Reflections

I'm always amazed by how quickly the semester flies by. I tend to get nostalgic this time of the year. I've learned a lot about the uses of technology this semester, although it was not always easy. I tend to learn the most from classes that take me out of my element, and this has definitely been one of those classes. I think back to the first night of class, trying to learn how to use MOO, I wasn't sure I would get used to it, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy and helpful. (I'm so glad we didn't have to brave the cold)! I was uncomfortable with blogging at first as well, but again I have learned a lot from this exercise. This has also led me to wonder how I can take my students out of their comfort zone. I think that using technology in the classroom will help me do this. They may be more comfortable with technology in general than I am, but I think that it cans still be used to give them more fulfilling experience.

No, I will not give you an A!

As the semester comes to a close, I am faced with the unpleasantness of grade negotiations. No-I don't let students negotiate their grades, but that does not stop them from trying to sweet-talk their way to a better grade. I'm sure I'm not the only one to face this issue each semester, but I am curious how other people handle it. I find it interesting that students want a better grade, but they generally have no real reasons why I should change their grade. If they would come to me with some real reasons, I would consider it (maybe). They don't think about what they could have done during the semester to avoid this situation. I've lost all sympathy for the students who approach me about this. Sometimes I feel like a hard***, but all of this would be pointless if we gave students the grades that they want, instead of the grades they earn. How do the rest of you feel about this situation?

Community vs. Individual Blogs

After our final class on Monday night, I started thinking about the differences between individual and community blogs. The biggest issue that comes to mind for me is grading. Grading 25 blogs per semester seems overwhelming. Maybe this makes me seem lazy, but I don't want to spend my time policing 25 blogs each semester. I would also like to see my students read each other's entries as well, so I'm leaning towards a community blog for my next class. I know I will still have the same number of entries to read, but I like the fact that they would all be in one place. I think a community blog would create just that-a sense of community within the class. I don't really trust students to actively seek out other student's blogs, so this will force them to read at least a few entries (hopefully). It would be a great place to discuss readings and concerns as they arise. I am excited to find out how this will work in the future.

Scary...

I recently read an article in Newsweek about a family in California-their daughter was killed in a horrific car accident (the body was decapitated). Officers on the scene took pictures of the crash site and posted them on the internet without notifying the family. Since then, the family has received pictures of the crash site via email and they can also be found by simply searching the family name. The family has hired a lawyer to attempt to stop the spread of these photos, but it is nearly impossible. The parents and their remaining children live in constant fear that they will run into the photos while browsing the internet. The article delves into a discussion of the legal battle that the family is waging, and also the question of "why does anyone want to see these images?" It is awful that people have taken this personal tragedy and turned it into entertainment, but the most frightening aspect is that there is really nothing to be done to stop it.

Here is the link for anyone interested:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/195073

Grading

I have been terribly remiss in my blogging lately. It seems as if grading has overtaken my life in the past few weeks, but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. My students turned in their final papers this weekend. This is the only paper that I have required the students to submit online. Normally I prefer to have paper copies to save my eyes from further hours of computer glare, but I actually am enjoying the online grading this time. I think it has cut down on my grading time, which is nice, but I've also noticed that I am making fewer comments on the papers. Maybe it's grading burnout, I'm not sure yet. I don't think that I could switch to online submissions only (especially not for the research paper), but it is nice to have both options available. My main question is-am I getting lazy or is online grading more efficient?

Thoughts on a Thursday Morning

I've had some mental blockage when it comes to blog topics lately. Cody's post about incorporating other disciplines, etc. helped me clear up the blockage in my head. I've taken many of the same classes, so I'm aware of the discussions that are happening. Why is English always the outcast? Why do we have to prove our legitimacy? I see it happening all the time, even in everyday conversation. When I tell people that I am an English major, I wait for the inevitable "Oh....so what are you going to do with that? Teach?" Yes, I want to teach, but it can be frustrating whenever I tell people what I do, because there is always that moment when they are wondering what the point of it is. Why didn't I become an accountant? (No thanks). I give a speech at the beginning of every semester discussing the importance of English. Do math teachers feel the need to do that? Some day you will need that algebra...

Anyway, enough of my ranting, I also wanted to discuss our incorporation of other disciplines into our classes. I think it's natural and necessary in our field. We use many different readings and texts in our classes, so it becomes almost automatic to discuss history, politics, etc. As for the use of technology, I believe that we need use it, but we should not overuse it. If we remember that our goal is to help students become better writers, I don't believe that we will overuse it. We can teach design elements to a certain extent, but the focus should still be on the writing.

Worries, Wishes...

