by on 2016-05-04

Submitting Project 4

This is the post for the Wednesday,May 4, 2016 class meeting, our last day of class 🙁

Examples of Student WorkDog with goofy grin, with the caption, Happy Last Day of Classes!!!!!!

And if we have time, I will make you watch the Doctor Who Time Warp Parody.

Submit Your Project

Submit Project 4 by following these instructions:

  1. Go to the Project 4 Quiz in Canvas. While we are using the Quiz tool, your work is still a major project in the course.
  2. Work through the questions to ensure you include all of the required elements on the rubric (which you will find on the Project 4 Quiz page in Canvas).
  3. Submit the project when you are done.

If you need more time to work on your project, use the Grace Period, which ends at 5:25 PM on Wednesday, May 11. If you turn in your work, I assume it is ready to be graded. Remember that there are no rewrites or revisions after work is graded.

Complete a Survey for Extra Credit

After I explain some changes to the course in the future, please complete this Exit Survey to help me make decisions about the class in the fall. Your answers will not effect your grade in the course, beyond the verification that you completed the survey.

After you finish the survey, complete the Exit Survey Extra Credit Quiz in Canvas. The extra credit quiz will replace your lowest grade on a participation assignment with 100.

Remaining To-Do’s

  1. Complete the SPOT survey if you haven’t yet.

  2. Watch your email for an announcements next week that tells you when the course grades are finalized.

  3. Remember that  I do not round grades and that I do not provide extra credit. The grade scale is on the syllabus.


 
Last updated on 4th May, 2016, 11:05 AM
Filed Under: Class Notes Tagged With: ,

Project 4 Revision Plan

Reflecting on Your Project

  1. Begin by reading through the feedback that you received from your peer review partners on your project draft.
  2. Review the rubric for the project, and note places where you still need to work to meet your goals.
  3. Think in particular about ways to improve your work. Even if your project seems done to you, you should think about what you can do to make it even better. Note that your effort throughout the project matters so find ways to use the remaining time on the project to improve your work.

Writing a Revision Plan

  1. Based on your reflection, compose a revision plan for the project in your word processor, following the instructions on pp. 116-118 of Writer/Designer.
  2. Include the link to the current draft of your project in your revision plan.
  3. If desired, submit any additional materials that support your revision plan (e.g., a mock-up of a new section, a storyboard for a scene you will add, a chart showing a new design or structure).
  4. Submit your word processor file and any other attachments in the Project 4 Revision Plan assignment in Canvas. You’ll find it on the Assignments page.

Expectations for Your Revision Plan

Average (C) Work: Your revision plan answers all of the questions included in the revision plan section of Writer/Designer. It provides simple, basic details on how you will revise the project. It sticks to more cursory changes to the project. For example, a cursory revision would focus on fixing typos and correcting some broken links. Your revision plan will show that you will put in an average amount of effort before you turn in the project.

Above-Average (B) Work: Your revision plan goes beyond simple changes and shows a concerted effort to rethink and improve the current draft of your remix. An above-average plan might talk about cutting or completely rewriting a section of the remix, redesigning the look and feel of a section, and/or changing the way images are incorporated. Your revision plan will show that you will put in a reasonable amount of effort before you turn in the project.

Excellent (A) Work: An excellent revision plan will talk not only about what changes you would make, but specifically how you would change things. Note that you may include whatever makes sense for your revision plan (e.g., a mock-up of a new section, a storyboard for a scene you will add, a chart showing a new design or structure). Your revision plan will show that you will put in a considerable amount of effort before you turn in the project.


 
Last updated on 22nd April, 2016, 2:18 PM
by on 2016-04-18

Project 4 Proposal Peer Review

This is the post for the Monday, April 18, 2016 class meeting.

For Fun

Check out The Captioned Adventures of George Washington. Here’s one on George’s lunch.

Questions?

