PlanetWinK » Items by pab

Items by pab

Vocabulary Games

Posted: February 16th, 2010, 10:49pm EST by pab

Thanks to Kate Britt for shouting out about a Free Educational Software... site (What's New, 2010.02.05). I've added a direct link to Vocabulary Games to the list of Course Links in the sidebar.

[33 words]

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"100 Little Ways You Can Dramatically Improve Your Writing" (Online Colleges, 2010)

Posted: February 4th, 2010, 12:27am EST by pab

The "100 Little Ways ..." post (Online Colleges, 2010) features a collection of short writing tips with pointers to resources of various sorts. If any of those areas sound interesting, by all means, check them out!

General
Grammar and Spelling
Creative Writing
Business and Technical Writing
Journalism
Writer's Block and Inspiration
Style
Composition and Organization
Revising and Editing
Computer and Web ...

Thanks to Carla Arena for pointing out that Online Colleges post by sharing it via Google Reader (2010.01.21). She calls it, "Great ... for writers, students, [and] educators," and I totally agree! I can hardly wait to add it to the Course Links in the Writing Studio Blog sidebar.

Reference
Online Colleges. (2010.01.17). 100 little ways you can dramatically improve your writing. Retrieved February 4, 2010, from [ow.ly]

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Writing IV: Exam Items (2009-10 [§1C])

Posted: January 27th, 2010, 8:00pm EST by pab

There are prompts for three essay items in the slideshow presentation below. Please view the entire presentation, and read and follow all directions carefully.

You will need to post an individual response to each item, in a single comment for each, on the three reflecting pool posts earmarked for your section (§1A or §1C, below), not on this post. I suggest that you compose and then grammar- and spell-check your responses in a word-processing application before posting them, because you will be unable to edit your responses after you post them as comments.

Section 1A	Section 1C
Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only)Developing Awareness	Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only)Developing Awareness
Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only)Facing Challenges	Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only)Facing Challenges
Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only)Achieving Satisfaction	Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only)Achieving Satisfaction

Writing IV 2009-10
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Writing IV: Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only)

Posted: January 27th, 2010, 7:55pm EST by pab

Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only)

Please post an individual response to item one, Developing Awareness (Writing IV 2009-10, slide 4), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing IV: Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only)

Posted: January 27th, 2010, 7:50pm EST by pab

Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only)

Please post an individual response to item one, Facing Challenges (Writing IV 2009-10, slide 5), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing IV: Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only)

Posted: January 27th, 2010, 7:45pm EST by pab

Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only)
Please post an individual response to item one, Achieving Satisfaction (Writing IV 2009-10, slide 6), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing IV: Exam Items (2009-10 [§1A])

Posted: January 27th, 2010, 6:30pm EST by pab

There are prompts for three essay items in the slideshow presentation below. Please view the entire presentation, and read and follow all directions carefully.
You will need to post an individual response to each item, in a single comment for each, on the three reflecting pool posts earmarked for your section (§1A or §1C, below), not on this post. I suggest that you compose and then grammar- and spell-check your responses in a word-processing application before posting them, because you will be unable to edit your responses after you post them as comments.

Section 1A	Section 1C
Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only)Developing Awareness	Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only)Developing Awareness
Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only)Facing Challenges	Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only)Facing Challenges
Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only)Achieving Satisfaction	Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only)Achieving Satisfaction

Writing IV 2009-10
View more presentations from Paul Beaufait.

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Writing IV: Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only)

Posted: January 27th, 2010, 6:25pm EST by pab

Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only)
Please post an individual response to item one, Developing Awareness (Writing IV 2009-10, slide 4), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing IV: Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only)

Posted: January 27th, 2010, 6:20pm EST by pab

Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only)

Please post an individual response to item two, Facing Challenges (Writing IV 2009-10, slide 5), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing IV: Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only)

Posted: January 27th, 2010, 6:15pm EST by pab

Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only)

Please post an individual response to item one, Achieving Satisfaction (Writing IV 2009-10, slide 6), in a single comment on this post.

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Yes, everyone, today is the day!

Posted: January 15th, 2010, 3:44am EST by pab

In this post, I'm sharing a reply to a puzzling question I received via mail after class today.

Yes, the deadline for Proto-Portfolios and Portfolios is today (Jan 15). Thanks to a class cancellation, when I had the flu in December, you have had an extra two days to complete your portfolio. If you heard the 29th, it wasn't from me.

The portfolio due date is on the course calendar. I've reminded you and your classmates repeatedly, for instance, on the Writing Studio Blog, where you got the portfolio template:

Your complete portfolio for this semester is due – published and labeled on your blog – by Friday, January 15, 2010 (10:30 a.m. for 1A, and 12:10 p.m. for 1C, JST). [emphasis added]

(Writing Studio Blog: TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2010)

I announced the deadline and wrote it on the whiteboard in class on both Jan 6 and Jan 13, and sent it out via gmail, for example, in this mail message from the class calendar:

2010/1/5 Paul Beaufait
Portfolios due

The new portfolio template, with instructions for its use and completion, is on the Writing Studio Blog:

[writingstudioblog.blogspot.com] (2010.01.05)

The due date has changed from January 13, to January 15, 2009. [emphasis added]

I sent fresh reminders via gmail when I added specific class times to this description from that calendar event:

The new portfolio template, with instructions for its use and completion, is on the Writing Studio Blog:
[writingstudioblog.blogspot.com] (2010.01.05)

The due date has changed from January 13, to January 15, 2009. Completed portfolios, including Proto-Portfolios (§ 0.0), are due by the end of make-up class meetings:

- Writing IV, § 1A: 09:30
- Writing IV, § 1C: 12:10 [emphasis added]

(Writing Studio Calendar: Portfolios due, Jan 15, 2010)

...

(pab, personal correspondence, Fri, Jan 15, 2010, at 4:17 PM )

[299 words]

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Even in Kumamoto - Occasionally!

Posted: January 13th, 2010, 6:12pm EST by pab

Time to run barefoot in the yard!

[7 words]

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Portfolio for Writing IV (2009-10)

Posted: January 5th, 2010, 12:23am EST by pab

It is the beginning of a new calendar year, and almost the end of the current academic year. I hope you've enjoyed your winter break,
Now it's time to collect, showcase, select, and reflect upon your writing the past semester. This portfolio template is for you to:

Copy with permission, under license from the Writing Studio Blog (License, below);
Paste into a new post on your own blog, entitled Portfolio for Writing IV (2009-10) [in Compose mode];
Complete with data from, and reflections upon, the body of your writing on your blog for Writing IV; and
Publish with the label "portfolios" (plural, without quotation marks).

Your complete portfolio for this semester is due – published and labeled on your blog – by Friday, January 15, 2010 (10:30 a.m. for 1A, and 12:10 p.m. for 1C, JST).

///// Beginning of template: Copy from "End ..." (below) to here. /////
Student ID: vwxyz
[Please replace "vwxyz" (above) with
the last five digits of your student number
(without quotation marks). Then delete these remarks.]

Portfolio for Writing IV, Section 1A OR 1C
[Please delete the unsuitable class section and the word "OR" (above), along with this line of remarks.]
(See: Note 1, below)
0.0. OVERVIEWReviews, Posts, Words, and More(See: Note 2, below.)
[Please embed your proto-portfolios here {in HMTL editing mode}; then remove this line of remarks, including the square brackets.]
1.0. ESSAYS(See: Note 3, below.)
Please complete this table with data gathered from essays on your blog. See the Key (below) for definitions of the symbols in row one, and complete columns four through nine with numerical values (0, 1, 2, 3, ...).

1.1. Showcase	Short titles with links to blog posts	Dates yyyy.mm.dd	¶	W	C	L	P	M
2-01a (2009.10.07)
2-01b (2009.10.21)
(2-01c)
2-02a (2009.11.04)
2-02b (2009.11.18)
(2-02c)
2-03a (2009.12.02)
2-03b (2009.12.18/22)
(2-03c)
Totals	---	---

Key:
¶: number of paragraphs five (5) or more sentences in length
W: number of words
C: number of comments
L: number of links
P: number of photos or other graphics
M: number of other media included in post

1.2. Most Improved Essay(See: Note 4, below.)

Selection and Assessment: Which of the three essays that you've written and revised this semester shows the most improvement? What did you do to improve it? Remember that complete answers are better than short answers, focus on your writing (accuracy, appropriacy, content and organization, rather than graphics or other media), and explain at least two major improvements.

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets, then identify your most improved essay, and explain ways that you improved it here.]

2.0. COMMENTS

Showcase	Short titles of posts with links	Dates of comments yyyy.mm.dd	Numbers of words in comments	Qualities of comments**
2.1. Your first comment on your instructor's blog*
2.2. Your best comment on a classmate's blog*
2.3. Best comment by a classmate on your blog*
2.4. Most comments on:	Short titles of posts with link	Dates of posts yyyy.mm.dd	Total number of words in comments	Qualities of comments**
2.4.1. Any one of your essays*
2.4.1.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---		---	---
2.4.1.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---
2.4.2. Any of your other posts*
2.4.2.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---		---	---
2.4.2.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---

----------
* Current semester comments on essays and other posts
** Please list the most important qualities of comments on each type of blog post. That is, explain briefly what makes comments good.

2.5. Recent comments displayDoes your blog display recent comments from blog visitors in a prominent location, for example, in a sidebar, header, or footer widget? Where, or why not? Please explain.

2.6. Additional reflections on comments

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets; then write out your reflections on both giving and receiving comments here.]
....

3.0. BOOK REVIEWS

3.1. Showcase	Short titles with links	Dates: yyyy.mm.dd	Words	Comments
Example:	Vampire Killer	2007.05.16	39	1
BR 2-01
BR 2-02
BR 2-03
BR 2-04
BR 2-05
BR 2-06
BR 2-07
BR 2-08
BR 2-09
BR 2-10
BR 2-11
BR 2-12
BR 2-13
BR 2-14
BR 2-15
BR 2-16
BR 2-17
BR 2-18


---	---	Totals:

Note: Please calculate and list book review Totals for words and comments without including those from the example (above).

3.2. Best Book ReviewSelection and Assessment: Which of those book reviews do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, focus on your writing, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets; then identify your best book review, and write out reasons for selecting it here.]

4.0. BLOG LAYOUT, LABELING, LINKING, and MEDIA

Showcase	Yes	No
4.1. Does your blog display an archive?
4.1.1. Does the archive display the titles of posts?
4.1.2. Is the archive organized by month?
4.1.3. Is the archive at or near the top of the sidebar?
4.2. Does your blog display a cloud or list of labels in the sidebar?
4.2.1. Do your labels include these required labels (typed accurately):	---	---
"books" (plural) AND "reviews" (plural)
"essays" (plural) AND "portfolios" (plural, without "proto-")
"quickposts" (plural, with no space between quick and posts)
"links" (plural) AND "media" (plural)
"movies" (plural) AND "websites" (plural)
"brainstorms" (or "brainstorming"), "essay prep.," AND "free-writing" (or "free-writes")
4.2.2. Does your sidebar display other labels?
How many other labels have you attached to three (3) or more posts? ___ other labels attached to three or more posts	---	---
Which labels, and to how many posts each? Please list those labels instead of www, xxx, yyy..., and list numbers of posts instead of n, m, o... (in parentheses), below. www (n) xxx (m) yyy (o) zzz (p) ...	---	---
4.3. Links and media	---	---
4.3.1. Do your blog posts this semester include photos or other graphics?
Does your blog profile include a photo or graphic representation?
How many of your blog posts this semester include photos or other graphics? ___ posts including photos or other graphics	---	---
4.3.2. Does your blog include posts with multiple links?
How many of your posts this semester include three (3) or more links? ___ posts including three or more links (including this portfolio!)	---	---
4.3.3. Does your blog include other media?
How many of your blog posts this semester include other media? ___ posts including other media	---	---
What kind(-s) of media have you included in posts this semester? Please list the kinds here: ... ... ...	---	---
What media content that you originally produced, if any, do your blog posts for this semester contain? Please list and explain each item briefly, and add short links and dates (yyyy.mm.dd) for reference. ... (short link, date) ... (short link, date) ... (short link, date)	---	---

4.4. Overall presentationWhat have you done to enhance the overall presentation and readability of your blog? List and explain the three most important content, display, formatting, layout, or other presentation changes that you have made on your blog this semester.

5.0. ADDITIONAL REFLECTIONS ON YOUR BLOG AND YOUR WRITING FOR ITPlease feel free to include reflections on both class work and homework, as well as on the content of this portfolio (proto-portfolios, showcases, selections, and reflections).

6.0. ADVICE AND SUGGESTIONS FOR YOURSELF, YOUR PEERS, AND YOUR SUCCESSORS

____________________
Notes:

This portfolio template derives from Writing Studio Blog templates for Writing IIIc and Writing IVc (2007-08), Writing III, §§1a & 1c, Writing IV: Portfolio, §§1a & 1c (2008-09), and the July 7, 2009, Portfolio for Writing III.
Please use the same code in section 0.0 that you used to embed your proto-portfolios (PPFs) in the footer of your blog, which you should already have revised to display your 2nd (fall) semester PPF first.
The essays section (1.0. Essays, above) derived from Proto-Portfolio 2-02 (2008).
The essay selection and explanation item (§1.2, above) differs from that in the July 7, 2009, Portfolio for Writing III. Please read the new item carefully before making a selection.

____________________
License:
This portfolio template is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Please attribute to "the Writing Studio Blog, 2010.01.05" (with link, but without quotation marks).

///// End of template: Copy from here to "Beginning ..." (above) /////

[approx. 30 new words in wrapper and template {2010.01.05}]

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Please attribute to "The Writing Studio Blog" (without quotation marks).

Screencast Intro. to FreeMind

Posted: November 27th, 2009, 1:11am EST by pab

This is an under 10-minute intro. to FreeMind that I found on the ICT Guy's blog (2009.06.24). It also is a good intro. to Aussie English, for those of you planning to study down under next spring, or simply interested in getting an earful of another variety.

Introduction to FreeMind from Darrel Branson on Vimeo.
[47 words]

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Outline Derived from Sample Mind-Map (previous post)

Posted: November 26th, 2009, 8:25pm EST by pab

The screenshot below depicts an outline derived from the mind-map in the previous post (Sample Mind-Map for Language Learning Story Essays, 2009.11.26). Though the black text headings in the blue sections are a bit hard to read, they represent the Introduction (preview of main points) and Conclusion (summary of main points) for an essay.

