The Bridge Blog
A dialog about our new bridge and these web pages
Overview. As a pointy-headed
university professor, my weekend project of bridge photography and
building these web pages generated many questions and introduced me
to just-in-time learning. I enjoy chasing my curiosity and
want to identify ways to encourage younger learners to also enjoy curiosity
chasing and learning.
Learning usually requires repetition while forgetting occurs when
I infrequently use information. Many young learners do not understand
the importance of repetition. Weekly visits to the bridge provided
the repetition necessary to detect changes in the bridge and
consequently generated
many questions and opportunities for learning. Over the course of the
bridge project, I had access to few experts for answering questions.
Rather than a liability, this became an asset and pushed me to improve
my search skills with Google. Soon, I found that answers
to questions encountered during my weekly photo shoots were often
only a Google-search away -
(see
Restoring the Joy in Learning). Consequently Google + Internet became
dependable extensions of my memory.
The bridge story is a work in progress and is evolving from a simple
collections of photographs to an experiment with Internet-centric
just-in-time learning.
Insights I gain from you
will find their way into the learning centers of MUSC.
Palmetto Bridge Constructors, a joint venture between
Tidewater
Skanska and
Flatiron Constructors, as well as
High Steel Structures,
Freyssinet, the
SCDOT and the
Federal Highway Commission Office
of Bridge Technology guided much of my learning.
I also learn from many of you and from Google-linked resources. More
important is the e-mail encouragement I receive from many of you.
Sun, 08 May 2005
May 8, 2005: Our extended bridge family
It is all about people chemistry. New chemical compounds are impossible
as long as the reagents live in their individual bottles. Mix them together,
add a bit of heat (sometimes) and something interesting might happen. The
same with people. When I sit in my office or home, bottled as a chemical
reagent in the supply room, nothing interesting happens. When I get up and
poke around, I collide with others, and the possibility of something
interesting is amplified. So it is with our bridge project.
Earlier this week, Sandrine phoned me about a surprise birthday party for
her husband, Oliver (who directs the local Freyssinet work). This was
a complete surprise for me because Sandrine did not have my phone number. But
being the resourceful woman that she is - she managed to locate it. Yesterday,
we all gathered at Oliver's place - for wonderful afternoon of celebrations.
We celebrated the birth of their daughter, Lucille, we celebrated the
appearance of Oliver's mother-in-law, Jackie, who quickly became the
energy of the party, and finally, we celebrated Oliver's birthday. There is
a photo essay of course.
posted at: 14:46 | path: | permanent link to this entry
