From the Elk

Rwanda Youth Leadership Program at UAH

2007-12-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

On November 25, 2007 a group of high school students with three teachers from Rwanda came to the University of Alabama in Huntsville for a three week visit. I had the pleasure on Tuesday, December 11 to meet with them in a computer lab in the College of Business Administration.

We talked about the Internet and World Wide Web, created gmail accounts and each started their own blog.

To get to know each of them a little better you may also visit the page at http://cba.uah.edu/whittena/Rwanda/

Evelyn Uwera has created her blog at http://dr-evey-u.blogspot.com/

My Son, My Help

2007-10-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

As a child and into adulthood, I was fortunate to have had many wonderful teachers who inspired and help me become who I am now. One especially, my sixth grade teacher at Ridgedale Elementary School in Chattanooga, TN, Ms. Grace Robinson, is the one who most help me decide by her example that I wanted to be a teacher like her. I have now been teaching for over 30 years, before my children were born. As a father I tried to be a good example and teacher for them as well. During these past few years, my son is now often my teacher and I am his appreciative student.

As a university lecturer I teach now in the area of information systems, an area constantly changing in new and wonderful ways. My son works as a web designer for NASA and frequently helps me learn new ways and techniques I am able to share with my students.

My Time With High School Students From Serbia

2007-09-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

I had the great opportunity to meet with a group of high school students on Monday, Sept. 24, and share with them how to:

Create a web page

Create and post to a blog

Create and use a FaceBook profile

A Google Map User's Complaint

2007-03-08T06:41:00.000-08:00

I received a complaint from someone seeking Google Map directions to the University of Alabama in Huntsville regarding the top Google (non-sponsored) link pointing NOT to UAH but to UA of Tuscaloosa.

To replicate what this user did they entered "university of alabama in Huntsville, AL" as the search string to view:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=university%20of%20alabama%20in%20Huntsville%2C%20AL&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SUNA&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl

They clicked on the "A" link to:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=university+of+alabama+in+Huntsville,+AL&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&latlng=34723453,-86644087,6970768638499524966&ei=hhXwRceIIY7gqwKymYShCw

The top link on that page was to:

www.ua.edu/

the website of the University of Alabama located over 150 miles from Huntsville.
The second link was on target to

www.uah.edu/

the University of Alabama in Huntsville (NOT TUSCALOOSA).

I suppose the complaining visitor may think it is part of a conspiracy by some Tide fan rather than just an inherit weakness in the Google search engine. I suppose had they used quote marks to search "University of Alabama in Huntsville"

Not knowing how to contact anyone at Google direct, is that even possible? I started this blog, so for better or worse we'll find out if I have what it takes to blog.

AFW