BEGIN INTERVIEW for Drogo Empedocles

1. Why did you start SCOD:

I started SCOD in order to have projects that I can do in life, directly relate to my friends and our common interests. It started with a few of us, and branched out from there. It is like the Round Table at Camelot in many ways, except everyone is more equal as King (or Queen) of their own lives and their own interests in SCOD. Members of SCOD, like at Camelot, were not always the same list of names. There were times when there was a lot of support, and times where no one showed up. The most important thing in both is faith in one’s own dedication to a common purpose.

2. Give some advice for anyone wanting to do what you have done:

Write things down, and be able to later access that writing to remind yourself. Do that and you are less likely to give up on your dreams. Also be hard on yourself more than others. If other people are being shitty and not cooperating, do something because you said you would, then if no one else comes through, at least you were true to yourself. Don’t be a fool trusting people who don’t follow through, but if someone lets you down but really wants to make amends, give them a few tries. Try to make things work without selling all rights to the property (metaphor).

3. How do you view “Sustainability” in what you do?

There are different aspects to that popular term. In architecture Sustainability usually means a structure built to last, and refers to it’s permanence. However Sustainability can also be judged by the structure’s impact on Nature and Ecology. If a building lasts forever but poisons the environment, then it is not a Sustainable habitat for life around it. Therefore sometimes a temporary structure built from renewable materials that bio-degrade is more Sustainable.

4. What is your opinion of “Cooperatives”?

Cooperatives are related to neighborhoods, communities, socialism, communism, and many work situations. Collectives of human beings and other animals, working and/or living together as functionally as possible for the common good. Jesus did it, so it must be a good thing, right?

5. How important is “Organic” design in your life, as opposed to simple mechanical design? For example in the food you eat, buildings you live in, and work you do…

Very important. I love organic things, maybe because I am organic.

6. Do you have any other plans for future “Development” of these or any other goals?

Yes.

END INTERVIEW

Thank you, Blessed Be.

I got involved with personal development planning (PDP) through working on the Centre’s e-Portfolio Framework project, since e-portfolios, when employed, are so often used to support PDP in the UK.

Through talking about this work and giving presentations at institutions around the country I quickly picked different attitudes towards PDP. One that really struck me was the belief that PDP didn’t have anything to do with teaching X (fill in your own choice of subject); it was extra, students and staff were busy and the timetable was already full.

Stressing the benefits of PDP doesn’t work against this argument because it’s a practical one. So you have to find a practical rejoinder.

There are a few times when you will find that paperwork will turn out to be your friend, this is one. Scan through the QAA benchmarks and you will find, even for the ‘hard’ sciences, they are full of what we often call transferable skills. Communication, team work, time management, all expressed as part of the discipline. For subjects without a benchmark, take a look at course descriptors.

So there you have it. If anyone says typical PDP activities are nothing to do with their subject, a quick inspection of the benchmark will probably prove otherwise. And if students know this, they may have a greater respect for PDP, it being part of the subject they elected to study. They may not enjoy learning transferable skills, that’s still up to you!

e-Portfolio Framework project

Supporting Student e-Portfolios

Maintenance of a Boarding House requires a minimum of weekly tasks all year round, dependent on the quality and quantity of existing structures and grounds. The principle structure is often a Mansion, or Manor House.  The house itself is complex, as it has inner needs as well as outer needs. Outside the exterior of the building must keep the unwanted elements out, while allowing access safely to the tenants. Inside, the interior of the building should have functioning utilities and furniture, all of which are subject to the condition of the exterior. Leaks can damage the interior decor as well as the exterior and interior structural strength of the house.

Tenants of the Board House pay Rent, which is used to repair the house, make improvements, and pay bills for the property. Bills include Utilities, Taxes, and Mortgages. Utilities include electric, water, sewer, garbage, and others. Rent may be on a Daily, Monthly, or Lease agreement.

