http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20124705
This is an amazing wee article. Might be quite a handy link for when we do the real assessment. I will look at that after we have done the unassessed talks though, first things first!
All the best,
Mark
Tuesday 30 October 2012
Selling yourself, unassessed talks and the great Randy Pausch
Dear all,
After my exertions on Sunday in Birmingham at the Seve Day golf tournament, here is a quick recap of what we have been doing over the last couple of sessions.
Yesterday and today we had time for you to look at prepping your unassessed talk and there are some really interesting choices coming our way, so bravo for that.
I also gave a short overview of how to use Powerpoint, which is on the D2L - please try to keep your slides tidy, free of mistakes and also uncluttered. This goes a long way. No Mr. Bean antics please!
We also looked at the 'Selling Yourself' TV show this morning (Tuesday) where we critiqued five eager candidates who wanted to enter the world of advertising (which is where I would most probably be now had somebody not tapped into my (unknown to me) skills for teaching).
Mo, Claire, Alex, Milli and Sarah all battled hard to get the ideal job and we looked at structure, appearance, clarity of voice, questions and answers amongst lots of other things. I really enjoyed your input this morning and made the first part of the class particularly effective.
I also mentioned the work of Professor Randy Pausch as somebody who I have a lot of admiration for. More information about Pausch can be found on the end slide of the 'effective and ineffective oral presentation delivery' slides from last Tuesday (on the D2L).
Here is the talk and although it is long, I think really worth a listen to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo
As always, let me know your thoughts on any of the above!
Cheers,
Mark
After my exertions on Sunday in Birmingham at the Seve Day golf tournament, here is a quick recap of what we have been doing over the last couple of sessions.
Yesterday and today we had time for you to look at prepping your unassessed talk and there are some really interesting choices coming our way, so bravo for that.
I also gave a short overview of how to use Powerpoint, which is on the D2L - please try to keep your slides tidy, free of mistakes and also uncluttered. This goes a long way. No Mr. Bean antics please!
We also looked at the 'Selling Yourself' TV show this morning (Tuesday) where we critiqued five eager candidates who wanted to enter the world of advertising (which is where I would most probably be now had somebody not tapped into my (unknown to me) skills for teaching).
Mo, Claire, Alex, Milli and Sarah all battled hard to get the ideal job and we looked at structure, appearance, clarity of voice, questions and answers amongst lots of other things. I really enjoyed your input this morning and made the first part of the class particularly effective.
I also mentioned the work of Professor Randy Pausch as somebody who I have a lot of admiration for. More information about Pausch can be found on the end slide of the 'effective and ineffective oral presentation delivery' slides from last Tuesday (on the D2L).
Here is the talk and although it is long, I think really worth a listen to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo
As always, let me know your thoughts on any of the above!
Cheers,
Mark
Wednesday 24 October 2012
Honouring Severiano Ballesteros
Dear all,
I have qualified for a golf competition that will be shown later in the year on Sky Sports. If you are around at 10am on Sunday and have the inclination, the scores from the Belfry in Birmingham will be updated live from the course using this weblink: http://uk.vpar.com/live/seveday
You never know, somebody has to win...but somebody also has to come last!
The link to the actual competition and foundation is found at: http://www.seveday.com/
As way of giving you some background information, working with the Seve Ballesteros Foundation for Cancer Research UK, Seve Day is a European-wide charity golf tournament, run by Your Golf Travel, which gives all golfers the chance to play like Seve and be in with a chance of winning a trip for two to the US Masters in Augusta.
Seve Day is the perfect opportunity for all golfers to participate and celebrate one of the sport’s most talented and charismatic players a year after his death. 100% of the registration fee and all net proceeds from Seve Day will be donated directly to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation to help beat brain cancer.
Seve was and still is, a great hero of mine. I entered the competition primarily to swell the funds for the charity, but found out recently that I was one of the 72 players to qualify from an original field of 1,394.
I only found out yesterday that the competition is to be filmed by Sky Sports and will be shown later in the year. I just hope my bad shots are not caught on camera for all to see! So, if you are around on Sunday, log into http://uk.vpar.com/live/seveday and you'll see how I am faring.
I get back around 7am on Monday morning so cannot guarantee that I will be my normal effervescent self in class, but I shall do my best as always!
Have a great weekend all,
Mark
I have qualified for a golf competition that will be shown later in the year on Sky Sports. If you are around at 10am on Sunday and have the inclination, the scores from the Belfry in Birmingham will be updated live from the course using this weblink: http://uk.vpar.com/live/seveday
You never know, somebody has to win...but somebody also has to come last!
