Archives for November 2015

by on November 30, 2015

Project 4 Presentations & Final Exam

This is the post for the week of Monday, November 30, 2015 class meeting.

Brace Yourself. A presentation is coming.Today’s post covers your presentations, submitting your remix, and taking the final exam. Today is the last day you will have to work on Project 4 in class. After today, class sessions will be devoted to presentations of Project 4. I will not hold office hours today, so that I can go to the doctor.

PSAs

Presentations

Preparing Your Presentation

In-class presentations of Project 4 will take place from Wednesday, 12/2 through Wednesday, 12/9. The presentation page includes details on what you need to include.

You may prepare a slideshow about your project and/or show the project itself. The remote control clicker usually works with PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Prezi. Unfortunately, however, PowerPoint sometimes crashes on the Mac teacher station. Use Google Slides if you can.

Use what you know about multimodal composing to create a strong presentation. An average presentation would include screens full of text and lots of reading off of the screen or your notes.  A stronger presentation would use  the 1/1/5 organizational strategy (using no more than 15 slides to fit into the 5 minute timeframe). 

The Night Before Your Presentation

Submit the link to your presentation in the "Remix Presentation" assignment in Canvas by 9 PM the night before your presentation time slot, so that I can set up the post for the day’s class. There is no grace period for presentations, and there are no make-up presentations.

During Presentations

Please be polite and pay attention to your classmates. Provide positive and/or constructive feedback.If you are absent or not being respectful, you will lower your presentation grade.

Submitting Project 4

Follow these instructions to upload your work, add the reflection comments, and submit your work. The grace period for the project ends at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, December 9 (the last day of class).

  1. Go to our course in Canvas.
  2. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
  3. Choose "Project 4: Remix a Story."
  4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this submission form:
    URL submission in Canvas
  5. Paste the URL to your remix in the Website URL box.
  6. Type your reflection comments in the Comments…box (indicated by the orange arrow):
    • Tell me what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and …..).
    • Explain how you incorporated risk into the project.
    • Share anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
  7. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be turned in.

Final Exam

Submission Dates

Official due dates:

  • 10:10 course: Due by 9:45 AM on Wednesday, 12/16
  • 11:15 course: Due by 5:25 PM on Monday, 12/14

End of Grace Period: If you need additional time, submit your final by noon on Wednesday, 12/16. If your work is not in by noon, you will receive a zero. Because I have to turn in course grades, I cannot extend the grace period beyond noon on the 12/16 unless you have a letter from the Dean of Students indicating extenuating circumstances.

Assignment

Your exam is a take-home, and it will consist of creating a revision and sustainability plan for your online portfolio site.


 
Last updated on 1st December, 2015, 11:43 PM
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by on November 16, 2015

Project 4 Work, Review, & Revisions

This is the post for the week of Monday, November 16, 2015 class meeting.

Group of turkeys, with the caption, Something's up. The farmer just unfriended me on FacebookToday’s post covers the work for the entire week. You can jump ahead to the plans for each day with these links:

There is work to be submitted for Wednesday’s and Friday’s class sessions. Be sure to turn in everything on time to get credit for your work.

Monday’s Session (11/16)

Signing Up for Your Presentation Time Slot

Once everyone has a computer logged into Canvas, we will use the Scheduler tool in the Calendar (Canvas Documentation) to sign up for presentation time slots. Sign up is first-come, first-served. Check out the Project 4 Presentations page for full details on what you need to present and how to submit your presentation link.

Reviewing the Week’s Work

We’ll review the plans for the week, which are all below. Spend your time in class today working on whatever part of your project you need to. I’ll help with any questions. Remember that effort is part of the calculation for your grade, so be sure that you are working during the entire class session.

Submitting Your Draft for Peer Review

Post your link in the Peer Review for Project 4 Discussion in Canvas (Canvas Documentation ) for peer feedback by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, November, 11/17 (no grace period). Follow the directions in Canvas for the information to include. Submit whatever you have. You can add details in your post on any significant work you still need to do.

Wednesday’s Online Session (11/18)

Remember that there will be no classroom meeting and that I will not have any office hours. Allow 24 hours or so for me to respond to any email messages, since I will be busy with dental work and the aftermath.

