I'm not a physicist, but I love to read about physics... the popular media, that is - not the actual journals. I enjoyed Brian Greene's work with string theory (though I don't think it's science) and liked a lot of the work that Hawking has done. The debates about various theories are neat to watch. In physics, science seems quite pure: they have data that are usually quite precise but get mixed up when you have to deal with quantum effects. Then the debates start. Each side is very articulate and does a great job with defending their positions. I'm sort of like a spectator in a boxing match. I go "ooh" and "ah" as each contender puts forward their ideas.
I have been intrigued by the Higgs Boson or "God Particle" mostly because I don't understand it. I know that finding it will make one side very happy and the other side very sad. I'm also astounded by the manpower and money that's gone into finding it - it's a high-stakes endeavor!
This animation did a great job consolidating the ideas about how science is done.
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Explore IT today!
This is a great program to show grade 9 girls from the Calgary area all about careers in information technology. My section is called "Gene Hunter". I guide them through it using a website: http://www2.mtroyal.ca/~tnickle/ExploreIT
Feel free to check it out!
Feel free to check it out!
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Multimedia. Within multimedia! Wooo!
For my Faculty Learning Community (FLC or "Flick") we're exploring next-generation technologies. We've been challenged to see how we can integrate the newest technologies to reimagine exercises, delivery methods, ways to keep in contact with students, and even ways to grade student work.
The obvious use of an iPad or Asus tablet is to hook it up to a projector and show a room full of people what's on it. That can be interesting, and if you've got a special app that only runs on that tablet, then it's somewhat innovative.
One thing we've been less successful at is in changing the way a class of people can interact. We already have clickers (so they're NOT next-generation, at least in my own opinion). There are smart phone apps that double as clickers... new-ish, but it won't set the world on fire. One thing we wanted was peer-to-peer connectivity so that students could update the teacher's device, perhaps showing up on the screen. The iPad/iPhone app "Whiteboard" can do this, but only when peer-to-peer is working (so, not at MRU, but it works great in my house on its wireless connection).
Here's what I've got that's a bit new. Using a blog with multimedia assets. And now I've created the Frankenmovie. It's got the Mac's Screenflow program displaying iPad's ExplainEverything on it!
I'm going to have some fun with this, I think!
The obvious use of an iPad or Asus tablet is to hook it up to a projector and show a room full of people what's on it. That can be interesting, and if you've got a special app that only runs on that tablet, then it's somewhat innovative.
One thing we've been less successful at is in changing the way a class of people can interact. We already have clickers (so they're NOT next-generation, at least in my own opinion). There are smart phone apps that double as clickers... new-ish, but it won't set the world on fire. One thing we wanted was peer-to-peer connectivity so that students could update the teacher's device, perhaps showing up on the screen. The iPad/iPhone app "Whiteboard" can do this, but only when peer-to-peer is working (so, not at MRU, but it works great in my house on its wireless connection).
Here's what I've got that's a bit new. Using a blog with multimedia assets. And now I've created the Frankenmovie. It's got the Mac's Screenflow program displaying iPad's ExplainEverything on it!
I'm going to have some fun with this, I think!
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Technology test drive
Three I'm standing in front of a bunch of people were wondering why am talking to my cell phone. This is an example of how we would use the technology test drive to disseminate ideas about teaching theory.
Monday, 5 March 2012
RNAi video
I'm about to go to class and found this really great video! It's about RNA interference. I'm going to embed this here so that I can more easily find it during class.
Friday, 24 February 2012
Salps
I've always loved the diversity course I taught. I was able to get really excited about the strange evolutionary connections between us and other creatures.
One of the most fascinating is the connection between the tunicates and us. We're clearly vertebrates. But roll back the evolutionary paths and we converge with a group that retained primitive characteristics. They look like jellyfish - but are anything but!
Here's a video my friend Lex passed along showing examples of tunicates:
One of the most fascinating is the connection between the tunicates and us. We're clearly vertebrates. But roll back the evolutionary paths and we converge with a group that retained primitive characteristics. They look like jellyfish - but are anything but!
Here's a video my friend Lex passed along showing examples of tunicates:
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Descriminating pathogen gene origin
I wasn't sure where to put this, so this page seems like a good one.
In class we were looking at how to distinguish the pathogenicity of an E. coli bacterium responsible for "hamburger disease". This shows you how to use the software.
To see more detail, click on the YouTube logo in the bottom-right corner and view this full-screen from the YouTube site. Unfortunately full-screen doesn't seem to work in Blogger.
Good luck!
In class we were looking at how to distinguish the pathogenicity of an E. coli bacterium responsible for "hamburger disease". This shows you how to use the software.
To see more detail, click on the YouTube logo in the bottom-right corner and view this full-screen from the YouTube site. Unfortunately full-screen doesn't seem to work in Blogger.
Good luck!
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