blog

MRF Deadline Met!

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:06:02 +0100

I had set up a deadline with my new mentor with agreed upon dates for completion of each step required to complete my dissertation. Of course, my goal is to have all the preliminary work done by January so that I might start my study in January and complete it by December, write up my findings and graduate sometime in April 2012.

At any rate, I made my first deadline! July 30 was the date I gave myself for completing my MRF, or the proposal. In this case, the MRF is seen as the outline of the entire dissertation. First your topic has to be approved, and that was done earlier this year. Then you have to flesh out your topic by answering questions that will eventually be the main ideas of your chapters.

So, now, as I wait for a response on my completed MRF, I'm going to start writing my chapter 1. For the most part, chapter 1 covers all the information I needed to provide in order to get my topic approved. As my topic was approved, I feel fairly confident that I can move on to chapter 1. There are a few sections within chapter 1 that are covered in the remaining portion of the MRF, but I can leave those sections out until I get full approval of my MRF by both my dissertation mentor and my committee.

So what's next? I need to write chapters 1 through 3. My next deadline is August 13. Meeting this deadline with the completion of chapter 1 will depend on how quickly my mentor can read through my MRF, offer corrections, and eventually approve it. The August 13 deadline is more for myself than for anyone else. I cannot submit my chapters until I've written chapters 1, 2, and 3. And, my intention is to complete chapter 3 by September 10; however I can give myself an extra week as the quarter concludes on September 17.

Judging by dissertations that are similar to mine, the first 3 chapters should be approximately 50 to 75 pages. That sounds fairly manageable for a month and a half's time. I believe I had 60 pages to write in 6 weeks' time for my comprehensive exams which definitely vexed me; so focussing on my chapters 1, 2, and 3 when I should have the information at my fingertips should prove to be a simpler task.

Brain Development and Learning Conference

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:41:00 +0100

This past weekend, I attended the Brain Development and Learning Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. Per my previous blog, my main reason for attendance was to listen to and learn from Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. I felt so privileged to sit in one of his seminars and then later have an opportunity to talk to him one-on-one about his theory of Flow and its relationship to my dissertation. He provided a wealth of guidance and gave me an even greater degree of motivation to complete my study.

But, the excitement of the event did not end with meeting Dr. Csikszentmihalyi. Among the other seminars I attended, I sat in Dr. Robert Bjork's "Optimizing Instruction for Learning & Memory". It appeared initially that his research contradicted everything I had discovered about learning styles and learning strategies. My understanding was it was essential for students to become aware of their learning strengths and develop strategies that cater to those strengths. The consistency in the use of those strategies will create not only a love of lifelong learning but will also promote academic excellence. In contrast, Dr. Bjork's research-based recommendation was that students vary their studying patterns. Inconsistency, rather, was consistent with success in the classroom. The same held true for teaching: Teachers who spread out the subject material, did not present it in a chronological format or in a consistent style found their students were more successful learners. Dr. Bjork's intent with this seminar was to present the difference of performance and learning, where students who demonstrate performance are not necesarilly learning and students who have successfully learned something might not immediately be able to demonstrate performance. He was successful in that intent, but my reflection on my own understanding of learning styles and learning strategies was significantly brought into question. I had dealt with contrary research in the past and explained it as researcher bias, or student variation, or a missing element of the study, but this was the first time when I stood back and asked myself -- what if there was nothing missing from his research? Hypothetically could learning strategy awareness and variation in learning both be measures for academic competence? While I haven't done any research in the matter as of yet, I am willing to suppose the following: Could it be that learning strategy/learning style awareness and variation in learning represent different levels of critical thinking? I hope to revisit this idea once I complete my dissertation and look into how I might prove or disprove the correlation of critical thinking to such learning theories.

And, finally, I think I may have found my "niche" in research. Of course, I am most interested in studying learning theory specific to learning styles, learning strategies, and student responsibility. But in this case, I suppose, the niche is referring to the methodology. I have come to realize that every research idea I have considered requires a span of time. It's not that I don't enjoy immediate gratification, but the studies I have considered from the time I started my doctoral program have all been longitudinal designs. And, I think if I want to be an expert in any one area, I feel I can best do so in the lead, collaboration, and assistance in longitudinal studies.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:22:54 +0100

I feel as giddy as a school girl. Next week, I will be traveling to Vancouver, BC to attend the Brain Development and Learning Conference. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi will be there to present his theories on flow, and I paid an additional amount so that I could have lunch with him.

