Week 4 Publishing/Leadership Project

(Image from http://www.aace.org/pubs/)

I decided to submit a publication article to the AACE (Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education). I fell in love with this association and its user friendly website. I love how they try to get educators to network via all sorts of social media platforms. I like that they are also linked to an online digital library, displaying that the topics are limitless. The topic of my action research project fits in well with their publication. As this is my first ever article submission, I also like the breakdown of how I am to submit my paper, followed by what to expect. As I was researching where to publish my article  I felt like I was getting a run-around on some of the journal submission websites. There seemed to be a “click here,”  “confirm then,” “log back in and click this.” I want to know that my hard work is going to actually be looked at and not lost in a shuffle. The AACE seems like a great fit for sharing my action research project. Their audience could certainly use my AR project as a stepping stone for further research.




Publishing/Leadership Think Aloud Blog Post #1
Publishing/Leadership Think Aloud Blog Post #2

Hendrickson_Britni_LeadershipPublishingProject

Week 4 Free Choice Post

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I just want to day that it has been such a joyous ride, getting my master's. I find myself wondering lately, "What's next?" I know that I will want to try to log on to FSO almost daily. I will still keep in contact with close friends that I have made and have been such a big part of my life over the past year. Is it weird that some of these people I feel as though I have known for years, yet only known them a year and never met them in person! (Granted I have seen them on camera and talked to them on the phone. One of them is even in my 10 friends list!) I am not sure what the future holds for me but I sure know I feel better equipped to handle it. I also feel like I am not just a teacher who teachers your general subjects anymore but yet a teacher who can do so much more!

Thank you to all who have made this journey so much fun! Time flies when you are having fun!

Week 4 Reading Post Chap 9-12

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Lighting a spark to me should be every passionate teacher's goal! Looking back over the years I was in school, it is was apparent to me the teachers that truly had passion and patience where the teachers who impacted my life the most! I think it is so important to be able to get students sparked and just allow them the environment to foster their flame! Often times, we can feel frustrated because we have so many students, and we are afraid that they all aren't going to up to speed or remember or understand, but sometimes if we just focus on making an impact on one or two each day, then we will have reached them all at some point during the year! (It reminds me of the starfish story about the man walking on the beach and throwing one starfish back in the water at a time. He knew that every one he picked up, was one more that might survive.)
Chapter 9 definitely gave me a new perspective on handling/dealing or avoiding problems that may occur. I am very much a "people pleaser," I don't want to make others upset. I want people to be happy, smile and just enjoy life! But lets be real, not everyone feels the same way. If I am the "board" then I am designing how I want things to play out, a concept which I never really thought about, but must say, think is an interesting perspective. There is always going to be conflict, there is always going to be someone who doesn't like me or the way that I handle things. How can I please everyone? Well, I can't, but if I find a way to deal with the confrontation and handle the situation fairly, then sometimes that is the best I can do.
I also liked the steps that to the practice of framing possibility in  the 11th chapter. Making new distinctions, entering into the territory, and distinguishing what the focus is are all so important to creating and assessing "possiblities."

I really felt like this book was refreshing and couldn't have come at a better time in this curriculum. It is a great addition to my virtual library shelf.

Week 4 Peer Comment #2 Torrey Proctor

Torrey writes,
"

I learned in chapter nine that I should enroll people for positive missions, and expect to give of myself in return.  Our perception is like a nudge to a kaleidoscope in that it shifts instantly.  All of the self-help information that is being provided in this book is easy to swallow.  I found myself taking the books lessons to heart and applying them to my life.

Chapter ten was about naming yourself as a board and note a chess piece.  Being the board releases the stresses that come with the measurement of who wins or loses the game.  This chapter made me think of a high school student that makes me angry at times because he contributes nothing to class.  I sometimes feel the student doesn’t belong in class.  Now I’m seeing it in a new light.  He belongs and has more to learn then the students that already get it. I should take this student on as a challenge to help him or accept that his behavior is the way things are.  My favorite quote of this chapter is, “there is no great music-making without such risk taking.” 

Chapter eleven reminds us to do things that are on-track and not off-track.  This books definition of off-track means doing things that contribute to downward spiral behavior.  I’ve listed my favorite quotes from this chapter below.

 “I am here today to cross the swamp, not fight all the alligators.”  

“Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.”

“Leaders who become their vision often seem uncommonly brave to the rest of us.”

Chapter twelve is about focusing on WE as a team or group.  Never label a human being as the enemy.  The only enemy is revenge, fear, hate, and righteousne

ss.  I like the idea that truth, no matter how harsh it is, is better then revenge bottled up and consequently released. "

(Image from http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/134435)

My Comment.

