tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44287629802594851372024-03-19T15:24:18.866-07:00English 5060Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-33944546770779024722013-11-15T06:46:00.000-08:002013-12-15T06:46:36.260-08:00Week 10 (?): Response to Kerry's "The Writer's Toolbox"I find myself in agreement with Kerry's <a href="http://kmrhet.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-writers-toolbox.html">observations</a>. The idea of the tool box is something I began to introduce to my students as the semester progressed. The way English 1301 is constructed at Texas Tech, the first and final portions of the semester create tools for the students to take into other classes. It becomes less about style, and more about these skills:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Reading Rhetorically (including taking notes, observing the article's rhetorical construction, highlighting, reading again, etc.)</li>
<li>Paraphrasing and Summarizing</li>
<li>Building a Working Thesis</li>
<li>Identifying Quotes</li>
<li>Creating a Writing Schedule (and sticking to it)</li>
<li>Maintaining Professionalism during Peer Revision</li>
<li>Creating a Revision Plan (more structurally engaged than looking at grammar)</li>
<li>Revising for Audience</li>
<li>Identifying some Common Grammar Errors</li>
<li>Surviving Difficult Classes</li>
</ul>
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These are the major skills students should take with them. Of course they are highly subjective. I will ask my students what they are taking from English 1301, and what should be stressed in the program.</div>
Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-11490387499423326732013-11-13T13:49:00.002-08:002013-11-13T13:49:48.459-08:00Week Ten: Exercise in Finding Voice Two weeks ago, I presented on Expressivism, and had the class participate in a "Voice" exercise. Peter Elbow writes, "Students read a writer with a particularly strong and obvious-"loud"-voice and then try to write something that produces the same voice. The object is for the student to "get inside" the self of the imitated writer by getting the sound of his tone of voice" (120). I find this exercise fascinating, so I repurposed it for the presentation.<br />
I handed out an index card for everyone in the class. I had them answer the following questions:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Who is an author you admire?</li>
<li>What characteristics of that author's writing do you admire?</li>
<li>If you can, write a quote from that author you find particularly fascinating.</li>
</ol>
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I then had them put those cards away, as I proceeded with the discussion. When the time came, I pulled up this picture:</div>
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<a href="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/46405_428954035302_5887398_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/46405_428954035302_5887398_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The students then had to re-write the bear sign, in the voice of their admired author. I then had a few students share their re-writes: I wish I had written them down. I remember Caleb had a Hemingway re-write that was particularly effective.</div>
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To add nuance to Elbow's experiment, I asked the students to pass their notecards two students to the left. They then had three minutes to perform another re-write, this time channeling this new author. Unfortunately, we only had time for one student to share. Luckily, it was Brian's re-working of the bear sign in McCarthy's voice.</div>
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Update: Sometimes, fate smiles down on those who post late. Last week, McSweeny's posted <a href="http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/walter-whites-i-am-the-one-who-knocks-speech-as-written-by-other-authors">several re-writes of Walter White's "I'm the one who knocks" speech</a>. Each re-write is from a famous author. I hope you enjoy the Jane Austen version. If you want, present your own re-write of Walt's speech in the comments.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Work Cited</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Elbow, Peter. "A Method for Teaching Writing." <i>College English</i> 30.2 (1968): 115-25. PDF file.</div>
Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-59837206784924893482013-11-13T13:29:00.001-08:002013-11-13T13:29:38.403-08:00Week Ten: A Case for Millennial Students Frankly, I was stunned. The discussion about today's students went incredibly negative. However, let me back up, and create some context.<br />
In preparing for class, I found an interesting historical context for the Expressivist Movement. Donald M. Murray's article "Finding Your Own Voice: Teaching Composition in an Age of Dissent" begins, "Student power is not longer an issue, it is a fact" (118). His article discusses how the rising generation has voiced its concerns, and college composition instructors must incorporate new tactics for teaching them. Peter Elbow writes in "A Method for Teaching Writing" that being a draft counselor for conscientious objectors helped him shape his expressivist theory (120-2). Taking a critical step back to examine these two theorist should raise a few questions. Student Power? Draft Counselor? Conscientious Objectors? A closer examination of the dates of publications reveal the answer: The Expressivist Movement shaped itself during the Counter Culture movement in the United States during the 1960's.<br />
This historical context plays a part in how the composition theory created its tenets: students have ownership, must find their voice, must experiment with different genres, etc. Teachers must <strike>accommodate</strike> encourage these experiments, writing alongside their students.<br />
My thoughts then shifted to this generation... the Millennials. During my presentation, I asked the class what their impressions of today's students. Could the Expressivist moment occur today?<br />
The reactions stunned me. Across the board, every thought was overtly negative. Here are a few still roaming my memory:<br />
<i>They're entitled.</i><br />
<i> They have been pushed through school without learning responsibility.</i><br />
<i> They're corporate sheeple who are more concerned with gadgets than grades.</i><br />
"Is there," I asked, "anything positive about today's students?"<br />
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<br />
<br />
I find myself looking at the silence. The only thing that could be perceived as positive can also be spun negatively. <i>They are good at following directions (i.e., see sheeple comment)</i>. I, too, have difficulty with approaching my students. Almost every discussion about the education's direction seems overtly negative, and students are to blame. Whether through their lack of preparation for college, or the curriculum that<br />
has failed them, students receive the brunt of the attack.<br />
