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Monday, July 30, 2007

Rapid Fire Learning for July


The Lowell Folk Festival introduced me to five new groups but more importantly, to 3 new types of music, hence my Rapid Fire Learning for this month will be dominated by the Lowell Folk Festival.

1 - "sacred steel"
The Lee Boys is one of the country's most exciting groups playing "Sacred Steel," a music unique to House of God churches, where the steel guitar has been the driving musical force for spirit-filled church services for over 75 years. Rarely heard and largely unknown outside the church until recently, the Sacred Steel is now gaining a national following. While the Lee Boys' music is rooted in the church's gospel tradition, it is infused with elements of R&B, jazz, rock, funk, hip-hop and world music to produce a unique and powerful sound.
I think it is fitting that the "sacred steel" music introduced to the festival for the first time, actually came to mainland USA from Hawaii in the 1930's. Aloha, Rosa!


2 - "Gypsy jazz"
"Gypsy jazz" or "hot jazz" is the explosive, thrilling genre created from a melding of American jazz and Gypsy folk melodies. Almost since its inception, Gypsy jazz has been associated with its greatest exponent, Manouche Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. His musical legacy has been reverently kept, passed from father to son by fellow Manouche musicians, with each generation expanding the repertoire and adding new influences tot to the genre. Because many of today’s finest Gypsy musicians prefer to perform close to home, the opportunity for U.S. audiences to experience their live performances has been extremely rare. This 2007 Lowell Folk Festival is honored to present Reinhardt’s rightful heir, the brilliant and charismatic Manouche guitarist, violinist and composer Dorado Schmitt leading an all-star ensemble of Gypsy musicians from France.

3 - "forró pé de serra"
The sounds of Brazil’s lilting, romantic bossa novas and swaying sambas are known throughout the world, but in the dry northeast interior of Brazil there is a different musical force. Forró for All is dedicated to a distinctive music of the Northeast, traditional forró pé de serra, performed with a sensibility born of New York City’s diverse and dynamic musical culture. Forró’s members are not all from the northeast interior, but represent the amalgamation of styles and sounds that make up the Brazilian-American experience. Many nights of the week in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, Forró For All can be found playing for Brazilians and non-Brazilians alike, continuing the centuries-old tradition of creating an celebration for all to enjoy.

4 - With no RSS feed reader to distract. With no email to keep checking. With a stream meandering along just over the bank. With stars in the sky just like on the charts in the books. With time on one's hands to just sit and be. The sherku flowed. I am sure you noticed. Almost 20 sherku completed with more in draft. It was a productive time. And in case it needed to be reinforced, on how to induce such a productive time, look at the ingredients for stepping back and away from it all in your life. Then do so.


5 - The Cracker Jack prize has to be included. The return from the wilderness was made doubly good when the prize was discovered! Thanks again to Rosa for inspiring so many visitors and wonderful comments. The blogosphere is a great place to live and learn in!

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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

What's above the fold?

Another item from today's InformationWeek Daily Newsletter that caught my eye today:

Where Is 'Above The Fold' In A Web 2.0 World?
Blogger Milissa Tarquini at Boxes and Arrows questions the nature of the so-called "fold" in a Web 2.0 world. Tarquini asks a really great question: Where is the fold?

Thought provoking!

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Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Franklin: Summer St fountain


Franklin_SummerStFountain
Originally uploaded by shersteve
When you learn something new, do you share it?

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Monday, July 23, 2007

Franklin: Water Cell


Franklin_WaterCell
Originally uploaded by shersteve
Yes, this Franklin water tower also serves as a mount for cell phone service.

Smart dual purpose use.

What can you leverage to help yourself or someone else?

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Sunday, July 22, 2007

International Day of Peace - 9/21/07

Please consider accepting the challenge as outlined by LJCohen
I have been giving a lot of thought to my place in the world. I am so fortunate--I was born in a time and place in which I have the gifts of food, shelter, clothing, and basic safety. And I can pass these gifts on to my children.

I believe that because of the accident of birth and the advantages I was given, unearned, that I have an obligation to give back to society. We do that as a family in the form of charity, volunteer work, and lifestyle choices.


In a few weeks, the world will be celebrating
an International Day of Peace (September 21).

In honor of that day, I would like to challenge bloggers around the world to write a blog post titled:
Giving Back, talking about what you are able to do in order to give back the world. This can include organizations you personally support, though I really want to showcase actions. Do you volunteer in community organizations? Your local school district? Regional, national, or international organizations? Do you maintain a community garden? How about simple things in your neighborhood like shoveling your neighbor's walkway when it snows because you know she can't? Picking up bottles and cans along the bike path to recycle?

Big or small, what do you do for your world? Every action has an impact. Let's show the world how much a group of regular individuals can do.

