Blog Post 6

This week in EDM 310 Dr. Strange asked us to watch Dr. Randy Pausch's Last Lecture. Dr. Pausch's lecture was extremely moving; especially when taking into account that Dr. Pausch died shortly after the making of the video with pancreatic cancer. With Dr. Pausch's love for life and high strung personality one would never expect the struggles that he endured. Dr. Pausch's lecture was titled, Achieving Your Childhood Dreams and rightly so because his lecture focused on the creative dreams of today's students.

There were three parts to Dr. Pausch's lecture: his own childhood dreams, enabling the childhood dreams of others, and lessons learned. One concept that comes up continually throughout the lecture was the concept of a brick wall that we always encounter while we pursue our passions. Dr. Pausch said that a brick wall was placed in our path in order to show us how badly we want things, and to reveal to us our dedication in achieving our goals. Dr. Pausch used the analogy of the brick wall to illustrate what happens as we pursue our childhood dreams.

Dr. Pausch's lecture did not appear to be a guide that enabled people to achieve their dreams, but rather an encouragement for people to chase after their dreams. Achieving the dream is not the ultimate end. The ultimate end is the amount of brick walls that we encounter and how we rise up from those discouraging moments. Dr. Pausch put it best by saying, "experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want". Childhood dreams are very important and they provide for creativity, but if our hope is built upon that one dream then discouragement will be the result.

The main point that I received from Randy Pausch's final lecture was not to achieve but rather to aspire! We teach children to aim for one certain goal but the goal is not the objective. The road that leads to the goal is the ultimate objective. I see the dreams of children as the key to their creativity and motivation, but what the child encounters along the way to their goal will ultimately benefit them. Dr. Pausch conveyed his teaching methods to be centered around allowing students to have fun while they learn the hardest material. Dr. Pausch was basically focused on utilizing technology or any media to provide an enjoyable learning experience that promotes creativity. I feel that with this method students are more self motivated and have a better opportunity to learn the material.

The part of Dr. Pausch's lecture that hit home for me was the part where he discussed the lessons learned from the lecture. Those who have the most influence on a child's life are those who spend the most time with the child. Dr. Pausch listed multiple people that he served under who had a great impact on his life. The two people that he claimed to have had the greatest impact on his life were his parents. He even ended the lecture by stating that his lecture was not for his listeners but rather for his children. I am a man of faith and through my faith in Christ I have learned the absolute importance of the family unit. The actions and reactions of a child's parents have the greatest influence on that child's life. The parents great influence comes with a great responsibility. It is up to the parent to promote the child's creativity, work ethic, knowledge, morals, ideology, and success in school and work.

I enjoyed watching Dr. Randy Pausch's motivating last lecture. I believe that we as future educators should realize that we are not looking for a job, but we are looking to be the leaders and role models of an entire generation that is the future of the world. Educators have the greatest obligation in America, and if parents and teachers do not promote creativity and enjoyable productive education then who will? It is our task to modivate, inspire, and mold the youth of this country. In the words of Dr. Randy Pausch "Its not about how to achieve your dreams, its about how to lead your life".