Considering the fact that I am building my dissertation study around this theory of flow, I am excited to speak to him, gain his insight on my study, and ask him to direct me to his articles on his field studies of his Experience Sampling Method.

Here is a description of my study and my current status:

My approved topic is "Optimal Learning Experiences in Literacy of Adolescents Transitioning from Elementary to Middle School".
I have completed the first five sections of my proposal or Methodology Review as it is called at Capella. The next section deals specifically with measures, field tests, data collection, and analysis. And finally, I need to discuss a critical analysis of my design including IRB concerns.
Before the last quarter concluded, I was informed that my mentor was resigning and I needed to find a new mentor. I was told only a week before his sudden departure, and I was not given any explanation, not that I deserved one. I was advised by the dissertation support team that while I did have some time to find a new mentor, I needed to start the search immediately and hopefully find a new one before the start of the next quarter. This process was further complicated by the list of mentors being changed on a weekly basis. Needless to say, I finally found my new mentor after multiple rejections. I was initially skeptical. The mentor I had from the beginning of my comprehensive exams was difficult to understand, responded with one word answers and was extremely unhelpful to me. Would I have the same problems with this new mentor? I was pleasantly surprised when she sent me an email after reading my current progress. It was informal and conversational. I was cautiously optimistic that I had finally found the right fit. Since that initial email, we have communicated on a weekly basis, and she has continued to be not only helpful but also extremely easy to work with.
I have worked out a timeline for the completion of my dissertation, and thanks to the change of mentors and a new found interest in actually graduating, I have found a great degree of motivation.
Timeline: 1) My deadline for submitting my completed proposal is the end of this month. As I only have two sections to complete, I am confident I will meet this deadline and possibly even be prepared to submit my proposal before this deadline. I have advised my mentor that I wish to discuss my study with Mihalyi Csikszentmihaly before I complete section 6, and she is in agreement. 2) While I wait for approval on my proposal I intend to begin writing my first three chapters. I anticipate my proposal being accepted with a minor need of corrections, so I feel confident that I shouldn't need to make too many changes once I begin the first three chapters of my dissertation. 3) By August 13, I hope to submit chapter 1; by August 30, I hope to submit chapter 2; and by September 13, I hope to submit chapter 3. This is a very ambitious schedule, and I have allowed for some adjustment to the schedule if needed. 4) By the end of October, I hope to complete all IRB requirements with my school and submit a completed proposal to the Peninsula School District for their permission to conduct my study. I will have some conference calls with my mentor and committee toward the end of my fall quarter, but because everything should be completed minus the actual study and summation of results by the end of December, I feel I have given myself ample room to adjust my deadlines as needed. 5) I will begin my study in mid-January and conclude it by the students' Christmas break. This is critical. Therefore, if I am not able to meet the deadline for approval of all preliminary work, I will have to wait until January 2012 to begin my study, and I refuse to do so! I have already been trying to complete my dissertation since July 2008!

I know this has been a lengthy blog, but I hope I have accomplished expressing my excitement and my need to meet with Dr. Csikszentmihalyi. I can only hope that he is proud of my intended study and interest in his theories.

I'm just going to throw it out there

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 04:20:05 +0100

This may be considered shameless promotion, but I just have to put it out there. I'm not sure how else to say it, and I've tried to say it in as many venues as possible.

I am interested in collaborating with, assisting, or studying under anyone involved in educational research, educational psychology, Washington Department of Education, or neuroeducation.

I am a perpetual learner and will never consider myself an expert. However, I do desire to work with those who are considered experts in their field. I am not able to move outside of Washington state at this time, but I am willing and able to commute up to 2 hours each way from the Gig Harbor, WA area.

So, get at me! I promise you I am a hard worker, and there is no task too small or too menial as long as it is involved in learning more about education.

Thanks!

Satisfied For-Profit School Graduates, where are you?

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:08:18 +0100

The US Department of Education has recently entered into a discussion about a radical change to student lending that could affect for-profit schools. The resulting action could eliminate federal funding from those for-profit schools whose graduates spend more than five percent of their monthly income on repaying their student loans.

