Missed updating yesterday since I had to sleep and have a life. Here's what I did yesterday in "Leadership School," or the Ed.D.:
Leadership Panel - Knew Jim Frierson as the area tech afficionado, Jack Murrah has a heart-warming story...other than that, Snore!
LIFO survey. I'm a Controlling/Taking person? I think not. But under stress I do analyze and react calmly, so I won't throw that away. Actually the best part of this, and all those silly surveys people love taking/giving seems to be realizing the amazing differences we have and learning how to relate to thers who are so different from us. LIFO survey discussions went on all day..
4pm Faculty argument about the nature of the program and praise for the tolerance of ambiguity.
Today. Discussed how quantum physics and new science approaches relate to Leadership and Learning (why do I capitalize?) Short answer--they don't. Just kidding. They idea is that since scientists can't completely understand or measure subatomic particles and the world looks chaotic at that level, we need to reexamine our basic understanding of the world which we've had since Newton got hit in the head with an apple. Order emerges from the chaos.
I argued that Newtonian since is still necessary and valid, but we all need to realize the great mystery that still lies in the very fabric of everything. I also discussed with Dr. Tucker the recent debates on the UTCSTAFF email about creationism where someone spke up in favor of "Intelligent Design" theory as being viable and was SHOUTED down by the liberal majority, even wacko professors from departments such as English and others.
Dr. Tucker (pretty liberal himself I imagine) admits/accepts a concept I've gotten no other academic to admit--that scientists/evolutionists/atheists whatever, have just as much faith in what they believe as fundamentalist Christians, heck, even more so. But what they lack is tolerance of other people's similar faith in their beliefs.
Conservative are generally more tolerant than liberals in my opinion, despite popular thinking otherwise. Being neither myself... Take away Newtonian science and what do they have, particles and waves that Einstein and others just began the discussion about. Ever heard that God is in the details? God is in those particles. (I believe God created Adam with a superfluos bellybutton, and therefore created the earth 6000 or so years ago with geologic features, dinosaur bones, and underground oil.)
We also learned how to do research in the library and talked more sensibly today about our ILLP (an initialization, not an acronym,) or Individual Learning and Leadership Plan. This will be our personal mission statement and progress report of sorts about our development in this program, and will guide us in pursuing our personal goals and prep for our dissertation.
FYI - My dissertation idea (don't steal it) and overall goal for this program is to investigate locally-produced children's education television programs, why there aren't more, why they fail so often (get cancelled), and explore their benefits over nationally-produced shows, if any. I then want to design and shoot a pilot for a locally-produced show based on local learning resources. Think Science, History, Math, etc., all wrapped around literacy, fun, and creativity.. Target audience: K-5.
With any luck I'll find tons of money for this and work myself into a new career that rocks and everybody will think I'm cool and oh yeah, I'll have more time with my son and I'll be making the world a better place.
Other random notes:
Jim Tucker is a preacher for the church of amibuity
Bartoo still believes that statistics can tell us things
Trust is accepting people and sharing power
Don't use bad research to support your own
The most vital question for any organization is, What is the deeper purpose?
Oh yeah. Trying to think of my current and/or past mentors. I have some in mind, but not sure how the term applies. I think a bigger motivation for me is reacting to/against negatives I've seen, or my I can do that better (or at least different) attitude. Who will I use as mentors for this project?