March 29th, 2010
[Sometimes, I really wish we had a lake nearby where I could sit, dip my feet in, and ponder life’s mysteries.
Alas, the closest thing to a “lake” we have here in Santa Clarita is Bridgeport which is 1) too far away from where I am, and 2) too toxic-looking at the moment to ever consider dipping one’s feet in.
But, in a few days, I shall dip my toes into the cold ocean. I shall relish it.]
A few months ago, I discovered a rather useful tool called InstaPaper. It’s free and ridiculously easy to use. It also has a free, downloadable app for my Android phone which makes reading articles so much more convenient on the run. This article is one of those I saved awhile back.
Did you see the research paper on First Monday entitled, How today’s college students use Wikipedia for course-related research? Written by Alison J. Head and Michael B. Eisenberg of the Information School at the University of Washington, the paper focuses on how students really use Wikipedia. I agree with how they start off their introduction – “Want to stir up a room full of college faculty and librarians? Mention Wikipedia.”
I mentioned Wikipedia as part of my presentation at the CA-AAFCS State & Western Region conference a few weeks back, and I saw some smirks in the audience. My point wasn’t Wikipedia itself but the wiki software; it didn’t matter for a few of the attendees. Wikipedia was Wikipedia, bastion of misinformation that it is.
I believe Wikipedia has its good points, but many faculty members and teachers cling to their distrust of the site and its contents. They encourage students to stay away from it during their research lest a student “quote” misinformation from it, but are students really using Wikipedia for their research?
According to Head and Eisenberg, maybe not. “A majority of respondents frequently used Wikipedia for background information, but less often than they used other common resources, such as course readings and Google.” Their initial findings suggest that those in the “hard sciences” tend to use Wikipedia more, and those that do use Wikipedia use it “in combination with other information resources.”
A couple of interesting points from their research (my comments in parentheses):
- More females participated than males (and yet more of the sciences traditionally ascribed as being male-dominated fields used Wikipedia the most – does this mean there are more females in those fields than people give them credit for?)
- Reasons given for using Wikipedia included:
- summaries of a topic
- finding the meaning of terms
- launch pad to get research started
- “usable interface” (research databases, do you see this? If you were more user-friendly, maybe the students would flock to you first!)
- Students use Wikipedia even if instructors advised against it (I already knew this deep down in my heart, but as educators, I think we need to teach our students how to process and think through the information presented in sources like Wikipedia instead of merely advising them to stay away)
- “[Students] did not think that they could approach an instructor about an assignment, until they knew more about their topic”. Thus, they’d go to Wikipedia first. (That just broke my heart. I hope I am the kind of professor that my students can run to first for clarification on an assignment. That’s what I’m here for! Maybe I can add a Wikipedia entry with my picture and contact info. Just kidding)
- Students may have started their research projects on Wikipedia, but they don’t end with it.
So what’s Wikipedia’s true appeal? According to the authors, “Wikipedia’s information utility is tied to four C’s it delivers – currency, coverage, comprehensibility, and convenience.” (emphasis added) I think we can learn from that.
I would encourage you to read the article for yourself and not be overwhelmed by the technical nature of the writing.
And check out InstaPaper.com while you’re at it.
Tags: Education, Journals, research, Technology, wikipedia, wikis
Posted in Education, Journals, Technology | No Comments »
March 22nd, 2010
If you haven’t heard, the Health Care bill passed in the House yesterday. The world didn’t end, but tempers definitely flared. That’s to be expected with something so revolutionary occurring in a nation that hasn’t really had any big changes since segregation, 9/11, and…and…oh, wait. A black president being elected. Nevermind. I guess change has been happening progressively for quite some time.
All the change isn’t what surprises me. Life is never static. What surprises me are some of the responses to the changes, specifically those related to the Health Care bill.
Especially the responses of those who call themselves Christians.*
*Disclaimer: by saying “call themselves Christians, I am not questioning their salvation. I literally mean – those who call themselves Christians. Myself being one.
Most of the dissent from my Christian friends and contacts has centered around three major themes:
- Abortion in the bill
- No one is entitled to health care
- They can’t take my hard-earned money from me to support someone else
I’ll take #3 for a few minutes here, and please remember, I’m talking about Christians (not the general public).
Is your money really yours?
