wallpaper animals

It struck me in a session on the 'cost of e-learning' thinking about Marx's relationship between commodity, value and price that commodity values relate to price just as human values relate to cost.

It's not e-learning that costs; it's the values that underpin the decisions to buy it.

They cost, and not just in the finances of purchase. There's are many forms of human cost which are effected through the cost of values. training cost; morale cost; cultural cost; maintenance costs; control costs; etc...

The costs of our values are things which those values do. Might understanding the dimensions of cost help us understand the challenges of managing values within institutions?

consisted of a lot of time spent at the house trying to get two sick kiddos well...thankfully it worked! tay hung out in a toy story tent that took over our sofa, warren and i enjoyed being outside, and walker- well he just chilled...clueless that his sister was blow drying and curling his hair in the meantime. hope you had a wonderful loooong weekend.

In some ways it's true to say that the world we have created necessitates individuals making a rich variety of communicative acts in order to survive in it. To learn to do this it isn't necessary to go to University, but it's something University tends to produce in people. What is it about the world which requires this?

Ulrich Beck identifies it as the 'risk society' where individuals constantly have to engage in high-level evaluations, often taking action appropriately, and where the risks of acting inappropriately are serious threats to their viable existence. For this reason he sees 'reflexivity' as the quality individuals require for doing this.

I certainly think there's something in this analysis - much better than the "we've got so much technology now... the kids have gotta have the skills... etc". Beck says the kids have to exercise judgement, which in many cases they can only do through skilled technical and linguistic performances.

At the same time as I'm attracted by this, I have doubts. Risk, judgement and agency are complex, and risk seems to narrow to characterise our society; judgement has always been important. But typically, judgement has been important in public life. If there is more 'risk' is it because more of us are engaged in 'public life' in some form?

you enjoy your long weekend...however you plan on spending it ;)

Two days back at work and I'm already feeling the need for a holiday. Technically, I've got no desk at the moment - so decamped to the alternative office of the 'Sweet Green Tavern': we should have done that years ago! Wifi could be a bit better though.

This is a year for moral arguments. Big things are happening in education, and there is a need to inspect consciences as to whether they are the right things and how they should be managed; it's not a time for sleepwalking!

Pretty violent improvisation!

this color palette is totally singing to me today.....and so are those adorable pom pom necklaces.

i have a comfort zone or maybe bubble that i like to stay in....i always hesitate when something new is placed in front of me. lately i have been testing my comfort zone and trying things that the old shannon would not do. i think about this quote and go for it...b/c after all, what do i have to loose?