I subtitled this post "A Case for Millennial Students;" I might not be the best person to make this argument. A few months back, however, editorial cartoonist Matt Bors presented a graphic called <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/09/opinion/bors-millenial-comic-strip/index.html?iref=allsearch">"Can We Stop Worrying About Millennials Yet?"</a> It was published on CNN, under the Opinions section. I think Bors makes some cogent arguments about giving Millennials a little breathing space. For one, he switches the focus from students' failings to the systems. He speaks to student loans being a massive issue; I would further that argument to discuss curriculum. If students are underprepared for college, some (if not most) of the blame should fall on state mandated requirements for secondary education. If some wish to blame teachers, those individuals should first inspect the materials. However, what do you think? What are the positives about this rising generation? Could the Expressivist thoughts of ownership be translated to the Digital Age?<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Works Cited</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Elbow, Peter. "A Method for Teaching Writing." <i>College English</i> 30.2 (1968): 115-25. PDF file.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Murray, Donald M. "Finding Your Own Voice: Teaching Composition in an Age of Dissent." <i>College Composition and Communication </i>20 (1969): 118-23. PDF file.</div>
Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-27409445293827395642013-11-13T12:21:00.000-08:002013-11-13T12:21:26.132-08:00Week Five: Cornell Boxes v. Bearden Collages I am posting this a full seven weeks after Charles' wonderful discussion. That said, I have been mulling a particular discursive thread Charles brought up during class. We were talking about Richard Young's "Concepts of Art," and the distinctions between "new romanticism" and "new classicists" in composition pedagogy. From my notes, it seems the distinction between the two is where "art" is positioned. Young writes, "For the new romantics, art contrasts with craft; the craft of writing refers to skill in technique, or what Genung called 'mechanics,' a skill that can be taught. Art however, is associated with more mysterious powers" (197). These "mysterious powers" cannot be taught, because the art is in the organic details. New classicists, however, position art within repetition, that as craft is taught, art is produced.<br />
As the class came to an end, we began discussing how there might be a middle ground for these two camps. Is there a way to discuss details and craft as artistic? I told the class about a paper I wrote a few years ago, concerning Twitter's possibility in the classroom. I drew a correlation between Twitter's underlying principles and integrating quotations. "In teaching quotes," I argued, "I can teach the craft, but ultimately it is the student's voice and attention to detail that creates a strong incorporation of argument with evidence."<br />
It is interesting that in this argument, a transition in thinking about art and composition. I drew heavily on Geoffrey Sirc's "Box Logic," which introduces concepts of hypertextuality through comparisons to Joseph Cornell's box art. Follow the link to see an example, <a href="http://www.josephcornellbox.com/boxes.htm">Cornell's <i>In Homage to the Romantic Ballet, 1942</i>.</a> The issue at stake, I argued in 2011, with Sirc's assumption is that three dimensional conceptions of composition do not transition easily to the two dimensional page. Instead of using Cornell's box art, I suggested <a href="http://www.beardenfoundation.org/artlife/beardensart/collage/artwork/mississippi_mond_i.shtml">Romare Bearden's collage</a>, <i>Mississippi Monday</i>, as an alternate form for discussing art and composition. Bearden's art is two dimensional, but the different materials used to compose the art creates texture. So, the effect appears flat, although closer inspection reveals nuance.<br />
Inspecting these two different art forms speak toward how quotes can bridge the gap between art as detail and art as craft. Integrating quotes takes a certain amount of skill. In class yesterday, my students practiced on not allowing sources to "float;" instead, quotes need an attributive tag. Choosing quotes, however, is not the business of the instructor; the details within the source comes from the student. Also, the means of integration into argument is purely the student's voice.<br />
These thoughts make sense to me; however, I wonder if there is a middle ground between art as detail and art as craft. What do you think? Place your thoughts in the comments.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Work Cited</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Bearden, Romare. <i>Mississippi Monday</i>. n.d., New York. <i>BeardenFoundation.org. </i>Web. 13 Nov. 2013.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Cornell, Joseph. <i>In Homage to the Romantic Ballet, 1942.</i> 1942. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. <i>Joseph Cornell Box.</i> Web. 13 Nov. 2013.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Young, Richard E. "Concepts of Art and the Teaching of Writing." <i>The Rhetorical Tradition and Modern Writing.</i> Ed. James J. Murphy. New York: MLA, 1982. Rpt. in <i>Landmark Essays on Rhetorical Invention</i>. Ed. Richard E. Young and Yameng Liu. Davis: Hermagoras, 1994. 193-202. PDF file.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Work Consulted</div>
Sirc, Geoffrey. "Box Logic." <i>Writing New Media: Theory and Application for Expanding the Teaching of Composition.</i> Ed. Anne Frances Wysocki et al. Logan: Utah State UP, 2004. 111-46. Print.<br />
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Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-62829714525276915832013-09-30T14:16:00.000-07:002013-09-30T14:16:32.828-07:00Week 5: Code Switching and the Freshman English Classroom During class, we had a lengthy discussion on grammar errors in the freshman writing course. Specifically, we talked about the degree of punishment necessary for comma splices and vague pronoun referents. I really like what <a href="http://kmrhet.blogspot.com/2013/09/zero-tolerance.html?showComment=1380574290207#c8001753338615687739">Kerry wrote on this topic</a>, and will be using her thoughts as a spring board.<br />
Particularly, I think her comparison of freshman writers with ESL students. The mistakes students make in "academic writing" is similar to students learning a new language. Kerry insists that as instructors, we should help the students learn from these mistakes, as we would someone learning a foreign language.<br />
I proposed in class the incorporation of code switching exercises in the classroom. Code switching is a sociolinguist term that means that people switch linguistic codes depending upon their audience. Most examples involve students who speak several different languages or interact with groups across socioeconomic backgrounds. However, I submit that code switching occurs in a much wider demographic. For example, here is a brief comparison in my life: I spoke differently when I worked the line at Outback Steakhouse than I speak now in front of my classroom. I speak differently in this blog than I do when conversing with my son.<br />
Code switching, to me, is not necessarily as dependent upon ESL or economic status, as the intended audience. That is why grammar is irksome to students; it involves learning new codes. When I was in public school, I had grammar principles drilled during English. I had to diagram sentences (FULL NERD DISCLOSURE: I still get excited about sentence diagrams. I love deconstructing sentences, and seeing how the individual parts work.). Now a days, I am not sure how much grammar instructions students receive before entering college freshman writing. Perhaps someone viewing this post can shed some light on this.<br />