The link to the actual competition and foundation is found at: http://www.seveday.com/
As way of giving you some background information, working with the Seve Ballesteros Foundation for Cancer Research UK, Seve Day is a European-wide charity golf tournament, run by Your Golf Travel, which gives all golfers the chance to play like Seve and be in with a chance of winning a trip for two to the US Masters in Augusta.
Seve Day is the perfect opportunity for all golfers to participate and celebrate one of the sport’s most talented and charismatic players a year after his death. 100% of the registration fee and all net proceeds from Seve Day will be donated directly to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation to help beat brain cancer.
Seve was and still is, a great hero of mine. I entered the competition primarily to swell the funds for the charity, but found out recently that I was one of the 72 players to qualify from an original field of 1,394.
I only found out yesterday that the competition is to be filmed by Sky Sports and will be shown later in the year. I just hope my bad shots are not caught on camera for all to see! So, if you are around on Sunday, log into http://uk.vpar.com/live/seveday and you'll see how I am faring.
I get back around 7am on Monday morning so cannot guarantee that I will be my normal effervescent self in class, but I shall do my best as always!
Have a great weekend all,
Mark
Tuesday 23 October 2012
Missouri pastor stuns local politicians with shocking twist to his argument against equal rights for homosexuals
Thank you to Raph who sent this link on to me so that you could watch it. Stay with the talk as you will hear the twist.
As always, if you have any comments, please note them below.
http://now.msn.com/rev-phil-snider-preacher-gives-gay-rights-speech-with-a-twist
Many thanks,
Mark
As always, if you have any comments, please note them below.
http://now.msn.com/rev-phil-snider-preacher-gives-gay-rights-speech-with-a-twist
Many thanks,
Mark
Thursday 11 October 2012
Book towns adapt to e-reader era
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-19814700
This article is worth having a look at. As always, all comments welcomed!
Cheers.
This article is worth having a look at. As always, all comments welcomed!
Cheers.
Vandalism? Fun? Communication?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19858746
I'd be interested to read your thoughts on this news item!
Have a lovely holiday everybody and I will see you all on Monday 22nd October at 9 where Alma will deliver her talk on research strategies.
Many thanks,
Mark
I'd be interested to read your thoughts on this news item!
Have a lovely holiday everybody and I will see you all on Monday 22nd October at 9 where Alma will deliver her talk on research strategies.
Many thanks,
Mark
Sunday 7 October 2012
Media coverage and pics from Saturday
Friday 5 October 2012
Essay writing slides
Here are some slides that might help you with any essays that you are writing for Marie. I will ask for one of your best ones in the New Year sometime and this will count for one of the writing outcomes for Comm. 4.
I will post some info on Harvard referencing too shortly.
Mark
Thursday 4 October 2012
Post October holidays rundown
Hi all,
Below is a rundown of how I intend to manage the classes after the October break. On Monday (8th)you will each get feedback on the work you did for me on the 'digital books' assessment, and you'll get the opportunity to make any changes as necessary and complete any questions outstanding. You will still have the two hours on Tuesday (9th) as well, so we have plenty of time. So, post October holidays info then:
22/10 - Alma, our Head Librarian will deliver a session on research methodology.
23/10 - what factors contribute to effective and ineffective oral presentation delivery? An overview of PowerPoint use and the unassessed presentation brief will be given out.
29/10 - 'Selling yourself' analysis where we will evaluate presentation / communication skills using a recording from a TV show. The context is for candidates who wish to enter the world of advertising. Plenty of opportunities to critique the candidates!
30/10 and 5/11 - preparation for unassessed presentation on 'celebrity', using laptops / PCs.
6 and 12/11 - delivery of unassessed talks. I will give you a self-assessment form to fill in for your own keeping and I will provide supportive feedback, as will you and your peers afterwards.
13/11 - reflection on talks and I will take you through the next assessment brief - how to do the 'how to do' talk and devising a presentation plan.
19, 20 and 26/11 - work on assessed presentations
27/11, 3/12 and 4/12 - delivery of assessed presentations - class split into small groups as agreed in classtime.
Beyond that I haven't thought, so I will bid you a good day and wish you a lovely weekend!
Mark
Below is a rundown of how I intend to manage the classes after the October break. On Monday (8th)you will each get feedback on the work you did for me on the 'digital books' assessment, and you'll get the opportunity to make any changes as necessary and complete any questions outstanding. You will still have the two hours on Tuesday (9th) as well, so we have plenty of time. So, post October holidays info then:
22/10 - Alma, our Head Librarian will deliver a session on research methodology.