[55 words]

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Sample Mind-Map for Language Learning Story Essays

Posted: November 26th, 2009, 7:02pm EST by pab

Using Freemind software available in Mac labs on campus @ KGU, I prepared a sample mind-map to guide you through preparation of your next essays, Personal Language Learning Stories: Past, Present, and Future (2-03a, fall semester, 2009-10). Though making your own maps is not a requirement for the current assignment, please feel free to do so, and to post your maps in essay prep. posts on you blogs, where your classmates and peers can admire and comment on them as you develop your outlines and complete your essays proper.

You are also welcome to post your outlines (draft and revised), whether or not you derive them from mind-maps, in order to document various steps in additional posts that you label "essay prep." (without the quotation marks), along with any free-writing that you do on topics related to the current assignment. If preliminary and revised versions of your maps, outlines, free-writing passages, and complete essay drafts differ significantly from each other, and you explain the differences and cross-link between separate posts, those separate posts may serve as evidence of your progress through the current assignment. If, on the other hand, you make only minor revisions in one or more of your essay prep. posts, please remember to update word counts at the foot of those posts.

I saved a couple different views of the sample mind-map as graphics for display in this blog post. The second and third views below show expansions of different sections of the map itself. Please note that the topics and sub-topics displayed in the expanded view of the Body section are only suggestions, rather than a complete catalog of all possible key points and supporting information. What goes in you own maps and/or outlines should reflect your personal language learning experiences and plans.

____________________
Note: If you click on the graphics, they should display in new browser tabs or windows.

[313 words]

PS: I forgot to mention the original source of inspiration for this essay assignment, Tim Murphey's (1998) students' Language Learning Histories, and their predecessors.

Reference

Murphey, Tim. (1998). Language Hungry Students' Language Learning Histories II. Nagoya, Japan: South Mountain Press.

[+ 40 words]

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Link List Addition: British Council Grammar Movies

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 11:34pm EST by pab

This preview post announces a link that I'll be adding to the list in the sidebar (Course Links). The link leads to a short catalog of movies on a British Council website. The movies focus on various grammar points: Tenses, Verbs, Functions, Structures, and Other items.

LearnEnglishProfessionals: Grammar Movies

I discovered that British Council site with the help of blogging aficionada, Carla Arena, who Twittered yesterday about a post by Ana Maria Menezes, a colleague in Brazil. Ana Maria had created a post about those and other Grammar Videos a couple days earlier on her Life Feast blog (2009.11.14).

Both Carla and Ana Maria called the British Council movies "fantastic." I can hardly wait to check them out. If any of the grammar points detailed in the Grammar Movies catalog are puzzling you, or giving you grief in your writing. I suggest that you check them out, too.
[148 words]

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Link List Addition: Citation Maker

Posted: November 15th, 2009, 3:01am EST by pab

The Course Links list in the sidebar sports a new link, the link to the Recipes4Success Citation Maker that I shared in a post early this semester (Recipes4Succes: Citation Maker, October 7, 2009). I put the link there because eventually that post and this one will slip off the top page of this blog.

I suggest that you use that Citation Maker to create APA-style references to include at the foot of your website reviews. Please choose the citation type,"Website", from the drop-down menu first. Then, after you open a record by clicking on the NEW button, and adding all of the information you can, please remember to click on the "APA" option, before you actually create your citation.

The example below lists a corporate author (Tech4Learning), followed by the copyright date from the foot of the page (2009).

Reference
Tech4Learning. (2009). Citation Maker. Recipes4Sucess. Retrieved November 15, 2009, from [myt4l.com]

[165 words]

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Writing Studio Blog Visitors Diminished

Posted: October 23rd, 2009, 3:14am EDT by pab

Since I started using a cluster map in the sidebar to indicate where visitors came from, the number of visitors, year on year, has diminished. The image below shows how much.

Though each year the cluster map gets archived about the middle of October, and new hot spots start appearing in the sidebar display, it is still possible to see where previous visitors came from (ClustrMaps - archive of user maps). It will be interesting to see what happens this year.
[81 words]

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Writing Studio Bulletin: WSB 2-01 (Fall 2009)

Posted: October 21st, 2009, 3:47am EDT by pab

This bulletin, the first for fall semester, represents a selection of comments that I've posted on various students blogs. As I suggested in one of the selected comments, I expect anyone who gets such comments directly to share the gist of them with classmates and peers.

This batch of comments includes suggestions touching on six categories of continuing concern:

Action Plans for Fall Semester (due September 30, 2009),
Book Reviews (12-18+ this semester),
Display Language for blogs,
Essays,
Labels, and
Wording.

Please read through them all, and determine what action you should take with regard to your own blog posts. Within those six categories, I've listed comments in reverse chronological order.

Action plans for Fall Semester (due September 30th), including:

links,
quotations,
short references

You [still] need to include references and links to five classmates blogs from which you gathered advice.
(October 7, 2009 16:31:33 JST)

Where are your [quotations and] references with links to suggestions [that] you gleaned from classmates' [1st semester] portfolios (§6.0, July 2009)? Those are a necessary part of this week's blogging assignment.

Please make sure that your buddies' posts include references and cross-links to classmates portfolios, too.
(September 30, 2009 14:19:07 JST)

Book Reviews
Though these two comments date back to last year, the suggestions still apply to many newer book review posts on your blogs this year. So I'm re-posting them here.

After rereading this review, I'm still wondering:

why you chose to read ... [short title in italics was here],

whether you'd recommend it to your classmates or peers, and

why or why not.

Would you mind making your book review(s) a bit more communicative in those regards?
(June 25, 2008 17:18:00 JST)

I'm glad to see you got the book review numbering system going right for first semester. However, in order to encourage the readership of, and comments from classmates and peers with similar interests, it would be better to shorten the prefix (or key string) for all of your book review post titles to "BR", and add part of the actual title, for example:

BR 1-05: Barney Bear...

Then, if someone sees the word bear in your blog archive, they might want to read (and comment on) what you've written. For example, I love bears, but don't want to have any more close encounters with bears in the wild. How about you?
(May 28, 2008 15:47:53 JST)

Display Language

... Your blog is still set to display a Japanese interface. I suggest that you set it for English right away!
(July 21, 2009 17:41:18 JST)

Essays

... Perhaps a catchier and more descriptive title than the one you've given it would attract readers' interest, and give them some idea what you've written about.

You seem to have left out all of the paragraph divisions ... marked on the paper copy of your initial draft. In electronic documents, such as blog posts, you should insert two line returns between paragraphs. Those create horizontal white spaces to mark topic changes, and lead readers' eyes to topic sentences.

You also have forgotten to include a word count, in square brackets, at the lower left corner of your post (for examples, see posts on the Writing Studio Blog). You need to include a word count on every post for class this year. The sooner you get in the habit, the better!

Please advise your classmates and peers to do the same, always:

Use catchy, descriptive titles;

Define paragraph boundaries; and

Include word counts.

(April 9, 2009 10:19:28 JST)

Labels

This post isn't one of your essays, or mainly about essays, is it?
Would you please reserve the label "essays" for essays proper (2-01a, 2-01b, 2-02a, ...)?
(October 20, 2009 17:15:52 JST)

... I'd like you to reserve the label, "essays," for actual essays (complete drafts and major revisions).
(July 21, 2009 17:41:18 JST)

This quick post isn't about "health," is it? Why have you used that label on it?
(June 2, 2009 21:20:21 JST)

Wording

Would you please give additional examples of what you mean by "and so on," and "and so on" (2009/07/09 11:56)? It usually takes at least three examples to sketch a category or group.
(July 9, 2009 12:29:51 JST)

[698 words]

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Social Media and Social Networking Explained

Posted: October 13th, 2009, 8:06pm EDT by pab

This post contains two videos that I discovered in a post on Jacqui's Ask a Tech Teacher blog (Social Media--What the Heck is This All About??), which in turn I had discovered via a post on the Learning with Computers group blog (Personal Start Pages), on which I've been following comments for almost a year now. They are produced by Lee and Sachi LeFever, and licensed for non-commercial use.
I always enjoy the clever, quick-paced presentations in their "in Plain English" series, and the animated visual reinforcement makes the concepts easy to understand. Please take a look at one or both of these two, and leave a comment to let me know whether you enjoy and learn from them, too.

Social Media in Plain English
"A simple story that illustrates the forces shaping social media" (leelefever, YouTube, May 28, 2008).
Retrieved October 13, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpIOClX1jPE#

Social Networking in Plain English

"A short explanation of social networking websites and why they are popular" (leelefever, YouTube, June 27, 2007).
Retrieved October 13, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc
[175 words]

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Recipes4Succes: Citation Maker

Posted: October 7th, 2009, 4:56pm EDT by pab

I'd like to point out a website with an online tool that you can use to produce roughly formatted reference citations for bibliographies:

Recipes4Success: Citation Maker

It's really easy to use, even without logging in. Please try it out with the book you brought to class today; use it to make an APA-style reference to include in your next book review post.

Unfortunately, Firefox kept crashing when I tried to open the "PDF of instructions on using the Citation Maker." So, if you have questions about this tool or how to use it, please ask in class today or post your questions in comments on this post.

__________

Abbreviations:

APA: American Psychological Association
PDF: Portable Document Format

[120 words]

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"Did You Know 4.0" (YouTube video)

Posted: September 29th, 2009, 2:34am EDT by pab

This is "another official update of to the original Shift Happens video ... [that] includes facts and stats focusing on the changing media landscape, including convergence and technology..." (xplanevisualthinking, YouTube, September 14, 2009).

(480x295)[33 words]

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What shapes are your online footprints?

Posted: September 17th, 2009, 3:25am EDT by pab

As a new semester rolls up to greet us, now seems like a good time to direct your attention to two videos in the series: Think before you post.

Think Before You Post

Think Before You Post #2

After you've watched them, please let me, your classmates, peers, and other Writing Studio Blog visitors know what you think by adding your reflections to a comment on this post.

[68 words]

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Writing III: Exam Items (2009 [§1C])

Posted: July 22nd, 2009, 8:30pm EDT by pab

There are prompts for three essay items in the slideshow presentation below. Please view the entire presentation, and read and follow all directions carefully.

You will need to post an individual response to each item, in a single comment each, on the three reflecting pool posts earmarked for your section (§1A or §1C, below), not on this post. I suggest that you compose and then grammar- and spell-check your responses in a word-processing application before posting them, because you will be unable to edit your responses after you post them.

Section 1A	Section 1C
Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only) Developing Language Awareness	Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only) Developing Language Awareness
Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only) Facing Technological Challenges	Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only) Facing Technological Challenges
Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only) Achieving Personal Satisfaction	Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only) Achieving Personal Satisfaction

Section 1A

Section 1C

Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only)

Developing Language Awareness

Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only)

Developing Language Awareness

Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only)

Facing Technological Challenges

Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only)

Facing Technological Challenges

Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only)

Achieving Personal Satisfaction

Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only)

Achieving Personal Satisfaction

Writing III 2009: §§ 1A & 1CView more presentations from Paul Beaufait.

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Writing III: Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only)

Posted: July 22nd, 2009, 8:25pm EDT by pab

Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only)

Please post an individual response to item one, Developing Language Awareness (Writing III: Exam Items (2009), slide 4), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing III: Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only)

Posted: July 22nd, 2009, 8:20pm EDT by pab

Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only)

Please post an individual response to item two, Facing Technological Challenges (Writing III: Exam Items (2009), slide 5), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing III: Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only)

Posted: July 22nd, 2009, 8:15pm EDT by pab

Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only)

Please post an individual response to item three, Achieving Personal Satisfaction (Writing III: Exam Items (2009), slide 6), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing III: Exam Items (2009 [§1A])

Posted: July 22nd, 2009, 7:00pm EDT by pab

There are prompts for three essay items in the slideshow presentation below. Please view the entire presentation, and read and follow all directions carefully.

Section 1A	Section 1C
Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only) Developing Language Awareness	Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only) Developing Language Awareness
Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only) Facing Technological Challenges	Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only) Facing Technological Challenges
Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only) Achieving Personal Satisfaction	Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only) Achieving Personal Satisfaction

Section 1A

Section 1C

Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only)

Developing Language Awareness

Reflecting Pool 4 (§1C, only)

Developing Language Awareness

Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only)

Facing Technological Challenges

Reflecting Pool 5 (§1C, only)

Facing Technological Challenges

Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only)

Achieving Personal Satisfaction

Reflecting Pool 6 (§1C, only)

Achieving Personal Satisfaction

Writing III 2009: §§ 1A & 1CView more presentations from Paul Beaufait.

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Writing III: Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only)

Posted: July 22nd, 2009, 6:55pm EDT by pab

Reflecting Pool 1 (§1A, only)

Please post an individual response to item one, Developing Language Awareness (Writing III: Exam Items (2009), slide 4), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing III: Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only)

Posted: July 22nd, 2009, 6:50pm EDT by pab

Reflecting Pool 2 (§1A, only)

Please post an individual response to item two, Facing Technological Challenges (Writing III: Exam Items (2009), slide 5), in a single comment on this post.

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Writing III: Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only)

Posted: July 22nd, 2009, 6:45pm EDT by pab

Reflecting Pool 3 (§1A, only)

Please post an individual response to item three, Achieving Personal Satisfaction (Writing III: Exam Items (2009), slide 6), in a single comment on this post.

[30 words]

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Portfolio for Writing III (template)

Posted: July 7th, 2009, 3:42am EDT by pab

This portfolio template is for you to:

Copy with permission, under license from the Writing Studio Blog (License, below);
Paste into a new post on your own blog, entitled Portfolio for Writing III [in Compose mode];
Complete with data from, and reflections upon, the body of your writing on your blog for Writing III, section 1a or 1c; and
Publish with the label "portfolios" (plural, without quotation marks).

Your complete portfolio for this semester is due – published and labeled on your blog – by Monday, July 20, 2009 (17:15, JST).

///// Beginning of template: Copy from "End ..." (below) to here. /////

Student ID: vwxyz
[Please replace "vwxyz" (above) with
the last five digits of your student number
(without quotation marks). Then delete these remarks.]

