Comments for Disparate http://enkerli.wordpress.com A bilingual blog on disparate subjects. Un blogue disparate bilingue. Wed, 14 May 2008 19:11:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Instructors and Open Textbooks by Carl http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/08/29/instructors-and-open-textbooks/#comment-45177 Carl Wed, 14 May 2008 18:40:42 +0000 https://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/08/29/instructors-and-open-textbooks/#comment-45177 Random thoughts loosely on topic: Our world history text recently changed edition. World history has not changed much in the last three years, nor has its interpretation. The main functional alteration was to have some editorial hack go through and rewrite a bunch of nice clear sentences, making them longer and baroquer. This helpfully changed the pagination. Teachers who use the instructor manuals and testbanks are lazy, incompetent, or both. They should be instantly fired, except that bad adjuncts are often so hard to find, let alone good ones. And the good ones keep leaving because they get better jobs or move back to Canada. Random thoughts loosely on topic:

Our world history text recently changed edition. World history has not changed much in the last three years, nor has its interpretation. The main functional alteration was to have some editorial hack go through and rewrite a bunch of nice clear sentences, making them longer and baroquer. This helpfully changed the pagination.

Teachers who use the instructor manuals and testbanks are lazy, incompetent, or both. They should be instantly fired, except that bad adjuncts are often so hard to find, let alone good ones. And the good ones keep leaving because they get better jobs or move back to Canada.

]]> Comment on GERD and Stress by enkerli http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-45168 enkerli Wed, 14 May 2008 17:13:52 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-45168 If they determine surgery is the best option, it can be a good way to solve the problem. People I heard talk about this surgical procedure described it as something pretty straightforward and which has good results. If they determine there are other options besides surgery or if they advise you to wait, as much as it may hurt, it's probably a good idea to heed their advice. In other words, trust your doctors. This is an area in which expertise is well-established and they won't make harsh decisions on a whim. One problem we often have is that, because it hurts, we want the fastest treatment possible. If they determine surgery is the best option, it can be a good way to solve the problem. People I heard talk about this surgical procedure described it as something pretty straightforward and which has good results.
If they determine there are other options besides surgery or if they advise you to wait, as much as it may hurt, it’s probably a good idea to heed their advice.
In other words, trust your doctors. This is an area in which expertise is well-established and they won’t make harsh decisions on a whim. One problem we often have is that, because it hurts, we want the fastest treatment possible.

]]> Comment on GERD and Stress by krishna http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-45167 krishna Wed, 14 May 2008 17:05:47 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-45167 Thanks a lot! I will have my PH study on 18th June and after that they will decide whether i need surgery or not.....I want to do surgery. Thanks a lot! I will have my PH study on 18th June and after that they will decide whether i need surgery or not…..I want to do surgery.

]]> Comment on GERD and Stress by enkerli http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-45166 enkerli Wed, 14 May 2008 15:56:18 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-45166 @Krishna Well, your doctor should be able to tell you about what this means. My guess is that these are straightforward symptoms that you're having chronic reflux but that other tests are needed to determine what should be done. Of course, I'm not a doctor. @Krishna Well, your doctor should be able to tell you about what this means. My guess is that these are straightforward symptoms that you’re having chronic reflux but that other tests are needed to determine what should be done.
Of course, I’m not a doctor.

]]> Comment on GERD and Stress by krishna http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-45163 krishna Wed, 14 May 2008 15:27:23 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-45163 Hi I have been suffering from GERD for more than 10 years. Now in my esophagus biopsy it says that " Gastric type mucosa with acuta and cronic inflamation" Does Gastric mucosa generally present in esophagus? Please let me know, if anyone know. Thanks krishna Hi
I have been suffering from GERD for more than 10 years. Now in my esophagus biopsy it says that ” Gastric type mucosa with acuta and cronic inflamation” Does Gastric mucosa generally present in esophagus? Please let me know, if anyone know.
Thanks
krishna

