I’m having difficulty writing about this video. It’s a bit ironic that I am having such a difficulty considering I find it to be the best video that we have watched in this course. It isn’t that I can’t summarize it. That I can do. But I full-heartedly dislike summaries. Up until this point I have done what the teacher has asked, but I simply will not on this video. The reason for this is because this lecture is simply too good, and any kind of summary that I provided would not do it justice.
I want to point out that I love to write. I love to express the feelings that something gives me. I also love giving my opinion on how I would fix it, and even if I don’t directly give my opinion, I like to think that my writing in some way improves the experience. Not that it always does. But if I can summarize something and come up with words that make it more meaningful, than perhaps you wouldn’t have to watch the video to understand. You could simply read my words and my enthusiasm and know what happened, and get and enlightening take on it. Well, that’s what I hope I accomplished with some of the other blog posts. Whether I did or not is subjective. If it isn’t subjective, I’m probably still going to say it is subjective to feel better about myself.
So I am going to conclude this post with two things. The first is a comment to Dr. Strange.
Dear Dr. Strange,
You wish to put an end to burp back education. That is a very good sentiment. However, when you assign these videos, I am not getting very much out of them because I’m regurgitating information. Though I do personally give my opinion (or at least try to) in my blog posts, it sometimes is incredibly difficult. This is because the guidelines are a bit too strict. They require me to reiterate everything I just learned... in many cases what I viewed and already knew. It figuratively is requiring me to, as you would put it, “burp back” information. In my opinion that is what a summary does. Now, I’m certain you could be doing this on purpose to show us how not to teach. But I believe in a practice what you preach method, and right now you aren’t. I have been keeping track mentally of corrections I would advise you to make for the future. I don’t know it all, and I don’t think I’m smarter than you. But if something isn’t working, I want you to know. Overall you get to make the choice. I hope you will listen to some of the ideas.
The second thing I would like to say is this video is amazing. I’m embedding it into this blog post, which I haven't done with any other video. I rarely find things that I don't want summarize because they are simply that good. The whole thing was fantastic. I implore anyone who comes on my blog and reads this to watch the video. And if you have, please let me know which parts you laughed at, and at what point did you cry. It is just that good. I personally can’t wait to get past those brick walls.
I understand that the video was good, I had to watch it myself of course, however you must give a reason for why it was good, reading your post gives no reason why it was good other than that you liked it a lot. If something was really good, I'd imagine anyone would want to talk about it and have plenty to say about it. Also to the Dr. Strange's part, save that stuff for the end of the semester where we write about what we have or have not learned while taking EDM310 even though it is good to get a jump on it.
ReplyDeleteFrustration on things that have meaning to us can not be contained by a schedule or calendar date. So, I understand why you would make the comments you did. To not speak your mind is counter intuitive to what blogs are supposed to be about. Also, the fact you did not make a summary is parallel to what I normally do. However, I do normally emphasize how I feel while mentioning the video. The video is just the conduit for expressing my belief. I guess this covers my back when it comes to the summarizing aspect.
ReplyDeleteI believe the only right I have to comment on someone else's blog in our class are suggestions on making the blog better from a readers standpoint. So, after reading this blog, I suggest you keep up the great work! This felt like a "blog"! I wanted to read this. You kept my attention. If I had not seen the video, your blog sparked my interest to want to watch it. Isn't that what projecting emotions are about. I think you did a great job all around. Bravo!
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ReplyDeleteMy previous post as been replaced to correct a few typos.
ReplyDeleteHere is part of my instructions on writing: "Summarize what the author is saying (arguing for, opposing, contending, describing, etc.) in such a way that a person who has not read or seen the original material being discussed will understand what the discussion is about.
You need to discuss your position. Sometimes it is how and why you disagree (or to what extent you disagree). In some cases you need to think about and describe how the author's arguments, if true, will affect you. In other cases you need to support the author's position with evidence from your own experiences. Outlining what you intend to write BEFORE you write will help you clarify your thoughts! Here is one of the applicable standards for 12th grade: 'Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.' "
Do you think that this calls for a "burp-back" response? If so, we really disagree!
What do I learn about your reaction to this video from what you have written? (My summary of what you wrote).
1. You "full-heartedly dislike summaries". Actually, that is not about this video. The reason I require summaries is to increase the probability that I can determine whether the assignment was done or not. Unfortunately, many students do not do assignments if there is no attempt to discover whether they did the work or not. In addition, to form one's own opinion you must be clear about the opinion of others. Summaries help us understand what others think and improve, in most cases, our response.
2. You love to write and to offer suggestions as to how others can improve their writing. You suggest that your summary could be so good that the person you are addressing could skip the video and just take your word for it: "But if I can summarize something and come up with words that make it more meaningful, than perhaps you wouldn’t have to watch the video to understand. You could simply read my words and my enthusiasm and know what happened, and get and enlightening take on it." I would rather that students watch the video, form their own opinion, and then compare and contrast it with yours. Why should they trust your opinions without putting them to the test?
3. You contend that summarizing what you read or watched makes it difficult for you to state your own opinions on material assigned to read or watch. If you read the portions of the writing instructions I quote above I think you will see that I require a summary to prepare you to formulate, and express more meaningful opinions than if you never watched or read (or did not understand) the assigned materials. Lawyers never avoid the arguments of their opponents. They address them head on (or try to misstate them so they appear to be addressed head on).