It is an important task of the Landlord to keep tenants that pay rent on time. If rent is paid regularly, then bills should be paid and the architectural condition of the building should be maintained. The second most important task of the Landlord is to then appropriately utilize the funds provided by rent. This in turn keeps renters interested in paying rent to live there.

While the Landlord often owns the property, the owner may delegate responsibilities to a custodian or relative who acts as the Landlord. Boarding Houses often hire local workers, but do not usually have estate staff like a Hotel or traditional Manor House. The Landlord may do most of the work themselves to maintain the property. If the Landlord has family, often they share in the duties, or work elsewhere to supplement family funds to various degrees.

THE HOBBIT

Mixes from JRR Tolkien’s Book Audio Recordings by: himself & others

Mixed with Music from: 311, Information Society, They Might Be Giants, Loreena McKennitt, Enya, Ozzy Osbourne, Deepforest, and Baka Beyond

Hobbit 01 Bilbo & Gandalf

Hobbit 02 Dwarves

Hobbit 03 Trolls

Hobbit 04 Rivendell

Hobbit 05 Misty Mountain Goblins / Gollum

Hobbit 06 Eagles / Beorn

Hobbit 07 Spiders

Hobbit 08 Wood Elves

Hobbit 09 Laketown / Lonely Mountain Dragon Smaug / Bard

Hobbit 10 Battle of Five Armies

*

THE LORD OF THE RINGS

Mixes from JRR Tolkien’s Book Audio Recordings by: himself & others

Mixed with Music from: Juno Reactor, Nine Inch Nails, Enya, Erwin Beekveld, Information Society, Maury Laws & Jules Bass, and Velvet Acid Christ

LOTR 01 Bilbo & Gandalf “Party Business”

LOTR 02 Frodo & Gandalf “Keep It Safe”

LOTR 03 Rivendell “Council of Elrond”

LOTR 04 Ringbearer & Sam “The Ring Is Enough”

LOTR 05 Moria Drums, Orcs, & Balrog “You Shall Not Pass”

LOTR 06 Isengard “They are Taking The Hobbits” Orc vs Uruk

LOTR 07 Ents, Treebeard / Enya “Memory of Entwives”

LOTR 08 Mordor Orcs Marching, Nazgul “Whip Way”

LOTR 09 Riders of Rohan & Minas Tirith “King Théoden & Aragorn”

LOTR 10 Frodo of the 9 Fingers & The Ring of Doom / VAC tk3

While looking at the website for Underexposed Creative a Chester based agency specialising in Branding and Corporate Identity I came across this section:

We Listen:…
We Think:…
We Create:…

I thought this way of approaching any project is fantastic and just could be produce great results.
Listen to the brief, Think about a solution and create the solution.

I attended a session run by the ZONE @ Glyndwr, up at the main campus and was set a project in a group with another graphic design student and other students from other areas of the university.
The project was to design a real ale beer in the spirit of Glyndwr University and Owain Glyndwr the person to appeal to university students. The finalists would then be sent to controversial Scottish Brewer BREWDOG who would pick a winner and may even produce a batch of the beer for the winners to sample.
The team I worked with produced the brand 1412 after the last year the Owain Glyndwr was seen before going into hiding from the English. I found this very useful as it involved working with people outside of the Art School and it upped the tempo to produce a brand and product in just one day.
We presented the design in front of the camera for the judges to view and we were one of the finalists to be sent off to BREWDOG

Dateline: Havana

Can product development partnerships (PDPs) deliver? This was the question tackled during a session at this week’s Global Forum for Health Research in Havana. The presentations actually spoke little to the topic—perhaps because PDPs are taking on some of the biggest scientific challenges of our time such as developing a HIV vaccine, a tuberculosis vaccine, and broad-spectrum anti-virals. But it is a question worth asking.

PDPs are a relatively new concept. The earliest were started just over 10 years ago and are either free standing nonprofit organizations or several different product programs housed together under one nonprofit. The basic concept when they began was that industry has expertise and capabilities that are needed to make new vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics for neglected diseases affecting poor countries but this expertise and capability is not being applied to diseases primarily affecting the developing world. PDPs were created to bridge the gap between global health need (public sector) and an innovation system that responds to market demand (private sector).