One of the biggest struggles I have had thus far as a composition instructor has been helping students identify an article's audience, and because I've tied audience to codes, I created an exercise that I hope helped students. Before class, I wrote several intended audiences onto index cards. I had the students split into small groups, and passed out the audience. The students then had to summarize an article's contents, keeping in mind their audiences. The original learning outcome was to identify rhetorical choice, and how audience affects the contents' presentation.<br />
However, a subsequent outcome goes back to code switching. One group whose audience was "frat boys" found themselves trying to incorporate a certain type of phrasing. They wanted to refer to their audience using "bro" or "dude." I told them to shy away from stereotypes. Perhaps in teaching for academic writing, I should encourage students to resist the urge to write "academically," to use complex sentence structures or convoluted words. Maybe I should stress clarity of thought over pre-conceived notions of "higher" writing. Maybe in teaching freshman writing, I should help students ease into academic codes, and in this way, help them avoid grammatical errors.<br />
What do you think? Share some horror stories of bad grammar, or is code switching a viable solution in the freshman writing curriculum?Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-29993627081432342512013-09-12T12:59:00.001-07:002013-09-12T12:59:52.033-07:00Week 3: The Lore Box In "The Geography of Knowledge," Louise Wetherbee Phelps expands on North's concept of the "lore box." Where North sees lore as "the accumulated body of traditions, practices, and beliefs in terms of which Practicioners understand how writing is done, learned, and taught" (qtd. on 868), Phelps defines it as "procedural knowlege," meaning there is a reflexive moment (869). The accumulated knowledge of North's model must go through periods of revision, addition, and editing. In other words, it goes through experience. Phelps writes, "Lore is experience that has been expressed, circulated, imitated, sustained, and confirmed by repetition, achieving canonical status as 'common sense' through its range of cultural distribution and its staying power" (869).<br />
As I am new to teaching, I am gathering procedural knowledge for my lore box. Here are some items I have placed in my box, either through my limited personal experience or through observing good teachers. I invite you to comment on my post, and share your knowledge, that I may build, reflect, and refine my lore box.<br />
Lore Box:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Online discussion (through discussion boards or blogs) leading to classroom clarification</li>
<li>De-center the classroom through online learning and student-led discussion</li>
<li>View my role as facilitator/mediator instead of taskmaster/master of the "knowledge"</li>
<li>Weekly writing assignments that prepare students for lesson's objectives</li>
<li>Annotation sessions</li>
<li>Writing prompts based off current issues (allows for civic engagement on local, state, federal, and/or global levels)</li>
<li>Validation before Criticism in comments</li>
<li>Set daily writing goals and stick to them</li>
<li>Comprehensive, detailed, and timed lesson plans </li>
<li>Integration of visual media to engage students and break up lecture/discusssing</li>
<li>Project-based learning (Social activism/Civic engagement)</li>
<li>Social contract theory (have students help construct classroom policies)</li>
<li>Think of revision/editing process as a "do over," instead of busy work</li>
<li>Group work built on Vygotsky's ladder</li>
<li>Develop voice through identifying audience</li>
<li>Overwriting for summaries and creative writing</li>
<li>Expansion/Contraction exercises</li>
</ul>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Work Cited</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Phelps, Louise Wetherbee. "The Geography of Knowledge." <i>College English</i> 53:8 (Dec. 1991): 863-85. .pdf file.</div>
Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-25117419844147381262013-09-12T12:11:00.000-07:002013-09-12T12:11:14.040-07:00Week 3: What's the purpose of freshman writing? The reading for this week discussed for the most part the theory-practice split in composition studies. Kerry, acting as classroom instructor, divided the class up into a Socratic Seminar, and posed three questions for the group. They were:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>What's the ideal relationship between practice and theory?</li>
<li>Is there anything that mediates that relationship?</li>
<li>Can there be a discipline without practice and/or theory?</li>
</ul>
<div>
If I may, I would like to share my brief thoughts on these three questions before diving into the purpose of freshman writing. In regards to the ideal relationship between practice and theory, some in the class posited the division is largely constructed by connotations surrounding these two words. The relationship could be viewed as mutually beneficial (symbiotic) instead of parasitic or in constant opposition. I drew a venn diagram with theory and practice overlapping each other. I believe that theory and practice anchor one another, and inform each other. Yes, there is theory for the sake of theory, as there exists practice not informed by theory.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://maass.nyu.edu/images/venn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://maass.nyu.edu/images/venn.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borrowed from maass.nyu.edu, from this <a href="http://maass.nyu.edu/resources/r1/lesson_plans/education.html">lesson plan</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I believe the mediating force between theory and practice is layered and contextualized based on community. On one level, composition teachers share ideas through an academic community. These ideas disseminate in conferences, department meetings, and idle chat. Professionals glean ideas and theories from one another. The more basic level is the classroom. Professors have an obligation to their students. As they implement or experiment with different theories or practices, they should chart how these new thoughts work within the classroom environment.</div>
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Finally, a discipline should be reflexive. It should challenge and be contentious. It should develop new theories that can reshape the discipline. In composition studies, the nearly complete transition from physical to digital communications is a point of discussion. How do composition theorists accommodate for new modes of communication? How do the old citation models work within an "open source" community? The composition classroom is in a state of flux, and professors have a responsibility (some would say ethical imperative) to adapt to their students' changing world.</div>
<div>
This final idea (on which some theorists and practitioners will vehemently disagree with me) leads to the subject of this post: What is the purpose of freshman writing courses? Are they to simply prepare students for the rigors of academic writing? Are they developed to teach them critical thinking skills? Are they shaped in such a manner to prepare students for civic engagement? Ultimately, the question is up to the individual professor or writing program. For my own opinion, I think freshman writing courses teach students critical reading skills that transition to writing, as well as "real world" engagement with difficult topics. A rhetorical reader can create critical distance from a topic, gather information, and form their own decision. Perhaps I am pulling from ancient rhetoric from Greece, but freshman composition classes help students become better citizens in their communities.</div>