Portfolio for Writing III, Section 1A OR 1C

[Please delete the unsuitable class section and "OR" (above), along with this line of remarks.]

(See: Note 1, below)

0.0. Overview Reviews, Posts, Words, and More

(See: Note 2, below.)

[Please embed your proto-portfolios here {in HMTL editing mode}; then remove this line of remarks, including the square brackets.]

1.0. Essays

(See: Note 3, below.)

Please complete this table with data gathered from essays on your blog. See the Key (below) for definitions of the symbols in row one, and complete columns four through nine with numerical values (0, 1, 2, 3, ...).

1.1. Showcase	Short titles with links to blog posts	Dates yyyy.mm.dd	¶	W	C	L	P	M
1-01a (2009.04.08)
1-01b (2009.04.20)
(1-01c)
1-02a (2009.06.01)
1-02b (2009.07.06)
(1-02c)
1-03a (2009.06.29)
1-03b (2009.07.13)
Totals	---	---

Key:

¶: number of paragraphs five (5) or more sentences in length

W: number of words

C: number of comments

L: number of links

P: number of photos or other graphics

M: number of other media included in post

1.2. Best Essay

Selection and Assessment: Which of those six assigned essays do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, focus on your writing, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets, then identify your best essay, and write out your reasons for selecting it here.]

2.0. Comments

Showcase	Titles of posts with links	Dates of comments yyyy.mm.dd	Numbers of words in comments	Qualities of comments**
2.1. Your first comment on your instructor's blog*
2.2. Your best comment on a classmate's blog*
2.3. Best comment by a classmate on your blog*
2.4. Most comments on:	Titles of posts with link	Dates of posts yyyy.mm.dd	Total number of words in comments	Qualities of comments**
2.4.1. Any one of your essays*
2.4.1.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---		---	---
2.4.1.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---
2.4.2. Any of your other posts*
2.4.2.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---		---	---
2.4.2.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---

2.5. Recent comments display

Does your blog display recent comments from blog visitors in a prominent location, for example, in a sidebar, header, or footer widget? Where, or why not? Please explain.

2.6. Additional reflections on comments

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets; then write out your reflections on both giving and receiving comments here.]
....

3.0. Book Reviews

3.1. Showcase	Short titles with links	Dates: yyyy.mm.dd	Words	Comments
Example:	Vampire Killer	2007.05.16	39	1
BR 1-01
BR 1-02
BR 1-03
BR 1-04
BR 1-05
BR 1-06
BR 1-07
BR 1-08
BR 1-09
BR 1-10
BR 1-11
BR 1-12








---	---	Totals:

Note: Please calculate and list book review Totals for words and comments without including those from the example (above).

3.2. Best Book Review

Selection and Assessment: Which of those book reviews do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, focus on your writing, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets; then identify your best book review, and write out reasons for selecting it here.]

4.0. Blog Layout, Labeling, Linking, & Media

Showcase	Yes	No
4.1. Does your blog display an archive?
4.1.1. Does the archive display the titles of posts?
4.1.2. Is the archive organized by month?
4.1.3. Is the archive at or near the top of the sidebar?
4.2. Does your blog have labels displayed in sidebar?
[4].2.1. Do your labels include these required labels (typed accurately):	---	---
"books" (plural) AND "reviews" (plural)
"essays" (plural) AND "portfolios" (plural, without "proto-")
"quickposts" (plural, with no space between quick and posts)
"links" (plural) AND "media" (plural)
"movies" (plural) AND "websites" (plural)
"brainstorms" (or "brainstorming"), "essay prep.," AND "free-writing" (or "free-writes")
4.2.2. Does your sidebar display other labels?
How many other labels have you attached to three (3) or more posts? ___ other labels attached to three or more posts	---	---
Which labels, and to how many posts each? Please list those labels instead of www, xxx, yyy..., and list numbers of posts instead of n, m, o... (in parentheses), below. www (n) xxx (m) yyy (o) zzz (p) ...	---	---
4.3. Links & media	---	---
4.3.1. Does your blog include photos or other graphics?
Does your blog profile include a photo or graphic representation?
How many of your blog posts this semester include photos or other graphics? ___ posts including photos or other graphics	---	---
4.3.2. Does your blog include posts with multiple links?
How many of your posts this semester include three (3) or more links? ___ posts including three or more links (including this portfolio!)	---	---
4.3.3. Does your blog include other media?
How many of your blog posts this semester include other media? ___ posts including other media	---	---
What kind(-s) of media have you included in posts this semester? Please list the kinds here: ... ... ...	---	---
What media content that you originally produced, if any, do your blog posts for this semester contain? Please list and explain each item briefly, and add short links and dates (yyyy.mm.dd) for reference. ... (short link, date) ... (short link, date) ... (short link, date)	---	---

4.4. Overall presentation

What have you done to enhance the overall presentation of your blog? List and explain the three most important content, display, formatting, layout, or other presentation changes that you have made on your blog this semester.

5.0. Additional reflections on your blog and your writing for it

Please feel free to include reflections on both class work and homework, as well as on the content of this portfolio (proto-portfolios, showcases, and reflections).

6.0. Advice and suggestions for yourself, your peers, and your successors

____________________
Notes:

This portfolio template derives from the templates for Writing IIIc and Writing IVc portfolios (2007-08), and Writing III, §§1a & 1c and Writing IV: Portfolio, §§1a & 1c portfolios (2008-09).
Please use the same code in section 0.0 that you used to embed your proto-portfolios (PPFs) in the footer of your blog, which you should already have revised to display your 1st (spring) semester PPF first.
The essays section (1.0. Essays, above) derived from Proto-Portfolio 2-02 (2008).

____________________
License:

This portfolio template is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please attribute to "the Writing Studio Blog" (without quotation marks).

///// End of template: Copy from here to "Beginning ..." (above) /////

[approx. 20 new words in wrapper and template]

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Looking Forward by Looking Back: Best Portfolios

Posted: June 19th, 2009, 11:12pm EDT by pab

In this post, I'm listing up the best student portfolio posts from last year. I'd like you to browse through them all, to get a clear idea of what's ahead in Writing III and IV, namely course portfolio development.
The portfolio posts listed below show how proto-portfolios fit in to provide an overview of your blogging each semester. They also show how course portfolios comprise both showcases of, and reflections upon the work you do in our Writing Studio.
Granted, the examples below are la crême de la crême, which makes this post a showcase of showcases. Nevertheless, your predecessors were able to achieve such developments without the benefit of a preview like this. Given this preview, you should be able to equal or exceed your predecessors' achievements.

§1A: Best in Show (2008-09)

§1C: Best in Show (2008-09)

I'll be reworking the portfolio template again, to try to eliminate a few more bugs in it, and to tailor it to fit your work this semester. I'll make a revised template available as soon as possible, so you can start building yours between essay assignments. In the mean time, please feel free to post impressions, observations, or questions regarding course portfolios, in comments on this post.
[214 words]

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Notes for excused (2009.06.17), reminders for all

Posted: June 18th, 2009, 9:31pm EDT by pab

This post includes three rough but ready snapshots of class notes, for those students who were away yesterday for student teaching (or other excused absences). These notes also may serve as reminders for everyone else in the Writing Studio this semester - reminders on which I urge you not to become dependent!

Pointers and reminders (P & R),
A collective outline of themes evident in the movie (from §1C), and
Individual essay outlines (topic outlines [classwork, 2009.06.17]).

Pointers and reminders (P & R)

Collective outline of themes

Individual essay outlines

Clicking on the snapshots above will reveal larger displays. As always, if you have concerns or questions about these notes or reminders, please spell them out in comments on this post.
[112 words]

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Present Progressive Quiz

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 10:13pm EDT by pab

This is a quick grammar quiz [that] I gleaned from Carla Arena's blog (Collablogatorium, 2009.06.04). Try it out (Start button), and let me know how you do, and what you think, in a comment on this post.

&amp;lt;a href="http://mystudiyo.com/act89499/mini/go/present_progressive"&amp;gt;present_progressive&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; [36 words]

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Follow-up on classwork from June 6

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 4:52am EDT by pab

For those of you who had excused absences for student teaching, or were unable to attend an entire studio session on Saturday, June 6, 2009 (during a regular class period, or an earlier one), and let me know in advance; I'm compiling snapshots and follow-ups from class notes. The first three images below will illustrate three parts of the meal served to those who were present:

Antipasta (Reminders)
Prima piatto (Tasks underway)
Secondo piatto (Next steps)

The two snapshots that follow amplify the reminder regarding typing speed trials [which you may view directly only if the typing homework spreadsheet owner grants viewing privileges].

Typing track records for §1A (2009.06.08)
Typing track records for §1C (2009.06.08)

Antipasta

Prima piatto (Tasks underway)

Secondo piatto (Next steps)

Sadly, there never seems to be enough time for dessert!

Typing track records, §1A (2008.06.08)

Typing track records, §1C (2009.06.08)

That's about it! If you have concerns or questions about the reminders , classwork, or homework from our June 6 meetings, please spell them out in comments on this post.[159 + 15 words]

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Writing Studio Calendar: Past and current assignments

Posted: May 27th, 2009, 3:50am EDT by pab

In this post, I am displaying two event descriptions from the Writing Studio Calendar. You should have received invitations to both event[s] via gmail, the latest, today (2009.05.27):

Essay_1.02a: Univ. Life essays due on blogs (2009.06.01), and
Essay_1-01b: Revised letters of intro. due (2009.04.20).

The content of these representations (with permission of their owner, me;-) is essentially the same as that in the descriptions on the calendar. The main reason that I am posting them here is only one of over forty invitees accepted the first event invitation from Google Calendar. I hope [a] few more of you pick up on the latest one. Though I've spiffed them up a bit with formatting and hyperlinks, I'm counting only the words in this preface for this blog post.
[130 words, + 1 {2009.06.05}]

Essay_1.02a: Univ. Life essays due on blogs (2009.06.01)

Completed essays, approximately 300 words in length:
Published on individual blogs;
Reflecting on university life from personal, inter-personal, and extra-personal perspectives:
Consisting of five (5) or more paragraphs (¶¶), each five (5) or more sentences in length;
Including an overview of main points in the first ¶ (introduction), and a summary of main points in the final ¶ (conclusion);
Developing main points separately in three (3) or more body ¶¶ reflecting main topics we brainstormed individually, and mapped together in class: MindMaps: Main Branches, §§1a and 1c (Writing Studio Blog, 2009.05.27).
If you have concerns or questions about this assignment [University Life essays], please share them via comments on the MindMaps post....

Essay_1-01b: Revised letters of intro. due (2009.04.20)

Revised and extended versions of draft letters of introduction to host families are due in new posts on your blogs. They should include extra information that you've already posted in response to comments and questions from your classmates on your blogs. These revised versions should consist of at least five separate paragraphs, and be approximately 300 words in length.

Your revised essay posts should have catchy and descriptive titles, and appear with:
accurate word counts in their lower left corners ("[n words]"), and
at least these two labels (also shown in sidebar widgets):
essays
revisions
Earlier versions of those letters, typed up from hand-written placement essays (March 25, 2009), were due on your blogs April 8, 2009, and _must_ also include the first label, "essays," in order for you to get credit for this assignment.

If you have concerns or questions about this assignment, please spell them out in comments on the following post: Reminders of classwork and homework (Writing Studio Blog, April 15, 2009).

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MindMaps: Main Branches, §§1a and 1c

Posted: May 27th, 2009, 1:56am EDT by pab

The images below represent products of individual brainstorming and collective mind-mapping around the current essay topic, university life, in classes that met this morning (2009.05.27). This post includes one image from each section meeting: §§1a and 1c, respectively. Your decisions regarding what main points to include in your essays should reflect foci from the main branches of these mind maps.

[61 words]

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New Course Link: Letter Writing

Posted: May 26th, 2009, 4:04am EDT by pab

There is a new resource listing in the Writing Studio Blog sidebar (Course Links), a new section of the LTD Project Wiki focusing on letter writing, and friendly letters:

[29 words]

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Missed classes recently? (2009.05.13)

Posted: May 13th, 2009, 3:47am EDT by pab

What did you miss? Perhaps some or all of this:

-1. Recordings of first essays (2009.04.22)

Audacity files, converted to MP3s, saved with accurate filenames; and
Dropped into individual Recordings folders (on campus).

0. File-renaming

I've standardized the names of files accessible for embedding in your blogs to:

VWXYZessay1.mp3,

where VWXYZ represents the last five digits of your student number. I also created a new directory for each class. If you already embedded your recording in a blog post, you will need to revise the HTML code in it. Please ask your instructor in class for details.

1. Free-writing: What I learned in Writing I and II

Reflect on previous courses; answer the following questions in a post on your blog:

What did you learn about writing;
What did you learn to do; and
How did you learn to do it?

2. Best essays: Self-introductions

Browse all of your classmates’ blogs (Writing Studio Wiki, §2.3); decide which of their self-intro. essays is the best.

3. Free-writing: Qualities of good writing

Reflect on the essay that you thought was best; answer the following questions in a post on your blog:

Why did you think the essay that you chose was good?
What characteristics do good English essays share?
What about other types and styles of writing: In general what makes writing good – in any language?

Homework:

Continue routine blog posts (3-5 per week), including

Brief, original book reviews, and
Products of typing speed trials.

Begin thinking about the next essay topic: University Life.

[264 words]

PS: If you have questions or concerns about anything in this post, please spell them out ASAP in comments on this post.
[+ 22 words]

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"Listen to English - learn English: the podcast website ...

Posted: May 12th, 2009, 1:51am EDT by pab

... for people learning English" (title and tagline). This website presents prepared texts accompanied by audio recordings (MP3s) about three times a month on various topics of interest. Colloquial expressions, cultural notes, customs and traditions, ...; you name it, and you may be able to find it!

Can you imagine 40 to 50 thousand people all listening to Peter Carter, of Birmingham, England (Author and Copyright, 2005.12.25), at the same time? Recent recordings show download histories numbering in the tens of thousands. Apparently plenty of English learners and teachers around the world are making this one of their favorite sites. The visitor map in the sidebar indicates that there have nearly 17,000 visitors already this month, and over a million site visitors since 2006 (Visitors [ClusterMaps], Listen to English sidebar, 2009.05.12).

