Becoming a Millennial

216. Why Doesn't God do More Miracles?

Have you wished, as I have, that God would do more miracles? -- that He would demonstrate His reality by an amazing healing, or a dramatic intervention in nature, or a lottery win that would net you a million dollars?  This morning I read Job 38 and it struck me that if the miracles God has placed before us each day don't register, then probably nothing will.   

Consider the EYE -- high definition, 3-D, millions of colors, autofocus, pan in all directions, 80-year mean time of failure.  Compare it with fuzzy, pixelated webcam technology which we find so amazing ... and tell me the eye is not a miracle. 

Consider the BRAIN with its processing power, memory banks, low power requirements, never needs an upgrade ... and tell me the brain is not a miracle.

What about SNOW ...

or a SUN that is never too hot ... OCEANS that stay within their bounds ...

or the way BABIES are made ... and the associated perks.

I'm not sure we need any more miracles.

215. A Wiki-ized University?

I pass on a fascinating article in the Jan/Feb 2009 Educause Review, Higher Education and the Logic of Wikinomics, by David J. Staley.  Success of a wiki-ized educational platform depends on a spirit of volunteerism ... but isn't that what most educators possess?  If any of us were in it for the money we would have gotten out a long time ago!  I think we are going to see some exciting innovations in education in the days ahead.

214. Wireless Laptops in the Classroom

  At Taylor University all of our classrooms have wireless.  This fall we began encouraging faculty to take advantage of the fact that 95% of TU students have a laptop to turn their classroom into a "computer lab" on those days when they want to give a Blackboard exam, etc.  Several have done this successfully with classes as large as 25-30 students.  An accounting professor had her students bring in their laptops all semester long to work on in-class Excel problems.  We have found that our wireless supports an entire classroom of laptops for these types of applications.  For those few students who don't have a laptop (generally 2-3 in a class) the ETC has a handful of loaners.   

Do we have faculty struggling with the issue of students multitasking with their laptops?  Certainly, and it's an ongoing discussion.  Professors establish various laptop guidelines to suit their teaching styles.  We're working hard to help faculty view student laptops as an asset and not a threat.  Think back to the electronic calculator in secondary math classes in the 80's. 

213. Help Rescue a Culture

The times they are a changin'.  Watch this powerful video, Did You Know?  Should be a wake-up call to us in America.  Our culture has grown lazy and "entitled".  The days of easy prosperity with little personal effort are quickly passing away.  Our challenge as educators is to help rescue a culture.