Yes, our life is a continous educational journey, it is our learning environment
Author: Carlos F Mantilla P
Comment on Weekly Pessimism: Carr’s Nightmare & Google’s Perfection by Carlos F Mantilla P
mmmm, I didn’t read Carr’s article, I had read some of the others and when I got there I was like, I have enough material for my blog… now I am curious and will probably read it, even with some spoilers, perhaps I will just skim through it? I think that concentration and mindfulness can really help, we just need to be willing to do our part and leave the distractions away, easier said than done, sure…but not impossible… when I have committed to work, I have been able to find good balance… with computer, you know everything is out there to get distracted, but make your life harder to look at thinks…download a web blocker app and put Facebook in there, or whatever else you constantly check… I still have hopes for newer generations, or perhaps is a matter of adapting, as long as we manage to survive and have a planet to live, then other behaviors can change… scary times nevertheless
Comment on Week 12: insert interesting title by Carlos F Mantilla P
Hi, so I think closing the laptop might help, but then you would have to say “phones off” as well, otherwise no difference, you can do the same things with your phone, under the table if needed… Perhaps the better question is, why would students do those activities instead of being active in class? If they ask questions that have been already addressed, I would not answer them again, that way hopefully they will be paying attention next time, otherwise the cycle would continue
Comment on Language⇌Image⇌Action by Carlos F Mantilla P
Hi Yang, thanks for sharing a little about the art studio class. I think I would like Professor Travis, hahaha. That type of exercise seems very interesting, and perhaps students feel not too comfortable about it, but in the long run I am sure they will see the benefits… it is like be prepared for the unexpected to happen, assuming one can truly do that.
Comment on Research misconduct: how many more? by Carlos F Mantilla P
Hi Armin, thanks for your comment, and apologies for not getting back earlier. I think we could debate about the pressure of publishing and other potential reasons, but the root of the problem is what really needs to be reached. The core values of people, their principles, their morality, their ethics. If people with low ethics end up as scientists, then we could be in trouble
Comment on Who Knows How to Use a Screw Driver? by Carlos F Mantilla P
Amazing post, liked the combination of images and short text. The “interview” was eye catching for me. I personally don’t like multiple choice exams, everytime I had one it was a strugle. I guess it could work some times, but what is wrong with leaving open answers? sad if the answer is: “more grading to do”, which I have actually heard…and yes to incremental learning
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Comment on Jigsaw-Zigsaw: An Adventure for Every GEDI by Carlos F Mantilla P
So I am coming late to the party, and probably I will repeat what others have said (because I did not read all the comments). I am in Civil Engineering, and even in our same program you find diversity everywhere, including how professors approach to teach the same course. Yet, as Sneha pointed out, it seems that what is being taught/discuss ends up being the same, and has remained the same for many years, with changes in form (chalk board to powerpoints, maybe to online courses) but not in substance, the professor still delivers what it is believe to be important. Not sure who said it, but we need more interdisciplinary teaching, we could strive for professors switching sections, designing problems that involve analysis of environmental and social impacts, and not just the physics of it.
Comment on Let’s erase DIVERSITY and INCLUSION by Carlos F Mantilla P
Well MA, that could be the million dollar question…without over simplifying, I would trust that people would not exclude or that would try to include as much as possible, rather than relying on the system to do it for you…again the words don’t really matter at the end, but how you act
Comment on Let’s erase DIVERSITY and INCLUSION by Carlos F Mantilla P
Hi Nicole, thank you for your comment. Indeed, getting into this kind of talks is necessary. I think it allows us to see other perspectives and understand point of views. When I was writing my post this week, I had another “strategy” on mind, I was going to talk about… anyways I didn’t really plan to take this “controversial” approach, but then I felt like writing about this instead of just talking could be better, at least I was able to think twice what word I wanted to use, even if sometimes the word doesn’t matter because there is still a tone behind the text. Like you said, it can be hard to not be offensive. I really appreciate the comments, the more we talk the more our minds are open to other perspectives, and I think that should be the ultimate goal, not to necessarily convince the other person about your view, but to leave everyone thinking about it… I think at the end what I want is a world where words like DIVERSITY and INCLUSION are not needed to be emphasized, because they will not be needed, all will have equal opportunity access, pipelines would be better designed, diversity would be truly embraced… utopia?
Comment on Let’s erase DIVERSITY and INCLUSION by Carlos F Mantilla P
Dr. Nelson, yes we should continue to talk about these issues, and we should continue to provide opportunities for all, recognizing as you said our uniqueness and different paths taken… we also need to work on the root of the issues so that in the future being diverse, being inclusive is “second nature”, that it will happen without it needing to be “forced”…so reaching an ideal world. … And with your comment, I realized that I kept my taking on diversity, at the perhaps superficial level, of different ethnic backgrounds, gender, etc without accounting for the diverse paths, the privileges/disadvantages… so that is the other component how people perceive diversity? what is the first thing that comes to mind? do we recognize the depth of meaning?
