Dictionary.com defines summertime as "noun: the warmest season of the year; 'they spent a lazy summer at the shore' [syn: summer] Source: WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University."
Summertime has an effect on us all in one way or another and the effect changes over time. For example, as a child, summertime meant a vacation from school that seemed to last forever. As a classroom teacher, summertime constituted forced unemployment and finding a summer job to make ends meet. Now as a professor, this warmest season of the year often manifests in teacher enhancement workshops, completing projects left over from the past academic year, teaching summer classes, and cleaning one's office. (The sun graphic shown above is courtesy of ArtToday.com)
Out of all the summertime responsibilities mentioned above, I have been terribly effected by summertime and remiss in just about all duties, especially in writing editorials for June issues.
The beauty in searching the Internet is that sometimes, one comes across a piece of work that truly deserves consideration. In searching for information for one of those leftover projects from the past semester, I came across a paper that discusses a most interesting concept -- SHOVELWARE.
To close, let me apologize for the effects of summertime on this loosely-defined editorial and invite you to explore the concept of shovelware; a concept explored by Professor Alistair B. Fraser, Pennsylvania State University. I hope you find some value in his words. I know I did. Please click on the graphic to learn more about shovelware.
May you all be cursed by the effects of summertime...at least a little. I had almost forgotten what summertime was all about.
Thanks for reading and your continued support of the Electronic Journal of Science Education.