Joyful Jubilant Learning

10 Tools I Use For Digital Learning

I must admit that I am eager to jump into the digital learning fray with both feet. I have found myself to be an "early adopter" when it comes to new software, new gadgets, and new developments in Web 2.0.

Since there are so many opportunities, philosophies, and ideas that are being developed in the area of digital learning, I simply wanted to share some of my favorite tools. This isn't necessarily a "Top 10" list, rather, it is ten tools that I use that help to facilitate the learning that takes place for me on a daily basis.

1. Evernote
Evernote has been around for awhile as a piece of software that sits on your hard drive and collects information. They have recently made a HUGE leap by offering an online version. Now you can collect, tag, and store all of the bits of information you have in your Evernote account. One of the biggest breakthroughs comes in the form of OCR recognition of words contained IN images. Evernote scans your pictures and adds the words on the picture to your searcheable database. This is BIG.

2. Twitter
Twitter may seem like an annoyance to some, but I have found it to be a great source
of real time information. If you open yourself up to every feed you can get ahold of, then I could see where it might come across as a lot of "noise." But used selectively, twitter can give you updates from your favorite news feeds, sports teams, and point you to places you might not have found on your own.

3. Blackboard
Blackboard is a tool I use at our University. It's been developed for online educational settings. The excellent open-source version of this would be Moodle. I have both taken and taught classes using Blackboard. It is a helpful platform from which to organize information and collaborate on learning. It offers an extensive discussion board application and group collaboration tools.

4. Pandora
I know, Pandora is a music player. But it's more than that. This application taps into the Music Genome Project and will reveal new music and artists based on the parameters you give it (which is simply a band or artist who is similar musically). I have discovered a wealth of superb artists and music that I wouldn't have found otherwise.

5. iTunes U
iTunes U has become my automobile university. You can tap into lectures, speeches, classes, and a whole lot of audio/video offerings from colleges and universities around the country. And it's all free. Downloading lectures and lessons to my iPod has turned my daily commute into a classroom. More schools are being added everyday. There is so much to listen to.

6. Google Reader
I realize that you can choose from a number RSS readers out there. I've chosen Google Reader because it integrates well with my other Google Apps. Plus, I like the way it is organized and layed out. Suffice it to say, the key learning here takes place in the RSS feeds that you subscribe to. Because I've worked hard to hone and be intentional in my RSS subscriptions, I encounter a wealth of information and knowledge everytime I log into Google Reader.

7. Utterz
I just recently discovered Utterz and I must say, "I love it." Utterz allows you to set up an account to record audio, video, images, and text that you upload to the site. What I have found to be extraordinarily easy is that I can record audio by simply calling Utterz from my cell phone, and then Utterz will post the audio file on my blog (I had to set it up, but it's easy). I have begun recording audio posts from my car!

8. Slideshare
If you have a powerpoint presentation, Slideshare is an excellent way to get it "out there." Slideshare will convert your presentation into their online format and allow you to embed it on your own website or blog. It even allows full screen viewing of your presentation. Plus, you can add audio to coincide. This is a wonderful teaching tool that will enhance your written words.

9. Ebooks
This one isn't necessarily a site, although there are great ebook sites out there like ChangeThis! But ebooks have become a formidable part of my learning. Some people love 'em and some don't. I like ebooks because they tend to be quicker reads and packed full of good information. People who might be unable to get a book published can easily get their ideas and insights into an ebook. Plus, there is a greater portability to an ebook.

10. Google Maps
This tool may not seem to fit with the others, but it is an incredible piece of software. Basically, I can visit anywhere in the world and have some idea of what it looks like (from God's perspective...hee hee). Where was this when I was in geography? I have Google Maps on my phone, which allows me to always know where I'm at and find where I'm going. Plus, how much fun is it to have a friend tell you where they live and then pull up a bird's eye view of their house? Big Brother is watching.

I know that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of great learning tools out there on the digital landscape. In fact, some of the tools you like might even be better than the ones I've mentioned. But we'll never know unless you tell us. So leave a comment and give a shout out to your favorite digital learning tool.
________________________________________________________
Tim Milburn spends a lot of time online. He is a lifelong learner and is focused on developing lifelong leaders one student at a time. As he's quick to tell his students, "if you're not learning...you're not leading." You can read his work at www.studentlinc.net.

The Opposable Mind - Moving Beyond Either-Or Thinking

How much time do you actually spend thinking about thinking?

