Publications . . . on a Random Week in July

My boss, every now and then, requires a more complete update from his leadership than he usually gets. So, at those times, we all go in and draft much more explicit and detailed reports that show everything that our departments are doing. 

Now there are times when I'm circumspect about what I post here. I don't need some hacker on the other side of the world knowing my address or phone number or where I'll be on September 2nd. Worse, I don't need to be posting our Research Department's strategy and tactics for all of the world, or our competitors to see. However, knowing which journals I've submitted articles to, doesn't seem to me to be too confidential. 

Best Writing Beards

In my last video, I spoke about my audience for this blog. One large cohort of this audience has pitched a very compelling and cogent question. Basically, many of my former students who like to peruse this blog have asked what happened to my beard.

I'm sure the men in the above picture, famous authors all, need no introduction. It only made sense last year that I too go down the route and become a great bearded writer as well. Well, when making videos for my classes, I couldn't very well shave or hide the beard. Ergo, there's an entire cohort of graduate students, many of whom follow this blog, who are wondering what happened to the beard. 

New Readers and New Audiences

 So, in my efforts to continue to move away from just providing written word updates, here's my next video. Enjoy.

Another Academic Publication

As this blog is about my writing and (hopeful) publication, I thought I'd mention some of the other publications that I have earned. In this most recent case, the June issue of Adult Learning, a peer-reviewed academic journal of the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education, was released yesterday, and there at the bottom is my name listed next to a book review.

I remember one of my professors saying that an easy way to get started in the academic publication world is to publish a book review. She was (and I believe still is) an editor of the journal, and I think she was trying to get more book reviews for it, since it's a constant part of each issue, and I'm sure they have to fill the funnel every now and then. Regardless, I took her at her word, and I have to say she was right. 

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.