Liam Neeson with a phone and the caption, Give me a bad peer review and I will find youAny questions about Project 4 assignment? Add them to this Google Doc, and I will answer them when I find them.

Peer Review for Your Proposal

We will complete an informal peer review activity today, following these instructions:

  • Review the rubric and details on the organization, format, and tools from Friday’s post as a class and answer any questions.
  • Arrange the class into partner pairs or groups (same as the Documentation partners/groups).
  • Use the rubric to work through your partner’s work.
  • Provide advice and support verbally. You will not turn in any written work.
  • Do any remaining revisions on your proposal once you have exchanged feedback.

Proposal Submission

Submit your work online by 11:59 PM tonight:

  1. Go to the Project 4 Proposal assignment in Canvas.
  2. Upload your proposal, using these instructions:
    • Google Doc submission
      1. Share your Google Doc so that I can add comments. Here are instructions.
      2. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right.
      3. Click the Website URL tab, and you will see the form below on the page:
        weburl
      4. Paste the link to your Google Doc in the Website URL field.
      5. Skip the reflection comments, unless you want to tell me something about your proposal.
      6. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.
    • Word Doc or PDF submission
      1. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
        fileupload2
      2. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your file. It must be a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
      3. Skip the reflection comments, unless you want to tell me something about your proposal.
      4. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.

If you need more time to work on your proposal, use the Grace Period, which ends at 11:59 PM on Monday, 4/25. If you turn in your work, I assume it is ready to be graded. Remember that there are no rewrites or revisions after work is graded.

Homework

For Wednesday and Friday, do the following:


 
Last updated on 18th April, 2016, 4:02 PM
Filed Under: Class Notes Tagged With: , ,
by on 2016-04-15

Project 4 Proposals

This is the post for the Friday, April 15, 2016 class meeting.

English Undergraduate Symposium

If you will not be present because you are presenting at the English Undergraduate Symposium (symposium program), email me the details so I can mark the absence as excused.

Questions?

Cat wearing a tie, with the caption, Interesting proposal. Leave it on my desk. I need to sleep on it.Any questions about Project 4 assignment? Add them to this Google Doc and I will answer them at the end of the class.

Working on Your Proposal

Organization
The outline for your proposals is in Writer/Designer, on pp. 90–92. You need to include these parts:

  • Introduction/summary: Explain your focus and how you are approaching it.
  • Project plan: Include the grade you are aiming for and the project components you plan to complete.
  • Justification: Talk about why you chose your character and how the components and approach you have chosen are appropriate. Address any potential copyright restrictions you will have to deal with.
  • Roles and responsibilities: Skip it. Not needed, since you are working alone.
  • Timeline: Use the dates from the assignment for peer review, revision plan, and due date.

For all the parts, be sure that you include the information listed in the textbook.

Format

  • Use memo format, with the headings To, From, Subject, and Date.
  • Use what you know about design to make your headings and information clear.
  • Incorporate graphical elements (e.g., charts, tables) to organize your information meaningfully.
  • Rely on the Ten Design Tips as you work.
  • Provide documentation for any outside assets that you include.

Tools
Use Word or Google Docs. When you are ready to submit your work, save the document as a PDF to ensure that the formatting shows up as you designed it.

Homework

For Monday, do the following before class:

  • Have a draft of your proposal. We’ll do an informal peer review exchange and go over the submission instructions.
  • You will have the usual 1-week grace period.

 
Last updated on 15th April, 2016, 9:46 AM
Filed Under: Class Notes Tagged With: , ,
by on 2016-04-13

Branding Video Characteristics

This is the post for the Wednesday, April 13, 2016 class meeting.

Attendance and Excused Absences

Cat with cell phone and the caption, Put dat camera down and help me take selfieFrom now on, if you have an excused absence, please email me the details rather than just telling me in class. You can tell me too, but I will update Canvas when I get an email with documentation from you, the Dean, or Schiffert.

