From Awful to Awesome (working title for AR proj.)

We had our initial AR meeting this past week ... 2010 Aug 10.
Here are the initial ideas I jotted down about AR, what I 'got' out of the session and discussion, etc.
I'm still reading and will dedicate a blog to the reading, in particular.
This is a personalized account of the meeting... what the discussion meant to me.
I tend to over-simplify, because I really despise the way MANY profs like to use huge OED words and complicate my practice (my passion...educating undergrads in the field of humanities) thereby making humanities one of the least popular fields of study.
(big words should be saved for the science & math classrooms -- where the words are common place and necessary -- teaching humanities to undergrads does NOT have to be awful, from the student's perspective...it CAN be awesome!!)

The question was posed…should we have:  No control, Some control, or All control

when it comes to our workplace (practice) and how we will deal with accomplishing AR project.

It was essentially determined SOME CONTROL is ideal.

Looking for a grant, handouts, extra equipment, etc. for project – bad idea

And putting all eggs in one basket there – with no money, there is no assurance of getting anything accomplished

 Change to administration – bad idea

 Change profs – GOOD idea

 POINTS:

--some control

--have the project be AT THE HEART OF WHAT YOUR PRACTICE IS (teaching humanities to undergrads…meeting the undergrads where they are)

--best if passionate about MY PRACTICE

            where is the passion? My answer: it’s in the method of teaching, everyone hates history (and, typically, most humanities & theology classes)

 I need to persuade the profs – tools, guidelines, etc. (not sure where this thought was going)

 MY (possible) WAY OF INVOLVING EACH PROF:

--Interview (professional) – builds up their feeling of importance in their field & how I feel about their importance…involved in a Grad Study Program @ Pepperdine…that’s important…use it --------while interviewing, be sure to FIND OUT THEIR CONCERNS

--Surveys of both the profs (hopefully the ones interviewed) and students

--put the gained info, knowledge, etc. together and form a plan to present to the profs for their needs in technology (whether they knew it or not) and ask them if they are willing to try [this] or [that] --- hopefully they are.

AR tries to get at something in a lot more detailed manner

AR = ME as the tool, ME as the treatment

When accomplishing the AR, I’m “changing my practice” (Paul)

The history of AR is not as important…….

More important: AR is about ME and what happens after I take the action

AR is about ME