Thursday, April 5, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Dr. Jones Introduction/Journal Entry
February 15, 2012
So far I think the class is going well. I think the students are beginning to trust themselves as writers (and as readers) and are becoming more aware of their own writing processes. On the other hand, I have noticed that some students have expressed heightened anxiety when they are constructing understanding when reading and writing in some of these asyncronous and syncronous mediums because they have had minimal to no opportunities to "acquire" and/or "learn" these strategies and skills prior to taking this class. Hopefully the scaffolding their peers and I are providing during these types of "literacy learning events" (Kucer) is helping them to remain engaged rather than giving up.
I will be interested to read their R/W blogs in the next few weeks to see if they are taking the time to write specifically in their journals about their experiences with blogging, wikis, and other digital literacy learning tools. Even if they choose not to write about these issues for their "open entries," I do hope they are taking time to reflect on the parallels between their writing processes and their reading processes.
I think journals are one of the easiest "forms" to use when trying to encourage myself to engage "epistemically" in writing (in other words to re-envision my knowledge; to allow for the possibility that I may need to radically reshape my understanding of the issue, concept, or experience I am focusing on in my writing). There is a freedom in this type of writing that I do not always feel when writing in other genres. Certainly the freedom to write only for myself or primarily for myself allows me to more readily "let my thoughts go" (like I did at the start of this entry....). I also think that because I'm writing in first person this genre allows me to be more closely engaged or more personally invested in the ideas I'm exploring -- even if the ideas are not my own.
Now that I think of it, this idea of feeling more connected to or engaged with the ideas when writing journals is also true when I am reading works written in this genre. When I read journal entries (whether they are true/biographical or fiction/simulated), I feel I am able to consider the ideas being expressed in a way that is more full (fully epistemic? or as Tierney and Pearson would say, I am able to more easily shift my "stance/s" as I work to construct understanding) than if I was reading the same information say....in a narrative piece. There is an intimacy here in journaling that is unique to this genre. This is a point I want my the class to be sure to fully appreciate as a part of my Teaching the Genre Expert Presentation.
So far I think the class is going well. I think the students are beginning to trust themselves as writers (and as readers) and are becoming more aware of their own writing processes. On the other hand, I have noticed that some students have expressed heightened anxiety when they are constructing understanding when reading and writing in some of these asyncronous and syncronous mediums because they have had minimal to no opportunities to "acquire" and/or "learn" these strategies and skills prior to taking this class. Hopefully the scaffolding their peers and I are providing during these types of "literacy learning events" (Kucer) is helping them to remain engaged rather than giving up.
I will be interested to read their R/W blogs in the next few weeks to see if they are taking the time to write specifically in their journals about their experiences with blogging, wikis, and other digital literacy learning tools. Even if they choose not to write about these issues for their "open entries," I do hope they are taking time to reflect on the parallels between their writing processes and their reading processes.
I think journals are one of the easiest "forms" to use when trying to encourage myself to engage "epistemically" in writing (in other words to re-envision my knowledge; to allow for the possibility that I may need to radically reshape my understanding of the issue, concept, or experience I am focusing on in my writing). There is a freedom in this type of writing that I do not always feel when writing in other genres. Certainly the freedom to write only for myself or primarily for myself allows me to more readily "let my thoughts go" (like I did at the start of this entry....). I also think that because I'm writing in first person this genre allows me to be more closely engaged or more personally invested in the ideas I'm exploring -- even if the ideas are not my own.
Now that I think of it, this idea of feeling more connected to or engaged with the ideas when writing journals is also true when I am reading works written in this genre. When I read journal entries (whether they are true/biographical or fiction/simulated), I feel I am able to consider the ideas being expressed in a way that is more full (fully epistemic? or as Tierney and Pearson would say, I am able to more easily shift my "stance/s" as I work to construct understanding) than if I was reading the same information say....in a narrative piece. There is an intimacy here in journaling that is unique to this genre. This is a point I want my the class to be sure to fully appreciate as a part of my Teaching the Genre Expert Presentation.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Welcome to LTED 618!
Throughout the semester you will be asked to keep a reading/learning log (using Blogger.com) where you will be responsible for reflecting on your significant learnings, discovering gaps in your knowledge, and taking a close look at how your own writing processes influences your reading abilities.
At times throughout the semester you will be asked to respond to a specific question, experience, or text in your learning log. For some entries you will asked to respond to a question, experience or issue raised by one of your peers in his/her blog entries. At other times, you will be free to choose what you wish to spend reflecting on.
• The length of each entry should be equivalent to a 2-3 paged paper following the traditional conventions of APA 6th edition.
• Full credit will be given to the collection of entries that demonstrate: (1) you have explored concepts that are of significance to you and which demonstrate that you are fully transacting in your reflection and (2) you are re-considering as well as synthesizing your understandings of the course reading and additional outside materials.
At times throughout the semester you will be asked to respond to a specific question, experience, or text in your learning log. For some entries you will asked to respond to a question, experience or issue raised by one of your peers in his/her blog entries. At other times, you will be free to choose what you wish to spend reflecting on.
• The length of each entry should be equivalent to a 2-3 paged paper following the traditional conventions of APA 6th edition.
• Full credit will be given to the collection of entries that demonstrate: (1) you have explored concepts that are of significance to you and which demonstrate that you are fully transacting in your reflection and (2) you are re-considering as well as synthesizing your understandings of the course reading and additional outside materials.
This is an example of what your personal Reading/Writing Blog could look like.
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