One of the main advantages of digital portfolios is that they can be accessed from any computer. Since they are paperless, teachers do not need to keep tract of work students have turned in to them as hard copies. The convenience of technology also allows students to hold onto projects for years- if they add everything to the same portfolio, they will be able to access it all in an organized format. At KSU, the education department uses a website called Chalk and Wire to monitor the progress of the students who are trying to meet all of the criteria necessary to graduate as teachers. After each English Education class, I must create a reflection on how I have completed/am working toward the standards in the program.

Digital Media Project

This project began as a way for me to explore a subject I have become very passionate about: linguistics. Although the course is not typically taught at the high school level, particular elements of the field are applicable to studies in the English classroom. I chose to examine word formation for several reasons. My class was studying morphology at around the same time that I had to come up with a project idea. I felt like I had learned enough from the lectures to be confident in my information, and I also knew there was much more to be learned. I wanted something that was both interesting and challenging.

Although my initial intentions were simply to further educate myself on a subject I am fascinated by, I ended up forming my presentation on the basis of “teen slang.” I think I searched about thirty websites for unique words that are usually created and spoken by young people. The results were very interesting. I was familiar with most of the words, yet there were a few I had never heard of before. There were also a few websites for parents (created to help them understand what their child means when he or she says “krunk”) that gave inaccurate definitions compared to the ones I learned when I was in high school. One of the greatest opportunities I disovered in the process of creating this project was the chance to “play” with words. Many of the words I ended up choosing, such as “legit” and “BFF” are used regularly by many teens. Students can connect with their own dialects, and they want to know that their words are “legit.” I hope that my clip will one day help students understand that language is diverse and powerful in many ways. The idea of keeping an open mind toward language can lead to minds opening in other areas. Although I tease language throughout my clip, I also validate it. I think this type of validation could be significant to teens, especially since they are usually thrashed for their language both in and out of English classrooms.

Overall, the creation of this project occurred as a series of multitasking. I felt as if I could not find the pictures until I knew which example words I wanted to use. And I also felt the opposite. Some of my words were chosen simply because they matched funny pictures, while others were chosen before any images were found. As I have already stated, I searched many websites for teen lingo. I ended up using only words I was familiar with. Most of my background knowledge came from my linguistics text book and lectures in Dr. Palmer’s class.

After I had written my script and matched pictures to each type of word formation, I decided to record my script. The process was a little frustrating. I had to keep adjusting the volume and changing the devices I was using. It truly was a relief to finish recording because I felt like I had already completed the majority of the work. I had all the parts I needed to complete the project. It took me a while to figure out how to match my sound clips to my pictures. The process was very meticulous. I chose not to use the transition effects because I wanted my actual slides to produce their own transitions. For example, when I was speaking about initialism, each letter of the initials came up at around the same time as I said it. I wanted it to look like the video was texting. I was also really adamant about repeating some of my visuals. For example, I used the same “plus” and “equals” signs to show how words are created. I think it is important to have that kind of consistency, especially when you are teaching students who have probably not been exposed to the concepts before the lesson.

Honestly, I cannot say my skills are where I want them to be yet. There were some effects used in the examples shown in class that I am not sure how to reproduce. However, I am excited about the new skills I have learned. This is the first time I have ever created a movie using PowerPoint and MovieMaker. I definitely had to “do my time” when it came to learning how to use these applications. For example, I did not know there was a “duplicate slide” option in PowerPoint until I had already spent a half hour trying to get my slides to match. Although I read some of the instructions for MovieMaker, I believe that I learned the majority of my skills through actually trying to use the program. I had fun trying to create effects with my word examples in PowerPoint as well. Now that I know how to use these applications, I feel more comfortable in using them as teaching resources.

Assignment Sheet

The human character in the “Do Penguins Fly?” video clip missed the opportunity to witness the penguins in their act because he was not giving the penguins his full attention. Journalists are writers who report off of research and observations with the intent of informing others of the information they have discovered. The purpose of this writing assignment is to experience similar work through examining your surroundings and exploring multiple resources.

