Week 1 Media project brainstorm

I would like to present the findings of my project to the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). The purpose of my initial study was to find out why training revenue was so low for my corporation. During my investigation it was discovered that we had to change our product offerings because the market demands had changed. We would have to develop our new product in conjunction with our clients and then present the results to the SPE (which is on going). The second step would be to taken on an established partner in writing the paper in order for it to be selected for a magazine or publishing.

Wimba Session 1

So this weeks Wimba session focused on how to sucessfully complete the programs.  The presentation focused on the literature Review and  Action Research website and how they are linked. The session also went into, the Action Research Abstract and the Leadership project. What was most significant is the thinking behind the creation of the media project. It is additional work but it is an awesome platform which will allow graduates to launch their ideas in to academia.

Week 1 response to Katie Lovette

Katie, in your discussion about the Tennessee Board of Regents you mentioned all of the rules ands protocols that you need to adhere to, it is similar to all the rules I face at my job. They are necessary because they can help you deal with 80% of students and situations but they are unable to deal with the 20%. The other 20% need out of the box thinking and out of the box ideas to help them get through.  And that is exactly what you are doing to help your son. Good Luck.

Katies Blog

Chapter 1. It’s All Invented: How can we think outside the box we live in? What assumptions are we making that we’re not aware that we are making? What might we invent that would give us other choices?

Thinking outside the box is my youngest son’s way of life. He was born unable to communicate as the rest of us. He didn’t talk until he was four and most times we had to keep rewording a concept until we found a way to state it that he would understand. The doctors and school psychologist decided to declare him special ed so he would be able to receive help that he needed. By declaring him special ed, many “professionals” immediately put him in a category of mental retardation. But he wasn’t. I remember speaking with a college professor at the time about my son, about how the “professionals” wanted us to find a way for him to work and learn inside the box with everyone else. My professor smiled and said “Katie, he doesn’t live outside the box, he lives in his own box.” Although I had worked with my son his whole life, teaching him how to survive, the colors, his personal information, the alphabet, animals, etc. I never looked at the situation in that way. When I did a whole new world opened up. Instead of how can I get my son to learn this concept in the way it is being taught, my attitude became how can I manipulate the teaching method so he can learn the concept. It’s not about what everyone else does, how everyone else learns or works, it’s about how we can connect, learn, achieve the concept. What avenue is right for us? It doesn’t matter how we get there. It just matters that we arrive. BTW my son, who was considered mentally retarded by those who consider themselves experts, is now a performer. He dances and acts with several professional theaters and is studying to be an audio engineer and works as an audio tech for many clients. 

Chapter 2. Stepping into a Universe of Possibility: We live in a world of measurements. The Zanders recommend that when we look at how different things appear we can see them as possibilities. How are your thoughts and actions a reflection of the measurement world?

As an instructor, I have rules, standards and protocol that I must follow according to the Tennessee Board of Regents. And Heaven forbid if I deviate from those. I agree with most but there are some that I am against. When having to comply with the ones I disagree with, I find that my thoughts and actions are mostly negative. For instance, when my multicam class is on-location and I’m dressed according to the rules I’m uncomfortable and have a tendency to have a don’t care attitude. I have to work to be enthusiastic about the assignment. For the most part I have found a way around this and dress for comfort. But in the beginning it was an issue.

I truly love my job. Yes, there are some things that I disagree with, but for the most part it is awesome. Because of this I find that I like going to work and my days tend to go by fast. Because of this my thoughts and actions outside of school reflect my enjoyment with my work environment. I realize that my home life is positive and there isn’t a dread of Monday morning or the next day. Most students are great to work with, yes, every so often one comes through who is difficult, but being a niche area, most students are there to learn and have a tremendous desire to be in the industry. Their enthusiasm is hard to miss and it rubs off. Together, the thoughts and actions of faculty and students, toward the classes and productions offer others a positive insight to our program and the local industry. 

Chapter 3. Giving an A: Giving Yourself an A.

