Zoho.com and organizing Bridges ideas
I’ve realized that I need to organize my thoughts about this whole thing and in doing my favourite procrastination technique did some research…and found zoho.com, an online office application.
So far I have only played with the presentation (Zoho Show) and, though there are some glitchy parts (like no undo or spellcheck!) it is quite easy to use. It offers an embed URL for blogs and websites though I can not seem to embed it here. That is an issue I have had repeatedly with Wordpress, and not only with this application.
I’d love to hear if anyone else has played with this application.
In any case, here is the presentation I created today with Zoho Show!
Sunrise on a bridge as a metaphor for emergent design in education
Dom Luis Bridge at Sunrise, Santarém, Portugal
Originally uploaded by bridgepix
I love the imagery here of the sun rising mid-bridge. It reminds me that while the destination is the ultimate goal, crossing the bridge – the journey – is what makes it meaningful.
It is very much in keeping with the design principles I am using for this program as well as my image of education. Marg O’Connell of ed(ge)ucation design asked me for my thoughts on emergent design process. Here are some.
Like with the bridge, the starting points and objectives are crucial. I need to know where my students are now and where they need to go, but what we do with what they already know and can already do and how we do it is where the beauty of education lies for me.
It’s learning how to negotiate in ambiguity that is the secret for success in teaching in a way that harbours true success for all participants.
When I say negotiate in ambiguity, I don’t mean to clamber around in the dark! I mean to have a good sense, a very good sense, of the competencies I want my students to acquire and how I will assess that they have acquired them. And to have the same good sense of my students’ abilities, interests, and learning styles. The ambiguity lies in allowing those two sets – essentially curriculum and students – to interact and create learning situations that are meaningful, purposeful, and fun for both student and teacher.
It is emergent because the design emerges dependent on the variables in the two sets – the specific curriculum and the specific group of students, the latter of which changes throughout the year as interests, abilities, and styles grow and change with the students.
That is the beginning of my take on emergent design, Marg. I will be returning to this idea many times this year, I am sure 
mind maps, emotional intelligence: the learning begins
Emotional intelligence mind map, the 1st
I will eventually set up some kind of cooperative learning program for my students, peppered with some academics like reading, math, science, and personal development all rolled into project-based learning activities.
Until then, we are learning strategies to organize our thoughts and regulate our emotions – both of which I am discovering are key areas we need to work on.
I refuse to believe that any student has ‘plateaued’ or can’t learn.
One of my students has come to 3 of the 12 periods we have had so far this year. I need to find a way to get him to stay so I can work with him and convince him he can achieve success at school – he hasn’t had all that much of THAT in his past. I’m meeting with him, his mom, and our administrator later this week.
Good vibes accepted from any who wish to send them
Oh, as well as any info on cooperative learning programs, where students learn job skills while they complete stagesÂ