I am starting to stress out about our web project, and it has barely begun! I find it kind of intimidating to create my own web space. I feel as though I have more questions than answers. There is so much that can be done with a web site, but how should I put mine together? It generally takes me some time to fully understand a program, so I am worried about this as well. I also wish I had been able to do this before my last semester. I would really like to put a page together for my 191 class (which I am planning to do anyway), but it's too late for me to actually use it since this is my last semester. I'm glad we are getting the chance to learn how to design a web page, because I'm not sure when I will have the opportunity again. It would have been helpful to see how students would utilize a class web page. I guess I will have to wait until I find another job to find out!

D2L

After our discussion about D2L, I started thinking about my own experience with it. I realized that I'm still not accustomed to using it for this class. In nearly every other class that I have taken, D2L has been used primarily as a dropbox and as a means to download the syllabus. I'm just not used to it playing such an integral role in a class. I have a tendecy to forget about the discussions (not on purpose). In my own teaching I use D2L as a place to post notes and other class information, but I rarely use it for class discussion. I admit that I have been slow to adjust to the use of D2L in our class.

I just read an article in the most recent issue of Newsweek about Kindle. The author, Jacob Weisberg, basically believes that the invention of Kindle is akin to the invention of sliced bread. I'm still not ready to give up my books, but he did bring up some interesting points. Whether I like it or not, Kindle is the way of the future-Amazon recently released Stephen King's latest novel in Kindle version only. Authors will no longer need to deal with expensive publishing fees, etc. to get their novels distributed. This will eventually change the entire face of the publishing world-for better or worse remains to be seen. It will eliminate many jobs eventually. On the plus side-this will be great for the environment. Imagine all of the trees that can be saved.

I'm still skeptical. I have a feeling that this is one technological trend that I am going to resist for as long as I possibly can. I just can't imagine curling up on a rainy day with my computer screen, rather than an actual book. If publishers stop distributing books in actual book form, I will have to break down and accept this. My kids are going to laugh at me some day because I'm reading books, just as I laughed at my parents for their 8 tracks. Somehow I never thought that would happen-but I see it already.

Here is the link if you are interested in the article:

http://newsweek.com/id/190358

My Classes Are Intertwining

My students have just picked the topics for their research papers. One of my students is going to write about the influence of new media and Facebook. The paper is a researched argument, so I'm a bit nervous for her. I reminded her that she will need to present some sort of argument regarding the topic, and I'm wondering if she has bit off more than she can chew. I'm supportive of the topic because I think it's important and timely, but I'm just wondering if she will be able to handle a subject this large. I have told her she may need to focus more carefully, but I have a feeling I will need to monitor this closely. This is a subject I'm still learning about, so I'm curious to see where a student who is probably far more tech saavy than I am will take it. Maybe I will have some findings to bring to our class!

Intuition Plus Technology-A Lethal Combination

I had an "interesting" experience while grading papers this weekend. I was reading a paper and having a deja vu moment-I had a feeling that I had read this paper before-during Spring semester last year. I e-mailed my former student and asked her to send me a copy of the paper. Sure enough, my current student had rearranged the content, but it was basically word for word the same paper. I had suspected this in one of his other papers, but I let it go, because I didn't feel as strongly about it as I did this time. I should have trusted my instincts at the time, but I'm glad that I did this time. I tend to second guess myself, but this just goes to show that first instincts are usually right. It's so frustrating that students do this, but over the past few semesters I have learned to trust my intuition regarding plagiarism. I hate to say it, but I'm looking forward to confronting my student about this-I wonder what he will have to say for himself...

Thoughts On Visual Literacy

I was thinking about the reading from last night, and the fact that Selfe kept implying that many instructors/administrators believe that visual literacy is a lesser form compared to alphabetic literacy. I have to say that while I don't really agree with that, I do emphasize alphabetic over visual literacy in my classroom. I would like to spend more time discussing visual analysis with my students, but we really don't have the time. I use the visual analysis as a springboard into rhetorical analysis of essays. It works very well, and provides the students with a solid foundation for doing a rhetorical analysis. The students really enjoy picking apart the visuals that we analyze in class (much more than the essays).

At the end of each semester, I have the students write an essay about the assignment that they felt they learned the most from during the class. It is generally a 50/50 split between the visual analysis and the research paper. The students comment on how they had never really analyzed anything for its visual value, and they seem to remember this most out of everything we have done. It provides them with the analytical skills they can apply to just about anything in life. However valuable this assignment may be, I still don't feel that I can stray from my typical course curriculum. I may have more freedom than high school teachers who have to deal with the restraints of testing, but I have a feeling that the powers that be at SCSU would still want us to focus on the writing in 191, not the visual elements.