The quality of the recordings that I've sampled is impeccable, and the delivery, deliberate. However, the sophisticated language Carter uses might challenge intermediate level learners, especially those who give the MP3s a go without pre-reading his scripts or reading along while listening.
[172 words]

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Reminders of classwork and homework

Posted: April 15th, 2009, 10:07pm EDT by pab

In classes today, I gave tours of this Writing Studio Blog, pointing out elements at the head, foot, and side of the blog display. At the head of the blog, I pointed out the over-large image behind the title and description, and a smaller image (top right) that is a button to use whenever you want to return to the home page. I've removed that large image already.

I also showed where the Search field was, in the navigation bar (navbar, for short) at the top of the page. You can use that to find specific words or phrases that writers have used in their blog posts. You should note, however, that if you or the authors of the blogs you are searching fail to spell key words accurately, you may not find what you are looking for. For example, when students misspell the word "essay" as "essey," or "home stay" as "fome stay," those keywards are difficult if not impossible to find.

At the foot of the Writing Studio Blog, I pointed out the Creative Commons license, which grants visitors limited permission to reuse what they find on this blog, and two reference tools, in particular:

a graphic thesaurus, free for use on the KGU campus, and
an online dictionary, providing English definitions of English words.

(For more online references tools, please see the Writing Studio Wiki, Vocabulary References page.)

Key elements in the Writing Studio Blog sidebar that I encouraged all students to add to their own sidebars ASAP include:

a monthly archive, hierarchy style, showing post titles (Dashboard: Layout: Configure Blog Archive, above); and
a labels display (Dashboard: Layout: Configure Label, below).

Archives and labels displayed in your sidebars offer visitors two more ways (in addition to keyword searches and reverse chronology scans) to find interesting posts on your blogs, such as your essays and book reviews.

So much for the anatomy of a blog! Now let me remind you of the homework.

1. Use catchy, descriptive titles on all posts!

2. Add two or more labels to every one of your posts.

essays (for completed essays)
revisions (for rewritten essays)
...

The list goes on. For a full range of suggestions, please see those in the spreadsheet at the foot of this blog (Labels in Action).

3. Post a rewritten essay: a revised letter of introduction to a host family, in new post on your blog, including:

extra information (info.) requested or suggested in comments from classmates or peers on your draft essay.
extra info. that you thought was interesting and informative in your classmates' essays - personalized, of course, for the purpose of introducting yourself to a host family.

4. Complete another book review (BR 1-02: Short Title); keep posting one or more reviews per week during the semester (12 or more, total)

5. Make at least one other blog post this week, for a total of three to five (or more) blog posts every week.
[489 words]

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Writing Studio Bulletin: WSB 1-00 (2009)

Posted: April 7th, 2009, 5:07am EDT by pab

Hi! If you are reading this the same day that I post it, more power to you!

This Writing Studio Bulletin, WSB 1-00 (2009), is a sneak preview for the beginning of spring semester. The first snapshot below illustrates a couple of the settings that I'll ask you to enable on your own blogs in class tomorrow, with the help of laboratory assistants. The second shows a collapsed outline that I'll open and talk you through, step by step, as you start (or better yet, resume) blog posting this spring semester.

Please keep in mind that the best time and place to ask questions about your course, and get what help you need, is in class - where your classmates, the lab. assistants, and I can help you. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing from you there!

Of course, if you have questions or concerns about past or future bulletins like this, or other posts on this blog, you are always welcome to spell them out in comments on the posts to which they relate. A classmate or a peer may even drop by before I do, notice your comment or question in the Recent Comments feed at the top of the sidebar, and be able to help you along with a follow-up comment or face-to-face advice.

[221 words]

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World Water Day: March 22

Posted: March 18th, 2009, 4:04am EDT by pab

The General Assembly of the United Nations made March 22 World Water Day in 1992 (IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, About World Water Day, 2005.02.10), and the World Water Day theme for 2009 is transboundary water (IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, World Water Day, 2009.02.25). To find out more about how important water is to people around the world, please check out either or both of these sites:

Water drop graphic (above) courtesy of
William Vann's EduPic Graphical Resource for Educators.

[88 words]

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Dreadfully Slow Blog-Loading Syndrome

Posted: February 13th, 2009, 1:05am EST by pab

In case you experience dreadfully slow blog-loading syndrome: DreSloBloLoSyn, for short (try saying that three times quickly;-); there are things you can do other than buy a new computer, or find an ISP that offers greater bandwidth. This Blogger Help page explains several steps you can take:

How can I make my blog load faster?

With all the bells and whistles that some of you have added to your blogs this year (me, too!), that help page may be a timely read.
[83 words]

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Additional Course Link: Sentence Structure Cmap

Posted: January 30th, 2009, 10:31pm EST by pab

Wordle image from partial text of Sentence Structure Cmap

Wordle image created 2009.01.30

While listening to a Green Room interview about graphic organizers (Episode 54, 2008.12.01), and following up on a related Learning Times discussion thread, I discovered an online resource that may interest those of you who have expressed concerns about your own grammatical accuracy. It's a concept map created with a powerful yet free computer application called IHMC CmapTools.

Tammy Moore, a registered Learning Times community member, listed the Sentence Structure Cmap, an example of students' work which I've already added to the Course Links in the sidbar, as "middle school level - English/Grammar/Sentence Structure" (Using Graphic Organizers?, 2008.12.04 [registration required]). If you're interested either in the grammar it represents, or in visual, hypertextual representation possible with CmapTools, please check it out.
[122 words]

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[wordle.net]

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Free Ebook Downloads from WOWIO?

Posted: January 22nd, 2009, 12:51am EST by pab

On the final, several of you expressed plans or resolutions to keep reading extensively. So thanks to Mr. T. for pointing out this e-book site just in time to share it with you all before spring recess. He suggests, "the children's section has a number of books that would be suitable for extensive reading" (personal correspondence, 2009.01.22), which I hope you'll keep doing on your own during the recess.

I note that the WOWIO page for children offers useful catalog views by subject, target age group, and publisher, and lists the top 10 books in the sidebar (left). The main part of the page highlights recent releases, staff favorites, and a featured book for the (day/week/month[?]). If you're looking for easy and interesting books to read before classes begin again next April, this seems like a place to start:

WOWIO: Children | Free Ebook Downloads

Be forewarned, however, that the page title (above) may be misleading. Access to the books appears to be free only if you read them online. Titles that I've perused with links for downloads all bear a price, for example $4.99 (USD, I gather) for:

Fandel, Jennifer. (2005). Pablo Picasso. Mankato, Minnesota:
The Creative Company. [51 pp., ISBN: 1-58341-331-6]

(APA formatted reference
and publisher location
courtesy of pab)

To buy downloads, or to access a library of your own on WOWIO, you need to register as a user. The hook for new users suggests that some downloads may be sponsered (free of charge), and that users get bookmarking privileges for online readings (Create a WOWIO Account).

Online book pages are capped and shod with Ads by Google. Thus, at a readable font display size on a 23-inch widescreen monitor (resolution: 1344 x 840), viewing entire pages requires scrolling down each time you change pages - not a particularly user-friendly layout. Whether "other members-only features" promised on the account creation page (or downloads that you purchase) allow ad-free, minimal-scrolling viewing is anyone's guess. If you do sign up and find out, please let us know in a comment on this post.
[355 words]

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Writing IV, §1c: Reflecting Pool (11:00-12:00)

Posted: January 21st, 2009, 6:45pm EST by pab

Members of Writing IV, section 1c (only):

After reading and following the instructions for the Writing IV Exam: Instructions for §§ 1a and 1c (a separate post, 2009.01.21, 09:00 JST), please post your final essay in a comment on this post before the end of the examination period (11:00-12:00).

Thank you for your cooperation.

PS: This post replicates a previous post for section 1a; only the section designation and times in the title are different.
[+21 words]

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Writing IV, §1a: Reflecting Pool (09:30-10:30)

Posted: January 21st, 2009, 6:15pm EST by pab

Members of Writing IV, section 1a (only):

After reading and following the instructions for the Writing IV Exam: Instructions for §§ 1a and 1c (a separate post, 2009.01.21, 09:00 JST), please post your final essay in a comment on this post before the end of the examination period (09:30-10:30).

Thank you for your cooperation.
[54 words]

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Writing IV Exam: Instructions for §§ 1a and 1c

Posted: January 21st, 2009, 6:00pm EST by pab

In a short essay, from three to five paragraphs in length, please reflect upon, analyze, and synthesize:

What you expected to learn, and
What you learned in Writing IV, §1a or 1c;

What you learned in Writing IV, §1a or 1c, and
What you still need to learn in order to improve your own writing.

For full marks, write at least one paragraph five sentences or more in length on each main point:

What you expected to learn, and why;
What you learned in Writing IV, and how; and
What you still need to learn to improve your own writing, and when.

Use the mind map in the graphic above as a guide (WritingIVexam2009a.png). If you double-click on the graphic, a larger image will display.

Post your essay in a single comment on the Writing Studio Blog post earmarked for your class section, during the exam period:

I suggest that you compose your essay in Microsoft® Word, where you can check grammar, punctuation, and spelling before posting it as a comment on the Writing Studio Blog. You will be unable to edit your essay after you post it as a comment.

Please leave yourself plenty of time to post your essay as a comment on the appropriate reflecting pool post for your class section, and check to confirm posting, before the end of the exam period.
[245 words]

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Eco Certification Exams (Tokyo)

Posted: January 18th, 2009, 11:53pm EST by pab

Has anyone heard about an eco certification exam? I caught just a quick blurb about it on NHK back in December (2008.12.21), but mis-placed my notes over the holidays. I guess it's not that new, because an English learner's diary mentioned it over a year ago (Haruiro, 日々英語ーDiary in English, Eco Test, 2007.12.16).

The link to the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) site from Haruiro's post is still active (検定試験情報: eco検定試験 [kenteishikenjouhou: ecokenteishiken - information about certification exams: the eco certification exam]). The TCCI page calls it the Certification Test for Environmental Specialists, the Eco Test for short, and indicates that the fifth administration of the test took place on the same date as the NHK broadcast. Though the site doesn't show administration dates for 2009 yet (last updated 2009.01.09), I guess the next test will be in June or July.

Certification is one aspect of employment candidates' dossiers that potential employers examine, even for students coming or returning to Japan from abroad (Nippon Foundation Library, 2003, 外国人・帰国生徒のための進路説明会資料 [gaikokujin・kikoku seito no tame no shinro setusmeikai shirou - materials for non-Japanese and returning Japanese students' course (of study) briefings], Structure of the Educational System in Japan). I wonder whether any of you have considered going for certifications such as the Eco Test, in addition to exams such as English language tests that you can take closer to home.

If you have, please feel free to share your thoughts about certifications for future jobs in comments on this post, or in posts linking back to this one from your own blogs.

[256 words]

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New Sidebar Gadget: Followers

Posted: December 18th, 2008, 8:17pm EST by pab

A new Blogger gadget that I've just added to the sidebar opens another avenue of access to Writing Studio Blog updates. It's down to the right, between Local Favorites and Subscribe via gmail (now Get mailed!) gadgets. It's the green starred item in the sidebar Layout screenshot (right).

The first avenue for notification of updates was subscription via mail functionality provided by Feedburner, which I blogged up last January (Subscribe via Gmail Today!, 2008.01.10). You may have missed that, if you failed to read up on previous posts as I suggested at the beginning of Writing III. Some folks prefer mail notifications; others depend upon handy lists of links to favorite sites in their own sidebars, or feed readers there or elsewhere (for example: Google Reader).

Now signing up to follow a blog generates an RSS feed in your own Dashboard, and there are at least two ways to get started. One works for any Blogger blog (though it doesn't seem to work on Edublogs, at least not right away); you just grab the URL of a blog you want to follow, and "ADD" it to your Dashboard Reading List. Here's a snapshot of the list I've started:

The "ADD" button is at the foot of your list.

The other way to follow a Blogger blog is to find one you want to follow that displays a Followers gadget. You can subscribe through the gadget, and updates from that blog will automatically appear in your Dashboard Reading List. For more info. about following, including private or public following options, I recommend these Blogger Help Center posts:

[279 words]

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Writing IV: Portfolio, §§1a & 1c (template)

Posted: December 16th, 2008, 8:02pm EST by pab

This portfolio template is for you to:

Copy with permission, under license from the Writing Studio Blog (License, below);
Paste into a new post on your own blog;
Complete with data from, and reflections upon, the body of your writing on your blog for Writing IV, section 1a or 1c; and
Publish with the label "portfolios" (plural, without quotation marks).

Your complete portfolio for this semester is due – published and labeled on your blog – by Monday, December 22, 2008 (17:15, JST).

///// Beginning of template (Copy from "End ..." [below] to here.) /////

Student ID: vwxyz
Please replace "vwxyz" (above) with
the last five digits of your student number
(without quotation marks).
Portfolio for Writing IV,
Section 1a OR 1c

[Please delete the unsuitable class section and "OR" (above), along with this line of remarks.]

(See: Note 1, below)

0.0. OverviewReviews, Posts, Words, and More
(See: Note 2, below.)

[Please embed your proto-portfolios here; then remove this line of remarks, including the square brackets.]

1.0. Essays
(See: Note 3, below.)

Please complete this table with data gathered from essays on your blog. See the Key (below) for definitions of the symbols in row one, and complete columns four through nine with numerical values (0, 1, 2, 3, ...).

1.1. Showcase	Short titles with links	Dates yy.mm.dd	¶	W	C	L	P	M
Website review 08.09.29 (375+ words)
Favorite place(-s) 08.10.20 (450+ words)
Mrs. Doubtfire 08.11.04 (500+ words)
Community life 08.11.17 (default length*)
Kumamoto's best-kept secrets 08.12.01 (5+ ¶¶)
Learning with computers 2008.12.15 (6+ ¶¶)


Totals	---	---

Key:
¶: number of paragraphs five (5) or more sentences in length
W: number of words
C: number of comments
L: number of links
P: number of photos or other graphics
M: number of other media included in post
*: "long enough to cover the ... [communities] you choose," Writing Studio Blog, Preparation for Next Essays, 2008.10.29)1.2. Best EssaySelection and Assessment: Which of those six assigned essays do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, focus on your writing, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets, then identify your best essay, and write out your reasons for selecting it here.]

