"Looking out my Back door"
Enjoying Credence Clearwater Revival
Reading what Others are Saying About Me
| WELCOME |
I am a teacher and have been one for 29 years. I teach Senior students about Information Technology, Video and Film, Business and Life at Tamanawis High School in Surrey, BC, Canada. I also teach in the Masters Program of Phoenix University, Vancouver BC campus. About meI am within three years of my retirement, and as I look back over my work history, I take pride in the number of divesified careers I have enjoyed. I enjoyed the humor of the following as it sums up some of my thoughts towards work and where it can take us.
Your ideas and suggestions are important to us. Let us know if you have a favorite site that you would like to see on this site. page, you can email me and I will look at it. However if you visit my Free For All Education and Travel Page! you can add pages yourself
You can chat to others and let them know your views on Travel and Education (site ideas, general comments etc, can be added here) by Visiting My Message Board! You can also give me your links, ideas and thoughts by sending me an Email.
Your ideas and suggestions are important to us. Let us know if you have a favorite site that you would like to see on this site. page, I will look at them or you can add them yourself on my Free For All Education and Travel Page! You can also add links that you think would be interesting to others and to help you do this you can give your views by visiting My Message Board! Hosted by Hosted Scripts You can also give us your links, ideas and thoughts please Email Me! The following news article gives some background on me: | ||
Royce Shook helped develop Information Technology curriculum for British Columbia |
City University students are doing some pretty amazing things with the knowledge they're gaining through their courses. Take for example Royce Shook, a graduate of the university's Master of Education in Educational Technology program. His final project has been adopted as the new mandated technology-based curriculum for all elementary and secondary schools in British Columbia. More backgroundShook, served as Curriculum Coordinator of Information Technology for the Ministry of Education in BC. He credits City University's program for demonstrating technology's teaching potential, not only in how to apply computers in the classroom, but also how to incorporate video, CD-ROM, MIDI recording and digital scanners. "The coming together of those pieces gave me a broader definition of information technology," he says. "It opened my eyes."City University's program focuses on the hands-on technology training teachers need. It prepares its graduates to function as "internal consultants" to their schools and districts, and is offered in the districts in which its students are already working. Students in the program are required to complete a final project, which can range from constructing a Web site to producing a video. For his project, Shook drew up plans for a curriculum that would incorporate the various forms of technology he had been learning about. His project impressed B.C. province officials enough to adopt it as the mandated curriculum for the province's 500,000 students. Where the state-of-the-art courses of the '80s taught "computer studies" and "key boarding," the new B.C. curriculum engages more new tools at earlier grade levels. One class might require students to generate a slide show, in presentation software with a sound track, about a field trip. Another might have students creating a social-issues video, then designing a survey (created and tabulated in a database) for measuring the video's effectiveness on its audience, and presenting the results in a graphic format. Or, students could be assigned to submit letters to the editor via e-mail to an on line newspaper. Students in the upper grades might research career opportunities on the Internet, code and document a program in Hyper Talk or Pascal, request copyright permission for the use of an image, or write a user manual. "Kids are really the experts with new technology," he says. "So in this curriculum, teachers can also learn from the students. They can put themselves in the role of learner, which gives students an opportunity to shine." The curriculum will be formally adopted next year, although it is available now for teachers to begin implementing. "There are some concerns about money for implementing some of the equipment, but mostly people have said, 'it's about time.' Education doesn't use new technology enough, and we've got to take drastic steps." Shook has advised other curriculum coordinators in building educational technology into their designs. And he acknowledges City University's program for the tools he has gained. "Overall, the program helped tremendously because of the ability we had to work with our peers, who are doing really exciting things. It was a catalyst for me." The rest of this page is taken from the introductions to the various seminars that I give. The seminars are:
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FREE LESSON PLANS FOR TEACHERS |
To help other teachers I offer a series of
slideshows called The World Wide Web
and the Internet an Introduction that I created for
my stduents on how the web works. Feel free to use it, but if you
do, please let me know.
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VISIT MY ON-LINE STORES |
I have just opened an on-line store. The
first is The Teachers
Store a collection of products that I think will help
teachers in the classroom.
