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November, 2009


Maxims
Date : 11-19 20:12:
Views: 1731
Comments : 0
Topic :Aphorisms
Aphorisms
Date : 11-17 13:25:
Views: 1017
Comments : 0
Topic :Aphorisms
Review of The Lexicographer's Dilemma
Date : 11-03 19:51:
Views: 5315
Comments : 0
Topic :Books


gpullman@gsu.edu
Published: 08-04 2008
Title: Why learn to write or think?
Topic: CTW

Interesting rant over there at "Building a Software Company" about an incompetent and inarticulate VP for sales. It is called "How to Hire an Idiot."  There's a really wonderful piece about the need for effective writing towards the end of the narrative. It's too full of explitives to quote and length here but worth a click. (link). Well, maybe just a taste.
I started reading this thing and my face dropped in horror. It was the writing of a grade schooler. I'm no professional writer either, but... it was absolutely awful. Simplistic writing, full of cliches, full of grammatical errors, and absolutely lacking in any structure. It was just random thoughts strung together, topics bouncing around from idea to idea from one sentence to the next. There was no exposition of the customer's problem and how we were going to solve it, it was just him gushing about how "great" our product is and how "lots" of people like it. It was dizzying to read because there was no logic behind it -- it was along the lines of "This product is great. You will like this product, guaranteed. It has feature A. Feature C is great because it's so easy to use! It has feature B. The other great thing about feature C is tons of people told us they love it. Tons. It has feature D." (New paragraph)... on and on for 15 pages.



Published: 07-22 2008
Title: Highschoolers and short answer essays
Topic: CTW

Article about texas kids having trouble reading a passage and then writing about it using critical thinking skills. Calls in to question teaching methods based on test scores. link


Published: 07-18 2008
Title: Levels of accomplishment
Topic: CTW

A four point operationalized scale from least to most accomplished.

knows the material -- can repeat what was said and done in class

can use the material -- can apply the material to new situations or create new tasks

can infer and predict from the material -- can explain the material, its development and future or trajectory

can create new material -- can add to the body of knowledge, at least in some small way (undergrads after all)




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