Aimless Musings...

I think I have a spring break hangover. I didn't go anywhere, or do anything for that matter, but I had a hard time getting myself ready to go this morning. I was looking at my calendar today, and I realized we only have 7 weeks left until finals week. Where does the semester go? It always goes so quickly, and there is still so much left to do. The first semester that I taught, I had no idea how I was going to fill all of those class periods, and now that I have a bit more experience, I wonder how I can get anything accomplished in such a short period of time. Although I'm looking forward to summer, I'm kind of sad that the semester will be wrapping up so soon. Towards the end of the semester I always feel as though my class starts to work really well together, and that my students and I have built a strong rapport, and it always seems as though this is when we can get some serious work done. Unfortunately, the end of the semester comes too quickly, and we can't accomplish anything else together. It makes me wonder if 191 should be a 2 semester class, but that would probably be impossible given the number of students that have to take the class. This has also made me start thinking about my future. This is my final semester, and now comes the daunting task of finding a job. I have to wonder if this will be my final teaching assignment. Will I find a job teaching? Will I find a job at all? Maybe this is why I'm anxious about the semester coming to a close. The stress of school will be over, but I would rather deal with that any day, rather than the stress of a job search.

FB Dilemmas

My sister and I were discussing the Facebook phenomenon yesterday, and she was surprised by a few of the things that I shared with her that I have learned in our class. I told her about potential employers checking out their applicants on Facebook, and she was shocked that anyone would do that. The next thing she said was that she would be switching her account to private. It made me wonder how many people actually know that it may not be just friends and acquaintances who are checking out their FB accounts. Finding a job is hard enough, but to lose a job because of something posted on a networking site would be awful. I guess if you don't think about the consequences of posting inappropriate pictures or messages, you will have no one to blame but yourself.

My students and I also discussed FB in class, and many of them had stories about teachers joining under an alias and watching the students. I find all of this a little bit creepy on both sides. Judgement ultimately lies with the account holder, but should instructors be spying on their students? It seems as though there are some ethical issues involving FB that I'm not quite sure how to deal with. Should employers be examining the personal lives of their applicants? I don't know how to answer these questions, and I don't know if there are any easy answers.

What About the Books?

My students have spent the last few days in the library learning about research. I emphasize the use of the library's databases, but I also show them how to find the antiques in the library-the books. Most of my students don't even know where the books are, or how to find a book by the call number until I show them. I think it's ironic that the majority of the books are housed in the basement, far out of sight from your average library patron. Obviously, once more intense research is required for a class, people will find the books, but until that day, the library is really about the technology. Libraries are supposed to be about books, right? So why are they hidden from sight? I suppose it is a spatial or an aesthetic issue, but it seems as though they are an afterthought. If I had to guess, I would say that most people go to the library to use the computers or other technological resources that are offered there. I love everything about books, so I worry sometimes that they will soon be forgotten relics (Amazon Kindle-I can't even think about that). It seems as if this trend has already invaded our library.

A Double-Edged Sword

I have come to the point in the semester where I begin to teach research. I began today by asking my students where they go when they want information. The answer-Google and Wikipedia. I'm never surprised by this, but it does make me cringe. Breaking students of this habit is difficult, if not impossible. There are ways to prevent this, by requiring a certain number of scholary journals, books, etc. for a particular assignment, but it can be difficult to traffic every single source a student uses for a paper. Annotated bibs help, but I always feel as though students will never go the extra mile to find decent sources beyond the required minimum for their papers.

The other issue that I often run into when working on research is plagiarism. It has become so easy for students to take material from a website and pass it off as their own. Of course, it is just as easy to catch them, especially if they are too lazy to cover their tracks, (I love it when they leave hyperlinks in their papers). I look forward to teaching the research paper, but I also know the stuggles that come with it as well. Technology has made research much more accessible and teachable within the classroom, but it causes just as many problems as it solves for the instructor.

I Want You to Know that I Didn't Cry...

My whole technological world has gone haywire. After class Monday night, the fan on my computer started making some very loud noises. I shut it down, and didn't really think much of it; my laptop is only 5 months old, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. Anyway, I tried to turn it on yesterday morning, and the only screen that would come up said it was thinking and trying to log off. I tried the usual remedies, turning it off, unplugging it, and taking out the battery, unfortunately, none of these tricks worked. I'm not the best troubleshooter, so these were the only weapons I had. I started to panic.

