Living with technology and everything else

Oh my how life happens all at once!  And how thankful I am for technology helping me to stay organized and make things happen.  Upon reflection I draw a comparison to my own technology use and that of other students.

Unmonitored access to technology can be tempting.  I sit at my computer day in and day out having an endless list of things I need to get done, research, write, email, business correspondence, account correspondence.....and I find myself tempted by "other stuff" that being surfing the web, checking craigslist, facebook......

I think back to an article we read for class and remember reading how students view having a "wired" campus and classroom with opposing views.  For so many this luxury has become a distraction for them as they periodically tune their professor in and out as they surf the web, email friends, chat and snoop on facebook, etc. 

This same notion is the worry behind allowing students to use their cell phones in class and as a medium for classroom learning.  

So my thoughts......self-discipline.  That's it.  It is something that needs to be learned and that only an individual themselves can control.  By continually "slapping" student’s hands with their use of personal technology devices how are they learning to be responsible for themselves and accomplish what needs to be done?  If students demonstrate that they can not be responsible with the luxuries of having and using their own technology devices like a cell phone or laptop then that's it they will have to re-earn that privilege by demonstrating self-control in the next year.

This week along with all my coursework being due I am moving from SLO to SB and helping my sister and her husband to move into a new home they just closed escrow on last Wednesday.  There is not enough time for everything.  I find myself feeling the frustrations of my sister as a new homeowner and also reflect this experience to my coursework.  So many things need to happen.....so many expectations, responsibilities, liabilities, and I am frustrated by how many people neglect to get the job done in a manner that has the customer happy and wanting to continue business.  It's always someone else's problem or fault.......nobody wanting to "own-up" to problems that occur in order to promote excellence or equity in their work.  It seems to be whatever is convenient for them no matter the cost of loosing a customer.  I sigh, what has happened to our society?  Of course I am not generalizing, just expressing that my recent experience has been one of dissatisfaction with one individual to individual, or small business, or corporation, etc.  Where has "doing onto others as you would want to have done to you" gone?  Another sigh, what can be done?  I believe that all you can do is be responsible for yourself again and hope that you serve as a positive role model to others and spread your exemplarary way of conducting yourself as an individual, student, business owner, citizen, friend, colleague..etc.

All we can do is have hope and change positively with the culture of our world around us.  See the big picture and leading with my heart and enjoying life in all it's beauty is what I plan to do at this time in my life and hope that this way of life can be inspired in others.

Monica

Local control or state/federal control? Discussion and reflection.

In our policy class with Dr. Crocker we had a discussion/debate concerning centralizing and decentralizing schools locus of control when it comes to the development and implementation of educational policy.  We were split by cohort and forced to take an assigned viewpoint.  The beauty of the whole process was that by advocating for a certain viewpoint we were forced to analyze both situations weighing the pros and cons and really having to think each component all the way through implementation.  So when it came to expressing both for centralizing and decentralizing the conclusion to the debate was a natural common ground between two groups.  By exhausting each possibility the "right" solutions seemed to shine through.  What we comfortably settled on was a more de-centralized control with a solid set minimum standards that the local school had to achieve.  This plan did not involve the current strategy used by NCLB programs in which schools and competing for funds.  They are allotted a certain amount based on student population and depending on student and community needs they spend it to the best of their capability and when they cannot meet the basic standard set by the federal government then they would be forced to step in and provide assistance until needed.  These ideas and notions aligned perfectly with my vision for our multi-media group project.  EMP schools located across the country are technologically networked so that no matter location they function and communicate as one unit.  Each EMP school has the same core foundation with its core values encompassing 3 core components: exciting, exploring, and enriching students educational experience with mindful power.  Each EMP school is public and held at federal standards but they have full control of how their funds are spent in order to best cater to their students and community based on demographical needs.