For-Profit schools have always come under a lot of scrutiny. Even though most for-profit schools are approved by similar accrediting organizations and can offer credits, clock hours, degrees, and certificates; student complaints abound, and many involve deception. Is it really that surprising, though, that not all for-profit schools share the same legitimacy within themselves? Depending on the accrediting body, one school could have different hiring requirements than another, i.e., degreed instructors rather than non-degreed instructors. For the most part, the cost of educating oneself through a for-profit school can vary greatly even within the same discipline. Certainly, the quality of one's education deserves consideration, but one should be wary when one school charges its students twice what another on the other side of town charges when both offer the same set of studies.

Before we look at the issues of this current regulation in discussion, you should know that I am a graduate of a for-profit university - http://campus.capella.edu and a current student of the same school. And, my past work experiences have been at both a quality for-profit school and a for-profit school that was closed due to a department of education federal investigation. My views may be biased, but they are tempered by reality. I know there are both good and bad for-profit schools. And now... on to the arguments.

The first obvious one is that more students complain about their education than compliment it. Ignoring the fact that it is an industry-wide understanding that more will complain about a product that compliment it, it is important to identify these complaints. One common complaint is deception: prospective students are promised a quality education; they are promised substantial funding to pay for their education; they are promised personal academic support throughout their program; and most importantly, the students are promised a job. Many of these promises come from historical statistics of the school, and with a consistent staff and student profile, it is very realistic to assume that these promises are valid. Other promises come from repetitive seminars with admissions and financial aid staff with their corporate entities encouraging them to increase enrollment and decrease retention. But there is certainly a point where for-profit schools need to stop focussing on quantity and start focussing in on quality. This is perhaps the claim that the department of education has with passing this new regulation. No doubt it is important that for-profit schools be reminded that though they are business-minded individuals, they did make a choice to invest in education. Students, though, also hold some responsibility. This is another area, not unlike elementary and secondary education, where all to often, the schools and their staff are blamed, and students are given a free pass. Why shouldn't students take charge of their education, investigate what a for-profit school is, how it was founded, how it is accredited, and whether credits are transferrable. A simple google search will answer all these questions for the student. Since many referrals to for-profit schools come from word of mouth, is it too much to ask these friends of students/alumni what they didn't like about the school? That one dislike could be the difference between a student attending or not attending.

Coming from the field of financial aid, and most recently from a for-profit school, it is important for me to address the all too important financial aid issues. Of course, that's what this blog is all about; however, it is necessary to dig deeper.

First, Peter Cohan cites Business Insider, stating that "the dropouts default on loans "as big as $100,000 for incomplete bachelor's degrees and up to $200,000 for advanced degrees". While these numbers are staggering, they do not reflect accurate numbers for federal loans, the very ones that the department of education would like to make more restricted. When a student is working toward a bachelor degree, him to a total of $57,500 in outstanding federal stafford loans. That same student continuing on to graduate studies is limited to a total of $138,500 in outstanding federal stafford loans. So, how does a college drop out, who was once pursuing a bachelor degree, then default on $100,000? The answer is that student accumulates other debt, most likely unsecured debt such as credit cards, outside private loans. Even if a student could be pursuaded by a for-profit school to secure funding outside of the federal funding, each individual student's credit history will be evaluated for creditworthiness. Should a school be blamed for a student irresponsibly borrowing outside funding to attend school? These lenders who offer private educational loans already provide checks on their lending where they will stop lending to any school, for-profit or not, if too many students default on their private loans. So, why is this a federal lending issue?

Second, even if a student decides to attend school, drop out, enroll again, drop out, etc., and accumulate up to $57,000 in outstanding federal loans, there are repayment options designed to help the student, including financial hardship. By instituting this new regulation, the department of education, is in effect stating that any student who enrolls at a for-profit schools cannot request a financial hardship deferment or forbearance. So, students must prove that they can't afford to repay their student loans, damage their credit history even further by not having any recourse just so that the department of education can demonstrate due dilligence in stripping a school of its ability to assist students earn their degrees and certificates? This doesn't seem to make too much sense and appears to be more damaging to the student than to the school.

Third, applying for title IV funding (student financial aid funding) is a very rigorous process. Schools must first seek to be academically accredited through any number of regional or national accrediting bodies, a process that can take a few years and requires the school to first be established before application. After receiving academic accreditation, there are still many steps to get approval through the department of education. And, even after department of education approval, a school can lose it very easily if too many students don't repay their loans as directed and don't seek options to assist them with repayment. Again, why add this additional rule for for-profit schools? For-profit schools provide a benefit that other public or non-profit universities can't offer, finding an alternative way to educate single moms, single dads, full time workers, part time workers, unemployed, career changers, military, military spouses, and, well, the list is endless. In an era where the United States wants to highly encourage everyone to pursue higher education, blindly limiting all for-profit schools when only some are not acting in a student's best interest is not a good thing.

