Critical thinking skills and capstone (Why all these presentation, discussion and feedbacks?)

One major goal of any higher-ed programs, especially graduate programs, is to cultivate student's critical thinking skills. The MBA program in Harvard business school, for example, dedicate the entire second year for this purpose, in the format of case studies. The case methods have become the mainstay of many business graduate program even till today. It is inefficient, bewildering and difficult. However, it is still perhaps the best pedagogy in teaching critical thinking and decision making.

In capstone classes, many times the faculty ask students to present their capstone idea and progress. We ask students to ask questions and provide feedbacks to one another both in class and online. What we are trying to achieve using students' capstones as case and conduct case studies. It is sometimes inefficient, bewildering and difficult. However, it is still, as least to me, the best way to enhance the critical thinking skills.

Learning Effectiveness

Participating the WASC Retreat on learning assessment in Irvine. Often the worry about things like this is that people spend enormous amount of time for fad that disappear in a couple of years. I believe the outcome/assessment/improvement process is here to stay. The fact that this process, if explained well, it is obvious and self evident. The OAI process is similar to many well-accepted and proven rule in business management. The teacher (or manager) should make the instructional process and goals clearly documented and communicated.

The challenge is how to A. convince all faculty to do it. B. do it effectively and efficiently. The major concern I have is that lack of quantitative research of the result. Or even more importantly, lack of culture in hard evidence.

I had a peculiar feeling coming back to Irvine, which I lived and enjoyed for many years. The weather is still perfect, the sky green. However, because of the stark difference between Carmel and Orange, I see all these well-manicured lawns, spotless high-rises, I feel out of place.

Late night in my study

Just finished the monumental landscaping of the back yard of the Carmel house. Part of the effort is to install slate flooring in my study room and give its walls a new coast of paint. It is almost done also. Now I can walk to the study from the terrace stairs instead of exiting the front door and walking around the house via the long and dark pathway.

It is rather indulgent to have such a space, four French windows open to the backyard, high-end stereo system, real stone floor imported from afar, large desk with great computer screens. I do enjoy the time spent here by myself. Many times I stay till the wee hours of the night without knowing it. Listening to cello music by yo-yo Ma and Dvorak, reading news and articles, a glass of red wine to my right, it is such a treat. However, many times I also question the productivity of myself while in this room. And often I felt somewhat guilty; there are millions of families in the world that don’t even have the size of space for the entire family. Many of them work harder, longer hours and perhaps more talented than I am. That said, I am glad that I am lucky enough to enjoy this peace, quiet corner of the world. I just hope my contribution back to the world worth the generosity I have received.

Content to be mediocre

Been practicing cello for 4 months now. For a 44-year-old, I am impressed by how fast I learn and also surprised by how much I enjoy playing. I play for about 20 minutes in the morning in the top floor bedroom with the big bright window open my eye to the spectacular Carmel scenes and Santa Lucia Mountains. I go through all the assignments by Wendy Geiger, the instructor in Carmel Valley, playing each piece twice and then focus on the measures that I do not do well a couple of more times. In the evening, I play about 30 minutes in the back of the smaller bedroom upstairs, I usually can play a couple of tunes that I like but not assigned.

I viewed those cello playing clips on YouTube by Yo-yo Ma and was mesmerized by the music and his charismatic performance. When I started practicing tonight, I felt so inferior. However, I am not frustrated. In fact, I am still contented in a peculiar way, like a tiny weed sitting next a big tree, small yet enjoy the same splendid sun.

I got this cheap cello with brand name Cicilieo, for it price, it is well build but the set up is not done correctly so I have to adjust the bridge and finger board by myself. It is nerve racking but I have no choice, it does not want to play B flat on the A string!!!

Chaotic time in a chaotic taipei city

Spending time with folks in Taipei. It is a city on the move but going no where. I do enjoy the chaotic yet somehow rhythmic pace of the city. It is, after all, the place I was born, raised and shaped.

Within the next couple of years, a confusing milestone will be reached for me. I will have spend more of my life in the U.S., a place I like and work for many years, than in Taiwan, a place I felt passionate about.

Upon reflection, I can see how the surroundings affect my schedule. Since there is no structure of my time any more, there is no specific place for me to work anymore, I am just floating with the events that are not under my control and have no intension to make my work easier. In a way, living in my parents house as a guest, I have to accommodate their schedule. Not a problem when I am really vacationing but challenging when I am working.

The weather does not help, it is hot and humid, not as bad as a few years ago but still annoying enough to distract me from being as productive as I have wished.

Moving forward by stepping back

The end of the semester is close. Today marks the last day of Senate meeting, I organized a certificate for Dan Fernandez. I enjoyed showing appreciation to other people that have genuine contribution. I decided not participate senate activities much from now on, it is interesting and worthwhile, but the efforts I put in and the achievement I get from it is disproportional to my time spent.

