On this journey to examine ways to equip and engage Gen Z, specifically in the college classroom, much of my interest has zeroed in on processes such as active or experiential learning activities such as gamification, virtual simulations, and student-created content. As I’ve pondered what strategies might be successful in my classes, research on tinkering …
Lose the Prescriptions
As a health educator who supports the use of pharmaceutical medicines to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease, I admit to wrestling sometimes with where to draw the line between behavioral habits and the use of chemicals. When I make a choice to consume high-fat fast foods over fresh fruits and vegetables, I understand the …
This Is Your Brain on a…Smartphone
If you are unable to recall the 1987 public service announcement related to the dangers of drug abuse, our wonderful world of instantly accessible information allows you to click here to view the commercial. The scene depicts a man cracking open an egg into a frying pan to demonstrate the effects of using drugs. The …
Is Gen Z the Canary?
Entering unchartered territory is challenging and not for the faint of heart. Thankful for all the pioneers whose courage led them to brave new areas, I relish those who are willing to risk the unknown. Trailblazers are eager to journey into new territories to open opportunities for the rest of us; and currently, I believe …
Attitude and Gratitude
In the wee hours of the morning thoughts come to mind that I cannot explain, perhaps this is the only time when my brain is not scrambling with items from a to-do list or the activities I failed to accomplish the day before. Maybe 3:00 AM is the time when I am able to let …
Digital Minimalism
As a member of Gen X, born in the early 1970s, technology has required that I continually make adjustments, but I can’t say that I’m always prepared. Let’s see if anyone else relates to the ever-changing path of saving data, music and videos: first, we had a range of floppy disks from the large 8” …
A Flourishing Generation
At the university where I teach, each semester we are provided with opportunities to participate in dialogue groups with other faculty members and administrators which I find both insightful and challenging. Since the spring of 2011 where the group discussed Tim Elmore’s Generation iY to the fall of 2016 when the group read Jean Twenge’s …
Life Interrupted
Do your days have a typical rhythm and routine to them? Even on days when there is no requirement to set an alarm, do you still find yourself waking up at the same time you normally do? What time of day are you characteristically the most productive? As the research journey continues into factors related …
Chronos vs. Kairos
As I compose this post on January 1, 2020, it’s the first day of a new year, the first day of a new decade. With over 30 scrapbooks organized according to year filling the shelves in my home office and bedroom, capturing time through photographs and jotting down memories has been a priority in years …
A System of Atomic Habits
Having introduced Clear’s work, Atomic Habits in earlier postings, today we will investigate a little deeper his systematic approach to developing good habits and losing bad ones. Clear states, “an atomic habit refers to a tiny change, a marginal gain, a one percent improvement. They are little habits that are part of a larger system. …