]]> Comment on Instructors and Open Textbooks by enkerli http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/08/29/instructors-and-open-textbooks/#comment-45098 enkerli Wed, 14 May 2008 01:20:10 +0000 https://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/08/29/instructors-and-open-textbooks/#comment-45098 @Mark What's funny is that even though it's an old post, I was thinking about textbook costs just today. My opinions haven't changed much and I still wonder how much textbook production really costs. Publishers keep saying it's very costly but apart from the bells and whistles, I'm really not sure what costs so much. Especially given the fact that teachers already create a lot of material on their own and textbooks are typically not as flawless as they should be. What gets me the most is that the complementary material, which often serves as a selling point, is often quite ineffective. PowerPoint slides, testbanks, instructor manuals, Web links... The other thing, and actually the main reason I started thinking about open textbooks, back in 2003, is that some chapters are typically much less adequate because their topics fall quite a bit outside the (typically lone) author's areas of expertise. For instance, as a linguistic anthropologist, I often have a lot to criticize chapters on language in textbooks for cultural anthropology or sociology. What's worse, many textbooks give very little space to perspectives outside of the author's own and students aren't encouraged to practice critical thinking. Sure, some textbooks are written by multiple authors. But, even then, voices don't come through and we're left with a falsely neutral perspective. I just moved back to Montreal from Austin. Because "Texas" has been a tag on several of my posts, it might be the reason this post was tagged as "possibly related." Texas is a very specific market. It'd make sense to publish textbooks locally, partly because the market is big enough and partly because of some specific requirements. It might be an old post but the topic is quite current! ;-) @Mark What’s funny is that even though it’s an old post, I was thinking about textbook costs just today. My opinions haven’t changed much and I still wonder how much textbook production really costs. Publishers keep saying it’s very costly but apart from the bells and whistles, I’m really not sure what costs so much. Especially given the fact that teachers already create a lot of material on their own and textbooks are typically not as flawless as they should be.
What gets me the most is that the complementary material, which often serves as a selling point, is often quite ineffective. PowerPoint slides, testbanks, instructor manuals, Web links…
The other thing, and actually the main reason I started thinking about open textbooks, back in 2003, is that some chapters are typically much less adequate because their topics fall quite a bit outside the (typically lone) author’s areas of expertise. For instance, as a linguistic anthropologist, I often have a lot to criticize chapters on language in textbooks for cultural anthropology or sociology. What’s worse, many textbooks give very little space to perspectives outside of the author’s own and students aren’t encouraged to practice critical thinking. Sure, some textbooks are written by multiple authors. But, even then, voices don’t come through and we’re left with a falsely neutral perspective.
I just moved back to Montreal from Austin. Because “Texas” has been a tag on several of my posts, it might be the reason this post was tagged as “possibly related.”
Texas is a very specific market. It’d make sense to publish textbooks locally, partly because the market is big enough and partly because of some specific requirements.
It might be an old post but the topic is quite current! ;-)

]]> Comment on Instructors and Open Textbooks by Mark Long http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/08/29/instructors-and-open-textbooks/#comment-45080 Mark Long Tue, 13 May 2008 19:28:47 +0000 https://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/08/29/instructors-and-open-textbooks/#comment-45080 One possibility is just to produce cheaper textbooks. I was a college English teacher for about ten years but thankfully our school--a public two-year technical college in Texas--decided to start its own in-house publishing division four years ago. Our books don't have all the bells and whistles--most of which, imho, equate little added value to students or faculty but do perform the valuable task for corporate textbook publishers of reducing/negating resale value--but they do typically have a retail price of $40-$60 for a 250-age textbook. (I know I'm getting into this discussion at a late date but I just came across this post from one those "possibly related posts" link from our Wordpress blog.) One possibility is just to produce cheaper textbooks. I was a college English teacher for about ten years but thankfully our school–a public two-year technical college in Texas–decided to start its own in-house publishing division four years ago. Our books don’t have all the bells and whistles–most of which, imho, equate little added value to students or faculty but do perform the valuable task for corporate textbook publishers of reducing/negating resale value–but they do typically have a retail price of $40-$60 for a 250-age textbook.

(I know I’m getting into this discussion at a late date but I just came across this post from one those “possibly related posts” link from our WordPress blog.)

