Module 0 Reflections

EDTC 6350 Reflective Journal

I found three things that said “reflect on this in your journal, so I have three posts today. One of things that I got out of this lesson today was that I am way under-utilized at my job! But that’s another issue. I never really thought much about what really goes into consulting. I would probably have gone into a consulting situation and just winged it. I probably would have done okay, and made the client laugh and feel good about using me, but would I really have done that great of a job? Now I have some real steps that I can use to evaluate how I am doing what I am doing. Hopefully that will help me improve my ability to interact with clients.

Project 1 Reflections

EDTC 6350 Reflective Journal

Formal credentials (e.g., CPR certified, CPA, passed the bar, hold a real estate license, have teaching certification, etc.).
1) Texas teacher certification
– designing instruction for 8th grade science
– 8th grade team leader
– developing online components of learning
– classroom management
– organization
2) Certified Pool Manager
– keeping a pool clean and running
3) Certified Food Manager
– all levels of restaurant sanitation

Informal business-related
1) Computers
– html, css, xml, xhtml, php, mysql, javascript, rss, actionscript
– Macromedia Studio 8, Moodle, BlackBoard, WebCT, MS Office
– podcasts, blogs, wikis, pda, emerging technologies
2) Leadership/Management
– hiring, interviewing, scheduling, staffing
– running meetings and problem-solving
– decision-making, dealing with clients, bringing in new clients
– standards compliance, inspections, code enforcement
3) Instructional Design
– developing new instruction, Kindergarten through adult levels
– reviewing and revising existing instruction

Other skills
– playing bass guitar, guitar, drums, sitar
– painting, drawing
– studying other cultures

What I like to do:
(a) Communication – I prefer to talk to small groups, but I have done speaking to very large groups, too.
(b) Problem-solving – I prefer to solve problems, but I have also been in positions to find them and determine what they are, too.
(c) Planning – I like to keep things organized, but I am fine with handing off details to people who like to do certain tasks.

Personality Test

EDTC 6350 Reflective Journal

These are the results of my personality test:

– moderately expressed extrovert
– distinctively expressed intuitive personality
– slightly expressed thinking personality
– very expressed judging personality

As I was going through those questions, for about half of them my answer was “both yes and no, depending on the day and situation.” I think that I have learned a lot about adaptation. I tend to adapt my personality, relations, voice, etc depending on the situation I am in.

I could also look at several of the questions and pick out the “right” answer to look good as an IT consultant, but choose to put the answer I knew described me best. But I think the fact that I could pick out the best answer just showed that I can adapt and not be stuck with one way of acting or thinking.

The weird thing is that I came out so high on the judgmental side. I usually tend to be more perceptive and easy going. I usually have to perceive what my wife wants to do for the night, and then go along with it – even if it’s not what I want 🙂 Somehow, that doesn’t how up very well on this test.

Welcome to My 5th Blog

EDTC 6350 Reflective Journal

This is the 5th blog that I have been a part of. Only one of those other four are still active, but I still have access to update them. That would be pointless since I haven’t done that since 2004. I guess that shows that I am a veteran in this blog game. That is, I would be if I were very regular about making posts.

This journal will be a little different in the fact that it will be more reflective than my past blogs, and focused on a particular subject – IT Consulting. I think I have a general idea of what this means, but I look forward to getting a clearer picture as we speed through this short summer class. Enjoy my thoughts…. or not, it’s up to you. Or, I guess it is really up to me to make them interesting.

British Are Addicted To Curry

Katie and Matt Blog

I found this article to be hilarious…. because it is so true:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/989256.stm

So, curry is just not good – it’s addictive? Cool.

You see, I was raised in a pretty typical southern home. Well, my Mom tried to cook more healthy food and less fried food, so not TOO typical. But I couldn’t even like Chinese food because I thought it was too “weird.” Then I took a trip to the Middle East and got to experience authentic Middle Eastern food and Indian food. I was hooked then. I also got to try some true Chinese food on a trip to India, and have been hooked since then (even though nothing in the States even comes close). I was in Darjeeling, which is near the border of China, and a cook from China had opened a good restaurant there. Or, I think he was a Chinese guy from Bhutan. I think we hit that place every other day we were there. Plus it had a great view of the Himalayan foothills around the town.