Category Archives: Links

I am linking to Steph Takeda’s Potato Printing post.

Creating potato stamps to print a five-letter word was a surprisingly intricate task. Like Steph, I found that carving the mirrored reflection of letters posed a significant challenge. My initial approach involved tracing the letters by poking holes into the potato, but this method proved ineffective due to the holes being too small to see. Steph’s struggle with curved letters resonated with me, as letters like ‘O’ and ‘A’ were particularly difficult to carve out cleanly.

Time management was crucial, as the entire process of planning and carving took about an hour. This was similar to Steph’s experience, who also took about an hour for her project. My initial mistake of not cutting the potato lengthwise limited my carving surface, highlighting the importance of preparation and foresight. Steph’s reflection on the artistic charm of the imperfections and the appreciation for the physicality of writing was enlightening. It echoed my thoughts on the mechanization of writing and how it has distanced us from the laborious yet artistic nature of traditional text creation.

Both Steph and I used words with no repeated letters and found straight-edged letters easier to carve. This similarity in our experiences underscores the shared challenges and learning curve in this project. My choice of the word “NAOMI” added a personal touch, much like Steph’s choice of “OCEAN,” reflecting personal significance and connection.

Considering the effort required for this task, I now appreciate the efficiency and convenience that mechanized writing offers. However, this exercise also highlighted the value of traditional craftsmanship and the tactile connection to the written word, often lost in modern times. The imperfections in our prints add character and uniqueness, something that mechanized processes often lack.

I am linking to Duncan Hamilton’s Voice to Text post.

Both Duncan and my posts explore the limitations of speech-to-text technology, but we approach the topic from different perspectives. Duncan’s analysis is thorough and analytical, identifying specific issues like punctuation errors, lack of structure, and frequent misinterpretations. He notes his surprise at the poor performance of Apple’s dictation feature, given his limited previous experience with speech-to-text technology. Duncan details how the software struggles with punctuation, resulting in run-on sentences and misplaced commas, and fails to maintain a logical structure, leading to text that feels disjointed. He also highlights instances where words were inaccurately transcribed, such as “tsukemen” being rendered as “superman,” and inconsistent capitalization throughout. Duncan argues that scripted text would provide better coherence, contrasting the informal nature of oral storytelling, which includes pauses and asides, with the structured format of written communication governed by grammar and punctuation rules. He draws on references like Ong’s and Gnanadesikan’s works to illustrate how writing transforms oral narratives into a more organized form, while acknowledging the challenges speech-to-text software faces in capturing the nuances of spoken language.

In contrast, my focus is more pragmatic, addressing key issues and proposing solutions to improve speech-to-text accuracy. I discuss how the time constraint during my recent use of the technology contributed to a lack of cohesion in the transcribed text. Like Duncan, I identify grammatical errors such as punctuation issues, capitalization inconsistencies, and structural deficiencies, including instances where the software misinterpreted words. Despite these shortcomings, I acknowledge that most words were correctly transcribed. I suggest that familiarity with specific speech-to-text commands could enhance punctuation and readability, advocating for a scripted approach to ensure a more organized and cohesive narrative. Additionally, I emphasize the flexibility and emotional depth of oral storytelling, which adapts with each retelling, contrasting it with the permanence of written stories. I also highlight the cultural significance of oral traditions, citing examples like First Nation educators who use storytelling as a means of preserving cultural heritage in the classroom.

I am linking to Katy Richards’ Emoji Story.

Reflecting on Katy’s post revealed several commonalities in our approach to the assignment. Both of us began by translating the movie title into emojis as a strategic starting point, which helped set the stage for the rest of the narrative. Additionally, we both faced technical difficulties in adding emojis directly into our posts. Katy had to provide a link to an image, whereas I embedded a screenshot of mine. These challenges underscore the limitations of the medium (WordPress) and the extra steps required to overcome them.

Another significant challenge we both encountered was conveying complex plot details and relationships using emojis. While some elements are straightforward to depict, others require more creativity and often fall short of capturing the full complexity of the narrative. This difficulty highlights the inherent limitations of emojis in representing intricate storylines and abstract concepts.

Both Katy and I touched on the concept of multimodal communication, referring to academic perspectives to frame our experiences. We mentioned the evolving nature of language and communication, with emojis serving as a modern example of this shift. This reflects a broader understanding of how digital communication tools are changing the way we express ideas and emotions.

I particularly appreciated Katy’s reflection on visual notetaking, drawing a parallel between this task and the practice of using symbols to represent ideas. Visual notetaking offers significant benefits, especially for students with learning or communication challenges. However, it also leans heavily on nouns and struggles to convey abstract concepts, similar to the limitations we encountered with emojis.

Furthermore, Katy’s post and my reflection both recognize the educational value of using visual symbols. Despite their limitations, these tools can enhance understanding and retention, particularly for students who might benefit from alternative forms of communication. The task has also provided valuable insights into the strategic selection and organization of content to aid comprehension.