]]> Comment on iPod/iTunes Shuffle Mode Really Totally Random? by enkerli http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2005/03/29/ipoditunes-shuffle-mode-really-totally-random/#comment-44918 enkerli Sun, 11 May 2008 18:07:20 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2005/03/29/ipoditunes-shuffle-mode-really-totally-random/#comment-44918 @Dave The official word has always been that the algorithm itself was producing "totally random" results. What gets me, though, is that the algorithm is always deterministic and that the degree of randomness isn't ever perfect. So, it's still possible that the clustering effects we notice are a function of our pattern perception, yet we have no way to tell. There have been experiments done, over the years. I'd call the results inconclusive, in part because they occur with limited playlists. I still think there might be a clustering effect happening because of times at which different tracks have been added to a library. @Dave The official word has always been that the algorithm itself was producing “totally random” results. What gets me, though, is that the algorithm is always deterministic and that the degree of randomness isn’t ever perfect. So, it’s still possible that the clustering effects we notice are a function of our pattern perception, yet we have no way to tell.
There have been experiments done, over the years. I’d call the results inconclusive, in part because they occur with limited playlists. I still think there might be a clustering effect happening because of times at which different tracks have been added to a library.

]]> Comment on iPod/iTunes Shuffle Mode Really Totally Random? by Dave K http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2005/03/29/ipoditunes-shuffle-mode-really-totally-random/#comment-44916 Dave K Sun, 11 May 2008 17:45:03 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2005/03/29/ipoditunes-shuffle-mode-really-totally-random/#comment-44916 I don't have the patience to set up a valid experiment. Based on experience I feel there is some algorithm other than randomness at work. I have 5K plus songs and to have 2 consecutive songs play from the same album or the same artist - well that's not random. I know, it could be but I'm buying it. I wish Apple would provide an answer - the engineer in charge must be aware of the number of us wondering about this. Anyway - just chiming in that in the short time I've used my iPod - Christmas '07 to now it quickly became an ongoing question to myself: what's the actual shuffling formula? Dave K I don’t have the patience to set up a valid experiment. Based on experience I feel there is some algorithm other than randomness at work. I have 5K plus songs and to have 2 consecutive songs play from the same album or the same artist - well that’s not random. I know, it could be but I’m buying it.

I wish Apple would provide an answer - the engineer in charge must be aware of the number of us wondering about this.

Anyway - just chiming in that in the short time I’ve used my iPod - Christmas ‘07 to now it quickly became an ongoing question to myself: what’s the actual shuffling formula?

Dave K

]]> Comment on And We’re Still Lecturing by enkerli http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2008/05/03/and-were-still-lecturing/#comment-44838 enkerli Sat, 10 May 2008 14:55:20 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/?p=865#comment-44838 @Carl Thanks for the comment. As you might expect, part of my intention was, in fact, to prompt you. ;-) Not sure about missing "the" mark, but I can clearly see what you mean. And there's an institutional component to this. My guess is that individual teachers feel that they have to lecture, regardless of their own approaches to learning. The latent function you describe has more to do with the educational institution, not with teachers' goals. Of course, many teachers have internalized the sorting function of teaching. Some of them even discuss it in class. But many of us end up with two different pressures: the "necessity" of sorting out students so that they can get to the next level (as in a videogame) and the "expectation" that a majority of students will have undergone a satisfying learning experience. In other words, the manifest function is the basis for a kind of peer pressure which is also internalized by a number of teachers. "I need to lecture efficiently so that my students can work through the material," whether the lecture constitutes the primary mode of content transmission or serves as the basis for diverse learning strategies. Teachers may be forced to sort students (and some of us may realize that this sorting procedure is embedded as an outcome or even a function of our teaching methods), but teachers are also pushed to get as many students as possible to "learn (the material)." Since the two messages do come from positions of authority and since much of the situation is latent/hidden/unconscious, it's probably relevant to bring the concept of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_bind" rel="nofollow">double bind</a> into play. @Carl Thanks for the comment. As you might expect, part of my intention was, in fact, to prompt you. ;-)
Not sure about missing “the” mark, but I can clearly see what you mean. And there’s an institutional component to this. My guess is that individual teachers feel that they have to lecture, regardless of their own approaches to learning. The latent function you describe has more to do with the educational institution, not with teachers’ goals. Of course, many teachers have internalized the sorting function of teaching. Some of them even discuss it in class. But many of us end up with two different pressures: the “necessity” of sorting out students so that they can get to the next level (as in a videogame) and the “expectation” that a majority of students will have undergone a satisfying learning experience. In other words, the manifest function is the basis for a kind of peer pressure which is also internalized by a number of teachers. “I need to lecture efficiently so that my students can work through the material,” whether the lecture constitutes the primary mode of content transmission or serves as the basis for diverse learning strategies. Teachers may be forced to sort students (and some of us may realize that this sorting procedure is embedded as an outcome or even a function of our teaching methods), but teachers are also pushed to get as many students as possible to “learn (the material).” Since the two messages do come from positions of authority and since much of the situation is latent/hidden/unconscious, it’s probably relevant to bring the concept of double bind into play.