Given the timelines for developing novel drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics, it may be too early to say if PDPs have indeed delivered upon their promise. What is stunning is that no one has developed evaluation metrics to measure either effectiveness or efficiency, and no PDP has been evaluated by such metrics. Billions of dollars have been invested in these mechanisms by philanthropic organizations such as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and bilateral donor governments such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.K. Department for International Development.

The companies who make products are evaluated daily by their shareholders or at least quarterly by their venture capitalists or investment bankers. Companies also use internal metrics to improve their business processes and improve profits. One company was able to reduce their time to peak sales in half in a short period of time, greatly improving their profits. Should we not be taking the same approach in the public sector—greatly improving the speed of development and uptake of new products so that more lives can be saved?

My guess is that most PDPs would come out well in an evaluation — the pipelines are filling up with new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics targeted toward neglected diseases. But for some diseases, a single PDP is virtually the only mechanism for funding research on that specific disease intervention. We should assure ourselves as a global health community that these investments are operating efficiently and effectively.

We as a community stand the strong chance of donor fatigue because the funding for PDPs often comes from agencies who measure outcomes in election cycles. It may take decades for new chemical entities, novel vaccines, and appropriate diagnostics to be developed because in addition to market barriers, many of the neglected diseases being tackled are scientifically very challenging. Adopting robust evaluation schemes now may help to show interim progress that points towards timelines for future products with health outcomes that can be counted in hundreds of millions of lives saved.

–Melinda Moree is the interim CEO of BVGH

This study was based on the US military “go learn” application for on-the-job training. The STAR system can be applied to any job to determine and plan for project task objectives.  It is to be used after brainstorming, to further clarify basic ideas, and lead to conclusions and results.

STAR = Situation, Task, Activity, and Result

*

*** SCOD Pipedream Pub / Medieval Tavern ***

Situations: various organic individuals and ideas relating to SCOD and PDP

Tasks: individual research and projects become shared

Activities: Regular monthly meetings to discuss progress

Results: Applied knowledge physically executed

*

*** SCOD Designs ***

S:  develop various designs for theory, properties & clients

T:  sketching, drawing, drafting, and rendering many designs

A:  active communication among members and sharing with others who are interested

R:  in order to at least understand ideas through design, and at best more help and active members interested in furthering the designs in many ways

*

*** SCOD Studying ***

S: learning and remembering subjects during free time

T: to be able to readily communicate with members, new and old information

A: reading, listening, observing, and replicating or repeating

R: economic, political, and social sciences advanced and applied

This session was changed at the last moment, again as a direct result of the previous sessions CIQ feedback. I had originally intended to cover evidence gathering, with specific focus on digital gathering e.g. hyperlinking, converting and embedding media etc… Reading the students responses over the last two sessions, it became evident that we needed to slow down and actually allow time for reflection to happen, especially during these introductory sessions. I can foresee this being a major problem in the future, knowing the content of the Production strand and the curriculum in which it’s embedded. There is simply not enough time for the students or staff to effectively reflect. As part of my 3 year PDP I intend to tackle this problem head on, perhaps using the Curriculum Reform process as a vehicle to solve this perennial issue. After all, there is little point in embedding reflection if there is no time in which to reflect. Last years cohort was a good example of how reflective practice was dropped as soon as the production throughput rolled into action. Out of a dozen or so keen reflective practitioners, only 3 now remain and they aren’t reflecting at the same consistent level as before.

The class was simple, without much planning required. I was in attendance as the students worked on their ePortfolio’s. We worked together, solving problems that they had come across between sessions. It was hoped by taking this approach, the slower members of the class would catch up with their peers. It was great to see the students helping each other and not always coming directly to me for advice, this seemed to enforce the belief that you should always plan your IT classes around one PC to 2 students, as it encourages collaborative learning. It is a method I witness every day when my two sons collaborate on a video game (the Lego Star Wars games in particular), they achieve much more when working together, though in the early days this wasn’t always the case! This approach allows frustrations to be shared and eventually dispelled through working the problem in a methodical manner, I believe that this is the same for young adults at varying levels of IT competency.

