Merry Christmas 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, this is Christmas 2012.

With all the talk of ‘Round Robin’ letters being unwelcome and seen as ‘boasting letters’ I have decided to desist. I know it was never my intention.  I do love hearing what everyone is up to and how they have got on – especially the children as they grow up and find their place in the world. We are rightly proud of them but only want to share that with those who enjoy hearing about them.

 

So, our year! We have remained pretty fit and, apart from the usual ‘over 60’ stuff have enjoyed a really good time. We could complain about the weather but I really can’t be bothered. I remember some lovely sunny days and a lot of fun. At the beginning of the year Heather had some fun down in the Falklands, visiting penguins and seals in that vast area.

I decided to buy our ‘Sue’ to complete a set of 4 labradors. We now have Molly, Teasle, and Bramble (Teasle’s daughter) and the white chocolate – with a hint of Madagascan vanilla – Sue.

In May we made up for being apart when we all went over to Tuscany for a lovely week’s holiday.  I rented a beautiful villa overlooking the beautiful Tuscan hills, with flashes of Tolkien in the distant ‘Mordor’, the adjacent ‘shire’ and an ‘enchanted forest complete with Unicorn’.  All the family and partners came along and we had a really lovely family holiday. We did a little sightseeing, a lot of relaxing and really enjoyed Mediterranean family meals out on the terrace and overlooking the valley.  A final day in Pisa completed the week as we journeyed home.

On our return we collected our pack and fetched them home ready for Teasle to produce a lovely litter of 10 puppies in June. That was, as ever, hard work – especially with the rains! I have to admit that puppies in wet weather is less fun than puppies and sunny days. All went to lovely homes and happily there are a few that are learning to work – very well. I get to see a few of them at training which is lovely.

 

September was planned to be back to normal and off for a wonderful holiday to Northumberland. We looked forward to having long walks and training with the dogs on a farm with fields, woods and a pond.  The coast was close by and we would catch up with Heather who stayed with us and travelled back and forth to work at Boulmer.  Even better, the lovely ladies there said Alistair could fly his airoplanes in the field. we borrowed a dog trailer from Gaynor and managed to get everything including Darcey, the puppy still living with us and had an absolutely wonderful week away. Darcey went to her forever home in October when we had our preChristmas for Heather.

 



Later in the year, unfortunately, my dad did fall and had a few weeks in hospital.  He is now back on his feet but, at 93 years old is, naturally, needing more help and support.

Alistair continues to enjoy his radio controlled flying although the weather puts a damper on that as it just isn’t possible in the rain and sever cold.  However, there is hope of some indoor flying if Santa comes up with the goods ;)

My hobby, of course, continues whatever the weather. I now have the enjoyment of teaching the beginners’ class with my wonderful friend and trainer, Gaynor. We have a lot of fun and it is great to see the girls working. Walking and training them keeps me out of mischief and keeps me fit!

Our Christmas will be one or two light as Heather is out in Afghanistan. We had one preChristmas Christmas before she went, with everyone home, but we will miss her over the Christmas week. We are missing her a lot although technology helps, with Whatsapp, emails and Skype (lovely to see her, but the webcam does me no favours!) keeping us in touch and blueys and parcels, while they take rather longer to arrive, are much appreciated. Zoe is now flying for Virgin and will be off to New York on Christmas day. Zoe’s husband, Shane will also be flying so their Christmas will be much like Alistair’s used to be. Stuart continues to enjoy his work and will be sharing Christmas with his lovely girlfriend, Ingrid’s family. 

We will be a quiet threesome on the 25^th,  although we will make sure there are a few bubbles to keep us going; the rest of the family will be coming on up over the next few days for a 3^rd Christmas on 28^th which will be our ‘real’ Christmas. We will have a great time.

Come the 31^st I am determined to stay awake and drink in my 62^nd year!!!  More bubbles :) Another fabulous year  ahead with the wonderful Alistair, my fabulous family and friends as well as my four legged pals.

 

 

 

MOOCs, blogs and WIKIs

OK, having been to a fascinating session at Bedford University regarding the Creative Use of Digital Technologies in Education and meeting some very interesting and inspiring people, I am playing at building a MOOC.

Now, it seems to me that where I anticipated some specific software like Moodle', it is simply a use of  several available technologies which I would feel needs a front end which is accessible and attractive.  This could be managed via a fairly simple Dreamweaver page.  Links could take the user to Blog and Wiki entries and then hopefully lead them onward to more in depth information before returning to specific areas with a contribution such as a blog or WIKI entry, photos on flickr, video on youtube and posts on a facebook page - tweets on twitter.

If anyone has any hints and tips to put me on the right trail, they will be welcomed most warmly.

A Great Day’s Training!!!