Author Roger L. Martin introduces the reader to the concept of integrative thinking in his book, The Opposable Mind. He offers this definition:

The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas but is superior to each.

Based on that definition, Martin takes us down a path of thinking about how we think. He has done extensive research with successful CEO's, Fortune 100 companies, and leadership experts to formulate a working model of how integrative thinking works.

He begins by articulating the process that people go through in thinking and deciding. He describes this process through a four-step model:

We'll arrive at our choice by considering a set of features we deem salient (what we see as important); creating a mental model of causal relationships among those features (making sense of what we see); arranging those causal relationships into an architecture intended to produce a specific outcome (putting tasks in a certain order); thereby reaching a resolution of the problem at hand (this lets one know the decision is made).

It's important to realize that integrative thinking is not for the faint of heart. In order to hold opposing viewpoints in mind, one must be willing to enter into the messiness - the chaos - that will be present. There is a level of complexity that makes it harder for a person to be an integrative thinker versus a conventional thinker (one who simply chooses the best bad option).

Throughout the book, Martin continually promotes the role of integrative thinking as the most positive of all decision making processes. He offers six common features of an integrative thinker's outlook (or stance):

1. They believe that whatever models exist at the present moment do not represent reality; they are simply the best or only constructions yet made.
2. They believe that conflicting models, styles, and approaches to problems are to be leveraged, not feared.
3. They believe that better models exist that are not yet seen.
4. They believe that not only does a better model exist, but that they are capable of bringing that better model from abstract hypothesis to concrete reality.
5. They are comfortable wading into complexity to ferret out a new and better model, confident they will emerge on the other side with the resolution they seek.
6. They give themselves the time to create a better model.

As I read The Opposable Mind, I felt incredibly optimistic about the potential that each person has to make better decisions by taking the time to reflect and think more deeply. I was easily able to recognize the times when I had cheated the probability of making a better decision because I had settled on an either-or decision.

Some will recognize hints of Stephen Covey's quest for Win-Win as they read through Martin's declaration to search for a solution that combines the best of all options into a solution that doesn't yet exist on the table. There is an incredible amount of confidence that is placed on the intelligence of the individuals involved to think their way into a better resolution.

This book is clearly aimed at leaders who are involved in making serious and consequential business decisions. Most of the illustrative stories involved high stake decisions by corporate leaders who have found themselves in a situation where the current options simply won't suffice. I would be interested to see how Martin's models and encouragement toward integrative thinking would play out in other fields such as ethics, religion, and education. Those areas are full of individuals who find a comfortable place in their own thinking and then become closed to any further information or thinking that would contradict or compromise their current sense of reality.

This book made me think about my thinking. In the end, I was left with a choice: Either my thinking would simply accept the world as it is or my thinking could shape the world into something it could be.

I like the idea of discovering something that does not yet exist.
___________________________________________________________
Tim Milburn spends a lot of his time thinking about how to develop students into student leaders. He makes his home in Eagle, Idaho where he works on a University campus. He is currently developing a 30 lesson curriculum that integrates five core leadership capacities of student leaders with the seasons of the student leader year. You can view his writing and work at studentlinc.net.

Book Review Worksheet - Track Your Favorite Reviews

We are just days away from celebrating a month long excursion through a wide variety of books. The list is varied and extensive. It will be an amazing journey with suggestions and recommendations that you probably never considered.

How will you keep track of it all?

With the encouragement of Rosa, I've designed a one-page worksheet for you to keep track of the relevant and eye-catching information that you'll encounter over the next month. This worksheet is a free downloadable pdf.

When you download this form, you'll have the ability to write down information that sparks your interest from the book reviews. For many of us, our reading list is comprised of books that were recommended to us from friends and others whom we respect. This worksheet will assist you in keeping track of those nuggets of wisdom you find in the reviews. Plus, it will serve as a reminder to add that book to your Amazon Wish List!

Download the Book Review Worksheet

________________________________________________________
Tim Milburn loves a good one-page worksheet. He's designed a few productivity worksheets that have assisted thousands of people with meeting and event planning, leadership training guidelines, and personal productivity. You can access these forms at www.studentlinc.net.

How To Read An Unfinished Book

All of the books I have ever purchased are unfinished.

Now they may have been completed. All the chapters included. A nice title. Smartly designed book jacket. Readily available at my local Barnes & Noble or online at Amazon.com. But when I hold that newly purchased book in my hands for the first time...I know that it's not finished. It needs something more.

