Dr Suess

The subject I have chosen to do first for my study is called Computer Based Resources In Education. I figured that even though I don't have an actual class as such, I do have these 2 technologically minded sons that I homeschool, so thought I would enjoy this subject. I started off very tentatively as I was unsure of so many things to do with studying after finishing my first degree 25 years ago!! I'm sure I am not THAT old??

I am enjoying it now that I have decided to do what I tell the kids - be yourself and do your best!

A task we had to do was chose an historical figure we could identify with and how they would have used the internet. I couldn't think of anyone to identify with... so ended up on the internet (how appropriate!) searching for historical figures.

This is my response to the task -
I ended up choosing Theodor Suess Giesel or Dr Suess. We have many things in common - love to write, enjoy nonsensical words, love bright and wacky illustrations and always like to see a positive message in things. I think Theodor would have loved the internet. Imagine the possibilities? He could have made interactive characters come alive on the screen for millions of people. He could have surfed the net and found enough to make hundreds more crazy characters and zany drawings. Imagine what fun it would be to read his thoughts on twitter?
My lecturer ( I think that is her title) posted a reply in response and included the following poem by Dr Suess on computers. I love it... as does the rest of my Dr Suess loving family. I hope you do too?

If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report.

If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash,
and the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash,
and your data is corrupted 'cause the index doesn't hash,
then your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash!

If the label on the cable on the table at your house,
says the network is connected to the button on your mouse,
but your packets want to tunnel on another protocol,
that's repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall,

and your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss,
so your icons in the window are as wavy as a souse,
then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang,
'cause as sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang!

When the copy of your floppy's getting sloppy on the disk,
and the microcode instructions cause unnecessary risk,
then you have to flash your memory and you'll want to RAM your ROM.
Quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your mom.

Don't you just love that!? Of course I had to look up what a gauss is... here is a definition.

The gauss, abbreviated as G, is the cgs unit of measurement of a magnetic field B (which is also known as the "magnetic flux density", or the "magnetic induction"), named after the German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss. One gauss is defined as one maxwell per square centimeter.

So now you know too!!

And a souse? souse 1 (sous) v. soused, sous·ing, sous·es. v. tr. 1. To plunge into a liquid. 2. To make soaking wet; drench. 3. To steep in a mixture, as in pickling.

Not so sure this fits the poem but then Dr Suess was reknown for his use of non-existent words!

Righto gotta go...

Ciao, Kathryn

Study Time

Well this confirmed natural learner has gone back to school! Yep I have enrolled in a Postgraduate Certificate of Education. I already have my teaching degree but thought it would be a good example to set for my children to do some serious study. If I survive the four units for this I will go on and do another four units and than when I decide to return to teaching I will have a Masters degree to wave around!!
Gregory has also enrolled in some serious study -a unit through Open Uni. He is pretty impressed with himself for starting a Uni subject at only just 15 and this has gotten him through the very steep learning curve he had to begin with. He has chosen a Philosophy subject which means there are some seriously deep and meaningful discussions going on in this house!!
Part of my Uni subject is to start a blog - woohoo I am ahead there!! About the only thing I feel ahead on though... who had the bright idea that she had time to do study??? Yikes - talk about serious committment!!
Anyway the good thing is that I won't be neglecting my blog so much now.
Ok, off to do some more study - will be back soon to fill you all in the first 2 months of the year.
Ciao, Kathryn