If you would like to participate in the
Blogger Giving Back Challenge, leave a comment here in this post with a link back to your blog, or send me an email. I'll work out the details of sharing all the blog links in preparation of post day, September 21st.

Please spread the word. You can make a difference. We can all make a difference.


--
Posted By LJCohen to Once in a Blue Muse: A poet's journal at 7/21/2007 02:39:00 PM

I have accepted this challenge.

Will you?

Go to Once in a Blue Muse and let LJ know!

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Saturday, July 21, 2007

sherku: surprise

Sometimes when I work smart
Hard, I surprise myself
That it all comes out okay



What is a sherku?

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Friday, July 20, 2007

Weikert: Happy frog


Weikert: Happy frog
Originally uploaded by shersteve
Are you sitting happy like this frog?
Content to be where you are.

There maybe something preparing to disturb the water and rock that leaf that is so comfortable.

What have you learned today to prepare you for the new world?

Jump over to the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog and see what is happening there.

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Thursday, July 19, 2007

Milwaukee skyline - rear view


Milwaukee skyline - rear view
Originally uploaded by shersteve
As we drove out of Milwaukee, this was our rear view. Not an overly impressive skyline compared to some but the city was nice and a comfortable visit.

Once home to four major breweries, only one (Miller) is left operating. Schlitz, Pabst, and Blatz have closed.

We'll come back to explore the galleries of the Art Museum and more of the city.

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Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Milwaukee Art Museum - floor reflection

light from the ceiling
light from the walls
play on the floor

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Milwaukee Art Museum - window wall

windows let light in
windows provide a view out

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Monday, July 16, 2007

Phil Gerbyshak & I


Phil Gerbyshak & I
Originally uploaded by shersteve
What defines a great vacation?

For me:
1 - some time reading (in this case on the plane)
2 - some time writing (here and elsewhere, of course!)
3 - some time with family (my brother Bob's in this case)
4 - some exercise (how about those long walks, Lisa?)
5 - exploring new places (Milwaukee, WI)
6 - meeting good friends (Phil Gerbyshak and his wife, Kim in this case)

Yes, Phil and I got to take the "blog off the blog" again when we managed to rendezvous with his wife at Alterra's along the Milwaukee waterfront on Sunday.

There was some trepidation about taking my wife, brother and his wife to meet with Phil and his wife; but I already knew enough of Phil that I KNEW it was going to be a good time. As short as the time was together, there were very little breaks in the conversation as we discussed gardening, solved half the world's problems, and oh, yes spent a little time talking about blogging and this Web 2.0 thing.

Making connections, extending the relationships, sharing and exploring, all goodness.

Kim and Phil, thanks for taking time from your Sunday to meet with us. It was a pleasure!

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Sunday, July 15, 2007

Live on Sirius Satellite Radio

Live on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 114 from 8 AM until 9 AM (Eastern time) on Monday July 16th Benjamin Bach, Greg Balanko-Dickson, Phil Gerbyshak, EM Sky and Steve Sherlock will join host Karen Salmansohn on the the Be Happy, Dammit! show for what is sure to be a fast and furious 60 minutes of conversation.
Karen_salmansohn

Can't catch it live? Don't worry, check out the Be Happy Dammit archives, especially this great show with Keith Ferrazzi, and soon, you'll see the JJLN show there too!


We'll be talking about all things learning, and no doubt learn a thing or two from Karen! Hope you can hear us soon!Lime_logo


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Saturday, July 14, 2007

Shadow - Shoulder


Shadow - Shoulder
Originally uploaded by shersteve
On a walk in the Cuba Meadow Preserve here in Chicagoland, this garter snake, much smaller than Mr Garter in Weikert, appeared on the path. The sun cooperated to provide some shadow pictures.

I guess I walked enough without deodorant today!

What has your shadow done today?

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Friday, July 13, 2007

5 for Friday

1 - Rhea at the Boomer Chronicles has a new template, be sure to click through and check it out. I love the natural look!

2 - From Penelope Trunk at the Brazen Careerist has tips on how to start a conversation with someone you don't know.

3 - Mike Sansone has a good post with some insights into Synchronizing Communications.

4 - How about checking out Grammar Girl's podcast on how to improve your writing.

5 - AJ Hoge celebrates his independence day! It may be the last day he has to work.

Enjoy!

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Thursday, July 12, 2007

Weikert: Even trees help each other

Nature provides wonderful examples to us.

If we are observant.

Here, the tree on the right (the younger one) is helping to support the tree on the left's branch.

How nice!

Who will you support today?

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Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Weikert: Lost?


Weikert: Lost?
Originally uploaded by shersteve
Venturing into the unknown is always a challenge. Even if you have a map, how accurate will the marks be? how accurate will the scale be?

