EDM613 Wk2, post 3: Response to Sarah Baker-Dykes

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@ Sarah Baker-Dykes (original post by Sarah Baker-Dykes on April 8, 2011)

Sarah: My head was also spinning after reading these chapters. Like you, I felt there was so much inspirational wisdom and I immediately wanted to go upgrade all of my current teaching practices and fill my class with the essence of perfection the Zanders put forward. It is wonderful to hear that you are so anxious to apply these lessons to your classroom as well and I wish all the best on doing so. However, remember what they explained in their forward, that it takes time and lots and lots of practice. I think just by trying to apply some of the Zanders' ideas to your practice is a "contribution" in itself.    

Sarah Baker-Dykes Blog: Week 2 Blog 1 Response to Reading

(Posted by Sarah Baker-Dykes on Friday, April 8, 2011) I have really enjoyed reading the first four chapters of The Art of Possibility.  Chapters 3 and 4 really struck a chord with me. The ideas of “giving yourself an A” and “being contribution” are so inspiring.  When I was finished reading, my brain was spinning with new ideas to bring to my own classroom.

Zander so clearly showed how one’s outlook on people and situations can change the outcomes and our emotions.  By beginning each situation or each relationship by giving an A, we automatically treat it with so much more respect.  Because of the invented game and what an A stands for in our minds, when we start off a relationship by giving the other person an A, we are opening up a world of possibilities.  Rather than focusing on the negatives and picking things apart, we can view others as a masterpiece.  Zander likened this to Michelangelo and how he described a block of stone that has a beautiful statue dwelling inside.  The excess material must be removed to reveal the beauty inside.  I found this to be such a wonderful illustration for how teachers approach students.  Zander quite perfectly stated that, “this A is not an expectation to live up to, but a possibility to live into.”

The most intriguing idea I’ve gained so far is that of being a contribution.  This idea of trying to make a difference each day is very inspiring.  In the book, Mr. Zander had his students tell a way they made a contribution each week in any avenue of life.  What a great idea! I think it’s the goal of most educators that we see our students grow into responsible and caring citizens.  By embracing this idea and showing students how they can make a difference just by one small thing they do, can have a huge impact on their lives.

This idea can be adapted by anyone at any age. I’m quite confident that my third grade students would take hold of this idea and run with it.  I can’t wait to introduce this to my class.  Likewise, applying this principle to my personal life can have a great effect. If I greeted every relationship and circumstance with the question, “What contribution can I make and how can I make a difference today?” my life may be very different.  Even now as I type this, I’m still inspired by these questions.  My hope is that I’ll be able to apply this idea to my students.  To look at them and think, “what can I do to make a difference in your life?”  It’s such a powerful thought.  The idea that this question could be embraced by my students is exciting.  I would love for them to look at their classmates and community and think, “what contribution can I make?”

Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. Boston, MA:  Harvard Business School Press 

EDM613 Wk2, post 1: Reading - Art of Possibility chp 1-4

Caesar's Palace - Photo by Jason Peglow

I really do love books like this although I always have such a hard time applying any of it to my actual life practice. For example, in the chapter on giving an A to others and to your self, all I could think about here was how could I give an A to my students? Every time the idea came into my mind while reading this chapter I thought of so many reasons why it wouldn't work, or the negatives that could result. It is funny how quick one's mind admonishes the self into thinking something new or risky is impossible. But, I have made it my goal that all summer long I am going to try to make this happen in my classes for next year. I mean...who am I to tell a student they are only a C? I will simply do my best to chip away at the marble to reveal the statue. My classes are enjoyable and the kids always seem to show growth in their writing while they are with me, but I always come away at the end of the year feeling like I wasted so much time doing things that were unnecessary or irrelevant for them. I am hoping I can find a way to change that for next year. I guess I am chipping way at my own block of marble as well. 

EDM613 Wk2, post 2: Response to Curt Isakson

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@ Curt Isakson's AR Project blog (original post by Curt Isakson on April 5, 2011) 
Curt, before responding to your post I must admit that I felt this book would speak to you personally since you are a music teacher an one of the authors is a conductor and uses a lot of musical tales to help explain the meaning of the concepts presented in the book. In your response it seems that a lot of what was said resonated with you for just that reason. I wonder if you have seen a similar reaction in your students when the grades are not an issue and they are free and comfortable to make the mistakes? As a teacher, I too was most intrigued by the giving an 'A' chapter. But, I have a lot of trepidation in doing this in my classes. I think it is mostly out of fear that at the middle school level there would be less motivation to try like these authors had in college level courses. Maybe it is a control issue on my part,  Thanks for your post.