Providing Peer Review Feedback

At 12:03 AM Wednesday, Canvas will automatically assign you two classmates, whom you will provide with peer feedback. Respond to the two drafts you have been assigned for Peer Feedback, following the instructions in the Peer Review for Project 4 Discussion in Canvas by 11:59 on 11/18. The grace period ends at 11:59 PM on Thursday, 11/19.

Friday’s Online Session (11/20)

Remember that there will be no classroom meeting and that I will not have any office hours.

Writing Your Revision Plan

Write your revision plan, using a word processor, following the instructions on the Revision Plan page. Find the information on revision plans on pp. 116–118 of Writer/Designer. Write and submit your revision plan for Project 4 by 11:59 PM on Friday, 11/20. The grace period ends 11:59 PM Sunday, 11/22.

After Thanksgiving Break

Monday, 11/30
We’ll go over how to submit Project 4 and the assignment for the final exam.

Wednesday, 12/2 through Wednesday, 12/9
In-class presentations of Project 4. Submit the link to your presentation by 9 PM the night before your presentation. There is no grace period for presentations, and there are no make-up presentations.

Final Exam
Official due dates

  • 10:10 course: Due by 9:45 AM on Wednesday, 12/16
  • 11:15 course: Due by 5:25 PM on Monday, 12/14

Your exam is a take-home, and it will consist of creating a revision and sustainability plan for your online portfolio site. We will go over the assignment on Monday, 11/30.

End of Grace Period: If you need additional time, submit your final by noon on Wednesday, 12/16. If your work is not in by noon, you will receive a zero. Because I have to turn in course grades, I cannot extend the grace period beyond noon on the 12/16 unless you have a letter from the Dean of Students indicating extenuating circumstances.


 
Last updated on 16th November, 2015, 12:08 AM
Filed Under: Class Posts
by on November 13, 2015

Project 4 Work Day

This is the post for the Friday, November 13, 2015 class meeting.

ICYMI: Presentation Sign-Up Is Monday

Black kitten with caption, It's Friday the 13th? Oh no. I has to be evil today.Presentation sign-up will be on Monday. Be in class and ready to choose your time slot when the sign-up form opens. In your presentation, you will show off your project, talking about what you did and why you did it. It’s okay if your project isn’t quite finished. You will present whatever you have.

"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" as a Comic

Here’s a marvelous remix of T. S. Eliot’s "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" as a comic by Julian Peters. On the site, you will find a few other literary comics.

Work Day

Spend your time in class today working on whatever part of your project you need to. I’ll help with any questions. Remember that effort is part of the calculation for your grade, so be sure that you are working!

In-Class Writing for Friday

If you have not done so already, go to the "Rough Cut Progress" quiz in Canvas and explain the decisions you have made for your project. See the information on pp. 107–109 of Writer/Designer for help.

Homework

For today, do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete your "Rough Cut Progress" quiz in Canvas, please use the grace period to finish by 5:30 PM on Sunday, 11/15.

For Monday, do the following before class:

  • Be on time for presentation sign-up.
  • Be prepared to work in class.
  • Read Chapter 8 of Writer/Designer. Pay particular attention to the information on presenting your "Reporting on Your Final Project" (pp. 132–133).

For Tuesday, 11/17, do the following:

  • Post your Project 4 draft by 11:59 PM for peer review (no grace period). Peer review partners will be automatically assigned after midnight.

For Wednesday, 11/18, do the following:

  • No classroom meeting. No office hours.
  • Work online to respond to the two partners you have been assigned by 11:59 PM. Grace period ends 11:59 PM Thursday, 11/19.
  • Allow 24 hours or so for me to respond to any email messages, since I will be busy with dental work and the aftermath.

For Friday, 11/20, do the following:

  • No classroom meeting. No office hours.
  • Write and submit your revision plan for Project 4 by 11:59 PM. Grace period ends 11:59 PM Sunday, 11/22.

For TurkeyThanksgiving Break: Nov 21 to Nov 29turkey, have a restful, fantastic vacation.


 
Last updated on 13th November, 2015, 10:47 AM
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by on November 11, 2015

Rough Cuts and Revision Plans

This is the post for the Wednesday, November 11, 2015 class meeting.