To me, a book is one side of a conversation. In order to get the most out of it - to learn from it - I need to engage in the conversation the author has started. I need to finish what the author started.

I will warn you right now: I am not kind to my books. If you were to peruse the shelves of my library you would find books that look like they've been run over by a car, withstood a few cycles in the washing machine, and carry the stains of various food and beverages.

That's because I live with my books.

In living with my books, I engage in a variety of conversations both with the books and with the people around me. I keep them close at hand. I am never very far without access to the latest book that I'm engaged with. Because my goal is to finish what was started on the inside.

So here's how I work at reading, processing, conversing with, and integrating the unfinished books I encounter on a regular basis. You might find some of these too painful to incorporate into your own learning. I only offer them as an insight into my own processes.

1. Lose the dust cover.
I know that someone spent a lot of time working on the design of that book jacket, but I can't properly dismantle this book with that thing still flimsily (is that a real word?) hanging on to the outside of the cover. I will read the comments on the back and on the inside panels and then toss it. Now I have an nondescript book with only the title on the spine to remind me what is on the inside. For me, the book jacket gets in the way. I have found that none of my books lost any significant value by throwing the book cover away.

2. Write some questions.
This is done on the title page of my book. I do this before I even start reading. What do I want this book to answer for me? What do I think this book will answer for me? Each of us purchases a book because we believe it will provide us with some kind of insight, answers, or different perspective. I state those up front...in the book. Maybe the book will answer those questions - maybe it won't. But now I'm reading with intention. Now I'm asking the author questions and am engaged in searching for answers.

3. Underline and re-read.
As I begin to read, there will be certain lines and words that stick out for me. I underline those. After I underline them, I will re-read what I just underlined. I want to think about why this portion of the book is important to me.

A quick note about underlining - use the appropriate pen. Don't use a Sharpie. It's too bold and will bleed through the pages. A nice gel pen could suffice if the ink dries quickly and the paper is thick enough. A ballpoint pen seems to work better for me, unless the pen leaks a little when you first touch it to the paper. These may seem like trivial issues, but when you mark up your book A LOT - the type of writing utensil is crucial. Sometimes, a mechanical pencil may be your best bet.

Some people underline a book because it helps them stay focused. It's easy for our minds to drift while we're reading. I underline the book because I want to condense it to the main points that relate to me and my situation. When I read back through the book, I will focus on the underlined parts. By underlining, I'm trying to make the book smaller.

4. Write in your book.
I love a book with wide margins and blank spaces at the end of chapters. I fill those spaces up with notes, questions, thoughts,and summaries. I have a marking system that I use when I write in my book:
   - I place a "Q:" with the topic of a quote next to quotes I want to remember.
   - I place a "I:" with the topic of the illustration next to those stories that catch my interest.
   - I place a "?" next to passages that raise questions for me.
   - I place a "*" next to important points that stand out above the rest.
If I underline a passage that is very significant, I will summarize it in the margins and draw an arrow to it.

5. Index your material.
Now I understand why they place blank pages at the front and back of books. It's so I can create my own index of what I find important. Whenever I place a mark next to a quote, illustration, passage that I definitely want to refer to later, I will make a note of it on the front page of the book. I create my own index. That way, if I remember that there's something in a book that I need, I don't have to search the whole book. I can go back through my index.

6. Teach it to someone else.
In order for me to better understand a concept or perspective that I read in a book, I need to share it with someone else. This forces me to put things in my own words and to think it through in my own mind. I will pull my book out and ask people what they think about certain passages or explain what it is that I'm reading. As I attempt to explain, I am learning how to formulate the concepts and ideas in my own terms. I tend to learn so much more through the process of teaching then I do by learning alone.

7. Move the information from the book to your own system.
Whenever I buy a book, I realize that I won't need everything that's written in the book. That's why I go through the whole process of reading it, marking it, and analyzing it. I am subjectively pulling information out of the book. And I don't want to leave information that I need in the book.

So I will transcribe key thoughts, ideas, quotes on index cards and paste them on my wall. I will file things away on my computer or in my filing cabinet. I will write key ideas on a blog or in a journal. My goal is to get the information out of the book and into the systems that I use on a daily basis.

And here's the way to measure if you're doing this successfully: What would happen if you lost your library? What if all of your books were stolen or destroyed? What would you have left?