Triple woooo hoooo! Just been out with my girls. After consultation with our illustious and long suffering leader (Yeah Gaynor Gent !) I walked the Mollster round and threw her dummy (sadly, cap gun broke so had to shout!) then walked acrosss the field (ie through the long grass, not on a track) for about 1/3 the length and sent her back. Straight there and straight back :) dropped a dummy there, didn't point it out but she probably noticed, then walked an extra 100 yards again through long grass and crossing a track. Sent her back and off she went. She turned down the track briefly then turned to ask and a 'back' sent her off, straight to the area and straight back :) Teasle then, had a dummy over the fence. I did have to get grumpy and throw her over but she eventually jumped back. Two more goes got her jumping straight over and straight back woo hoo!! Then a memory mark up the track but in cover and last of all another memory mark with a sit. Still slow on the sit but getting better. Then it was the Bramling's turn. I used a track, dropeed 2 dummies which she saw and walked a long way along the track. Sent her straight back and off she went, delivering the dummy really well. We walked another 100 yards and I sent her back again. She did stop to ask (and I fforgot to blow the whistle at that point) but then she went and came straight back. I then turned and threw the dummy further and turned and walked back along the track and over another track and past our original point. When I truned to send her I realised that it was at least as far as Molly had gone - but along a track. I sent her back and then stopped her. She turned slowly but sat down as soon as she had turned around. Best Day Ever!!!!!

Motivation through self-direction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

This youtube clip entitled 'The Surprising truth about what animates us' is by www.RSA.org and adapted from Dan Pink's talk at the RSA. As they say, alongside the clip, "(It) illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace."

It is particularly appropriate to teaching and to Higher Education where management (and teaching) styles are too often based on external direction rather than self-direction. This clip supports the new approach to CPD that is being taken through recent TDA, ttrb and TeachNet initiatives.

The well presented clip first reminds us that the usual motivational processes in business is through monetary reward – taking a behavioural 'carrot and stick' approach. However, a study by economists (I am currently attempting to find the actual paper) has shown that, while offering 3 stage monetary rewards for mechanical tasks may have some positive effect, once any small level of cognitive process was involved, a monetary reward led to a fall in performance.

Shocked as the researchers were, they carried out the research in India where, it was felt, lower paid workers would have a greater motivation for monetary reward. However, their results were in fact replicated. Top performers gave the worst performance.

What was discovered was very interesting and relevant to all organisations. Once people were paid sufficient to take the issue of money out of the equation; 3 motivational factors emerged: Autonomy, Mastery & Purpose. They discovered that self – direction was better for engagement, which stimulates motivation.

One Australian software company has perfected its own method according to this management style. The management thinking being that 'you probably want to do something interesting – let me get out of your way'; once a month, on a Thursday afternoon, they do just that. They tell their employees that they can work on anything they like, however they like and with whomsoever they like. The only stipulation being that they must share their results with the rest of the staff at a fun meeting (with coffee, cake and beer) at the end of that 24 hours – on the Friday.

What they discovered was; an increase in software fixes and an increase in new product ideas.

It seems that Autonomy engages and motivates people. This leads to Mastery of their skills, which in turn gives them Purpose.

It is borne out in the plethora of free, good software available: Linux, Skype, Apache and Wikipedia.

However, watch the clip – it tells it so much better than I do.

 

So how would I use ‘Scratch’?

Well, I have had a good play and a look around at this software. Bearing in mind that what I actually want to do is write games that can be used, albeit simply, for pupils to learn, Scratch does not yet do it for me.

My current feeling is that it is a substitute for LOGO. I am probably wrong here, but it does do that – children can programme an avatar to move, make sounds, can see what difference 15 degrees makes. Personally, I'd bet that they would prefer a big turtle moving around the room. However, I am not about to give up and I will continue to play while I go back to 'Game Maker' to explore how that might meet my needs!

That was fun!

Ok, so now I have worked through the 'getting started' pdf, which has given me some fun, turning cats around to drums and changing their colour and making break dancers twirl and scream. Didn't get the football doing anything but that will be another day. Enough is enough for now – I have to go and sort out why the DS wouldn't save for 'HimInTheShed' while I was out today! They couldn't do without me!!!

Scratching the surface of Scratch 13th July 2010

After some google searching, I found a 'getting started' document. Following a fair amount of head scratching about the link address, I realise that the getting started pdf must be downloaded with the software and hence was found on my hard drive by google. Being a geek, I found that quite fascinating!! However, I will now see whether I can get any further.

 

Aha, I now have my sprite rotating, and it is absolutely fascinating how the mind works as the process processes. That is what I found when I programmed in Java – loved it and sad to find that finding a hosting server with Java was very expensive! L Getting my own little server this week and hope I can load Tomcat and learn how to work it. However, meanwhile, its back to the drawing board to work towards constructing a game that will enhance learning!