Comments for PHS Computer Project Lab http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin Technology For Learning Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:04:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.3-2.2.1 Comment on Global Education by cmaxwell http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/07/26/global-education/#comment-2458 cmaxwell Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:58:02 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/07/26/global-education/#comment-2458 I agree. It all becomes quite depressing. I think part of the problem is that the voracious modern market (the stuff producer) has eaten up our "social institution" called public education. This deserves a sit down talk at some point! I agree. It all becomes quite depressing. I think part of the problem is that the voracious modern market (the stuff producer) has eaten up our “social institution” called public education. This deserves a sit down talk at some point!

]]> Comment on Global Education by Dee http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/07/26/global-education/#comment-2367 Dee Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:21:37 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/07/26/global-education/#comment-2367 Here is where I get overwhelmed. We expect kids to value others, to be responsible and accountable, and to value the fruits of their labor. Yet we live in a society that values "stuff and more stuff", that produces children and then expects strangers to raise them, first in day care and then in the public school system. They come to us wanting to hurry up and get "out" and start pursuing their own "stuff" and they want to get the most stuff for the least amount of effort possible. If they for some reason come through their educational experience, unable to obtain a lot of stuff they have no value. It seems to me that the way the educational system is set up we are living this huge lie and that most of these kids see through it from the start and know going in that there is no way they can come out and get a lot of "stuff". Consequently, the whole time they spend in education is of little value to them and they spend a whole lot of time being angry because they don't feel very valuable themselves. If you can't pass the test and you can't make a lot of money - you can't be happy and what is the point? We keep trying to perpetuate something that doesn't even really exist. I don't agree with everything on that website, but it seems to me that we spend the biggest part of our time in education trying to cram everyone into the same shape holes and in the process we lose individuality, creativity, and hope and without those then there is no drive to move ahead. How many minutes do we have if we live to be 65 years old? What do you remember the most about high school? Were there some defining moments when something you learned turned on a light in your head and stuck with you to this day? Do we give our kids any of those kind of moments? I know this all sounds very negative but it is how I feel. We don't tell them that we want them to do well because they might be the one to find a cure for cancer, or a way to increase food production in some country where people are starving (which according to some could be this one eventually) or write a book that will have a profound effect on someone. We tell them we want them to do well so they can get out of school and make lots of money to have lots of stuff. aaarg - now I'm depressed. I may have to go shopping and get some stuff! Here is where I get overwhelmed. We expect kids to value others, to be responsible and accountable, and to value the fruits of their labor. Yet we live in a society that values “stuff and more stuff”, that produces children and then expects strangers to raise them, first in day care and then in the public school system.

They come to us wanting to hurry up and get “out” and start pursuing their own “stuff” and they want to get the most stuff for the least amount of effort possible. If they for some reason come through their educational experience, unable to obtain a lot of stuff they have no value. It seems to me that the way the educational system is set up we are living this huge lie and that most of these kids see through it from the start and know going in that there is no way they can come out and get a lot of “stuff”.

Consequently, the whole time they spend in education is of little value to them and they spend a whole lot of time being angry because they don’t feel very valuable themselves.

If you can’t pass the test and you can’t make a lot of money - you can’t be happy and what is the point?

We keep trying to perpetuate something that doesn’t even really exist.

I don’t agree with everything on that website, but it seems to me that we spend the biggest part of our time in education trying to cram everyone into the same shape holes and in the process we lose individuality, creativity, and hope and without those then there is no drive to move ahead.

How many minutes do we have if we live to be 65 years old?

What do you remember the most about high school? Were there some defining moments when something you learned turned on a light in your head and stuck with you to this day?

Do we give our kids any of those kind of moments? I know this all sounds very negative but it is how I feel. We don’t tell them that we want them to do well because they might be the one to find a cure for cancer, or a way to increase food production in some country where people are starving (which according to some could be this one eventually) or write a book that will have a profound effect on someone. We tell them we want them to do well so they can get out of school and make lots of money to have lots of stuff.

aaarg - now I’m depressed. I may have to go shopping and get some stuff!