PRODUCT: 2-3 page newspaper article that is both informative and persuasive

DUE DATE: Monday, April 26

PROCESS: Step 1:  This assignment will be completed individually. First, you must choose a topic you are interested in researching. The topic should be focused on some sort of event such as a baseball game, birthday party, or play. You may choose to write about an event that has occurred recently (within the past three months) or one that will be occurring soon.

Step 2: After choosing your topic, you will need to conduct primary research. You must conduct an interview with either a sponserer or a participant in the event. We will discuss how to write unbiased and relevant interview questions on Monday, April 12^th.  The Purdue OWL website is also a reliable resource for help with formulating fair questions.

Step 3: Compose a 2-3 page paper that illuminates the details of the event. You will want to consider the following questions while composing your piece: What is/was the event for? Who is/was involved? If it has already occurred, what was the outcome? If it hasn’t occurred, what is the expected outcome? How long did/will the event last? What is/was the location? Who would be interested in the event? You should also argue why I should or should not attend the event if it has not happened yet. If the event has already happened, argue why I should or should not have attended. Additionally, you will want to include at least one direct quote from the interview you conducted.

A note on style and audience: We will read examples of newspaper articles in class, and you will want to mimic the informative and persuasive styles of writing in your article as well. Additionally, you must consider your audience and write with knowledge of the plethora of people who read newspapers.

Step 4: Compose a Works Cited page that includes the interview you have conducted and any other outside resources (if you chose to use them). This should be written in MLA format. We will discuss the proper formats for MLA citations in class.

TIMELINE: Have each component of the project completed by the following dates:

Thursday, April 8^th: Have the event and interviewee chosen (you will verbally report your ideas to me)

Wednesday, April 14^th: Turn in a copy of your list of interview questions to me

Thursday, April 22^nd: Come to class with a copy of your rough draft for peer review

Monday, April 26^th: Final due date for the paper. 10% will be taken off for each late day.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

-          You may want to check out this website of online newspapers for examples of newspaper articles.

-          This management website offers tips on conducting an interview and includes information about formulating questions.

RUBRIC:

You will be graded on a 100 point scale. Points will be divided as follows:

Scoring Guide

Becoming a Part of the Media Assignment Rational

I have created this assignment for 11^th grade English students with several intentions. First of all, I would like to help them become more aware of the media around them and how it affects their judgment. Having the skills to distinguish between biased and unbiased interview questions will help the students become more aware of the choices they make when searching for reliable research sources for future papers. All of the juniors are expected to write their first major research paper at the end of the semester, and I want to prepare my students for the biases that occur even within the academic world.

Additionally, this assignment will allow my students to experiment with primary research. All of the students must conduct a personal interview, and they must take great consideration of the questions they choose to ask. We will be discussing how to appropriately conduct an interview during the two week period in which this assignment must be completed. It is important for students to learn professional social skills, especially since they will be graduating and possibly starting jobs (or interviewing for college programs) within the next few years. The students will learn how to cite the personal interview in MLA style. Our discussion of proper MLA citations will prepare them for the research project that will take place at the end of the semester.

Furthermore, the students will have the opportunity to write in a genre that is often ignored in classrooms. The Georgia Performance Standards require students to “demonstrate competence in a variety of genres.” This assignment allows students to explore the newspaper genre and requires them to acknowledge the audience they are writing for. I want the students to feel comfortable writing expository pieces, and I would also like them to consider perspective when conducting their interviews. There is also a persuasive element in the paper that will help prepare the students for similar composition pieces.

I chose to introduce this assignment with the “Do Penguins Fly?” video clip because it I think it can be both humorous and eye-opening for students. They laugh at the fact that the photographer cannot seem to get a picture of the penguins. However, they also notice that the character misses the penguin performance because he is also focusing on an alternative task and is not paying close enough attention to his subjects.

Questions/examples/hypothetical situations:

-          We will be reading examples of different newspapers in class. I plan on drawing from the school newspaper, a local newspaper, and a national newspaper.

-          I plan on composing a calendar of school events occurring during the two weeks of the assignment to help the students generate ideas for their papers.

-          I anticipate that the students will ask how to get in touch with interviewees who may not be accessible. Although I prefer that the interviews be conducted in person, I am willing to speak to students on an individual basis about completing interviews over the phone or over e-mail.

