SARA KAY BROWN'S QUESTION

How often do you collaborate with others when working? Are you more comfortable working by yourself on assignments or with others?

For the most part, a lot of my classes do not involve group work. The grades in the class mainly consist of papers, quizzes, and tests which are all to be done independently. However, in this class and also in high school I had a lot of group assignments. Having worked on both types of assignments, I personally prefer to work by myself. I think that sometimes in group work, there is one person who takes control and others who rely on that person in order to get a good grade. I think that it is too easy for people to slack when there are others in the group who know that the project has to get done, even if that means that they have to do it themselves. I also think that sometimes people conform to the other people in their group's ideas. However, if they were forced to do individual work they would also be forced to come up with their own opinions and ways to go about an assignment. While I personally prefer to work on something by myself, there are definitely benefits to having a partner/partners. For example, I worked with Sara on the last audio project and I had so much fun doing so. I think that the collaboration of our ideas and being able to work with a friend made the project much more enjoyable and a better finished product. I think that group work is beneficial to a student's learning, but it must be applied to appropriate projects where no one person will be taken advantage of, but ideas from different backgrounds and interests are needed.

I found the intertext about Nancy Mitford very intriguing. I don't think that her husband should have been left out of the title if he co-authored the book. Regardless of sales, he was a major contributor to the book and should be recognized for it. I personally have never not bought a book because it had more than one author.

Questions: Tuesday, March 31st

1. Have you ever worked in a group and felt that your identity and ideas were overshadowed by the other group members? How did you overcome this and show your individualism within the group?

2. J. David Bolter said, "The electronic medium now threatens to reverse the attitudes fostered by the press by breaking down the barrier between author and reader." Do you agree or disagree and why?

3. What are some situations that you think individual work is best and what are some situations that you think collective group work is best?

4. Ernest L. Boyer wrote "But our most consequential human problems will be resolved not through competition, but collaboration. And what we need in education is a learning climate in which students work together." Do you think that collaboration is the best way for students to succeed based on your personal learning experiences?

20 things...

So I'm pretty sure that the assignment was to come up with 20 things that we would not normally recognize or pay attention to but I was way too excited about spring break to be completely focused....but anyways, here are the 20 things that I observed:

the car sticker on my friends car

the huge amount of trash that is littered everywhere in Champaign

all of the noise and different conversations that take place at the undergrad library

the holes in my friend's jeans

the sticky tack that was left on my wall

how white my friend's teeth are

a stencil of a cat in the parking lot of my apt. building

the texture of the sand in PCB!!!

my teacher's eccentric jewelry

the shapes of the clouds

the various tastes of my food

compared the differences in my friends' skin tones

the hair on the kid's neck in front of me in class

the writing in the bathroom stalls

the water stain on the ceiling

the different rhythms and sound patterns of the rain

the different colors used on websites and the moods they intend to create

the crunching of chips

graffiti located on the side of Bevier Hall

the crumbs all over my carpet

the different tones in peoples voices and how although they may be saying the same thing as they have said before, their tone indicates a whole different meaning

Sam's Question: HAPPY ST. PATTYS DAY!

2. Hampe says that making documentaries is filming human behavior. I don't know if I agree because I think that's too simple. Are there examples of documentaries not about human behavior? Or does Hampe just have an extremely broad definition of human behavior?

I think that documentaries are in fact filming human behavior. All of the documentaries that I have watched have been about an individual's life or specific event that happened in history. For example, a documentary about World War II looks at the different human behavior that was prevalent at that time: fighting, leaving families, dying, etc. The documentary looks at all of the different aspects of this behavior and gives the audience information concerning it. I do not think that there is anything else that documentaries film because I think that everything goes back to the idea that humans created something or that humans did something to spark a specific situation. Just off the top of my mind, I cannot think of any documentaries that I have seen in the past that did not focus on human behavior. I think that the "human behavior" that Hampe references is a very broad definition, but a very applicable and correct definition. There are endless possibilities that humans can be filmed doing, from work to hobbies, to traveling and families, the list is endless.

