Monday, May 26, 2008

The Long Weekend

Memorial Day always makes me sad because I stop and think about all the beautiful young men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country; what a shame to always lose the best and the brightest.

On a brighter note, I think I've managed to get about as far as I can go with my pre-thesis template. I'm waiting now for my software order for Captivate to be delivered. It seems best price doesn't usually equally best service and I'll only allow a few more days before I cancel and try again elsewhere. Things are winding down for this class, and 692, and 603. I've also spent a year earning some graduate credits through another program and that's ending June 6th. Thirty four units in a year is... challenging. Anyway, my work year ends June 19th. We're currently exploring roller coaster physics, next is bottle rocketry, after that I wrote a forensic science mystery for them to solve complete with glow in the dark blood traces and vomit, and we'll try to fit in Newton scooter vehicles and final exams have to go somewhere. I love teaching science!

For the first time this year I was able to read a book just for fun and work in the garden. I planted tons of new flowers, bushels of basil, and I staked the grape vines in the vineyard. I loved every minute of it. My updated pre-thesis can be found on the web link below and here: http://www.geocities.com/pitmandarlene/papers.html Happy Memorial Day and a big thank you to our active service members and veterans. Thank you for all you've done for us.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Forms and Paperwork

I completed the project form, and a rough draft of the IRB form and now I'm waiting on word from Dr. Newberry about if it is okay as is. I also wrote my follow up questions to the research, and the informed consent form, and the principal consent form. I'm wondering if my small school is enough of a sample for this project. There are 20 teachers and I might get participation from only 4 or 5. The district office has expressed an interest in my completed instructional videos to distribute and make available to all new teachers, so I could do a larger survey... but then I'd have to write all those forms again and I'd never be done with the paper in time for ETEC 699 in Winter 2009. I understand why this class is only offered once each year, but I'd be more comfortable if I could stretch this out until the spring... without paying extra of course!! My other concern is that I will have a new principal when school begins again in August. That makes four principals in four years; I hope the new one is okay with my project. My current principal is enrolled at CSUSB in the new education doctorate program and he was very supportive. I'm still tweaking parts of my pre-thesis, and managing to postpone the dreaded bibliography, while I wait for Adobe Captivate to arrive.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Literature Review

Well, that's done finally. I need to complete the bibliography before I post it to the website, but I think that might be a weekend project as I'm very slow typing the references and I always make mistakes.

I started looking at the next assignment, the IRB proposal, and after looking at Dr. Newberry's ETEC advice site I'm a little concerned. I'm taking EDUC 605 in the summer but I have to wait on EDUC 607 until Fall. One more elective and 699 and I'm done but... I can't get advanced to candidacy or apply to graduate until December and that seems too late to register for 699 in Winter. I see problems. But the good news is I can't do anything about it tonight so I can let it go.