I opened up a Moodle chat room on the front page of the VLE, so students could go elsewhere and work if they feel that they needed a workstation of their own. They could then be in direct contact with me or their peers and in turn ask questions. It seemed to be a success, so I left the Chat room up on Moodle, to add an extra level of support to any student having problems with either Mahara and the VLE. I shall monitor this over the next few weeks to evaluate it’s effectiveness and my work load!

I finished the session with a final assignment for the students to complete, which was:

Pecha Kucha Assignment

“You have 6 minutes, 40 seconds and 20 slides and your time starts NOW!

It’s a game.

The rules are simple. Anybody can present but you’re allowed 20 images that you show for 20 seconds each giving you a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds before the next presenter is up.You can’t spend 6:40 on one image/slide or 2:20 or any other denomination you can only spend 20 seconds on each image/slide. It’s all part of the fun and keeps presentations concise. If the facilitator decides then the presentation may be open for discussion with the audience otherwise it’s straight on to the next presenter.

Each presentation is pre-loaded onto a laptop (Powerpoint or Keynote) and then is ready to go. The facilitator will make a brief introduction of the presenter and then the talk begins. Each presentation must be configured to advance every 20 seconds, so it’s up to the speaker to keep pace with their slides.”

Pecha Kucha is a style of presentation with rules governing the focus, time and content. Your assignment is as follows:

For Wednesday 11th November in the Fyffe Lecture Hall.

Select an element (or elements) of your learning so far i.e. during Creative Beginnings and/or PP1a. You may decide to present all or some of the processes you have experienced so far. These may be a mixture of sessions you enjoyed, didn’t enjoy or were confused about.

Using your reflections so far, summarise your thoughts by selecting 20 still images (no text) that are relevant to your experiences. You should then prepare a script for your presentation giving 20 seconds to each slide.

During your presentation you may use your script (no need to memorise it!) and the slides will run in the background (with fixed timings), emphasising your words. The key to Pecha Kucha is to rehearse beforehand as 20 seconds can feel like 2 minutes. You will be presenting on your own with the remainder of the class as your audience.

Please research Pecha Kucha online to familiarise yourself with the concept.

The entire presentation should last 6 minutes and 40 seconds exactly.

Pecha Kucha helps you to; build self-confidence, focus on the content you are presenting, summarise data, present concise reflections, evidence your learning and build on public speaking skills.

Each session will be recorded for you to use on your ePortfolio.

I wanted to end these Introductory sessions with a completely non-IT method of reflection and a way in which the students could summarise their learning achievements and issues in as concise a way as possible (bearing in mind the size of the group). Pecha Kucha is an ideal vehicle to end, not just a series of sessions, but also a module.

]]> http://mk1989.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/sheep-led-art/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:55:44 +0000 mscott1989 http://mk1989.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/sheep-led-art/

Found This And Thought it was very impressive and must have taken such a long time to put together.

I found this little video on thedieline.com and thought it was very interesting, and they inform you what they went through to get to the final brand

http://vimeo.com/7065683

How do you build a chocolate brand? from edenspiekermann_ on Vimeo.

Make sure to mark your calendars for this upcoming conference:

The Past’s Digital Presence: Database, Archive, and Knowledge Work in the Humanities
February 19-20
Yale University

Full Conference Program Available Here

How is digital technology changing methods of scholarly research with pre-digital sources in the humanities? If the “medium is the message,” then how does the message change when primary sources are translated into digital media? What kinds of new research opportunities do databases unlock and what do they make obsolete? What is the future of the rare book and manuscript library and its use? What biases are inherent in the widespread use of digitized material? How can we correct for them? Amidst numerous benefits in accessibility, cost, and convenience, what concerns have been overlooked? Graduate students from around the globe will address how databases and other digital technologies are making an impact on our research in the humanities during this interdisciplinary symposium.

