Kristin and I had a similar experience putting our Twine together – it was much more time consuming that we thought and in the end we both felt our Twine’s were fairly basic. I really enjoyed the background images as I felt they added such beauty to her story. As someone who grew up on a farm (although a dairy farm with no pigs), I can totally related to the trials and frustrations of chasing escaped animals!
Both of our stories are simple and slightly cheeky/funny but have many layers and possible directions to follow. Kristin’s story has a few different endings, but they all end with the same phrase “all’s well that ends well.” I decided to have all of the paths in my story end with the same outcome – so my story starts and ends the same place no matter which choices you make. I found it difficult to link to my common ending for some of the paths, so I had to edit my text to better lead to that point. It would have worked for me end my paths in a similar way to Kristin’s – maybe on my next Twine!
In looking through Kristin’s blog I really like the theme she chose (almost to the point where I want to change the theme on mine!). I love the colours and the way the tasks and assignments are on a tool bar on the right – I find it makes it more obvious when looking to move to another section or page.
Our home pages are similar – a running list of our blog posts. I find this a bit harder to follow on my blog and prefer to use the toolbar to access the tasks on her page. I have just been adding each task as a new post, but I’m feeling like I need to play around with my page to make it easier to navigate like Kristin’s.
I find her blog interesting to read as it is informative, insightful and filled with pictures and links, which as a new MET student I appreciate! Thanks for the insight Kristin!
For my second link, I’ve chosen Sasha’s Manual Scripts task to compare with mine.
I related to Sasha’s post because I experienced a similar issue when writing out my story – physical pain from writing for an extended period of time! While my issue was that my hand went numb, Sasha also needed to take regular breaks to stretch out her hand. It’s crazy to think that we used to write everything by hand ….
Another interesting similarity is we both made a conscious decision to use pen. This speaks to the permanence of our text and how we both knew we were committed to the words we were putting on paper. My response as a “diary” type entry would not have necessarily required a ton of revision, so I even more so admire Sasha’s writing ability.
Both Sasha and I are teachers, yet we vary greatly in our penmanship. My writing is usually legible, but it can get messy and I find it difficult to keep in a straight line (especially on a whiteboard!). Sasha has beautiful, clean and clear writing, which means that her carefully thought out words are always legible for the reader to understand. Her clean writing and thoughtful words effectively portray the message she is sending. Maybe this is why I am not an elementary teacher and she is!
Sasha’s writing and reflections for each task are scholarly and thorough, yet still easily understood and relatable. I appreciate this as a “newbie” to the MET program – I haven’t had much time to brush up on the academic speak that fills so many journal articles where I have to read them twice. She has added an audio component to most of her tasks, which ensures added understanding for her readers.
The organization and theme of our blogs differ – my blog’s main page is a run-on list of all of my blog post, while her’s is her intro. I think that is a great way to greet people visiting your page as our backgrounds and “real” lives can provide so much insight into our posts and reflections in an academic sense.
In general I am finding it difficult to preview all of the blogs of my classmates because they are so varied – the limitations set out for our blogs allow for some flexibility, but I feel that we could offer much more if we were able to set up the blogs however we wanted. To have all tasks and linking assignments on one page can make everything look like it runs together. I prefer the set up that Sasha has with each on a separate page.
I think I link to Sasha’s blog also because we are both mom’s to two lively boys and we spend the majority of our spare time in the outdoors! It’s amazing to think how well we can connect with others completely online!!
I really enjoyed this task, even though I only use emojis sporadically in my texting – and VERY rarely for entire thoughts or phrases!
I don’t watch a ton of TV or movies so I picked a show that my kids (and inevitably me) watch some mornings before school. If you’ve visited my “about me” section and my initial blog post, you’ll see a common theme! I also thought this show would/could be relatively straight forward to find emojis for the main characters and situations.
I focused mostly on the individual words to summarize, more than the concepts. I think this is a result of the fact that I don’t use a ton of emojis so my creativity is weak in this area!! One thing I did discover, and it is a function of our current society of the last few years, that there is no longer an emoji for a rifle or gun on most platforms – only a squirt gun!! This is something that I didn’t even consider, because as a hunter I have a specific and strict use for my firearms.
I started with the title because I felt it was quiet straight forward – plus I like to start things at the beginning and move to the end. It is similar to how Kress (2005) explained that traditional writings and pages will still exist, despite the new push to allow readers to “enter” a document at any stage (such as online textbooks). Those of us who are used to writing will continue to produce things as such, but the upcoming generation will change things to become more image and link based, so they can access only the information they need (without having to sort through everything else!
