With the latest technology we have in society today, it is possible for us students not to open another book again! Technology these days has allowed us to literally bring just a tablet computer, for example an Ipad, into school. With that we can read out of a pre-downloaded book and even take notes on a word program. Not just are the books getter 'smarter', but the classrooms are as well too.
So long are the days where teachers would roll down a small screen and projected onto that would be the notes, regularly coming from a noisy old overhead projector. In todays world we have things called 'smart-boards'. With these smart boards teachers are able to do just about anything. From displaying powerpoints, to showing movies, to even writing on the boards with markers. I bet if a teacher wanted to, he or she could even teach the class while in a different room, through programs similar to skype.
For crying out loud even the way we are being tested is 'smarter'. Schools are now forcing students to take every test and quiz online. Wasn't it so simple to just sit in class and circle the correct answers? We now have to go to a computer lab, log-in using special usernames and passwords that are only applicable to that certain time-frame. This is also the case for math tests / quizes. What the hell is this??? Submitting in assignments can be the same thing also. God-forbid if we entered in an assignment in the wrong format, we're all screwed.
Some of these new changes are good, such as the online text books and smart-boards in class. Some bad things may be taking math tests / quizes online. This is only my opinion of-course. My question for the class is, how do you view this new technology in the classroom? Does society need to take a step back with all of this, or should we keep updating the things we already have?
In class recently, we have been talking about and performing paper workshopping. Peer editing is used for the soul purpose of having readers and writers take responsibility for the content, organization, and purpose of the essay. With each draft comes a new workshopping session, and with that a new draft to be created. The drafts are supposed to improve after each edit because not only is the writer trying to improve the written piece, but so should the people doing the editing. Some important things to remember when peer editing are bringing problems to the writers attention, always read the paper at least twice, be honest, and be specific. Teachers think so highly of peer editing but it comes with some pros and cons.
Here are some pros of workshopping if it is done correctly. Students may perform better knowing that their papers are being read by other students just like them who actually exercise a lot of influence on who to impress with their essay. It also allows a writer to hear many different opinions and options for their work that may help make the final essay better than the author could have without help. Sometime while writing, you miss mistakes and having others read it over a few times will help you pick up those errors and correct them. Not only does workshopping fix the mistakes you make, but it can also reinforce any good ideas or parts of the paper you have.
On the other hand, here are some cons. Some people in peer groups do not put too much effort into actually trying to help the writer improve his or her paper. Maybe they are afraid of being too harsh or honest, or maybe because they are lazy. Maybe the editors are not very good at writing themselves and are afraid of giving false help. In my opinion, a teachers help would be a little more efficient than having students around my age proof read my paper, no offense to any of you!
So here is my question to the class. Do you find peer editing/ workshopping to be helpful or a waste of time? Why? And would you rather have a teacher edit your paper or students just like you?
After reading Chapter 2 in Beyond Words, particularly the section “Choosing a Medium,” I knew I wanted to discuss our usage of different media individually and together.We also read Miles, by Jami Lin, and discussed the photo that accompanied the writing.For our first paper in this class, we have to include an image for each snapshot we write.Each of these examples shows the value of using different types of media.
Beyond Words explains the different purposes and effects of using the spoken word, written words, fine arts, graphic arts, photography, film, video, world wide web, or multimedia.The spoken word is considered to be a very powerful medium because it “involves direct human contact.” Written words can be more detailed and planned out, giving a reader more information and organization than spoken words.The fine arts, graphic arts, and photography are all great types of medium because they encourage interpretation.They allow a person to visualize and use different senses than just simply reading.I personally believe that the addition of different media to one’s writing adds to the effect and increases the reader’s interest.
After reading Miles, by Jami Lin, we discussed the story in class.Although we had slightly different opinions and feelings towards the story, we all understood what had happened.However, as we looked at the photo accompanying Miles, many of us had extremely different ideas of what the photo was meant to represent.While I thought the boy looking at the tree symbolized looking ahead, being optimistic, and having faith that things would get better, many of my classmates saw the dead tree as a symbol of lost hope.To me, the fact that we all were able to see the photo in relation to the story in so many different ways is not a bad thing but, on the contrary, it is a great thing that we, as readers, are able to experience.Do you think it is important to use multiple forms of media?Do you think by doing so, the experience for the reader is improved or does it take away from the overall experience?