That’s the question I have for my fellow believers. Before your blood boils at the thought of having to pay taxes to fund someone else’s medical condition, consider:
- Do you make more than $250,000 a year? (Is 3.8% on your investment income a nightmare?)
- The fine on not having insurance (starting 2014) is $95 or 1% of income the first year, up to $695 or 2% of income subsequently.
- If you can’t find a policy for less than 8% of your income, you don’t pay the fine. Did you see that?
- Do you have a policy now?
Are you still in the category of those who will pay taxes? Even if you are…
Is your money really yours?
As a believer, is your money really yours?
What bothers me is the dichotomy believers force on certain aspects of politics and their faith (I am guilty of this, too, at times). We say that we don’t own anything in this world – anything we have is a undeserved gift from God:
- Our lives
- Our jobs
- Our ability to even work at a job
- Our material possessions
…and then when we are called upon to give of those things (missions? charity?) or, in the case of government, required to give up some of those things, we panic. We rant. We call down God’s wrath on those who would dare tred upon our rights as American citizens (government mainly – we wouldn’t dare call down God’s wrath on missionaries or charities asking us for our “hard-earned” money because that sounds bad, and besides – it’s not required. Or is it? Not by your government, but by God Himself…).
Why do we try to hold on so firmly to earthly possessions that we really have no right to as believers? If you truly view everything as a gift from God, it will sadden you to part with said possessions, but it should not infuriate you and cause you to run around screaming about your freedom being taken away.
No one can ever take away your salvation and freedom in Christ. Isn’t that what truly matters?
“He said to them, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s’.” – Luke 20:25
“Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly, it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.” – Proverbs 23:4-5
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
Posted in Christianity, In the News, Observations on Life | 1 Comment »
March 10th, 2010
It is currently 6:38 pm on Wednesday night.
That means I have 2 days and 21 hours (or 4186-ish minutes) before my presentation at the State Conference on Saturday.
Never mind. The minutes went down.
I have always told my students never to wait until the night before to prepare their speeches. Most people can work well under pressure, but when it comes to public speaking, most who prepare their presentations under time pressure generally do not do well. Why?
Because they rushed their gathering of information.
Because they did not practice.
Because they are generally thinking of their deadline instead of their topic.
Because they won’t get much sleep (less than normal, probably).
Because they won’t meet my outline submission deadline. *wink, wink*
…but mainly because they won’t be as familiar with their content as they could have been if they had started sooner. (There are some exceptions)
According to my timer, I’m down to 4183 minutes.
I’ve got two days before my presentation, and I’ve been working on my PowerPoint and content intermittently over the past few days now. But I’m not done yet.
And I’m feeling the pressure.
Even if I have a couple days left.
Because those days will be full of other responsibilities.
And then I’ll present.
I’ll get up before my audience (thanks in advance for coming!).
And I’ll present my content.
I’ll present my thoughts.
I’ll present what I’ve been eating, drinking, sleeping (metaphorically, of course) for the past few days (but truly, for several years of my life).
4178 minutes.
Confession #1 – I should have started preparing sooner.
Confession #2 – I feel pressure, too!
Confession #3 – I will be in professional dress when I present.
Confession #4 – I feel nervous, too, before presenting. (It’s a good thing!)
Confession #5 – I really want you guys to succeed when you present…but your preparation does matter. Preparing two days in advance can actually help you more than a few hours the night before.
Confession #6 – I have a really cool, new clicker that I get to use when I present, and that makes me cooler than you. Just kidding. Y’all will get to use it for your informative speeches.
(Speaking of which, how are you guys doing?)
4175 minutes.
And I’m off to finish my PowerPoint.
Wish me luck!
Cheers,
Corinne a.k.a. “Prof. Thomas”
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March 7th, 2010
I rediscovered my “tablet” tonight along with the fun program Inkscape. Unfortunately, the following ensued:
I call this one… “The Doodle Noodle”.
My new line of stick-figure “super” heroes. This is P.O. man. He’s not happy with you.
Super Slug!!!
Twitter replaced him. :( Poor bugger.
…and, the rest really shouldn’t see the light of day. I’m not sure these should have even seen the light of day.
I never claimed to be normal.
I also would like to blame my dad for these urges to draw – he was an illustrator/photographer.
Cheers.
