Hello out there, whomever you are, and welcome. While I have a rather sketchy record of blogging (despite doing a Master’s degree by full thesis about its potential for teaching and learning), I’ve decided that I should try again. This time, the purpose is for me to keep a journal of my PhD journey. A think-aloud-protocol on #PhDlife. Perchance a reader might stop by and add their pennies to the kitty, or offer me an African inheritance?
I’m Willie Knoetze, and this is me playing at Academics.
As I prepare for my first class with our university’s PGCE group of 2016, I realise that I’m asking my students to not only wander outside their comfort zones, but to choreograph and perform their own command performances in alien environments. That’s quite a mouthful (and some shaky grammar to boot)! That is sort of my point: When we’re tiptoeing around an idea that seems too complex to be let out of its packaging; we won’t learn much of anything.
In a programme characterised by complex language, dense literature, and very unfamiliar academic scaffolding… adding Digital Pedagogy to the mix could break a few backs. This is not my intention. In fact, my goal is quite the opposite: I hope this fledgeling module can highlight cohesion and synthesis between various strands of teaching and learning coursework, whilst facilitating a mediation of student-teacher identities.
So why move this particular module’s interface away from our official Learning Management System, and onto the open web? Sean Michael Morris (2016) says it best:
And I want this module to be one where we take each others’ hands, and give each other hugs (albeit in virtual, sensitive, and ethically responsible ways).
Shall we dance?
yup – madness of madness: shock! shock! horror! horror!
my blog has been spammed. somehow, somewhere, a terribly clever new bot (deceptecon?) managed to hijack my blog-by-email settings. 2 posts were made without my knowledge – the last one being: “start earning 15 minutes from now”, which automatically loaded another site.
these posts have been deleted and I have disabled blog-by-email.
if you have a blogger or blogspot blog – i suggest you double check your security settings.
sh!t happens.
those of you who’ve been reading me for a while, have undoubtedly noticed a change in my routine. and I don’t mean the move to Kaohsiung in itself, although it did influence this routine greatly. no, I’m talking about my blogging routine.
I used to (attempt to) have a weekly structure – but more importantly, I blogged at home, from my laptop. I think my posts had a more distinct flavor back then.
since then, I’ve taken to posting on the subway via my iPod.
here’s the rub: convenient as it is, I’m wondering if this form of mobile blogging is working for you, my friends and readers.
please comment: which posts are more enjoyable?
always,
W
just in case you drop in to see… erm… who knows what: DON’T PANIC!
i’m busy catching up on my cyberverse, in between fine tuning the new apartment and adjusting to new routines and hours. it’s slow going (for some reason there’s so much laundry!!) but i’m finally managing to get up to speed. two major events happened in my blog-bar while i was away:
first and by far the most exciting and important of the two, CV and FJ got engaged (i think it’s a good word)!!! yay!!! love, joy and major happiness to you!!! i’m so happy and excited i could pop!
the second is this TAGG. thanks FJ – i needed the kick in the rear to get going again :0)
Her’es how it works:
Copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It’s really hard to only use one word answers. Be sure to tag the person you received it from and of course at least four others who haven’t been tagged yet (to the best of your knowledge)
1. Where is your cell phone?
notepad
2. Your significant other?
colleagues
3. Your hair?
awol
4. Your mother?
amazing
5. Your father?
hero
6. Your favorite?
kiss
7. Your dream last night?
foggy
8. Your favorite drink?
oolong
9. Your dream/goal?
marriage
10. What room are you in?
spare
11. Your hobby?
design
12. Your fear?
loneliness
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?
summer
14. Where were you last night?
cinema
15. Something that you are not?
straight
16. Muffins?
nope
17. Wish list item?
torso
18. Where you grew up?
when?
19. Last thing you did?
budget
20. What are you wearing?
pajamas
21. Your TV?
nowhere
22. Your pets?
parents’
23. Friends?
adored
24. Your life?
wonderful
25. Your mood?
lazy
26. Missing some one?
sister
27. Car?
scooter
28. Something you’re not wearing?
watch
29. Your favorite store?
Kinokuniya
30. Your favorite color?
yellow
33. When is the last time you laughed?
today
34. Last time you cried?
january
35. One place that I go to over and over?
donggang
36. One person who texts me regularly?
Peter
38. My favorite place to eat?
market!
39. My favorite food?
chicken
40. What did you do today?
domestics
and on to the bunch of happy campers that i’m tagging:
rod – great things are happening on your side too, i see ;0)
steve – this TAGG is perfect for you right now
immi – one-word answers are tough for folks like us!
geoff – it’s been far too long
Hey! It’s the fourth day of Chinese New Year and things are going swell. I returned from my blitzkrieg visit to Taipei (the girls’ pics should be up on Facebook soon – I left my camera at home this time) last night and am enjoying a slow day of domesticity.
In between bundles of laundry (I’m doing the bedding and will be trampling pillows in the tub shortly), I saw that I was tagged by Rambler over at “In the now.” I love taggs…
Okay, it works like this:
1. navigate to where you keep your pictures, select the 6th folder, and the 6th picture in that folder.
2. Then post it on your blog with an explanation of the story behind the picture
3. tag 6 other people to do the same, and make sure you let them know about it.
And here’s my contribution:
*lol* It’s a picture of me and my Rabbit class, playing in the public park opposite the kindergarten. Doris (the real grown-up in our group and my partner in caring for these kids) can be seen coming around on the left hand side. It was a lovely, sunny day and the kids had behaved very well in class all day. As a reward, playtime was an adventure of slides and jungle-gyms outside the school property.
(Photo taken by Iris, a third member of staff who volunteered to help us keep an eye on the Rabbits.)
Hehe – what can I say other than: I love these kids!
Right, so on to tagging 6 of you:
hold on to your hats! i’m flyin’ high on some good vibrations today :0)
first i hear that i’m one of my student’s idol – and then i get a marie antoinette: a real person- a real award!
thank you so much to Rod (kickin tina) for this surprise :0)
what do you do when your hero hands you an award like this?
smile and spread the love, baby.
here are the rules for the award:
1. please put the logo on your blog
2. place a link to the person from whom you received the award (kickin tina)
3. nominate at least 7 or more blogs
4. put the links of those blogs on your blog
5. leave a message on their blogs to tell them.
i browse, read, enjoy and devour quite a number of blogs on a daily basis. choosing the top 7 isn’t easy and some of my choices are 100% biased – but i’d like to tip my hat to the following stars in my blogosphere:
1) Life and Times of a Gay Man in Idaho
2) Feisty Female
3) Bipolar to Bipolar
4) Jockohomo Datapanik
5) PinkSheep’s spot
6) The Mangina Monologues
7) Defying Despondency
(also – if you haven’t already – do yourself a favor and check out kickin tina)
the past almost-24 hours has seen 2 comments on my previous post.
2 comments @ 10c a pop = 20c donation thus far? come now – that’s less than the bank charges involved in making the donation…
i’ve decided to extend the comment-period with another 24 hours.
for every comment received on my Blog Action Day post – i will donate 10c to one of their listed causes.
you’ve got 24 hours – make it count.