]]> Comment on And We’re Still Lecturing by Carl http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2008/05/03/and-were-still-lecturing/#comment-44797 Carl Fri, 09 May 2008 19:37:08 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/?p=865#comment-44797 Hi! Thanks for this prompt to think. I think this is one of those places where a manifest and latent function analysis is begged for. When things fail to do what they're manifestly for and yet people keep doing them, they must be latently successful for something else. Thus, the critique at the manifest level misses the mark. What is lecture good for? Well, not education, or rather, education only in a very narrow sense. The transmission of knowledge, understood as data and dogma. What Freire called the 'banking' model of education. But lecture only succeeds at this for a very limited 'sort' of correctly-disposed student; the rest are left confused, excluded and sullen. Every lecture has its two or three 'successes' and its distribution of failures. But did the lecture fail, or did those students? So the lecture is a sorting mechanism. At each level the lecture sorts more rigorously. What sort of success is produced by this sorting? A disciplined one; one who has internalized the habitus of authoritative knowledge-production. The other ways of teaching are for dilettantes. Hi! Thanks for this prompt to think.

I think this is one of those places where a manifest and latent function analysis is begged for. When things fail to do what they’re manifestly for and yet people keep doing them, they must be latently successful for something else. Thus, the critique at the manifest level misses the mark.

What is lecture good for? Well, not education, or rather, education only in a very narrow sense. The transmission of knowledge, understood as data and dogma. What Freire called the ‘banking’ model of education. But lecture only succeeds at this for a very limited ’sort’ of correctly-disposed student; the rest are left confused, excluded and sullen. Every lecture has its two or three ’successes’ and its distribution of failures. But did the lecture fail, or did those students? So the lecture is a sorting mechanism.

At each level the lecture sorts more rigorously. What sort of success is produced by this sorting? A disciplined one; one who has internalized the habitus of authoritative knowledge-production. The other ways of teaching are for dilettantes.

]]> Comment on Retour à Montréal by enkerli http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/retour-a-montreal/#comment-44766 enkerli Fri, 09 May 2008 05:41:07 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/?p=866#comment-44766 @Blork Thanks. Again! ;-) And my Mtl life is shaping up. I think. @Blork Thanks. Again! ;-)
And my Mtl life is shaping up. I think.

]]> Comment on Retour à Montréal by Blork http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/retour-a-montreal/#comment-44751 Blork Fri, 09 May 2008 00:31:14 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/?p=866#comment-44751 Hey, bienvenue à Montréal. Again! ;-) Hey, bienvenue à Montréal. Again! ;-)

]]> Comment on Retour à Montréal by enkerli http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/retour-a-montreal/#comment-44733 enkerli Thu, 08 May 2008 19:47:45 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/?p=866#comment-44733 @Laurent Ah! T'es pas en ville! J'avais pas pensé à ça... @Laurent Ah! T’es pas en ville! J’avais pas pensé à ça…

