I pray that I passed my Praxis, even though I realized I wrote the answer to #19 in the space for #20 when there was less than 10 minutes left in the exam...leaving me with no choice but leaving my answer for #19 for #20 and copying what I wrote over to the space for #19. Er* Please pass me...
Anyways, yes, it's been a while since I wrote anything...again. Since classes at UH started and my student teaching at Chaminade has officially kicked into full gear...hopefully I'll have more academic things on my mind. Which will in turn get me to write more in this blog. Which in turn will get me to think about my dissertation more. *hopeful*
Today in my EDEA 629 Educational Statistics class, I told the professor about my idea about doing my research on humor in the classroom...kind of like a case study. So he replied that I would need to incorporate classroom observational data in which I use some sort of coding system. (Yes = 1, No = 0) Is the humor spontaneous? Is it intentional? Is it student initiated? Is it teacher initiated? He pointed me in the direction of looking at different types of data collection technique such as on task / off task, or even questioning strategies in order to adopt it to fit my needs.
As for now, it looks as though I'll be trying out this 'humor in the classroom' as a topic. I'll narrow it down when the time comes.
I'm student teaching as I do all of this thinking...Good thing I'm only taking one class at UH this semester. It is very stressful / nerve wreaking to know that I'm being graded on how well, or in some cases how badly, I'm teaching. I guess overall my first observation didn't go so bad. Next will be a longer period. Hopefully I'll do better!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
1/3/09
It's January 3, 2009....around 2AM in the morning...and guess what, no dissertation topic. I need to set a different date as my goal for deciding my dissertation topic. Hm...how about June 1, 2009. That gives me enough time, right? Another semester to think things over.
And yes, I've been slacking recently because of the whole holiday season. Finals ended, then it was Christmas, then New Years...and now I must study for my final Praxis Exam. Hopefully this will be the last and final exam. (Meaning, I'll pass and won't have to re-take it.)
Ok, so it's waaaaay beyond my bedtime. Must get my beauty sleep. Goodnight world.
OH! I know, how about my New Years Resolution? no...Goal...is to get my dissertation topic, and write at least a chapter or two by the end of the year! That's a good one....right? Oh, I'll give it more thought later. For now, I must go to sleep.
And yes, I've been slacking recently because of the whole holiday season. Finals ended, then it was Christmas, then New Years...and now I must study for my final Praxis Exam. Hopefully this will be the last and final exam. (Meaning, I'll pass and won't have to re-take it.)
Ok, so it's waaaaay beyond my bedtime. Must get my beauty sleep. Goodnight world.
OH! I know, how about my New Years Resolution? no...Goal...is to get my dissertation topic, and write at least a chapter or two by the end of the year! That's a good one....right? Oh, I'll give it more thought later. For now, I must go to sleep.
Friday, November 28, 2008
11/28/08
My goal is to have a topic by December 31, 2008. At this rate, I don't know if I'll be able to make that goal. Hopefully after finals, I'll have more time to think about this.
Monday, November 10, 2008
11/10/08
Argh! I haven't written for a very long time. I think about my dissertation everyday, but I just can't seem to think of anything NEW everyday. Anyways...
I went to another one of COEDSA's 1st PhriDay events. This time the topic was Types of Research Methodology. The three speakers spoke about qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method research. I always like to go to these events because I get to talk to people about my thoughts about my topic, and they give me insights. I talked to this one person and they suggested that I ask if I could do my dissertation on the process of creating and getting approval of a DIP (Detailed Implementation Plan) in order to create a charter school. I thought that was a great idea since I want to create a school in the end anyways. (I don't know if a charter school is the way to go though....*shrugs*) Well, it's worth asking my advisor what she thinks.
I took notes during the workshop too.
-defining a topic
-framing the problem: How am I thinking about the problem? Why something works in one situation and not in another?
-developing research questions
-deciding data and method: What do I need? What can I get?
-What do you want to study and how? Write within 2 pages.
-positionality in qualitative research: What is unique about me? You need familiarity to the community.
-ethical concerns: You must have something to offer them. Beyond IRB, ensure that people are ethically treated.
-ethical concerns: state own bias, systematically through method.
-messiness: it's ok to tweak the research question to fit
-expect to be a different person after the process
-create a 12 page proposal with a concept map and time line in order to get a committee
I went to another one of COEDSA's 1st PhriDay events. This time the topic was Types of Research Methodology. The three speakers spoke about qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method research. I always like to go to these events because I get to talk to people about my thoughts about my topic, and they give me insights. I talked to this one person and they suggested that I ask if I could do my dissertation on the process of creating and getting approval of a DIP (Detailed Implementation Plan) in order to create a charter school. I thought that was a great idea since I want to create a school in the end anyways. (I don't know if a charter school is the way to go though....*shrugs*) Well, it's worth asking my advisor what she thinks.
I took notes during the workshop too.
-defining a topic
-framing the problem: How am I thinking about the problem? Why something works in one situation and not in another?
-developing research questions
-deciding data and method: What do I need? What can I get?
-What do you want to study and how? Write within 2 pages.
-positionality in qualitative research: What is unique about me? You need familiarity to the community.
-ethical concerns: You must have something to offer them. Beyond IRB, ensure that people are ethically treated.
-ethical concerns: state own bias, systematically through method.
-messiness: it's ok to tweak the research question to fit
-expect to be a different person after the process
-create a 12 page proposal with a concept map and time line in order to get a committee
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
10/29/08
So I was debating whether or not to do the summer program. But I just received an email from my interim advisor and it said:
I'm paraphrasing below some info from our program's graduate chair.
