Brain Rule #8 Stress

Stressed Brains Do Not Learn The Same Way

By talented11 | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

Technology Reflection

This one was a challenge.  Toondoo is not hard to use, but you have to be patient.  My first couple of comics were all over the place. The application limits how much you can express your thought without paying a fee.  I like the idea of creating my own comic strip.  I decided to display stress through marriage, being afraid, loneliness, and financial obligations.  This is real life.  This took me two hours to complete, but I would definitely use it again.I like it....

Chapter 22 Web Research and Genres in Online Databases: When the Glossy Page Disappears

Citation: Sidler, Michelle. “Web Research and Genres in Online Databases: When the Glossy Page Disappears.” Computers in the Composition Classroom: A Critical Sourcebook. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. 350-365. Print.

The essay answered a lot of the unanswered questions that I had about online databases.  The way college students use online databases to find information for research papers, Sidler notes the continuing need for students to have methods that will critique such information and see through genre constructions, abstract language, and in general the glamour of new digital technologies. I use to have a hard time using library technologies to find information.  I found that it works just like any other technology tool.  You have to take the time and patience in order to figure it out.

Chapter 20: CCC The Computer and the Inexperienced Writer

Citation: Hult, Christine. “The Computer and the Inexperienced Writer.” Computers in the Composition Classroom: a Critical Sourcebook. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 326-32. Print.

    The most common part of the essay that stands out is, “Computers are a part of our lives as writers and are increasingly more common in English departments and writing classrooms. But, like MacNelly's professor, we don't always know how to use computers to our best advantage.” This statement is so true.  Studies of people’s attitudes toward the use of word processors are still rather rare but teaching magazines and computing magazines are full of testimonials about the perceived benefits for individual writers and for groups of students. We find these testimonies persuasive and consistent with our own experiences, but we also realize that there are many people who are unwilling to try to use a computer for any purpose or who resist learning to use a keyboard. Few of these people write articles about their feelings. Developing a child’s selection of writing modes is an excellent idea. 

Chapter 6: Saving, Sharing, Citing, and Publishing Multimodal Text

Citation: Pandey, Iswari. “Saving, Sharing, Citing, and Publishing Multimodal Texts.” Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton, 2007. 65-77. Print.

Reading and Thinking 
Pandey explains the similarities and differences from saving, sharing, citing, and publishing words and mutltimodal compositions that incorporate sound and images. This meant for me, a practical guide for teachers that contains a lot of how-to information about formats of files, memory constraints, websites for reference, and assignment ideas. He argues that every teacher of multimodal composition should teach four topics under intellectual property: copyright law, fair use, public domain, and open-source/creative commons licensing. It is the ethical and legal responsibility of teachers and students to understand the ethical and legal constraints of citing and publishing multimodal compositions, and strict attention should be paid to teaching students how to properly prepare bibliographies of all the image, video, and sound materials they use in their compositions.  I was not aware of how important the copyright process is.  The essay drew me to research more information on the copyright laws and the people that learned the hard way from not following it.

Video Discussion

Final Course Curriculum Redesign Project

For the final project, I plan to use the skills that I teach from my current curriculum and make it multimodal.  I have learned so much from the reading on how to create the assignments, collaboration, and audio and video.  I want to use reading/writing skills to enhance my students writing across the genres.  I will have my students reflect on each others work, and I will create assessments (formative and summative) to ensure that they are understanding the material.  During the biography teaching, the students will use audio and video in preparation for their future children to see.Truth be told some middle school students learn strictly using the computer (homeschooling).  I want my product to be fun, easy to use, and memorable.

Blog Reflections

My name for blog comments is: (making a difference)


Amanda's Blog
            Chapter Three: Composing Multimodal Assignments
Reflecting on Composing, Amanda did a creative project using PowerPoint.  Audio and Video  would have taken the project to another level.  Composing takes time and a professor must be comfortable teaching, creating, and mastering the field of technological applications.  It takes a lot of time that most teachers don't have, but if you love it, you will.