In this week’s reading of chapter 4, Bolter (2001) refers to “ekphrasis” and the concept that we need to grasp for this task was his notion of “reverse ekphrasis,” meaning that instead of words evoking images or sensory experiences, we are using images to infer the words. It’s an interesting concept, as I think this reverse ekphrasis involves much more cognitive muscle to decipher what the string of emojis mean! It’s something that is challenging and can have hilarious results (as seen on Ellen’s Game of Games)! Also, as someone who doesn’t watch a ton of TV or movies I think I will struggle with figuring out my classmates stories.
The deciphering of emojis is definitely something that takes practice!
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Bolter, J. D. (2001). Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Well this was something totally new for me. I was so hesitant at first and had thoughts about not completing this task, but I’ve already opted to not do one, so I wanted to leave my other opt out for a time when I may need it!!
I am not a gamer. I have limited experience with writing code or designing online platforms or games. I will admit I was confused after “playing” The temple of no, but I’m sure it was because I was only half paying attention to the content and was trying to think ahead to my own use of Twine.
I started by opening a Google Doc and starting on my story. This really helped because I was sitting outside the hockey rink while my kids had a little practice with a coach friend and didn’t have my laptop. Not sure of the capabilities of starting this on my phone, I just started typing in the doc to get my story going. Once I started, it came together pretty well.
I struggled through the formatting, finding a style I liked and getting the background and font colours to change. I then entered the rabbit hole of adding pictures! I had to stop myself, because I was taking WAY too long to find the right picture and I don’t have a ton of time to spare these days with the end of the school year (and report cards) approaching.
I enjoyed having the story link together and do admit that I was a fan of the Choose Your Own Adventure novels of the 1980s. I found this week’s reading enlightening as we really have always linked our new and current knowledge to that of the past – it’s nothing new. We are in a time where things are changing like crazy and people are always looking for simplified versions of things. Like Bolter reference’s “electronic hypertext is not the end of print; it is instead the remediation of print” (p. 46). We are not reinventing the wheel, just changing things to keep up with the times!
I hope you enjoy my story – it’s a choose your own adventure that all leads to the same moral, that is probably a common parental frustration! It’s a constant struggle in my life, so hopefully you will see some comparisons to your own lives and maybe even giggle a bit.
Click on the link below and download it to your computer to play. I hope you enjoy!
For my first linking assignment, I have decided to link to Jamie’s blog as I was inspired by her Potato Printing task.
Jamie’s blog: https://blogs.ubc.ca/jamiedimitra
Scrolling through Jamie’s blog, I sense that she is a writer. Her posts are simply organized, but when you click on a post you are instantly exposed to a beautifully written, thoughtfully laid out reflection to a task. I admire that she is always adding additional links and content which encourages the reader to delve deeper into the topics. She takes the time to ensure readers are connected to her thoughts and experiences, connecting us to information that we may not have read otherwise.
This week I was surprised to see her focus on the potato printing task! I enjoyed that she did include a piece on her written work and will admit that I am jealous of her ability to write and create such engaging notes for her MET courses. I think as a function of someone who travels and works remotely, writing is probably something that Jamie spends her time on, while my writing is serves a purpose for work, school or the committees I volunteer with. I just get the words on the paper and am not very good at organizing my thoughts. Writing is not something that comes easily for me, so I think that’s why I connected with her post.
Jamie’s blog differs from mine in theme, but also because she adds many extra elements that I don’t know that I could do as this if my first time using WordPress. I like that she is able to break up her posts with photos, quotes and links to external readings. I find this makes her posts easy to follow and read.
As for the potato stamps, I admire that Jamie persevered when the R was backwards! It’s something that I do a lot in my teaching – when something doesn’t go according to plan in my Foods class while I’m doing a recipe demo, I just embrace it. I point out to the student where I went wrong and explain what I can do to fix it! Luckily with most recipes there’s a solution that doesn’t involve throwing everything out! I think this is a lesson that many need to learn in life – things are not perfect. We all stumble at times, but it’s how we pick ourselves up that shapes us into the people we are today. Embrace your mistakes and move forward!
For this week’s task I had a hard time deciding which to do – the potato stamping intrigued me, but I was having a hard time finding a 5 letter word that I really liked!! And with returning into my school (and having to send my own boys back to school, even though I really don’t want to send them), I thought I could reflect on our first day back, Monday June 1. My reflection is to the point and accurately reflects my feelings about that day.
Do you normally write by hand or type? Did you find this task difficult or easy?
