Tag: masters

A Sciency Weekend!

After last weekend’s Food Fest, I’ve been feeding my brain this weekend.

On Wednesday, I watched the National Geographic Channel for 2 hours. I really should do more of that since I enjoy science documentaries, but usually when I plonk down in front of the set, I watch my DVDs instead. (Yes, some of the DVDs are science documentaries, too.) I was watching the network because we had to write a critical review on either a television program or Internet blog for my Masters class on Informal Science Learning. I decided to do the TV show for a change of pace. (I read Internet stuff daily.)

Thursday evening, the National Museum of the US Air Force (formerly Wright Patterson Air Force Base Museum) was having the first Educator’s Night in years (since the museum began, according to one lady who welcomed us to the event). I signed up for it when I first read about it, especially since I knew we had the following day off and figured I could be out “late” at night that Thursday.

The museum usually closes at 5pm, but they stayed opening that evening and at 5:30 we were allowed to look through the museum, collect a large variety of free educational resources (mostly science, math and social studies), and watch several on-going demonstrations on different components of flight (fluid dynamics, microgravity, radios, density, etc.) I grabbed every freebie that I could (except for a packet on social studies) and watched a microgravity demo. At 6pm, they had a free showing of the IMAX movie Roving Mars. I watched that and sat pretty much dead center in the theater. That was neat!

Supper was available from 6-8pm, so after the 45 minute movie, I headed to the cafe for sandwich fixin’s, chips and cookies. I love a free meal! I watched other educators around me – most were in groups and not all of them were science and math teachers. (I wondered if the English teachers were bored, if any of them came.) I didn’t see any of my coworkers, so I’m guessing I was the only freeloader from Newton. Heh.

After supper, they showed another IMAX movie Deep Sea. This was even more visually stunning than the Mars one. There were some really weird sea creatures there which was cool to see. They had a bit of a preachy moment near the end when they talked about the danger that the reefs are in (boy are they ever!) but it wasn’t too cloying to turn people off of being good stewards of the earth.

Although the museum was open until 9pm, I was mostly ready to go after the second movie. I went around to see other demonstrations – there were some neat ones going on. And I avoided the movie-ride they have there, Morphis. It looked like the type of virtual ride that makes me ill. When I was in the gift shop area, I bought a couple of physics toys (of course). And then it was time to go home.

Another assignment that I have for my Informal Science Learning class is to do a case study of a science museum. Since I had Friday off, I asked dad if he wanted to join me on a trip to Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. (Mom worked, or I’d’ve had her along as well.) Boonshoft isn’t completely a science museum, but it’s not far away and I figured I’d have some science displays I could check out.

The place was loaded with kids. We weren’t the only school that was out that day (basically any school with an OEA associated union was out Friday but went to school Monday) though there were a couple of school buses there. The main section of the museum is a really neat play area. Most of the kids were playing there rather than looking at displays and learning science. Go figure. 🙂

Dad and I had a nice time that day and even learned something. Neither of us were aware that the coyote was not an Ohio native. Farmers in the area have been having coyote troubles for years, but the coyote only arrived in Ohio in the early 1900s. So there ya go.

We book ended our day out with food. Lunch was at Indian’s Pizza (where we both had leftovers – yum!) and we stopped at Kroger’s on the way back for some sushi. There’s a newly built Kroger’s in Englewood which has a wonderfully upscale deli and a sushi bar, so we stopped there. They have wine tasting (25 cents a taste or $1 for a flight of 5 different wines) which father partook of. He liked the one he tasted enough to get a bottle. They also had cheeses to sample and we both found one we liked and bought that too. In the deli, you can sample the various items and so I sampled some curried cous cous, which I liked, and some Baba Ghanoush, which I liked even more and so bought some. We bought our sushi & other items and returned home.

Today I’m working on my science classes and I have finished my paper for the Critical Reflection of a Television Program. I have copied the paper into my science blog, so if any of you are interested, you can check it out. If you’d looked at the blog back when I first posted about it, you’ll notice it looks different now. I found another theme that I like and I think I prefer it to the other one. Alas, it means I no longer have hergrace and judiang on the blog! But I think I’ll probably use that photo for a future post when I write about optical illusions. In addition to changing the theme, I have made it so that people can actually comment to posts. So give it a try, comment away! (I can moderate the comments though, bwa ha ha ha!)

Bloggedy Blog Blog

It’s funny when I think about it. I mean, I haven’t been doing a good job at updating this weblog – what makes me think I can keep another one going? Well, actually, it’s an experiment and possibly useful for one of my current university classes.

I have created a Science Blog on my website. For our Informal Science Learning class, we’ll eventually have to make something that’s a way of doing some Informal Science Teaching. One option was a blog. And since my website has a database that isn’t being used and the ability to install WordPress, I thought, “Why not?”