-          The students may ask whether certain activities count as “events.” I am planning on being very open to their ideas. The paper does not necessarily have to be about a school event. Birthdays, weddings, ect. are also considered events.

-          Students may be able to relate to events in the way they are posted on facebook. Although the website is not a source that can be used alone to explain the assignment (the assignment involves analysis, while facebook simply lists information), it could give the students ideas for information they will need to include to let their audience know specific information about the event.

Anticipated Challenges:

-          I anticipate that some students may have difficulty getting in contact with their potential interviewees.

-          The students may have trouble grasping the concept that they must consider their audience when writing the articles.

-          The idea of forming an unbiased interview question may be challenging for students in this age group.

-          There may not be enough information available about certain events to compose a 2-3 page paper.

Standards Addressed:

ELA11W2 The student demonstrates competence in a variety of genres.

The student produces narrative writing that applies polished narrative strategies acquired in previous grades, in other genres of writing such as reflective compositions, historical investigative reports, and literary analyses, by raising the level of critical thinking skills and rhetorical techniques.

The student produces expository (informational) writing to explain an idea or concept and/or convey information and ideas from primary and secondary sources accurately and coherently; the student:

a. Engages the interest of the reader.

b. Formulates a coherent thesis or controlling idea.

c. Coherently develops the controlling idea and/or supports the thesis by incorporating evidence from both primary and secondary sources, as applicable.

d. Conveys information and ideas from primary and secondary sources, when applicable, accurately and coherently.

e. Includes a variety of information on relevant perspectives, as applicable.

f. Maintains coherence by relating all topic sentences to the thesis or controlling idea, as applicable.

g. Structures ideas and arguments effectively in a sustained way and follows an organizational pattern appropriate to the purpose and intended audience of the essay.

h. Demonstrates an understanding of the elements of expository discourse (i.e., purpose, speaker, audience, form).

i. Incorporates elements of discourse from other writing genres into exposition.

j. Enhances meaning by employing rhetorical devices, including the use of parallelism, repetition, and analogy.

k. Uses language, point of view, characterization, style, and related elements effectively for specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes.

l. Attains closure (i.e., by including a detailed summary of the main points, restating the thesis, generalizing the thesis or controlling idea for additional purposes, or employing a significant quotation that brings the argument in the composition together).

The student produces persuasive writing that clearly, logically, and purposefully applies persuasive writing strategies acquired in previous grades in other genres of writing and in a variety of writing situations such as expository compositions, historical investigative reports, and literary analysis, by raising the level of critical thinking skills and rhetorical techniques and the sophistication of the language and style.

The student produces technical writing that clearly, logically, and purposefully applies technical writing strategies acquired in previous grades in other genres of writing and in a variety of writing situations such as expository compositions, historical investigative reports, and literary analyses, by raising the level of critical thinking skills and rhetorical techniques and the sophistication of the language and style.

ELA11W3 The student uses research and technology to support writing. The student

a. Formulates clear research questions and utilizes appropriate research venues (i.e., library, electronic media, personal interview, survey) to locate and incorporate evidence from primary and secondary sources.

b. Uses supporting evidence from multiple sources to develop the main ideas within the body of a researched essay, a composition, or a technical document.

c. Synthesizes information from multiple sources and identifies complexities, discrepancies, and different perspectives found in a variety of media (i.e., almanacs, microfiche, news sources, in-depth field studies, speeches, journals, technical documents).

d. Integrates quotations and citations into a written text while maintaining the flow of ideas.

e. Uses appropriate conventions for documentation in the text, notes, and bibliographies by adhering to those in style manuals such as the Modern Language Association Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian, American Psychological Association, etc.

f. Uses systematic strategies to organize and record information (i.e., anecdotal scripting, annotated bibliographies).

g. Designs and publishes documents, using such aids as advanced publishing software and graphic programs.

ELA11W4 The student practices both timed and process writing and, when applicable, uses the writing process to develop, revise, and evaluate writing. The student

a. Plans and drafts independently and resourcefully.

b. Revises writing to improve the logic and coherence of the organization and controlling perspective.

c. Revises writing for specific audiences, purposes, and formality of the contexts.

d. Revises writing to sharpen the precision of word choice and achieve desired tone.

e. Revises text to highlight the individual voice and to improve sentence variety and style.

f. Edits writing to improve word choice, grammar, punctuation, etc.