I finally called Dell, and spent 2 HOURS, yes 2 hours, on the phone trying to fix it. The rep finally told me that everything was lost, and that I would have to upload Windows to the computer again. I finally got off the phone with the rep, and began installing Windows-it didn't work. I kept recieving a message saying that there were problems, and that it was unable to install the program. Now I'm beyond panicked, but I haven't actually cried yet. So I keep trying to install Windows, and finally by some miracle, it works (after the 5th try). I don't know what was different that time, because I did everything exactly the same.

My only issue now is that I have lost everything, and have to reload every program again. I have most of my work on flash drives, so I'm not too worried about that, but I hate the fact that I am at square one again. I was too frustrated and tired to deal with it last night, and I'm really not looking forward to taking care of it today. Hooking up the wireless router is the worst, and I hope I can get it done successfully without too much swearing and frustration. The last time I had to hook it up, my husband was very, very scared of me. What can I say, computer problems bring out the worst in me.

I suppose things could be worse; the entire computer could have been shot, or I could have paid someone hundreds of dollars to fix it. It's times like these that remind me of how dependent I am on my computer. I feel disconncected from the world without the internet. I didn't check my e-mail once yesterday, or check the breaking news. I couldn't wait to get to school this morning to see what I had missed. My relationship with my computer will always be love/hate. Love it when it's working, hate it when it's not. Wish me luck...

Everyone knows Everything!

Our conversations about Facebook are very timely; I have just realized how quickly news travels in a Facebook world. I am one of the few technological dinosaurs who does not have a Facebook account. I don't know why exactly, but I just haven't pulled the trigger. Anyway, a friend of mine is getting married, and I am a bridesmaid in the wedding. Her wedding was originally scheduled for February 21, but her fiancee is in the military, and they will not give him leave to attend his own wedding. So, the wedding has now been postponed until the end of March. Of course the bride notified her wedding party and has sent out notices via snail mail to inform the guests of this change. Since then at least three people who are mutual acquantainces of myself and the bride (but are not invited to the wedding) have discussed this change of events with me. Like a dummy, I asked, "How did you find out about?" It's posted on her Facebook page. Of course, why didn't I think of that? It just amazes me how small the world is because of these networking sites. Maybe I need to join the 21st century, so that I can stay on top of things.

Getting Stood Up

To continue the thoughts from my last post about the frustrations that can accompany e-mail, I have a new grievance (well not exactly new, but I'm dealing with it again). I have scheduled conferences with my students for the past few days, which I love doing. I enjoy working with my students one on one and helping them with particular aspects of their writing. But the problem that I face each time I schedule conferences are the last minute e-mails saying "I'm not going to make it, can I reschedule?" This would be fine if they gave me some sort of advance notice, but the message normally pops up 5 minutes before the scheduled conference. It hasn't been a major problem this time around, but it can be, and I am annoyed beyond belief when it happens. Would they stand me up if they didn't have e-mail? I suppose it's better to know if a student is not going to show up, rather than to sit and wonder.

Truth and Consequences

E-mail has been a god-send. It is so much easier to keep in touch with students via e-mail. While I love e-mail, I have to wonder if it has made it easier for our students to "pull the wool over our eyes." Students don't ever acutally have to speak to us when an assignment is late, or if they are missing class. Obviously, I will talk to them about it in class, but I think that it has become too easy for students to give excuses. The consequences won't catch up to them until I actually see them again. Maybe I should be more trusting of my students, but when I receive the "I'm sick" message, or the "I couldn't get my assignment done because_________" (fill in the blank with any number of excuses), I tend not to believe it. If I can't see them, I can't try to discern whether or not they are being truthful. The consequences will be the same regardless of whether they tell the truth or not, but it just seems so much easier for them to get away with it. Maybe I just need to accept it as it is....

Yet another use of technology in the classroom...

I was at the book fair the other day, talking to one of the reps (an overfriendly rep, in my opinion), and he asked me if I used technology in the classroom. I replied, "Yes." Unfortunately, we were talking about two very different things-he was talking about CD-Roms as supplamentary material for a course, and I was talking about the technology I use in the classroom. He tried to sell me on using these in my classroom, but frankly, I'm not on board. I don't see my students using these CDs on top of reading their texts, etc. I'm all for integrating technology into teaching, but this doesn't seem like the most effective way to do so. I'm sure there would be certain students who would benefit, but I don't see a large number of students using these. Maybe I'm still old-fashioned, but I like my books.