2.0. Comments

Showcase	Titles of posts with links	Dates of comments yy.mm.dd	Numbers of words in comments	Qualities of comments**
2.1. Your first comment on your instructor's blog*
2.2. Your best comment on a classmate's blog*
2.3. Best comment by a classmate on your blog*
2.4. Most comments on:	Titles of posts with link	Dates of posts yy.mm.dd	Total number of words in comments	Qualities of comments**
2.4.1. Any one of your essays*
2.4.1.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---		---	---
2.4.1.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---
2.4.2. Any of your other posts*
2.4.2.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---		---	---
2.4.2.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---

----------
* Current semester comments on essays and other posts
** Please list the most important qualities of comments on each type of blog post. That is, explain briefly what makes them good comments.

2.5. Recent comments display
Does your blog display recent comments from blog visitors in a prominent location, for example, in a sidebar, header, or footer widget? Where, or why not? Please explain.

2.6. Additional reflections on comments

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets; then write out your reflections on both giving and receiving comments here.]
....

3.0. Book Reviews

3.1. Showcase	Short titles with links	Dates (yy.mm.dd)	Words	Comments
Example:	Vampire Killer	07.05.16	39	1
2-01
2-02
2-03
2-04
2-05
2-06
2-07
2-08
2-09
2-10
2-11
2-12
2-13
2-14
2-15
2-16
2-17
2-18







---	---	Totals:

Note: Please calculate and list book review Totals for words and comments without including those from the example (above).

3.2. Best Book ReviewSelection and Assessment: Which of those book reviews do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, focus on your writing, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

[Please remove these remarks, including the square brackets; then identify your best book review, and write out reasons for selecting it here.]

4.0. Blog Layout, Labeling, Linking, & Media

Showcase	Yes	No
4.1. Does your blog display an archive?
4.1.1. Does the archive display the titles of posts?
4.1.2. Is the archive organized by month?
4.1.3. Is the archive at or near the top of the sidebar?
4.2. Does your blog have labels displayed in sidebar?
5.2.1. Do your labels include these required labels (typed accurately):	---	---
"books" (plural) AND "reviews" (plural)
"essays" (plural) AND "portfolios" (plural, without "proto-")
"quickposts" (plural, with no space between quick and posts)
"links" (plural) AND "media" (plural)
"movies" (plural) AND "websites" (plural)
"brainstorms" (or "brainstorming"), "essay prep.," AND "free-writing" (or "free-writes")
4.2.2. Does your sidebar display other labels?
How many other labels have you attached to three (3) or more posts? ___ other labels attached to three or more posts	---	---
Which labels, and to how many posts each? Please list those labels instead of www, xxx, yyy..., and list numbers of posts instead of n, m, o... (in parentheses), below. www (n) xxx (m) yyy (o) zzz (p) ...	---	---
4.3. Links & media	---	---
4.3.1. Does your blog include photos or other graphics?
Does your blog profile include a photo or graphic representation?
How many of your blog posts this semester include photos or other graphics? ___ posts including photos or other graphics	---	---
4.3.2. Does your blog include posts with multiple links?
How many of your posts this semester include three (3) or more links? ___ posts including three or more links (including this portfolio!)	---	---
4.3.3. Does your blog include other media?
How many of your blog posts this semester include other media? ___ posts including other media	---	---
What kind(-s) of media have you included in posts this semester? Please list the kinds here: ... ... ...	---	---
What media content that you originally produced, if any, do your blog posts for this semester contain? Please list and explain each item briefly, and add short links and dates (yy.mm.dd) for reference. ... (short link, date) ... (short link, date) ... (short link, date)	---	---

4.4. Overall presentationWhat have you done to enhance the overall presentation of your blog? List and explain the three most important content, display, formatting, layout, or other presentation changes that you have made on your blog this semester.

5.0. Additional reflections on your blog and your writing on it
Please feel free to include reflections on both spring and fall semester work, as well as on the content of this portfolio (proto-portfolios, showcases, and reflections).

6.0. Advice and suggestions for yourself, your peers, and your successors

____________________
Notes:

This portfolio template derives from the templates for Writing IIIc and Writing IVc portfolios (2007-08), and Writing III, §§1a & 1c (Fall, 2008).
Please use the same code in section 0.0 that you used to embed your proto-portfolios (PPFs) in the footer of your blog, which you should already have revised to display your 2nd (fall) semester PPF first.
The essays section (1.0. Essays, above) derives from Proto-Portfolio 2-02 (2008).

____________________
License:

This portfolio template is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please attribute to "the Writing Studio Blog" (without quotation marks).

///// End of template (copy from here to "Beginning ..." [above]) /////

[87 words (introductory remarks, only; other content derived
from previous templates and related sources)]

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People's Choice Podcast Award: Grammar Girl

Posted: December 16th, 2008, 6:00pm EST by pab

The winner of the 4th Annual (2008) People's Choice Podcasts Award in the category for education was Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. Grammar Girl is 2.5 year old show, hosted once a week by Mignon Fogarty, who is now exploring video podcasts.

I've already added a link to all episodes of Grammar Girl to the Course Links (favorite site list, sidebar). "Arra best," to Jim Smiley of the JALT Materials Writers group for pointing out the awards site (jaltmwsig, message 672, 2008. 12.11).

You can catch a promo. video and live interview with Fogarty @ 12:14-16:02 (that's minutes, not hours) in the 2008 Podcast Awards Winners! video below, or on blip.tv (December 6, 2008, People's Choice Podcast Awards Ceremony). The top 10 episodes of Grammar Girl focus largely on word choices, but also on grammar, punctuation, and style. Check her out!

Source: PodcastAwards.com
(retrieved 2008.12.16)
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Revised in Blogger
[159 words]

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Word Borrowed Perfectly: Japanese to English

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 9:09pm EST by pab

This post reflects a note I scribbled on a bit of paper while watching television months ago, October 28, to be precise. It was about a word borrowed from Japanese, and - if my ears had not deceived me after two listenings (17:00+ and 21:00+) - perfectly so into English.

I say perfectly, because an NHK News in English announcer's usage of the adopted word represented adaptation of a common, stand-alone Japanese noun generally unmarked for number, to make it into a plural noun marked with an -s, or rather, with the sound /-z/.

Can anyone guess what that word was? There will be a grab-bag surprise for the author of the first accurately spelled guess in a comment on this post by a current Writing Studio participant. You must appear in person during a class meeting to collect the prize.

Here is a bit of context from the note for a hint; the "It" refers to a letter reportedly discovered in Kumamoto:

"It had been sent to ...-s [n., pl.] of the Fukui domain."

Good luck brainstorming! Please post your best guesses in comments on this post.
[188 words]

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Learning with Computers (LwC): Class Outlines

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 1:58am EST by pab

The class outlines depicted below represent the main points that you should cover in the sixth essay assigned for this semester. We collected main points, topics, and sub-topics from individual lists of ideas that students brainstormed and posted as essay prep., brainstorms and quickposts in class, then combined related items and created hierarchies from them to construct working outlines.

The outline from Writing IV, §1a, is in two overlapping parts; the outline from §1c is in one part. If you click on the images (below), you can get full-size views.

LwC_outlines20081210_1a-1.png,
LwC_outlines20081210_1a-2.png, and
LwC_outlines20081210_1c-0.png

You should feel free to adopt ideas for topics and sub-topics from either class outline, and add your own supporting ideas (anecdotes, arguments, examples, opinions [, reasons {pab, 2008.12.11}]), but make certain to cover all of the main points from the outline for your own class. Details in the outlines, especially "Other...?", you may treat as variables.

LwC_outlines20081210_1a-1.png

LwC_outlines20081210_1a-2.png

LwC_outlines20081210_1c-0.png

If you have questions or concerns about how to use these outlines to compose and organize your essays, please spell them out in individual comments on this post well in advance of the due date (Writing Studio Calendar: 6th essays...). Finally, please remember to label all assigned essays, and only assigned essays, with the label "essays" (plural, no capitalization).
[216 words]

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Paragraphs for Review in Google Spreadsheet

Posted: December 9th, 2008, 6:12pm EST by pab

In this post I'm going to reflect upon and amplify work done online and in class in recent weeks. While I hope that you check your gmail regularly for course-related announcements, a recent reply to a two-week old message shook my confidence that all of you do so. For that reason, I'm posting these notes here, rather than relying completely upon another Google spreadsheet mail notification (forthcoming).

Those of you who reviewed paragraphs in the Google spreadsheet to which you posted them in November may have been unaware of general comments that I had added to row two before class last week (December 3rd, cells 2A-2I). In order to view lengthy comments there, when text wrapping was off, you would have had to double-click in each cell. For example, about titles, I wrote:

Please use accurate and catchy titles! There are confusing, inaccurate, and unnecessary alphanumeric code prefixes in this Title column [column E], for example: MR2-01 and Essay2-02 (no spaces before numbers). There also are titles that reflect assignments, but not the content of particular essays. However, please don't change titles here, unless you already have changed the title of your essays on your blogs, and are copying and pasting the revised titles in here. Titles should reflect content, theme, and focus. Accurate labels, for example, "essays" (... [three] Ss and one A), "movies," and "reviews," should suffice to convey other information instead of code (the exception to this rule is post titles for book reviews, for example: BR 2-01, ... -02, ... -03, ..., BR-12: [+ short book titles]).

(BestEssays_Self-Assessments..., cell 2E)

Since the focus of that data collection was weakest paragraphs in best essays as of November 19 (BestEssays_Self-Assessments form, item 3.e.), I am going to reiterate and amplify the follow-up questions from the spreadsheet that I announced in class on December 3rd, here, where there are layout options unavailable in Google spreadsheets (automated numbering and bullet points added, below):

Is what you've posted a paragraph?

If not, why not;
If so, how so?

[In other words, what constitutes a paragraph?]

What is the topic of the paragraph [that you felt was your weakest]?
Is the topic [of that paragraph] defined in the first sentence (topic sentence)?
Does all other information or opinion in the paragraph develop and support the topic?
Is there any information or expression of opinion in the paragraph unrelated to, or ... [which does not directly support], the paragraph topic?
Does the paragraph end with a sentence that reflects the topic and content of the whole paragraph?

(BestEssays_Self-Assessments..., cell 2I)

The purpose of question one (above) was to explore your definitions of paragraphs, in particular, to discover what you had learned about paragraphs from other courses. If you can remember or retrieve a definition of paragraphs from Writing I or II, please share it in a comment on this post.

Question two (above), as we found in one class on December 3rd, also can apply to single sentences that some students posted for the weakest paragraph item (spreadsheet, column I). Once you identify the topics of sentences in question, they can serve as foci for paragraph development. In the first example below, the pronoun "It" reflects the topic from the initial sentence, "home page" (spreadsheet, cell 26I). In both examples below, the phrasing suggestions in square brackets introduce supporting reasons the authors could use to develop their sentences into paragraphs:

¶6 Let's go to this home page! [It is very interesting, because….] (26I)
¶6 I think French is more difficult than English [for three main reasons. First, French....] (32I)

Questions three through six (above) indicate weaknesses common in novice writers' paragraphs, and can serve as general guidelines for paragraph development. I say guidelines, rather than rules, because even experienced writers occasionally diverge from them. For example, in short paragraphs, concluding sentences may be unnecessary to maintain readers' attention, especially if following paragraphs start with topic sentences, and comprise topics that are closely related to preceding ones.

I'd like to close this post with thanks and an invitation. That is, first, with thanks to the students who explained their weakest paragraphs in class last week. I appreciate your efforts to share thoughts about your writing in a language other than your vernacular. Next, to students whose writing did not come to the fore as examples in class last week, I extend this invitation to identify what you see as major weaknesses of the paragraphs that you posted to the Goggle spreadsheet in November. A good place to spell out those weaknesses would be in the new column K on the spreadsheet, where we can all read and compare them. Finally, thank you all for your cooperation in our writing studio, both in class and in various online venues.
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Two Exciting Typing Games

Posted: December 8th, 2008, 7:00pm EST by pab

Straight away, I'd like to thank Pukman@WinK, indubitable master of quickposts, for pointing out two exciting typing games in recent posts on his blog (Great typing games, and Class of December 5th, both 2008.12.05). One game offers intensive practice typing letters and numbers, and the other[,] similarly intensive practice typing words.

Alpha Attack - letters and numbers

from OnlyTypingGames (dot com), and

QWERTY Warriors - words

from HostileGames (dot com).

Hopefully you will transcend the kill-the-enemy prompts for both games, yet appreciate both the time pressure and accuracy requirements while you play. If the killing metaphor bears heavily on your conscience, you may wish to try some of the less hostile games at Only Typing Games.

In general, I suggest reading the instructions and starting out at easy levels, after you re-familiarize yourselves with locations of letter and number keys. You also may wish to mute the soundtracks on the games. I find muting the sound helpful in concentrating attention on the typing targets, and on the feel of touch typing. [Here is an example of the feedback from a quick go at one of the games:]

Neither of the games Pukman pointed out allows much time for hunt-and-peck keyboarding. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the challenges.
[198 words]

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Label Actions: Multiple Posts

Posted: November 28th, 2008, 8:24pm EST by pab

This post shows how to search for a keyword from your Blogger Dashboard, and then how to apply a label to all of the posts you find. You can follow the steps to apply a new(-er) label to old(-er) posts, as well as to correct the spelling or capitalization of existing labels.

The keyword in this example is a label that I had used only once; it was on a recent post. I noticed the label in the sidebar earlier today, "paragraphs (1)," and decided to use it on more posts.

Here's how:

To find all of the posts in which you use a keyword, type it into the search field under the Edit Posts tab in your dashboard, click on the search button, and check for results.

In this case, I found 29 posts containing the keyword, "paragraph" (singular). I was almost ready for label actions, which appear when you open the drop-down menu with a click on the small black triangle.

Possible actions include applying existing labels, such as "abbreviations" (above), adding new labels, and removing old ones.

The next step is to select the posts to which you want to apply label actions.

Since I was fairly certain that I wanted to add a particular label to all of the posts found in my Edit Posts search (Dashboard [illustrated above]), I selected them all. Another way you can select posts is to tick the boxes to the left of individual posts in your dashboard list.

After selecting posts (all or some), you scroll down the list of Label Actions and existing labels to find the action (and label) that you want to apply.

