Here is my understanding of Christensen's Theory of Disruption: Christensen and his colleagues have claimed that stable businesses are aware of technological innovations, but their business plans and schemas do not facilitate the pursuit of technological innovations or ideas as they emerge. Why not? Newer technologies and innovations cost money, and this lowers profit margin. Innovations are often not profitable in the beginning stages and their development and phases of implementation can take vital resources away from current projects that are making money in real time. In other words, the current production or services being provided would have to be detracted from, and this generates a fear that the competition would use this degradation to grab a larger portion of the market share. Therefore, Christensen states that the “value networks” of a business place little to no value on the disruptive innovations. However, start-up companies possess different “value networks,” and seek to replace existing “value networks.” New products and services replace the “old.” This causes existing businesses to panic and attempt to keep up in order to not fade into bankruptcy.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Understanding the Theory of Disruption
Am I a Visitor or Resident on the Internet?
Am I a visitor or resident on the internet? Hmm… Good question for me because it requires some thought and reflection. I suppose that I am currently both a visitor and a resident of the internet.
In some ways I am a simply a visitor: I do some of my banking online, I shop online, and I read information online such as the news and articles. Most of these activities are brief excursions into the World Wide Web (WWW) with little or no trace visible to others. I have not previously had any desire to have my personal identity online as any sort of Brand. In fact, I would go out of my way to protect my identity and ensure security from identity theft or stalking. I thought it would be for the best to have no one able to find me via a Google search. I still believe this to be true from a personal life point of view. However, from the perspective of a professional life point of view I can envision why it would be a good idea to have a WWW presence and identity online.
In some ways (very small at this point) I am somewhat of a resident also. I do have a Face Book account that I primarily reserve for non-professional friends and family only. As a leader, I do not feel it would be appropriate for everyone I work with to have deep insight into my personal life. At any rate, I am there, and my life can been seen by those with access even when I am offline. I am also a resident via email. Once an email is sent, it is always there, and it certainly leaves a trace.
Creating My PLN
As I think about creating my PLN, I am feeling like a complete digital immigrant. Face booking, Tweeting, blogging, Diigo, iGoogle, etc are all very new to me. I have a smart phone, but even though I have had it for a year I still need to ask people to show me how to use new app’s. The technology has far more potential than I know how to employ. I often chuckle that the impoverished students at my school can utilize a smart phone better than I can!
I also start to worry about how much time seeks to be spent on social media sites. My daughter can be on FaceBook for hours… These are hours that she is not reading or writing on a higher order level. Sure, she and her friends chat which requires conversation and writing, but the writing is far from academic. Perhaps if this technology was put into practice on an educational level it would be beneficial in school. However, we are clearly not there yet. In fact, almost all of the social media/networking sites are firewalled in my school district.
I am behind the times on the technology available and how to effectively use the technology I am signed up for. Diigo seems like it could be a powerful tool, but I still have much to learn regarding its potential and employment. TweetDeck is also foreign to me… I can sort of see that the groups available are full of potentially very useful information. However, it flits by so quickly! I need to figure out how to get into each group to review topics. Then I can read, search for, and synthesize the information. It would seem that this could be an amazing source for sources! J
I also start to worry about how much time seeks to be spent on social media sites. My daughter can be on FaceBook for hours… These are hours that she is not reading or writing on a higher order level. Sure, she and her friends chat which requires conversation and writing, but the writing is far from academic. Perhaps if this technology was put into practice on an educational level it would be beneficial in school. However, we are clearly not there yet. In fact, almost all of the social media/networking sites are firewalled in my school district.
I am behind the times on the technology available and how to effectively use the technology I am signed up for. Diigo seems like it could be a powerful tool, but I still have much to learn regarding its potential and employment. TweetDeck is also foreign to me… I can sort of see that the groups available are full of potentially very useful information. However, it flits by so quickly! I need to figure out how to get into each group to review topics. Then I can read, search for, and synthesize the information. It would seem that this could be an amazing source for sources! J
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Reflection on Pink
Reflecting on Pink's thoughts about right brain tendencies and the implications for teaching & learning is fascinating. Pink explains that the right hemisphere of the brain is nonlinear, intuitive, and holistic. How often do I see learning environments designed to support these areas? Not often in the traditional setting in which I work. Sure, it is there, but it is not the mainstream.
I think that bringing Art back into the curriculum full time would be a good start; currently we only have one section. Art allows students to connect with literature and mathematics in diverse ways, and it is sorely missed on my campus. I would also like to see more project based learning... The 8th grade history classes do a lot of projects, but they are not widespread in the language arts classes. Science classes have hands-on experiments, but not enough time with the students making meaning on their own.