<div>
I am intrigued with social activism models in freshman writing class, and how a professor can help students become engaged at the local level. I have not implemented those principles, but it is something I am considering for another semester.</div>
Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-47569224435379633792013-08-30T17:48:00.000-07:002013-08-30T17:48:33.389-07:00English 5060: Week One Am I sending my students mixed messages?<br />
If you were to scroll through this blog's archive, you would notice a few things. One, the layout is fantastic! I remember being being very proud of it.Two, I used this blog for two classes. Both were were during my undergraduate program, so you may notice a three year gap in posts. Finally, if you go through those posts, you will notice a singular thread. The two classes involved technology, either in the classroom or as a lens for understanding western civilization. Because of these teachers, I have become interested in the intersections of digital spaces with the classroom. This interest extended into a Theory and Practicum for Teaching Rhetoric and Composition (a course I took during my Master's program). My term project and paper both dealt with incorporating the ideas behind Twitter into the first-year writing program.<br />
That said, I find myself hesitant to go "all in" with technology in the sections I teach. There already is a substantial amount of technology in the Texas Tech First-Year Writing Program. The course is hybrid, so the student's only meet once a week. They submit all assignments into the Raider Writer. I set up a <a href="http://texastechenglish1301.wordpress.com/">class blog</a> for my students. There, they can access the week's presentations (made in Prezi, of course), a summary of the week's class, and suggested reading questions to prepare for next week. It provides another avenue for students to contact me if they have questions, or respond to one another through comments. There is also a "blogroll" filled with important links for the students.<br />
Yet, I discouraged students from using cellphones or computers during class. My condition is that if there is research to be done <i>and</i> I allow it, then they may use their electronic devices. I expect them to use "traditional" tools (pen? paper? a highlighter?) to annotate their textbook, although for their <i>St. Martin's Handbook</i>, I showed them how to annotate, set bookmarks, and add "sticky notes." So again I ask: Am I sending my students mixed messages?<br />
Perhaps the better questions were posed during the first class meeting for ENGL 5060: What is my responsibility? Is it to the institution or to the students? These are questions I must continually answer and redefine, not only during this course, but throughout my teaching/academic career. As it stands now, I don't think responsibility is mutually exclusive to one party or the other. I have studied the course work my students are taking. It allows for less distractions in the classroom (side note: I have been a student. I technically still am one, so I understand the temptation to get off track when using a computer in the classroom. I also know as a teacher how distracting one person's decision to check Facebook can have on the students around him or her.). I think the hybrid curriculum also allows students to see a correlation between online communication and academic writing.<br />
I may get in trouble with some sociolinguists, but I am going to appropriate the term "codeswitching" here. Traditionally, this term refers to a person's ability to switch from one language, with its system of syntax and grammar, to another language. "Language" is loosely defined. It could refer to two separate languages (say, Portuguese to Japanese), but it also could mean switching within a language. The way one speaks at home may not be appropriate for a work environment* (*I recognize there are issues with my reading there. Please, let us have a meaningful conversation in comments regarding this. Thank you.) Here, language takes on a class positioning. Might I offer another place for codeswitching: online communication. Students need to recognize that what is appropriate for an online forum or comment section is not right an academic paper... Well, unless they're doing research into the discourse of the Internet, but even that exception is tempered by rhetorical terms. Rhetoric involves writers (or speakers) understanding their audience, and then finding the most useful persuasive devices to influence the audience. "You suck," pales in comparison for what some youTube users write in response to a disagreement.<br />
In learning rhetoric, students can recognize the rhetorical devices needed not only for a good academic paper, but (hopefully) to enable for less virulent communication online.Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-81774601767953645642010-12-29T00:06:00.001-08:002010-12-29T00:11:52.452-08:00MashpediaIsn't the semester over? That's right it is, but I think this site is wicked cool, and ties in what Drs. Burton and Zappala were trying to teach us.<div><a href="http://mashpedia.com/">Mashpedia</a> is a website devoted to connecting as many different sources together on any given subject. For kicks and giggles, I looked up the classic comic book character, the Hulk. The site brought up the wikipedia article, images, tweets, blog posts, books, and other sources. Intrigued, I looked up Jaymay; here is the <a href="http://mashpedia.com/jaymay">link</a>.</div><div>How cool is this site! Instead of going to traditional sources like Google or Wikipedia, Mashpedia connects all those sources. In their About page, the authors point out the site is for learning and redefining how we learn.</div><div>Where have we heard that?</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-90574653556172541322010-12-17T17:53:00.000-08:002010-12-17T18:10:26.433-08:00Final Reflection Post and New BeginningsFor those who are new reader of this blog, let me catch you up: at the start of this semester, I began a Digital Civilization class. In it, we students would explore late Western History using a digital lense. We were asked to redefine ourselves along the way. I started this adventure in Digital Civilization with a <a href="http://mrlemonscorner.blogspot.com/2010/08/redesigning-and-re-tooling-this-blog.html">post</a> detailing how my learning paradigm would shift and my PLN would explode of the map. Well, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that this class shook my learning to the core. I learned so many new tools throughout the semester. I can now Skype without problems on my end (which is important for my job teaching English to students across the world!). I use Diigo all the time now to remember sites and citations I will need for future classroom settings. I now view history in a different light, because the professors who taught the class challenged us to change perspective.<div>This class was different in that most of the reading done was interesting. I learned plenty from my own readings and bookmarks, but I learned exponentially more from my classmates. Their blog posts throughout the semester have been above par. I refer you to these <a href="http://mrlemonscorner.blogspot.com/2010/12/nominations-much-too-late.html">nominations</a> for my favorites. This is a wildly inventive class, and shows some humility on the part of Drs. Burton and Zappala. They gave the class the reins and I am grateful we took to the concept. Social learning is vastly important for the new digital age.