I chose to apply (add) the label, "paragraphs" (plural) to all of the posts that I'd found.

The results appeared in a caption above the search field.

Note: Blogger added labels only to 28 of the 29 posts [that] I'd found in a search of all posts (drafts, scheduled, imported, and published). The 29th post that I'd found already had the label I was applying.

If you want to change existing labels, the process is similar:

Click on the label that you want to change in the Labels sidebar (Dashboard: Edit Posts).

This works like the search of all posts (Dashboard: Edit Posts: Search), but looks only for existing labels on them.

Select ALL of the posts with the label that you want to change.

Scroll through Label Actions, and apply a different or new label.

If you want to correct your *spellling or *CaPiTaLiZaTiOn of existing labels:

Add correctly spelled and capitalized labels first.
Then remove incorrectly spelled or capitalized labels.

BEWARE: If you remove inaccurate labels before you apply accurate ones, it may be[-come] extremely difficult to find all of the posts again, especially if you have labeled them with words or phrases such as "essays" or "essay prep." that don't appear in the posts themselves.

[489 words {+ 3, 2008.12.11}]

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Did You Know? 3.0: Broadband for the Brain

Posted: November 28th, 2008, 7:51pm EST by pab

Are you in ... [a] broadband backwash [bayou], or [a beach in] Bermuda?

Source: [jp.youtube.com]
(buencaminos, November 07, 2008)

Where would you rather be? Get a load of the new stat's in this video, and find out!

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[40 words]

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How to Post via Mail [from your cell phone]

Posted: November 19th, 2008, 12:47am EST by pab

Use a Mail-to-Blogger Address!

///// [end of photo + text message from cell phone: 6 words (not including title)]

A number of students have reported having difficulty making many blog posts each week, partly because they haven't had access to their blogs from computers at home (no computers, or no internet connections). However, this shouldn't be a problem for anyone who has a cell phone (I believe I was the last person in the class to get one;-).

It is a simple matter to set your blog to receive posts via mail. You can find directions here:

Blogger Help... How do I post via email?

First, at a computer with internet access, you create a mail-in address in your blog Dashboard Settings: Email section from your username and a word you keep secret. While you are in the Mail-to-Blogger Address settings, you should decide whether you want your blog to save posts you send via mail as drafts posts, or to publish them immediately. I chose drafts, because I usually expect to get back on a computer again within a day or two (at most).

I learned how to do this in under five minutes, and had sent a picture to my blog from my phone within 10 more minutes--including time to add the mail-in address to my cell phone book, and to key in a short message, "Use a Mail-to-Blogger Address!" (above). It appeared among my blog posts as a draft:

Sending a cover photo and place-holder title (mail subject), for example: BR 2-10: Common Errors, would be a great way to get book reviews started, especially when you are away from computers, because you can always draft the text of your book reviews on paper to type in as soon as you get back to a computer. So blog on via mail!

[309 words]

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Essay Map: Composition Tool for Short Essays

Posted: November 18th, 2008, 8:26pm EST by pab

I've written this short piece in Essay Map to re-explore its advantages and rediscover the kinds of output available at the end of the process. Basically, there are three main advantages of preparing an essay this way. However, output options are few.

Visualization
Visualization is a powerful tool for realizing your objectives. With desired outcomes in mind, paths to achievement may clear. Essay Map helps you see the end from the beginning, and back again.

Organization
The purpose of this mapping tool is to show beginning writers ways of organizing and supporting their ideas. Although thinking is rarely if ever linear, conventional writing is. Organizing and supporting main points help readers understand writers' thoughts.

Facilitation
Paths on the map are easy to follow and retrace. Though Supporting Details frames lack topic specific headings for main ideas, an Essay Map enables you to review your introduction, main ideas, and supporting points with a few clicks as you are writing.

Essay Map makes it easy to collect and organize content for essays. The writing paths are easy to follow for step-by-step development of your main ideas. Though the displays are narrow, you can retrace your steps anytime, and review your entire map before you finish. To capture output, you need to print from the "Review my map" frame (and retype), or copy and paste text from individual input frames. Nevertheless, this is a cool tool for composing short five-paragraph essays!

[242 words]

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New Sidebar Link: Business Writing

Posted: November 15th, 2008, 2:46am EST by pab

To the Course Links list in the sidebar, I've added a new link. It leads to a new page deep in the LTD Project Wiki. Recent email updates from ULiveandLearn had reminded me of writing tips for business writers that I'd originally pointed out in a larger page on the LTD Project Wiki, Writing Resources.

Since that writing resources collection already had grown to the bursting point, and spawned separate pages from other sections, I decided to create a new page for the business writing tips, too. Then, to the new page (Business Writing), I added an RSS feed to automatically update the writing tips displayed on it. The tips there from ULiveandLearn focus in particular on writing email, for example, Why Format is Important with Email (2008.10.23).

However, many of those tips are readily applicable to other online writing media, for instance, blogs and social networking services, and to written communication of various kinds, such as report writing. They include suggestions for using non-sexist and reader-friendly language suitable for wide audiences. So I recommend browsing through them from the new Business Writing page, and reviewing the other LTD Project Wiki Writing Resources page, too.

[197 words]

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Green IQ Game and Carbon Footprint Calculator

Posted: November 13th, 2008, 8:23pm EST by pab

If you are an English language learner with intermediate or greater reading ability, who is able to tolerate a brain-numbing audio loop long enough to try it, you might play the Green IQ Game. It could teach you a bit about the impact your lifestyle has on the environment.

I learned of that game from a post on Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day blog (Test Your Green IQ, 2008.11.12), but I couldn't stand the music that started playing the moment I opened the game. So I won't embed it in this post. I removed a game like that from a previous post because it wasted bandwidth every time it loaded (Big Bob's Burger Joint..., 2008.09.04)) However, I will try [Green IQ] later with the speakers turned off. If you try it, please let us know what you think of it by leaving a comment on this post after you play.

If you're keen on a calmer, deeper, quieter, environmental consciousness-raising activity, you might try the the Carbon Footprint Calculator, instead. The Welcome screen in the calculator allows you to select a country (and locale) for comparison. Then on-site calculations based on your responses reflect impacts of certain human activities. The behaviors and preferences tracked relate primarily to housing and transportation, but also to fashion, food, shopping, and recreation.

Again, please feel free to share your reflections in comments here afterwards. I'd really like to know whether you find either the environmental issues or the language used (vocabulary, in particular) familiar or difficult to understand. I'd also like to hear whether playing the Green IQ Game or calculating your Carbon Footprint influences your thinking or motivates you to make changes in your lifestyle.Blogged with the Flock Browser
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[278 words]

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Happy Halloween!

Posted: October 30th, 2008, 10:02am EDT by pab

The following is a representation of a post from the Language Learner Development Project Blog (LLD Project Blog, Happy Halloween, 2008.10.31), a work licensed "under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License" (LLD Project Blog, License). I am reusing the copyright image in the original post with permission of the copyright owner. You can see the copyright notice if your hover your cursor over the photo below [in the actual Blogger post, not the Feedburner mail announcement], before clicking.

This is a quick, seasonal, website recommendation... for anyone ... interested in customs, history, and traditions: a History of Halloween minisite at history.com. I recommend the articles entitled Ancient History and Around the World, but there's much, much more on the site [including advertisements, games, and videos]. Just click on the link (above), or the picture (below), and go see for yourselves.

If you'd like to compare the Jack-0-Lantern in the photo above with his predecessors from last year, please check out either of last year's Halloween videos (Writing Studio Blog, Welcome Home Hallows, 2007.10.31).

[106 words excluding the block quotation]

Revised 2008.11.06
[+10 words]

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Posts in Preparation of Next Essays

Posted: October 29th, 2008, 2:01am EDT by pab

To prepare for upcoming essays, thematic movie reviews due next Tuesday (Writing Studio Calendar, 3rd essays due, November 4, 2008), last week I asked you to make two quickposts after you had viewed the movie to review, Mrs. Doubtfire:

A quick list of themes that you'd noticed in the movie, with the labels:

essay prep., lists, quickposts

A quick first impression of the movie, with the labels:

essay prep., free-writing, quickposts

In class today, I asked you to share items from those lists of themes found in the movie, and to reflect on themes shared in each class by making two (2) more quickposts, each on a theme shared in class. Please label your two in-class posts with at least these three labels: 1) essay prep., 2) free-writing, and 3) quickposts. If you wish, you may add the themes themselves to labels on these posts. If you click on the graphic (above), a larger format version will appear.

The purpose of free-writing in class today was three-fold, namely to:

demonstrate your fluency in writing on themes of your choice, and with or without reference to the movie;
lessen the number of weekly posts that you would need to write outside of class, so you can concentrate on outlining and drafting your essays this coming week; and
collect and publicize your thoughts relating directly or indirectly to themes in the movie.

Unfortunately, those of you who hadn't watched Mrs. Doubtfire had little other choice but to free-write without reference to the movie. All together, as of the end of class today, you should have had at least four (4) essay prep. posts on your blog leading up to your next movie reviews.

Between now and the due date for your thematic reviews of Mrs. Doubtfire, I would like you to make at least two more preparatory posts:

A topic outline of the theme from the movie, including the main points that you want to make about it, with the labels:

essay prep., and
outlines (a new label for most of you, I believe); and

A complete first draft of your essay, including:

a paragraph introducing the movie briefly, along with your choice of themes, and outlining the main points that you will make about your choice;
three or more body paragraphs explaining your interpretations of the theme (hopefully one evident throughout the movie), and supporting your interpretations with concrete, detailed examples from the movie; and
a concluding paragraph summing up your interpretations of the theme, and how you have supported your interpretations of it.

Students in both class meetings today asked how long these essays need to be. However they frowned at my stock answer, which is, "long enough to cover the themes you choose, and [to] support your interpretations of them." So I told all I would expect them to write at least 500 words, a round number that may suffice only if each and every word is on target, that is, on the themes that you choose from the movie.
[491 words]

PS: If you have concerns or questions about this assignment, please spell them out in comments on this post, well in advance of the due date. Though I will be away on business in Tokyo (Friday, Oct. 31 - Monday, Nov. 3), I will make every effort to respond in a timely fashion to comments made soon (before I leave).
[+ 59 words]

Original post revised 2008.11.06 [+ 1 word]

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Comment Chops for All [+ A Scavenger Hunt]

Posted: October 28th, 2008, 7:42pm EDT by pab

This post consolidates comments that I've attached recently to individual blogs, comments which apply, in general, to many more of your posts. I hope you will consider all of the suggestions in these three comments, reflect on them carefully in light of your own writing habits, and take them to heart in all of your blogging endeavors.

You may note that I am quoting liberally from my own writing (with permission;-), and making it clear in context (this explanation) and through layout (ellipses, block indentations, italics, and references; below) that I am using long quotations in this post, yet avoiding self-plagiarism. If you would like to see the passages that I'm quoting in their original contexts, you are welcome to take part in a blogging scavenger hunt (A Scavenger Hunt, below)

Book review content and organization, and word counts

Would you please review Mr. T's Book Review Recipe for advice regarding the content and organization of book reviews? Rather than retelling the stories you read, your writing should reflect your choices of books, your thinking about the books you choose (before and after reading them), whether you recommend them to your classmates and peers, and why. You also need word counts on every post.

(pab, 2008.10.28)

Titles, introductions, keywords, and vocabulary references

When you write several hundred words about any topic, it's really important to be clear about what it is going to be in the title, and in the introduction, too. There [in yours] you suggest, ....

It also is important to incorporate white space in your texts, between the paragraphs, to help readers find your main points quickly and easily. Even with a computerized search, I didn't find ... [a keyword from your title] in your post. Perhaps you can find ... [that keyword] in the Visual Thesaurus... [, which] I've listed on the Writing Studio Wiki (Vocabulary References), and displayed at the foot of the Writing Studio Blog.

(pab, 2008.10.28)

Grammar, spelling, and links

I wonder whether you have grammar and spell-checked this rewrite in a word processing program (OpenOffice, NeoOffice, or Word), and whether you know how to make URLs into active links in blog posts and comments. If something you've written gets flagged during a thorough grammar/spelling check, and you're not sure how to revise it, please ask in class.

(pab, 2008.10.28)

A Scavenger Hunt

If you would like to review the comments that I've quoted (above) in their original contexts on classmates' and peers' blogs, you are welcome to take part in a blogging scavenger hunt to find them. There will be a small prize for the first student in each class who informs me in class precisely whose blogs and which posts (blog handles, titles, dates, and times) display those comments on them.

[459 words, excluding title]

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Additional Proto-Portfolio Items

Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 6:51pm EDT by pab

For fall semester this year (2008-09), I'd like you to add two additional items to your proto-portfolio listings:

Original audio (line 14), and
Original video (line 15).

After you add those two new rows, below "posts with media" (line 13), please extend the calculated totals column from line 13 to line 15 (column H).
[56 words]

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Beating Blogger's Block and Citing Sources

Posted: October 10th, 2008, 8:14pm EDT by pab

An email newsletter I received recently suggests various ways to overcome writer's block. These may help you achieve or surpass blogging requirements for this semester. One of them is free-writing, which we did in class last Wednesday:

There are a lot of things you can do to get over writer's block: take a walk, freewrite, listen to music, take your laptop to the backyard, or read other people's blogs.

(Vox Talks, How to Beat Blogger's Block, ¶2, 2008.10.10).

That same newsletter also proposes a variety of topics that may provide you with interesting stimuli for quick-and-dirty, or more thoughtful and thorough blog posts:

Culture,
Entertainment,
Life,
Music,
News,
Politics, and
Technology

(Vox Talks, ... Blogger's Block, ¶3).

Notes:

In this post, I have included direct quotations from that newsletter to show you how you should make ideas that you borrow from other sources stand out from your own writing, in order to avoid plagiarism, and how you can help your readers find those (or related) sources to get more information.

The longer quotation (see: "¶2," above) comes from the second paragraph of the October 10, 2008, Vox Talks newsletter. It stands out from the surrounding text because it is in italics (i), [and] formatted as a block quotation (") with the Compose toolbar:

The other ideas that I've borrowed, the list of subject areas suggested in paragraph three of the newsletter (see: "¶3," above), I've reformatted as a list, and emphasized with bullets, again citing the source in parentheses.