I haven’t made up my mind yet on the theme I’m using, but you can check it out and let me know what you think. The current photo, BTW, is hergrace and judiang at Epcot on New Year’s Eve 2003. I love the shot which captured the writing from the light up toy. (I use the photo in one of my physics classes on optical illusions – and I spin the pictured toy which now says “Physics is Phun!”)

Loan Free?

Well, now that I know what my paychecks will be (more or less) for the next couple of years, I’ve been able to do some number crunching to see if I can afford my Masters program without getting a loan or not.

I was pretty confident that I could pay the first year with what I have in savings. And now that I’ve crunched the numbers, it looks like I can pay for year two as well! Woot!

In order to do this, I need to stay in my self-imposed budget (which is very livable). And well – I’d say more, but would probably jinx myself. Let’s just say that it’s doable and leave it at that.

So, for the next two years, no more paying for City of Heroes, no more DVD impulse buying, cutting back on eating out, etc. (Now I won’t go all crazy or anything – if something Sylvish comes along, I’ll be buying it, no sweat. And I intend to budget in some upcoming DVDs like Pirates 3 and Ocean’s 13. And Saturday? Indian Fud! It’s been ages since I’ve been.)

It feels good to think I can do this without a loan!

More on Masters

My Masters program started on August 29th, a week after school started. I have two courses this semester, Critical Thinking and Informal Science Education. Before classes began, I was looking forward to Critical Thinking more, but now that we’re underway, I think I’m going to like the Informal Science Education better.

It turns out that the Critical Thinking class is basically a Logic class for Science folk. Apart from some very simple program logic which I learned for physics instrumentation, I’ve never studied logic. So I’m reading a lot of terms that I’ve never heard of or never knew what they meant. (Enthymeme anyone? Syllogisms?) Even terms I am familiar with may have somewhat different meanings when talking about logic. So I’ve found the best way to work with that class is have a dictionary beside me while I read the presentation slides and the chapter readings. The best part of the class is the class discussion. After the first lesson made no sense to me, I read through the discussion so far and was finally able to start wrapping my brain around stuff. With the second lesson, I had my references (let’s hear it for Wikipedia!) handy and tried to do it all without help from the others. And then I read what others said and found out that I was on the right track. That sounds good to me!

The class on Informal Science Learning is about teaching & learning science in an informal setting. Like watching a science program on TV or visiting a science museum. The course is taught by a lady who works at a science museum in Buffalo, NY. Cool. And my assignments are to watch a science program or read a science blog online (anyone have any favorites?), to visit a science museum (woohoo! Boonshoft here I come!), and to read from science journals or books (something I do on a regular basis actually). And as with the other class, the course discussion board is lively and informative. I think I’m going to like this program!

As I suspected, my biggest weakness in this program is my procrastination. This week in particular I was bad. Although I read the book readings on Wednesday, I didn’t actually finish the week’s work until today. But I spent over four hours in my library with my dictionary (and sometimes Linus) by my side. And I got the week’s work done. I’m hoping to do better this coming week and work on material throughout the week.

I’m in!

I just received an e-mail from University at Buffalo – I have been accepted into their degree program! Woohoo! I should be getting a mail packet soon with the name of my adviser and all that jazz. Sweet. And I’m now printing out the FAFSA worksheet to see about applying for Federal Student Aid. Which I may or may not need.

Yay debt! 🙂

(In other good news, my amazon.co.uk order arrived today, so I will be watching Doctor Who: Survival tonight. Woot!)

PS: Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

The Waiting Game

I heard back from University at Buffalo and they have my application, transcripts, and copy of teaching license. Now it goes to the reviewing committee or whatever it is. The lady at graduate admissions who e-mailed me said that they hope to know by the end of April. So now I get to wait… And wait… And, well, you get the picture. Here’s hoping they want me! 🙂

I Am the Master – well, maybe someday…

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve sent my application in to the University of Buffalo in hopes that they let me enter their Ed.M. program, Science and the Public. Wish me luck!

I’ve been teaching 14 years on my Bachelor’s degree (B.S. in Ed.) and have hemmed & hawed on a Masters program for, like, ever. But my mom got a brochure from the Center for Inquiry on this Masters degree and sent it my way. And I think I’ll like it. The one drawback is that it’s all online and, well, I don’t have the world’s greatest willpower. Still, every online class I’ve taken (without dropping…) I’ve done OK on. And I love chatting with my classmates in the forums. (It’s great to talk with adults about science for a change!)

Hmmm, I’ve now got butterflies in my stomach. I haven’t done an application like this in a long time – it’s almost a welcome feeling. Welcome back butterflies!