I will be in few committee next year, not in the CEHI, Foundation board, not in postgraduate and research committee, not in resource and budget. I should dedicate my time to advance research, career and entrepreneurship. I have noticed that most of my time are dealing with urgent but trivial issues. At the end of a day, when I ask myself when have I accomplished, the answer is usually pitiful.

Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on Earth. ~ Mark Twain

Options and Burdens

Glad that I can accompany Fang to go to his boy scout activity and hike in Point Lobo State Reserve. Even we have been there a few times, it is still a enjoy enable experience for us. Especially the side trip we took to the whaler’s cove. A place rich with history, including a short chapter of early Chinese settlement. Jung Choy. Don’t know hundreds of years from now, will there be any records of we staying in Monterey and Carmel.

It is leisure and enjoyable Sunday. From most perspective, a fulfilling day. However, I woke up from my afternoon nap and felt anxious that a full day gone by without much achievements.

I reflect on my work and felt most of it are meaningless. I guess it is part of the middle age. Suddenly I start to negotiate with life on the nickel and dime level because I start to feel so little is left. I enjoy my work, my family and my daily life. It is peaceful and enjoyable, but there are parts of my heart that are not fully content. Need a break through.

Middle Age

Reading a book about middle age. Interesting but not surprising that most people going through similar experience during the middle year 40-50 years old.

Moving forward as fast as possible no longed seemed to be the only way. Stop and enjoy the journey become more of a norm in a daily routine. Play tennis for 4 hours and the body will let you know it can not sustain such abuse anymore. After yet another day of long tennis playing, it is painful even just want to flip on bed. My right knee is developing a crippling arthritis, because of a skiing accident about 10 years gao, it is painful to move it every Sunday afternoon because of all the exercise over the weekend.

Middle age let me really feel the end of life is indeed there. Before I hit 40, the end of life is like black holes in the outer space. Yes, I know they exist, but as more of a abstract concept than real beings. Now, I calculate the return of my time investment on almost all large projects I work on because I know my time is limited.

I decide to keep a habit of writing a page of something every night. To use that as way to keep myself productive, keep me moving forward and keep a mark in my life which is fading away really fast.

Father's piano lesson

Going with Yuan to her piano class with Mr. Lyn Bronson. For half an hour, I sit next to Yuan and enjoy both being a proud father and refresh pieces of lessons I heard many years ago but did not learn. Yuan, even at 8, is learning pieces that are challenging for 10-year-old. Many of the pieces are hard for me also.

At night, I sit next to Yuan and Fang when they practice the piano, when their finger dancing on the keys, my eyes follow the notes and as if I am practicing also. When they make a mistake or finish a piece flawlessly, the frustration and triumph are complete felt as my own.

Yuan and potentially Fang will enter local piano competition April 1 with many of Mr. and Mrs. Bronson's pupils. The Bronson's holds Friday "performing classes" regularly. Their house is on a hill in Carmel Highland with beautiful ocean view. They four Steinway's sound great and we were amazed how great those teenagers play.

I appreciate the opportunity to teach and learn music with Yuan and Fang, it is not only their lesson, it is also mine.

Stary nights

Clear night sky. Full moon with stars. Late night at home office. Familiar music from nice stereo. Kids asleep, Herb tea is hot and generating a slight steam. I should be contented. Mostly I am, but when I read any magazine about the people making noise in the world, and return to work and have to deal with trivial issues, I felt anxious to get out and break away from the current comforts and limited success.

It's been 21 years since I arrived at the county, two more years, I will have been living in the US longer than I have in Taiwan. That would be a milestone. Not sure what the milestone is leading to, but an important point in my life nonetheless.

Pieces of Daily life

Played tennis at the new Meadowbrooks Club. It was a nice match. I played single with Leonard today, double with Mike and John. Even I lost the match but it felt good, I have not play single for years.

It is a great day, sunny with a little overcast. The club is about 10 min from home in the city of Seaside. Seaside is a working class city, the member are mostly middle class. When I talked to the care takers: two old ladies: Gin and la Voy, they emphasized we don’t the “snobby stuff”, La voy brushed her nose. It is rather affordable: $250 initiation fee and $75 per month for the entire family, compared to the Spanish bay: $17K to start and $240 per month. It is a bargain. My body is not as resilient as before, after two hours of tennis yesterday and today, aching and pain everywhere, I felt great!

After reading Sun Zhen’s book, I felt it is important to keep as much detail as possible of my life. Don’t know if all these pity details are usable in the future, but I know if I don’t carefully collect them, they are fading away soon.

Watched Ring II, Crank, panic room and a few other movies. Felt it is waste of time to watch mediocre movies. The other day I watch a clip of video from a Hollywood mogul describing work to young people: Most people think they work 8 hours a day, but with all the chatting, useless emails, walking around, futile meetings, and general fooling around, it is more like 4 hours, so in a year, a typical person works only 800 hours. A “hard working” person, spend both Saturday and Sunday on effective works and can produce 800 hours of extra work per year! They are at least twice as productive.