So when you do feel lost, it is helpful to have a sign to tell you where to go!

Where are you going today?

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Monday, July 09, 2007

Sherku Instructions

It is easy enough to start

You are out somewhere

Wherever something catches your eye

You take a picture

Frame it in your mind’s eye

Then begin the

Linguistic gymnastics

You have trained for since birth

Take your pen

Dip it into the dictionary

Find the word

Just that shade

Just that luster

Just that sound

So that when they open the book

Turn to this page

Read these words aloud

They step into the frame

Feel the breeze on their arm

In the shade of the hemlock grove

Hear the hissing along the trail

And stop

To see the snapping turtle

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Sunday, July 08, 2007

K12 Online Conference - "Playing with Boundaries"

Boundaries? There are boundaries? Oh, those are opportunities!
The “K12 Online Conference” is for teachers, administrators and educators around the world interested in the use of Web 2.0 tools in classrooms and professional practice! The 2007 conference is scheduled to be held over two weeks, October 15-19 and October 22-26 of 2007, and will include a preconference keynote during the week of October 8. The conference theme is “Playing with Boundaries.”
The conference just announced their line up of speakers and presentations.

The presenters by strand are:

Classroom 2.0:

Silvia Tolisano
“Travel Through Space and Time”

Drew Murphy
“Step by Step- Building a Web2.0 Classroom”

Chris Harbeck
“Release the Hounds”

Vance Stevens
“Motivating Student Writers by Fostering Collaboration through Tagging and Aggregating”

Wendy Wolfe
“If All My Classes Did This”

Konrad Glogowski
“Assessment and Evaluation”

Anne Davis
“Putting the Pedagogy into the Tools”

Dean Shareski
“Design matters”

Jeff Utecht
“Sustained Blogging in the Classroom”

New Tools:

Liz Kolb
“Cell Phones as Classroom Learning Tools”

Frank Pirrone
“Collaborative Concept Mapping - Breaking the Bounds of Location and Time… for $0.00 per Seat”

Cheryl Oakes, Bob Sprankle, Alice Barr
“Flat Agents of Change”

Anne Davis
“Learn to Blog : Blog to Learn”

Jason Hando
“LMS 2.0 - Engaging Learners Using More Advanced Techniques and the Odd Mash-up inside Moodle”

Sharon Betts
“Oodles of Googles”

Kevin Jarrett and Sylvia Martinez
“Second Life: K-20 Educators Exploring Virtual Worlds - Panel”

Kurt Paccio and James Gates
“The Electric Slide! Twenty-First Century Style”

April Chamberlain
“Trailfire”

Professional Learning Networks:

Jen Wagner, Cheryl Oakes, Vicki Davis, Sharon Peters
“Webcasting for Educators: Expanding the Conversation”

Brandi Caldwell
“Creating PLE’s with TLC”

Kevin Hodgson
“The Collaborative ABC Project: Using Technology to Tell Stories”

Lee Baber, Paul Allison, Susan Ettenheim and Thomas Locke
“Building Online Communities for Youth”

Jeff Utecht
“Online Professional Development”

James Folkestad
“Changing a System: Network Centric Learning Communities”

Sharon Peters, Vincent Jansen
“Building a Yardstick for PD Success: Establishing Key Performance Indicators for Web 2.0 Personal Optimized Learning Environments”

Vinnie Vrotny
“Expanding Horizons - Engaging the Adult Members of your Community (Teachers, Administrators, and Parents) through the Use of Personal/Professional Learning Networks”

Alex Ragone and Arvind Grover
“EdTechTalk: A Network of Homegrown Webcasters”

Obstacles to Opportunities:

Patrick Ledesma
“The Technology Specialist as Teacher Leader: Strategies to Ensure Successful Technology Integration and Student Learning in Schools”

Ben Wilkoff
“Starting From Scratch: Framing Change for All Stakeholders”

Karen Richardson
“Crossing the Copyright Boundary in the Digital Age”

Shawn Nutting
“Creating a Paradigm Shift in Technology”

Lisa Durff
“Pushing the Envelope or How to Integrate Web 2.0 Tools on a Shoestring”

John Pearce
”Me blog? No way!!!”

Sylvia Martinez
“Web 2.0 Share the Adventure”

Joseph Bires
“Acceptable Use and the Web 2.0”

Sylvia Martinez
“Challenging Assumptions about Technology Professional Development”

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Saturday, July 07, 2007

7 Tertiary Wonders



The 7 Wonders of Learning is in full swing at Joyful Jubilant Learning today (not too late to get yours in!) and I made the smart move of putting my hand up for volunteer duty in getting the entries onto the compilation page – that meant I had to read them all.