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March 1st, 2010
At the beginning of the year, Mike and I decided to try out the 365 Project. Let’s just say that Mike is doing much better than I am, considering he actually took pictures past day 18 of the project. Lesson learned? Taking one picture every single day is pretty tough. Maybe I’ll try again later…in the year.
…or, I should take more pictures with my camera phone.
Posted in Observations on Life, Photography | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Sitting in this retro, little cafe has finally inspired me to drop my textbooks, notes, and grading and finally take some time to blog again. Retro, little cafes can affect a person that way, and while I’m at it, I highly recommend the Bourgeois Pig.
No, I’m not watching the Super Bowl today. I’m not a big football fan, but I am a fan of Super Bowl commercials. Thank God for Hulu!
It’s already February, which means a lot has already happened and a lot is about to happen again.
In summary:
Teaching – Classes have started back up at TMC, and I’m in the early throes of tormenting my new students. Just kidding. I don’t actually torment them. Being in a Public Speaking course is torment enough for some. We just finished the testimonies, and I must say – I have been impressed so far. I am very excited to watch them all improve and find themselves (as far as public speaking is concerned) as the semester progresses.
GWU – Grad school started a week before TMC started, and we’ve hit the ground running. I thought my class on Policy would be the death of me, but so far, it’s my Quantitative Research class that has me confused. The materials are familiar enough (thanks, Dr. Ennis!), but the structure of the class has me sighing at my screen. Several of us in the class have moved over to Google Groups and Google Wave to supplement the class, and that has been an experience in and of itself. Google Wave has been an amazing tool for us. Here’s to hoping neither class will usher in sudden death.
Free Time – This is a foreign concept to me, but I have still managed to get addicted to Mass Effect 2 and ‘Splosion Man. And I’m still trying to work my way through The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, a pretty good story that I’m mainly reading for the sparse pictures of the awesome birds. I should just watch the movie. That will give me more time to focus on saving the galaxy with my wicked biotic powers!
Conference – I’m speaking at a State Conference in March, and I am prepping for it slowly but surely. I am not anticipating a large attendance for my breakout session since 1) I have no name recognition, and 2) the organization’s members as a whole just doesn’t seem to place much stock in technology and its impact on education, society, etc. Actually, that’s a bit unfair, but I am still keeping my expectations low. I am going to prepare as quality a presentation as I can, and if anyone shows up (even one person), I will be as excited to share my vision with them as I would to 100+ people. Hey, no matter what people say, even one person can make a difference! (I am referring to that one, potential attendee, not myself.)
Work – We now have a plastic shotgun in our office. I would like it to be noted that I have come the closest to hitting the bulls-eye on the hand-drawn target on our whiteboard. Even the office gun expert hasn’t come close! (Yes, that was a challenge.)
…and, that’s it for an update as far as I am willing to share on the Interwebz. Haha. I have been hoping to post more substantial material, i.e. book reviews, movie reviews, thoughts on news articles, etc., but please see my comment about free time above.
Truth be told, we make time for what we think is important, right? ^_^
In parting, here’s a truncated movie review for you: Paranormal Activity was a disappointment.
Cheers,
Corinne
Posted in Observations on Life | 1 Comment »
January 17th, 2010
Many have seen images and read news reports of the devastation caused in Haiti by last week’s 7.0 magnitude earthquake. You may have also read the warnings of earthquake fraud, of people trying to make a buck off of the catastrophe. More recently, you may have read the sad news of looting and aid being slow in coming to those who need it most.
If you’re like me (wanting to help more than my wallet will ever allow), there are ways – some are even local – to reach out to Haiti during this time:
OutWest Marketing
Wild about the West? So Are We!
Owned by a sweet couple, this “new charm” of Old Town Newhall is a “Western Boutique and Cultural Center”. I have met one of the owners, and she is a sweet lady.
This Thursday, January 21st, they are hosting Fine Art Photographer Frank Lozano and his work. Frank has connections to Haiti and has announced that he will be donating 100% of the proceeds of any of his work sold that evening to Haiti. OutWest will donate 10% of all their online and retail sales to Three Angels Children’s Relief.
For more info, check out OutWest’s website at: www.scvoutwest.com
Sport Chalet & Soles 4 Souls
Lend a hand by donating shoes today.