</div><div>Now, the beginnings. I am not certain if I will maintain this blog as much as my other. I am inviting you all to follow <a href="http://mikeslemon.blogspot.com/">Mike Lemon</a>. On this blog, I post portions of my creative writing, including poetry, flash stories and concepts. I need your feedback in building my portfolio, because.................................................(wait for it)...................... I'm going to grad school! I decided that the layover in high school teaching would not benefit me or my future family. Therefore, I will be applying for graduate schools here and in Texas. I am pursuing either both a Masters and Doctorate.</div><div>Thank you to my classmates for a wonderful semester. You are all truly future leaders in your fields. Let's keep in touch through the Web and MeetUp. Also, let's pressure Burton and Zappala to teach this class again! Others need it as much as we do.</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-39542625141607572592010-12-07T04:44:00.000-08:002010-12-07T05:34:53.595-08:00Nominations (Much Too Late)In celebration of the all too familiar "my dog ate my homework" topos, I present to you my excuse for being late for this blog post.<br />Tuesday, November 30<br /> Upon talking with my African American professor, I realize that the day of reckoning was nigh at hand; my term paper was due in seven days. My research lacking, I resorted to self pity and stress, then willed myself to a nap.<br />Wednesday, December 1<br /> I am rushing to get a full rough draft into my Shakespeare professor, with the irony being we did peer editing solely on the first paragraph. Knowing I had nominations at hand, I also realized that I had to pull an all nighter at work. I found time for a nap.<br />Thursday, Dec. 2<br /> I am not good at making decisions. Instead of attending class, I text Kristen and tell her I can't make it. I crash until one in the afternoon. Later that evening, I meet with my group and start editing for the conference that is to be held in a week. I then ship off to work.<br />Friday, Dec. 3<br /> I am writing most of the morning, then have an afternoon and evening filled date that involves Korean food, socks, rock concert, a Christmas party, and the vintage French film "The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jakob."<br />Saturday, Dec. 4<br /> Work, meet with group and edit some more, realize that life would be easier if I switched back to an English major (more on this in another post), college football, writing on two term papers, Scrabble and sleep.<br />Sunday, Dec. 5<br /> I know I should nominate some people by now, but instead I work on term papers and think about grad school (I swear a post is coming about my educational future).<br />Monday, yesterday<br /> I'm writing all day; no time for a nap. I watch a documentary on Black Masculinity and Jack Johnson, then go to work.<br />Tuesday, Today<br /> I am writing down useless information, vying for sympathy from the masses, but expecting none. One term paper is due in eight hours and lacks three pages, but nonetheless, here are some nominations for Best Bloggers:<br /> Overall Cohesion: Kristen <a href="http://technologyinexile.blogspot.com/">Technology in Exile</a><br /><ul><li>This was not a required nomination, but I think from every blog I've read in this class, Kristen has kept hers on one topic: Digital Civilization and Tibet. There is a cohesion there that Drs. Burton and Zappala encourage for good bloggers.</li></ul><p>Historical Content: Sarah Willis <a href="http://sarahbethwills.blogspot.com/2010/11/pacemaker.html">Pacemaker</a></p><ul><li>Talk about a powerful blog post. She not only brought in the history behind the pacemaker, she shared her personal history. While I blogged about roadways, she brought in something more powerful. A wonderful example of connecting the history to oneself.</li></ul><p>Self Directed Learning: Ariel <a href="http://ctcooe.blogspot.com/2010/11/future-shock-facebook-etiquette.html">Future Shock & Facebook Etiquette</a></p><ul><li>Ariel does a nice job bringing in different sources for this idea. I had read a few articles about this subject, but more along the lines of employment and job security. She takes the idea of future shock to another level, and I found it enjoyable to read.</li></ul><p>Computing Concepts: Madeline <a href="http://tamesequels.blogspot.com/2010/09/digital-literacy.html">Coloring Art on Photoshop</a></p><ul><li>Madeline consitently creates some fo the best computing posts; she incorporates screenshots, step by steps, and finished products into wildly simple instructions. I chose this post in particular because I believe she used it to accomplish another project for this class; namely, the creation of a coloring book for Gulliver's Travels.</li></ul><p>Best Overall Design: Sean <a href="http://seanrwatson.blogspot.com/">Uma Pitada de Tolices</a></p><ul><li>Wow, what a beautiful design for your blog. If you are looking for conciseness, easy user interface and clear directions as to where to go, check out what he is doing with this blog.</li></ul>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-49422250743898611492010-11-30T10:46:00.000-08:002010-11-30T10:51:51.052-08:00Historical Context for Final ProjectOriginally, we had Civil Disobedience as the Historical Background for our project, Digital Literacy without Borders. However, because of the touchiness of the Tibetan-Chinese situation, we as a group decided to change the Historical Context for our project.<div>We decided to see the way frontiers change or influence culture. What happens when a person removes himself from the center? Is there cultural evolution (or devolution) occurring? What can a community do to preserve their culture?</div><div>I would answer these questions here, but I feel it more apt to direct you to our <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/digitalliteracywithoutborders/historical-context">site</a>. With the permission of my group, I rewrote the section "Historical Context." Feel free to comment on it. Is it understandable? Did I miss the mark? What's the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-52127597495850635792010-11-30T04:40:00.001-08:002010-11-30T05:32:50.392-08:00Web 2.01. Last night, after several failed attempts on our part, Sean, Kristen, Parker, and I sat around a kitchen table in Provo, UT, and conducted a thirty minute interview with Norbu Jinda, the director of a TCV (Tibetan Children's Village) in India. On several points during the interview, a group mate would look at another with amazement in his or her eyes. That amazement spoke (among other things), "Can you believe this? We are talking to a man in India."<br />2. A few months ago, I quit my job as a shift manager at Little Caesars to begin a new employment opportunity. I now teach English to students scattered in South Korea and Japan, from a center in Provo. How do I do this? Through Skype, as well as other programs. I did not think it possible, but I feel a connection with these kids who are half way across the world.