Archives for August 2015

by on August 31, 2015

Creating Your Identity Image

This is the post for the Monday, August 31, 2015 class meeting.

I think this might be Photoshopped memeFor today, you watched “Images and Words” from Foundations of Layout and Composition with Sean Adams. You will apply the information in those videos as you look at examples and create your own image, but first we’ll go over some design tips and look at some example images.

Ten Design Tips

You can learn more about how to use design elements to to make your project visually appealing and easy to read by working through these Ten Design Tips and the related Lynda.com videos.

Example Images

These example images were created by students who took the course in the Spring. Their assignment was slightly different from yours, since they were focusing on who they were online. Your images and explanatory text will have a different focus, since you are introducing yourself to the class and to the world once you incorporate the piece into your portfolio site.

As you create your image, try to think about your perspective on the world as it relates to your portfolio. So, for instance, if you are pre-ed, you might have an image that relates your attitude about education, teaching, or students. If you are a poet, your image might be about writing, poetry, or even an abstract concept like beauty.

Your image can be a self-portrait, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be a photo or a drawing. Anything goes as long as it represents you in some way.

Editing Images

  1. PicMonkey logoGo to PicMonkey.com. It’s a free site, and it does not require a login.
  2. Watch for the crown logo, which represents Royale upgrades that you would have to pay for. Don’t waste time on them.
  3. Make sure you have a backup of your original image and that the image is available on your computer.
  4. Choose Edit and then upload your image.
  5. Crop out any distractions in the background so that the image focuses on the main point.
  6. Edit the image as you like, adding filters, special effects, and so forth.
  7. Add text to the image that complements the image and helps communicate the message you are making.
  8. Save your image with a new name and make a backup.

We are using PicMonkey in class because it’s easy and free. You can use whatever image editor you like for the image you create for Project 1. Regardless of the tool you choose, you need to crop out distractions and add some text to your image. See the documentation for the tool you have chosen if you need help.

In-Class Writing

All you have to do is upload the image you worked on in class for credit. Go to the Quizzes tool in Canvas and take the "Image Editing" quiz. You can add an optional comment if you want/need to tell me anything about your image.

Homework

For today, please do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete your "Image Editing" quiz in Canvas, please use the grace period to finish by 5 PM Tuesday (9/1).

For Wednesday’s session (9/2), do the following before class:

  • Aim to have a draft of your image and text ready to share in class. We will spend part of the session on peer review and part talking about how to submit your work and the reflection comments. You will post your image to share in the "Self-Introduction and Image Presentation" Discussion in Canvas by 11:59 PM on Thursday, 9/3.

For Friday’s session (9/4), do the following before class:

  • Be prepared to introduce yourself to the class and explain/comment on your Project 1 image. You will have two minutes maximum. This is a low-stress presentation. You’re just telling everyone who you are and a bit about what you care about as a student or writer.

For Monday (9/7), have a pleasant day off. Go Hokies!

For Wednesday’s session (9/9), do the following before class:


 
Last updated on 30th August, 2015, 10:49 AM
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by on August 28, 2015

Intro to Online Identity

This is the post for the Friday, August 28, 2015 class meeting.

Discussing Today’s Texts

dogontheniternetFor today, you watched Sections 1 and 2 from Personal Branding Basics with Lorrie Thomas Ross. These videos relate to the branding you will do as you create an academic portfolio for yourself.

To begin our discussion of the videos, we’ll use an anonymous online whiteboard to brainstorm some ideas. Go to the Padlet for your course and add some short responses to the framing question there, “Based on the videos you watched, brainstorm some ways you can build or improve your identity online. Arrange your ideas under one of the two general kinds of portfolios you can work on: academic writer or professional writer.”

We will discuss the patterns we find and how they relate to the different kinds of portfolios you can create for this course.

Overview of Project 1

For Project 1, you will create a statement of some aspect of your identity using an image and a short explanatory statement. The assignment includes all the details for the project, which is due Wednesday, September 2, with a presentation of your image in-class on Friday, September 4.

In-Class Writing

Go to the Quizzes tool in Canvas and take the "Project 1 Audience and Goals" quiz. You will tell me about your goals and audience for the first project and your portfolio.

Homework

For today, please do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete your "Project 1 Audience and Goals" quiz in Canvas, please use the grace period to finish by 5 PM Sunday (8/30).

For Monday’s session, do the following before class:

  • Log onto Lynda.com with your Virginia Tech PID and password.
  • View the “Images and Words” from Foundations of Layout and Composition with Sean Adams.
  • Take a photo (or find one) that you can edit in class and have it online in a place where you can access it. It can be an image you want to use in Project 1, but it doesn’t have to be. Please choose something appropriate for the classroom.

For Wednesday’s session, do the following before class:

  • Aim to have at least a draft of your image ready to share in class. Ideally, you will have a nearly-finished draft of the image and your explanatory statement. We will spend part of the session on peer review, and part talking about how to submit your work and the reflection comments.

For Friday’s session, do the following before class:

  • Be prepared to introduce yourself to the class and explain/comment on your Project 1 image. You will have two minutes maximum. This is a low-stress presentation. You’re just telling everyone who you are and a bit about what you care about as a student or writer.

 
Last updated on 28th August, 2015, 9:43 AM
Filed Under: Class Posts
by on August 25, 2015

Introduction to Canvas

This is the post for the August 26, 2015 class meeting.