Curt Isakson's AR Project Blog: Week Two Reading - The Art of Possibilities

(Posted by Curt Isakson on Tuesday, April 5, 2011) One of the most compelling points bought across in this book, and what has stuck with me the longest, was the concept of giving an ‘A’ for a particular project to free one-self of the grade, and to let a person fully experiment, fail, or succeed without the worry of getting a bad grade.  I believe this can be a wonderful way of letting loose the chains that bind us creatively.

I find myself in this course having to make decisions about whether I do what I really want to do (which usually is more involved), or just make sure I fit the criteria for the grade.  Many times I have made the conclusion that I want the grade and have not taken it as far as I wanted to.  The projects I am most proud of though are the ones that I really didn’t care about the grade and did what I felt was right in my mind.

This course has used this concept many times, and I use this same idea in the classes I teach.  A ‘no-fail’ approach to some of my learning environments really brings out the best in my students. 

EDM613 Wk1, post 4: Free Write - ARP Intro

The following was the opening of my literature review and also is intended to be my introductory paragraph for my final paper for the Full Sail EMDT ARP. I welcome any and all comments and critiques:

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In 2007, the Department of Education and its affiliates released a national report card detailing the results of student writing proficiencies in eighth and twelfth grades. Eighty-eight percent of students at the eighth grade level performed at or above the basic writing proficiency level, thirty-three percent scored at or above proficient, and only two percent achieved advanced in their writing proficiency (National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2007). Between the 2002 assessment and the 2007 assessment, the proficiency score had only increased one percentage point from thirty-two percent at or above proficient to thirty-three percent at or above proficient, and it remained fixed at two percent advanced.

The Department of Education noted that by 2014 every student must achieve academic proficiency (NCLB, 2001). With the demand for one hundred percent proficiency slated for 2014 and with sixty-seven percent of the nation’s students currently scoring below proficient in writing, there has been a pedagogical need to find effective techniques to implement in lessons and curricula to boost writing scores and raise student proficiencies. Lam and Law (2007) identified a direct correlation between low student interest towards the traditional writing process and poor writing performance. Clayton, Blumberg, & Auld (2010) explained that although the lack of student motivation negatively effecting student performance in academics was not entirely a new revelation, it did raise the question as to what factors were needed in the 21st century classroom to raise student interest in writing which would correlate to raising academic writing proficiencies as well.

Works Cited:

Clayton, K., Blumberg, F., & Auld, D. P. (2010). The relationship between motivation, learning strategies and choice of environment whether traditional or including an online component. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(3), 349-364. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=113&sid=15efb7c7-4949-44f9-b518-9cc9b47b59fa%40sessionmgr110&vid=42

Lam, S., & Law, Y. (2007). The roles of instructional practices and motivation in writing performance. Journal of Experimental Education, 75(2), 145-164. doi: 10.3200/JEXE.75.2.145-164

National Assessment of Educational Progress. (2007). Writing report card. The Nation’s Report Card. Retrieved from http://nationsreportcard.gov/writing_2007/w0003.asp?tab_id=tab1subtab_id=Tab_1#chart

NCLB. (2001). No child left behind act. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml

EDM613 Wk1, post 3: Response to Angela Alipour

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@ Media Asset Creation Blog (original post by Angela Alipour on March 31, 2011)

The more I hear about copyright and people's opinions the more I begin to think about other reasons besides money. Don't get me wrong, I totally think money has A LOT to do with most people's reasoning for taking someone to court over illegal use of their work. However, not ALL cases are about the money. For example, someone who designs something in memory of their loved one and then sees that design being used as a death metal band's symbol on an album might cause a copyright dispute. I guess what I mean to say is money has a lot to do with it, but sometimes people want their creations or expressions to mean something and protect it from meaning something else. The only way to protect it is to copyright it. 

Media Asset Creation Blog: Wk 1 Reading

(Posted by Angela Alipour on Thursday, March 31, 2011)

When push comes to shove the copy write laws are all about the money. Who can get the most money and how. What’s wrong with someone taking your work and creating something else out of it as long as they give you the credit for being the inspiration of their creation? Especially when they can make it better. If we can do this with text why not film and music? Don’t those people get paid enough? Actually I think that many of them get overpaid.

One of the people that spoke in the video said that an artist needs copy write laws as an incentive to create. Yeah, right! When someone is creating they are not thinking about copy write laws. They are creating.