For more examples of quotations and source citations, please browse previous posts that I've labeled "quotations" (sidebar: Labels).

[269 words, + 1 (2008.10.28)]
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Favorite Place(s): Brainstorm 02a

Posted: October 8th, 2008, 9:26pm EDT by pab

Quiet
Few or no other people
Sky
Stars
Clouds
Grass
Flowers
Comfortable chair
Cool (not hot) or cold
Fresh, crisp, cool or cold air
Cold beer or mulled wine
Music
Bluegrass
animals: birds, humming birds, insects, worms, cockroaches, spiders
[39 words]

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Favorite place(s): Brainstorm 01

Posted: October 8th, 2008, 7:52pm EDT by pab

These words and phrases are the outcomes of approximately 90 seconds of brainstorming, thinking out loud, while typing a list in a word-processing document.

Quiet
Few or no people
Sky
Stars
Grass
Fresh air
Comfortable
Cool (not hot)
Music
Outdoors
[41 words]

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WSB 2-01 (2008): More Blogging Advice

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 10:31pm EDT by pab

Ladies and gentlemen: Welcome to Writing IV!

This Writing Studio Bulletin, WSB 2-01 (2008), is the first for fall semester, 2008-09. Please read it carefully and completely, then take timely actions necessary on your part to follow the advice I'm offering to everyone. Doing so can enhance your participation in on- and off-line activities in Writing IV, §§ 1a and 1c.

Class blog lists

Please read and follow instructions in the notices at the head of these wiki pages:

Section a1

([winkhome.org])

Section c1

([winkhome.org])

Note: If you re-activate your blog, or change your blog handle, please let me know right away. If you fail to notify me, in person or in writing, you may miss out on credit for posts or comments.

Catchy blog post titles

As I pointed out in a separate venue earlier today, "Please remember to use accurate, attractive, and informative titles on every post" (pab, 2008.09.24, 10:26). Post titles become parts of the URLs for each post, and will continue to reflect typing mistakes even if you correct them later. Attractive and informative post titles appearing in archives, feeds, and other lists may catch visitors' attention, and interest them enough to read and even comment on your posts.

Spelling and grammar checking (before posting)

Blogger provides a spell-check button in Create Post windows (ABC√). You should use it when drafting, editing, and revising quick posts.

In comment creation windows, Blogger underlines mis-spelled words with red dots. You should correct those before posting, because it is impossible to edit comments in Blogger after you publish them.

For more thorough checking of both grammar and spelling of major posts, such as book reviews or essays, I urge you to draft and edit your posts in a word processor, and use all grammar and spell-check tools available before posting on your blogs.

Comments

Short comments such as "hello" (one I rediscovered today on a reactivated blog) are hardly helpful or informative, so neither the author nor the recipient should include comments like that in tallies for their proto-portfolios.

Please count only substantial (helpful, informative, inquisitive, sympathetic, supportive, ...) comments as in-coming and out-going comments for your proto-portfolios and portfolios. For previous advice on comments, please click on the label "comments" in the sidebar.

Labels (a.k.a. tags): Extending our list

For your upcoming website review essays, please use three or more labels: 1) essays, 2) reviews, and 3) websites, plus any other words or phrases (comma separated) that you are likely to use again to label other posts--past or future! You can add tags to previous posts if you reopen them for editing, and it is easy to reuse previous labels if you toggle the "Show all" link at the foot of post editing windows.

Another label that I now suggest you use on posts that you make in preparation for essays is "essay prep." (without the quotation marks). Posting essay preparation lists or notes, as well as draft essays, can help demonstrate deliberateness and originality in your work. Linking from essays back to drafts or other preparatory posts also may frame or highlight development of your writing skills. The Blogger labeling system allows you to use phrases (two or more words) as labels, as long as you separate them from other labels with commas. To review previous advice on labels, please click on the label "labels" in the sidebar.

Feedback welcome

If you have concerns or questions about any of this advice, or how to implement it, please write them up and share them in comments on this post.

[613 words]

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Wordle Word Clouds from RSS Feed and Bookmark Tags

Posted: September 19th, 2008, 1:50am EDT by pab

The image above, I've just created with Wordle, a web application that creates word clouds from a variety of sources: text clippings, URLs or page feeds, and even a set of social bookmarking tags. I used the FeedBurner feed for the Writing Studio Blog as the source for this image.

The screen shot above of a pop-out window from the web app. shows the Edit, Language, Font, Layout, and Color control tabs in the toolbar (top), as well as the Print, Randomize, and Save buttons (bottom). If you are creating word clouds of private or personal content, Wordle recommends against saving them to the public gallery in the Save to gallery dialog box.

The image below, I've created from a set of del.icio.us tags. The Wordle Create function automatically used a different layout than the one for the Writing Studio Blog feed (above). Though I'm uncertain how accurate or complete these illustrations are, they do add a visual flavor to the content itself.

Images created by the Wordle.net web application are licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
[wordle.net]

[188 words]

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Free Rice: website review

Posted: September 19th, 2008, 6:31pm EDT by pab

First of all, I'd like to acknowledge connections that enabled me to find this interesting website. In the mail queue yesterday morning was a weekly update message announcing over two dozen additional sites bookmarked by members of the LearningwithComputers (LwC) Group at Diigo, a group that the founder, Carla Arena, describes as "educators interested in sharing and learning about the power of technology" (Description, retrieved 2008.09.18).

That is just what I was doing as I browsed through the list of new bookmarks, after accepting an invitation to hookup through the group with Isabelle Jones, another member of the LwC. Interestingly enough, she had bookmarked a recent post on (one of) her blog(-s):

My Languages: Free Rice is Going Multi-Lingual and Cross-Curricular

In that post, she updates her review of a wonderful site that she reviewed about a year ago (My Languages, Test Your English and Feed the World, 2007.11.18). FreeRice is a partnership project involving the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University (Cultivating Free Rice, 2008.09.01), and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP, FreeRice web phenomenon – games for a new school term, 2008.08.31). According to the WFP, the Berkman Center now provides servers for FreeRice, and works with the website's creator to develop new adaptive quiz content for the site. Thanks to generous support of various sponsors, for every correct answer to quiz items, the site donates 20 grains of rice to the WFP.

Quizzes now come in a number of different varieties. For example there is one on English vocabulary, and another of English grammar. What's more, as Isabelle points out in her recent post, there also are quizzes in other languages and subjects:

French, German, Italian, and Spanish;
art, chemistry, geography, and math (FreeRice, Subjects).

The FAQ explains that sponsers pay the WFP directly:

FreeRice does not make any money from this. FreeRice is simply a website committed to the cause of ending hunger around the world. While it is not a registered non-profit organization, FreeRice is run entirely for free and at no profit. All money (100%) raised by the site goes to the UN World Food Program to help feed the hungry. Sponsors make all payments to the UN World Food Program directly.

(FreeRice, FAQ, Does FreeRice make any money from doing this?
Is FreeRice a non-profit organization?).

There are options that you can set on site either to display a running total of your winnings, or a fresh tally every time you visit the site. However, the aggregate total probably works only if you use the same IP address every time you take a quiz.

Each correct answer not only adds to your contribution, but also cranks up the difficulty of the quiz items that appear next. A note on the Subjects page indicates"the difficulty levels for new subjects will become more exact as more people play." Though incorrect answers will lead to easier quiz items, they will not decrease your contribution. You can find monthly totals since the site's launch here, along with daily totals for the current month, ready and waiting to include yours!
[525 words]

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NSF and the Birth of the Internet: a website review

Posted: September 8th, 2008, 2:31am EDT by pab

NSF and the Birth of the Internet is a special report from the U.S. National Science Foundation combining text, graphic, and video resources.

[www.nsf.gov]

The presentation begins with a spectacular introductory video splash that loads automatically. Low connection speeds or heavy local network traffic may delay downloading and display of audio-video elements. There is a prominent link that you can use to skip the splash.

The report itself covers contributions from various domestic parties involved in network development from the 1960s to the 2000s. Video-recorded interviews with three main contributors are accessible immediately following the splash. However, the central organizing scheme of the report is a time-line, in which each decade tab in the viewing frame covers up to half a dozen resources presented as menu buttons in the main viewing window.

Most resources covering the middle years (1970s-1990s) are short interview segments featuring people involved in technological and organizational developments. Most of the interviewees are male.

Text sidebars explain graphic selections and introduce video segments. Back and next buttons on resources when actually displayed would facilitate navigation without returning to decade menus. Transcripts are available for video segments, but replace videos and sidebars in the main viewing frame.

One auxiliary window in the viewing frame displays corresponding increases in numbers of network users and data transfer rates as you browse through the decades, while the link in another, which overrides the main video links displayed immediately after the splash, in turn over-rides both the main viewing window and decade tabs with schematic maps of U.S. network growth from 1969 to 2007.

Using the conveniently located close button on the maps returns you to your previous view of decade menu resources. There is also a separate list of resources, including PDFs and Wikipedia listings, accessible both through the report frame, and in text-only view:

[www.nsf.gov]
[www.nsf.gov]

The NSF site is accessible in text-only format, however it might take some time to find a corresponding location, such as this special report, from the top level of the site if you use the text-only link in the page footer outside of the report itself, rather than the one inside the special report viewing frame:

[www.nsf.gov]

I am grateful to George Siemens for his recent pointer to this interesting, government-funded report. I gather he gleaned it from Ray Schroeder's Educational Technology blog (Siemens, elearnspace, 2008.08.20). In the end, I'm wondering what individuals and organizations in the rest of the world were doing during the period of time covered by the NSF's special report.

Image source:
[www.nsf.gov]
(22 KB JPEG format)
Note: "No special permission is required from
the National Science Foundation to reproduce these images"
([www.nsf.gov], 2008.09.08).
[489 words]

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Big Bob's Burger Joint: Melting Mindz video game

Posted: September 4th, 2008, 3:28am EDT by pab

The link to this Melting Mindz video game, I gleaned from Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day (2008.09.03). He says the instructions are intermediate level. Please try it out, and tell us what you think in comments on this post.

... [Note: I've removed the Flash player that I had embedded here, because it was slow to load, and included a mind-numbing audio loop. Please use the link below if you would like to try out the Burger Joint game (pab, 2008.09.24).]

If the flash player doesn't seem to work here, or is too small for ease of viewing, you can try the game at its original location: Big Bob's Burger Joint (Melting Mindz).

That link is a recent addition to Larry's immense collection of resources grouped by themes, for example, food. Is it as fun as Larry says it is? If so, please let us know why you think so, and whether you find anything else of equal or greater interest among the other resources on his website.

[170 words (including: Note, above)]

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Writing III, Spring '08 Exam: Reflecting Pools 4-9

Posted: July 22nd, 2008, 7:00pm EDT by pab

The exam for this semester calls for written reflections (short essays) on three topics. You need to post original responses to the questions on each topic in separate comments on the Writing Studio Blog during the exam period. This post lists the locations for your comments. I've posted the topics and test items in a slide show, and provide a link to it below.

During the exam, I suggest that you compose and check your responses in Word. Then you can copy and paste your reflective responses into the comment windows on individual posts listed below.

You must be logged-in in order to post comments on the Writing Studio Blog. On occasion, students have reported difficulty logging in with Google/Blogger usernames and passwords, when they were ready to paste responses into comment windows. So you should go to your own blog first, and log in there before the exam begins.

If you compose more than one paragraph in response to individual items, please use two (2) keyboard returns to create white space between paragraphs in your responses. White spaces between paragraphs (not between related sentences) make it easier for readers to find your main points.

The table below contains links to locations at which to post reflective responses for each item during the regularly scheduled exam for Writing III, Spring 2008, §§ 1a and 1c (2008.07.23). For each item, there are two locations called Reflecting Pools, one for each class section. Please make certain to post written reflections for each item only once, and only at the appropriate locations for your section:

§1a: Reflecting Pools 4, 6, and 8, or
§1c: Reflecting Pools 5, 7, and 9.

Item one: Language Awareness
4. Section 1a	5. Section 1c
Item two: Technological Challenges
6. Section 1a	7. Section 1c
Item three: Personal Satisfaction
8. Section 1a	9. Section 1c
Reminder: Please post no more than one response for each item, and post only at the appropriate locations for your section.

Writing III, 2008.07.23, §§ 1a & 1cview presentation (tags: writing reflections essays)
Note: It the slide show fails to load inside this post, command+click the "view presentation" link (above).
[337 words]

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Nine (9): §1c

Posted: July 21st, 2008, 3:13am EDT by pab

Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Nine (9): §1c

Please post reflective responses to Item three (3): Personal Satisfaction, here:

only if you are in Section 1c, and
in only one comment on this post.

To get credit for responses to items 1 and 2, you must post them in comments on other Writing Studio Blog posts earmarked for your section:

Writing III, Spring '08 Exam: Reflecting Pools 4-9

[70 words]

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Eight (8): §1a

Posted: July 21st, 2008, 3:12am EDT by pab

Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Eight (8): §1a

Please post reflective responses to Item three (3): Personal Satisfaction, here:

only if you are in Section 1a, and
in only one comment on this post.

To get credit for responses to items 1 and 2, you must post them in comments on other Writing Studio Blog posts earmarked for your section:

Writing III, Spring '08 Exam: Reflecting Pools 4-9

[word count on Pool Nine post]

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Seven (7): §1c

Posted: July 21st, 2008, 3:11am EDT by pab

Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Seven (7): §1c

Please post reflective responses to Item two (2), Technological Challenges, here:

only if you are in Section 1c, and
in only one comment on this post.

To get credit for responses to items 1 and 3, you must post them in comments on other Writing Studio Blog posts earmarked for your section:

Writing III, Spring '08 Exam: Reflecting Pools 4-9

[word count on Pool Nine post]

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Six (6): §1a

Posted: July 21st, 2008, 3:10am EDT by pab

Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Six (6): §1a

Please post reflective responses to Item two (2): Technological Challenges here:

only if you are in Section 1a, and
in only one comment on this post.

To get credit for responses to items 1 and 3, you must post them in comments on other Writing Studio Blog posts earmarked for your section:

Writing III, Spring '08 Exam: Reflecting Pools 4-9

[word count on Pool Nine post]

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Five (5): §1c

Posted: July 21st, 2008, 3:09am EDT by pab

Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Five (5): §1c

Please post reflective responses to Item one (1): Language Awareness here:

only if you are in Section 1c, and
in only one comment on this post.