<br />3. There is a <a href="http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/">blog </a>I follow with delight. Written by a college English professor, it details her struggles with teaching and understanding students, as well as her thoughts on knowledge. I have commented a few times on her posts, and was much surprised to see her and others respond to my thoughts. I even braved (thanks to the encouraging words of my professors, Drs. Burton and Zappala) to link a post of my own into my comments on her blog. This professor, whom I have never met, commented positively to my ideas.<br /><br />How are these three opportunites and connections possible? Simply put, the Internet is changing. When I was younger, the things for kids to do was join chatrooms; parents were in an uproar. Still, I remember the amazement of talking with someone from England, without paying exhorbant landline fees. Now, I stay connected with friends in Mozambique through Facebook and Skype. I can see their pictures, read their ideas, and comment. The Web has evolved at a speed equivalent to Moore's Law. And it is still changing, accomadating to man's need. I read this <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/11/26/cashmore.facebook.killer/index.html?hpt=Sbin">article</a> on CNN about the next Facebook; does anyone remember MySpace? I did not have time to watch or read the materials prepared for this lesson, so I did my own research.<br />This is not the first time I have embedded a video by Michael Wesch. He is an Anthropology professor at Kansas State University. In this video, Dr. Wesch explores the Web 2.0. I hope you pay attention to his insights at the end. They tie in nicely with the goals laid out by Digital Literacy Without Borders, and our desire to see how the evolving web connects and influences culture.<br /><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6gmP4nk0EOE?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6gmP4nk0EOE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-51211905327292063522010-11-19T17:02:00.000-08:002010-11-19T17:40:48.061-08:00Mass Media: Some AnecdotesAs many of you know, I teach Korean and Japanese students English over the Internet. It has provided plenty of laughs, but also opportunities to see just how "different" our cultures are. For one of my sessions, I talk one on one with fifteen year old middle school students, and we fly through the material. That way, we can talk about other things. I was teaching "Leo" (his English name. He chose it, not me!) and asked him the following question<div>me: So Leo, what kind of music are you listening to right now?</div><div>Leo: Hmmm, have you ever heard of Eminem?</div><div>me: (slight pause) Just a little, yes.</div><div>(Some more conversation happened, including a challenge issued from me for Leo to check out Outkast. Laughter also pervaded the conversation, but we move to this next point.)</div><div>me: Leo, what do you like to watch on TV?</div><div>Leo: Cartoons...</div><div>me: Oh, you mean like Korean anime -what's it called -manhwa? I like that stuff.</div><div>Leo: (laughs) no, I like Spongebob</div><div>me: (shocked) Spongebob?!! Me, too!</div><div><br /></div><div>As I ended my Skype call with him, I couldn't help but think Leo is more American than I am. The shattering of my nationalistic center and ego was further when I attended Dr. Hickman's lecture on the Beatles' influence on America. He submitted an interesting thought to the audience. He said the Beatles weren't the flagship of a British Invasion. On the contrary, they were indoctrinated in American culture. He pointed out that being from Liverpool allowed them access to the latest American rock and roll records. When John, Paul, George and Ringo made it to the Ed Sullivan show in '64, they were British only in nationality. In reality, they projected to Americans an image of themselves.</div><div>I have thought of these two incidents in terms of mass media. I think sometimes we focus so much on the differences between "us and them," but the truth of the matter is media is slowly bringing the world together. In his book <i>Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers,(2006)</i> Kwame Anthony Appiah discusses that man is essentially the same, with each culture adding a uniqueness to the world. He says "People everywhere, buy and sell, eat, read the papers, watch movies, sleep, go to church or mosque, laugh, marry, commit adultery, go to funerals, die. Most of the time, once someone has translated the language you don't know, or explained some little unfamiliar symbol or custom, you'll have no more (and, of course, no less) trouble understanding why they do than you do making sense of your neighbors back home" (94). What then, is the language we must understand or have explained?</div><div>I suggest it is the digital language. I love when I look up videos on youtube, just to find comments left by people from around the world. I posted earlier about the relationship I have with Norbu, the Tibetan school administrator my group will be interviewing. I said then -and reiterate now -that the two things we have in common is education and digital means to communicate. But there is so much more we have in common: appetites, the ability to be tired, the emotions of love, pain and regret, etc.</div><div>Have any of you had these experiences of recognition? Leave your stories in the comments and I'll highlight a few in the upcoming posts.</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-57872846811173115422010-11-16T09:44:00.000-08:002010-11-16T10:03:07.833-08:00Final Project: QuestionsOur project is to bring awareness of digital literacy's impact on Tibetan exiles in India. I'd like to thank Parker for this <a href="http://neuronerddigiciv.blogspot.com/2010/11/digital-literacy-without-borders.html">posted goals</a>. As part of our project, we will be interviewing Norbu, one of Kristen's contacts there, but he is scared (intimidated, maybe) by the interview. To assuage his fears, we are preparing 10 questions each for Norbu, although with overlap, there will probably only be 25-30 questions.<div>The issue I am facing with asking these questions is language barrier. From my experience teaching ESL students, it is hard to ask questions. Often times, the problem lies in my wording; my questions have to be as simple as possible. This language barrier only highlights a common thread in Digital Literacy Without Borders; in today's world, the <i>lingua franca</i> is continuously becoming education and digital media. What do I have in common with Norbu? A love for education, and an Internet connection.</div><div>On that note, here are some questions going through my head. You can check out the others on our <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/digitalliteracywithoutborders/interview-questions">website</a>.</div><div>Tell me about the Tibetan culture. What is it?</div><div>How have computers and the Internet changed your culture?</div><div>How are students educated in your community?</div><div>How do they learn with computers?</div><div>How do you view Tibet, your native land?</div><div>How do you use your computer to talk with fellow Tibetans?</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you have a question for Norbu? Leave it in the comments, and maybe we will ask him.</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-30187011450558904482010-11-15T16:39:00.000-08:002010-11-15T17:08:20.097-08:00Interstate is the Bomb.Com!Remember those bumps, you know the ones when crossing state lines? The best is between the Texas and Louisiana border, travelling east on I-20. That bump is ridiculous! It literally catches your breath, and it holds it there, along with memories.