Betsy's Blog
            Chapter Five: Thinking Rhetorically (making a difference)
Reflecting on thinking rhetorically, Betsy brought up a common point about teachers not being comfortable with technology and the students not having access.  I had the chance to answer one of my own questions as to why this was a major issue.  Money, safety, patience, and dedication answers it all.


Laura's Blog
            Chapter Four: Collaborating on Multimodal Projects
Reflecting on Collaboration gave me a sense of how the real world operates.  In a workplace that is the goal, to work together.  Some students do not like to work in groups because of the lack of collaboration and the authors pointed this out in the text.  Collaboration takes dedication, but somehow during a technology assignment the communications becomes dead and the planning period is exciting. 


Sharon's Blog
             Chapter Seven: Experimenting with Mutimodality
Reflecting on experimenting with multimodality expanded my thoughts on the chapter.  I thought the idea of taking the time to teach, prep, and use the multimodal assignments in a college course or in public schools will enhance the students technology experience. Process to product digitally is a tense task for the instructor and the students.  The author great examples.


Jamie's Blog
          Chapter Two: Words, Audio, and Video: Composing and the Processes of Production
Reflecting on this Jamie's blog made me think about being a technological teacher myself.  Engaging my students on video and audio excites them.  They are able to show that they are understanding concepts, build confidence, and the students learn to use technology that will plant them careers in the future.

Chapter 7: Experimenting with Multimodality

Citation: Branscum, John and Aaron Toscano.  ”Experimenting with Multimodality.” Eds. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia Selfe.  Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers. New Jersey: Hampton Press, 2007. 83-98.

     Reading and Thinking

Time for the checklist!  The part that frightens most teachers that are not comfortable with technology.  This chapter makes sure you are fit for the project.  The preparation is crucial, yet motivating. I like the way this chapter is presented.  Step by step is what I need to get the job done right. The authors must have known that I am a visual learner.  I need examples that make sense. They gave a good approach to approaching an assignment with confidence and ensuring that students will be comfortable with using technology in the workplace.  I won't forget to be creative, flexible, and precise on what I expect from my students when producing a multimodal project.  The most important tool is to make sure I am able to show my students examples of other authors projects that they have completed to get their brains working.

Chapter 5: Thinking Rhetorically

Citation: Keller, Daniel. “Thinking Rhetorically.”  Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers. Hampton Press, Cresskill, New Jersey, 2007. 49-63. Print.

Reading and Thinking            

Chapter five brought closure to a lot of the confusion that I struggle with when it comes to thinking rhetorically.  The first issue is the large vocabulary connected to composing with audio and video.  Some of the terms are just "common sense", but I appreciate the author including some terms on Fig. 5.1.  The process takes time and great planning in order to turn process into product.  In my opinion, this is too much for a 6th grader to understand.  Sections can be taught, but not fulfilled as it should within a year time with SOL testing being a major priority.  Students need to learn how to do this early, because I find that by college they should be able to apply this when learning instruction.  

Chapter 4: Collaborating on Multimodal Projects

Citation: Pedersen, Anne-Marie and Carolyn Skinner. “Collaborating on Multimodal Projects.” Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers. Hampton Press, Cresskill, New Jersey, 2007. 39-47. Print.

 

Reading and Thinking

In reading chapter four, the complexity of multimodal projects and the different levels of skill and sensitivity each individual brings is important.These projects often demand high levels of collaboration and teamwork.Students can benefit from collaborative multimodal projects by supporting and encouraging one another. Collaboration can relieve any frustration or apprehension of learning a new technology. Simply by seeing what other group members bring to the project can inspire other students or spark renewed interest in the project. Those working in groups can provide emotional and intellectual support necessary in working with unfamiliar resources and technologies. Should students reach a high level of frustration due to software problems or even problems with getting the technology to work, this segment of the project can be handed off to another group member so that the frustrated student can then work on another aspect of  the assignment. Communication between group members is important and teachers should encourage an open dialogue between students by encouraging them to use a group online message board or some other means of maintaining contact within the group.

Chapter 3: Composing Multimodal Assignments

Citation: Hess, Mickey. “Composing Multimodal Assignments.” Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers. Hampton Press, Cresskill, New Jersey, 2007. 29-37. Print.