Another prominent example of adding images to writing is in our snapshots paper.I can guess that many of us have never done a paper like this; I know I have not!However, adding photos, drawings, and pictures to these individual stories has proved to be a very beneficial thing for me.Do you think that adding images to your snapshots has helped you with inspiration in writing or made it more difficult?
While forming each snapshot from the interviews, I was able to think of different choices for images.Thinking of the images while writing the stories allowed me to have better and more diverse ideas.Some of our images for the snapshots will be abstract and require interpretation, like the photo from Miles, but some will be straight forward and direct.Some will have many possibilities for what they symbolize, while others will clearly portray something from our snapshots.Do you think one is more beneficial than the other?Which do you prefer to include with your snapshots?Which do you prefer when you are reading someone's work?
There has been a lot of controversy around the central theme of theories behind the writing and subliminal messages used in popular children television shows. Parents are now more aware of what their kids are watching and making their own assumptions on the meanings these shows have behind them. Such companies as Disney and Nickelodeon, that consistently put out new and innovative shows geared towards the young audience are said to have these hidden messages and are now in the root of legal battles.
I recently came across an article of a famous television show I used to watch when I was younger called "The Rugrats." It caught my attention because as a child I loved this cartoon and had no idea of the theories that surrounded it. Supposedly, according to this article, the whole Rugrats cartoon was written and based on non-fictional characters. It goes on to state that this cartoon is an elaborate figment of Angelicas imagination, the eldest of the main characters.Angelica grew up to be a schizophrenic bipolar that overdosed at the age of 13 which is when "All Grown Up!," the sequel to the television program, was canceled. For those who know the characters, Chaz, who was Chucky’s father, is a nervous wreck all the time because in real life Chucky had died in an accident a long time ago with his mother. Tommy, the main character of the show, was a stillborn, hence why Stu, his dad, is constantly in the basement making toys for his son that never got a chance to live. Angelica’s creative imagination was the only thing keeping her sane in a judgmental world. She was so messed up in the head, she kept these characters alive and constantly was taking hits of acid so she could relive childhood scenarios over and over, therefore, making these characters grow older as she did. Suzie the little African American girl was Angelica’s only friend, who grew up and became a psychologist and later teamed up with Nickelodeon to make the Rugrats from stories Angelica had shared with her. Whether this theory is true or not, it’s amazing how the extent of someone else’s imagination can make others believe or question things they had never even thought of. Is this theory true? Can a children’s program that I enjoyed so much as a child come from such a demented mind? Do we need to know where the idea of such program was born? This is where a creative imagination and writing come into play in English/Literature class, you have to use your creativity and vivid imagination to write, understand or just enjoy a fictional piece.
Another example the nursery rhyme, "Ring around the Rosie" is said to be about the Black Plague in the 13th century. Ring around the rosie is a reference to the black sores that would appear on peoples bodies due to the disease. A pocket full of posies is in reference to people carrying posies (flowers) around to not smell the aroma of dead bodies everywhere. Another popular cartoon, The Teletubbies, was cancelled because its writer made Tinky Winky appear to be too feminine and thus labeled him as gay. Parents did not want their children tuning in to this show after this controversy. Lets not forget the The Lion King Movie, where the letters S-E-X were written in the sky as Simba, the hero, crouches down and ponders his thoughts into the night. A childhood favorite, The Little Mermaid, has a wedding scene where a man is shown getting an erection as the bride and groom approach to get married. Some believe that writers, and in this case the cartoonists, have this temptation to slip in something that only they are aware of, until someone else deciphers it or figures it out. Then again, these hidden messages that seem to be intentional can also be portrayed as criddlers. Criddlers are unintentional symbols, designs and objects that can be found in anything when viewed from a different angle.
