The last section of this course, Unit Four, involves creating an online class research conference called ‘” Intervention Dialogues.” Through-out this course of studies we encounter a number of “calls to action.” Beginning with Edward Chamberlain’s urging that now is the time to “find common ground” and ending with a gathering of academics concerned with the future of Canadian Literature, calling for a more ethically grounded criticism and a larger sense of generosity encouraging connections between peoples and ideas. These are just two examples of many. With these “calls to action” in mind, the end of term conference will present a number of research strategies for investigating ways to take action — to “intervene” in the future of Canadian literature.
The fiftieth anniversary issue of the Canadian Literature journal offers a stepping off point for this conference. This special issue presents a number of thought-provoking ideas for taking these calls to action seriously — and suggests some strategies for changing the ways we read, write, publish and think about literature in Canada. The first step toward creating content for the online conference is to make connections between the course content and the intervention ideas presented in the journal. The task at hand is to formulate a research plan for investigating the possibility, or the historical necessity, or the practical mechanics for activating one of the intervention ideas presented in the journal. Or, you can alternatively present a unique intervention strategy.
What follows is a list of important due dates with step by step instructions for
creating your contribution to the conference. All of this information comes
from the course content. The following is a checklist for your convenience.
1. Create your research team website and link to Instructor’s blog.
See lesson 4:1 for further details on creating a research website.
2. Begin posting on your annotated bibliography page using MLA style.
- Each team member should post at least two bibliography entries with a minimum of two hyperlinks.
- Please ensure each posting is correct MLA style – alphabetical.
3. As a team, choose one other research team to partner with – you do not have to agree to partner because you can create dialogue on your page with the team that chooses to partner with you.
And, you can create dialogue with the team YOU choose to partner with – clear enough? Please be sure to indicate which team’s presentation you are dialoguing, including a hyperlink to their Bibliography page will be helpful.
Each team member comments with the same partner team: PLEASE DO NOT randomly comment on different teams – I will not be able to track your comments if you do,
Step by Step Instructions for creating dialogue between teams:
- Read a number of annotated bibliography web pages created by other research teams
and select a team to partner with.- You should choose a partner team based on the possibilities for creating
connections between your research concerns and sources. - Focus on finding an intersection where your ideas for interventions might meet.
- You should choose a partner team based on the possibilities for creating
- Communicate with the team you would like to partner with via the comments box on the annotated bibliography page.
- Teams do not have to agree to partner.
- Use the comment box on the annotated bibliography blogs to begin your dialogue
- In the comment box, exchange ideas and indicate connections between your team’s research and your partner’s team.
- Share resources, ask questions and answer questions.
- Reflect on your findings and stay focused on the goals of dialogue.
- See Lesson 4:3 for further details on creating dialogue.
Each student should contribute at least two times to both dialogues. This means you are responsible for 4 comments. Two comments on your team’s annotated bibliography and two on another team’s bibliography. Please ensure that your settings have automatic dating including on every page.
Research team website ready for the Conference launch
Step by Step Instructions:
As a team, edit the dialogue on your annotated bibliography page. Work together to synthesize and summarize the central elements of your research dialogue. Be sure to take into consideration the perspectives offered by your partner team. You will find detailed instructions on how to format your dialogue in Lesson 4:3.
- Your Dialogue summary should be 1500 – 2000 words and follow the format in lesson 4:3.
An example of the type of research questions you might pursue in order to formulate a research plan for investigating the possibility, or the historical necessity, or the practical mechanics for activating an intervention strategy. This particular example addresses the possibilities and practicalities of addressing Lee Maracle’s call to action: “We need to systematize our sense of knowledge acquisition in the service of our nations,” (97).
- The first question that comes to my mind is “what kinds of resources exist that might facilitate such an endeavor?” A quick online search leads to a website called “FirstVoices.com.” An equally quick inspection of the site indicates that this appears to be a rich electronic resource for facilitating the archiving and acquisition of Indigenous languages and knowledge. An annotation of this source would include information about who is funding this language resource, who is using the resource and to what effect? Are there other similar electronic resources that address Maracle’s call to action? If so, hyperlink. A complete research plan can be built around this single question. Once you have investigated what kinds of sources and resources are available, and made some evaluations on the usefulness of these sources, you should be able to imagine a strategic way to effectively use the resources to impact the future of literature in Canada.
Most importantly, please enjoy this task, it is a challenge with no right or wrong answers that offers the opportunity to explore possible futures for the production and dissemination of Canadian Story and Literature.
Conference Presentations will be graded as a project and team members will divide the grade amongst themselves.
For example, the conference presentation is worth 30 points. If a project created by 4 members receives a grade of 26/30 – than the total grade will be 4 x 26 = 104. Which means the team will have 104 points to divide between themselves. You should divide points according to effort. So, you will have to discuss and agree on a point distribution.
10%: website and overall presentation
10%: annotated bibliography
10% dialogue
An example for you to study: