Comments on: Clay Shirky on Where People Find the Time http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/497 pragmatism over zeal Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:26:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Jeremy Browne http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/497#comment-41078 Jeremy Browne Mon, 05 May 2008 15:50:08 +0000 http://opencontent.org/blog/?p=497#comment-41078 (should have proofread before posting, eh? "Patterns," not "patters," "bored" not "board." (should have proofread before posting, eh? “Patterns,” not “patters,” “bored” not “board.”

]]> By: Jeremy Browne http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/497#comment-41077 Jeremy Browne Mon, 05 May 2008 15:48:28 +0000 http://opencontent.org/blog/?p=497#comment-41077 Last week I taught my assessment students a little classical test theory and, of course, reliability. I had created a spreadsheet for the students to enter quiz results, and then get a KR-20 coefficient. The point of the exercise was for them to play around with the numbers and find which patters resulted in various levels of reliability. One of the students asked where I found that "program" (he meant "spreadsheet"). When I told him I had written it he asked, "Do you *ever* get bored?" That question has been with me for six days now, and I realize, "No. I don't get board." As Shirky would put it, I have found ways to spend my cognitive surplus online or in the real world. AND, when all else fails, there are books I haven't read yet. Last week I taught my assessment students a little classical test theory and, of course, reliability. I had created a spreadsheet for the students to enter quiz results, and then get a KR-20 coefficient. The point of the exercise was for them to play around with the numbers and find which patters resulted in various levels of reliability.

One of the students asked where I found that “program” (he meant “spreadsheet”). When I told him I had written it he asked, “Do you *ever* get bored?”

That question has been with me for six days now, and I realize, “No. I don’t get board.” As Shirky would put it, I have found ways to spend my cognitive surplus online or in the real world. AND, when all else fails, there are books I haven’t read yet.

]]>