Upcoming Schedule

Fri, 11/13 Work on your project in-class and mini-conferences
Mon, 11/16 Sign-up for presentations; discuss Chapter 8 and plans for the week
Tue, 11/17 Post your Project 4 draft by 11:59 PM for peer review (no grace period). Peer review partners will be automatically assigned after midnight.
Wed, 11/18 Work online to respond to the two partners you have been assigned by 11:59 PM. Grace period ends 11:59 PM Th, 11/19. No classroom meeting.
Fri, 11/20 Write and submit your revision plan for Project 4 by 11:59 PM. Grace period ends 11:59 PM Su, 11/22. No classroom meeting.
TurkeyThanksgiving Break: Nov 21 to Nov 29turkey
Mon, Nov 30 Discuss submission for Project 4 and the final exam assignment. Project 4 due by 11:59 PM
Wed, Dec 2 through Wed, Dec 9 In-class Presentations (no grace period for presentations). Link to your presentation is due by 11:59 PM the day before you present.
Wed, Dec 9 Project 4 Grace Period ends at 11:59 PM
Exam Week Final Exam (officially):

  • 10:10 course: Due by 9:45 AM on Wed, Dec 16
  • 11:15 course: Due by 5:25 PM on Mon, Dec 14

 

Presentation Sign-Up

roughwolfPresentation sign-up will be on Monday. Be in class and ready to choose your time slot when the sign-up form opens. In your presentation, you will show off your project, talking about what you did and why you did it. It’s okay if your project isn’t quite finished. You will present whatever you have.

Rough Cuts, Rough Drafts, and Revision Plans

  • A rough cut (for timeline-based projects) or prototype (for static projects) is usually rougher, or less finished, than a rough draft.

  • The “Planning Your Rough Cut” section of Chapter 7 (pp. 107–109) includes lists of the basic decisions you should make by the time you have a rough cut. You need to answer the questions in the "Rough Cut Progress" quiz by the end of class on Friday (grace period will end on Sunday at 5:30 PM).

  • You will use the following information next week:

    • Tue, 11/17: Explain your rhetorical situation (pp. 111–112) when you submit your draft for peer review.
    • Wed, 11/18: Use the questions for providing feedback (pp. 112–115) when you give feedback to your partners
    • Fri, 11/20: Follow the information on revision plans (pp. 116–118) to plan your remaining work on the project.

In-Class Writing for Today or Friday

Go to the "Rough Cut Progress" quiz in Canvas and explain the decisions you have made for your project. See the information on pp. 107–109 of Writer/Designer for help.

Homework

For Friday, do the following before class:

  • Be prepared to work in class.
  • Have your textbook if you have not finished the "Rough Cut Progress" quiz. Grace period ends at 5:30 PM on Sunday, 11/15.

For Monday, do the following before class:

  • Be on time for presentation sign-up.
  • Be prepared to work in class.
  • Read Chapter 8 of Writer/Designer. Pay particular attention to the information on presenting your "Reporting on Your Final Project" (pp. 132–133).

 
Last updated on 11th November, 2015, 2:32 AM
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by on November 9, 2015

Creating a Documentation Plan

This is the post for the Monday, November 9, 2015 class meeting.Snape with the caption, No Documentation? 10 Points from Gryffindor

Finding Assets for Your Project

Permissions for your assets fall into three categories, all of which require documentation:

  • Protected by Copyright—You will have to ask the owner for permission or prove Fair Use. Use the Copyright Genie.

  • In the Public Domain—You can use these freely, without seeking additional permission.

  • Protected by Creative Commons—You need to check the license. See p. 68 of Writer/Designer.

Use the Where can I find graphics that I can use in my projects? FAQ for links to public domain and creative commons assets.

Documenting Your Asset Sources

The point of documentation is to give credit to the author/maker and to show your audience where to find the original version.

No matter what kind of assets, you need to cite your sources. Here’s a little flowchart that tells you everything you need to know:

Do I Need to Cite This?

Yes, that is a little reductive, but generally, if you didn’t make it, you need to say who did. Use the flowchart on the blog post Can I Use that Picture? The Terms, Laws, and Ethics for Using Copyrighted Images, by Curtis Newbold, to decide what you need to cite and whether the use of the resource falls under fair use.

Here are some other important tips:

Designing Your Documentation System

Following the information in Writer/Designer (p. 70), your need to accomplish two things with your documentation:

  1. Provide enough information about each source so that readers can find it themselves.
  2. Use a citation style that is credible within the context of the genre you’ve chosen to produce.