From Nursery Rhymes to Television Shows, almost everything seems to have a secret meaning behind them or a secret message. The viewers don't know what to believe, we can only leave it up to the hands of the author or creator. Sometimes in English Literature, writers have a specific theme and idea that they center their writing on and viewers sometimes get something else out of the piece. After reading Beyond Words, it mentions how writers shape their thoughts and ideas for specific audiences. Therefore, my question to you is: Do you think that authors and directors shape these hidden messages for children, their intended audience, to see? Do you think that these corporations are intentionally trying to attract the attention of others even if it means using sexual content? Have you ever read a book or piece of literature that you’ve found a different message or hidden message that was not part of the author’s intent?
If there was one thing that stuck with me from my high school English class was that when it came to literature, there were no accidents. If something was written in a story, it was written there for a reason and it wasn’t meant to be tampered with.
When I heard that Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was going to be re-written, I was enraged. Granted, the “N-word” and “Injun” are not words that describe my nationality, but I still don’t think it’s necessary to rewrite Twain. I’m Polish and I have read books about the Holocaust in which they refer to the Polish people as “Poles” or “Polack”. These are derogatory names for the Polish people, yet I take no offense to them. What I understand about them, that most people don’t seem to get, is the time period they were written in. When The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written in 1884, it was not as big of a deal to use those particular words that cause so much controversy today. There are slang words that were considered “hip” in the 70’s, yet we don’t rewrite them out of movies. How many times have we watched Scooby Doo? Whenever the Mystery Gang says “groovy” we laugh at how funny their lingo was back then, but we don’t have writers going in to change it to something more modern.
I think that it’s wrong for a masterpiece that has been inducted into the literary hall of fame should be rewritten for political correctness. I may seem apathetic to the people’s feelings to which these words offend. I mean no disrespect, but I just don’t understand how people can expect a classic to be rewritten for what seems to be oversensitivity. I understand that people see them as offensive by today’s standards, but the purpose of that book is not to read it during our time, but to see what life was like during the time that it was written. Therefore we should read the story by the standards of the time in which it was written, not the standards of today. If they were changed, then history would be misrepresented.
The modifications of the “N-word” to “slave” and “injun” to “native person” seem more offensive to me. Not all of the black citizens during the time in which the book was written were slaves. To me, that type of generalization is more offensive. Even just putting offensiveness aside, isn’t this editing of an already published, studied, and adored book an infringement upon Twain’s Constitutional rights? As Americans, we have a write to free speech and freedom of the press. So, if we edit out a particular word, is that violating our constitutional rights?
The controversial words sole purpose is not to offend people, but to accurately reflect what life was like in that particular part of literary time. These words are our history. They reflect what our country was like in the 1800’s and to disregard them as insignificant pieces of our history; that, I think would be more disrespectful. We can’t just go around editing our shortfalls. These controversial words show that we are human and we have our flaws, but also to look how far we have come from there.
Should these changes be made? If The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn can be rewritten, what’s going to stop other classics from being rewritten? Are these discriminatory feelings justified, or are they just the marks of oversensitivity? All in all, I would say that Mark Twain is rolling over in his grave right now.
My question to the class is this: do you think that a literary masterpiece, that has been accepted, read, studied and revered through decades, should be rewritten to be more politically correct, when the original intention of the books wasn’t to disrespect, but to accurately reflect the time period in which it was written?
After reading the poem aloud this past week, I recognized
how open some of us were about what we believed. Some people wrote beliefs I
didn’t expect them to share. It’s strange; often, we don’t share our beliefs
unless someone tells us to. It got me thinking about not only that, but how
much we don’t share in general. As Americans, we’ve become pretty
isolationistic. Lately, as a country, we’ve been pretty imperialistic, pushing
our beliefs and government on other countries in hopes of making them “better.”
But our society remains quite, and when we do speak it’s not to those who need
it most. Frankly, it seems other countries would do more good imposing their
beliefs on us to improve our society.
Not too
long ago, I followed a documentary where a family of Ogoni Nigerians travels to
live in America. Back in Nigeria, they had taken refuge in a camp in Benin,
West Africa. All of the people in the camp had such a sense of community.
Everyone appreciated everyone. This one family, however, had the ability to
migrate to America and continue a life here. In Africa, if stranger approached
your home and knocked, you would willingly and immediately welcome them in.