Technical Difficulties: We has them (a panda bear, hanging over a branch)Today we’ll focus on getting familiar with Canvas. Go ahead and login on a computer so that you can follow along and set up the tools for yourself.

Course Content Statement
This course may at times include things you might see or hear in an R-rated movie.

Canvas How-To: General Settings

  • Go to Settings (upper right) and then Edit Settings in the right sidebar.
    • Change your name, language, time zone, etc.
    • At the bottom, change to "high contrast" if you are having trouble with the color scheme.
  • Check the Ways to Contact in the right sidebar.
    • If desired, add other email addresses and/or texting. You can control what notifications go to each method.
  • Choose Notifications in the left sidebar. Notifications are settings for ALL of Canvas (not just this class).
    • Set up the notifications for each of the options. You can choose:
      • ASAP
      • Daily Summary
      • Weekly Summary
      • Never
    • Pay particular attention to Announcement notifications. I will use that tool for any last-minute or important announcements.
  • Choose Files in the left sidebar. This is an online dropbox location where you can save your files.

Canvas How-To: General Settings

  • Go to
    Courses & Groups in the menu at the top left.
  • Choose our class: Writing and Digital Media. You’ll arrive at the course homepage.
    • The course navigation is in the left sidebar, just as it is in Scholar.
    • Recent due dates and feedback are in the right sidebar.
    • The View Course Stream button takes you to a list of Activity Stream you can see in Facebook.
  • Click on Announcements in the left sidebar. This tool is similar to Announcements in Scholar. Click on the messages to read them. As noted above, I will use that tool for any last-minute or important announcements.
  • Use the From Scholar to Canvas – Tool Map to make sense of the rest of the tools in Canvas. We will use the following tools:
    • Assignments, which lists ALL of the activities (e.g., projects, quizzes, discussion forums).
    • Discussions, which are discussion forums. You will usually be working in a group based on your section.
    • Grades, which is the gradebook.
    • Quizzes, which we’ll use for in-class writing and short writing activities you do for homework.
    • Syllabus, which is a schedule of requirements (not really what I think of as a syllabus).

Canvas Discussion Practice

  • Go to the Discussions tool in Canvas and choose the "1,000,000 Words or Less" topic.
  • Follow the instructions in the topic to do the following:
    • Add your response and add any formatting that will make your writing clearer.
    • Like and reply to some messages from your classmates.

Homework

For today, please do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete your post and replies to the "1,000,000 Words or Less" topic in the Discussion tool, please use the grace period to finish by 5 PM tomorrow (Thursday, 8/27).

Before Friday’s session, please do the following:

  • Log onto Lynda.com with your Virginia Tech PID and password. (It’s free.)
  • View Sections 1 and 2 from Personal Branding Basics with Lorrie Thomas Ross (“Understanding Personal Branding” and “Establishing Your Brand”) — a very professional, career-oriented view of online identity. I will ask you to write and talk about the videos in class.

For Monday’s session, if you want to get ahead, do the following before class:

  • Log onto Lynda.com with your Virginia Tech PID and password.
  • View the “Images and Words” from Foundations of Layout and Composition with Sean Adams.
  • Take a photo (or find one) that you can edit in class. It can be an image you want to use in Project 1, but it doesn’t have to be. Please choose something appropriate for the classroom.

 
Last updated on 25th August, 2015, 11:26 PM
Filed Under: Class Posts Tagged With:
by on August 23, 2015

Welcome to Writing and Digital Media

Welcome meme showing orange cat with its head twisted sideways.This is the post for the Monday, August 24, 2015 class meeting.

Welcome to English 3844, Writing and Digital Media. This site is the official home for our course. All project assignments, class activities, and related resources will be posted here.

Class Work for August 24

  • Go over the syllabus, including the course policies.
  • Keeping up with the course:
    • Check this site regularly.
    • Use the Twitter account @VTtengrrl (also in the sidebar).
    • Subscribe Via Email, using the form in the sidebar.
    • Announcements and notifications from Canvas.
  • Look at some sample projects.
  • Complete the class survey to tell me about your experience with digital media.

Sample Projects

These are some projects students completed for the Remix a Story project in my previous classes:

  1. The Three Little Scholars Broadcast
  2. Chamber of PostSecrets
  3. Rapunzel
  4. Time: Hunger Games Special Edition
  5. Scout’s Instagram Account
  6. ‘Same Love’ by Macklemore as told through The Gay Rights Movement – final edit
  7. Calvin & Hobbes—Attack of the Deranged Mutant Monster Killer Snow Goons
  8. What Happened to Little Red Riding Hood?
  9. Music Man Remix
  10. The Once Upon a Times

Homework

For today, please do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete the class survey in class, please use the grace period to respond by 5 PM tomorrow (Tuesday, 8/25).

Before Wednesday’s session, please do the following:

  • If you want, follow the Twitter account @VTtengrrl or Subscribe Via Email to this site. Check the sidebar for more info.

  • Log into Canvas to make sure you have access before you come to class on Wednesday. Contact 4HELP if you need assistance with your login. You can find help for Canvas 24/7 by using the Help link on the Canvas site and in the Canvas: Getting Started for Students article.

  • [PUBLIC WRITING] In a million words and images or less, tell us whatever you would like us to know about you as student, a writer, and/or a Hokie. Think about things that will help us get to know you and will help you do your best work in this course. Logistics: Use a word processor (Word, Google Drive, etc.) and be sure you have the file with you in class Wednesday.


 
Last updated on 24th August, 2015, 9:26 AM
Filed Under: Class Posts Tagged With: