I never cease to be amazed working in such a complex project as we continue to try and muscle our way through the start of the year. One day crashes over the next as we jump from one challenge to the next. New staff. Timetables. Access. Data. Census. The biggest lesson learnt is that the reason things breakdown is often deferred. Like a back related hamstring, many of this year’s challenges eminate from last year. Although it can be easy to find blame, problems are always more complicated.
On the family front, the school year has started off OK with everyone slowly adjusting to the various changes. While at home our cooler carked it. Ironically, we have barely had a hot day since, instead it has rained quite a bit. It has been a topsy-turvy year. This mix of sun and rain has meant that the vegetable patch has been producing plenty of tomatoes and zucchinis, which the girls and I have been exploring different ways to use.
Personally speaking, I finally finished my reflection on my one word for 2020 – space.
In regards to music, I can not get enough of Tame Impala’s new record. Although I have been listening to Caribou’s latest too. I find it interesting with music how sometimes you are not in the right space for some sounds and only appreciate them in retrospect. I have long respected Kevin Parker’s music, but it never quite clicked. The Slow Rush changed that.
Here then are some of the posts that have had me thinking:
Education
‘We don’t mollycoddle them’: The preschools letting kids spend hours in the dirt
Lisa Clausen investigates the world of the bush kinder program and the potential for problem solving and the appreciation for the environment through outdoor learning.
Don’t ‘just Google it’: 3 ways students can get the most from searching online
Renee Morrison shares three things young people should keep in when researching online: search for more than isolated facts, slow down when looking things up online, and take control of the process rather than relying on Google.
On Deconferencing
Alan Levine responds to posts from Bryan Alexander, Will Richardson and Stephen Downes about climate change and conferences, arguing that we need better ways for sharing knowledge and ideas.
Would you like ethics with that? The possibilities and risks of (Mc)Mindfulness in schools
Christopher T. McCaw says that with the rise of mindfulness in education we need to consider: what is the type of mindfulness being taught, who decides this is what it looks like and what are the implications of this.
School as Fiction
Will Richardson claims that school is a narrative that we need to reclaim.
Technology
Sharenting, BYOD and Kids Online: 10 Digital Tips for Modern Day Parents
Troy Hunt argues that each family needs to find their own balance, but this needs to involve guiding children, managing administration duties and being mindful of the chance that anything shared could be made public.
Schools Are Pushing the Boundaries of Surveillance Technologies
Mona Wang and Geenie Gebhart discuss the increase of surveillance in schools in the name of safety.
Your Email Spam Filter Is More Aggressive Than You Realize
Angela Lashbrook discusses some of the changes associated with spam filtering. Another reminder that email is still a somewhat flawed technology.
Alec Couros was used by scammers to catfish thousands of women and he’s a victim too
Bridget Judd dives into the world of catfishing, focusing on the use and abuse of Alex Couros’ identity.
Old CSS, new CSS
Eevee provides a personal history of CSS, including discussions of browsers, XHTML, Web 2.0, Flexbox and an extensive summary of what is possible today
General
Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
Don’t worry about kids, Malaka Gharib’s introduction to the coronavirus a fantastic introduction for everyone. Bryan Alexander also has a stab at predicting how everything may unfold.
Fatboy Slim’s dancefloor evergreens (Take 5)
Whether it be soul, disco, punk or competitive collaboration, it is interesting the different ingredients that led to the creation of You’ve Come a Long Way Baby and Norman Cook’s signature sound.
How did the last Neanderthals live?
It is interesting to read Melissa Hogenboom’s discussion of Neanderthals along side Peter Brannen’s reflection on the history of the earth.
A World Without Privacy Will Revive the Masquerade
In a world of growing surveillance, Jonathan Zittrain provides two contrasting futures: Pseudoworld and Transcriptworld.
Google redraws the borders on maps depending on who’s looking
Greg Bensinger discusses the way in which Google often gets involved in border debates through the display of different boundaries in Google Maps depending on who is viewing.
Read Write Respond #050
So that was February for me, how about you? As always, love to hear.
Cover Image via JustLego101
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