Author Archives: iveltri1

LINK 2 – PATRICK

In Task 3, Patrick and I share a similar experience and analysis when using voice-to-text tools to tell our stories. We both highlight that our stories were more informal and lacked organization, often resulting in run-on sentences due to the absence of punctuation.

As someone who is Italian, this assignment reminded me of how storytelling is such a core part of our culture. In Italian traditions, stories are often passed down orally, full of passion and emotion, and the focus is less on perfect structure and more on meaning and connection. Voice-to-text, however, doesn’t always capture tone or voice. The tools may record the words, but they miss the intonation, gestures, and pauses that help convey the deeper meaning of the story.

This assignment helped me realize how much effort goes into storytelling, whether oral or written. It’s not just about the words we choose but how we structure and present them to engage the listener/reader. These challenges really show the importance of practice and tools in improving our ability to communicate meaningfully.

https://sites.google.com/view/etec540blois/tasks

 

LINK 1 – JAMIE ZHU

I chose Jamie’s Task 1 to reflect on because we are colleagues at Maywood Community School and often collaborate closely, especially when team teaching a variety of subjects, including PHE. One thing we both carry in our daily work bags is a whistle on a lanyard. This got me thinking—could a whistle be considered a text technology?

After reflecting on the prompt proposed by Ernesto, I believe that a whistle can be seen as a form of text technology, particularly for conveying conventional meaning. Having played competitive soccer my entire life, I’ve come to understand the various whistle signals used in the sport. Each whistle sound carries a specific and agreed-upon message for players, coaches, and referees. For instance, a short, sharp whistle indicates a foul and stops play immediately, while one long whistle signals a penalty kick.

Jamie and I use a similar system to manage sports and ensure safe play with 60 intermediate students. For example, in our practice, one whistle means “stop,” two whistles mean “stop and sit down,” and three whistles mean “stop and line up.” This shared understanding of whistle signals allows us to maintain order and safety during activities, reinforcing how whistles serve as a meaningful communication tool.

TASK 12 – SPECULATIVE FUTURES

Narrative:

The wind whistled through the abandoned library, creating a cloud of dust as Alex approached. She squinted, the sun was speaking through one of the broken windows right into her eye. As she looked away,  a faint glimmer caught their eye—a folded brochure wedged between two broken tiles. Curious, they pulled it out, brushing off the dirt to reveal: “A Future Without Limits – The New Era of Progress!”

Flipping it open, Alex’s eyes widened. The images showed sleek, floating cities, suspended effortlessly above lush, restored landscapes. Towers covered in gardens powered with solar energy, while streets—completely car-free—were alive with pedestrians and cyclists enjoying the clean, pollution-free air.

The government section detailed something almost unimaginable: a system run by The Collective Council, a blend of AI-driven decision-making and community-led discussions. Every citizen had a say, with policies decided in real time based on transparent, ethical algorithms.

Another page read, The Universal Learning Hub, a global network where education was lifelong, personalized, and completely free. Students learned at their own pace, guided by interactive AI mentors who adapted to individual needs. Students learned skills through immersive, hands-on experiences, making education an accessible, ever-evolving journey.

The final section was “A Society Where Well-Being Comes First.” People were provided with free mental health support and flexible work-life balance that prioritized happiness over productivity.

A note at the bottom read:

“Progress has no finish line. Welcome to a world built on wisdom, kindness, and innovation. A world built for you.”

Alex exhaled, gripping the fragile paper. Was this vision lost to time—or was it still possible? The thought filled her with an unexpected warmth. Maybe, just maybe, the future wasn’t lost. Maybe it was waiting to be built.

TASK 11 – DETAIN/RELEASE

While completing the Detain/Release simulation by Porcaro (2019), I found myself uncertain about many of the decisions I had to make because I didn’t feel like I had enough information to make a fair choice. I noticed that the prosecution rarely suggested releasing someone, and when it did, I tended to agree. However, most of the time, detention was recommended, which left me feeling unsure about my judgments. The information I had to base my decisions on was minimal, considering the consequences. I tried to base my choices on factors like the individual’s age, mental health, and whether they posed a threat or had a history of violence, but these elements were not always clear or available. This experience made me realize just how often large organizations make unfair decisions, and how much we rely on technology and systems to try to fix complex problems.

