High Tech vs Low Tech
Samsung Smart Classroom. Image Source: Samsung (http://www.upgrademag.com/web/2017/09/21/samsung-deped-reach-out-to-schools-in-rural-philippines/)
Word Count (What I’m Writing); Updated every 2-3 Days (mostly)
Project Ship of Shadows (Graphic Novel) Page Count: 21 (+1)
Goal = 3 Pages a week. 20/20 Pages (for artist). 21/32 pages (for completion of 1st issue)
Actual = 1/5 Pages done so far this week.
Rough Drafted another page for the comic. Don’t really like these rough draft one day, draft the next day way of doing things, but I didn’t have time last weekend to rough draft out 4 or 5 pages, so I’m stuck doing it this way for now. At least, if all goes well tonight, I’ll be able to write another page in the story (fingers crossed). I did add to the “lore” of the story by adding an entry into the “bible” for the world.
Whale Song Revision (Fantasy Short Story) (2nd Draft)
(Researched an article on Whaling, think that I have the two characters–a brother and a sister who are on the opposite sides of the issue. Still, no Writing so far). Need to find a place to work in revisions–I can draft new material just fine, but I don’t seem to have any time to work on “drafting” revisions.
Currently Reading (What I’m Reading); Updated Weekly (mostly)
For Fun:
Transhuman edited by Mark L. Van Name and T. F. K. Weisskopf
Just started this anthology – it was given to me at a LibertyCon some years ago, but I’ve just now gotten around to reading it. I may not finish it/read all the stories, but so far, I’ve read the first story and liked it.
For School:
Afrofuturism (by Ytasha Womack) : This book describes the academic genre of Afrofuturism (essentially African American Science Fiction that deals with social issues in culture). I just finished Chapter 5 today and I’m at the beginning of Chapter 6 (this book has 10 chapters).
Wrote out a fairly extensive list of possible research topics to explore from chapter 5. Really intriguing book.
For Research/Personal Development:
Great Aircraft of WWII by Alfred Price and Mike Spick (for Project Skye)
Great Aircraft of WWII is a book that I’ve had in my collection for sometime–I’ve glanced at it periodically, but never read it cover-to-cover. Now, with Project Skye, I intend to do just that.
Class Assignments–Graduate Teaching Assistant (Year 3)
Now for something completely different–today I’m going to leave off talking about Tai Chi for a while and move to a different form of education/training: Higher Education. As part of my duties as a PhD student, I’m a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), meaning that I teach up to 2 classes of Freshman Composition each semester. Last semester, I was a GA (Graduate Assistant), meaning that I helped out the English Department by helping a professor do research into various video game articles. Yesterday, we were given our teaching schedules and I have two classes of English 1010 (our version of Freshman Composition) that I’m teaching. I’m ecstatic as I really enjoy teaching writing at the college level. However . . . and you knew there was a however coming, didn’t you . . . however, I just finished “scoping out” my assigned classrooms and they couldn’t be more different.
High Tech vs Low Tech
So, these days, pretty much ALL (or most, at least) college classrooms feature some sort of technology in them. The professor’s podium allows the professor to hook a laptop to it, it has its own computer integrated inside it, should the professor not want to connect via laptop, it has a dvd player, display, and other media/interface ports. It can pretty much display or illustrate pretty any type of media that the professor can through at it (again, generalizing here). These are termed “smart” classrooms as opposed to those with no technology in them whatsoever (the “traditional”) classroom. I personally would term these as “technology enabled” classrooms myself because only the professor has access to the technology. However, what students have access to in the classroom is a different story all together. Only some classrooms are truly “smart” classrooms and those have, in addition to the professor’s media hub/display, there are computers around the room that the students can work at as well. To me, this is the true demarcation of a “smart” classroom–when both the students and the professor have access to technology.
[image error]
While this is called a “Smart” classroom, I consider it a “Technology Enabled” classroom. Image Source: Hostos Community College (http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Administrative-Offices/Office-of-the-President/Conference-Center/Event-Venues/Classroom-Smart-Classroom)
“Double Dutch” Teaching
Having looked at my classrooms, one is only “technology enabled” classroom (smarthub/display for the professor) and the other is a “smart” classroom (smarthub & computers for students). This is going to be a challenge to teach in successfully. I taught this way Fall 2017 and I tried to create a “technology-rich” curriculum, but while the students in the smart classroom thrived, it was more difficult for the ones in the tech enabled classroom because they had to resort to their phones (only about 1/3 brought laptops to class) and such to view the documents/media online. I often took them to the library (especially on days when papers were due), but it didn’t have the same impact (in my opinion) as them being able to work in the classroom (too spread out, not able to ask me questions effectively).
My Plan
So, in the next two weeks before I lock down my syllabus, I plan to research different ways of teaching. My goal: make my technology enabled class as productive and as enriching as I felt my smart classroom teaching was a year ago. I should mention that my middle school teaching experience included a pilot program where the students where given Chromebooks to use at school (at first) and to take home as part of the education process (later), so I feel that I’m VERY comfortable with technology and integrating it into the curriculum. Perhaps that’s part of the problem, I may be so dependent on tech., that I’ve forgotten how to inspire true learning without it. Regardless, my goal for this year is to make both classes an enriching and rewarding experience for all involved. Fingers crossed and please wish me luck as I try to find the right balance between high and low tech!
Sidney
Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora Wolf
Read Childe Roland for Free at Electric Spec
Read Faerie Knight in the anthology Fae, Rhonda Parrish, Ed. or the Kindle Edition
Read Ship of Shadows in the anthology Visions IV: Space Between Stars, Carrol Fix, Ed. or the Kindle Edition.
Read WarLight in the anthology Visions VI: Galaxies, Carrol Fix, Ed. or the Kindle Edition.
Read Dragonhawk in the magazine Tales of the Talisman, Vol. 8, Iss. 3, David Lee Summers, Ed. or the Kindle Edition.
Amazon Associate Disclaimer:
I earn a small commission on the purchase of these items.