Of the 162 collected as of this writing, I would say that these were my top 7 for giving me ideas about where I can take my own pursuit of tertiary education next.

If you are curious about the ‘L words’ they come from the 7 Wonders Mantra:
Listen, Laugh, Learn, Link, Love, Live, and Leap to Wonder
~

  • Entry 116. This was one of mine, and I fully realize I have much more to learn about the entire subject of copyrights and the handling of intellectual property.
    LINK> responsibly and honorably, with attribution and giving credit where credit is due. Learn how at Creative Commons: “Share, reuse, and remix — legally.”
  • Entry 144. Also from Dave Rothacker:
    LIVE> From those under the age of 30, Wisdom From the Connected Generation. "I have a challenge for those of you who are Baby Boomers or older: The next time that you professionally interact with a member of the connected generation, provide some wind beneath their wings."

Honorable Mentions~

And because I believe that what Steve does here is so important~

You have 162 choices as of this writing; head over to Joyful Jubilant Learning and let us know which leads you will take for your own tertiary learning.

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Friday, July 06, 2007

Tertiary Education: Whose responsibility is it?

I don’t believe I had ever heard the term “tertiary education” until Steve Sherlock taught it to me.

Hello, I’m Rosa Say, author of Managing with Aloha, Bringing Hawaii’s Universal Values to the Art of Business. I told Steve I’d be happy to say hello to you while he is taking a short vacation (he’ll be back soon).

If not for Steve, the first time I would have heard the term ‘tertiary education’ probably would’ve been as I listened to The World is Flat on audio, but maybe not even then, for it’s but one small word in a book with a massive 593 printed pages (15 CDs on audio!) and it probably wouldn’t have jumped out at me the way it did; Steve had caused me to listen for it, and then pay good attention when I heard it. Steve was the one who got me to Google it, and roll it around on my tongue until it sounded as pleasing as it did. I live in Hawai‘i, and ‘tertiary education’ is not a phrase one normally hears if you aren’t in educational or scholarly circles.

Too bad.

For now that I have learned it, and know what it means, it’s one of my favorite concepts. You’ll find it on the page for ‘higher education’ in Wikipedia, and the very first page of the Overview says,
“Post-secondary or tertiary education, also referred to as third-stage, third level education, or higher education, is the non-compulsory educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education …”
The important part of that to me is non-compulsory, because that means you have to want it badly enough to seek it for yourself, even when you don’t have to. You have to want it, and you have to work toward getting it.

And in my experience, the more you have wanted something, the more you value it once you finally get it.

In my coaching business I teach Managing with Aloha as a managerial sensibility in the delivery of worthwhile work, and my students are adult learners with so many other concerns battling for their very limited attention. They must want to learn pretty badly, for their translation of ‘non-compulsory’ usually means “Great! One less thing I have to do.”

As a management and leadership coach in business, my stance with their employers is this: You are responsible for nurturing, fulfilling, and then rewarding that desire your employees have for tertiary education. If they’ve never heard the term before, be the one to teach it to them, and get them to want it. Give them ample tastes of it, and get them to hunger for more.

I think it is part of the responsibility of leadership.

There’s been some controversy about Thomas Friedman’s book, calling it narrow, but I think it’s great the way he has gotten us talking about what he did include in his ‘brief history of the twenty-first century,” The World is Flat, and perhaps about tertiary education most of all. As simply as I can say it, learners are open-minded; they are still putting knowledge in their brains instead of keeping it out. Friedman says tertiary education is part of our
“muscles … the tools to make yourself more lifetime employable — more able to acquire the knowledge or the experience needed to be a good adapter, synthesizer, collaborator — in the flat world, the individual worker is going to become more and more responsible for managing his or her own career, risks, and economic security, and the role of government and business is to help workers build all the muscles they need to do just that.”
—taken from page 369 for those who may wish to read more.
My playground and workplace is the world of business, and I’m taking up his challenge at Say Leadership Coaching; what about you?

Most people have to work for a living, and at work we get their attention. Let’s fill it, honor it, and respect it with much more tertiary education.

Mahalo nui loa Steve, I’ve long wanted the chance to say thank you for what you do here, saying so in a way that called for more than a comment left for you. This is so critically important, and you give us a forum we need to make much better use of.

Some related reading:
  • If you are a new reader, Steve did an anniversary posting for this blog in mid-June revisiting his reasons for starting to write Tertiary Education, where commencement begins every day; Commencement everyday! Happy blogversary.

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Sunday, July 01, 2007

Choices for 100 Bloggers

The theme for the month of July is choice over at 100 Bloggers.

Phil has set out the objectives.

Now what shall I choose to write about?

Stay tuned here, and I'll let you know when it is ready.

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