Reading and Thinking         

Composing Multimodal Assignments provides teachers with a guide for designing multimodal works for classrooms. The practical approach in his work demonstrates for readers how much of an advantage it is to incorporate multimodality is in classrooms today by highlighting the strengths at the beginning of the chapter writing “one of the most important reasons to design assignments for multimodal composition is to expand students’ thinking about composition and how this complex set of processes works” Multimodal works combine several modes of communications, such as text, audio, visual into one medium, and online spaces. The trick is to provide enough support for the more traditional alphabetic texts students encounter in their classrooms alongside the multimodal projects to enhance their understanding of complex communications and how different modes operate and interact with one another. These opportunities for composing encourage play, creativity, experimentation… And yes, frustration, risk-taking–calling for a need to trust and for collaboration between teacher and students.  This is a way for students to experiment with identity and communication in a way that is otherwise not normally optional in academic settings.

 

Chapter 2 MC: Words, Audio, and Video: Composing and the Processes of Production

Citation: Selfe, Cynthia, Stephanie Fleischer, Susan Wright. “Words, Audio, and Video: Composing and the Processes of Production.” Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers. Hampton Press, Cresskill, New Jersey, 2007. 13-28. Print.

Reading and Thinking

Using multimodal assignments have to be planned out well when introducing them to your students. The students need to have full access to computers and applications that will assist in completing the assignment.  Video, audio, and words can be used in planning, editing, and composing. The students needs to understand the purpose for the task and figure out what will be their purpose and audience.  Students are knowledgeable of how to complete the writing process to product easily because that is the way that they have been trained.  Using the technology will be a challenge.  The chapter made me think about my sophomore year of college.  I was required to take a communications course, and my professor required the class to create a memoir.  We were required to use all of the components that are studied in this chapter.  Everything was digital.  Video was used to reflect on your journals, Audio was used to introduce yourself, and the words were used as we used word processing to express our thoughts on a weekly basis.  The professor's syllabi was long because of all the instructions for the technology.  I have to say that this was not an easy task, but it was quite interesting.  There are many challenges in teaching writing using multimodel assignments, but it is rewarding to the students.  

BRAIN RULE #7 SLEEP

Technology Reflection

During this assignment, I decided to use Mindmeister.  The application was easy to use once I became familiar with the navigation controls.  I had a very hard time exporting and embedding the application into my blog.  I was quite confused on some portions of the app, for example how to get the lines to connect when completing an idea, and formating the images.  I could definitly use this in my classroom when teaching correlating skills, or getting the students to use their ideas on what they learned from a novel.

Learning Digital Literacies: Marilyn Cooper

Citation: Cooper, Marilyn M. "Learning Digital Literacies." Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers. Ed. Cynthia L. Selfe. New Jersey: Hampton Press, Inc., 2007. 181-186. Print.

 The chapter can be evaluated in two perspectives for me. It made me reflect on my experience in this course and as an instructor.  The five components that Cooper used for learning digital literacy were context, creativity, time to learn, assist in learning, and collaborating with peers are tools that we use constantly in this course.  I love technology, but I get frustrated with long tutorials and applications that are not easy to figure out while trying to use them on your own.  I like how Cooper expands on the idea of being creative as being a part of learning.  I am an exploratory learner, but I don't have much patience.  As a teacher, I use my tactics of teaching with all five of these components.  I have to say that I have much more to learn and I need to work on having patience with the applications that I find difficult to understand, because they could be quite useful if I take the time to learn them.

Chapter 16 Contrasts: Teaching and Learning about Writing in Traditional and Computer Classrooms

Citation: Palmquist, Michael, Kate Kiefer, James Hartivigsen, and Barbara Goodlew. Contrasts:Teaching and Learning About Writing in Traditional and Computer Classrooms."Computers in the Composition Classroom: A Critical Sourcebook. Ed. Michelle Sidler, Richard Morris, and Elizabeth Overman Smith. New York: Bedford/St.Martin’s Press, 2008. 251-270. 