As a reminder, if you miss class because of an illness, death in the family, or family emergency, see the Student Advocacy page from the Dean of Students Office for details on how to document the situation. You can also provide documentation from Schiffert Health Center, Cook Counseling Center, or your private doctor, dentist, or other health care provider.

Assignment Dates and Weight

No one emailed with complaints, so we will go with the plan I described in Monday’s session:

  • Your proposal for Project 4 is worth 15% of your course grade, replacing the final in the course grade distribution.
  • Your Project 4 is worth 25% of your course grade, as originally planned, but it is due the last week of the class. The grace period ends at the close of the latest exam period for the course.
  • The originally planned final exam (Revision and Maintenance Plan) is gone (and good riddance to it).

Any questions about Project 4 assignment? Add them to this Google Doc and I will answer them at the end of the class.

Branding Video Characteristics

Here are ten additional video examples:

  1. Garrett
  2. Catherine
  3. Nick
  4. Charles
  5. Elise
  6. Zack
  7. Keely
  8. Anna
  9. Charlie
  10. Drew

Let’s get into the same groups we used for the documentation project last week. I’ll assign you a video, and I want you to work together to decide what the video does well and what the author might do to improve it. Add your comments to the slide in the file for your class. Be prepared to explain your thoughts to everyone.

The link for your class will disappear after your session. It will return Wednesday after 2:30 PM.

Another Video Option: Vlogs

Not sure about creating a branding video, but still want to play with video? Another option is to create video blog entries (or vlogs). You might think of them as video podcasts as well. Amelia and Kayleigh, who took the course in the fall, created a YouTube channel for a series of videos that were done from the perspective of Hamlet’s Ophelia and Gertrude. There are four videos plus a blooper trailer.

Homework

For Friday, do the following before class:

  • Complete the Video Survey, so that I know what to cover in class next week.
  • Review the information on proposals in Writer/Designer, on pp. 90–92.
  • Choose a focus and make tentative plans for the project components you will complete.

For Monday, do the following before class:

  • Have a draft of your proposal. We’ll do an informal peer review exchange and go over the submission instructions.
  • You will have the usual 1-week grace period.

 
Last updated on 8th May, 2016, 11:44 PM
Filed Under: Class Notes Tagged With: , ,
by on 2016-04-11

Project 4 Overview

This is the post for the Monday, April 11, 2016 class meeting.

Attendance Update

Cat in box with packing peanuts, and the caption, Ikea cat, some assembly requiredI updated the attendance information in Canvas during the weekend. If you had an absence and provided a doctor’s note, a notice from the Dean, or something similar, those absences are now marked as “Tardy” in Canvas. I still need to update the information for those of you who are student-athletes. I’ll take care of those later today.

Using the “Tardy” label for these excused absences allows me to still know when people were (or were not) in class while not having that absence count against you in the calculation.

Project 4 Details

For Project 4, you will choose items from a list to create in relationship to a fictional or nonfictional story. The most basic requirement is to create a polished branding video (maximum 2 minutes) or a polished website with at least three different pages that are NOT included in the Project Component List (e.g., an about page, a contact form).

Branding Video Examples

This video was created by a student in the 10:10 section of our class for another course that she took:

The Full Assignment and Decisionmaking

The assignment outlines all of the details for the assignment, but we need to make some decisions. Here is what I propose:

  • Your proposal for Project 4 is worth 15% of your course grade, taking the place of the final exam in the course grade distribution.
  • Your Project 4 is worth 25% of your course grade, as originally planned, but it is due the last week of the class. The grace period ends at the close of the latest exam period for the course.
  • The originally planned final exam (Revision and Maintenance Plan) isn’t completed.

Homework

For Wednesday, do the following before class:

For Friday, do the following before class:

  • Review the information on proposals in Writer/Designer, on pp. 90–92.
  • Choose a focus and make tentative plans for the project components you will complete.

 
Last updated on 11th April, 2016, 9:53 AM
Filed Under: Class Notes Tagged With: ,