With the Fair Use law it’s good to know that there is a law that can cover your behind if you need it too. Of course it has to meet the criteria of critical comment, teaching, parody, and news reporting. Even under these circumstances one needs to be careful.

I was happy to know that Creative Commons is available for creators. The saying two brains are better than one is what came to mind when I saw this video. Sharing a personal idea or creation with another person can sometimes cause the other person to elaborate on that idea and the final result can be spectacular.

As I’ve been watching more and more videos about this I find that the music industry seems to have a real issue about copy writing. Wish I would have known about Creative Commons during the FSO music class.

EDM613 Wk1, post 2: Response to Klytia Burcham

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@ Copyright, Copyright, What art thou copyright? (original post by Klytia Burcham on Wed, 3/30/11)
I absolutely agree that one of the roots of the copyright argument is the money. Whether it be greed or sustainability, money is one of the reasons why there is a copyright law. However, I think your question about the purpose of sharing one's art, "But isn't there goal of sharing their art to have it influence others?", is the other root of the law. People express themselves for a variety of reasons, but self expression is a very personal thing. To have your thoughts, beliefs, or feelings altered and possibly in a way that goes against your own is hard to accept. Protecting your expression allows you to determine who and how it they can be manipulated. But, I also think that the latter reason for the copyright law is far less predominant that the money reason...unfortunately.
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Blogging with Burcham: Copyright, Copyright, What art thou copyright?

(Posted by Klytia Burcham on Wednesday, March 30, 2011) When I think of copyright issues, I think of the I-tunes vs. Napster issue.  However, it all boils down to whether or not you can completely own intellectual content.  I like the professor who wrote books in the video Good Copy, Bad Copy that stated he knew that students would be processing information  and therefore using some of what his content was.  That copyright was there to protect another author from publishing the same book.  Why then are the other arts so different?

The intention of copyright is to protect the artist from someone stealing their art.  Some would argue that copyright actually inhibits creativity because an artist is not allowed to alter something else he/she sees in their environment and more importantly can not be influenced from a fellow artist to be inspired by it.  This idea is called sampling and a couple of recent genres of music are based on it.  It seems to me that sampling and the concept of fair use are directly opposite from one another.  Fair Use states that you may use a small part or idea from a piece, but not enough to take away from the whole; the article said 5%.  Yet sampling says that you may not take any part or small section from a song, even if it is then distorted, without breaking copyright law.

So why is copyright law different for text compared with video and audio?  Could it be because very few are making money from the information that is synthesized and used from the text book?  Yet, the video and audio that may be altered, slightly used to influence a different piece of audio or video can make a lot of money.  I believe that it all boils down to money.  I believe that there is a need for copyright law.  That artist need to have a way to protect their product from being taken from them.  But isn't there goal of sharing their art to have it influence others?  So again, as in so many issues that polarize our nation, America needs to find a balance between these two extreme camps on copyright.

EDM613 Wk1, post 1: Reading - Copyright Issues

Photo by Jason Peglow (2011)

After viewing all the videos for this week's copyright issues assignment, I am still very confused by all the aspects of copyright even in the black and white areas. I can see both sides of the issue and find my self getting angry and sympathetic about copyright. At one point people enforcing copyright are money-grubbing tyrants, but then I quickly chastise myself thinking it was their creation so they deserve some credit and if not it really is stealing. I even tried to understand Bush's 2002 TEACH law to see how it protected teachers and couldn't really decipher that one either.

Also, as simplistic as Creative Commons makes it to share and use each others' works, I find it is still hard to navigate around the site to find what the actual requirements are to use something. For this reason I find myself shying away from even trying to use anything that is not created by me. I try to take my own photos, mix my own music with loop software, and refuse to post anything suspect.

There were a lot of videos in this lesson that I enjoyed, but Larry Lessing's TED video really stood out for me. His comment about the growing extremism about copyright - with the youth (the copyright abolitionists) on one side and the law (stringent auto-takedowns) on the other - was the depiction of every generational conflict. The youth revolt against the machine so that they can build a bigger and better machine that will be revolted against by the generation after theirs. It is the nature of youth to fight "the man." Youth revolts are how societies change stagnant old culture. I just hope this revolt is more peaceful than some others in our history.

As this copyright war rages on, I think I will go back and see if I can scrounge up some of those old cassette tapes I made when I was a kid where I pirated music off the radio and then strap on my eye patch from my Halloween costume last year ... Arrgh! Hoist the Jolly Roger me matey!