I would definitely feel a sense of loss because I really like my books. Some of them have great sentimental value. Many have been the source of powerful changes in the way I think and live. But I'd be more upset if I lost the files and systems I use to keep information. Because those things make up the information I want to keep, the hard work of gleaning through each of my books to pull out the pieces I find useful and inspiring.

What is a book but the beginning of a conversation? A conversation that is unfinished until you, the reader, become engaged in it. Sometimes I am overwhelmed when I walk into a bookstore and see all of the conversations that I could enter into - too many books, not enough time. But that doesn't stop me from diving in and messing up as many books as I can.

How about you? Do you have a system for finishing the books you buy? How do you interact with your books to get the most out of them?

Photo Credit: Flickr
____________________________________

If Tim Milburn could be any highlighter color in the world, it would be orange. He also writes at a couple of places on the web: College Students Rule! is dedicated to providing tips, tricks and tools to help college students succeed; Studentlinc is where he works hard to develop lifelong leaders one student at a time. Tim makes his home in Eagle, Idaho with his wife and four children.

Packing For Two

I arrived at airport security with my carry-on bag in tow. I was excited to fly on this new airline, Express Jet. I had heard good things: they give you actual food, they provide complimentary XM radio, and it's a straight through flight!

I placed my bag on the conveyor belt and walked through the scanner (minus shoes, belt, and personal effects). When I got to the other side, a security agent was standing there with my bag in hand, asking if it would be okay to go through my stuff (is "no" an acceptable answer?!?).

When we got over to the table, he started rifling through my bag and then pulled out my toiletries case (is there a better word for this?). He started pulling out toothpaste, shaving cream, hair gel, shampoo, etc. All the liquids. He turned to me and said, "You can't bring this with you because it's not in a ziplock bag."

"But I don't have a ziplock bag?!?" I exclaimed.

"We have them available at the front of the security gate. We can escort you back there and get you one and then you can travel through security again." That did not sound like a good idea to me (although I did consider setting up a ziplock bag stand right behind airport security...at $1 a bag, I could make a small fortune).

Another security agent came up from behind and said, "Or you can mail these items to yourself." My initial thought...and that is helpful information in what way?

Fortunately, I was traveling with my friend, Carey. He had already made it through security and was laughing at me (he said he was just smiling...but there were definite guffaws). I called him over and told him what was going on. He asked me if I wanted a stamp to mail my stuff. Not funny.

Then he reached inside his carry on and pulled out a ziplock bag. "Would this be helpful?"

Now I was smiling. Carey had saved the day. We placed my items in the baggie and I was set free to scope out the nearest mocha latte in the airport.

From this episode, I've discovered that I don't always carry everything I need in my own bag. But there are often times where I do have something that someone else needs.

What I was lacking, Carey had extra.

I think the same can be said of our learning and growing together. As we're journeying together, we will encounter areas where we just don't have what we need in our bag. But someone else does. And if they're willing to share, we can move further down the road.

So when I pack my bag for this year, I want to consider the following:
1) Be willing to give what I have away.
2) Journey with others so that I can benefit with what they have to offer.
3) Move from ownership of ideas to stewardship of ideas.
4) Help others overcome obstacles and ask for help when I encounter them.
5) Carry more ziplock bags with me.
_____________________________________________________________________
Tim Milburn is now a big fan of Express Jet. He writes at a couple of different places on the blogosphere. Developing student leaders over at studentlinc and helping college students succeed at College Students Rule!. He is currently developing a 30 module student leadership curriculum for those who work with student leaders at schools, churches, and civic organizations.

It's A "Wonder"ful Time Of The Year

Every so often, I become very conscious of how easily I fall into the commercialism that surrounds the Christmas season. I love giving and receiving gifts as much as the next guy (perhaps even more so). I just don't want to lose sight of what's most important and what's most significant about the holiday season.

As I was reading through some of the posts that have already been written this month on Joyful Jubilant Learning, my eyes caught the left hand margin - The Seven Wonders of JJL.

I remember when we created that list. We were looking for a unique way to share our learning when the calendar struck 7-7-07. Each of those seven "L" words helped us organize our ideas and thoughts.

As I looked over the list, I thought, "They'd make a great Christmas list!"

So in your quest to find the most meaningful of gifts this year, I offer the following:

LISTEN — Listening is so much harder than talking. If you listen, REALLY listen to others, you are offering them a gift that will communicate just how much you value them. Give someone your attention.

LAUGH — Laughter is so much fun. It has a way of healing the soul. Learning to laugh at yourself lightens your spirit. Give someone a moment to laugh so hard it brings tears to their eyes.