I heard about this opportunity at church today. Sport Chalet has teamed up with Soles 4 Soles and is currently accepting gently used shoes for Haiti. The drive is only until January 31st, so if you’d like to participate, now is the time!
For more info, check out this page: http://www.sportchalet.com/category/soles+4+souls+and+sport+chalet.do
We can definitely be praying for the Haitian people, and we should be. Reaching out in tangible ways is good, too. Both are needed.
Posted in In the News, Observations on Life | No Comments »
January 1st, 2010
First, to all a Happy New Year! I cannot believe it is already 2010. I think I will constantly be amazed for the rest of my life each time an entire year passes. For some odd reason, I have this vivid memory of being in fourth grade in Eagle Rock, CA, and hearing from someone (I really don’t remember if it was a teacher or someone else), “You’re only in fourth grade. Time is slow. Just wait until you grow up…” Man, they were right. Time is just flying by, and soon enough, I’ll be 80 and (Lord willing) racing scooter chairs with my husband in some nursing home somewhere. That, or skydiving at 80. We’ll see how far medical technology progresses in the meantime.
Since it’s technically still New Years Day, I wanted to write this post mainly for myself as an artifact in time to look back on and remember. I haven’t made any new resolutions since 2006 when I found the four that pretty much sum up what I want to do for the rest of my life. I have an entry in some torn pages from an old journal (I’m terrible at journaling – I have numerous journals, all with pages torn out and lumped together since I keep starting/stopping them) that read:
1/1/2006
Burbank, CA
The first two pages of this journal were torn out for good measure. Well, not really, but in a way, it was very symbolic of giving up the old to make room for the new. Today is New Year’s Day, 2006, and I have an hour left on the clock before tomorrow arrives. I want to write down some of my goals/resolutions for this year before the day changes. I have never done this before, so this is going to be interesting. *smiley face*
- Read my Bible everyday and start each day asking for God’s blessing and guidance. May He get the glory. (Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 6:33; 1 Corinthians 10:31)
- Fall into permanent love with God more and trust His perfect judgment and plans. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
- Guard my heart against anyone or anything that will pull me away from God and His will. (Proverbs 4:23)
- Have the courage and resolve to fulfill said resolutions. (1 Timothy 1:7; Romans 5:1-5)
I can honestly say that I have failed at all four of the above in various ways over the past – wow – four years since I wrote those down, and that is one of the reasons those resolutions never change. They truly encompass everything I aim to do. Thank God for mercy and grace and fresh beginnings!
Well, since this is supposed to be an artifact of sorts, here are some lessons I learned from 2009:
- God is powerful and in control; I am not. Daily, I was given opportunities to learn to submit to His blessed will and let things be. While that may sound rather un-Christian and more fatalistic than anything, it is still a fact that is true for Christians. I have the tendency to wrestle things and people if I see them doing things that harm themselves and/or others. However, I have learned and am still learning that it is not my “duty” nor my place in certain situations to do that…and more often than not, the situations are few in which I should wrestle. We will each have to answer for our actions someday, and I really need to leave everything/everyone up to God and focus on what I should be doing to follow Him more. (Note: I hope you understand that I am not advocating being apathetic and not caring about what goes on around you. There are definitely things that we should act on and be involved in without question…in my opinion, at least.)
- I am married to an amazing man. Ever since Mike and I got married, I have watched marriages start and crumble. Honestly, that has been hard to watch, and I have shed many tears over the heartbreak of others. (weird, huh?) There are very few (but not none) marriages that I see around me that I can say, “Hey, I want to be like them!” It makes me that much more grateful to be married to my best friend, my lover, my inspiration, my fiercest competitor (I still have the higher XBOX Live gamer score, however), my truest confidant, my most compassionate yet honest critic, my comforter (both emotionally and as a blanket on occasion – hey, he has warmer feet than me!), etc. Michael Thomas is my true soul mate, and should he not live to race with me in our scooter chairs when we’re 80, I will be very sad indeed. Mike, I love you.
- Learning is life-long. My curiosity gets stronger with each passing year, and it is becoming harder and harder to find the time to satiate it. Hmmm, maybe that says something about my time management skills. Anyways, 2009 was full of opportunities for formal learning and informal learning, and I pray to God I remember everything because it was all amazing.