Reflecting on how algorithms influence decision-making, I found it unsettling to think about their role in legal matters. As Malan (2013) states, algorithms are just “sets of instructions to solve problems,” but it’s still concerning to consider how they’re used in crime prediction. It made me think about other areas where people are ranked or categorized, like hiring processes. For example, I have heard that there are automated systems that screen resumes based on specific keywords or qualifications. This process is problematic because it can overlook the full context of a person’s experience or potential (O’Neil, 2017).

In the end, the simulation really opened my eyes to how algorithms are shaping our world and made me question how much we trust these systems to make decisions about people’s lives (Prompts for predictive text stories, n.d.).

References

O’Neil, C. (2017, April 6). Justice in the age of big data. Retrieved June 18, 2019, from ideas.ted.com website: https://ideas.ted.com/justice-in-the-age-of-big-data/

Porcaro, K. (2019, January 8). Detain/Release: simulating algorithmic risk assessments at pretrial

Prompts for predictive text stories: r/predictivetextpromptsLinks to an external site. [Online forum]. (n.d.). Reddit. Retrieved August 12, 2022.

TED-Ed. (2013). What’s an algorithm? – David J. Malan.

 

TASK 10 – ATTENTION ECONOMY

Moments into completing the survey I realized the website’s GUI was intentionally designed to manipulate my responses, making even simple tasks frustrating and counterintuitive. As someone with ADHD, this was extremely difficult for me. It played on common user expectations by reversing familiar conventions, such as swapping the usual order of email and password fields – forcing me to second-guess my instincts. The misleading colour scheme was another major obstacle; green, typically associated with “yes” or “go,” instead indicated the opposite, leading to unnecessary errors.

When inputting my personal information, having to backspace existing characters only added to the confusion, forcing me to repeatedly correct mistakes I hadn’t intended to make. The flashing numbers further distracted me, pulling my attention away from the task I needed to complete. The countdown timer amplified the pressure, making me feel rushed and increasing the likelihood of mistakes. Every time I hesitated or got something wrong, I was locked out, creating a cycle of frustration and anxiety. When I finally managed to complete the login process, I was met with an error message telling me my password was “not unsafe,” preventing me from proceeding. Seeking assistance, I turned to the AI help chat, only for it to start moving erratically across the screen before disappearing entirely.

At this point, I gave up because it became too difficult for me to focus on what was being asked of me. The constant distractions and confusing design overwhelmed my ability to engage with the task. According to Brignull, “deception is evident in various guises in user interfaces on the web today” (2011), and this site certainly fit that description. Furthermore, the website manipulated me into making mistakes, wasting time, and experiencing unnecessary stress. Given my attention challenges, this experience felt less like a simple survey process and more like an escape room! haha

Brignull, H., (2011). Dark Patterns: Deception vs. Honesty in UI Design. Retrieved from: https://alistapart.com/article/dark-patterns-deception-vs-honesty-in-ui-design/

 

TASK 8 – GOLDEN RECORD CURATION

TOP 10 CHOICES:

  1. Holborne – Paueans, Galliards, Almains and Other Short Aeirs, “The Fairie Round,” performed by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London. (1:17)
  2. Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F, First Movement, Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor. (4:40)
  3. Bach – “Gavotte en rondeaux” from the Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin, performed by Arthur Grumiaux. (2:55)
  4. Bach – The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude and Fugue in C, No. 1, Glenn Gould, piano. (4:48)
  5. Beethoven – Fifth Symphony, First Movement, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor. (7:20)
  6. Japan, shakuhachi – “Tsuru No Sugomori” (“Crane’s Nest”), performed by Goro Yamaguchi. (4:51)
  7. Mexico – “El Cascabel,” performed by Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México. (3:14)
  8. Chuck Berry – “Johnny B. Goode”, written and performed by Chuck Berry. (2:38)
  9. Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven – “Melancholy Blues.” (3:05)
  10. Blind Willie Johnson – “Dark Was the Night,” written and performed by Blind Willie Johnson. (3:15)

While selecting my top 10 pieces from the Golden Record, I was most drawn to a gentle or soothing melody. In contrast, I skipped over songs with strong, intense beats that felt less comforting. I often listen to music to relax, so I naturally gravitated toward softer, more calming pieces.