LEARN — Learning expands your world. Help others become the people they are meant to be by not remaining the people that they are - grow their minds. Give someone a chance to grow in a new direction.

LINK — My network grows as when I connect to the network of another. My own experience and connections might be a tremendous resource for someone else. Give someone an opportunity he or she might not be able to get on their own.

LOVE — The holidays have a way of magnifying the level of intensity we feel in our relationships. Make sure the ones you love know it. Give your love away. It's much more effective when it's shared.

LIVE — I once heard it said that the life you live, just might be your very own. With that in mind, come alongside others and find ways for them to get the absolute most out of life. Give someone a way to appreciate the best gift that each of us have...TODAY.

LEAP — Sometimes, the hardest step in a new direction is the first one. You can be an en"courage"r in the life of someone else. You can help them believe in themselves and to believe in their dream. The most exiting changes in the right direction happen when one jumps in with both feet. Give someone the courage to jump.

Do you remember what you got last year for Christmas? I'm struggling to do it even as I write this.

If you give gifts that flow from the spirit of the list above, you'll be giving something memorable and meaningful. They'll be gifts that last.
__________________________________________________

Tim Milburn approaches life a lot like he approaches presents, enthusiastically moving past the surface of things so that he can get to the heart of the matter. He dedicates much of his time to developing student leaders through his blog and resources at www.studentlinc.net.

Rapid Fire Learning - Five for November

November has been a terrific month of learning. Thanks for taking a moment and letting me share my journey with you. With only five days left in this month, here is the five-course meal of learning I feasted on.

1. Gratitude changes everything.
I feel better about life when I'm thankful for it. Being grateful is a tremendous gift to both give and receive. People are appreciative when I recognize their contribution through my gratitude. I feel like giving even more when someone expresses their thanks to me. Gratitude is the best thing to combat a prideful attitude. A handwritten thank you note is a special gift.

2. I'm more productive when I clear the clutter.
This month, I completely cleared off my workspace of everything except my computer and phone. I had to remove file holders, stacks of papers, office supplies (stapler, tape, pens, etc), random sticky notes, and other items that had found a home on my desk. When I was done, I had a completely clean work area. I've spent the last few weeks managing my clean sweep. I try to go paperless whenever possible. I clean off any clutter each night. I have found that I am much better at working on one thing at a time this way. It's less distracting.

3. Hulu is pretty good.
I must say that I was bitter (I realize this conflicts with #1) when I found out that NBC had pulled it's TV show The Office off of iTunes and was now running it on Amazon. For one thing, I can no longer watch this season's episodes on my iPod. But NBC's release of Hulu is fairly decent. I had to wait to get an invitation for the beta. Not sure when they'll fully open it to the public. I like Hulu for a couple of reasons: 1) I tend to watch more and more of my favorite shows online, 2) The video player is so much better than the one they have up on NBC.com. Check it out here.

4. There's a very REAL difference between ideal values and real values.
Ideal values are those things that you want or hope to value. Real values are the values you actually live out through your actions and behaviors. You may communicate to others your ideal values, trying to encourage them that they're you're real values, but your behavior will prove what is really true. Thus, it's important to know what your values really are. If you only communicate your ideal values, you'll confuse everyone in your life when you start acting in contradictory ways.

5. Christmas lights are easier to put up the second time around.
Last year was the first year I put lights up on the house we currently live in. It took me quite a while to figure out what to connect everything to and where to run all of the extension cords. This year, I already knew the plan. I strung the lights in less than half the time, only having to change a few broken bulbs. Now I can focus on enhancing the presention (we might add a few candy canes and light-up reindeer). Familiarity helps speed things up. But it only comes when I'm willing to dive in and try something for the first time. Experience enhances my execution. Evaluated experience helps me to improve and not repeat the same mistakes I made before.
____________________________________________________________
Author: Tim Milburn
Tim currently trains, equips, and develops student leaders on a daily basis. You can view more of his writing and resources at www.studentlinc.net.

How involved are you in your child’s learning?

I so admire Tim Milburn for this: An Open Letter To Teachers

How can you be taking a more active role in your child’s life at school? Please share what you do, for the benefit of all who are parents in our Ho‘ohana Community, just as Tim did.

Tim also asks,

• Do you create opportunities for people or put obstacles in the way of people?
• What would you use to judge whether or not a student is capable of running for a student leadership position?