<div>The Interstate Highway System, which was passed in 1944, took civic precedence during Eisenhower's administration. While many may cite technologies as the automobile or telephones as shaping America, but for me and a few others, the highway system encapsulates the American Dream. Here's a quote:</div><div>"In the Interstate Highway System we have done nothing less than express our vision of ourselves ... Ultimately, the Interstate have become a physical expression of the part of the American character that desires to resolve our destiny in this seemingly limitless land."</div><div style="text-align: right;">Tom Lewis <i>Divided Highways,</i> 1997</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span">As we mentioned the Frontier, I should mention the Interstate's role in it. While the highway system brought the continent together, it allows more Americans movement than previously thought. What would take days, even weeks now takes a matter of hours or days. There are correlations between the importance of the highways and the Internet, but I choose the right to remain silent. If you see the similarities, comment, please.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span">In the meantime, enjoy this short cartoon from Disney. Just like bumps, it brings back memories of my childhood.<br /></span><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; "><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0ZgiVicpZGk?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0ZgiVicpZGk?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></span></div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-26292027146729361162010-11-13T14:16:00.000-08:002010-11-13T15:00:18.589-08:00Reflective Post, Take Two, Take TwoSo Bri commented on Reflective Post, Take Two, and made me realized I was suppose to review her blog. Big Whoops to me, but I'll double back and take care of business.<br />Bri's blog, <a href="http://bricolorful.wordpress.com/">Bri Colorful</a>, is wonderful in its simplicity. Her blog is not bogged down by widgets or distractions. It is all about the writings. Bri is good at synthesizing historical and digital content. Furthermore, she is adept at bringing in outside classes. Let me explain.<div>In her post "<a href="http://bricolorful.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/digital-coordination/">Digital Coordination</a>," Bri demonstrates an example of using digital tools in another class. I believe this post gets to the core of what Drs. Burton and Zappala want from this class. They want us to use the digital tools and ideas we discover from Digital Civilization in other parts of our lives. Bri has shown through her posts ways to extend digital literacy to other classes, screenshots, and personal life. In fact, Bri has done the best job of any blog I've read in balancing historical, digital, personal and other sources in the posts.</div><div>Bri, I am impressed, and you all should be too!</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-73630679504348100212010-11-12T15:23:00.000-08:002010-11-12T15:27:18.830-08:00An Interesting TimelineWhile checking Google Reader, a blog I follow posted this timeline. I liked it, because it encapsulates our journey in digital learning, through a viewing of the past. Thanks to Education Innovations for making this.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.elearners.com/articles/education-innovations/"><img src="http://www.elearners.com/articles/education-innovations/education-innovations-timeline.jpg" alt="Education Innovations (Timeline)" width="500" height="250" border="0" /></a><br />By: <a href="http://www.elearners.com/">eLearners.com</a>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-26736482919179941462010-11-12T11:08:00.000-08:002010-11-12T13:31:52.408-08:00Reflective Post, Take TwoFor this post, I am focusing on <a href="http://technologyinexile.blogspot.com/">Kristen's blog</a>. <div>I first met Kristen in a British Literary History class, so I know her. But I did not know her dreams of a field study. Her blog is focused on her upcoming field study to Tibetan exiles in India. If I can say nothing else, she is consistent in her objectives. At the beginning of the semester, she clearly stated her goal was to see how digital literacy affects not only people in the States, but how it is shaping the lives and culture of Tibetans. She has varied her posts, from historical content to Skype conversations with her Tibetan contact. She has branched further than most in the class as far as creating PLN's; she has contacts from all over the world. Added to this is Kristen's blog is easy on the eyes (not a mess of divergent widgets), and her posts are enjoyable to read. I believe of everyone in the class, I have commented more on her blog than any other. </div><div>(Not that I don't like the other blogs; I do. Simply put, Kristen and I share similar ideas, so I am intrigued with what she writes and observes.)</div><div>So Kudos to you, Kristen C. You and your blog are going places.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSk89U28ffal1F0r-X0nLn1RQu2D4__LhuPeaGeAwRtxvj6lZgRJiOM8o7kffO-sRoov0WtiwxykAu4rVc54TFiY7o-iTjszTAiLMifAMGGFFJrFbaImVAyNyFY0XLRjE3FaR9usRo6s/s400/thumbsUp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSk89U28ffal1F0r-X0nLn1RQu2D4__LhuPeaGeAwRtxvj6lZgRJiOM8o7kffO-sRoov0WtiwxykAu4rVc54TFiY7o-iTjszTAiLMifAMGGFFJrFbaImVAyNyFY0XLRjE3FaR9usRo6s/s400/thumbsUp.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Photo courtesy of love-your-neighbor.blogspot.comMike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-92221862156028173802010-11-12T09:25:00.000-08:002010-11-13T15:15:35.593-08:00Reflective Post, Take OneIn preparation for this post, I returned to my first from this class. I had hoped to find some list of goals or aspirations that would enhance or guide my learning throughout the semester.<div>There were no such goals, only abstracts written down. I wish to clarify this oversight right now.</div><div>For the remainder of this class, my goals are as such:</div><div>1. I will post on the historical content a minimum of two times a week.</div><div> As I have read through the materials, I see the correlation between the digital age and historical paradigm shifts. When I read on the Atomic Age and its influence on all aspects of early and mid 20th century history, I focused on the way media shaped and influenced public perception. The frontier ideology of the 18th and 19th century is still alive, though the exploration is not of lands stretched into the horizon. Rather, we explore the capabilities of computers and the connectability of man.</div><div>2. I will focus my writing to reflect my own tastes.</div><div> <b>I am a bland blogger.</b> That's right; I wrote it in bold, because I feel it true. I don't allow my personality to come out in my blog writing. Hidden behind these words should be sarcasm, witticism, a sly smile that is slightly off kilter with the world. I fear I am not reflected in my own blog, and that is a scary thing.</div><div> But that is the superficial problem. How many of you reading this blog post know I want to be a teacher? That I study comedy? Or that I cook exceptionally well? One of the goals behind this Digital Civilization course is to connect with others through digital media. Am I attaining this goal? I fear I am not, so I will allow more of myself into the text.</div><div> (This is the same issues playing in <i>The UnCommon Reader</i> by Alan Bennet. I encourage to read this novella, or at least a plot summary. It is meta!)