23/10 - what factors contribute to effective and ineffective oral presentation delivery? An overview of PowerPoint use and the unassessed presentation brief will be given out.
29/10 - 'Selling yourself' analysis where we will evaluate presentation / communication skills using a recording from a TV show. The context is for candidates who wish to enter the world of advertising. Plenty of opportunities to critique the candidates!
30/10 and 5/11 - preparation for unassessed presentation on 'celebrity', using laptops / PCs.
6 and 12/11 - delivery of unassessed talks. I will give you a self-assessment form to fill in for your own keeping and I will provide supportive feedback, as will you and your peers afterwards.
13/11 - reflection on talks and I will take you through the next assessment brief - how to do the 'how to do' talk and devising a presentation plan.
19, 20 and 26/11 - work on assessed presentations
27/11, 3/12 and 4/12 - delivery of assessed presentations - class split into small groups as agreed in classtime.
Beyond that I haven't thought, so I will bid you a good day and wish you a lovely weekend!
Mark
Wednesday 3 October 2012
Article on Facebook use lowering exam results
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1309612/Using-Facebook-lower-exam-results-20.html
Above is the link to the article and below it is printed out for you to read. This is an interesting discussion piece that you may wish to contribute to at your leisure.
It is what parents of teenagers who 'revise' in front of the computer have long feared.
Students who use Facebook while they study get significantly lower grades than those who do not, according to psychologists.
A study has found that the exam results of those who used the social networking site while working, even if it was on in the background, were 20 per cent lower than non-users.
Researchers say the findings undermine the theory that young people's brains are better at multitasking on digital gadgets.
Study author Professor Paul Kirschner said: 'The problem is that most people have Facebook or other social networking sites, their emails and maybe instant messaging constantly running in the background while they are carrying out other tasks.
'Our study, and other previous work, suggests that while people may think constant task-switching allows them to get more done in less time, the reality is it extends the amount of time needed to carry out tasks and leads to more mistakes.'
His team studied 219 students aged between 19 and 54 at an American university.
The Facebook users among them had a typical grade point average - a score from zero up to four - of 3.06. Non-users had an average GPA of 3.82.
Three quarters of the Facebook users said they didn't believe spending time on the site affected their academic performance.
But most of the remaining quarter admitted it had a harmful effect, with many saying it made them put off their work.
Professor Kirschner said that he expected to see similar results in younger pupils.
He also said he was not 'demonising' Facebook and pointed to the distracting nature of all social networking.
'We should resist the fashionable views of educational gurus that children can multi-task, and that we should adapt our education systems accordingly to keep up with the times,' he said.
The study by the psychologist from the Open University in the Netherlands will be published in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour.
It will compound fears over the superficial approach that experts say is encouraged by an increasingly distracting online world that promotes multi-tasking.
In the influential book The Shallows, Nicholas Carr argues the internet has given rise to 'cursory reading, hurried and distracted thinking and superficial learning'.
Above is the link to the article and below it is printed out for you to read. This is an interesting discussion piece that you may wish to contribute to at your leisure.
Using Facebook 'can lower exam results by up to 20%'
By Nic Fleming
Three quarters of the Facebook users didn't think the site affected their academic performance
Students who use Facebook while they study get significantly lower grades than those who do not, according to psychologists.
A study has found that the exam results of those who used the social networking site while working, even if it was on in the background, were 20 per cent lower than non-users.
Researchers say the findings undermine the theory that young people's brains are better at multitasking on digital gadgets.
Study author Professor Paul Kirschner said: 'The problem is that most people have Facebook or other social networking sites, their emails and maybe instant messaging constantly running in the background while they are carrying out other tasks.
'Our study, and other previous work, suggests that while people may think constant task-switching allows them to get more done in less time, the reality is it extends the amount of time needed to carry out tasks and leads to more mistakes.'
His team studied 219 students aged between 19 and 54 at an American university.
The Facebook users among them had a typical grade point average - a score from zero up to four - of 3.06. Non-users had an average GPA of 3.82.
Three quarters of the Facebook users said they didn't believe spending time on the site affected their academic performance.
More privacy fears over 'stalker button'
Facebook faces fresh criticism from privacy campaigners after launching a 'stalker button' which lets users track a potential victim's every move.
The 'subscribe to friend' feature collects everything a Facebook user does, such as sharing photographs and comments and puts it on a list that is constantly updated.