So now, satisfied for-profit school graduates, where are you? You might be slowly building your business, asking your boss for a raise, rewriting your resumé, or calling your lender to request a deferment -- speak up! The best thing you can do for your alma mater, if you felt that you received a quality education, is to speak up for it when too many complainers would have it shut down.

A tip for your next literature review

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 04:25:19 +0100

When you're doing your literature review, have you ever noticed the little line at the bottom of the first or second page "send correspondence to...". And, if you have noticed it, have you ever corresponded with the author?

I must admit the first time I tried it, I was very scared. I knew I didn't have the expertise to truly communicate about the subject he had published. Still, I liked what the author had written and I had some questions that I felt needed answered. So I took the plunge and sent the email. The author responded immediately and favorably. Ever since that first time, I have continued emailing authors with my questions regardless of how simple they may be, and I've never regretted the decision.

Here are some things I have learned about this practice which causes me to continue:

No matter how much expertise an author has in a given area, he always appreciates knowing that someone has read his article. For that reason, they are honored to receive your email and more likely than not to respond.
Published peer-reviewed authors are no different than the rest of us. They are perpetual learners as we are and welcome questions and requests for clarification in the same way we should.
Emailed authors may be willing to share unpublished articles to help explain their topics! I emailed one author with some questions, and in his response he told me he was finishing up some edits on an article accepted for publishing, and he was happy to send it to me as it elaborate further on the one article I had read.
Emailed authors may be willing to share their other published articles. Unless you are associated with a university or have subscribed to a journal service, it can be incredibly expensive to find all the articles you need for your literature review. Corresponding with an author of an article you read can help. One such author I contacted readily sent me a number of articles she uploaded to a rapidshare zip file. It saved me a significant amount of time and provided me the information I needed specific to my area of study.

Some things to consider if you are going to email the author of a peer-reviewed article

Identify yourself: Let the author know if you're a student, a postdoc, or a fellow researcher. Regardless of your status as a researcher, authors like to know to whom they are writing.
Demonstrate competence: Let the author know you have read one or more of his articles by not only stating the fact but by also sharing what you liked about the article/articles.
Ask specific questions: One fortunate thing about submitting an email instead of making a phone call is that you can read and re-read your email before sending, so in doing so, make sure the questions you ask are succinct and specific. If possible, include all the questions you have to that point. Of course it's always possible that the author will respond and promote more investigation, but for this initial email, don't be afraid to ask multiple questions, as long as they are specific and clear.
Spellcheck. As with any meeting, you want your first impression to be a good one. It will not serve you well to send a poorly constructed email with run-on sentences and misspellings to someone who may later be your reference for a postdoc, internship, or other employment opportunity.

Look at these correspondence opportunities as another track of networking. You never know when you might meet this colleague at a conference or seminar at a later date.

Learning Strategies: Why are they important?

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:41:37 +0100

There has been a lot of talk about learning styles (feel free to Google as there are multiple definitions and interpretations). The overall belief, however controversial, is that teachers must somehow cater to students' individual learning style. There are workshops designed to help teachers understand various learning styles and a perception that those teachers who do not adapt to this "educational reform" must not be good teachers, must be the reason students are failing, and must be retired so that newer educated teachers can take their place. Of course this is an extreme view, but it is there.

The idea that a teacher has failed because he has not implemented the newest teaching method, in my opinion, has missed the point. Blaming the instructor for a child's inability to learn negates the responsibility of the learner. It is a selfish view of both the student and the parent to assume that the student must be catered to or find a school that will put that individual child first.

Granted, I do share the opinion that learning styles exist. Certainly everyone, not just current students, has a style, either innate or learned, that contributes to how he comprehends information. Neurology shows how the brain functions during the learning process and whether information is accepted or rejected into short term and long term memory. However a researcher, instructor, or neurologist defines learning styles, I do believe it is appropriate to say that a learner possesses that strength.