To get credit for responses to items 2 and 3, you must post them in comments on other Writing Studio Blog posts earmarked for your section:

Writing III, Spring '08 Exam: Reflecting Pools 4-9

[word count on Pool Nine post]

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Four (4): §1a

Posted: July 21st, 2008, 2:58am EDT by pab

Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Four (4): §1a

Please post reflective responses to Item one (1), Language Awareness, here:

only if you are in Section 1a, and
in only one comment on this post.

To get credit for responses to items 2 and 3, you must post them in comments on other Writing Studio Blog posts earmarked for your section:

Writing III, Spring '08 Exam: Reflecting Pools 4-9

[word count on Pool Nine post]

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Three (3 of [9])

Posted: July 18th, 2008, 4:05pm EDT by pab

Please carefully read the entire exam in the slideshow (Writing III, §§ 1a & 1c, 2008.07; below). Then post your written response to Reflection Item three (3, only) in an original comment on this post during the [early] exam period on July 18.... [For regular exams on July 23, there will be new posts on which to comment.]

| View | Upload your own
Responses to items one and two belong on separate posts, each earmarked for responses to a single item:

Reflection Item one (1): Reflecting Pool One (2008.07.18)
Reflection Item two (2): Reflecting Pool Two (2008.07.18)
... [this post]

Remember that complete explanations are better than short ones. The more details, examples, and reasons that you write out completely, organize logically, and express clearly, the better.

The wording for this post comes, in part, from a previous reflection stimulus (Reflections on Blog Portfolio Development, The Writing Studio Blog, 2008.01.29). You should not respond on that post.
[144 words]

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool Two (2 of [9])

Posted: July 18th, 2008, 4:00pm EDT by pab

Please carefully read the entire exam in the slideshow (Writing III, §§ 1a & 1c, 2008.07; below). Then post your written response to Reflection Item two (2, only) in an original comment on this post during the [early] exam period on July 18.... [For regular exams on July 23, there will be new posts on which to comment.]

| View | Upload your own
Responses to items one and three belong on separate posts, each earmarked for responses to a single item:

Reflection Item one (1): Reflecting Pool One (2008.07.18)
... [this post]
Reflection Item three (3): Reflecting Pool Three (2008.07.18)

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Writing III, Spring '08: Reflecting Pool One (1 of [9])

Posted: July 18th, 2008, 3:55pm EDT by pab

Please carefully read the entire exam in the slideshow (Writing III, §§ 1a & 1c, 2008.07; below). Then post your written response to Reflection Item one (1, only) in an original comment on this post during the [early] exam period on July 18.... [For regular exams on July 23, there will be new posts on which to comment.]

| View | Upload your own
Responses to items two and three belong on separate posts, each earmarked for responses to a single item:

... [this post]
Reflection Item two (2): Reflecting Pool Two (2008.07.18)
Reflection Item three (3): Reflecting Pool Three (2008.07.18)

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WSB 1-03 ('08): Early Exam Only for Early Departees

Posted: July 17th, 2008, 8:32am EDT by pab

In this Writing Studio Bulletin (WSB 1-03, 2008), I'm sharing a response to a clarification question that a student sent via gmail earlier today. She asked about the early exam tomorrow, and was lucky to catch me online. Here is a snippet from my response:

Thank you for writing, and asking about the early exam. The answer to your question is no. Students who are not leaving early, on university-sanctioned exchange programs [starting] before the regularly scheduled exam, cannot sit the early exam tomorrow (July 18, 2008). See you on July 23rd.

(personal correspondence, 2008.07.17)

[96 words]

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Multiple Intelligences: Class Results (Writing III, §§ 1a + 1c)

Posted: July 17th, 2008, 11:54pm EDT by pab

This multiple intelligences profile is an aggregate of responses posted by students in Writing III, section 1a and 1c:

Multiple Intelligences (Writing III, 2008)

The next two are females and males only:

Multiple Intelligences (Writing III, 2008, females)

Multiple Intelligences (Writing III, 2008, males)

The last two are for sections 1a and 1c, respectively.

Multiple Intelligences (Writing III, 2008, §1a)

Multiple Intelligences (Writing III, 2008, §1c)

How would you interpret these class results? Please post your interpretations in comments on this post. What patterns do you notice, and how do you explain them? Do you feel that these graphics accurately represent the collective intelligences of class members? Why or why not?

[111 words]
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Amplified in Blogger

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Third presentation display [+ design, + ...]

Posted: July 9th, 2008, 6:48pm EDT by pab

Here's version three of a brief personal history, with a design for the slides, additional graphics, links, and photos. It's ready for a sound track to make the slideshow into an oral presentation.

| View | Upload your own

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Multiple Intelligences: Explore Yours!

Posted: July 8th, 2008, 3:29am EDT by pab

You can read a bit about various intelligences, and take a survey to see how yours stack up here, at the Birmingham (UK) Group for Learning site (BGfL). To the right is a snapshot of my first go--not very Music Smart, eh?

Afterwards, if you add your reference code numbers directly to a Google spreadsheet to which I'll invite you via gmail, I'll be happy to compile them and generate some group intelligences profiles.

[75 words]

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listening - WebSlides

Posted: July 7th, 2008, 9:53am EDT by pab

collection various sources of listening material in an automated slideshow format

Saved By: WinK in Magnolia | View Details | Give Thanks

Tags: audio, listening, slideshow, video

Second temporary presentation display

Posted: July 2nd, 2008, 9:52pm EDT by pab

In this post is a temporary slideshow displayed before completion to demonstrate:

How to upload presentations from computer desktops or storage media into Slideshare collections,
Where to find slideshow codes at Slideshare for embedding presentations in blog posts, and then
How to copy and paste code selections from Slideshare into the HTML blog post editing window.

To polish this unfinished blog post just a little, I've switched back to Compose editing mode and, remembering to be careful not to delete the currently invisible slideshow (you can see it in Preview mode):

Centered the line containing the slideshow,
Centered the line of Slideshare viewing and uploading links following the slideshow,
Added a word count placeholder to the last line for when I complete the post, and
Moved the word count placeholder to the far right.

| View | Upload your own
[138 words]

Notes:

I've deleted the previous temporary presentation post, because the presentation uploaded for this [subsequent] laboratory demonstration was slightly more developed than that in the previous post. I've updated the presentation, uploaded the update, and replaced to code in this post with fresh code from Slideshare (from a new "Embed in your blog" field).
Before adding photographs to your presentations, or other blog posts, please make certain to obtain permission from all people in them to use their photos in your presentations and blog posts.
If you have concerns or questions about your own presentation project, please feel free to post them in comments on this post, or the preceding one: The Making of ... (2008.07.01).

If you post comments on either, be sure to enable follow-up notification via gmail on both posts. That way you'll hear about responses or other questions as soon as your classmates or I post follow-up comments on either thread.

[+128 words]

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The Making of Pangea to Kumamoto

Posted: July 1st, 2008, 6:13am EDT by pab

This quickpost is to showcase, temporarily, a presentation that I've just uploaded to Slideshare. The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate the process of converting an essay post into other media, an upcoming assignment. Though both the presentation itself and this post are subject to change, please feel free to preview it before class.

| View | Upload your own
[55 words]

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Writing Studio Blog Awards: Best Reviews (2008)

Posted: June 28th, 2008, 8:43pm EDT by pab

Ladies and gentlemen!

It is a pleasure to announce the winners of Writing Studio Awards for Best Reviews, 1st semester (2008). Nominees in each class (§§ 1a and 1c) who received the greatest numbers of appropriate and timely nominations from peers are the winners. In several of the categories, nominations resulted in two- or even three-way ties.

Best Title of the review post,
Easiest to Read and understand,
Most Informative or Opinionated,
Most Interesting or Unusual, and
Most Visually Appealing - best layout.

(Best Reviews 1.0, 2008.06.04)
powered by ODEO

The animated slide show below displays certificates that winners have received. Mousing over the slides themselves will display filenames including the initials of the (co-)winners. You can view them all on the Slide.com site (View All Images, below).

[124 words]

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Portfolio: Writing III, §§ 1a & 1c (template)

Posted: June 25th, 2008, 5:26pm EDT by pab

beginning of template [copy from here] /////
Student ID: vwxyz
(last five digits of
your student no.)
Portfolio for Writing III,
Section 1a [or] 1c
(See: Note 1, below)

0.0. OverviewReviews, Posts, Words, and More

[embed your proto-portfolios here]

(See: Note 2, below.)

1.0. Essays
(See: Note 3, below[.])

1.1. Showcase	Short titles [+ links]	Dates (yyyy.mm.dd)	¶	W	C	L	P	M
Self-introduction 08.04.20 (250 words)
Movie review 08.05.04 (300 words)
University life 08.05.18 (350 words)
Another review 08.06.01 (400 words)
Language learning history 08.06.15 (450 words)
Slideshow 2008.07.06 (five to ten slides)


Totals	---	---

Key:
¶: number of paragraphs five (5) or more sentences in length
W: number of words
C: number of comments
L: number of links
P: number of photos or other graphics
M: number of other media embedded
1.2. Best EssaySelection and Assessment: Which of those essays do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Please remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

[Remove these square brackets, including these remarks; identify your best essay, and write out reasons for selecting it here.]

2.0. Comments

Showcase	Titles of posts with links	Dates of comments (yyyy.mm.dd)	Numbers of words in comments	Qualities of comments**
2.1. Your first comment on your instructor's blog*
2.2. Your best comment on a classmate's blog*
2.3. Best comment by a classmate on your blog*
2.4. Most comments on:	Titles of posts with link	Dates of posts (yyyy.mm.dd)	Total number of words in comments	Qualities of comments[]
2.4.1. Any one of your essays*
2.4.1.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---		---	---
2.4.1.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---
2.4.2. Any of your other posts*
2.4.2.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---		---	---
2.4.2.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---

----------
* Current semester comments on essays and other posts
** Please list the most important qualities of comments on each type of blog post. That is, explain what makes them good comments.
2.5. Recent comments display
Does your blog display recent comments from blog visitors in a prominent location, for example in a sidebar, header, or footer widget? Where or why not?

2.6. Additional reflections on comments

[Remove these square brackets, including these remarks; write out your reflections on giving and receiving comments here.]

3.0. Book Reviews

3.1. Showcase	Short titles with links	Dates (yyyy.mm.dd)	Words	Comments
Example:	Vampire Killer	2007.05.16	39	1
1-01
1-02
1-03
1-04
1-05
1-06
1-07
1-08
1-09
1-10
1-11
1-12








---	---	TOTALS:

Note: Please calculate book review words and comments totals without the example (above).

3.2. Best Book ReviewSelection and Assessment: Which of those book reviews do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Please remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

[Remove these square brackets, including these remarks; identify your best book review, and write out reasons for selecting it here.]

4.0. Blog Layout, Labeling, Linking, & Media

Showcase	Yes	No
4.1. Does your blog have an archive?
4.1.1. Does the archive display the titles of posts?
4.1.2. Is the archive organized by month?
4.1.3. Is the archive at or near the top of the sidebar?
4.2. Does your blog have labels displayed in sidebar?
5.2.1. Do your labels include these required labels (typed accurately):	---	---
"books" (plural) AND "reviews" (plural)
"essays" (plural) AND "portfolios" (plural, without "proto-")
"quickposts" (plural, with no space between quick and posts)
"links" (plural) AND "media" (plural)
"movies" (plural) AND "photos" (plural)
4.2.2. Does your sidebar display other labels?
How many other labels have you attached to three (3) or more posts? ___ other labels attached to three or more posts	---	---
Which labels, and to how many posts each? Please list those labels instead of www, xxx, yyy..., and list numbers of posts instead of n, m, o... (in parentheses), below. www (n) xxx (m) yyy (o) zzz (p) ...	---	---
4.3. Links & media	---	---
4.3.1. Does your blog include pictures or other graphics?
Does your blog profile include a picture or graphic representation?
How many of your blog posts this semester include pictures or other graphics? ___ posts including pictures or other graphics	---	---
4.3.2. Does your blog include posts with multiple links?
How many of your posts this semester include three (3) or more links?* ___ posts including three or more links (including this portfolio!)	---	---
4.3.3. Does your blog include other media?
How many of your blog posts this semester include other media? ___ posts including other media	---	---
What kind(-s) of media have you included in posts this semester? Please list them here: ... ... ...	---	---

4.4. Overall presentationWhat have you done to enhance the overall presentation of your blog? List and explain the three most important content, formatting, layout, or other presentation changes or enhancements that you have made on your blog this semester.

5.0. Additional reflections on your blog writing

6.0. Suggestions for your peers and successors

____________________
Notes:

This portfolio template derives from the templates for Writing IIIc and Writing IVc portfolios (2007-08).
Please use the same code in section 0.0 that you used to embed your proto-portfolios in the footer of your blog.
The essays section (1.0. Essays, above) derives from Proto-Portfolio 2-02 (2008)

///// [copy to here] end of template
[no new word count,
more than 99% from previous template]

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

Attribute to "The Writing Studio Blog".

Yahoo Pipes: RSS on Steriods - Blended Learning and Instruction

Posted: June 23rd, 2008, 4:38pm EDT by pab

Eric Bryant notes, "... Pipes can translate [an] RSS Feed into Javascript code [that] can then [be] embedded [in] any website" (Blended Learning and Instruction Ning, June 11, 2008 at 6:34am).

Saved By: WinK Core in Magnolia | View Details | Give Thanks

Tags: APIs javascript RSS "Yahoo!(R) Pipes"

"The Machine is Us/ing Us" (Wesch, 2007)

Posted: June 19th, 2008, 7:43pm EDT by pab

Offering an illuminating perspective on writing for the 20th century, this TeacherTube version of Michael Wesch's video introduces "'Web 2.0' in just under five minutes" (2007). Please take a look, then share your feelings about it, or reflect a bit about blogging for your writing courses, in comments on this post.

Reference

Wesch, Michael. (2007.03.08). The Machine is Us/ing Us (Final Version). Retrieved June 19, 2008 from http://youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

[74 words]

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

Attribute to "The Writing Studio Blog".

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