You have to decide what works best for your project. If you ask me "Is it okay if I [insert whatever you want to do] for my documentation?" I am going to ask you how the system you are proposing accomplishes those two things.

You need to think about both where you will include the citations and what format you will use for those citations.

In-Class Writing

Go to the "Documentation Plan" quiz in Canvas and explain how you will design and present the citations for your project. See the information on pp. 70–76 of Writer/Designer for help.

Homework

For today, do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete your "Documentation Plan" quiz in Canvas, please use the grace period to finish by 5:30 PM Tuesday (11/10).

For Wednesday, do the following before class:

  • Check online to be sure we are still meeting in the classroom.
  • Read Chapter 7 of Writer/Designer. We’ll talk about rough cuts and rough drafts.

 
Last updated on 9th November, 2015, 9:41 AM
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by on November 6, 2015

Submitting Mockups and Storyboards

This is the post for the Friday, November 6, 2015 class meeting.

Career Connections Attendees

Sleepy kitten, with the caption, I don't know about your but I'm ready for the weekend!Check in with me at the beginning of the session, so I’ll know you need to leave early.

Remix Rubric

I’ve added a rubric to the assignment in Canvas. The numbers may shift around slightly, after I test some scenarios. Notice that the project is worth 90 points. The remaining 10 points are earned for the in-class presentation in December.

Working On Your Mockup and/or Storyboard

Use your time during today’s session to finalize your mockup or storyboard. Use the examples and tools included from Wednesday’s class as you work.

If you already finished your mockup or storyboard, please work on other aspects of your project.

By the end of today’s session, you should have submitted your mockup and/or your storyboard in the "Project 4 Mockup/Storyboard" Quiz.

In-Class Writing

We need to complete this in-class writing slightly differently because of the many different ways you may have created your mockup or storyboard. Choose the option below that fits your work. When you click on the option, full instructions will appear. Follow them to submit your work:

  • Website URL only
    1. Go to Assignments in Canvas.
    2. Choose the "Project 4 Mockup or Storyboard" activity, under the Participation, etc. heading.
    3. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right.
    4. Click the Website URL tab, and you will see the form below on the page:
      weburl
    5. Paste the link to your site in the Website URL field.
    6. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your link will be turned in.

  • File upload only

    1. Go to Assignments in Canvas.
    2. Choose the "Project 4 Mockup or Storyboard" activity, under the Participation, etc. heading.
    3. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right.
    4. Click the File Upload tab, and you will see the form below on the page:
      fileupload2
    5. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your file.
    6. Click the Add Another File link if you need to to upload additional files.
    7. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.

  • Both website URL and file upload

    Canvas does not allow you to use both options at the same time, so you will have to write an extra document. Follow these instructions:

    1. Write a short memo in your word processor that gives me the URL. It can be very short and direct. Just give me the link and tell me what it goes to.
    2. Go to Assignments in Canvas.
    3. Choose the "Project 4 Mockup or Storyboard" activity, under the Participation, etc. heading.
    4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
      fileupload2
    5. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to the short memo you have written.
    6. Click the Add Another File link to upload additional files.
    7. Once you have uploaded all your files, click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.

Homework

For today, do the following:

For Monday, do the following before class:

  • Review the information on documentation for your projects in Chapter 4 of Writer/Designer. We’ll talk about finding assets, and you will create a documentation plan for your project.

 
Last updated on 6th November, 2015, 2:59 AM
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by on November 4, 2015

Designing with Mockups and Storyboards

This is the post for the Wednesday, November 4, 2015 class meeting.

Mockup and Storyboard Examples

cool storyboard, broThese examples show the mockups and storyboards that students created for projects in the past:

Mockup Tools

Mock-ups are usually used for websites, projects that are “static” (like posters or brochures), and texts that are primarily linguistic or visual in nature. Wireframes (if you’re familiar with the term) fall into this category. Be sure to use the Mock-up guidelines on p. 95 of Writer/Designer to guide your process.

Here are some possible tools:

Storyboard Tools

Storyboarding is usually used for projects that move through a series of pieces, places, or points in time—like a video, comic book, or graphic novel. Be sure to use the storyboard guidelines on p. 97–98 of Writer/Designer to guide your process.