I think this is one of the hardest things a teacher has to over come. Over the years, I have had students go through the curriculum, who have disabilities. One, in particular, has Ashberger’s and his world is all about him. He disturbed class and talked out of turn. No one wanted to work with him or have him involved in his or her production. Over the last four years, this student has matured. Although he still has the disease, he has found his niche in life. Most of the faculty in the department has had him in class and has had to find a way to keep him from disturbing the other students. In the beginning, there were so man complaints, but lately we have noticed there wasn’t as many. After speaking with the other instructors, we have learned that there are still issues but the student has calmed down. Example, when the student was in my multicam class I wasn’t sure what I could have him does while on-location. The client wouldn’t be happy with a PA talking out of turn or doing something totally out of context. What I finally discovered was to give the student a camera, tape, batteries, and a tripod and have him keep an eye out for anything happening off the set or stage that would benefit the production. To my amazement this worked. The student not only caught some amazing stuff on tape, but he was quiet and didn’t disturb the production. I gave this student an A, even though there have been complaints as to why we, the faculty, would even consider passing a student like this. For me, I had to disregard all the standards that I grade by and his disabilities and look at the student’s accomplishments. When I wrote down everything this is what I found. The student attended all classes and shoots. He produced the footage I required of him. He kept the logs immaculately and performed his duties on-location according to the required steps. This student might have disturbed others but he earned his A.  

 

Week 1 response to William

I will have to agree that the concepts presented in the first three chapters are nothing new and is very similar to many self help book out there. in my case the books discussion has been very similar to my many rants with my colleagues about corporate innovation, (to find out more read my blog). The truth is this book seems to be presenting a series of exercises to expand our way of thinking and develop critical thinking skills.

Good read and good luck.

William's Post

 I found this reading to be very akin to many other books I have read on the topics of positive thinking or result-minded thinking.  The primary difference present that truly struck a chord with my manner of analytical thinking was the simple question, “How?”  How is my approach to the problem in front of me affecting my finding the solution I need?  The practice steps at the end of the chapter provide suitable guidance for focusing the analysis of the situation; assess and reassess.  By slowing down and examining how I am approaching a problem, I have a much better chance to find a flaw in my thoughts that may be limiting results.

     The phrase “it’s all invented anyway” is a perfect companion to positive thinking titles I have read.  All the way back to Lincoln’s quotation about the man that thinks he can or thinks he can’t, is right either way.  Our attitude affects the world around us, for better or worse.  After all, the world is how we choose to perceive it, so, naturally, you should choose a perception that will benefit you better.

     Finally, my thoughts lingered on the rafting story and the phrase, “out of the boat.”  It’s not enough to know where you are and where you are going.  Once you find yourself “out of the boat” you need some guiding principal to fall back on.  Far different from finding yourself off course, “out of the boat” refers to being completely lost with little or no frame of reference.  In the river, “toes to nose” puts one in the proper position to let the natural flow of the water put you back in familiar territory.  Life, however, is not as straightforward as a flowing river.  You will find times when you cannot find your own way, and it is important to have the relationships and fundamental values to guide you back to where you belong.  I look forward to completing the rest of this book, and plan to search for more video presentations as well.

Week1 Response to Natalie Hill

Thinking outside of the box is not an easy thing to do, because we are all conditioned into how we perceive the world, from our parents, friends, even where we work has an influence on how we view a new situation and how we go about solving a problem. However view few people discuss another aspect of out of the box thinking, the feeling of being separate and apart, alienation that you touched on in your blog. Edwin Howard Armstrong inventor FM radio, faced years of litigation with RCA over patent disputes and was alienated from the scientific society. As a result he was depressed and committed suicide.  Other radical thinkers face varying degrees of alienation it is not an easy life and consequently it is easier to remain part of the herd. I am not suggesting that people not try to push their thinking to higher levels but I do think that one should be aware of the other side


Natalies blog

As I was reading through the chapters they all were very powerful topics, I was in awe about things that were being said. One particular chapter that really stuck with me was the one about “Possibilities.” The words that had been written really hit home for me. I am from Mississippi where people have been closed- minded for a long time and really don’t think outside the box. Well, I have not directly been that way in life but indirectly. The reason I say it in that way is because right now in life I would like to move from Mississippi but as I think about it each day I have a fear of being rejected toward goals that I would like to accomplish in life.

