Dedicated to Maurice F Durfee and Paul Montalbano,
January, 2014
So I started writing this post in August (2013). Then the busyness of the Fall Semester hit, and this went on hold. So before I get rolling, I'd like to take this chance to invite you to reflect with me a bit. Picture yourself in August. Where were you? What were you doing? Did you have a good summer? In August, where did you picture you'd be at this point? Are you there?
I'd just come off a summer filled with long work hours at the lab. Anyone who's tried to earn a PhD through an experimental study can probably sympathize. Lots of building, wiring, running hoses, debugging acquisition code, and making plans. At the time, I didn't feel like I had much to show for it all. The project was behind, the experiments weren't run, and when asked the question, "When are you graduating?", I pushed my guess back yet again (come on May 2014!).
Now, I'm happy to say that things are on track. The experiment is working well (knocking on everything made of wood around me), data is flowing, analysis is happening, and I'm actually where I'd hoped to be! In addition, I'm working half time with a group on campus hoping to lead the Learning Revolution, rethinking what we're doing in higher education, and how we might do better than ever before.
May, 2014
So I resumed writing this post in January (2014). Then the busyness of the Spring Semester hit, and this went on hold. So before I get rolling, I'd like to take this chance to invite you to reflect with me a bit. Picture yourself in January. Where were you? What were you doing? Did you have a good Fall? In January, where did you picture you'd be at this point? Are you there?
I'd just come off a Fall filled with long work hours at the lab. Anyone who's tried to earn a PhD through an experimental study can probably sympathize. Lots of building, wiring, running hoses, debugging acquisition code, and making plans. At the time, I didn't feel like I had much to show for it all. The project was behind, the experiments weren't run, and when asked the question, "When are you graduating?", I pushed my guess back yet again (come on December 2014!).
Now, I'm happy to say that things are on track. The experiment is working well (knocking on everything made of wood around me), data is flowing, analysis is happening, and I'm actually where I'd hoped to be! Unfortunately, I'm no longer working half time with a group on campus hoping to lead the Learning Revolution, rethinking what we're doing in higher education, and how we might do better than ever before. I hope I can get back there some day.
September, 2014
So I (re)resumed writing this post in May (2014). Then the busyness of the Summer hit, and this went on hold. So before I get rolling, I'd like to take this chance to invite you to reflect with me a bit. Picture yourself in May. Where were you? What were you doing? Did you have a good Spring? In May, where did you picture you'd be at this point? Are you there?
I'd just come off a Spring filled with long work hours at the lab. Anyone who's tried to earn a PhD through an experimental study can probably sympathize. Lots of building, wiring, running hoses, debugging acquisition code, and making plans. At the time, I didn't feel like I had much to show for it all. The project was behind, the experiments weren't run, and when asked the question, "When are you graduating?", I simply responded by asking "How much do you weigh?" (both questions evoke the same self-conscious feelings). (come on December 2014!)
Now, I'm happy to say that things are. The experiment worked, data flowed, analysis is happening, and I'm actually writing. Did I measure everything I hoped for? No. Did I get enough? I think so. Will my dissertation change the world? Probably not. But I will. Fortunately, I'm back spending some time with a group on campus leading the Learning Revolution, rethinking what we're doing in higher education, and how we might do better than ever before. Best 3 hours of my week.
RECURSION
Believe it or not, there is a day coming in which I will have earned my PhD. I must be getting close, because I've finally realized that my degree has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH JET ENGINES. As with all meaningful endeavors, plans change and iterations happen. The thing we are left with at the end is usually far different from what we pictured at the beginning. ITS OK.
Believe it or not, there is a day coming in which I will have finished this post. I must be getting close, because I've finally realized that this post has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. As with all meaningful endeavors, plans change and iterations happen. The thing we are left with at the end is usually far different from what we pictured at the beginning. ITS OK.
So what have been trying to say to you for the last year, but never quite getting to it? Here goes nothing...
The Best Instructions Ever
The introduction to The New Media Reader gives two instructions to anyone reading the text:
January, 2014
So I started writing this post in August (2013). Then the busyness of the Fall Semester hit, and this went on hold. So before I get rolling, I'd like to take this chance to invite you to reflect with me a bit. Picture yourself in August. Where were you? What were you doing? Did you have a good summer? In August, where did you picture you'd be at this point? Are you there?
I'd just come off a summer filled with long work hours at the lab. Anyone who's tried to earn a PhD through an experimental study can probably sympathize. Lots of building, wiring, running hoses, debugging acquisition code, and making plans. At the time, I didn't feel like I had much to show for it all. The project was behind, the experiments weren't run, and when asked the question, "When are you graduating?", I pushed my guess back yet again (come on May 2014!).
