Thank You Wikipedia

Posted on April 28th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Personal, Random.

Well, as flippant as my previous post about Fraser’s possible illness may have sounded, I was kind of freaked out for the little guy. Of course, I always rely on Google to fan the flames of my irrational (read: pathological) fears, but this time it actually offered some comfort by bringing up a Wikipedia entry on the possible diagnosis, which is Selective Immunoglobulin A Deficiency. Sure, they slip in the part about its association with autoimmune disease, but if it really is “a relatively mild genetic immunodeficiency,” I will be able to sleep at night. Apparently, people with this deficiency “lack immunoglobulin A (IgA), a type of antibody that protects against infections of the mucous membranes lining the mouth, airways, and digestive tract.” Explains a lot, including why a few bites of bad fish floored me the last time I was in Oregon. Still, no one likes to be sick, especially when we’re little and don’t understand the joy of bed rest, so please send your kind thoughts Fraser’s way.

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Appreciative Inquiry

Posted on April 28th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Education, Literary, Technology, Sponsored Posts.

Disclosure: The following blog post is based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

As a wannateach, I’m always interested in ways to encourage individuals to flourish. Sara Orem, a faculty member in Capella University’s School of Business and Technology, recently coauthored a book on Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change. She writes that this text, rather than “focusing on individuals in limited or problem-oriented ways,” uses “appreciative inquiry” in a new way to “guide the reader through four stages – Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny – that inspire them to an appreciative and empowering view of themselves and their future,” which sounds lovely. Appreciative coaching apparently uses “positive questions, mindfulness, and other tools to acknowledge the strengths of individuals and effect change.” Although the book is aimed at “individual coaches of managers, executives, and ‘those who do one-on-one work with people who can influence and create change in their organizations,’” it sounds like it would also be an interesting and useful read for teachers.

I believe that Capella University’s support of such a scholar speaks to their stated commitment “to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth.” At Capella, students can earn a college degree online, an increasingly popular and effective means of changing one’s life through education. Since its inception in 1993, Capella University has worked to develop “graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelor’s degree programs in business and information technology,” containing more than 80 specializations and 16 certificate programs. With more than 17,900 students from all 50 states and 56 other countries, I won’t be surprised if enrollment continues to grow at a rate that outpaces traditional universities into the future.

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