March 17th questions

1. What different tools such as cameras or video recorders have you used in the past in order to create something? Did you ever stop to think about the fact that without these tools, it would be impossible to capture the image in picture form?

2. If you could capture a three dimensional image of absolutely anything (a lecture, a mountain, any life event) what would it be and why? What would you be communicating to the audience?

3. Have you ever viewed something that contradicts what is said?

PODCAST PROJECT

link to the podcast!

When first assigned this project, I had no clue what I wanted to do it on. Then Sara and I decided to team up and make a podcast that focused on college kid's most embarrassing moments. We thought that people were more likely to be candid and honest when they were drunk so we took our tape recorder out with us on Unofficial. This only lasted so long because we wanted to participate in the festivities as well so we decided that we would get the rest of our interviews from people at a later time. We found out that people were just as willing to give up their most embarrassing moments when they hadn’t been drinking, and well, sometimes in even more detail. Some of the stories we heard were utterly disgusting while others were just plain humiliating. Some of the stories were repeated (a lot of girls had “female problems” while sleeping over at a boys) and heard others that if they happened to me, I would move to Australia and never want to be seen again. We had all of the stories on our tape recorder and then played them back and retold them, minus the background noise and made the dialogue more fluent. While assembling all of our stories, Sara and I split up the speaking parts and tried to make it like we were having a smooth, normal conversation with each other like most radio-show hosts do. One thing that I found extremely difficult when retelling these stories was finding the ability to not laugh. When recording it into garage band, we had to go back and delete and edit many clips due to the hilarious nature of some of these stories. When we first opened up garage band, I was extremely frustrated. We had to play around with it a lot in order to find some of the applications and learn how to add in clips, songs, record over our voices, etc. However, about half-way through the recording process, I thought to myself that this project was actually awesome and told Sara I think we should make multiple podcasts later on. I would love to have more time to mess around with some of the features and create another project in my spare time. After we finished all of our editing and played it back, I thought it sounded awesome and was really amazed with how cool this assignment actually was. Little did I know that there was much more frustration ahead. When we tried to save it into our NetFiles and create a link to post it into our blog, it was only saving the different parts of the projects and would not upload the whole thing. We played around with it for at least an hour and were getting nowhere. Skipka talks about multimodal assignments and giving students freedom and I think that this project allowed for just enough instruction, but just enough freedom to be able to do it on anything we wanted. By giving us the necessary tools and directions to create this podcast, Sara and I were able to represent our ideas in the soundest, most fitting way possible. Overall, I think that making a podcast was a very interesting learning experience. It was a bit difficult at times and definitely the most technology demanding project so far, but I think it was worth it to hear everybody's most embarrassing moments and be able to share them with the public.

Script:

College Life: Unscripted and Uncensored (and Sometimes Intoxicated)

Erin: Hey kids, Erin and Sara here and welcome to “College Life: Unscripted and Uncensored”

Sara: And sometimes intoxicated! We hope everyone had an eventful Unofficial.

Erin: But maybe not too eventful Sar…

Sara: As some of you might know, we thought Unofficial would be the ideal opportunity to capture some of people’s most embarrassing moments

Erin: So that is just what we did. We went around with our handy little blue tape recorder and asked some of the drunkest people we could find “What’s your most embarrassing moment?”

Sara: The problem with college kids, especially those who have been drinking since 7 in the morning, tend to not be embarrassed too easily.