</div><div>3. I need to prove I'm a consumer.... but not the kind you're thinking of. Kurt Witt reviewed my blog, and noticed that I don't bring in many outside sources. My use of the Diigo group is also subpar. So, what is there to do? I need to mark my education down, using digital bookmarks. Watch out kids, I can go on tangents in understanding class principles.</div><div><br /></div><div>Those are two defined goals for not only the end of this semester, but the rest of my life. Why, Mike, be so dramatic? Because the idea behind this course should course through my veins, I am being desperate. I will be a teacher in a few short years. How can I teach my students anything if I have stopped learning? Or, if I say "I have my Facebook; that is enough?" Digital media and social networks are reshaping communication. If I don't "keep up," I run the risk of not knowing (this shows the fallibility of English. We have know for countless meanings. What do I mean? At least in portuguese, there are two words for know; this knowledge falls into the conhecer family.)</div><div>how best to reach them. This is all the time I have at the moment; class begins soon. I will post more in due time.</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-91830329916626159892010-11-11T17:42:00.000-08:002010-11-11T17:50:11.092-08:00Atomic Age, Part 2Going further with this discussion of the Atomic Age's propaganda, I found this website called <a href="http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/02/page/2/">Modern Mechanix</a>. If you peruse their various articles, taken from papers and journals written in the 30's and 50's, you will see how technology shaped the World of Tomorrow. What does this all have to do with the Atomic Age?<div>As discussed in class today, the technological breakthroughs of the twentieth century are interconnected with aspects of war and the arms race. People embraced these modern conveniences, and even took them a step too far (see Pooch in the Automobile article on the above linked website for proof). Heck, we wouldn't have the Internet today if military forces didn't need a new connecting source. </div><div>What are some other conveniences we have today due to the technologies of the Atomic Age? I'd love to hear your thoughts.</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-37525701426207260692010-11-11T06:55:00.000-08:002010-11-11T07:02:27.726-08:00A Call for HelpFor my final piece in Creative Writing, I have decided to experiment with something Stephen King mentioned in his "memoir" <i>On Writing</i>. He encouraged writers to use music as a source of setting mood for a piece; if you want anger, blast Metallica. However, what would happen if you created your stories from the music itself?<div>My idea is to create a playlist on which I can create short stories based on the imagery and story I hear within the music, its movements and its lyrics. Here is where I need your help. Leave me suggestions of songs to put in my playlist.</div><div>Here are two songs I've already decided on. Hope you take the time to listen to them.</div><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jmwjpHJHolM?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jmwjpHJHolM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XpvDZu-GFSY?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XpvDZu-GFSY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-81448484518648467662010-11-10T17:47:00.000-08:002010-11-11T17:42:13.301-08:00Atomic Age in MediaDon't think the Atomic Age was a big deal? Look no further than <i>Godzilla</i>. Before then, no one had thought of giant lizards as being radioactively enlarged; they had come prepackaged. In 1954, Godzilla changed the world. One <a href="http://www.filmforum.org/films/godzilla.html">critic</a> said, "Godzilla is pop culture's grandest symbol of nuclear apocalypse." Indeed, he is. Enjoy the trailer, though here's a warning: It is in Japanese.<div><br /></div><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9Z40Msk2jys?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9Z40Msk2jys?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><div><br /></div><div>After today's lecture, I realize how much this post missed the mark. The Atomic Age affected the entire political structure of the world. As the A and H bombs propelled the United States and Russia into a prolonged Cold War, both sides used media for their own use. For the second part of this post, I will focus on the United States' use of the "Atomic Age" to portray an Era of Technology and Prosperity.</div><div>When I think the Atomic Age, my mind turns to bombs first, then families. It was in the 1930's that the term Nuclear Family became popular. The television during the 1950's and 60's was inundated with Leave it to Beaver-esque families.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tvcrazy.net/images/beaver.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 374px;" src="http://www.tvcrazy.net/images/beaver.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-42388058304032571712010-11-08T23:00:00.000-08:002010-11-08T23:09:35.489-08:00Economy Today and the Digital Age<strong>Forewarning: This is not the best post in the world. I acknowledge that, so tread through it with mercy. Thank you.</strong><br /><br />I am currently sitting at a cubicle, a blue screen draped in the background. Another teacher is sick, and as I am the only other person in the office who understands how to teach NodaJuku classes, I will be in the office all night. What can I say but C'est la vie!<br /><br />As I am tied up at work, I did not have enough time to go over the material about economy today; I don't know much about Keynse theory (or if I am spelling his name right). What I can say is how the economy is changing because of the digital age. I believe Keynse theorized that supply and demand was not the foundation of modern economy; rather, the market fluctuates on investment and consumerism. The digital age has proven this true with shopping.<br /><br />Beforehand, if you wanted a specific shirt or LP, you had to either search for it around town. If the stores were out, there were only two options: special order or go without. Today, people don't have to leave their homes to shop. They can shop online for the things they want, and generally the supply across the world is limitless. So then, what drives the modern market? I don't know; perhaps you can comment and school me a little. What are your thoughts on the modern economy?Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4428762980259485137.post-47436623315732966472010-11-05T13:41:00.000-07:002010-11-05T13:48:13.441-07:00Final Project WebsiteI need to get this off my chest: I hate Google Sites! The user interface is confusing at times. I especially don't like having to exit the Edit interface in order to check for mistakes. Where is the preview option?<div><br /></div><div>With that said, our team is preparing the website for our final project, Digital Literacy Without Borders. Here is a <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/digitalliteracywithoutborders/">link</a> to the site; I wrote the "What We're All About" page. I hope it gives a good idea of what we are trying to achieve with this project, and that it simply is not a means to a grade. I believe that all of us (Kristen, Parker, Sean and I) are invested in using digital tools to better improve our understanding of other cultures and our own. Hopefully we can take the spirit of Digital Literacy Without Borders to other parts of the world.</div>Mike Lemonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165927738430280725noreply@blogger.com1