Roger's Post

I thought I would take a turn at this blog. Kate does a pretty good job of with it and everyone that reads it knows what we're up to and what's been going on and all that stuff. I thought I would take a turn so that people know what is exciting in my life as well. I'm teaching two classes a semester-- in my Technology and Society class we've been discussing barriers to the diffusion of technology in developing world. Some of the students seem truly interested in the diffusion of technology in the developing world-- though most of them do not. I'm sure that when we start talking about environmental issues that more students than will beinterested. My students in the Architecture class are working on doing their initial floor plans of their houses. My biggest challenges are convincing students that they don't need 6000 ft.² houses with bedrooms that are larger than my apartment, and that hallways need to go somewhere. Of the 13 students I've had six of them design hallways that end at an exterior wall and don't have a door or window--just wasted space. Of course the most exciting thing I'm working on is my dissertation. I recently changed the focus for the fourth time--the last one was more of a minor tweak than major redirection. The goal of my dissertation is to figure out how many teacher education programs require some type of technology course for preserves teachers. I'm not talking about educational computer technology, but the ubiquitous type technology that's all around us. (Is that redundant?) The second part of the dissertation will look at what is being taught in the courses when they are required--whether or not the classes deal with the nature of technology across the various subject matters or do they deal specifically with using some of the methods that we use in Technology Education for hands-on learning. So I realize that this stuff is pretty exciting stuff, at least for me, and those of you have taken the time to read all of it through this recognize that Kate does a pretty good job letting you know what's going on in our lives.

I think the most exciting thing we have going on is our future. Kate is in the process of looking at PhD programs for continuing and completing her education and I'm starting to look towards where I will be working next year. Unfortunately, most of the schools that are of interest to me for work to not offer the PhD programs that work for Kate. Toss in that a very weak economy and the possibility that there will probably be hiring freezes at most universities, and that means we really have no idea where we will be in 6 to 8 months. So that is exciting--in a scary kind of way.

Go Twins!