Nevertheless, I do not believe that a teacher should be expected to teach to a learning style. I do think that an instructor ought to be familiar with learning styles, but recognition and acknowledgment doesn't necessarily mean adapting and adjusting instruction. Each instructor ought to be given the opportunity to teach according to his own teaching style. After all, it is a given that if a student has a way of learning best, an instructor should also be viewed as having a way to teach best. Denying a teacher that freedom is no different than denying a student a way of learning.

Now, let's address a student's way of learning. If we accept that a student has a specific strength that contributes to his learning, how does that strength express itself within a student's specific personality; and how can a student use that strength to not only learn but to enjoy learning? The answer to this question is learning strategies. If a student can be taken through the process of understanding his learning strengths and his personality, i.e., temperament, he can then develop strategies to help him process the information he is required to learn during compulsory education. And, this information can be taken into post-secondary education and even beyond the classroom: Training for a new job, pursuing a hobby and learning more advanced techniques to do more of that hobby, understanding a diagnosis, etc. Further, this takes the full responsibility of education off of the instructor and demands that the student take control of his learning. Even if primary and secondary school is compulsory, the student can approach it in such a way that the difficulty of learning is lessened. Note, I am referring to those students who do not require special education.

Four years ago, I was introduced to learning strategies developed through a student's learning style and temperament. My work introduced me to the TIPP™ Learning System. I was able to take the online assessment and later meet with TIPP™ qualified consultant who helped me understand how the results could be used in my educational pursuits. I invite anyone who might be interested in improving their learning abilities to check out the site - http://www.performanceprofessionals.com . The individuals behind the product are more than willing to explain how it works and how it might benefit you.

From my own personal experience, I learned the most dominant characteristic of my personality is ideational and personal. I understood these two personality traits to mean that I enjoyed learning where I could be in relationship with others. I identified well with this description. I have always enjoyed learning, and in fact, I have only taken approximately two years off from school since starting kindergarten. The second personality trait of being personal is also very true for me. I recognized it within myself not only in the classroom but also in the workplace. I can remember back in junior high, my English teacher described me as a very persistent teacher's pet. I craved her approval more than anything, and that approval became woven into any learning experience I had. I didn't mind other students viewing me as a teacher's pet. In fact, looking back, I see that those teachers who took a special interest in me were some of my favorite teachers, and their classes were some of my favorite classes. In the work place, I also find that the environments where I thrive are those where I feel a family-like atmosphere. I crave approval and recognition by others. The learning style I most identified with, based on this TIPP™ Learning System was kinesthetic, in other words, as I understood it, I learn by doing. And, this also makes sense to me. While I certainly don't mind reading through a manual or listening to an instructor, I learn best through trial and error. And, it frustrates me when I'm not able to learn about a product in that manner.

As you can see, I identified very well with this TIPP™ Learning System. I really felt that it was accurate and reliable for me. But before you think I am contradicting myself by identifying those environments or classrooms where I thrived, let me clarify. Notice that I said there were certain environments where I thrived, not all. And, I don't blame those individuals in those environments where I was not successful. It is my opinion that I didn't understand who I was as a learner or what my options were to become a better learner and enjoy all the environments where I was a learner. Again, I'm putting the onus on myself, not just the instructor. I feel those places I enjoyed were ones where my boss or teacher shared the same strengths as I did; and those I did not enjoy were ones where my boss or teacher did not share the same strengths as I did. As I mentioned before just as learners have their own unique learning style, so do teachers, and they should not be negated.

So with this new understanding came development of my own learning strategies. Perhaps the most important thing about me as a learner is my desire to learn within a relationship. So, what are my options when I find a mentor who does not share this personal personality? Well, I know that I desire approval, recognition, a feeling of being equal with my teacher. If that is not present in my learning environment, then I must take it upon myself to find a complement to this learning environment that will provide what I need. This could take the form of learning more about the subject than I could within the classroom, remembering that such a task made me feel special in classrooms where "personal" was valued. It could also take shape in a simple question to the instructor, telling him that it would help me if he could acknowledge my successes verbally or in written form on my assignments. Notice, these are my actions, and of course the instructor is free to say yes or no.

Similarly as a doer, it is my responsibility to speak up, acknowledge the need to read through a manual and listen to an instructor but then ask if I might be able to use trial and error as my way of learning. Again, it might not be appropriate every time to learn through trial and error, but the fact is I, as a learner, have taken the responsibility knowing I need to learn, and asking for the opportunity to exercise my learning strength. And, also, it is important to realize that one's learning strength will not always be honored. In those circumstances, a learner must find an outside source where that learning style and temperament can be exercised.