]]> Comment on Global Education by cmaxwell http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/07/26/global-education/#comment-2314 cmaxwell Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:02:08 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/07/26/global-education/#comment-2314 Provocative thoughts. What do we do in our own "community" even as pluralistic as it is? What is our purpose in public education? Are we forming citizens or consumers? What do we see as the public good? How do we go about fostering the sort of democratic situation at which you hint? In some sense I think the video (I only looked briefly at the website) ironically touts education as training for future workers/consumers. The irony for me is I hear you saying "community" which implies for me a more local democratic self-governing citizenry (yet globally aware) and not the corrupting of such "virtues" by unfettered big business and the proliferation of which it seems we are often made to be a part. Just a few wayward thoughts. Provocative thoughts. What do we do in our own “community” even as pluralistic as it is? What is our purpose in public education? Are we forming citizens or consumers? What do we see as the public good? How do we go about fostering the sort of democratic situation at which you hint? In some sense I think the video (I only looked briefly at the website) ironically touts education as training for future workers/consumers. The irony for me is I hear you saying “community” which implies for me a more local democratic self-governing citizenry (yet globally aware) and not the corrupting of such “virtues” by unfettered big business and the proliferation of which it seems we are often made to be a part. Just a few wayward thoughts.

]]> Comment on Google Spreadsheets and Forms by Mario http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/06/18/google-spreadsheets-and-forms/#comment-1584 Mario Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:04:20 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/06/18/google-spreadsheets-and-forms/#comment-1584 Thanks! That is similar to the workaround I came up with. Excelent and thanks! Thanks! That is similar to the workaround I came up with. Excelent and thanks!

]]> Comment on Google Spreadsheets and Forms by dmartin http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/06/18/google-spreadsheets-and-forms/#comment-1574 dmartin Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:03:04 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/06/18/google-spreadsheets-and-forms/#comment-1574 I would build it into your form. Give each recipient a unique identifying number or a place to enter their email address and have that as a question on your form. I would build it into your form. Give each recipient a unique identifying number or a place to enter their email address and have that as a question on your form.

]]> Comment on Google Spreadsheets and Forms by Mario http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/06/18/google-spreadsheets-and-forms/#comment-1565 Mario Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:47:26 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/06/18/google-spreadsheets-and-forms/#comment-1565 Hello, I am a Google Docs user and when I create a spreadsheet form and receive the answers back from the recipients I can not tell who the answer comes from. In other words, identities are not revelead. Is there a way to set it up in a way that I can see which answer belongs to which recipient? Hello, I am a Google Docs user and when I create a spreadsheet form and receive the answers back from the recipients I can not tell who the answer comes from. In other words, identities are not revelead.

Is there a way to set it up in a way that I can see which answer belongs to which recipient?

]]> Comment on Saving The World - One Bag At A Time by Sabrina http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/04/19/saving-the-world-one-bag-at-a-time/#comment-513 Sabrina Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:14:03 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/04/19/saving-the-world-one-bag-at-a-time/#comment-513 Ya know, I'm not a "greeny" however, I have noticed, lately, sooo many people are. I was in Kroger the other day and ran into a friend of mine, that had reusable sack in her buggy, and just in conversation said, "I don't use plastic bags anymore, just these, and Kroger gives you 5 cents off you bill for each bag you bring back to use!" I laughed at her, but then got home and paid attention to the news and I heard lots of "environmentally conscious" comments. I'll vote for your friend, and maybe pay better attention myself! Ya know, I’m not a “greeny” however, I have noticed, lately, sooo many people are. I was in Kroger the other day and ran into a friend of mine, that had reusable sack in her buggy, and just in conversation said, “I don’t use plastic bags anymore, just these, and Kroger gives you 5 cents off you bill for each bag you bring back to use!” I laughed at her, but then got home and paid attention to the news and I heard lots of “environmentally conscious” comments. I’ll vote for your friend, and maybe pay better attention myself!

]]> Comment on Google Does It Again by Tim http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/04/17/google-does-it-again/#comment-483 Tim Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:52:32 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/04/17/google-does-it-again/#comment-483 Thanks for the reminder about Google docs. I forget about whenever kids mention they don't have Office at home. Thanks for the reminder about Google docs. I forget about whenever kids mention they don’t have Office at home.

]]> Comment on Make Screenshots With Your Mac by take a screenshot http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/03/09/make-screenshots-with-your-mac/#comment-412 take a screenshot Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:29:41 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/03/09/make-screenshots-with-your-mac/#comment-412 I like the (also built in) command line tool “screencapture”. I like the (also built in) command line tool “screencapture”.

]]> Comment on Google Fun and Prizes for K Through 12 Students With Prizes! by Google Fun and Prizes for K Through 12 Students With Prizes! http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/02/13/google-fun-and-prizes-for-k-through-12-students-with-prizes/#comment-396 Google Fun and Prizes for K Through 12 Students With Prizes! Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:23:39 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin/2008/02/13/google-fun-and-prizes-for-k-through-12-students-with-prizes/#comment-396 [...] Google Fun and Prizes for K Through 12 Students With Prizes!: “ [...] […] Google Fun and Prizes for K Through 12 Students With Prizes!: “ […]

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