How Do I Love Thee: Patterning

A. Recognizing Patterns




B. Creating New Patterns

A Quick Response (QR) code, a registered trademark of Denso Wave (a subsidiary of Toyota), is a two-dimensional barcode that is becoming popular and widely recognized by the public who want immediate access to more information. Scanning this code with camera-enabled smartphones and other portable devices can direct us to  websites, phone numbers, multimedia content, SMS messages, maps and directions, email addresses, social communities, coupons, music downloads, or images. 

So how can I use a QR code to represent my content topic as I relate it to patterning? This pattern is a perfect representation as I relate this cognitive tool in teaching how to recognize the relevance of social networking to adult learning.  With all the known uses of a QR code, it is very important to use this pattern in directing people to information that is significant for personal and professional growth.  An example is a career searcher who generates a QR code that will direct potential employers to his online resume posted in LinkedIn.  Because of its increasing familiarity and acceptance, it can be used in showcasing skills, expertise, or artistic creations by using a generated QR code to land to one’s e-portfolio or website.  A QR code has a great potential in producing many ways of building connections with other people or communities through social networking. Although, it is still a crucial consideration for me as an instructor to teach adult students that the major role for a QR code in education is for personal branding in a professional setting.

From recognizing patterns to creating new patterns as a cognitive tool.  QR codes usually consist of black tiles arranged in a square pattern on a white background.  These symbols can easily be created by using free QR code generators.  We can maximize the effectiveness of this cognitive tool by learning the skill of recognizing this familiar pattern then turning it into a new and unique pattern.  Why? For competitive edge in the social and mobile world!  QR codes are becoming so common that we need to create these patterns with eye-catching colors and not just plain black and white.  Also, add more artistic flare on the pattern to get more attention from the public but still maintain its readability feature for camera-enabled mobile devices. 

Once I master this thinking tool, I will be able to recognize more patterns which can be turned into distinctive patterns - another approach in unleashing creativity!

How Do I Love Thee: Perceiving

Yup, this is a very familiar sound! Do you remember the phone modem “dialup” connection? This sound helps me relate to my content topic (Recognizing the relevance of social networking to adult learning) as I experience two emotions when I hear this sound:

First, the feeling of relief. I remember the old lingo: After my modem redialed a few times, I could finally start surfing through the information superhighway! Being connected with the right network of people through social media can be valuable as we search for a job opening, promote our skills or services, and exchange our opinions and ideas. We get the sense of being connected by being a part of the society. Through social media, the need to belong and to be accepted turns to satisfaction and a source of support and motivation.

Second, the feeling of frustration. Dial-up connections are so s-l-o-w! I remember what it was like opening a picture attached to an email. I would see the top of the head, then slowly see the eyes, eventually the nose … uh-oh, it froze, I got disconnected! Today, we have options with how fast our internet connection is going to be. Through social media, we can control how much of ourselves we want to divulge to the society. As we set boundaries in relating to people, we get to decide who we are connected with and what information about ourselves can be seen by which people. We have the ability to speed up our networks personally and professionally or to just leave it at a slow pace. Just remember, putting on the brakes too long might disconnect you from the needed contacts.

Perceiving involves observation through the use of our different senses. Aside from the sound, the above representation also showed an image. But as we look closely, the image is made up of tiles with small pictures. This photo mosaic is a visualization of people who can build me up personally as well as professionally. Learning the significance and discerning what information is relevant in social networking can help construct our profile in the society. Putting these tiles together is like relating all the people in our network. Eventually, we have seamlessly created a great representation of ourselves.

Perceiving as a thinking tool, once mastered, will help me represent ideas and concepts different ways. People whom I connect with, like my students, may observe presented topics using a specific sense at a higher extent. Visual learners could appreciate me teaching the relevance of social networking by representing the lesson with a photo mosaic. More ideas and feelings could be brought out from a student who learns better by listening to the “modem dial-up connection” than by relating his thoughts to social networking.

Perhaps, I should also try various methods to reach out to other groups of learners who are more perceptive to taste. There has to be a way I can present my content topic on social networking by using bacon and ice cream! Well, just keep unleashing our creativity …

Véjà Du Image: Revealed!

When we see a candle warmer, we know right away that its main function is it releases scents that will either set off our allergies, create a certain mood, help us reminisce about certain events, or trigger our hunger pangs.  Nevertheless, the concept of véjà du taught me to think differently and to understand there is more to its familiar attributes if you are observant enough to discover them.

In Part I, I asked you to stare at the images that I took.  That was basically how I spent my time during the Labor Day weekend.  I tried looking at the ceramic candle warmer through different angles. I started out taking shots of the candle warmer in a zoomed out setting.  As I zoomed in to it, I noticed there was a tiny pink image peeking through the jar holes and it almost blends in with the cherry blossoms on the jar.  And if you look closely through the hole, you’ll find an unexpected and fascinating surprise!

Watch the slideshow, I can’t spill the beans … but I gave you a hint in Part I when I said, “ …. discover what familiar icons I’m trying to HEAD you to”.   

A familiar thing looks strange but fun! This has been a fun activity for me.   Keep unleashing your creativity! 

Content Area Topic

Social networking that matters to adult learning

Here’s a little background of my current career.  I currently serve as a computer instructor at a career-focused/workplace readiness school for adults (18 - 80 yrs old) who need new skills because they lost their jobs due to a factory closing, downsizing, or because their previous employer moved outside of the United States.  I teach MS Office applications, computer and internet concepts, business & customer relations and career-search related courses (resume writing, job interview strategies).

I agree with the authors of Sparks of Genius, we have too much information but we really do not know what to do about it.  I would like to take on the challenge to help in cultivating the older generation’s imagination for today’s world of constant change.   It will be a goal for me to focus on what really matters most to adults.  Show them how they can relate and deal with this new learning generation of handling information like using it for career searching, self branding, and creating support/connections for employment rather than just posting what they had for dinner. Getting them to be curious about and be interested in this technology is the initial step to be able to let them fully understand its benefits.

Véjà Du Image: What is It?

Véjà Du (Part 1), a set on Flickr.

Wikipedia defines déjà vu as the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the previous encounter are uncertain and were perhaps imagined. This experience is usually accompanied by a compelling sense of familiarity and strangeness.

Véjà du, on the other hand, is all about making the familiar look strange. What a very cool concept! Now, let’s see if these pictures that I took will lead you into some guessing. These images portray a very common and simple setting … but keep staring at it. What is it?

Can you guess what it is now? Just keep staring … it might lead you to an interesting and fascinating twist! Have you ever had déjà vu of this image before? Be prepared to get amused on my next post when you discover what familiar icons I’m trying to head you to.

More images until next time. Keep unleashing your creativity!