Before I close, I want to say that this entire blog contains my own thoughts and opinions. They do not represent any outside company, and I was not asked to promote or advocate the TIPP™ Learning System. It is simply a system that I have found useful and wish to let others know about.

Metacognitive skills - what is it and why is it important?

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:24:59 +0100

In a previous blog, I discussed the equal importance of teacher and learner responsibility. This idea is further explored in N Joseph's "Metacognition Needed: Teaching Middle and High School Students to Develop Strategic Learning Skills" (2010).

The author equates those students who are aware of their learning strategies with self-regulated learners, or those learners who are able to study independently. The opposite, she considers "passive and dependent". To rectify the situation, Joseph (2010) recommends teachers to instruct these students in higher level thinking. This higher level thinking or metacognitive skills, the author believes will aid students who don't have the practical skills to study independently.

One important note about this article is the author's emphasis that students without metacognitive awareness are "deficient" and therefore need additional instruction from their teachers. In addition, the author stresses that it is the teacher's responsibility to take the time in addition to teaching content to also teach students how to learn. There is a lot of "shoulds" in this article indicating what the teacher should do, and that research has shown when teachers do teach metacognitive learning, it is successful. While this article specifically teaches to instruction in reading comprehension, it may be the author's intention that metacognitive skills are transferable to other subjects.

Is it possible that those students who can't immediately integrate instruction into action are simply not aware of their innate learning strategies? Second, is it reasonable to ask teachers to take on the task of instructing learning strategies? And, third, do teachers have the skills needed to teach their students metacognitive skills?

First, it is important to note that learning strategies differ from learning styles. Learning styles could best be defined as the type of learner one is, i.e., visual, auditory, kinesthetic; while learning strategies defines the action one takes based on the type of learner he is. The goal, then is to not necessarily adapt the instruction to a learning style, but rather help the student to use learning strategies so that he might benefit regardless of the instruction.

It is my opinion that students should never be viewed as deficient. While this may be PC thinking, I would argue that learning and instruction, when viewed as "can't do" or "won't do" can have a negative effect on students. While some students may look at "can't do" or "won't do" as a challenge to improve, there is always a risk that such spoken perceptions could result in an even poorer ability to learn. Perhaps the better analysis is that a student does not know how to learn and needs assistance in recognizing those strategies he finds best useful for his learning. This view takes on a new vision, taking away the idea that a student can't learn.

While there is research to suggest that instruction in metacognitive awareness has proven successful, should the teacher be responsible for that instruction? The author acknowledges "For many teachers—especially secondary school content teachers—thinking about the mental processes a novice learner needs to comprehend the subject-area material is not a natural activity" Joseph, 2010, p. 100). Further, she acknowledges the added responsibility of "teachers responding to the pressures of state assessment testing and to the demands of local curriculum guidelines". If it is known that teachers view that teaching metacognitive skills is not a natural part of content teaching, nor that it is a possibility with the added responsibility of assuring students have the knowledge required to pass tests, it is my opinion that it is not reasonable to expect middle and high school teachers to take on the task of metacognitive instruction. This task might be better reserved for elementary school teachers; however, the instruction at the earlier levels of education are not needed, according to Joseph (2009) because "cognitive demands become more complex from one grade to the next" (p. 100).

Finally, educators may not be the most skilled at teaching metacognitive skills. Joseph (2009) argues that metacognitive instruction "can be embedded into traditional learning activities" (p. 100). This may be true, but additional instruction would be needed for teachers to be best equipped to integrate learning skills into content instruction. Joseph (2010) further acknowledges "for struggling adolescent learners, discussions about introspective thinking may cause cofusion and anxiety because they have become comfortable with a passive and dependent approach to learning" and "some students may be uncomfortable with (metacognitive thinking) because they prefer to take a less active role by having the teacher pose the questions" (p. 100 & 102). The relationship between student and teacher is pivotal in successful learning; however, in Joseph's (2010) article, she puts the emphasis on instruction being more important than learning. Joseph (2010) also makes the supposition that teachers who instruct from their own metacognitive instruction will be able to effect students because all metacognitive thinking is the same. While higher level thinking is required for successful academic competence, there may be various methods to get there, and emphasis on any specific means of arriving there could be beneficial or detrimental to the student.