I think the easiest way to understand the meme concept is to actually look at some of the memes that are flying across the internet. The internet is a popular tool for the transmission of memes, since Web 2.0 has made online interaction possible for basically everyone who has access. Weblogs, in particular, can be very useful for spreading these types of ideas. Badger, Badger, Badger is an example of a humorous meme. It is nonsensical and seems to have been created solely for entertainment. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is a meme that also has elements of humor. However, it is also meant to convey a message and take a stand. The website is full of pictures of religious fundamentalists holding hateful signs. Although the website seems to poke fun at the idea of religion, it also conveys the thoughts and opinions of a particular group of people.

I think that the social commentary that can be found within memes is what makes them so applicable to the classroom. Students can have class discussions about memes in the same way that they can analyze political cartoons. Teachers, however, must be careful to fully research the memes before they choose to incorporate them into their classrooms. Some of them are offensive or inappropriate to show to students.

An example of a meme that is appropriate for the classroom is The Generosity Game. Basically, the website encourages people to spread the meme of  “generosity” by doing something nice for an individual and then giving him or her a card that says “It’s Your Turn.”  The website addresses it’s own viral nature, which could be great for discussion in the classroom. How can memes be transferred from person to person? What makes them so viral? How is this meme, in particular, traveling across several different mediums? Students do not have to limit their discussion to the content of the website- they can also interpret the way the information is relayed and relate it to how other forms of media are relayed to different audiences.

In traditional classrooms, students are often taught that there is only one definition for a particular word. According to author Neil Postman, author of The World Weavers/The World Makers, “In a thousand examinations on scores of objects, students are asked to give definitions of things, words, concepts, and procedures. It is to be doubted that there are more than a few classrooms in which there has been any discussion of what a definition is” (154). Often, teachers ask for definitions with answers in mind. For example, if a teacher asked me for the definition of the word “metaphor,” I would automatically respond, “It is a comparison between two unlike objects that does not include the words “like” or “as.” That was the definition I memorized as a freshman in high school.

As teachers, we have the responsibility to assist students in thinking on high levels. Mere recall of a definition (which the students may or may not even comprehend- you can’t even tell, because they are often reciting directly from a book) does not allow students to think on high levels, much less encourage them to expand their worldviews. According to Postman, “…word making through language is a narrative of power, durability, and inspiration. It is the story of how we make the world known to ourselves, and how we make ourselves known to the world” (157). Metaphor is much more than “a comparison between two unlike objects.” It is a way of analyzing different elements around you and classifying them into something more understandable.

For example, take the metaphor, “These natives are no different than wild animals.” It seems like a metaphor that could come from a novel. The class could analyze the metaphor within the context of the novel, relating it to the interaction between the characters and events, hypothetically. Most classes would stop at this point. The metaphor has been identified and its meaning has been explained. However, students can take the metaphor even further to establish a more worldly view. For example, the statement could reflect concepts of imperialism. Throughout history, there have been numerous incidents of countries taking over “new” land. How do these colonialists view the natives of the lands they conquer? Do they all view them the same? How do the natives view the colonialists? What are the characteristics of wild animals? Why would colonialists compare natives to wild animals? What does it mean to be “native” to a particular area?

When students have the chance to examine a metaphor on a deeper level than that of pure identification, they face opportunities that allow them to contextualize the world around them. Metaphors can pose questions, create stereotypes, and separate thoughts from actions. When we teach our students to examine on multiple levels, we are teaching them to have more layered thought processes.

The video above offers an extensive definition and explanation of the purpose of podcasts. Basically, podcasts are amateur radio shows that can be uploaded for free on the internet. These podcasts range across an array of subjects. For example, Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing offers explanations for various topics in grammar that are often subject to confusion, such as lie vs. lay and when to use the apostrophe in “it’s.” Although some podcasts are created to be educational, others are produced for the purpose of entertainment.  I found a podcast on itunes entitled “The Extra Mile.” It is a show for runners that is hosted by a man who runs while he is recording. In the episode I listened to, the host talked about the distance he was running, other podcasts he was listening too, and the pretty teacher he saw as he ran by a school. Although I learned very little from listening to the show, I was entertained and interested in hearing what the man had to say.

