Educator Self and Peer Assessment with Dr. Doug McKee

Teachers Need Peer Review

Dr. McKee provides some peer assessment and evaluation of Harry's in-classroom learning. Harry recounts the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of assignments and in-class strategies. Harry is seeking broader acceptance of honest self-evaluation and embracing the failures in pedagogy that leads to learning and improved student learning outcomes.

Reach Doug:

Teach Better web site (http://teachbetter.co) and Twitter (@TeachBetterCo)

Harry's Notes:

"Since the Fall of 2013 I have evolved my approach to teaching with an assortment of pedagogically diverse approaches. 

I have been seeking a knowledgeable peer with whom I could present a self-assessment; I believe only a frank and honest accounting of my efforts will allow me to continue to grow and learn as a teacher." 

Thanks Doug!

On April 7th, 2015, Dr. Doug McKee took the time to listen to my self-assessment while offering suggestions, insights and lessons from his own classroom. Dr. McKee is the co-host of the Teach Better podcast (http://teachbetter.co/)"

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RANT: New Clue 66

This is an open BLOG post to Doc Searls (doc@searls.com) & David Weinberger (david@weinberger.org)

Dear David & Doc,

I heard on the Hobson & Holtz Report (Epi 790) about some feedback you received on your new clue # 66 from Richard Edelman. I'd like to offer my own thoughtful feedback. This is an open letter.

In thinking about your new clues 64, 65, & 66... 

To whit, that while there maybe some area of concern with native ads, they are ethically speaking full of disclosure and the standard for them is actively evolving. The problem is not with Native Ads but with Journalism. Journalism is devoid of transparency and disclosure and self certifies that they are a profession and that their professionals are totally ethical.

Your clues (new and old) are filled with a humanistic admonition to interact as people, with people, in conversation and dialogue with transparency, openness, etc. Journalism is the "man behind the curtain" pretending to be the great and powerful "Oz of Ethics"...  Like the Great and Powerful Oz himself, Journalists do not want that curtain opened.

Here are some Journalistic Clues:

1. When someone (like a Journalist) starts a conversation by telling you that you can trust them because their ethics are beyond reproach doubt their word early and often. 
2. While there might be a problem with Native Ads, there is a serious and proven problem with Journalism.
3. Journalist ethics allow reporters to lie by omission millions of times a year while claiming to be the embodiment of purity and trust. 
4. Journalism is less ethical than native ads because most people agree that ethics of native ads demands disclosure; Journalism pretends to disclose but doesn't.
5. Journalist ethics requires reporters to "shun" whole areas of discussion rather than engage in conversation, community building, and dialogue.
6. Native ads have the potential for abuse and may potentially lack in quality; Journalism wearing an emperor's cloak of ethics has abused reportage and the public trust for over a century.
7. The written code of Journalistic ethics is as byzantine and complex as a tax code, and as straight forward as Orwell's doublespeak.
8. Journalists are told to reveal ALL their sources, and to QUOTE the most primary sources; they speak all day, all week, all year to PR staff who provide them with a myriad of information, privileged access to sources, gifts, meals, insight, locations and data not to mention background "analysis" and more; all of that is left entirely out of the picture (and the story).
9. If someone was paid 10's or 100's of thousands of dollars to influence a reporter, most of the actual public would want to know that; journalistic ethics deems that irrelevant.
10. Journalists are ethical in the same way that dictators care about their people; in name but not deed. 

I hope you consider this an effort to create some conversation around this topic. Understanding that you have written 121 clues and I'm fixated on only three of them, i'd certainly understand if you don't have the time to reply or engage.

For the record I have many friends who are journalists but there are only a few Journalists that I hold in high esteem; I don't know him but Glenn Greenwald is the best example. 

Warmly yours,

Harry Hawk

@hhawk

HawkSocialMarketing.com 

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Talking Takoyaki with Karl Palma

Karl Cooks Takoyaki

Karl Palma was the featured Chef in, "Tako NY" ~ A documentary film about Otafuku" (directed by Kris Brearton). He talks to Harry Hawk about cooking Takoyaki, opening up his own restaurant and playing the Taiko Drums. Karl has been a featured Chef at the New York, Chicago and Charleston Food Film Festivals. Karl is of Filipino decent and grew up in Southern region of New Jersey. He attributes much of his success to his relationship with the Japanese Community in NYC.

Episode 11: An interview w/ Karl Palma (21:39)

Overtime: Bonus Conversations w/ Karl (35:46) 

Listen to the episode + the overtime to hear the full interview 21 + 35 = 56 minutes long. I have known Karl for a number of years and you will find he is full of passion and energy and that translates to everything he does and to everyone around him.

Related Video

FILM:
Tako NY - Dir. by Kris Beardon featuring Chef Karl Palma - filmed at Otafuki [https://vimeo.com/50872389]

Tako NY from Kristoffer Brearton on Vimeo.