- Teaching is hard. I have been teaching at the college level (by the grace of God and The Master’s College) since Fall 2008, and I am constantly finding ways to improve my classes. Some of my students have loved having me as a professor, others hated me, and others didn’t care either way. One thing my students may never know (well, unless they read my blog I suppose) is that I have been impacted by each and every one of them as a person. I actually prayed for every one of my students, and Mike can testify that I would have done everything in my power to help them if they had needed it. But, I have also learned that not everyone is as curious about the world or willing to listen to new views or want to work hard to improve themselves. Not everyone is as passionate about good communication, culture, nor other topics I find absolutely fascinating and essential to life. :) I learned that some people (yes, students are people, too, regardless of what some may think – lol) are extremely proud under my teaching, and I despised them – probably because I saw a lot of myself in their actions and attitudes at that age. Bad, Corinne – bad! I pray everyday that I will be a good teacher to those God sends my way not only because teachers will be judged harsher than most (James 3:1, anyone?) but because each soul that passes through my class is an opportunity for growth for themselves and for myself. Yeah, teaching is hard, but I love every minute of it.
Now that 2010 is here, I’m really excited to see what is in store. According to my fortune from the Japanese temple this morning, my examination scores will be good because “effort pays off” (haha), but other than that (jk, jk), 2010 will be an exciting year I’m sure. New places to visit, new experiences to…experience, and new people to come in contact with. I am terribly excited.
Here’s to a blessed, prosperous 2010 to us all!
Cheers,
Corinne
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December 30th, 2009
Tagline: “A true story of risk, adventure, and the man who dared to see.”
I’m not usually one to pick up books that could be potentially “inspirational”, but I had to read this book. One of the benefits (or curse, as some might see it) of being a professor is interacting with one’s students. I personally see it as a benefit. :) Anyway…a student recommended that I read this book after one of their classmates had given an interesting speech on stem cell research. It was stem cells that allowed the main protagonist of the book – Mike May – the opportunity to see again after years and years of blindness. (He lost his sight at the age of 3 in a freak chemical accident).
“It begins with special cells known as corneal epithelial stem cells. These are not the controversial stem cells taken from embryos or fetuses, but rather cells that exist in every person for a lifetime.” (p. 43) It was these stem cells and a fine physician that allowed May to have what is called a “corneal epithelial stem cell transplantation.” You’ll just need to read the book to get the full story of how it all works, but needless to say, it was a risky, complicated process that may not have even worked. In May’s case, it did.
The book is a good balance of interesting story and mind-numbing but fascinating facts about sight, how the brain works, etc. What really stood out to me was the spirit of Mike May. Even as a kid, the guy went “crashing through” life, refusing to sit idly by and let his blindness overwhelm him. He learned to ride bikes, play sports, excel in school, even travel to Africa by himself to help a remote village, and…this one makes me smile…become a world class skier. Yes, you read that right – skier. While blind. The guy’s drive is amazing and inspiring. He never quit at anything, ever. He lived his life with curiosity and a drive to finish everything he started.
…which was why it was odd to me to read that he (twice) suggested that he and his wife divorce. They were going through some really, really tough times financially and emotionally, and his solution was divorce. Thankfully, his wife hung in there, they went through counseling and worked things out, and they’re still together after all these years. But why would someone who lives their life with “failure is not an option” as their motto consider giving up on something some may view as “trivial” as marriage? If I ever meet Mike May, I’d like to ask him that.
The other thing that stood out to me was the complexity of the operations and the stem cells. The issue of stem cell research is not as simple as “yes/no”. There are different types of stem cells, and I personally believe that certain types should not be experimented on, etc. However, stem cell research really does have promising applications for people like Mike May and others, and to ban it outright and lump all stem cells together is ignorant and foolish. Reading this book was definitely a wake-up call to me to attempt to be more informed on the issue since, as a citizen of the U.S.A., I may be asked to vote on such issues in the future.
Overall, the book was worth reading, and I am glad my student took the time to look up the author and title for me.
According to Mike’s company’s website, a movie is in the works, and when it comes out, I’d definitely give it a look-sy. In the meantime, I’ll keep on reading…
Suggested Links:
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November 26th, 2009
A friend shared this on Facebook, and it was way too awesome not to share.
Happy Thanksgiving, any who read this blog. We have a lot to be thankful for!
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