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Day 15: Ideas for an Online Chapel [Lim]

On 01/24/2013, in faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, pedagogy, relationships, teaching & learning, by Daniel Christian

Day 15: Ideas for an Online Chapel — from Janine Lim

Excerpt:

Andrews University is a Christian school; and therefore faith integration in online learning is an important value and task. Among other statements, the Andrews University Mission Statement includes this: Andrews University students will seek knowledge as they understand life, learning, and civic responsibility from a Christian point of view. How this is done makes for interesting discussion and research. There are certainly many viewpoints on the best way to integrate faith and learning; as well as different views on what it really means.

In my view, though, the core is how an instructor’s whole being as a person of faith is evidenced in the teaching and learning process. The evidence may come in instructor-student interaction, in discussion on how the Christian worldview intersects with the content knowledge, in how students are viewed and treated as whole persons made in the image of God, in the instructor’s teaching presence.

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The Lesson of Grace in Teaching — by Francis Su

On 01/22/2013, in adjunct faculty, faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, mathematics, teaching & learning, teaching online, by Daniel Christian

Per Jim Bradley (Mathematics, Emeritus) at Calvin College:

Francis Su is a Christian teaching at Harvey Mudd, a secular liberal arts college. He was recently selected to receive the Haimo Award*, one of the mathematics community’s highest teaching honors. Receiving the award entails giving an address at the annual math association meeting, going on now in San Diego. In writing his talk, Francis asked himself, “What does the gospel have to say to this large, mostly secular group of mathematicians?” He answered, “Grace.” Here’s a link to a written copy of his talk. I think it’s quite an inspiring and enjoyable set of reflections on teaching by an obviously great teacher.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/francis-su/the-lesson-of-grace-in-teaching/10151372450043217 
(From DSC: Facebook deleted the above original posting by Franic Su — not sure why)

Per Francis’ new blog:
After giving this talk, I had so many requests for the text that I
shared it on Facebook.  But Facebook deleted it.
So I created a blog just for this.  I hope you find it helpful.

It was the hardest thing I ever had to write:
because it is deeply personal, truly me,
and about my biggest life lesson… given at a
conference in front of hundreds of people who,
I’m sure, struggle with the same things that I do.

The Lesson of Grace in Teaching
From weakness to wholeness, the struggle and the hope
Francis Edward Su
MAA Haimo Teaching Award Lecture
Joint Math Meetings, January 11, 2013
An audio file is available: bit.ly/W4gyD0.

 

 

Excerpt:

Knowing my new advisor had grace for me meant that he could give me honest feedback on my dissertation work, even if it was hard to do, without completely destroying my identity.  Because, as I was learning, my worthiness does NOT come from my accomplishments.  I call this

The Lesson of GRACE:

  •      Your accomplishments are NOT what make you a worthy human being.
  •      You learn this lesson when someone shows you GRACE: good things you didn’t earn or deserve, but you’re getting them anyway.

I have to learn this lesson over and over again.
You can have worthiness apart from your performance.
You can have dignity independent of achievements.
Your identity does not have to be rooted in accomplishments.
You can be loved for who you are, not for what you’ve done—somebody just has to show you grace.

 

 

From DSC:
Powerful messages…often times, it’s hard for me to get my arms around the lessons/messages that Francis addressed — especially seeing as we live in a world that constantly measures us by our performance, our achievements, and/or our productivity.

 

* From The Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics web page:

In 1991, the Mathematical Association of America instituted Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics in order to honor college or university teachers who have been widely recognized as extraordinarily successful and whose teaching effectiveness has been shown to have had influence beyond their own institutions. In 1993, the MAA Board of Governors renamed the award to honor Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo.

List of Recipients

2013
Matthias Beck, San Francisco State University
Margaret Robinson, Mount Holyoke College
Francis Edward Su, Harvey Mudd College

 

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Psalm 103:2-5 NLT

On 01/22/2013, in Daniel S. Christian, faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, by Daniel Christian

Psalm 103:2-5 NLT

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”

— from YouVersion.com

From DSC:
Thanks LORD for your grace, your patience with me, your forgiveness of my many shortcomings/faults/failures, for your help and refuge, …the list could go on and on. So I’ll just say, “Thanks LORD” and grant me the same courage, generosity, and purity of heart that this widow had.