I look forward to your comments,
~ Rosa Say

---

Tim Milburn is also one of our contributing authors here on Joyful Jubilant Learning. This was the posting he had written for our JJL Make A Difference 2007 forum: Help! I Can't Learn Anything Because I'm Disinterested. 

Happy Belated Birthday JJL!

I just wanted to keep the birthday wishes flowing.

Hope the second year is better than the first.
Another year to learn, unlearn, and relearn.
Packed full of great ideas and insights.
Partnering in new ways.
You all added so much.

Best wishes for year number TWO!
I can't wait to see what we learn.
Really glad to be part of this group.
Thanks for all the inspiration.
Here's to Rosa for dreaming big.
Don't let the learning stop.
A lot left to write about.
YEAR TWO IS GOING TO BE GREAT!
______________________________________________
Tim Milburn loves a good birthday party. That's why he waited until the day after to express his birthday wishes so he could keep the party going. He is currently developing lifelong leaders one student at a time at studentlinc.

Help! I Can't Learn Anything Because I'm Disinterested

Todd's a student. A college student.
Which means he chose to keep going to school.

I find him lying on one of the couches in the student center with a book over his face.
I can see that he's sleeping - a direct result of being tired and trying to read while laying down.
So I approach him quietly and suddenly blurt out, "WHAT'CHA READING TODD?!?"

Todd is visibly startled and pulls the book down from over his eyes. "It's, um, psychology of somethin'."

"Looks like you've been stuck on the same page for awhile."

Todd sits up and flips the book toward his backpack, trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes. "I've got to take this course. I don't know why..."

And then he says THE PHRASE...wait for it...here it comes...

"I'LL NEVER USE THIS STUFF ANYWAY."

There it is. Classes just started and Todd has already checked out. He doesn't connect what he's learning to what he thinks he needs to know. He's going through the motions and it's putting him to sleep.

I don't think a teacher, professor, or instructor sets out to bore students. In fact, I believe most people in the passing-on-of-knowledge-business actually feel like what they're doing is making a difference. But somewhere, somehow something gets lost in the translation.

I created a diagram that helps me understand the learning/teaching process a little better...at least from a certain angle. I found that in both teaching and learning, my enthusiasm for the material or the process has an impact on how I learn. And how I teach what I learn.

It's true that while we are learners, we are also teachers at some level. And in order to be effective teachers, we must remain constant learners.

Emotion plays a key role in my learning/teaching diagram. I don't believe learning (or teaching, perhaps, more so) can be distanced or separated from emotion. It connects knowledge to heart, mind, and soul.

On one axis, I show that a person is either moving toward passion or apathy. Passion is the emotion of feeling very strongly about a subject. Apathy means...well...who cares what apathy means.

On the other axis, I mark the ends of the continuum with learning and teaching. I realize that you can probably do both simultaneously. But I've distinguished them here based on roles more than processes.

In my experience, the type of learning/teaching that makes a difference has occurred when I'm passionate about something. It fuels my learning/teaching in a way nothing else can.

Basically, I've observed the following:

1. When a teacher lacks passion for the material, he or she creates disinterested learners. The teacher's passion is contagious in the learning process.

2. When the teacher has a high level of passion in the material, it will make the information come alive and stir the interest and motivate the student in learning. If the teacher can connect the material to something the student is passionate about, the teaching will become inspirational.

3. A student's outlook on learning effects the way he or she receives the information. A teacher may only appear to be boring on an emotional level because the student has a high level of apathy for either the material or the process in general. For example, two students can sit through the same lecture or demonstration. The one who is motivated will find the teacher inspiring, the one who is disinterested won't make the necessary connections needed to find the learning experience meaningful.

4. The student has a responsibility to be teachable - to have a learner's mind. Like the saying goes, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." When a student has a passion to learn, he or she will more readily recognize and listen to teaching.

5. The goal is to move from "disinterested" to "inspirational."

An interesting exercise from this chart is to put a name or face in each of the quadrants. I can name people who are disinterested, boring, motivated, and inspirational. Think about what makes each person appear so. What characteristics do you seek to emulate? Which ones are you quick to avoid?

Another exercise is to recognize those moments when you personally live in a particular quadrant. What factors move you from apathy to passion, or vice-versa?

Perhaps you have some other observations in regards to the diagram. Feel free to share them in the comments below.
_________________________________________________________
Tim Milburn is a student leadership consultant and speaker. He is committed to developing lifelong leaders one student at a time. His writing and downloadable resources can be found at www.studentlinc.net.