You can download podcasts for free by using itunes.  Itunes is a program that can be downloaded for free as well. It is a useful program for organizing the music and radio shows you may have on your computer.

As a future educator, I am always looking for reasons to use technology in the classroom. After all, many students are interested in social networking, music, and radio. Why not have them use it for educational purposes? There are podcasts to help with learning foreign languages on itunes. These shows can act as supplementary instruction for students who would like to become more proficient in the languages they are learning in school. Additionally, students can use podcasts as tools for primary research. I would consider allowing my students to search for podcasts that reflect their personal interests. They can find out more information about subjects they already care about. Students could also make their own podcasts. In Omaha, Nebraska, students from an elementary school have a podcast called Willow Web. The podcast is highly informational. Students share what they have learned in school with the rest of the world

Richardson, author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, suggests that, “Social studies teachers could have their students do oral histories, interviews, or reenactments of historical events. Science teachers could have students narrate labs or dissections or experiments to record their processes. Music teachers could record weekly recitals or special events as podcasts. All teachers could record important parts of what they do in the classroom that can be archived to the class Weblog and used by students who may have missed the class or just want a refresher on what happened” (115). These creative ideas allow students to enhance their education and reinforce what they have learned, thus increasing the likelihood of important information being committed to memory. Teachers can also record information about the class and send the link to parents. This is an alternative form of a class newsletter that may be more appealing to parents. They can take the time to listen even while they are reading through their e-mails.

Delicious is a website that allows users to bookmark web pages. This resource can be accessed from any computer- the user must simply create a log-in name and the website will save the information under it. To begin browsing web pages, type in a word or phrase in the “search” bar that is reflective of the information you are looking for. The website will read what you type as a “tag.” Others who have found the websites before you will have classified them under tags to help others find them more easily. For example, if I find a website about Scooby Doo, I may tag it with words like: mystery, teenagers, Scrappy, monsters. If you find a website you like in your search, you can “save” it to your bookmarks and create your own tags. You can also share this information with others. This can be helpful within the English classroom, because teachers can easily share information with their students. For example, the teacher can bookmark a homework help website to be available to students at all times. The teacher can make the link public on Delicious, and the students can add it to their list. Students can help each other with research, and teachers can collaborate with each other on projects they are working on as a group. These bookmarks help make research a much faster process and bring resources directly to the users in almost no time.

This video offers a much more inclusive description of how to use Delicious:

A similar website, called Diigo, is described thoroughly in the book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, by Will Richardson. Like Delicious, Diigo allows users to bookmark the webpages they wish to hold on to. Additionally, it retains a copy of the page. If the creator of the website you are trying to save happens to close it down, you will always have access to the copy you saved. This tool is very resourceful, since information is constantly being added and ripped off of the internet. Richardson argues that this resource can be beneficial to the classroom for many reasons. Firstly, teachers are able to share information with students by inviting them to a group. This can be done on an either individual or larger basis. Richardson writes, “..every time you run across something you think Meredith might be interested in reading, you simply add the tag “Meredith” to it and her feed will automatically update…You could insert individualized questions or other links or suggestions for follow up. In this way, you can start to use Diigo as a powerful tool for individualized instruction” (95). As a future teacher, I am interested in reaching out to my students on an individual basis, and this website could assist me in doing so. I want students to know that I recognize their interests and encourage them to delve into the information available.

Mabry Middle, a school located in Marietta, also offers some resources that relate to the concept of social networking. While exploring the school website, I came across a series of short video clips that had been created for the school’s film festival. I was impressed by the level of technology used by the students. I am currently in a college-level technology course, and I am unsure of how they produced some of the effects in the videos. They used pictures, text, music, sound, and video recordings. Some of the clips were documentaries and even included interviews. Each film conveyed an important message, and many of them displayed opposing opinions on the subjects. For example, one of the films showed different perspectives of who Americans think they are as opposed to what the rest of the world thinks. Posting videos like these can be considered a form of networking, because it connects people from different locations to each other. Students in New York can watch the videos made by students in Georgia. We could learn from each other by posting the information we know online.