Most of the traditional classes focus on skills, memorization, and practice. This focus allows students to analyze and solve problems, but it reduces the making meaning. Project based learning and art based learning lend themselves to having students make meaning via synthesizing information and combining the elements of varied subject matter.
On p.134 it says, "People who hope to thrive in the Conceptual Age must understand the connections between diverse, and seemimgly separate, disciplines." The ability to link things in terms of others and draw analogies helps the learner to see relationships via metaphors.
Hmm... Design and Symphony: How do we motivate our colleagues? Well, perhaps a holistic approach would be beneficial. Within the overall vision allow for peer led discussions on topics and challenges. Give the teachers autonomy to problem solve and generate ideas. Validate their ideas and put them into practice- this could create ownership by the faculty and inspire them to even greater performance. The symphony of ideas being shared may lead to just the right design necessary for the students.
I think that bringing Art back into the curriculum full time would be a good start; currently we only have one section. Art allows students to connect with literature and mathematics in diverse ways, and it is sorely missed on my campus. I would also like to see more project based learning... The 8th grade history classes do a lot of projects, but they are not widespread in the language arts classes. Science classes have hands-on experiments, but not enough time with the students making meaning on their own.
Most of the traditional classes focus on skills, memorization, and practice. This focus allows students to analyze and solve problems, but it reduces the making meaning. Project based learning and art based learning lend themselves to having students make meaning via synthesizing information and combining the elements of varied subject matter.
On p.134 it says, "People who hope to thrive in the Conceptual Age must understand the connections between diverse, and seemimgly separate, disciplines." The ability to link things in terms of others and draw analogies helps the learner to see relationships via metaphors.
Hmm... Design and Symphony: How do we motivate our colleagues? Well, perhaps a holistic approach would be beneficial. Within the overall vision allow for peer led discussions on topics and challenges. Give the teachers autonomy to problem solve and generate ideas. Validate their ideas and put them into practice- this could create ownership by the faculty and inspire them to even greater performance. The symphony of ideas being shared may lead to just the right design necessary for the students.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Reflections on my Story
While I certainly believe that I am an individual with very diverse and distinctive traits, characteristics, interests, and abilities, I also possess several cultural identifiers. I am currently an educational leader, but what brought me to this point in my life's journey?
I suppose that I realized that I was a heterosexual, American male at an early age. I had a younger sister, and it was evident that we were biologically different. I also came from a military family and lived on military bases when I was young. I can recall being in kindergarten thinking that I wanted to grow up and be in the Marines to shoot machine guns- something I knew little girls could not do at the time. I also knew something about race, gender, economic status at a young age, but I lacked full comprehension of these constructs at that time.
Stereotypical of being in a military family, I moved every three school years when I was growing up. I lived in many diverse places and had many cultural experiences. I suppose I really started to notice, and began to understand, racial and socioeconomic lines during my middle school years. During that time I lived in a suburb of Tampa, Florida. I used to have to ride the bus approximately 45 minutes into downtown Tampa to attend school in order to ensure desegregation. As a Caucasian male, I was in the minority of students in my school; the majority of students were either African American or of Cuban decent. I distinctly recall that many of the African American and Cuban students were from poor families and lived in the nearby projects. Additionally, it was not difficult to perceive that the African American and Cuban students seemed to despise one another based on racial lines. Being caught in the middle of a dispute between these two groups was a daily fear during this time.
I moved to Tallahassee, Florida after 7th grade and saw abject poverty there too. I was a middle class child, but not far away people were living in squalor. I went to school with students from these depressed areas. It was in 8th grade that I really began to sense that the students in the lower socioeconomic bracket seemed to have very different lifestyles. Moreover, although I lived in other places, my high school experiences were similar to that of my experiences in 8th grade.
My peer group in high school attended college. In college I enrolled in NROTC and was destined to become an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Yes, I was following in the footsteps of my father. In the Marines I worked with people of all different ethnic and economic backgrounds, and learned that teamwork and success is possible with anyone. This belief still holds strong with me today.
As an educational leader I see this as a tremendous asset. For example, I currently work in a school where 70% of the students are classified as English language learners. I continuously tell students how fortunate they are to be bilingual! The diversity of my students is something to be used as a strength- I see the big picture... We really do live in a global society despite it sounding cliche. Having traveled extensively, I know this to be true. I want my students to see the world beyond the local neighborhood; this takes experience. As an educational leader this is not always easy, but it is a must for our students to be successful in today's society. How? Two years ago I had a frustrated teacher ask me how he could teach "these students" about the world when they had not even ever been to the beach which is only 12 miles away. I asked him how much he knew about the moon... He started to tell me all sorts of things, and then I asked him when the last time he visited the moon was. Yes, we can teach our students, and yes, they can learn! All of them can learn! It is my challenge as an educational leader to foster this belief and promote culturally relevant instruction to ensure that all of our students receive a high quality education.