Keynote Speaker: Peter Stallybrass, Walter H. and Leonore C. Annenberg Professor in the Humanities, University of Pennsylvania

Colloquium Speaker: Jacqueline Goldsby, Associate Professor, University of Chicago

Closing Roundtable:
Rolena Adorno, Reuben Post Halleck Professor of Spanish, Yale University
Edward Ayers, President, University of Richmond
Willard McCarty, Professor of Humanities Computing, King’s College London
George Miles, Curator, Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

For the latest updates on conference happenings, follow PDP2010 on twitter.

Although I had always planned to host a session on reflection and how it could be recorded using Mahara, it was evident that from my last class that a significant number of students required more work to be done in this area. Feedback from the students, both formal (online CIQ) and informally relayed a range of concerns over this issue. Questions raised by the students were:

• Whether reflections were personal or public?
• Difficulties with reflecting for the first time i.e. Where to start?
• How will it benefit their education?
• How will it benefit their career?
• How does reflection ‘marry’ with their ePortfolio work?

I had already designed several solutions to the above questions, specifically those that related to Mahara. The student feedback confirmed that theses solutions were valid, however some of the questions raised weren’t addressed in the original design. A major re-write was required. It was also an ideal opportunity for me to show that the students that their input into the evaluation process, was as much for them as it was for me. Within a week, their comments had been acted on and their learning needs were being addressed. I emphasised this during my introduction to the session.

50% of the students had completed their assignment, set last week. As a result, those who did, received formative feedback and went on to to submit more evidence and reflections. There was a flurry of activity on Tuesday evening on Mahara, as students left the work to the last minute, forgoing the benefits of timely feedback. It was also evident that, in a lot of cases, the assignment wasn’t completed solely because of student apathy. There were those who were struggling with the technology itself. The pace at which we went through the Introduction to Mahara session did not suit every student and as a result they struggled to keep up. The CIQ clearly supported this. As a result I have rewritten the next session to allow the students more time to explore the software, with myself in passive attendance, in order to support them if required. I had originally attended the session to be solely on how to gather digital evidence and upload it into Mahara, outlining several techniques e.g. screen capture, online file conversion, hyperlinking etc… I will produce an online resource to cover these aspects and present it on Mahara for the students to use.

I had been disappointed by the initial student response to the CIQ I had posted last session. In order to address this lack of evaluation (though the little I did receive was enough for me to redesign a large portion of the reflection session) I asked each student to fill the form in, there and then. It was the last opportunity to do so as I didn’t want them to mix up the this and last weeks sessions. It was at this point that I reiterated the value of these forms. I am glad that I did now, as several students have commented that they were impressed that I had moved so swiftly in addressing their concerns.

I then outlined a new support mechanism that I had instigated for them, where TPA staff were allocated several students each to support them with their evidence gathering and reflections. I had asked the staff to make at least one comment on each of their students Intro to TPA views. The breakdown was as follows:

Martin – Holly Baxter, Joy Bonfield-Colombara, Nicola Stewart, Alexander Ridgers

Christine – Emily Black, Gillian Tormey, Adam McCall, Rosemary Sims

Jamie – Rachael Brown, Roishann McGuire, Emma Fitzgibbon, Alexander Morgan

Zander – Maisie Cottingham, Sarah Crooks, Rachel McGovern, Elizabeth Milne

Simon – Samantha Burns, Iain Jolly, Ching Long Koo, Simon Legg

Steve – Dougal Gudim, Fiona Nisbett, Hannah Nicol, Barbara Brza,

John – Chris Gowling, Margaret Kiernohan, Siobhan MacIntyre, Ellen Porteous, Sarah Wilson

Ros – Ross Oliver,  Fraser Walker, Danielle Farrelly, Jonathon Towers

I was surprised to hear from the students that a few staff members hadn’t done this, even though the students had posted artifacts and reflections up onto their views. I plan to have a training session in place for the staff as soon as possible as I may have wrongly assumed that they were comfortable with the software and the concept of ePortfolio learning. Those who did receive feedback, found it useful and a positive step towards their own learning experience.