It's Lonely in CyberSpace

As I said in my last post, I can be reluctant to change. I think that one of the main reasons for this is the fact that I still find technology to be slightly impersonal. I still crave face to face interaction with my peers. Although I was pleasantly surprised by the MOO experience last Monday night (plus the fact that I didn't have to brave the cold), I still miss actually talking to people. I know that most people may not feel this way, but I still enjoy the interaction that takes place in real life. Although I am part of an on-line community, it feels lonely at times. I also began to wonder if I could conduct my own class on-line. I'm not sure I would feel connected with my students if I never actually met them. I'm sure that I would give it a try if presented with the opportunity, but I would miss the interaction that takes place in the classroom. I also have to wonder if this is the way of the future-given the state of the economy.

Can't It All Stay the Same?

I hate to say it, but I am not a big fan of change. So when a new technology comes into my life, I am often slow to accept and use these innovations. I also have to admit that I have a very short fuse when this new and wonderful technology doesn't work to my expectations (setting up my wireless router was an experience that led to a lot of colorful language). I was a bit skeptical about MOO- I didn't know if I would be able to keep up, or that I would even be able to log on. But as always, I surprised myself by how quickly I was able to pick it up. I know it's not rocket science, but I'm always worried that I'm not going to catch on. That is one of the most interesting aspects of technology-we will never know everything, but if you have some background knowledge, you can generally learn to use just about any program. I may not want to accept change, but once I do, I'm always glad that I have learned something new. The most intimidating part of using technology is the fact that it is always changing. Once you master one thing, it is already obsolete. It's frustrating, but this seems to be the direction in which our society is headed-everything is disposable-so I had best get used to change.

My Computer-Can I Conquer the Distractions?

Everytime I sit down in front of the computer, ready to work, I always find myself distracted by any number of programs on my laptop. Of course I need to check all of my e-mail accounts-what if something has happened? Then I need to see if there is anything new happening on MSN, or any other number of websites. Then I usually check my e-mail again, and before I know it, I have wasted half an hour surfing the internet. When I'm really procrastinating, this usually leads to a marathon session of solitaire or hearts. I love my computer, and the freedom it gives me to find information at any time from anywhere, but it is also probably the biggest distraction in my life as well. I do not have a facebook page, which is probably a good thing, because I would never get any work done. I am scheduled to finish my thesis this semester, and my computer is my most important tool for getting it done, but it may also be the key to my demise!

Blogging on Blogging

This is only the second blog that I have ever used, and I still find blogging a bit strange. I have never been one to keep a diary, so writing what is essentially a diary for the public is still somewhat disconserting for me. I use D2L with my class, but have never considered making my students blog for class. I imagine that they would react with a bit of reluctuance as I usually do when required to do assignments of this nature. Logistically, reading 25 blogs would get to be a bit much, (on top of grading papers, prep, etc) so I'm not sure if I will implement blogging in my classroom anytime soon. I realize the blogging forces me to put my thoughts out there for the rest of the world, and to be comfortable with that, which is something that I would like my students to feel comfortable with as well.

Is This The End?

As I have been reading some of the other blogs, and people have commented on the idea that technology may overtake English instruction. While I hope this never happens, it may be inevitable. Will there someday be a program that writes papers for us? (I’m sure someone, somewhere, is working on this concept). Because of texting, blogging, gaming, etc., students have already begun to change the way they write. How many of you have received an e-mail from a student that looks more like a text message, than a well-thought out message? Initially, I was surprised by this complete lack of formality in student e-mail. When I send a message to a professor, I spend a good deal of time ensuring that it sounds and looks professional. I have since become accustomed to these haphazard messages, but I still don’t find it appropriate. I have discussed it with my students, but it seems to be a hard habit to break. I also have to wonder if this trend will follow them into their careers-will they send messages like this to their future employers? Maybe I am behind the times, and this will be the changing face of communication. I am generally behind the times when it comes to technology, but I am not sure I can handle this kind of change. We’ll see…..

Smart Classroom Technology

I wouldn’t say that I am technologically advanced, (as witnessed by my complete ignorance of MOO), but I don’t feel that I am a complete novice when in regards to technology, either. In regards to teaching style, I have become a firm believer in technology in the classroom. During my first semester teaching, I did not have a smart classroom, and I had no idea how helpful that technology could be. During my second semester, I realized the joy of my classroom helper, and have now decided that the smart classroom is the GREATEST INVENTION EVER! However, I have heard a (small) number of people say that the smart classroom technology is a crutch. I completely disagree with this assessment, not only because it makes my job easier, but because the students respond well to the technology. Rather than killing more trees, I can now show examples on the screen, and I can use this technology to show students how to do web searches, show them youtube clips, etc., without ever leaving my classroom. This technology has enhanced my teaching style immeasurably. I don’t believe that I excessively rely on it, but I don’t want to be left without it, either. Our students are arguably more tech savvy than we are, and ignoring these tools at our disposal would be a disservice to the students and their learning styles.