About a year and a half or two years ago I made myself a goal to read through several series of books all written by the same author. I've made some good progress, but boy do I still have a long way to go. 

These aren't the only books I've read. I just finished an "off series" book, and actually, I'd bet it's about 3 to 1. For every 4 books I read, 3 are from the series. Some of these are commitment books. I just finished Rainbow 6, and that sucker is long. 

Going Video

 

Adaptive Learning

Adaptive instructional design was something that I was working toward in my prior position at a non-profit safety council. 

We were actively working on several different solutions that focused on using technology to support adaptive learning. First, I think it's important to note that in my perspective there is a difference between adaptive learning and differentiated learning. While both are pro-active one is constantly adapting and changing, (adaptive) while the other is a bit less pro-active and could be seen in my view as reactive. I see them as similar but slightly different variants. Like a naval orange and a blood orange. Farrer (2024) does a good job of explaining this when she writes about differentiation that: "the teacher recognizes that students have differing needs and addresses them before learning occurs" (para. 24). While adaptive learning environments, she writes: "adaptive teaching is when the teacher continuously collects data on students and then uses that data to adapt their teaching in the moment" (para. 25).

TPACK & SAMR

I had to draft a script for a presentation on SAMR vs TPACK. This is what I got: 

Good afternoon everyone, and thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.

Change Management vs Change Leadership

I enjoy focusing on the contrast between change management and change leadership. This has been an actual challenge for me throughout my life. 

Kotter (2011) emphasizes that change management focuses "refers to a set of basic tools or structures intended to keep any change effort under control" (para. 1). Change leadership however requires something deeper. Again, according to Kotter (2011), change leadership is "concerns the driving forces, visions and processes that fuel large-scale transformation" (para. 1). Both concern, in my opinion, the ability to influence people toward a shared or common vision but there are disticnt difference. I also think there is a time latency aspect where change leadership begins before the project, and before change management. It's making a case for change as well. 

Poor PO Fit

 I got a chance to sit behind my old colleagues for a short flight back home. I didn't "try" to listen in, but I did hear. And each successive sentence made me realize how happy I was to have left. I listened to them say this and that and then this again,  . . . (then that again) . . . and I swear I didn't want to roll my eyes, . . But I may have. 

It made me think about the report I wrote several years ago. I tried to get it published. I thought it was good enough to be published, but it never was. I remember I got a somewhat poor grade on it, and I was furious, . . . apparently Dr. Priest is a better grader than I thought. No one else thought it was any good either. 

Give Me Some Orders

 I'm reading a book about D-Day by Stephen Ambrose. I've read a lot of books by Ambrose over the years. I gave up on him due to the "plagiarism" scandal at the end of his life. I wasn't a fan of that. And I'm still not. BUT, I've been stunned (as my readers well know) by the magnitude of plagiarism taking hold in academic circles, see for instance Harvard's president, et al. I wonder if there is a study there somewhere. Regardless, Ambrose is a greater writer. More on that later. 

What I find interesting is his description of the landing at Omaha Beach. The first invasion he discusses is Utah, and for the most part that sounds rather staid. But boy, Omaha was a goat fuck. 

Tizzy Moments

 I think it's funny how little things can throw us for a loop. For example, I felt like I was doing great yesterday. Working hard, moving forward, enjoying my work, etc. Then BOOM one message from my boss, and everything is thrown into a scrum. 

In this case, it's such a silly message too. 

Writing Tropes - Crossed Up Plots and Time Travel

There are two type of story tropes that I particularly enjoy. I've never written any like it, but they are well-known and usually well-liked. My next project is going to be my own effort to bring them both together. 

I love movies with multiple divergent yet congruent and intersecting story lines and character arcs. At the beginning of the story, you have multiple characters, none of whom seem to have any relationship with the others. By the end of the movie, you recognize where and why they all intersect, and usually they intersect in ways that the reader or watcher would never have suspected.