I suppose that I realized that I was a heterosexual, American male at an early age. I had a younger sister, and it was evident that we were biologically different. I also came from a military family and lived on military bases when I was young. I can recall being in kindergarten thinking that I wanted to grow up and be in the Marines to shoot machine guns- something I knew little girls could not do at the time. I also knew something about race, gender, economic status at a young age, but I lacked full comprehension of these constructs at that time.
Stereotypical of being in a military family, I moved every three school years when I was growing up. I lived in many diverse places and had many cultural experiences. I suppose I really started to notice, and began to understand, racial and socioeconomic lines during my middle school years. During that time I lived in a suburb of Tampa, Florida. I used to have to ride the bus approximately 45 minutes into downtown Tampa to attend school in order to ensure desegregation. As a Caucasian male, I was in the minority of students in my school; the majority of students were either African American or of Cuban decent. I distinctly recall that many of the African American and Cuban students were from poor families and lived in the nearby projects. Additionally, it was not difficult to perceive that the African American and Cuban students seemed to despise one another based on racial lines. Being caught in the middle of a dispute between these two groups was a daily fear during this time.
I moved to Tallahassee, Florida after 7th grade and saw abject poverty there too. I was a middle class child, but not far away people were living in squalor. I went to school with students from these depressed areas. It was in 8th grade that I really began to sense that the students in the lower socioeconomic bracket seemed to have very different lifestyles. Moreover, although I lived in other places, my high school experiences were similar to that of my experiences in 8th grade.
My peer group in high school attended college. In college I enrolled in NROTC and was destined to become an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Yes, I was following in the footsteps of my father. In the Marines I worked with people of all different ethnic and economic backgrounds, and learned that teamwork and success is possible with anyone. This belief still holds strong with me today.
As an educational leader I see this as a tremendous asset. For example, I currently work in a school where 70% of the students are classified as English language learners. I continuously tell students how fortunate they are to be bilingual! The diversity of my students is something to be used as a strength- I see the big picture... We really do live in a global society despite it sounding cliche. Having traveled extensively, I know this to be true. I want my students to see the world beyond the local neighborhood; this takes experience. As an educational leader this is not always easy, but it is a must for our students to be successful in today's society. How? Two years ago I had a frustrated teacher ask me how he could teach "these students" about the world when they had not even ever been to the beach which is only 12 miles away. I asked him how much he knew about the moon... He started to tell me all sorts of things, and then I asked him when the last time he visited the moon was. Yes, we can teach our students, and yes, they can learn! All of them can learn! It is my challenge as an educational leader to foster this belief and promote culturally relevant instruction to ensure that all of our students receive a high quality education.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Msg. about Saturday School
Hi XXXXX,
I wanted to share a few items about the conduct of Saturday School with you. First, let me start by sharing the Vista Unified School District’s current Instructional Focus Statement:
“All students will make meaning of text through explicit instruction of academic language, common academic vocabulary, and reading strategies resulting in comprehension and understanding of grade-level standards-based content being taught.”
This means that all opportunities to have academic time, including Saturday School, must have an academic focus. I envision Saturday School as a very opportune time for a writing workshop. Students need to be writing 5 paragraph essays during Saturday School, and a four hour block gives you ample opportunity for direct, interactive instruction as well as student brain storming, rough drafts, and a final draft. The products produced by the students are artifacts of their learning in both the behavioral support class and Saturday School.
This also means that you may not show full length movies during Saturday School.
However, here is an example of an activity you could use: Let’s say the students are studying WW I… Inform the students that they will be viewing two clips that portray different perspectives of life and actions during WW I. One perspective will be from the American/allied point of view, and the other perspective will be from the German point of view. Instruct the students to take detailed notes. Show a 10-15 minute clip of “The Lost Battalion” and a 10-15 minute clip of “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Next, have the students use a Venn Diagram to help organize their thoughts so that they may then compare and contrast the two clips they viewed. The Venn Diagram will help them to get their thoughts on paper. They can then take those thoughts and write a rough draft of a 5 paragraph essay on the topic. Have the students conduct a peer review and edit of each others’ rough drafts. The students can then write a final draft of their 5 paragraph essay. You collect their work and then provide it to their English Language Arts teachers on Monday.
That is just one example of an activity, and I am sure you have many more ideas. The bottom line is that Saturday School and your Behavioral Support time must have a strong academic focus with a lot of writing incorporated. You have ample time to prepare activities prior to our first Saturday School of the year on October 15th.
Please feel free to share this information with XXXX if he is ever to host Saturday School in your absence.
Sincerely,
Tim
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