While I still write my lists by hand, most other written work I do is typed. I have never been one to have a journal or regularly record my thoughts on paper. I was surprised how easy it was to write these two pages – probably because it was a reflection of the previous day and it was about events that I feel passionate about. The words flowed easily and I was surprised at the lack of mistakes I made. I was happy with how my thoughts were fairly clear and concise – when reading it back there would really only be a few changes I might make or details I would add.
The cognitive piece of this was easy, but what was hard was the physical part: the writing of two pages of words was PAINFUL! I have dealt with carpel tunnel-like symptoms for years and I find that my arms and hands go numb easily. As someone who doesn’t write regularly I didn’t know the impact it would have. Toward the end of the first page, my hand started tingling just a bit. By the time I started the second page, my hand was completely numb! It was so hard to hold on to the pen and get the words to paper. I had to stop regularly and give my arm a shake, which didn’t really help. I could not even imagine being a monk as described in this week’s podcast from How It Began: A History of the Modern World on “The Printed Book: Opening the Floodgates of Knowledge.” I could not sit by candlelight writing precise lettering all day, every day!
What did you do when you made a mistake or wanted to change your writing? How did you edit your work? Did your choice of media play a part in how you edited your work?
There were only a few times when I made a mistake or wanted to change my thoughts. I have always preferred to use a line or two to strike out the word. The best mistake I made was that I couldn’t remember how to spell luxury, so I just used another word! Spell check and auto-correct are two things that I believe have resulted in us not being able to spell anymore!
I did not edit my work, other than reading it over because I knew that if I was to make a bunch of changes, I would need to re-write it so that it was clear and clean! I chose to use a pen, because I wanted to get the full effect of this task – if I had used a pencil and eraser then others would not have seen the mistakes I made. Pen has always seemed more permanent, used when things are formal and meant to last. I feel like pencils are for fine art like drawing or painting and for applied skills tasks like carpentry – both delicate and used only for a guide to complete the final project.
What do you feel is the most significant difference between writing by hand and using mechanized forms of writing? Which do you prefer and why?
Writing by hand is a beautiful, thoughtful and personalized way to convey our thoughts and ideas. I think there is still great value to writing (and receiving) hand written cards and letters. I know many people who type generic Christmas letters to send to everyone in their cards and even have some relatives who don’t write a thing – Just the card with names signed at the bottom (not addressed to anyone) and then the generic letter. In all honesty, I want to see something personal. That’s why I don’t send a ton of cards, but do take the time to write little personal message in each one I do send. The downfall is writing by hand takes time, of which we often don’t seem to have enough of.
Using a computer or phone to type is absolutely essential to my work as a teacher. I need to be able to quickly and easily communicate with my students and their parents. It needs to be professional, legible and the spelling/grammar flawless to properly convey my thoughts. I find I am able to give all students detailed, personalized, strength-based comments on their work because typing is so much faster. The efficiency is what is key for me.
All of this said, if I had to pick one way, it would be mechanized writing. At work, I just can’t picture going back to the days of handwritten report cards and waiting for the mail. Although, if given the option I may just move to the bush (see my Blogging in the Bush post!) – then I may have the time to perfect my writing and will have the patience to wait for the mail.
After reading Lera Borditsky’s article this week, I was intrigued. I found myself making connections to my own life and learning, asking myself questions to further understand and relate to her writing. When this task was annotating her SAR lecture, I knew I would have many points to connect with.
I found the annotating process quite easy, although there were times I needed to re-watch segments to collect my thoughts. Only one other student had annotated the video before I did, so I found myself reading her thoughts while considering my own. Now I see many others have annotated the lecture and I have enjoyed reading their comments and questions.
I am not a person that uses a bag or purse regularly. My truck acts as a bag – I just take what I need when I get out and I’m good to go! I find when I do have a bag, it ends up like a dumping ground for everything and anything.
That said, I do bring a bag to work, but I don’t use it much. And now that I’ve started the MET program (this is course 3 for me), I have needed to bring a bag with me to school (when we were allowed in) and on weekend trips. This is a representation of what I keep in my school/work bag.
Bag – this is a cheap laptop bag that I bought out of need for a trip to UBC Vancouver for a Home Ec conference last year. I am frugal at the best of times, so I found one that looked like it would fit everything and wasn’t expensive. The zippers are important as my boys (7 and 9) like to “help” with things, but that usually just means that they pick things up upside down …
Laptop – I bought a new laptop and opted for one with a larger screen so that it would be easier to read what I’m working on online. Apparently the larger screen is ideal for gaming, of which I do none!