What are you doing here?

I wanted to find a question that was fundamental to the reflection process i.e. What happened?, with the emphasis on ‘what’. To simply reflect on this aspect of a learning experience would be tantamount to writing a diary, a chronological recording of events that happened. By suggesting this as a place to start their reflections the students were in familiar territory, as most had recorded events in this way, at some point in their lives. I recommended that if they found themselves staring at a blank screen (or paper), unable to conjure up words that adequately express their reflections, then perhaps a paragraph or two of recounting what happened would kickstart the process. Somewhere within that simple process the ‘what?’ may transform into the ‘why?’.

Why are you here?

After the initial paragraph had been recorded, the next phase of reflection could be attempted, the ‘why’. Using the three earlier questions we had posed during the PDP session and then as part of the assignment I had set last week, I reiterated their use and suggested that as their reflective practice progressed, the students would begin to create their own questions, perhaps more specific and detailed. Understanding the ‘why’ is the first steps towards a deeper set of cognitive skills. I suggested that, with practice, the learners could develop better analytical and problem-solving abilities. The brain after-all is an organ that requires exercise.

We then discussed the differences between secondary education and higher education. Higher education having different demands on learning responsibility than that of secondary schooling, in so much as the learner is expected to manage their own learning, albeit from within a support network. Most agreed that self-created learning was the most likely to create knowledge that remains with the student on a much more permanent basis than the rote, “parrot-fashion” methods which only served to skim the surface of learning. This open discussion wasn’t intended, but I let it run as I found it invigorating. I could sense the energy in the room change as more of the students expressed their opinions. I had a real sense that the students were indulging in a non-facilitated group reflection. It’s amazing what a simple question can produce.

At some point, I manage to segue into the subject of blogging, or micro-blogging to be precise. As soon as I uttered the word ‘Twitter’ I was met by a chorus of low groans and sighs. It would seem that my chosen subject was somewhat derisory. I sensed another debate brewing…. I outlined the three main uses of Twitter:

• as a communication medium.
• as a networking tool.
• as a micro-blogging/thought capturing tool.

All of which could aid in capturing and gathering evidence in the moment and as a way of reflecting on idea’s through 140 character summaries. I suggested that an effective way to do this would be to RSS feed your tweet streams directly to your blog. In this way the learner has a way of recalling topics for reflection on the same page as they are writing their blogs. With more and more theatre’s and practitioners using Twitter, it has become a direct way of creating contacts within the industry and for knowledge transfer. The debate that ensued seemed to highlight that Twitter had evolved a social stigma, which, it was felt, belonged to a specific type of Web 2.0 user. It would seem that the modern learner and socialite are extremely territorial when it comes to their personal digital environments. It cannot be assumed that any online tool, offered by a teacher, will be eagerly adopted by all digital learners. Their choice of tools are carefully selected to suit their digital identities, an example of this can be found in the devotion Bebo users have to their environment and the distaste they have developed towards the FaceBook clans and vise-versa. The debate was left in the balance, though several students did admit that their opinion of Twitter had been altered slightly and they may try it out.