Some users' locations will also be displayed throughout the day.
Potential stalkers will have to be 'Facebook friends' with their intended target to see the list.
But users will not be told who is monitoring them.
Big Brother Watch said: 'This new "stalker button" enables burglars and ex-partners to track people in real life more easily.'
Facebook said the feature was being tested on a 'small percentage of users'.
The 'subscribe to friend' feature collects everything a Facebook user does, such as sharing photographs and comments and puts it on a list that is constantly updated.
Some users' locations will also be displayed throughout the day.
Potential stalkers will have to be 'Facebook friends' with their intended target to see the list.
But users will not be told who is monitoring them.
Big Brother Watch said: 'This new "stalker button" enables burglars and ex-partners to track people in real life more easily.'
Facebook said the feature was being tested on a 'small percentage of users'.
Professor Kirschner said that he expected to see similar results in younger pupils.
He also said he was not 'demonising' Facebook and pointed to the distracting nature of all social networking.
'We should resist the fashionable views of educational gurus that children can multi-task, and that we should adapt our education systems accordingly to keep up with the times,' he said.
The study by the psychologist from the Open University in the Netherlands will be published in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour.
It will compound fears over the superficial approach that experts say is encouraged by an increasingly distracting online world that promotes multi-tasking.
In the influential book The Shallows, Nicholas Carr argues the internet has given rise to 'cursory reading, hurried and distracted thinking and superficial learning'.
Tuesday 2 October 2012
Save FE March & Rally - 6 Oct 2012
Save FE March & Rally - 6 Oct 2012
Students are invited to participate in the EIS-FELA march and rally being held in Glasgow on 06 October 2012. The march and rally are in support of EIS-FELA members who are experiencing unprecedented cuts in FE Teaching Grants which are leading to hundreds of FE lecturer redundancies and fewer FE courses, leading to fewer FE students at our FE Colleges.
The march assembles at Holland St in Glasgow at 10.30am and marches to a rally at the Strathclyde Suite of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Susan Quinn (EIS President), Larry Flanagan (EIS General Secretary), Penny Gower (EIS-FELA President), Robin Parker (NUS Scotland President) and other speakers will address the rally.
Please support your EIS colleagues in FE by attending this march and rally.
Remember, you will get free tickets to this event in Glasgow if you go and see Donny Gluckstein and he is in the same workroom as Marie Sheerin. Bus leaves at 9.15 from Waterloo Place.
Mark
Digital books blog discussion
Hi all,
So those of you in attendance this morning will now have read the article by Will Self on digital books and the argument surrounding whether or not this will constitute a threat to writers.
As I have said before, I think I am somewhere in the middle of the argument on digital books (not a stance I take in many other aspects of my thinking) in that I like the idea of feeling the book, annotating if I feel the inclination and displaying texts in bookcases. That said, there is something to be said for storing info electronically in a portable way, ideal for travel which is something that I am very fond of.
So the question is, are you a fence sitter like me on this subject or are do you have a firm view on the subject of digital books?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and also what you thought of the assessment from Tuesday, whether it be how you think you fared, the content itself, actually doing the first assessment for me or anything along those lines really. Go on, get typing why don't you!
No specific questions, just a general chit chat. Over to you...
Mark
So those of you in attendance this morning will now have read the article by Will Self on digital books and the argument surrounding whether or not this will constitute a threat to writers.
As I have said before, I think I am somewhere in the middle of the argument on digital books (not a stance I take in many other aspects of my thinking) in that I like the idea of feeling the book, annotating if I feel the inclination and displaying texts in bookcases. That said, there is something to be said for storing info electronically in a portable way, ideal for travel which is something that I am very fond of.
So the question is, are you a fence sitter like me on this subject or are do you have a firm view on the subject of digital books?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and also what you thought of the assessment from Tuesday, whether it be how you think you fared, the content itself, actually doing the first assessment for me or anything along those lines really. Go on, get typing why don't you!
No specific questions, just a general chit chat. Over to you...
Mark
Protesting against the cuts on Vesting Day (1/10/12)
All the best, Mark
Monday 1 October 2012
How Does Plagiarism Software Work?
http://www.ehow.com/about_6128619_plagiarism-software-work_.html
I thought ehow might have something on it. The link above gives some supplementary info for you to look at in your leisure time.
All the best,
Mark
I thought ehow might have something on it. The link above gives some supplementary info for you to look at in your leisure time.
All the best,
Mark
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