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8 things to look for in today’s classroom [Couros]

On 01/09/2013, in 21st century, education, education reform, engagement / engaging students, hearts -- matters of the heart, K-12 related, more voice more choice more control, student-related, by Daniel Christian

8 things to look for in today’s classroom — by George Couros

Excerpt:

As I think that leaders should be able to describe what they are looking for in schools I have thought of eight things that I really want to see in today’s classroom.  I really believe that classrooms need to be learner focused. This is not simply that students are creating but that they are also having opportunities to follow their interests and explore passions.  The teacher should embody learning as well.

 

From DSC:
If we can tap into students’ passions/hearts, I believe we’ll find enormous amounts of creative energy pour forth! I’m again struck with adding the tags/keywords to this posting — More choice, more control.

 

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Just ahead: The robotics revolution [Pine]

On 01/09/2013, in 21st century, career development, economics, future, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, reinvent, robotics, society, staying relevant, strategy, vision/possibilities, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Just ahead: The robotics revolution — from kiplinger.com by Art Pine; with thanks going out to Erik Brynjolfsson (@erikbryn) for his posting on Twitter re: this
The U.S. is on the cusp of an explosion in robotics that will have a significant impact on business and the economy over the next decade. Here’s how it will affect you.

Excerpt:

The use of robotics in manufacturing and service industries is expected to mushroom over the next 10 to 15 years, forcing significant changes in the way many companies do business, and posing opportunities — and problems — for workers.

 

From DSC:
I don’t mean to be negative here…but…are we leaving a large swath of people behind?  If many people don’t like learning — as evidenced by the dropout rates across the United States — the mountains will be much harder to climb in terms of helping people reinvent themselves as these events/trends take place.  The ramifications are immense and affect all of us!

What SHOULD these things mean for K-12? Higher education? The corporate training departments?

 

 

 

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Case study: Flipped classrooms work for students. Period. [Grebow & Green]

On 01/07/2013, in budgets, engagement / engaging students, flipping -- inverted learning, hearts -- matters of the heart, K-12 related, Michigan, society, by Daniel Christian

Case study: Flipped classrooms work for students. Period. — from knowledgestarblog.wordpress.com by David Grebow and Greg Green, principal at Clintondale High School in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

I’m a principal at Clintondale High, a financially challenged school near Detroit. I’m in charge of doing my best to make sure that Clintondale students get the best education possible when they walk through our doors.

There are constant hurdles to making this happen. We are a school of choice, so not all students come in with the same skill levels in reading, math, science or other subjects. Almost 75% of our students receive free or reduced-price lunch because of today’s economic climate, and a large part of our student population commutes from Detroit, which often times takes an hour or longer, especially if the bus is late.

Every year, our failure rates have been through the roof.  The students weren’t paying attention, they weren’t doing their homework, they were being disruptive, or they weren’t coming to school at all. Sadly, these issues are not that uncommon, particularly in this economic climate, where the percentage of students who fall into the poverty category is increasing by the day.

…

To watch this happen every day, where it is your responsibility to try to provide the very best you can for the students, is beyond frustrating. It’s heartbreaking.

Our staff agreed that our failure rates were not good. But how do you go about addressing these issues with no money, no additional resources and no clear solution from the experts who already know the system is broken?

…

How do you get your staff on board with change you want to implement, but no one else has ever tried it on a mass scale? How do you get your students excited about learning when they’ve never shown much interest before?

You flip it. Here’s how it works…

 

From DSC:

Thanks Techsmith for helping out here. You demonstrated that there can be a higher calling for business — helping out our fellow mankind with tangible/concrete/immediate assistance.

 

 

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Micah 6:8 (as per “The Message”)

On 01/04/2013, in faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society, by Daniel Christian

Micah 6:8 — interpretation of scripture from Eugene Peterson’s The Message

But He’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.

From DSC:
Sometimes, life doesn’t seem quite as simple as this makes it sound…perhaps I make it that way…but there’s a lot more grey (vs. black and white) in the world for me as I get older.  With that said, I still like the way Eugene interprets this scripture.

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Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)

On 01/02/2013, in faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, by Daniel Christian

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

 

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What an amazing person and teacher! [New York Times article & video about Jeffrey Wright]

On 12/31/2012, in engagement / engaging students, faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, neurodivergent/special needs, physics, relationships, teachers, by Daniel Christian

Article:

 

JeffreyWright-AmazingTeacherNPerson-1

 

Video:

 Mr. Wright said he decided to share his son’s story when his physics lessons led students to start asking him “the big questions.”