Now, I'm happy to say that things are on track. The experiment is working well (knocking on everything made of wood around me), data is flowing, analysis is happening, and I'm actually where I'd hoped to be! In addition, I'm working half time with a group on campus hoping to lead the Learning Revolution, rethinking what we're doing in higher education, and how we might do better than ever before.
May, 2014
So I resumed writing this post in January (2014). Then the busyness of the Spring Semester hit, and this went on hold. So before I get rolling, I'd like to take this chance to invite you to reflect with me a bit. Picture yourself in January. Where were you? What were you doing? Did you have a good Fall? In January, where did you picture you'd be at this point? Are you there?
I'd just come off a Fall filled with long work hours at the lab. Anyone who's tried to earn a PhD through an experimental study can probably sympathize. Lots of building, wiring, running hoses, debugging acquisition code, and making plans. At the time, I didn't feel like I had much to show for it all. The project was behind, the experiments weren't run, and when asked the question, "When are you graduating?", I pushed my guess back yet again (come on December 2014!).
Now, I'm happy to say that things are on track. The experiment is working well (knocking on everything made of wood around me), data is flowing, analysis is happening, and I'm actually where I'd hoped to be! Unfortunately, I'm no longer working half time with a group on campus hoping to lead the Learning Revolution, rethinking what we're doing in higher education, and how we might do better than ever before. I hope I can get back there some day.
September, 2014
So I (re)resumed writing this post in May (2014). Then the busyness of the Summer hit, and this went on hold. So before I get rolling, I'd like to take this chance to invite you to reflect with me a bit. Picture yourself in May. Where were you? What were you doing? Did you have a good Spring? In May, where did you picture you'd be at this point? Are you there?
I'd just come off a Spring filled with long work hours at the lab. Anyone who's tried to earn a PhD through an experimental study can probably sympathize. Lots of building, wiring, running hoses, debugging acquisition code, and making plans. At the time, I didn't feel like I had much to show for it all. The project was behind, the experiments weren't run, and when asked the question, "When are you graduating?", I simply responded by asking "How much do you weigh?" (both questions evoke the same self-conscious feelings). (come on December 2014!)
Now, I'm happy to say that things are. The experiment worked, data flowed, analysis is happening, and I'm actually writing. Did I measure everything I hoped for? No. Did I get enough? I think so. Will my dissertation change the world? Probably not. But I will. Fortunately, I'm back spending some time with a group on campus leading the Learning Revolution, rethinking what we're doing in higher education, and how we might do better than ever before. Best 3 hours of my week.
RECURSION
Believe it or not, there is a day coming in which I will have earned my PhD. I must be getting close, because I've finally realized that my degree has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH JET ENGINES. As with all meaningful endeavors, plans change and iterations happen. The thing we are left with at the end is usually far different from what we pictured at the beginning. ITS OK.
Believe it or not, there is a day coming in which I will have finished this post. I must be getting close, because I've finally realized that this post has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. As with all meaningful endeavors, plans change and iterations happen. The thing we are left with at the end is usually far different from what we pictured at the beginning. ITS OK.
So what have been trying to say to you for the last year, but never quite getting to it? Here goes nothing...
The Best Instructions Ever
The introduction to The New Media Reader gives two instructions to anyone reading the text:
"Make Something. Rethink Something."
Noah Wardrip-Fruin and Nick Montfort
The New Media Reader: A User's Manual
The New Media Reader: A User's Manual
This is the business of being human. This is our legacy. This is our dream. This is why we talk to each other. This is why we go to work. This is why we go to school. Its scary. Its messy. We won't get it right the first time. But we will get it right.
Along with my friends and colleagues in the Connected Courses (a connected course about connected courses), we are engaging in one of my favorite recursive, meta activities. We're trying to:
"The End of Higher Education?"
End. [end]. noun. an intention or aim
This is where we started. What is the End of higher Education? I believe its actually very simple, recursive, meta.
If someone ever asks me, "How do you get a PhD?" I'll answer, "By figuring out how to get a PhD." Finally I know I'm ready for my final degree. Now I know The End.
Along with my friends and colleagues in the Connected Courses (a connected course about connected courses), we are engaging in one of my favorite recursive, meta activities. We're trying to:
Make new ways to make things. Rethink the way we rethink things.
"The End of Higher Education?"
End. [end]. noun. an intention or aim
This is where we started. What is the End of higher Education? I believe its actually very simple, recursive, meta.
The End of Education is to Make Something, Rethink Something. The End of Education is to Make new ways to make new things, Rethink the way we rethink things.
If someone ever asks me, "How do you get a PhD?" I'll answer, "By figuring out how to get a PhD." Finally I know I'm ready for my final degree. Now I know The End.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
Albert Einstein
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