It is essential that teachers recognize that not all learners learn the same, however, it is not efficient to recognize that some learners are deficient because they do not immediately learn in response to the content instruction. Instead of the teacher taking on the additional task of teaching metacognitive skills based on his own learning abilities, it may be beneficial for an objective third party who is skilled in both learning styles and strategies to work with a student. This removes the teacher from taking on a new role and maintains the teacher student relationship as the student understands it. Once the student is able to understand not only the way he learns but also strategies he can take into any learning environment, he can then return to the classroom and demonstrate competency, regardless of how his other classmates learn and be successful.

Joseph, N. (2010). Metacognition needed: Teaching middle and high school students to develop strategic learning skills. Preventing school failure, 54(2), pp. 99-103.

Translation

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:28:59 +0100

A recent conversation with a friend of mine gave me the idea of pursuing Spanish translation. While I am lacking in the practice of speaking and listening to Spanish, my writing and translation abilities are still at a superior level. So, I started looking for free-lance opportunities. Of course, in my research, I also stumbled upon numerous translation certification programs. Any of them would prove to be beneficial, I'm sure -- still, I don't know which would be the best for me.

The CTP or "Certified Translation Professional" designation appears to be the most professional to me. I'm supposing I would be able to add CTP after my MS designation on a resumé. It also requires the least amount of hoops to jump through and an actual program where one can prepare for the test prior to taking the test.

A second certification opportunity is through LCI or "Language Certification Institute". They provide certification exclusively in Spanish and are a local company to the Pacific Northwest. There are three options for certification with LCI - Basic, Secondary, or Business. To be honest, I'm not sure I would pass the business level as I don't really know the vocabulary for legal, medical, interpreting, translating, and other business applications. I suppose I could take the Secondary, but how would such a certification be viewed? My other concern is that while there is no preparation materials, the exam looks very simplified with a multiple choice exam. I'm not sure if it's propaganda or fact, but the website also ascertains that it is the industry standard for certifications and is recognized nationwide.

Finally, there is the ATA or "American Translators Association". This requires the most work and finances. First they require you to be a member. Then once you're a member, you can take their qualification exam. Now, it's possible I could be a member of ATA without taking their certification exam. Now it is possible I could get certified in LCI or CTP and also be a member of ATA, but in looking at the ATA directory, I don't really see a spot where you could identify any other certification than ATA.

At any rate, I do intend to get certified so I can better market myself as a virtual administrative assistant and translator in addition to providing free student financial aid advice. My goal is to get certified before the end of this month or within the next four months. I know with CTP, I can't test until May. Eventually, I will create a separate page to list myself as a virtual administrative assistant and translator (English/Spanish of course).

Virtual Assistant

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:00:48 +0100

I would like to be your virtual assistant. What is a virtual assistant, and what does she do? A virtual assistant is someone who works from home to complete tasks for a company that can easily be done outside of the office. Assuming that some tasks can only be completed when one has a thorough understanding of a specific company, it is expected that a virtual assitant would travel up to 100 miles each way to spend some time training; however after the training has been completed, she would return home to complete the necessary tasks.

I have included my résumé below so that you may see my qualifications; however to simplify things, I have listed the following as tasks I feel confident to complete for you. Please note I have over 15 years' experience in various administrative roles that can easily transfer into tasks that you need.

Answering Emails, Mail, & Phone Calls
Article Distribution
Article Research
Article Writing
Audio Editing
Audio Recording
Autoresponder Set Up & Writing
Blog Post Writing
Brochure Copy & Design
Chat Room Moderation
Copy Editing
Customer Support
Data Entry
Database Maintenance
Document Formatting
Ebook/Report Proofreading
Information Product Research
Interviews
Keyword Research
Manual & User Guide writing
Market Potential Research
Message Board Moderation & Posting
Newsletter Writing & Proofreading
Product Reviews
Proofreading
Report Writing
Scheduling Appointments & Interviews
Social Networking Management
Spreadsheet Set Up & Maintenance
Survey Set Up & Maintenance
Testimonial Collection & Publishing
Translation (English to Spanish/Spanish to English)
Website Proofreading
Word Processing

If a job requires a few hours a week (read >30 hrs), I charge a fee of $35/hour. If a job requires at least 30 hours a week, I charge a flat fee of $600/week. Please contact me at deborah@acquiringexcellence.com for any additional information about any of the above tasks, and be sure to check out my résumé below.

résumé