The session then continued with a short discussion on the topic of blogging proper. The following benefits were discussed on the advantages of using digital reflection:

• Allows instant feedback
• Tracks progress
• Develops deeper cognitive skills
• Allows media-rich content
• Can easily be shared or secured
• Allows collaboration

Again, the issue of making blogs publicly viewable came up, there was a sense of discomfort by a few students at the notion of their personal thoughts and opinions being exposed to a wider public. I realised that, at some point, these students had assumed that because a blog was an online tool, it had to be public. We discussed the options available to bloggers and ePortfolio users which gave them the choice to reflect privately, semi-privately (to an invited audience) or publicly. There is also the option to make online reflections non-searchable i.e. they can’t be located using a search engine. The concept of online learning (blogging) communities was raised, where learners can link, comment and quote from blogs covering a common theme and forming a peer network of reflective practice. A few students also expressed a concern that their writing skills weren’t up to public scrutiny and this would cause them some embarrassment. However, studies have proved that in a high percentage of students who, at the outset, had shown poor creative writing skills, developed these skills to an acceptable level (some excelled beyond the standard) after exposing their writing to a wider audience. Not only did they receive formative feedback throughout, they also developed a self-confidence which motivated them to progress and succeed. I agreed to accept and proof read any students work, before it was uploaded to Mahara and made it clear that their folio’s need not be public at all. I did recommend that their ePortfolio support lecturer, at the very least, should be allowed access for guidance purposes.

Questions?

A statement, not a request. To further emphasise the use of questions to start the reflective process, I suggested that the post heading may be a question e.g. What did I do well during the technical rehearsal today? or Why did I start getting confused in Props class this morning? This may be a useful mechanism to focus the learners reflection and get the process started.

Game-based Learning

I had wanted to introduce game-based learning to my practice for a while, but had never been able to find a suitable platform or game that served the purpose well. I had searched for online management simulations that gave the students variable parameters to experiment with. A critical element of the game had to include the student making basic decisions which would somehow affect their digital environment or virtual situation at the time. It also had to be fun in order to engage the learner. There are many online management simulations (some SCORM compliant) but most were either too complex, boring or expensive and none were 100% suitable to Stage Management. This session wasn’t subject related so I had an opportunity to demonstrate the reflection process with a much simpler (and free) online game. After much searching I found a game which seemed to fit all of the criteria I needed.

I attempted to break down the reflective process and based this (loosely) on Kolbs learning cycle. By using a stage by stage flow chart I portrayed the reflective process thus:

I found a game which was simple enough to use as a vehicle to demonstrate this simple model of reflection. It’s called Student Sim and is a basic ‘point and click’ type simulator. The game can be found here.  The students all signed in and I gave them 10 minutes to orientate themselves to the games interface and concept, they were to do this without any instructions. I also asked them to note down any tips that they came across as they played. Some did basic screen captures while others used simpler technology i.e. paper and pen. Having successfully orientated themselves to the software, I then asked them to reflect on the evidence that they had gathered, which they shared to their peers. We then decided to set a common ‘group’ goal and played the game again, for another  10 minutes, with this goal in mind. Again I asked the group to gather evidence by making notes and screen grabbing. As the students progressed through the stages of reflection, I revealed the next stage on the screen, further emphasising the process.

We stopped after the 2nd Action phase as time was running short, but the students seemed to understand. We then discussed the process, contextualising it with theatrical practice. The general feeling from the room seemed to be that there was no need to break down reflection in such detail as most of the learners did this process naturally. I did feel however that it did serve a purpose in highlighting where the reflective phase should reside, as many had admitted to being aware that reflection was a process and had struggled to grasp the concept. It also underlined that reflection was deeply rooted in a practical cognitive process. It will be interesting to review and evaluate the student feedback to this class as the game element was very experimental. I did recognise a problem with this approach, as the session progressed  I felt the students became distracted from the main purpose of the exercise, especially those who became engrossed in the game play. The flowchart, as a visual prompt wasn’t enough, neither was my vocal prompting. However, I was pleased to note that the conversation that ensued was deeper than I had anticipated and the majority of the cohort seemed to understand what I was trying to achieve with them.

I finished the class with another assignment based around reflective practice. I wanted to return to theatre somehow, to leave the students with a contextualised aftertaste. I showed them a short and incredibly experimental production called Fuerzabruta. I had, over the last 3 years, showed this video to 1st year students to inspire them to think outside of the box and that not all theatre plays were stuffy and classical. I asked the students to reflect of their experience of watching the show and highlight moments which inspired them or disappointed them. Which elements worked and which didn’t? Why these elements had this affect and finally; What could have been done to improve the production and their overall experience?