“When you start talking about physics, you start to wonder, ‘What is the purpose of it all?’ ” he said in an interview. “Kids started coming to me and asking me those ultimate questions. I wanted them to look at their life in a little different way — as opposed to just through the laws of physics — and give themselves more purpose in life.”

.

JeffreyWright-AmazingTeacherNPerson

From DSC:
My thanks go out to Mr. Joseph Byerwalter for this very powerful piece…

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Merry Christmas to all! Happy New Year’s!

On 12/22/2012, in faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, by Daniel Christian

Merry Christmas to all! May 2013 be a great one for you and yours!

Some verses for the LORD’s coming to Earth are listed below:

John 1:1-2 (NIV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

John 1:14 (NIV)
The Word became flesh
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Luke 1:26-28
“[The Birth of Jesus Foretold] In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.””

Isaiah 7:14
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Which means, God with us.) 

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Google digitizes Ten Commandments, Book of Genesis

On 12/19/2012, in digital learning, faith, Google, hearts -- matters of the heart, history, religion, by Daniel Christian

Google digitizes Ten Commandments, Book of Genesis — from by Stephanie Mlot

 

Google Dead Sea Scrolls Ten Commandments

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Opinion: Sandy Hook shows teachers’ enduring values [Bosso]

On 12/18/2012, in education, ethics, hearts -- matters of the heart, K-12 related, leadership, relationships, society, teachers, by Daniel Christian

Opinion: Sandy Hook shows teachers’ enduring values — from courant.com by David Bosso

Excerpt:

To so many, the educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School demonstrate that the core values of education mirror the greatest ideals of humanity, and they are exemplars in this regard. They offer us hope, and reinforce our belief in the goodness of others and the power of education. In an era of accountability, standards, testing and data, they affirm that what ultimately matters most are the immeasurable lessons and the enduring relationships teachers cultivate with their students.

To the educators of Sandy Hook Elementary School, thank you for the powerful, inspiring example of dedication and compassion you have given us. You have made, and continue to make, a difference to so many. In the midst of this unfathomable loss and profound sorrow, you have buoyed our spirits and given us hope. Because of your passion, courage, sacrifice, and devotion, I am once again reassured to proudly declare to educators everywhere: Never again say, “I am just a teacher.”

— I originally saw this on twitter as posted by
Sarah Brown Wessling (@SarahWessling)

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Reflections on “If you build it, debt will come.”

On 12/17/2012, in budgets, business side of he, Daniel S. Christian, faith, future of higher education, hearts -- matters of the heart, higher education, United States, by Daniel Christian

If you build it, debt will come — a solid article from quickanded.com by Jeff Selingo

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

When we read or hear stories in the news media these days about debt in higher education, we typically assume they are about the trillion dollars in student loans held by college graduates and their families.

But last week The New York Times put the spotlight on an often ignored angle to questions of debt in higher education: the amount of money owed by colleges and universities themselves.

“The pile of debt — $205 billion outstanding in 2011 at the colleges rated by Moody’s — comes at a time of increasing uncertainty in academia,” Andrew Martin of The Times wrote in a front-page story.

…

Yet judging from the college officials quoted in The Times story, it seems they still don’t get that the financial model in higher education is forever changing. They still seem to believe that the model that has carried them for decades will continue.

The history of the United States is littered with industries that had similar hubris in the years or decade before they underwent massive change. Higher education is following that well-worn path.

 

Also see:

 

From DSC:
I must confess that I really appreciate the new or significantly enhanced buildings on our campus (which was done via a successful campaign).  However, I created the graphic below to encourage our  development group and other such departments across the country — as well as the donors of those institutions — to also:

.

Daniel S. Christian - Think Virtual -- April 2012

.

When I created that graphic, I had the words of Steve Jobs in mind.  Jobs specifically wanted Apple’s campaign from years ago to say, “Think different” (not think differently…as that changes the meaning, he asserted); along those lines, I’m suggesting, “Think virtual.”

An additional note for folks who are interested in the Bible:

  •  After reading John 4 (the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well), I could just hear the LORD saying…hmmm…nope…ultimately, you need to think spiritual.

 

 

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Psalm 136:1 and Psalm 136:26 (NIV)

On 11/29/2012, in faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, by Daniel Christian

Psalm 136:1 (NIV)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.

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Thanks LORD for the teachers, professors, and trainers out there!

On 11/21/2012, in adjunct faculty, art, career development, creativity, Daniel S. Christian, faculty, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, student-related, teachers, training / L&D, by Daniel Christian

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