EDUC 740 is an individually designed requirement done with an advisor. Usually, a student waits until the end of their coursework to fulfill this requirement. If a student has not had much varied professional experience, some sort of internship could be established in that area. For example, a student in policy studies might work with the state legislature or in other areas might attend an institute on the mainland. As for the latter, one of my students, a community college professor, attended a high powered assessment in higher education institute and wrote up a report about it for her 740. Another doctoral student wrote most of the ESL framework for the DOE. Another did a pilot study as preliminary to her dissertation. Others have worked as volunteer research assistants to a professor on a project and thereby have learned more about actually doing research. So there are lots of possibilities.
So I thinking maybe I'll do a pilot study to fulfill the requirement of EDUC 740? A pilot study of what? I'm not sure...
I'm paraphrasing below some info from our program's graduate chair.
EDUC 740 is an individually designed requirement done with an advisor. Usually, a student waits until the end of their coursework to fulfill this requirement. If a student has not had much varied professional experience, some sort of internship could be established in that area. For example, a student in policy studies might work with the state legislature or in other areas might attend an institute on the mainland. As for the latter, one of my students, a community college professor, attended a high powered assessment in higher education institute and wrote up a report about it for her 740. Another doctoral student wrote most of the ESL framework for the DOE. Another did a pilot study as preliminary to her dissertation. Others have worked as volunteer research assistants to a professor on a project and thereby have learned more about actually doing research. So there are lots of possibilities.
So I thinking maybe I'll do a pilot study to fulfill the requirement of EDUC 740? A pilot study of what? I'm not sure...
Friday, October 24, 2008
10/24/08
A colleague of mine recommended that I do this summer program. (http://www.hawaiiqbprogram.com/) She said that it was a great experience and it fulfills the requirements for the three credits needed for field study. The deadline to apply for the program is October 31st, but I don't know if I should apply or not. Maybe I should apply, and if I get in, then it means I was meant to do the program?
By the way, I substituted again today. It was for one of the other 4th grade classes. Today, they went on a field trip to a fish pond located in Kaneohe. Each station seemed rushed, but overall I think it was a great learning experience for the students. The most exciting part was when they allowed the students to fish for crab. They had long sticks with strings attached to them. At the end was a paperclip with part of a fish as bait. The students would dangle it near the edge of the fish pond and crabs would attack it. I was amazed at how big the crabs were...4 inches or so wide!
By the way, I substituted again today. It was for one of the other 4th grade classes. Today, they went on a field trip to a fish pond located in Kaneohe. Each station seemed rushed, but overall I think it was a great learning experience for the students. The most exciting part was when they allowed the students to fish for crab. They had long sticks with strings attached to them. At the end was a paperclip with part of a fish as bait. The students would dangle it near the edge of the fish pond and crabs would attack it. I was amazed at how big the crabs were...4 inches or so wide!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
10/22/08
I just bought a new book titled The Geography of Thought by Richard E. Nisbett. It was recommended to me by my professor at Chaminade. He said that if I wanted to do my dissertation on comparing the U.S. curriculum with the Japan curriculum, then I'd need to read this book. However, I have chapters after chapters to read for school, therefore I will need to make an extreme effort in making time to read this.
I substituted again today. It was for another fourth grade class. The teacher made it so easy for me to substitute. Most of it was basically supervising the students. It wasn't as stressful as my first substituting job. In fact, I'd love to substitute for her anytime. Her students worked diligently and were honest in what the procedures were for the classroom. Except for one student. He needed my attention 24/7. Crazy kid.
One of the tasks was to proctor a math test. As I was walking around I noticed that many students didn't have labels for their answers. So I told them that they should make sure that they have labels for their answers. It's amazing because some students didn't know what a label was. So I had to give them an example. 12, what? 12 monkeys? 12 bananas? 12 dollars? What is it? I think some of the students caught on, but some were still clueless as to what they were suppose to do.
Today in my EDCS 653D class a student did a project on the Mobius Strip, an object with one surface and one edge. I was totally amazed at the presentation. Do you know what you'd get if you cut the Mobius Strip in half down the middle the long way? You should try it out. You'd be amazed, too. Another presentation was about the Fibonacci sequence represented through geometry. I knew of the Fibonacci sequence, but I didn't know that it could be represented as the Golden Rectangle. Pretty interesting things.
I substituted again today. It was for another fourth grade class. The teacher made it so easy for me to substitute. Most of it was basically supervising the students. It wasn't as stressful as my first substituting job. In fact, I'd love to substitute for her anytime. Her students worked diligently and were honest in what the procedures were for the classroom. Except for one student. He needed my attention 24/7. Crazy kid.
One of the tasks was to proctor a math test. As I was walking around I noticed that many students didn't have labels for their answers. So I told them that they should make sure that they have labels for their answers. It's amazing because some students didn't know what a label was. So I had to give them an example. 12, what? 12 monkeys? 12 bananas? 12 dollars? What is it? I think some of the students caught on, but some were still clueless as to what they were suppose to do.
Today in my EDCS 653D class a student did a project on the Mobius Strip, an object with one surface and one edge. I was totally amazed at the presentation. Do you know what you'd get if you cut the Mobius Strip in half down the middle the long way? You should try it out. You'd be amazed, too. Another presentation was about the Fibonacci sequence represented through geometry. I knew of the Fibonacci sequence, but I didn't know that it could be represented as the Golden Rectangle. Pretty interesting things.
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