Week 3 Concept Mapping

It's been years since I've tried Inspiration; in fact, the last time I used it, it needed to be loaded with floppy disks. The new version holds a more robust collection of images and formats. Using it, I've created two concept maps: one for evaluating secondary sources, and another to brainstorm the structure for a tech advisory committee that I'm going to co-chair this upcoming fall. Ordinarily, I think of myself as a right-brained thinker, but for some reason, creating concept maps is difficult for me. It's not how I think, but then, maybe the way I think isn't the way my students think, so using this as an organizer might be helpful for them. Perhaps using it in the research process would help them to better organize their thoughts.

This week led to more learning and more overwhelm. Bonk's 30 emerging technologies--especially since they were dated 2004, made me wonder how I would be able to assimilate all of this new information. The fact that 4 years have passed and even more technologies are on the horizon was not lost on me. Indeed, I think it helped me to better empathize with reluctant teachers. This week was an ambitious schedule given the holiday weekend and family in from out of town. Next week, is even more daunting with network down-time and a group project due. That plus, realizing that I was as rusty on writing objectives as I am on my eagle yoga pose, fills me with trepidation. Breathe...

Finishing up the week, I realized that I had somehow missed the Puzzles & Pattern Making Case Study. That was really discouraging. In my post regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the method presented, I couldn't resist a bit of alliteration and adding "Paint Drying". That article was really a tough go and I felt some empathy with our students when they are assigned a reading that they really don't connect with intellectually or in terms of interest. Yes, there were interesting and valid points, yet I think that in terms of direct applicability to the educational community, Marzano and Wiggins might have a niche opportunity in the wings.