Erin: Luckily they were just telling us their stories and not their grandparents. So here they are folks, in all their glory…college kids at their finest.

~~~~Music Interval~~~~
Sara: Our first story comes from Tara. Tara tells us….

“We were hooking up blacked out, like always. We were apparently REALLY frisky and ended up having sex and doing other things all over our friend’s condo. Well.... we woke up ALL the roommates who heard us making, umm, "noises", and saw us having sex in the bathroom, hallway, stairway, then franks bedroom. One roommate even jerked off to my moaning. I found this all out the next week when they made fun of me for it. Now everyone knows. In detail.”

Erin: Ha wow, nice job Tara. Wouldn’t want to show my face around those friends for a while…..Our next drunken embarrassment comes from Stephanie. And sorry if I start laughing mid-story because this one is pretty good guys:

“SOOO on my 21st birthday I obviously was drinking a lot. I finished off way too much before we even left for the bars, got to Firehaus and waiting for me was my sister with a 3-wise-men shot and a rumplement. Well she had me chase the 3-wise-men with the rumplement and 30 seconds later I was puking all over their bathroom, only to get kicked out 15 minutes later. Don't remember any of this... Well my sister was taking care of me at home. I was sitting on my bathroom floor, for some reason half naked, and all of a sudden I remember my friend telling me to get up and get on the toilet because I was shitting on the floor. Literally pooped on my bathroom floor and then sat in it while I puked. And there’s more. Well all of my roommates hadn't come home yet and when they heard what I did started screaming, alerting all of my neighbors to come see what was wrong while one of my roommates was yelling "You're kidding me, she shit on the floor?!" So then they all knew. My sister had already told my parents because they called to see how I was. My other roommate Erin told her mom the next day. My mom told my Aunt. So now my entire immediate family and all my roommates, their families, and neighbors know.”

Sara: Not only is that embarrassing in the first place, but wow…to have your whole family and roommate’s families know is pretty noteworthy. Nice job Stephanie.

Erin: That one is great, I’m just glad it wasn’t me.

Sara: Yes, seriously. Well moving on, our next story comes from Tim. While interviewing Tim, who by the way was hands down wasted at this time, he told us this: “Well...one Wednesday last semester, me and my friend decided to get hammered. It was around 1 o'clock, and we started playing pong .I drank most of a 5th of rum along with 4 or 5 beers and was the drunkest I've ever been in my entire life. I passed out on the basement floor by 3pm and this is where I have no memory (except for the video someone took). My "friends" took my clothes off and wrote, "this salad won't toss itself" on my ass, and apparently I farted in my friends face while he was writing this. Then, there's this video of me running around the house naked and being dragged on a wooden floor, screaming because my dick was scraping against the floor. My friend put me to bed around 4:30 and I woke up at 9pm, puking all over myself. There is video evidence of this story, but I warn you, its me being dragged around on the ground naked and screaming, I doubt you want to see it.”

Erin: Haha Tim, you are probably right…I don’t think anyone would want to see that. So guys, as you can see we all have our embarrassing moments, some more embarrassing than others. Let us take a quick break and we’ll be right back with more, “College Life: Unscripted and Uncensored (and Sometimes Intoxicated).”

~~~Music Interval~~~
Sara: Ok, we’re back. I hope that you have appreciated all of these stories so far. I know I have

Erin: Yeah, it really makes me feel good being able to laugh at other people. But let’s keep it going with some more good ones.

Sara: Ok here’s a gem. A girl named Claire, who was visiting on Unofficial told us this one:
Freshmen year, it was one of my friends 21st birthdays and I kinda had a "thing" with him a couple of weeks earlier which ended badly. I proceeded to get extremely drunk and at midnight while everyone was singing happy birthday I went a little crazy and got out of control screaming "fuck you" repeatedly, while everyone else sang... Unfortunately, I ended up puking for hours on his front porch and popping a blood vessel in my eye, which made it bright red for a week.
That really sucks. Most people only turn red right after they get embarrassed, but you were red for a week.

Erin: Haha Yeah, I would hate having to explain that eye. Here’s one I loved while I was walking around:
Freshman year during Spring Break I went to a party with some of my high school friends and drank a lot of hard liquor. After crying into my friend's arms for half an hour, I was driven home where I puked into my pillowcase and passed out on it. I woke up to my mom staring at me, like she didn’t know whose child I was and probably thinking “what the fuck?!?” Out of concern for my soul, she offered to make me pancakes and told me she was going to go pray for me.