Storyboarding is, essentially, outlining your text visually, so you may be happy with creating a simple outline in Google Docs. For online tools I’ve made, I created storyboards with PowerPoint, because it was simple and I had a copy. If you do go this route, Google Slides would work too.

If you want to try something specifically created for storyboarding or a cartoon or timeline tool (listed in Monday’s post), take at look at these resources for creating and organizing storyboards:

Old-Fashioned Tools

Good, old paper and pencil can work for mock-ups and storyboards. There’s no reason that these planning tools have to be digitally produced. Sketch them out if you want to, but then scan them or take a photo so that you can turn them in.

Backing Up Your Design

Many of the mockup and storyboard tools publish your design on their site. Just in case something goes wrong, I strongly advise you to print your work to a PDF, take a screenshot, or otherwise back up the mockup or storyboard that you create.

In-Class Writing

After you look at some of the tools, go to the "Project 4 Design Quiz" tell me the following:

  • whether you will create a mockup or a storyboard (or both).
  • which tool you will use. If you haven’t decided on a mockup or storyboard tool, you can explain why.
  • any questions that have come up for you as you’ve worked on designing your project.

Homework

For today, do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete your "Project 4 Design Quiz" quiz in Canvas, please use the grace period to finish by 5:30 PM Thursday (11/5).

For Friday, do the following before class:

  • Friday will be an in-class workday, for creating/finishing your storyboards and/or mockups.
  • Bring whatever you need to work on your project in class.
  • Anyone signed up for the English Career Connection will be allowed to leave early, after I check in with you on your project.

 
Last updated on 4th November, 2015, 12:12 AM
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by on November 2, 2015

Making and Pitching Multimodal Texts

This is the post for the Monday, November 2, 2015 class meeting.

Don Draper on Mad Men set, with the caption I got 99 problems but a pitch ain't one.Important Dates

Today is the end of the grace period for Project 3. Be sure you have turned it in by 11:59 PM tonight. All other upcoming dates are all on the Project 4 Schedule page.

Additional Tools

Note the table of software programs in the textbook on page 78. Here are some additional tools you can use as you work on your projects:

If you find anything problematic (e.g., racist, stereotypes) as you work with these tools, let me know and I’ll take that tool off the list.

Deciding What Tools to Use

Test the tools (slideshow with examples) that you are considering for your project to ensure that they do what you need them to.

  • Will the tool support your rhetorical situation?
  • Does the tool give you control of pertinent design choices?
  • Does the tool support the modes you want to use as you retell the story?
  • Are there useful affordances to the tool?
  • Are there problematic constraints?

Before you make your final decision on the tool that you want to use, you need to check some specific constraints that have been a problem in the past:

  • Are there any time limits to how long you can use it?
  • Are there any other restrictions on how much you can use it?
  • How does it export your work? (and yes, I have the student’s permission to share this work):

Key Points from Chapter 5

As you read and use information from Chapter 5 of Writer/Designer, pay particular attention to these details:

  1. Table of Technology Choices on page 78.

  2. The book explains that a multimodal project doesn’t have to be digital; however, what you make for Project 4 does have to be digital.

  3. As you firm up your decision on what tool(s) to use, keep in mind the same questions you used to evaluate an interface in Project 3. There’s also a case study that starts on page 79 and a technology review on page 81.

  4. Pay attention to the tips on organizing and naming your files on pages 88–89.

  5. Consider making a short style guide for your work to ensure consistency, following the suggestions on page 89.

Pitches (In-Class Writing)

Complete the "Project 4 Pitch" quiz in Canvas to tell me about your current plans for Project 4. Please be specific as you answer each of the questions. I will use the information to ensure that you have chosen a project that will fulfill the assignment.

If your plans change in the future, you will need to talk to me to get approval for the new direction you are taking.

Homework

For today, please do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete your "Project 4 Pitch" quiz in Canvas, please use the grace period to finish by 5:30 PM Tuesday (11/3).

For Wednesday, do the following before class:

  • Read Chapter 6 of Writer/Designer. We’ll talk about storyboards and mockups in class.

For Friday, do the following before class:

  • Bring whatever you need to work on your project in class. Friday will be an in-class workday.
  • Anyone signed up for the English Career Connection will be allowed to leave early, after I check in with you on your project.

 
Last updated on 2nd November, 2015, 2:52 AM
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