YouTube:

Karl talking about his balls  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22APK4qfkbA]

Keizo talking about Ramen balls [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3znym5WF13o]

Food Porn "star" Larry talks about Balls [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpXyT1TvgH8]

Photos

(Above: Chewbakayaki)

(Above: Cooking Takoyaki)

(Above: Takoyaki with Octopus)

Episode 11: (Download Link) (21:00)
Overtime: (Bonus Conversation w/ Karl) (35:46)

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Talking about Blogger & SEO with Mihai Vasilan

An SEO Gig? 

I met Mihai through the gig site Fiverr when I was looking for some help with the Blogger site I was creating for this podcast; the site you are currently reading. I needed help making sure all the posts and pages loaded fast, some help understanding SEO and testing to make sure that the blog worked as well on mobile devices as on desktops. Mihai was the 3rd or 4th person I tried. Everyone added a little bit of value but Mr. Vasilan had more to offer, albeit at a higher price. Mihai is a 21 year old college student studying public administration but actually earns his living blogging, and helping others with their blogs. 

What is SEO?

SEO is the acronym for Search Engine Optimization -- this is the art and science of making a web sites, web pages, pictures or posts easier to appear within a search engine results on Google or Bing. There are legitimate organic ways of doing this and that is known as White Hat SEO; there are some tricks and methods which attempt to "game" the search engines; that is Black Hat SEO. Mihai's SEO journey has evolved from trying all of the SEO tricks (and being penalized (by Google) for that), to becoming a self proclaimed White Hat SEO practitioner. Mihai's specialty is his experience and expertise with Blogging which includes Wordpress, and general web sites, but his true expertise is in the Google owned Blogger platform. 

Growing up Romanian 

Besides talking about SEO, blogging and other geeky topics I was excited ask to Mihai what it was like growing up in Romania... After all, the fall of Ceaușescu happened in 1989; in Romania the advent of the Internet revolution largely coincided with the fall of Communism. In many ways Mihai discovered the Internet through blogging. 

Mr. Vasilan has used his blogging skills to help a few local charities, posts Photoshop CS4 tutorials plus SEO tutorials for blogger and how-to's guides. One of his blogs has scored in the top 100 psychology blogs in 2015 and he reports his readers increase everyday. While is blog is aimed at a Romanian audience (and written in the local Romanian language [Daco-Romanian]) Mihai has expressed interest in creating at least one blog in English. 

Blogger or Wordpress?

A large percent of the Podcasting community uses and recommends Wordpress, which is a free and open source blogging and content management system. It is highly flexible and is build upon a core platform with 100's or even 1000's of independently created modules known as "plug-ins." Plug-ins don't always work well together and the quality of them varies. While hosting a Wordpress based website can be free, many of the plug-ins are offered for a fee, often on a yearly basis.

For a variety of personal reasons I selected Blogger as an alternative to Wordpress, which is certainly a minor (perhaps major) disadvantage for a podcaster; however, the benefits of a stable and complete free platform (thanks Google) appeals more to me than the Podcast friendly advantages of Wordpress. For me, Blogger seemed more affordable, easier to get off the ground; my plan is to slowly adjust and improve this page (with Mihai's help).

 l

Do you Need to SEO Optimize your website? 

Mihai is available for hire and I have already recommended him to a few friends. His starting price is $75 (project basis), but he is willing to work on an hourly basis as well. For one friend in NY State, Mihai is providing weekly SEO training via Skype (by the hour). Organic SEO is always the best approach as Google (and Bing) frequently change and adjust their search algorithms; aggressive SEO tactics are increasingly identified and sites employing them are penalized. Mihai and I talk about this and more in the Podcast. I hope you enjoy listening.

How to Find Mihai Vasilan?

Blog/Website: Gandim Rational - Dezvoltare Personala 

E-mail: noigandimrational@gmail.com

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Talking with Steve Price about STEM Education and Chain Reaction Art

Steve Price is a Chain Reaction Artist

You may know him from America's Got Talent... Steve Price is a full time college student (Junior), and when not in school spends his time thinking about and building complicated constructions of dominoes, chemical reactions and other physical elements that once started "detonate" in one long chain reaction. Here is a great example on YouTube: Steve Price (Sprice) on America's Got Talent.

Steve's web site | Steve on Twitter | Steve's YouTube Channel | Sprice Machines on Facebook

Help Support STEM ED

There is a lot of Science, Techonology, Enginering and Math (STEM) invovled in Steve's creations... It is a way to make STEM very real and tangible for students and of course when a chain reaction detonates it is also a lot of fun. 

Steve & his 15 Friends

Check out each of the following YouTube channels to see a simply amazing collection of Chain Reaction Artistry! 

1. TheSprice17 (Steve Price)
2. hevesh5
3. SuperMarMarMan1
4. jackofallspades98
5. featured
6. drcomplicated
7. superdominojoe
8. xxdominomasterxx
9. thedominoking0197
10. spinorama29
11. berlagawesome
12. alexsdominoes
13. lunatim
14. petmagnetetal
15. ShanesDominoez
16. toothpaste35

The Incredible Science Machine Kickstarter

Besides trying to support STEM Education, Steve his 15 friend will be trying to create two records. The American Domino record, plus the world record for Rube Goldberg Devices. 

LINK TO The Incredible Science Machine KICKSTARTER (Ends April 20, 2015).

Some Of Steve's Work:

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Talking About Social Media with Dr. Santa J. Ono (@PrezOno)

Spring 2015

Business leaders in the Spring of 2015 (at the most senior levels) are still not using social media tools themselves (even senior PR Pros). Yet there is plenty of data suggesting that when the C-Suite uses social tools, it helps them and their teams strengthen consumer trust in their company. The sad fact is that often C-Suite executives are unwilling to learn the needed skills or are simply just risk adverse.

Game of RISK:

In academic circles these same two issues are often seen as a barrier. There are some who only see social media (especially Twitter) as a tool for youthful and trivial interactions instead of for its untapped potential: a gate-free medium that can facilitate cross generational and cross cultural communications.  

Santa J. Ono, PhD.

Dr. Ono's usage of Twitter has been recognized  as a leading example that academic leadership can harness social media to accomplish personal, professional and institutional objectives. This leadership has been recognized within the UC Community, locally in Ohio, and by researcher Dan Ziaontz.  It takes a bit of fearlessness to present yourself to your stakeholders without a safety net; it is a common perception of social media that a tiny misstep can lead to embarrassment. Dr. Ono's acclaim stems in part from his ability to market himself adeptly in the social media realm.

Ono on Social:

President Ono recommends that individuals, departments, and companies need to find their "authentic voice." My impression of Dr. Ono is that he considers authenticity of voice to be a critical requirement for using social tools like Twitter. While Dr. Ono makes use of a variety of social networks, his reputation for using Twitter is significant. Students at UC have analyzed his tweets, and he has taken their advice to heart, proving that his use and command of Twitter are both dynamic and evolving. He informed me during the interview that a student in Canada is analyzing his Tweets as part of his PhD. research

Biography:

"Santa J. Ono is the 28th President of the University of Cincinnati, one of the nation’s top 30 public research universities. An avid user of social media, he is also an accomplished researcher in eye disease.  A new book called #FollowtheLeader (Lessons in Social Media Success from #HigherEd CEOs) says that with his use of Twitter, Dr.Ono “epitomizes the institutional champion” – 'highlighting his university’s achievements, both academic and non-academic, interacting with key stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners; and also serving as ‘cheerleader-in-chief’ whenever possible.' "

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Judith talks about the great Hartford Circus Fire

The Great Hartford Circus Fire

Judith talks about growing up in rural dairy farming Bloomfield Ct, her neighbors, and even Mr. Webster the local butcher.

Judith Survived The Circus Fire

"One of America's greatest fire disasters occurred on July 6, 1944 in Hartford, Connecticut" 

She talks about surviving the great Hartford circus fire including her rescue and the aftermath (starting at the 00:08:23 mark). Judith considers herself to be the "girl in the little yellow pinafore dress" written about by Henry S. Cohn. (The Great Hartford Circus Fire: Creative Settlement of Mass Disasters Yale University Press, 1991).

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Mike Linksvayer, Creative Commons and Free Society

Mike talks about the economic value of information and why the freedom of information should be valued by a free society. Mike talks with Harry Hawk about his previous role as the CTO and VP at The Creative Commons. 

Edited Interview (00:28:37)

Raw & Uncut Interview (01:26:46)

Background:

I've known Mike for about 20+ years... and have followed his transformation from technology hacker to a hacker of society... trying to create a more free world by freeing some of the worlds most important information.

I talk to Mike for about 28 minutes and we cover some of his work story and try to understand some of the critical aspects of the creative commons licenses.

Raw & Uncut:

My entire conversation with Mike took over an hour and forty-five minutes. Click here to hear the entire discussison from start to finish, raw, and uncut.

Links:

Creative Commons

Mike's Web Site  |  Mike's Blog  | @mLinksSVA

Wikipedia Entry for Mike

About the DMCA

Peer Review Comes to Wikipedia

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#FollowTheLeader with Dan Zaiontz

Best Practices

Dan talks about several educational leaders he admires, like Santa J. Ono (@prezono) from UC, and Paul LeBlanc (@snhuprez) from SNHU. I'm a particular fan of Dr. LeBlanc for many reasons including that I am an SNHU alumni. Being a leader on social media doesn't mean filling their Twitter streams with lofty quotes; often it means reaching out to rank and file members of the community and being simply accessible to students.

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College/University Presidents Learn Social Media

Dan Zaiontz, a faculty member of Seneca College, started researching senior academic usage of social media while completing his Master's degree in Communications (MCM). That research is now part of a book called #FollowTheLeader, which is being published by M. Stoner; January 20, 2015 is the publication date.

Methodology:

While Dan says he reached out to as many as 150 individuals, all of the folks in the book were initially contacted via Twitter. College and University presidents who use Twitter are not only setting the pace for their institution and their community, but also making themselves role models for all types of enterprises including businesses and non-profits.

Warmly yours, Harry Hawk (@hhawk)

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Talking About Competency Based Education at College For America with College for America with Chief Learning Architect Yvonne Simon

Learning without grades: Education in America is focused on how many days you spend in the classroom, and the grades you are assessed. Education in America rarely focuses on mastering new skills and quantified evidence of learning. If you show up for every class and you get a passing grade, you have passed the course, even if you haven't mastered everything covered in the course.

Gaming Education

Students who wish to complete a course or a degree don't have to really strive -- they just have to figure out how to pass a few tests, and how to impress the teacher enough to get a passing grade; students have been known to beg, cry or even cheat their way to a better grade. Students learn that the emphasis of their studies should be focused on jumping through the right hoops, at the right time, and cramming for tests. Sure there are some students who really try for deep learning and put all their effort into their studies, but the vast majority are there to do just the most minimum effort.

Master The Skills

College for America (CFA) at Southern New Hampshire University has designed a new approach to higher education, and theirs is the first program accredited by the US Dept. of Education based authorizing funding/payment based skills learned vs. time spent in the class (contact hours). Students do not get letter grades, and they are not subjected to the vagueness of Pass/Fail; there is no teacher to beg for a better grade. Students are assessed with either Not Yet or Mastery. They need to fully master 120 skills to graduate from the associate's degree program. Students can move through the course at their own pace. They negotiate the length of time they will spend on assignments (projects); they even get to pick their own graduation date. Miss a date? No problem, they are learning through their own "failure".

Blue Vs. Purple

Students at CFA have to complete about 20-50 unique projects. Smaller projects that are easier "to eat" are called Blue Projects. Purple projects are more complex. Every student needs to complete at least 3 Purple projects, in addition to a few group projects in order to graduate. However, all students have to finish and complete the same 120 competencies no matter which projects (blue or purple) they select. 

No Grades - Self Paced & NO Teachers??

Typically only a few students get As and that means everyone else has failed to grasp all of the material. How can that be the gold standard? Everyone learns differently and the online, self paced projects offered by CFA compel students to master each of the skills not 60% or 70% but 100%. The educational coaches at CFA, and the structure of the Blue & Purple projects, and even the negotiation over the time limits for the assignments "force" students to not only learn, but to think about how they learn, and to learn enough about themselves to master their own educational journey. "Coaches never help out with the academics, but rather [help] the learning process."

Famous Partners

Today CFA is open to students whose employers are partnered with College for America. This includes many famous companies like McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts, The Gap, The Cumberland Gulf Group, and ConAgra. They have also been cited by the White House and President Obama as one of the examples of how American education needs to transform. One of the benefits that will appeal to both students and employers is the Associate and Bachelor's degree cost $2,500 per year. Finish the associate's degree in under a year and $2,500 is the total bill -- often paid by the employer through their tuition assistance program. CFA also offers a BA in in communications and healthcare management (with more on the way); students need to complete the Associate degree first. The same rules apply to the BA; the faster your finish the cheaper it is.

CLA Yvonne Simon 

In this episode of Talking About Everything, I discuss education theory and the practical implications for this new style of education with CFA's Chief Learning Architect (CLA) Yvonne Simon. Yvonne is the former CEO of the SNHU Online education program and was the co-founder and VP at Six Red Marbles.

A Lead Learning Coach

In this episode I also speak with Deo Mwano who is a lead learning coach at CFA. His personal journey is remarkable but no more so than the 100s or even 1000s of educational journeys that he and his team help CFA students accomplish.

"Deo Mwano joined College for America at Southern New Hampshire University in January of 2013 as a Learning Coach and was part of the original pilot program launch. The coaching team and he developed the coaching model with a focus on the student experience. His focus was on helping students adapt and succeed in a personalized online competency program. He learned how to work with a diverse group of students and had some of the first graduates. 

Today, Deo is a Team Lead Learning Coach. He develops student success skills through coaching and training other coaches and partners. He oversees coaching development strategies by researching and conducting studies on other effective coaching methods. Deo works closely with employer partners to customize the coaching support to the students’ environment.  His experience with College for America has strengthened his ability to help a wide range of people achieve their personal goals."

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