Monthly Archives: June 2024

Did you rely more on syllables, words, ideas, or a combination of all of them?

For this task, I started by searching for words that fit the story I wanted to tell. I quickly realized that many of the words I wanted were not available, which required me to shift to a more creative approach combining words and ideas. I opted to use words to describe the title of what was occurring, then selected images to convey a description of what was happening or a scene without the direct use of language. I often had to be creative with my thinking; for example, when searching “money,” the search failed to come up with an emoji. however, I was able to think about what symbolized money and used a dollar sign.

As the story unfolded, I found myself gradually shifting away from relying on words and instead embracing the power of actions and emotions to narrate the story. This transition allowed me to use fewer emojis yet still paint a more profound and detailed picture of the characters’ experiences.

I was also able to find emoji characters with similar characteristics to the contestants.

Did you start with the title? Why? Why not?

My emoji story began with the title. I was aware of the existence of a chef emoji and believed it could capture the essence of the show’s title. The emoji for ‘top’ had the word embedded in it and would, therefore, be considered more of a “sign” than an emoji (Bolyer, 2001). To avoid this, I pondered using a top hat but decided against it as it might confuse the audience, given its lack of direct relevance to the show’s content.

Did you choose the work based on how easy it would be to visualize? 

Bolter (2001) notes that one limitation of picture writing is the challenge of illustrating the passage of time. To overcome this, I was strategic in crafting the narrative on the page. Each line depicts a new scene, depicting the chronology of the show. This approach was important in conveying the story’s progression.

Bolter, J. D. (2001). Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of printLinks to an external site. (2nd ed). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

For task 4, I opted to reflect on a manual script that I had written. However, my nine-year-old had other plans when I mentioned that my homework could include making potato prints together. I’ve posted a video of our experience just for fun. This experience was challenging and made me grateful for the pen and paper I used in my initial assignment!

I am someone who can always be found with a pen in my hand. Whether reading an article for school, helping my daughter with her homework, teaching a student how to concept map or calculating an IV drip rate, a pen in my hand is representative of knowledge transaction. On the other hand, my struggle to visualize what 500 words look like on paper demonstrates how my preference to write by hand can only exist in certain aspects of my life. I attribute this to 20 years of computer processing and keeping up with the pace of the world we live in. I would be lost without the speed and editing capabilities a computer provides. As I routinely take notes in pen, a transcription error results in a creative doodle or squiggle, not a quick tap of the backspace key.

I chose to share my ETEC 540 notes for this assignment as this is a true representation of how I use pen and paper on a weekly basis. This process feels natural to me and helps me to retain information (or at least it feels that way!) My science background, of course, wanted me to put this hypothesis to the test. Horbury and Edmonds (2021) looked at children’s recall and comprehension when taking handwritten notes compared to notes taken on the computer. Their study found that those who took notes by hand had a better conceptual understanding of the content being taught. In their discussion, they noted how handwritten notes were likely to have more visual cues, such as arrows or diagrams. They also emphasized the slower process of handwriting as opposed to typing information verbatim. This is evident when looking at my Module 3 notes. The use of headings and subheadings is present and allows me to scaffold and organize new content. Using arrows and diagrams allows me to translate paragraphs into a visual representation of what those words mean. Could this be done on a computer? Of course, but more time would likely be spent finessing the technical difficulties of how to create the correct sized arrow or adjust margins.

Cooke (2021) asks this question: Does the digital age remove us from hands-on tactile work, and are we longing to return to that? There is truth in that for me. The slower transcription process of handwriting allows me to take in the information and reflect on what I am learning. I am interested to hear your thoughts!

Danny Cooke Freelance Filmmaker. (2012, January 26). Upside down, left to right: A letterpress film. [Video]. YouTube.

Horbury, S. R., & Edmonds, C. J. (2021). Taking Class Notes by Hand Compared to Typing: Effects on Children’s Recall and Understanding. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 35(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2020.1781307