Wallet – I opt for a bigger wallet because I don’t carry a bag. My wallet has everything I need in it, including my hunting license and tags! Pink is my favourite colour, so I couldn’t resist this salmon coloured wallet from ThirtyOne Bags.
Coffee – I rarely start a morning without a cup or two, so I usually have one I bring with me when I leave the house. I more often use a mug even in my truck, but I’ve had a few spills so a to-go cup is the way to go.
Sunglasses – I don’t go anywhere without them as they are prescription and I can’t see without glasses! They are 15 years old, so I will probably have to get some new ones soon.
Notebook – I always make sure I have a notebook handy as I make a lot of lists and need to have them written down! I’ve tried to use my phone but I prefer handwritten. Right now it also holds my class lists so I can keep track of attendance and assignments for my classes while we are learning at home.
School keys – If I don’t keep them in the bag (or truck), I am always forgetting them.
Green bag – I am lucky enough to have braces at 38 years old! So I always have this with me so I can brush, floss or adjust the elastics. I also have some personal care items in there that I may need (especially Advil!).
Cook’s Illustrated – As a Foods teacher I always tend to have a magazine close by with recipes and tips/tricks for the kitchen. A great way to pass the time!
Cell– what can I say. I couldn’t live without it. I’ve stuck with the iPhone since getting rid of my Blackberry in 2008. I use the dongle to attach my phone to various devices.
Daytimer– I wear many hats these days (teacher, student, minor hockey president) and have two active kids, so a daytimer is a must! Just like my lists, I try and use my phone, but I find I need to write things down. The sticky notes and highlighter help me stay organized.
Text Technologies
Some of these items are purely functional – like the laptop bag and the coffee mug. But all of the others either contain text technology or are instrumental in developing it.
Some of the items are a daily need, not just for work but to get through the day. If I didn’t have my glasses I couldn’t read any text! And my cell phone is a necessity to ensure that my boys are able to contact me (they are old enough to text with Messenger Kids so it’s always neat to see what they write! (And they are already proficient in emoji speak!).
The text that appears in my wallet is pivotal to who I am. My driver’s license shows my current home in the Okanagan, while my Teacher Qualification Service card shows signs of my young life with my maiden name (that still appears for my courses as I haven’t changed it!). My firearms and hunting licenses show my connection to the outdoors. Because of the text written on these cards I am able to ethically harvest the most organic of meats to feed my family.
My work is surrounded by text, with recipes and oral histories surrounding the preparation of food. The Cook’s Illustrated cookbook highlights the technical side of my job – exquisitely written descriptions of how to complete both the most simple and obscure tasks in the kitchen. Images help to provide a clear picture to the reader about the method to strive to achieve. I often have to rewrite or re-phrase these descriptions as my students often don’t understand. My marks are a text of numbers, accented with technology to ensure that each student knows the specific number that they have achieved (but does that really mean anything?).
My bag makes me look a bit more organized and “academic” than my outward image. While I am always hard working yet laid back, my work persona that is captured more in this bag is more structured and polished than the side my friends and family get to see. I teach at a fairly affluent school where not many students hunt, fish or camp, so I work hard to explain to my students through pictures and stories, why I choose to live the life I do.
My bag would have looked similar 15 years ago, as I had just started my first teaching job and was living alone in Lillooet. I would not yet have met my husband, who introduced me to hunting, meaning my mindset would have been different. The biggest difference would be the cell and laptop technology – I explained to my students not long ago that they don’t know the feeling of accomplishment when texting a long message, having to press the numbers three times to get the third letter!
In the future, looking back at this bag people may question the need for both digital and written text. I feel we are on the cusp of losing most handwritten text, shifting everything digitally and online. Schools regularly require students to type projects and use fillable PDFs. Most students writing is poor – they are not able to handwrite and don’t have a signature! But will we need a handwritten signature in the future? Only time will tell.
A quick note before our first video chat today. We are hunting at my father in law’s cabin near our home and I had to snap this photo. We have one bar of cell service and because of my courses, I brought our wireless Hub (sitting on the stump) from home that works off of cell service. So I am writing this sitting outside the cabin, at the fire drinking a coffee. Well it is nice these days to escape technology, it is sure nice to have both worlds at times. Plus, the Hub will be shut off once the video chat is done! What a world we live in….
I’ve always thought about starting a blog or website to help communicate with my students and parents – I just never knew where to start, but here I am! It will be a steep learning curve but I’m hoping this course will help get my feet wet in the world of blogging and sharing my thoughts and assignments online.
I’m open to thoughts and suggestions – let me know!