]]> Comment on Retour à Montréal by Laurent LaSalle http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/retour-a-montreal/#comment-44732 Laurent LaSalle Thu, 08 May 2008 18:57:41 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/?p=866#comment-44732 Rebienvenue parmi eux! Moi je vais allez vous rejoindre le 1er juillet prochain; je te remettrai ta bière à ce moment là... ;oP Rebienvenue parmi eux! Moi je vais allez vous rejoindre le 1er juillet prochain; je te remettrai ta bière à ce moment là… ;oP

]]> Comment on Rule Concordia, Concordia Rule the Waves by Retour à Montréal « Disparate http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/10/19/rule-concordia-concordia-rule-the-waves/#comment-44727 Retour à Montréal « Disparate Thu, 08 May 2008 17:59:38 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/10/19/rule-concordia-concordia-rule-the-waves/#comment-44727 [...] Après-midi passé sur le campus de Concordia, y compris la bibliothèque Webster et le Java U «Mezz». Observation sauvage d’un milieu qui me correspond. [...] [...] Après-midi passé sur le campus de Concordia, y compris la bibliothèque Webster et le Java U «Mezz». Observation sauvage d’un milieu qui me correspond. [...]

]]> Comment on Redevenir Québécois by Retour à Montréal « Disparate http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2007/05/04/redevenir-quebecois/#comment-44726 Retour à Montréal « Disparate Thu, 08 May 2008 17:59:09 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2007/05/04/redevenir-quebecois/#comment-44726 [...] Je retrouve ma vie de Montréalais. Et de Québécois. [...] [...] Je retrouve ma vie de Montréalais. Et de Québécois. [...]

]]> Comment on Academia and Education: Am I Naïve? by And We’re Still Lecturing « Disparate http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/academia-and-education-am-i-naive/#comment-43881 And We’re Still Lecturing « Disparate Sat, 03 May 2008 15:49:28 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/academia-and-education-am-i-naive/#comment-43881 [...] should be obvious from my tone and previous posts, I count myself as one of those who perceive lectures to be too restrictive. Oh, sure, I’ve [...] [...] should be obvious from my tone and previous posts, I count myself as one of those who perceive lectures to be too restrictive. Oh, sure, I’ve [...]

]]> Comment on GERD and Stress by enkerli http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-43845 enkerli Sat, 03 May 2008 12:07:38 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-43845 @ K. Kodannapani Thanks for the advice. Glad it worked for you. To each their own. @ K. Kodannapani
Thanks for the advice. Glad it worked for you.
To each their own.

]]> Comment on GERD and Stress by K.KODANDAPANI http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-43830 K.KODANDAPANI Sat, 03 May 2008 10:09:34 +0000 http://enkerli.wordpress.com/2006/06/12/gerd-and-stress/#comment-43830 Dear Friends, You are aware that prevention is better than cure. I too suffered from GERD a lot in the past. If you take following precautions you will not suffer from GERD in future. 1) Have Dinner atleast 3 hours before going to bed. 2) Consume plenty of water everyday ( Minimum 6 Ltrs.) 3) Take atleast 1 ltr of water before 3.00 A.M. every day. 4) Wake up before 5.30 in the morning and go to bed before 10'O Clock in the night 5) Avoid spicy food, hotel food and junk food 6) Exercise in the morning before taking bath and having breakfast. 7) Take only curd rice and fruits in the night as Dinner. If you follow the above you will not face problem of GERD even you are under stress. However, practise YOGA to avoid stress. Wish you best of luck. K.KODANDAPANI Dear Friends,

You are aware that prevention is better than cure. I too suffered from GERD a lot in the past. If you take following precautions you will not suffer from GERD in future.

1) Have Dinner atleast 3 hours before going to bed.
2) Consume plenty of water everyday ( Minimum 6 Ltrs.)
3) Take atleast 1 ltr of water before 3.00 A.M. every day.
4) Wake up before 5.30 in the morning and go to bed before 10′O Clock in the night
5) Avoid spicy food, hotel food and junk food
6) Exercise in the morning before taking bath and having breakfast.
7) Take only curd rice and fruits in the night as Dinner.

If you follow the above you will not face problem of GERD even you are under stress. However, practise YOGA to avoid stress.

Wish you best of luck.

K.KODANDAPANI

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