Sara: Ouch. Parents and alcohol don’t really mix too well.

Erin: Obvi.

Sara: But speaking of praying, listen to this one from Pat:
Going back to sophomore year, we started this underground club of competive flippy cup league. My team was absolutely awful, so of course when we challenged the quiet girls in the corner, we lost. We had to run down the street naked. I figured no one was, but I guess I was wrong. At mass the director of spiritual life brought it up in the homily. I haven’t been to mass there since.

And I’m sure they really miss you Pat…..

Erin: And finally, we saved this one for last, but definitely not least.

I work for the University and after a football game, my whole office held a tailgate to celebrate one of the women retiring, so of course, all of my bosses and their families, as well as some University bigwigs were there. I thought it would be great to get totally hammered, because I was depressed about a guy who also worked with us. I spent the rest of the tailgate calling him a fuckbag in front of everyone we both work with. Somehow, I passed out on the steps of Biefeldt, so naturally my boss and his girlfriend tried to help me home but I didn’t know where I lived. I woke up around 7 that night at his apartment, not knowing where I was, with a note from them saying that they had gone out for the night, but that I was safely in their apartment.
Everyone, and I mean everyone, in the office still talks about the night that I passed out and my boss took care of me.

Sara: Just goes to show that having a job does not equal living responsibly.

Erin: Yeah for real.

Sara: Whelp, its about that time to wrap up our show. I’m glad that there are so many other people who lead just as ridiculous lives as us.

Erin: Seriously. I’d rather hear their stories then have to tell my own. They are way too embarrassing

Sara: Yeah I know, I’ve experienced them first hand, usually with you

Erin: But join us next time for some really great ones that involve peeing on your boy friend

Sara: Perioding in a hook-ups bed.

Erin: And of course peeing on a Station doorman while he carried you out of the bar on a chair to be “delivered” home by the Geovantis delivery girl.

Sara: Ouch. Isn’t is great to be in college

Erin: I’ll say.

Questions: March 10th

1. Do you think that there are any documentaries or reality shows that in fact portray the absolute "real thing," and not just an analog or a model of it?

2. What are the reasons you take pictures or videotape things? What are you trying to communicate to your viewers (or even to yourself) when using your camera or recorder?

3. Think back to a documentary that you watched either in school or on TV. What made it effective or not effective in keeping your interest?

4. What is your favorite genre of documentary and why?

Rahul's question

2. Skipka talks about how, "the kind of work that activity-based multimodal courses take as usual is not defined by the production of a particular kind of text that I, as instructor, have determined students need to accomplish."

This sounds like a teacher that tells students to go make a project but doesn't lead them in a certain path, would you prefer projects that have a certain path where the teacher outlines out or a project where you're free to go where you want to with it and why would you choose that one?

Whenever teachers assign projects, I like to have a good combination of both specific instructions, but also freedom. I don't think that confining an assignment to extremely distinct and binding guidelines is a good way for students to learn because it restricts the topics that they are able to explore. I think that the best projects are when a teacher gives students a detailed outline of what they expect from the project but leave how they achieve those expectations up to the student. I think students should be able to choose what they want to do the project on because everyone has individual interests, concerns, and opinions that cannot be expressed when they are confined to only certain viewpoints or areas. I also think that the way the project is gone about should be totally up to the student. Some people are more creative, some are better with technology than others, and others like to combine many different fields. By giving the student a rubric of how they will grade the project and what they expect, but also allowing the student to have freedom, the project would be the best that it could be.

Questions for March 3rd

1. In what ways do you as a student represent your work in the soundest, most fitting way possible?

2. Shipka talks about accomplishing goals through multimodal soundness. Have you accomplished the goals you have set out to achieve since starting college and how?

3. If you could have a background music track to your life, what would it be and why? How do you think our daily experiences with people would change if there was one song that we always heard when we were around them? Would you judge them and make inferences about them based on their one track?