Once they reached America, they had to be taught a lesson none of us should
have to learn: not to trust your neighbor. To us, it’s common knowledge. As
children, we were consistently taught not to talk to strangers; that you can
never trust the person next to you. (PBS) (The Real Coming To America)
When
Israel, the father of the family, acquired a job at a metal factory, he noticed
none of the co-workers acknowledge him. When he tried to say hello or greet a
co-worker, they turned their shoulder and treated him as though he was strange
for saying hello. Though some may say that is a product of racism, which may
have been, he was not the only refugee there. A Vietnamese immigrant, Qui, also
worked with him in the factory and happened to be the only other person who
would talk with him. No one else had given notice to Qui either; the employees
had isolated both of them. Eventually, Qui offered to give Israel a ride home
from work considering Israel had yet to acquire a license. During one of the
rides home, cops apparently without reason had pulled over Qui and verbally
threaten the both of them. They had done nothing wrong and the police refused
to tell them why they had been pulled over. Both Israel and Qui were
astonished. In the land of the free, they were threatened to be thrown in jail
for apparently being immigrants. (PBS) (The Real Coming to America)
Now, this
may be a very extreme example to view with my argument, but essentially I want
to convey the lack of community we have as a nation. Instead of living in a
thriving and dynamic community, we reside in micro-societies where we reject
others we find out of place. When I lived in Virginia, I tried my best to
befriend all kinds of people. I had “goth” friends, “nerd” friends, “jock”
friends, and “bros” for friends not because I wanted to be popular or feel good
about myself but because I wanted to appreciate people. I hope someday I can move to
Africa and experience that sense of community even if only for a little while.
Many might say it will be different, because I haven’t lived there all my life
or I’m not of the same race, but there are many who travel to help people, of
all races, in third world nations and have been greeted kindly and welcomingly. I’m
not saying everyone should move to Africa nor am I saying Africa is better than
America. There is so much oppression against all people from both the government and corporations in Africa. People die every
day by that corruption and few are brought to justice. No, I’m saying we should embrace community and
appreciation of all people more so here in America.
After reading this consider the following questions:
Do you think our country has a lack of community?
Do you think our country is fine the way it is?
Would you have greeted Israel? Why?
How do you think America could improve from other nations
ideals, how do you think we, America, could improve other nations?
Growing up I have been told many times by my parents and teachers that I should read more often because that will help me out in the future. But I never really took this advice. I am not a big fan of reading; whenever I had to read a book for school I tried to think of a way so that I did not have to read the book
I remember when I first started reading; I enjoyed it quite a bit. I was walking around reading everything I could. My dad would take me to the library almost every week so that I could have something new to read. Reading was fun, mostly because no one was putting pressure on me to do it. I was reading because I enjoyed it. But as I got older things started to change. The teachers started to give reading assignments. Most of the time I wasn’t interested in the books, I was just reading because I had to. I think that is when I slowly started to dislike reading. I was assigned a new book to read every week. Every time I was reading a little less until I got to the point where I wasn’t even reading the books anymore; I would just have a friend tell me the story, or I would search for a summary of the book online. It got to a point where as soon as I heard that I had to read something I would automatically start thinking that I will not enjoy it.
About two years ago I was talking to a friend of mine who really enjoys reading. He recommended a book to me and assured that I would like it. At first I wasn’t interested but since he loved reading so much I thought that maybe I should give the book a try, I thought that I might like it and then start reading other books again. Turns out that once I started to read the book I really did like it, I didn’t want to stop reading. When I finished the book I felt very satisfied, I really felt like I wanted to read another book. Maybe I should have done this, because as days went by I slowly started to lose all interest in reading again. I think that was the last book I read.
I was trying to figure out why I dislike reading so much. I think one of the biggest reasons why I don’t like to read is because for a long time I felt like I was forced to do this. And most of the time I didn’t really care about the topic. I know that reading is important and that it definitely will help me in the future. However I still can’t get myself to read a book.