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Travel Ideas |
I also believe that travel is one of the best educational experience a person can have. We learn about new areas, and about other people while having fun. I have put together travel links to over 100 countries, 250 Airlines, 150 Airports and other great holiday planning resources from around the world to help you plan your travels and vacations. |
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Save Money |
To help you save money I have linked to a very good currency converter and a great currency cheat sheet which you can print out and carry with you when you travel. Just choose your destination and enjoy! | ||
"Introduction to the Seminar: Lessons from the Geese."A recent study of 600 teachers compiled statistics on the types of teaching tools teachers preferred for classroom use. This survey found that teachers generally find the Internet does not provide material in a convenient, age-appropriate, activity-based format for immediate use in the classroom. A large block of teachers--22.4% strongly disagreed with the Internet being a useful tool for teaching, while only 25.3% agreed the Internet is beneficial. Over 90% said they often used print over any other teaching medium. Video was used often by 38.5%, software 35.6%, CD_ROM 23.3%, Internet 12.3% and laser disk, 3.4%. Seventy percent said the primary reason behind the limited use of electronic teaching aids was the lack of availability. Only 11% said they needed more training on the Internet. The challenge for students, teachers, and parents is to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of information literacy and the tools required to prepare for, and participate in, an evolving information-based society. We all need a firm understanding and grounding in information technology for our career, for lifelong learning, and for recreation. This grounding for young people should come from the school and from teachers, and there is hope. The primary goal of these seminars is to assist you the Internet Educator and Trainer in explaining fundamental concepts related to the Internet and associated technologies in a simple and non-technical way. This will pave the way for improving productivity and more effective utilization of the Internet by students, teachers, and others. There are thousands of examples of educators who are using these tools with students, however, these innovators have been frustrated in there ability to get other educators on line. The majority of educators want tools and resources that they can use with ease and they want examples of how others are doing IT already. A typical school has a computer lab with enough computers for a class of students to work individually. These computers are networked but the network is used for managing instruction, distributing software, scheduling, and monitoring student progress. Little if any network use is for finding information from outside the classroom or school building. A recent Computers in Education study found that of 175 senior high schools sampled, more than 40% had networks. However, half these networks were limited to one room, less than 20% were used for electronic mail, and less than 10% were used to find information from outside the local school network. To change this, educators need to view themselves as facilitators of learning, they need to learn to use new tools, they need to require astute interpersonal skills and finally develop new classroom management skills. What makes change work for educators is strongly related to what extent educators interact with each other, and how they interact with the people providing technical help. Within the school, respect between educators, and their willingness to help each other and offer support, are a strong indicator of implementation success. In fact, virtually every research study on the topic of educational change has found this to be the case. We believe that educators are up to the task that is in front of them. Educators need to be prepared for the successful use of technology as a teaching tool. However, information and training for those educators interested in developing the tools of Information Technology, including the Internet, as teaching/learning tools is not readily available. The demand for more advanced Internet Training is becoming more apparent as people begin to overcome their fear of the Internet and the technology required to bring them to it. The above is from the Seminar in Print Series "Lessons from the Geese" and is presented here along with the links we have found as a service. If you are interested in more information please Email Me! "Introduction to the Seminar: Finding Your Ideal Position."At the end of your formal training or schooling you will either be working, or unemployed. If you wish to be among the former, then proper planning will help you succeed. We know that we will provide you with ideas and skills that will work for you as they have done for many others. One of the leading authorities on Career Planning and Job Hunting states there is a UNIVERSAL HIRING RULE that goes something like this: Any Employer will hire any applicant. All the applicant has to do is convince the employer that they will bring to the position more value than they cost. All you have to do is convince your prospective employer that you will bring more value to them than you will be paid. Sounds simple, but.... how do you do it? Get an interview with someone who has the
authority to hire you, and convince them!
Interviews, however, are not easy to get. What we have done, therefore is put together material that will aid you in that task. When job hunting, remember that you are not looking for just any job vacancy. It is important that you try to find our as much as possible about any position before taking it. You need to do your research. Richard Bolles introduced the concept of the Information Interview and it is a great way to learn about yourself and any companies you may be thinking of applying to. I strongly recommend to any person looking for work that they read "What Color is Your Parachute" by Richard Bolles. This is, in my mind, one of the best, if not the best, approaches to finding a position that will fulfill you as a person. The above is from the Seminar in Print "Career Planning" and is presented here along with the links we have found as a service. If you are interested in more information pleaseEmail Me! "Introduction to the Seminar: Marketing Your Business--Tips, Strategies, and Ideas that Work"Why does a consumer choose your product over your competition? This may appear as an easy question but the answer is tough. Look in the yellow pages, how many competitors do you have? Why do people choose your product over your competitors? Is it their perception of the product or their personal attitudes that make the difference? You need to know the answers to this question to survive and prosper in your business.Consumer decision making is a logical process and can be tracked. People are smart, they do what is in their best interest, based on the information that they have. To convince your customer that you have the service, product or idea that will meet their need, you have to give them information that make sense to them and that will motivate them to buy your product. The consumer always makes the right decision when they purchase a product. You should understand that even if the decision turns out later to be wrong; it was still the right decision at the time of purchase. The consumer decides based on information available to them at the time of the purchase. If you want to influence the consumer, you must give the consumer information they can use. You must help them process this information, and make sure that they generate an outcome favourable to you. This is a dynamic process and one that you, as a business person should be aware of and understand.
Every time we compliment their purchase we reward their initial decision. What the consumer learns from the experience becomes part of their past. They use that experience the next time they have to buy a product. Successful marketing requires quick adaption to a changing marketplace creatively. You have a responsibility to help the consumer solve their problem. It is in the best interest of the consumer and in your best interest to convince them that they will solve their problem by buying your product. The above is from the Seminar in Print: "Marketing" and is presented here along with the links we have found as a service. If you are interested in more information pleaseEmail Me! "Introduction to the Seminar: Starting Your Business--Tips, Strategies, and Ideas that Work"Are you thinking about starting a business, before you start, consider this question. WILL STARTING MY OWN BUSINESS HELP ME REACH MY PERSONAL GOALS? If your answer is yes, we can provide you with material, and ideas will help you achieve your goal. If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider your business or personal plans. To be successful today we must be versatile. As the world changes around us we need to know how to adjust to changing circumstances. We must capitalize on any new and exciting opportunities that come our way. In a changing world it is a matter of survival to change your way of thinking and doing. I believe that becoming more adaptable helps you become more successful in both personal and business undertakings. I suggest you always be on the outlook for new ideas to help stimulate your growth. To get started here is a problem.
SBIAXNLAENTATERS
Instructions: To solve the puzzle cross out six letters PS: There are three correct answers. Once you find the first one, look for the second and third answers. If you are stuck Email Me! and I will supply you with one of the answers. One of the most common questions I have been asked over the last fourteen years is "How do I get started?" The answer is easy. Buy some business cards, advertise or start selling your product, service, or idea at a profit. You are then operating as a sole proprietorship. It's very easy to get started in business, however, to be successful takes: discipline, courage and energy. There are three ways of going into business:
The above is from the introduction to the Seminar in Print: "Starting a Business" and is presented here along with the links we have found as a service to the many people who have asked us. I have delivered these and other seminars to thousands of people over the last fourteen years. I am presenting this information as a service for the many people who have asked me. If you are interested in more information, Email Me!  |