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I don't know about you, but I have not yet been able to really process these last 3 years. Whatever happened, and perhaps is still happening that created a shift in direction is still really truly unknown to me.
As I prepare to teach this semester face to face, I am aware that although we were all on the same sea, we had different vessels -- some sailboats, others yachts, while still other merely life vests or floating debris. I am grateful for life and the opportunity to be here today. For this I truly give God thanks.
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Changer When there is a car accident, why do people get hurt? When there is a hurricane or an earthquake, the energy is transferred to structures. We are born, we live, we die. We use and transform energy in life, and even in death our bodies become part of the ecological system through decomposition. Even when we have no control over our bodies we create change with our energy through transference. It means that whether we are intentional, passive, or otherwise, we are going to transfer energy and create change. My action or inaction creates change. We must be responsible with our energy and be intentional about our affect and our effect so we can tip the scale in a direction of positive change. Change happens, let’s try to direct it. World Defined as the earth and all its inhabitants (Merrian-Webster). At any given moment our energies can affect more that a few people at a time, it can affect thousands, it can affect the world. We can "break" the internet with both good or bad influence to create positive or negative global change. Even without an extra light torch, we affect one person, that affect two other persons, that affects four other persons. This means that change is created exponentially vs linearly. After a while we call this continuous change, culture. There are many people of influence and change who are living their everyday life, sometimes the world notices and awards them, most times the world does not, but they continue to create positive change in the lives of those around them. Don’t be afraid of the light. Don’t try to impress people either, just live as an example. Help people along the way. We're going to affect the world, we already do. Am I We do not exist alone in this world. We could not make it to where we are today without someone else. We get more done together, than we do apart. We need to be interdependent where we both contribute to the development of the common goal. Am I a world changer? ... Definitely not by myself, because if it were just me there will be no world to change anyway. The question is, are we improving ourselves and others, to help make a better world? Excerpt from a speech I made at the 2018 Moravian Teacher's Retreat
This poem was written after my first year of chairing the Capstone Design course as a method to connect all involved. We all had our opinion, and were not actively listening to the opinions of others. I presented it at the annual department retreat. This first step helped a great deal in bringing together a team to revitalize the Capstone experience. Students, Supervisors, Coordinators without consideration to all we are considerate to none. Presented at staff retreat May 2017. Smith
This concept map demonstrates the thought process involved in redesigning the delivery method of the CVNG 3003 prestressed concrete module. A constructivist approach was utilized in this course as students were provided with knowledge about the conceptual understanding of prestressing design and concepts about the equations utilized in design. Some theorists that have popularized these methods include von Glasersfeld and Millwood. Students were also previously exposed to regular concrete design methods and codes. Groups were then asked to work together and build on this knowledge to design a prestressed beam guided by reading resources and design outlines. Many students were unable to bridge the two, with most requiring extra time.  Just as it is important to see limitations and recognize areas of improvement in teaching, it is also important to recognize when something worked well. My design course this semester was very engaged in the learning process and in the approach utilized. In my concrete design courses, I prefer to lecture utilizing the board. This way I believe I can walk students through the processes. However, at the beginning of the course a student was sufficiently brave to ask me to provide additional notes. I did not realize how difficult it was for them to pay attention while writing notes. I provided the students with not only future notes, but past ones as well, though hand written. I also provided tutorials and quick feedback. This worked. It is amazing when students and instructors can work together to achieve the common goal of learning. Now, I know what students require to help them a bit more along the way. They are also aware of my expectations. I plan to practice this at the start of all my courses, to ask students directly what can help their learning process, and to hope for another job well done.
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Reflections
Teaching and learning is dynamic. In looking to the future, it is beneficial to peep through various lenses: personal, students, colleagues, etc. This section gives my personal perspective while providing guests the opportunity to contribute to my teaching and learning refinement process. Archives
September 2022
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