My question to the class is: why do you think you like (or don’t like) reading? Now that you think about it, would you have done anything differently to change the perception you have of reading? What kind of advice would you give to someone who doesn’t like reading?
For most Americans, English is a very simple and prominent thing. It is there when we speak to a friend about weekend plans. It is there when we listen to most songs by American artists, despite how odd they may sound. It is even there when we read these blog posts by our fellow peers. The fact that we are so used to our own language is the real reason why we are barely aware of how ridiculous it is.
The English language came to be with the invasion of Britain during the 5th century by three Germanic tribes: the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes. During this time, a Celtic language was actually spoken, but the tribes pushed those speakers away to what is now known as Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. With influence from the tribes, a new language was developed and was known as Old English (450-1100 AD).
Then, in 1066, the Normans came and took over England, bringing along a type of French that only the upper class spoke, while the lower class still spoke English. Then finally, in the 14th century, English became the dominate once again, but French words became mixed in. This came to be known as Middle English (1100-1500).
And finally, Modern English, which is broken up into Early (1500-1800) and Late (1800-Present). Due to the Renaissance of Classical learning and the invention of printing, English needed to standardize. And so, as more phrases were added and more things were changed, the first English dictionary was printed. In comparison to each other, the Early and Late were only separated by vocabulary.
The thing is, for a language that is made up of many phonetic languages, English is anything but. If a word is phonetic, you can look at it and know how to say it. This is not always the case with English. For example, look at the titled word "Ghoti." According to George Bernard Shaw, a famous Irish writer, the correct pronunciation of "Ghoti" would be "Fish." How could this be? Simple: take the gh from "enough", the o from "women", and the ti from "nation."
I just find it interesting how some people get so upset at the fact that not all immigrants wish to learn such a language without regarding just how difficult it is. As well as how, though we are a nation of immigrants, we are constantly trying to make English law. Though I understand how out of place this may seem, what are your thoughts on English as a language? Do you agree that an "English Only" Law should be passed, though we are made up of so many other cultures, both in people and language?
While reading The Curious Researcher, I began to think about the different ways to find a topic to write about. The internet was in the list of suggestions and I found that that was usually the only source I ever use to look up topics. I can not even remember the last time I researched something in an actual paper book. It is so much easier to type away and find the book online. So many other resources about a topic that you would not be able to find in library are found with a few strikes on the keyboard.
The internet is a fairly new technology, but most people wouldn't be able to picture their lives without it. As I sit typing this I am on my laptop with my phone right beside me. I can not even imagine the countless number of times I have reached for these devices in order to use the internet. Our generation in a way is almost addicted to the internet. A normal day for me begins with a check of the weather online and then a quick check to my emails.
I never thought about how ridiculous it is that I am so reliant on the internet until my Microeconomics class. On the first day my professor asked the class how many of us would give up the internet for the rest of our lives for a million dollars. A million dollars is a lot of money but no one in my lecture hall of four hundred would raise their hand. Think of your life without Google. All the information you need is directly at your fingertips and the internet only costs pennies to work. Internet is essentially priceless to today’s society.
So many everyday tasks require the internet, but it is hard to decipher whether or not this is a bad thing. For example, Florida State runs on the internet. From reading assignments to taking test, this all can be done and is sometimes required to find or do online. Blackboard is a site that can handle all the needs of students and professors without the need of ever using paper. Some classes are entirely online and require zero face to face interaction Imagine for one day that Blackboard went down. Would Florida State be able to function as efficiently? The answer is no. The use of paper in the classroom is almost obsolete and without the use of the internet most classes would not be able to operate properly.
Now imagine that for one day the internet went down or crashed. Not only would our generation not be able to update our glorified Facebook pages but on a bigger scale, businesses and all online commerce would come to a dramatic standstill. The devastation caused by one day of halt would take a lot of time and effort to recover from.
My questions to the class are: Have you ever realized how reliant you are on the internet? Do you think it’s a problem that our world today sees the internet as an absolute necessity?
In 1975, Steven Spielberg took Peter Benchley’s Great White Monster and made him into the immortal, “Jaws,” we know and fear today. He took A-list actors on a big budget film, but still managed to have that B-movie monster charm. Our textbook Beyond Words, described text as being anything that conveys a thought or emotion. The book and movie both instill fear and a perpetual panic in their audience.