TASK 7 – MODE BENDING

Through this podcast, I wanted my listeners to be able to interpret the objects in my bag to help them understand me on a personal and professional level. I chose to use this mode of communication as podcasts and ebooks are becoming more popular lately. I also wanted to challenge myself to create a mode of communication that I have not tried before.

In my classroom, I have a student who just discovered they have a significant hearing impairment, and using audio as a form of communication has made me more aware of how I approach teaching and how I deliver information. I’ve had to adjust my teaching lens to ensure that my lessons are accessible to him. For example, I provide written transcripts when I use podcasts for our novel study unit  This ensures that my student can follow along with the content and doesn’t miss out on important information.

There are many benefits to using audio as a form of communication. Firstly, I think that it keeps the listener engaged and interested. I tried to achieve this by using different tone of voice and sound effects. I did so by accompanying my voice with sound effects from the BBC Sound Effect Archive -a great resource if you are ever teaching descriptive writing. This approach not only aids in comprehension but also  encourages listeners to think critically about how sound influences perception and storytelling.

Some potential challenges of using audio as a mode of communication is that it can cause confusion rather than connection. For example, there were a few times where I started talking and then found myself rambling or struggling to describe something clearly. Unlike writing, where I can pause, edit, and refine my message, audio doesn’t offer that flexibility. This can make it harder for listeners to follow along. Therefore, listening to audio might not be as easy to understand as text for some individuals. According to Dobson and Willinsky (2009), it is essential to consider this when designing appropriate learning spaces for all.

This assignment has shed light onto how I should consider a variety of media when teaching my diverse students. Mode bending is a beneficial way educators can strive to meet the needs of their students. As the New London Group (1996) emphasizes, altering our learning spaces for the students and not the other way around, we can improve student engagement, enjoyment, connection and communication because they will have a deeper understanding of the content.

References:

Dobson, T., & Willinsky, J. (2009). Digital literacy Download Digital literacy. In D. R. Olson & N. Torrance (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of literacy (pp. 286-312). Cambridge University Press.

New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. (Links to an external site.) Harvard Educational Review 66(1), 60-92.

TASK 6 – AN EMOJI STORY

For Task 6 – An Emoji Story, I chose to use the last television show I watched. I found it would be easier if I relied more on ideas rather than syllables or words. Emojis act as a visual language, similar to multimodal children books like Geronimo Stilton and Amelia Bedelia. With this in mind, I focused on capturing the key ideas of the show—its main character’s job, his secret life, the city it takes place in, and his childhood/past—rather than trying to translate words directly. This aligns with Kress & Van Leeuwen’s (2001) idea that meaning is constructed through multimodal communication, where images contribute to understanding just as much as words.

I chose not to start with the title of the show. Instead, I began by identifying key themes and elements. I then browsed the emojis from my Emoji keyboard and tried to select emojis that best represented them. Following this, I narrowed down the emojis, only keeping the most important ones. I then arranged them in a sequence that made sense visually and logically. This approach reflects visual grammar, as described by Kress & Van Leeuwen, where meaning is shaped by the placement and order of visual elements. The title wasn’t the first priority because my goal was to summarize the plot, not just name the show.

I did not choose this show because it would be easy to convey visually. I picked it because I had just started the series on Netflix, and it was fresh in my mind. However, I realized it was a good fit for an emoji description because the show has strong symbols that carry meaning, such as blood, knives, Miami, and police, which all translate well into emojis. This supports Kress & Van Leeuwen’s argument that different modes, like visuals and text, contribute to meaning-making.

Additionally, Kress (2005) states that “aptness of mode and what is represented is not the only issue, equally significant now is the aptness of fit between mode and audience” (p.19). This suggests that my emoji choices were not just about accuracy in representation but also about how well they would be understood by my classmates. Since emojis rely on shared cultural understanding, I considered incorporating commonly recognized symbols, such as ???? for violence, ???? for law enforcement. My hope was that these commonly recognized symbols would make it easier to communicate the show’s themes.

Any ideas as to what television show this might be?

 

References

Kress, G.R., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2001). Multimodal discourse: The modes and media of contemporary communication. Oxford University Press