Whether or not parents and teachers always approve of the language and writing students conduct online, we cannot disregard that social networking websites have certainly gotten students to read and write. Each time a student clicks on a Facebook profile, he or she is forced to read in order to participate within the website. We want students to collaborate with each other in the classroom, and Facebook allows them to do so online. I’m not going to argue that students commenting on each others’ walls about last night’s party is necessarily as educational as a group discussion on Poe, but it is definitely a start to getting students to understand each others’ thoughts and respond to them based off of what they have read. Literary analysis, anyone?

I believe there are many appropriate ways to incorporate social networking websites in the English classroom. Zach Minor’s article, “Tweeting Your Way to Better Grades” describes how students can use Twitter for literary discussions. Each tweet has a word limit, which teaches students to write within very strict boundaries, a skill that is applicable in both college and real world situations. If characters are limited, students have no choice but to think about the point they really want to highlight and convey that information in a very concise format.

Additionally, social networking websites can offer supplementary help with school work. Although many teachers cringe in horror at the thought of SparkNotes, the website can be a very useful tool for students who are struggling with a piece of literature or who are interested in finding more information about it. SparkNotes is not just a website of simple summaries that students try to use as an alternative to reading novels. It also contains various message boards that allow readers to interact with their thoughts on pieces of literature. Students are able to read and respond to alternative views that can come from places way outside of the classroom boundaries. These opportunities are important so that students can gain more worldly perspectives toward their readings.

Although there are many positive resources that can be gained from social networking, it can also be risky in the classroom. For example, students can come across sexual predators or users who implore inappropriate language in their responses. Teachers may have issues with finding a place to teach technology- some schools cannot afford enough computers for a whole class and some students do not have internet access in their homes. Online interaction can also lead to informality between teachers and students that may be considered inappropriate by some parents and school officials. Whether you choose to take the risks or not, teachers cannot ignore the fact that digital literacy is becoming a vital skill in today’s society. If students do not learn these skills in the classroom, where will they learn them?

I am planning on using PowerPoint slides to create a movie in MovieMaker. I want to my presentation to be like the examples shown in class on Wednesday with the narrator speaking as the images changes cohesively. I think this is a worthwhile project for teaching morphology to students, because I will be able to give them visual examples of the different ways words are formed. A video can be much more intreging than a text book, especially for young people who are usually interested in watching movies and interacting with technology in gerenal. Some of the concepts I plan to address are difficult to understand, and I think the visual aspect of MovieMaker could be reinforcing to my students.

The YAL novel I have read most recently is entitled The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. Without a doubt, I consider this novel to be one of the top five novels I have ever read. I am doing my honors thesis on keeping young men interested in the English classroom, and I am always looking for texts that both males and females can relate to. The Hunger Games is action-packed and explores situations that can be applicable to both genders. Although the main character is a female, a male character plays a very strong role as well. I would love to teach this novel in the classroom, because I think teenagers could really get excited about the themes presented. There are issues with love, friendship, loyalty, and honesty. As the characters were faced with difficult situations, I found myself wondering what I would have done if I had been them.

If I were to teach this book in the classroom, I would connect it with media concepts. The media plays a grand role in our lives as Americans. It is unfortunate that television is often ignored in the English classroom as a text. Collins shows how media can be used to manipulate and control people in her novel. Students can discuss the pros and cons of having a very media-based society and could examine different biases in news shows. Additionally, the novel explores issues with governmental control and personal privacy. These concepts can be connected with some of the historical governments of different nations around the world. Students may be interested in researching forms of government and what makes them work/not work. I think that may good class discussions can come from examining how the government can affect the lives of the population. Another big issue is image. Katniss and Peeta are dressed up for the interviews before the Hunger Games in order to gain the attention and sympathy of the audience. How does dress effect how we view people on TV or in magazines? There are many opportunities for students to explore the impact of image on society. I want my students to have a very worldly view of texts, and I do not want to limit them strictly to literature. Literature is a connection to other texts.

Overall, I believe this novel is very appropriate for students in high school. I am not sure if I would want to introduce it to a middle school class. There are no foul words or sexual scenes, but some of the events are very intense. Younger students may not be able to handle the scenes where the characters are brutally murdered. However, high-schoolers will likely be interested to read about the exciting moments that take place during The Hunger Games.