I am one that has been judged all my life by people wanting me to be like this person or that person. I have always wanted to just be me. A lot of family members were not pleased with various choices that I have made in life but now they have realized that I am going to do what I want to and they have accepted the fact. You have to go through many obstacles in life being an only child and the youngest in the family because the focus is all on you. I have gone against my family expectations for a while. First starting off with the University I attended, my family mainly went to Historical Black Colleges but I chose to go in a different direction. They weren’t pleased at first but as I have said I am one to think outside the box. If I had only inherited the traits and thoughts that were around me I would not be at the point of my life that I am in now. I truly understand the world of measurement. I believe that everyone is someone and you don’t have to be what everyone wants you to be but be true to yourself.

Week 1 reading: Burn the box

This post is a response to the Art of Possibility Chapter 1 -3


Thinking outside of the box! Innovation, game changer, paradigm shift.

These catch phrases have been used by corporations to get their employees to come up with the next big thing. As a result of the perpetual abuse of these words, I have developed a very strong eye rolling and sometimes gag reflex everytime I hear them. Why? Because large companies, with all their rules, processes, delude themselves into believing that they can innovate. I firmly believe that to think outside of the box you either have to burn the box, not know there is box or live in a different box. Start with a blank slate.

Just to clarify, large companies can innovate and come with new ideas and design but these ideas are more along the theory of phyletic gradualism. That is progressive change, baby steps. True innovation and out of the box ideas are thoes that truely changes how things are done or peoples lives. It was said by my teacher in high school (Mr. Paul) that no amount of development in transitors would have given us modern computing. Integrated circuits true innovation provided that leap.

Every year in my company we have an innovation fair, it is an opportunity for employees to share their ideas with management. Sounds like a good idea to foster innovation and the creation of the next best thing but is it? In the last 10 years of the fair there have been no game changers derived from this program. Lets examine the reasons for this. Why are some ideas chosen over the others? The first constraint is that we can't develop every idea so we can only choose a few (wall 1). Of course these ideas the cost of development has to fit with in the innovation budget (wall 2), then we have to choose something that fits with the current company vision or product line.( wall 3).Every employee are aware of these constraints so right off the bat we have started building our box, this box affects what the employees submit and what management chooses. These constraints and processes gets in the way of out of the box thinking, as a consequence large companies tend to get their next big idea by buying smaller companies.

Which brings me back to my statement above, to innovate, paradigm shift, change the game and think out side the box you must burn the box. That is get rid of all of the rules and assumptions you make about everything or at least one thing in particular.And then you can innovated and change the game. A study of history reveals this to be true, coca cola on of the world biggest icons and popular drinks, was not invented by the established soda industry? Coca cola came from a pharmacist, he did not set out to make a soda, i.e. he was not aware of the box. (information given at a tour of Coca Cola)

The art of possibilites is all about changing your thinking removing your assumptions and preconceptions i.e burn the box. Because of how our brains think it is difficult to burn the box so people have developed games or exercises to foster this time of thought. Once such example is is yourself an A.(This was taken from the book Art of Possibilities)
This concept is liberating as it removes the burden of achieving an A, it also removes the thinking that perfection is necessary to receiving an A. Thus moving an A from an improbability to a possibility. This positive blank slate gives the mind the room to create and become inventive, to see opportunities.

This then begs the question how does this idea work in education?

In the movie Freedom writers, the give the students an A concept is dramatized. Erin Gruwell offered her students a chance to start over their lives. The result was the transformation of students who were considered unteachable to college-bound seniors with a unique and valuable perspective. By removing all her student preconceptions, baggage and constraints she freed them to realize their true potential.

Just another random side thought, have you noticed, that when you look at babies and children, we tend to think that the whole world is open to them. They can be anything do anything, there is a whole world of possibilities open to them. But as we grow older the world of possibility grows smaller, we start to think well if we have not done it by now then we probably ever will. In our minds possibilities and time seem to inextricably linked but what amount of time makes the difference? Seconds, minutes, days, years decades? Just something to think about

The pictures above was taken by me of my son

Month 11: Media assets

From hence forth all of the posts in this blog will be posts for month 11 media assets

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