Torrey,

I too thought this book was a very easy read yet saturated with ideas, stories, concepts that I too could apply to my life. I think this uplifting book was a nice last minute encourager/peace of mind as we enter into this crazy, exciting time in our life. I also feel like this will be a nice resource to have for a while on the virtual library shelf. I have to comment on the one (at times frustrating) student. If there is one thing I can encourage you to do is not give up on him. In fact, spending maybe just a little extra time researching his likes/dislikes. Just kind of make him your "project" for the year. You will probably have no idea the positive impact you will make on his life. I love the quotes you listed! Keep up the great work that you do Torrey. It is very noticeable that you have a passion and a true drive for what you do. Never loose that.

Week 4 Peer Comment #1 Kathy Valunas

Kathy Writes,

"I didn’t get very far into the reading this week before I found the focus for my blog… lighting a spark. According to Ben Zander, “…our universe is alive with sparks. We have at our fingertips an infinite capacity to light a spark of possibility” (p125). This fits perfectly in with the tech conference I sent a proposal to and seems to be the ‘sign’ I needed that says- this is the place you need to be to help light that spark of possibility in others! Zander went on to list some steps and two of those remind me of what my mantra needs to be: “Offer that which lights you up… [and] have no doubt that others are eager to catch the spark” (p126). This pretty much sums up my passion for what I do and all that I have learned throughout my journey both as a student and a teacher. I have always been full of passion and the desire to pass that onto others has been burned deep inside because of how others have inspired or ‘enrolled’ me in this educational trip. They have been my roadmap and their sparks have ignited mine. By offering to others what I discovered along my personal journey and through my research, I can only hope that my light will spark someone else to carry on their own passion and pass the sparks onto others.

Zander, R. & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. Harvard Business School Press: Boston, MA.

Postscript: I just wanted to say I loved this book! It had so many wonderful stories and themes I could relate to. It was a very enjoyable and entertaining read."

My Comment,

Kathy, every time I get the chance to interact with you, I can just tell that you do in fact have the "spark." You are such a kind, caring, and passionate person about your work and about helping others. Those are such great qualities especially to have when it comes to teaching. I think that getting your "sign" as to how you will share your AR project is a wonderful thing! I keep going back and forth on mine, but in the end, I know that the publishing route is the one for me right now. Blessings to you and may you never stop lighting sparks along the path of life.

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Publishing/Leadership Think Out Loud Blog post #2

Where is a girl to start?

I have officially decided that I would like to try my hand at publishing an article. Normally I am a face to face person, and would probably go the route of a presentation. Yet, I agree, I should take things a step further. After all, this is my master's degree that I am working on!

Now I need to decide where I want to send my pride and joy that I have spent the last year of my life working so hard on! The links that the professor provided was my starting point. I spent countless hours researching and trying to find a good fit and I have narrowed it down to two.
My first choice would be to  the AACE ( Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education) as this project definitely deals with advancement of education through the technological aspect of a website. Their requirements seem pretty standard and nothing out of the ordinary. I also really like all the networking capabilities that this association has online, not just through its publications.

My Second Choice would to find a really good educational technology journal, but I honestly am overwhelmed with how many there are! I will have to spend a great deal of time narrowing this one down.

I think it is important to note that my AR project will probably be a small stepping stone in this area.

Week 3 Free Choice Post

This week, I constantly am having to check the date! I feel like my schedule is non-stop crazy busy lately, and sometimes I feel as though I either missed a day or am a day behind, I can never seem to get the day straight. Time is flying by ever so quickly. I can not believe that spring break for work has come and gone. I can not believe that we are fast approaching May, and the end of another successful school year. I absolutely can not believe that there are really only technically 5 weeks (not including Full Sail's Spring Break) worth of classes and then I will have graduated with my master's degree!

I am not sure who are aware of this, but I am seeking on online teaching job. Due to my husband being in the military, we bounce around every three years or so. If you think about that, if I remain in the teaching field for 30 years, I will have to in a sense be a beginning teacher at a new district/school/grade/subject possibly over ten times! Don't get me wrong, I love a good challenge! But at the same time, I want to build up a strong rapport either with a school or I have also decided to check into teaching (things like professional development/working with technology) for a corporation or more up at the district level. I am just beginning to explore these possibilities. It honestly excites me, and with all that I have learned this past year I am just bubbling with ideas that I want to share!

Full Sail has really given me so much knowledge, confidence, and most of all support! I have been challenged in more ways than I even thought possible and I have learned so much more than I could have dreamed. For that I just want to say, "Thank you" to all my classmates, my professors, and of course FSO Support. It has been awesome getting to experience such an amazing and well established online program. I'm really going to miss it!

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