On Leisure and Boundaries
At Belmont University in Nashville this past weekend, my fiancee told me just about everyone was on his or her cell phones during the graduation ceremony. Not talking, but browsing… Read more On Leisure and Boundaries →
Tires, Tomatoes, and Gardening Ethics
I’ve realized that a raspberry patch and a chicken run are only somewhat compatible. That blackberries can thrive in the most marginal soil. That when a hen’s comb and wattle… Read more Tires, Tomatoes, and Gardening Ethics →
w/o my phone or internet, I’d die.
If all of a sudden cell phones or internet access disappeared, what would you do? Several of my musings have explored possible effects too much digital communication is having on… Read more w/o my phone or internet, I’d die. →
Shop Class, Minimalist Living, and a Hands-On Day.
I’m constantly throwing darts at the slightly oscillating bulls-eye that is my evolving notion of thoughtful living. The tosses have been getting closer to the mark thanks to some new… Read more Shop Class, Minimalist Living, and a Hands-On Day. →
Students Create 100%.
Have you used Prezi? Or Wordle? How about Xtranormal? Somebody recently posted the Wordle below about their affinity for cell phones. It looks cool, I’ll admit that. But are these the types of technology applications that are truly useful, and worth employing in classrooms? I’ve personally tested out these Web 2.0 programs, and I’ve also attempted to use them in room 137. While they can be used to create products that are pleasing to the eye, or perhaps engage students, the level of thinking that’s required is debatable. Plus, as… Read more Students Create 100%. →
Caine’s Arcade
If you haven’t already watched this short documentary about the creator of a cardboard arcade, please do. It’s inspiring on many levels. From the perspective of someone who teaches digital media, it’s such a well-crafted piece. I showed both my English classes and my UDS class the film, and we can only hope to someday find and produce stories half as good. Most public schools do little to foster creativity and innovation. I truly wonder where Caine received his spark of inspiration. One of my students, a soccer player and… Read more Caine’s Arcade →
That’s What I’m Talkin’ Bout!
When he “raises” his voice, it is inaudible. His voice couldn’t even be classified as a whisper–we can usually understand a whisper if we move close enough to the speaker. Yet he has a pleasant demeanor, as do most of the mentally disabled students in my digital storytelling course. His eyes light up when he greets me at the door with a fist bump. He then shuffles to retrieve his notebook and folder, and I’ll inevitably go 70 minutes without hearing him utter a single word. Could you speak louder? … Read more That’s What I’m Talkin’ Bout! →
It starts with people.
Roughly two years ago, Steve Kertis of Kertis Creative and I launched our digital storytelling elective class at Fern Creek. We had little equipment, except for a few flip video… Read more It starts with people. →
Teenagers, Immediacy, and Interpersonal Skills
The same bubbly, outgoing student who texts and tweets her way through the day sat face to face with a client at a homeless shelter in downtown Louisville. The man recalled his poignant story of struggling to overcome multiple drug addictions and incarcerations, but every time he said something remarkable, the student froze. No follow-up questions. No reacting to cues for further probing. Granted, for many young people, being asked to interact with strangers to create a short documentary is an intense and possibly overwhelming learning experience. But her performance… Read more Teenagers, Immediacy, and Interpersonal Skills →
Paul Barnwell 