iTeach 2008 Participant Blogs Truncated

Alaska's Cultural Standards Hurt Everyone, Particularly Alaska Natives

Chip McMillan — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 23:44:00 +0000

Why STEM Is More Than Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

Chip McMillan — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:41:00 +0000

Why STEM Education Is Not Happening In Alaska

Chip McMillan — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Why There Is No Such Thing as "Western Science"

Chip McMillan — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:36:00 +0000

Why Kids Don't Learn Science by "Messing About"

Chip McMillan — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:35:00 +0000

Change and Time

Chip McMillan — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:43:00 +0000

Can time be measured without change? Clearly this automobile has experienced change:

So, time has passed for the automobile.

How about a single proton floating in the vastness of space for the last 5 billion earth years:

Encountering no other matter or energy, has the proton experienced any type of change?

Is the proton any different after 5 billion earth years?

Has the proton experienced any time?

What is Technology?

Chip McMillan — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:18:00 +0000

The woodpecker finch below is prying grubs out of a tree using a cactus spine.

The child below is learning the alphabet using an iPad.

Both are tools. Are cactus spines and iPads both examples of technology?

Boycott California?

Sine Anahita — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Prop. 8 passed in California on November 4th. The same day that swept Barack Obama into office also saw the first constitutional amendment to California's state constitution that eliminated a civil right already accorded to California citizens. As you probably already know, Prop 8 amended California's constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage, and was a reaction to a May 2008 state supreme court decision that legalized marriage equality.

What's an equity-minded sociologist to do? The Pacific Sociological Association and the American Sociological Association both have their annual meetings scheduled in California. The National Communication Association just announced that 300+ members are boycotting their annual meetings because they are being held in a San Diego conference hotel whose owner contributed big bucks to a Yes on Prop 8 organization. (Read more about this here: http://chronicle.com/news/article/5510/scholars-boycott-annual-meeting-of-national-communication-association ). I'm tempted to suggest that PSA and ASA move their meetings away from California, in effect to boycott the state. Several years ago, a tourism boycott of Alaska successfully put pressure on state officials who advocated in favor of aerial wolf extermination. In the past, the ASA has moved the meeting in support of workers. What about in support of marriage equality?

I am not a big proponent of marriage. In fact, I disagree with the assumption that tax, inheritance, and health benefits should in any way be distributed according to marital status. But the fact is that the California supreme court in May 2008 legalized marriage equality, and thousands of people got married. Then a bare majority--52.5% at last count--voted away this civil right. As far as I know, this is the first time in California history that the state's electorate voted away a civil right.

I find it notable that rightwing religious organizations were the primary money and energy resource for Prop 8. I have read several articles that say that most of the money for the Yes on 8 movement originated outside of California. So, obviously, this means that Californians can be swayed by outsiders. So I think that a boycott of California might work. After all, money talks, eh?
Photo of anti-Prop 8 protest from http://xml.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-me-prop816-2008nov16,1,2339869.story?page=1

The n-word

Sine Anahita — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:54:00 +0000

Alisha recounts an intense moment when she came to a new understanding of the n-word.

A bit ominous

Sine Anahita — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:16:00 +0000

Mika describes the incident that pushed him towards an anti-racist activist viewpoint.

I thought it was dead

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Emmanuel remembers an incident during his senior year in high school that changed the way he thought about racism.

Eye opener

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Nate recounts how being in Idaho brought him face-to-face with racism and a life-changing experience.

That's when race affects us

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:57:00 +0000

Melissa tells about color from the eyes of a four year old family member.

Opened my eyes

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Unika tells another race story, this time about how a semester at another university opened her eyes to a different reality.

Awakening

Sine Anahita — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:50:00 +0000

Korey talks about how college courses helped her to understand inequality, and challenged what she had learned as a child.