4. "...this video is amazing." So...? I want to know more. Why is it amazing? What did you learn about teaching that you did not know (or that enlightened previous knowledge)? What did you learn about yourself (how you encounter and attack your own brick walls perhaps)? What responses did Dr. Pausch get from his students? What teaching methods and approaches work? When? Why? What grading techniques did Dr. Pausch use? Why? Eric Merryman asks similar questions in his comment.
Do I know whether you watched the video or not with the evidence before me? No.
Do I know anything about what you learned from watching the video?
No.
Do I know whether you agree or disagree with Dr. Pausch's suggestions on grading? No.
Do I know whether you agree or disagree with any of the approaches to teaching encouraged by Dr. Pausch? No.
What do I know? You believe the "video is amazing". So....?
It took you a little while to comment on this post Dr. Strange. I would have rather had this conversation in class. I have always hated when teachers gave us an assignment and then asked us to give a summary to prove we watched or read whatever we were assigned. I assure you, that is burp-back education right there.
DeleteBut I see that you consider it to not be burp-back because of your added instructions. Take a stance... I assure you I take a stance on many things, but that doesn't make it more intellectual or even thought provoking. Nor does it necessarily require my brain to actually think.
This video doesn't provide much of a standing point as it is. It is very inspirational, and even exciting. But as far as his teaching methods go, where do I need to stand? I didn't even notice Pausch's stance on grading. That was so minor in the grand scheme of things. I was much more focused on "getting over the wall" than anything. Followed perhaps by his anticipation and then the actual achievements of his students.
In all it was an amazing video because it discussed so many things. To many to simply summarize. And the information was informative, but not persuasive, so it would be difficult to take a stance on. Obviously it was effective, I doubt anyone would claim otherwise. You can see that throughout his success, and what he was able to accomplish.
On top of which, taking a stance, or asking what we can learn from this video does not necessarily provoke questions like "What did I learn about myself?" Those are separate questions. If you wished to ask them, you should have asked them. Didn't we do a segment on asking the right questions, and how that is important?
Your assignments are lacking. I had watched I don't know how many videos in this class, and very few of them were actually thought provoking. They were informative and showed numerous methods, but they didn't teach me. They didn't educate me. And by the time this video came up I was so sick of watching videos, providing a summary, and standing on an issue that I didn't want to.
And then the video was amazing, there were so many topics discussed I could have written a novel on how much I liked it. But, I couldn't summarize it. There were too many small points that I couldn't simply leave out. It has been a while since I have watched it now so I have forgotten some of them. But goodness there was so much. I found his life story fascinating, from being a cocky son of a gun college student, to his stuffed animal collection, to his work on virtual reality, to his success, to his students work, to everything. So when I sat down to write, I was infuriated with the assignment. "What can we learn?" you asked. How could I answer such a stupid question. I have no idea what "we" can learn from this video. I know what I learned, but it had nothing and everything to do with teaching. Then I tried to summarize it, and that made me even more angry because I couldn't. It wasn't simple enough to summarize, and I couldn't do it justice.
So I wrote what I did and embed the video. Expressing I couldn't write a summary because it was so good, and imploring others to watch it. That is all I could do. I couldn't tell them what they would learn from it. I have no idea which things will stick in their head because I assume for everyone it is slightly different. I doubt they would have a stance to take on it. But that doesn't mean they didn't get something from it. Whether it was the simple "getting over the wall" like it was for me, or something else, I don't know.
I loved this video. That is what I wished to express in this post, and that is all I expressed in it. At least I wasn't regurgitating information, and then faking an opinion like almost everyone else did.
I also want to point out, my reference to the "brick walls" clearly indicates that I watched the video. He doesn't start mentioning them until about 15 minutes in, and then makes references to them throughout the whole video.
DeleteI have assembled what you have written in your comments of response to my comment. Your statements are enclosed within quotation marks. My responses are in italics.
ReplyDelete“I have always hated when teachers gave us an assignment and then asked us to give a summary to prove we watched or read whatever we were assigned.”
“So when I sat down to write, I was infuriated with the assignment. ‘What can we learn?’ you asked. How could I answer such a stupid question.”
“Then I tried to summarize it, and that made me even more angry because I couldn't. It wasn't simple enough to summarize,...”
“I couldn't write a summary because it was so good...”
“[B]y the time this video came up I was so sick of watching videos, providing a summary, and standing on an issue that I didn't want to.”
Your choice of words reveals a lot: “hated,” “sick,” “infuriated,” “angry,” “couldn’t,” “didn’t want to.” No additional comment necessary.
“I didn't even notice Pausch's stance on grading. That was so minor in the grand scheme of things.”
“[T]he video was amazing ... But, I couldn't summarize it. There were too many small points that I couldn't simply leave out.”
My comment: If you don’t notice the “minor” things it is not surprising you leave them out.
“Take a stance... I assure you I take a stance on many things, but that doesn't make it more intellectual or even thought provoking. Nor does it necessarily require my brain to actually think.”
My comment: Shall I say you have demonstrated the accuracy of this in your comment? I think you have.