                                                        Reading and Thinking        

Palmquist, Kiefer, Hartivigsen, and Goodlew recount two pragmatic studies designed to assist educators as they cross boundaries between teaching in traditional and online settings. These studies, which compared classroom settings and student behaviors/attitudes over time, led to a number of themes:

(1) Differences in classroom settings impacted daily planning.

(2) Teachers adopted more “take charge” roles in the traditional setting and more decentralized roles in online settings.

(3) Computer classroom students talked more often with teachers.

(4) Students used computer classrooms as a worksite whereas traditional classroom students resisted writing activities.

(5) Teachers were able to transfer more successful activities from computer to traditional settings.

(6) When educators believed in the pedagogical benefits, teachers who were less familiar with technology resisted using it.

(7) Students in the two settings differed in their attitudes about writing, writing performance, previous writing instruction, and interaction.

                                

In the writing classroom, all of these elements are important, but the instructor has to figure out what "really" works.  The educator has be well informed on of whom they are teaching in order to figure out how to make technology effective.  Technology works well from what I have experienced.

Thinking about Multimodality: Takayoshi & Selfe

Citation: Takayoshi, Pamela and Selfe, Cynthia L. "Thinking about Multimodality." Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teachers. Eds.Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia Selfe. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, Inc,2007. 1-12. Print.

Takayoshi and Selfe consider the standard form of the student composition while the forms of communication in the new, digital, connected world hardly limit themselves to characters only. This new form of communication, thanks to recent advancements in computers and the merging of technologies, uses easily manipulated still images, animations, video, audio and color; they term these new compositions multimodal texts. And while these digital tools may be new to the traditional composition, the authors make a compelling case for their acceptance into current curricula. They present their reasoning for the wider adoption of multimodal composition, and answer what they term as the five most often-asked questions by teachers.

Brain Rule # 6 Long-Term Memory

Technology Reflection

This has been one of the most difficult applications I have used.  I have been trying to create the slideshow for three days.  I almost gave up, but I couldn't allow it to conquer me.  I had the hardest time being creative.  I could not figure out how to drag the pictures into the slideshow.  I have to say that right now, I appreciate Microsoft PowerPoint.  It is so much easier to copy and paste or have a section that uploads photos.  I did the best I could for the first time using the application.  Not my favorite yet.  I need a better tutorial than the one I used.

CCC: Chapter 19/ McGee & Ericsson: The Politics of the Program MS Word as the Invisible Grammarian

Citation: McGee, Tim, and Patricia Ericsson. "The Politics of the Program: MS Word as the Invisible Grammarian." Computers and Composition 19 (2002): 453-70. Print. 

    THE INVISIBLE GRAMMARIAN

MS Word thinks he is smarter than me. HUH! Yeah right! My friend, yes on occasions.  Remember the spell checker joke? Eye halve a spelling chequer, the poem goes. “It came with my pea sea. Although I read it months ago, I had never really considered the effects of MS Word’s Grammar Checker.While I’m indebted to the spell checker, when I see those green squiggles, I immediately check for the correction and amend it. I can’t help it. But, on those infrequent occasions, I think I know what I’m doing, and the correct change is almost never what the MSGC recommends to me.  I fought with my PC while I was writing my thesis.  You would have thought I knew nothing about sentence structure or paper formation.  The computer cannot comprehend rules by the instructor.  I see benefit in teaching our students to turn off the Grammar Checker, but I also see these articles as urging us to do more.  The MSGC is handicapping my students.  How dare them try to write a paper on their own without spell check!!! This is part of the reason why my students struggle with writing.  The computer has no spell check during an SOL test.  I cannot say that I hate it, because I don't.

Brain Rule # 5 Short Term Memory

Brain Rules Citation:

The short term memory is "the devil".  I have struggled with this before I knew what type of learner I was.  I struggled to remember things without codes, pictures, repetition, or video.  Wheww!!! I had a hard time.  I can definitely relate to the this chapter. Enjoy my version of the chapter on Globster.

 Technology Reflection

I think I have become a little better at this.  It still takes me some time to complete it, but I think it is fun to use.  I am still not that good where I can attach audio, but I will get there.  I like this version of a blog.  Picture perfect!!!