Announcing the Formal Part of the Virtual Literary World Tour! The Invisible Mentor Blog is taking a tour, Around the World with Books in 120 Days! It is officially called the Virtual Literary World Tour. Around the World with Books in 120 Days - the Virtual Literary World Tour If you cannot view the presentation, click here. Text of the Presentation We’re starting the tour in Lowell, Massachusetts, swing over to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, travel to Canada – starting in Neepawa, Manitoba; to Smiths Fall, Ontario, and on to Montreal, Quebec. But first, let me introduce myself! My name is Avil Beckford. I was born in a small … [Read more...]
Be at Peace with the Decisions You Make
May 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Are you at peace with the decisions you make in life? On Sunday after church I was talking to a friend who is a teacher, and I indicated that for the Virtual Literary World Tour, I said that I would virtually visit 30 countries, and to date I have done 26, and I haven’t read the 70 books so I am feeling like I have let myself down. She was shocked, and told me that I should be proud of myself because she has been reading the same book for more than a month. This friend is a voracious reader - the majority of my friends are voracious readers. Last week through Scoop.it, I discovered the Bout of Books read-a-thon, and I committed to … [Read more...]
Dystopia: Why Are People So Passionate About Dystopian Literature?
May 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Definition of Dystopia According to About.com, “A dystopia is society that is broken down, unpleasant, or in an oppressed or terrorized state. Unlike a utopia, a perfect world, dystopias are grim, dark, and hopeless. They reveal society’s greatest fears. Totalitarian governments rule and the needs and wants of individuals become subordinate to the state. In most dystopian novels, a tyrannical government is trying to suppress and control its citizens by taking away their individuality…. Dystopian governments also ban activities that encourage individual thinking.” Utopia vs. Dystopia A utopia is an ideal place. “An imaginary … [Read more...]
The Hero’s Journey and Your Career Journey
May 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
There are several stages to the hero’s journey (Refer to Joseph Campbell’s book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell)). The hero is called to go on a quest – an adventure - which he can refuse to go on. But more often than not, he reluctantly goes on the quest. While on the hero's journey, he encounters many difficulties and challenges that push him to the limits. A mentor may assist him in overcoming the difficulties and challenges by advising him on what path to take. The experience transforms him. The hero can return home and teach others what he has learned, or he can be like Siddhartha Gautama … [Read more...]
Are Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Effective Learning Tools?
May 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment
These days, there is a lot of chatter about Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), but are they really effective. Last summer I learned about a Gamification course being offered on Coursera, which was led by Wharton Professor, Kevin Werbach. I signed up for the course, but at that time four weeks of the six-week course had already been completed so it was stressful to complete a six-week course in two. They offered the course again, and I am taking it. I am taking the Gamification course because I am looking for ideas on how to make The Invisible Mentor blog more interactive. I saw two other courses which I have signed up for as well. In the … [Read more...]
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