Last week my boss and I worked on my goals for 2010 and my Professional Development Plan (PDP).

This process required that I ask three important questions:

•  What are my short term career/development goals?
•  What are some of my long term career/development goals?
•  What are my greatest strengths?

These are all of the same questions that I, for almost two decades as a training manager, asked employees to help point them in a direction that would provide them fulfillment in their lives and career. I have asked myself those same questions many times to recalibrate the direction of my career as well as find a source of motivation and challenge to keep me going.

So I was flabbergasted last week when those three simple questions left me tongue-tied!

I mean, I am the girl who has known what I wanted to do since I was twelve! I still remember the summer of 1982 when I came out to D.C. and told my dad that I was going to do three things when I grew up:

• Live in Washington, D.C.
• Work at Sallie Mae
• Live at Park Center Apartments (Now called the Aventine)

By age twenty-two I was well on my way to accomplishing all three goals. By the time I was thirty-two, I had accomplished all three of the goals that I set as a twelve-year old.

Were they random goals made by a young dreamer? Probably. But for me, they were S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely). More importantly, these goals were visual markers in the distance that provided a road map of what my life could look like when I was “all growed up.”

I have always had a “knowing” of what was next.

I have always “set my goals and live by faith” (As one of my favorite preachers Charles Stanley would say). There has always something in the distance that I am reaching for – a challenge, a goal, an aspiration.

Why now was I having so much trouble setting new goals?

As I examine my life – both career and personal – I realize that there are two things that are constant companions in my daily walk now that were not there several years ago.

• Contentment
• Peace

Both, I feel, are gifts from God. Both are things I am so very thankful for as these two “concepts” of contentment and peace were foreign to me for thirty-six years. See, there is something about a constant striving that causes a deep inner unrest and can often lead to turmoil and there is something about abiding in the now that allows you to rest.

Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. (Ecclesiastes 5.19-20 NIV)

But I did not have this contentment and peace – this gladness of heart. You see, for me, the present was something to be escaped from. Something to avoid. If I was not setting goals, it meant that somehow I would find myself stuck in my present circumstances.

I had not learned how to live in the present, so I was constantly setting new goals so I could live in the future.

Now, there is nothing wrong with planning for the future, living by faith, and being regularly energized by goal-setting. My problem was that I was so future-driven that I missed a lot of what was going on around me.  So for the last two years, I have been practicing living in the now, living into the moment, experiencing where I am at instead of trying to escape it with some “future joy” that is yet to be experienced.

Furthermore, the last three years have taught me that often goals we set are rearranged by circumstances beyond our control. We do not know if we will even have a tomorrow. Each day is truly a gift.

The Apostle Paul said, I have learned the secret to being content in whatever circumstance I find myself.

Paul set goals, Paul lived by faith – yes – but Paul also embraced the “now” and because of it, he led a life that was maximally impacting wherever he happened to be. Paul was the quintessential “in the moment” guy, yet he strove towards the future too. He was “already and not yet.”

Where is the balance of the future and the now?

I am happy to report that I did eventually uncover some goals to work towards.

My goals include finishing my MACM from McAfee School of Theology by Fall of 2010 (two classes left!), learning more about website technology, maximizing my current job (and each moment of ministry within my current job), finishing well whatever I put my hands to, practicing my writing daily, and finding an accountability partner. I am excited about these goals!

However, this time – my goals feel different because I am very content in the now that I have been blessed with. Each day is a new adventure, each moment is an opportunity to fully maximize my ministry to whomever might be standing right in front of me at the moment. I do not feel as if I am striving for the future at the expense of the present.

In searching for a picture to end my blog, I ran across a beautiful devotional  on Campus Crusade’s website about contentment in the now, setting goals, and trusting God. I thought it would be a beautiful way to close my blog. (Click “beautiful devotional” to read it).