In Jaws, each member of the three-man shark hunting team had their own reason for killing the Great White.Hooper was a marine biologist and saw it as an exciting new project.Chief Brody was a police officer and was sworn to protect the beachgoers of Amity Island, but he was more focused on protecting his family.Captain Quint was a rugged WWII veteran who agreed to kill the shark not just for the bounty, but also for revenge.
Everyone can remember the explosive climax of Jaws.Chief Brody as the last man standing, leaning up against the mast of the sinking Orca, and armed only with an M1 Garand.Shot after shot misses the deadly beast that is cradling an explosive oxygen tank in its mouth.With one final round in the chamber, Chief Brody takes aim and utters the famous words, “Smile, you son of a,” and fires.The explosion takes the place of “bitch,” (because this is, of course, a PG movie) and Jaws’ headless body plummets into the deep blue sea.
However, in the book, as Jaws devours Captain Quint he is able to shoot the shark with a harpoon gun and the Captain and the shark slide off the deck of the Orca and into the depths below.Why was the ending changed?
Although these two texts insinuate the same overall theme, different texts communicate in different ways.For instance, in the novel by Peter Benchley, Captain Quint’s entire background is explained and is more or less centered on his hatred of the shark, much like Captain Ahab in Moby Dick.It is obvious to the reader that Quint wants Jaws dead more than anybody whereas the movie is focused almost entirely on Chief Brody.From watching the movie, the audience only hears Captain Quint’s monologue about the USS Indianapolis and how his comrades were eaten alive by sharks (oceanic white tips, not even great whites) once the ship was sunk.
The idea of revenge is not as clear in the movie as it is in the novel.Therefore, the poetic justice is not as present in the movie.The blockbuster needed a more audience-friendly “Hollywood” ending that would immortalize both texts forever, and that is exactly what Spielberg gave it.
Both the movie and the novel continue to terrify their viewers and readers today.As far as Beyond Words’ definition of the word, “text,” goes, I am living proof that these texts convey many thoughts and emotions.To this day, I cannot even get into a swimming pool alone without immediately jumping out of the water, and you will never catch me skinny dipping in the Pacific Ocean at night.
My question for the class is: In what ways do movies affect you that books cannot and vice versa? What is the difference between these two types of text? Please provide specific examples if possible.
Hey everyone, I created a facebook group for section 3, but the other section is welcome to join it as well. This worked really well last semester in ENC1101 with the class I had. People can ask questions about when things are due and whatnot and get a response quickly since most everyone lurks facebook more often they will the blackboard blog, or at-least I hope you do. So here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/254204191312624/ .
Oh and Ms. Ahmed can't see this it is completely private between the members of our classes.
Growing up, I loved telling stories and writing creatively (inside and outside the classroom). But when it came to writing formal or research-based essays for class, I struggled--not because I didn't have the tools, but because I couldn't apply them.
English class meant regurgitating information that I'd heard or read. And all the things I learned from my teachers about how to write a better English paper stayed within the walls of my English classrooms. Somehow, varying my sentence structure or using descriptive language didn't seem applicable to my history or psychology papers. And it certainly didn't seem to have anything to do with my biology labs.
Fast forward all these years and it's still the same conflict at the heart of it all. FSU requires all freshmen to take First Year Composition, not because anyone expects everyone to become an English major, go into journalism, or write creatively on a full time basis, but because these skills are supposed to transfer over to the "real world."
For a teacher of any composition course, transfer is something we think about all the time. In pedagogical terms, transfer can be defined as knowledge, skills, and tools being moved from one context to another (read more about it here). In other words, how can what you learn in our FYC class apply to the rest of your studies and to your life-- not just in theory, but in practice?
So, my question for all of you is: how do you think, hope, or foresee this class fitting into the rest of your life? Or, maybe you don't see it being applicable at all?
If you do think FYC will play a role, how can we make sure the transfer actually takes place?
If you don't, what can be done to change that? Or are we all just wasting our time?
