OUR GOALS FOR THE WORKSHOP

First, I want you to get a sense of comment assignments that I use in my classroom.

Second, I want you to share your impressions from the posts and borrow ideas (or do the exact opposite!)

Third, I want you to create own "Bloggin' Bonanza" and begin creating  comment assignments (and post assignments if you want--students post on blog) that you can import into course blogs you use in the future. 

Fourth, as we work through the third step, we will help each other with the basic functions of blogger. 

Fifth, we will discuss the pros and cons of blogging in the classroom and then go over more advanced features of blogger (importing and exporting blogs, embedding video, formatting posts . 

Fortunately, I don't care if we don't meet all the goals.

What to Keep in Mind When Working With Blogger

Be prepared to deal with the fussiness of blogger and expect its server to not post or react to your commands in unexpected ways. Technology is primitive; I know that sounds strange, but with all technologies there are many improvements yet to be made. Be patient and know when to admit you need help.

Important Notes Regarding Blogger

1. When posting, make sure you are writing in the "Compose" tab, not the "html" tab.
2. Always back up your posts on a Word doc.
3. If you want to move your images around, just click on them and drag them up and down the post to where you want them to go. Don't forget you can center, right justify, or left justify images on your posts.

Please comment on this post regarding frustrations, breakthroughs, tips, etc. you've encountered while working on this blog. Simply click on comment below after logging in.

Concept: Agency of Texts

Answer the following questions:


When you think of the word agent, it's likely you think of a spy in a suit, but have you thought of how written compositions can act as agents too? In what ways are compositions or "texts" like agents from the movies?

How does composition lead to action? What texts have inspired you to take action in your life? Why?What are some ways that a text can be particularly persuasive?
What "texts" can you cite that are good examples of agency or social/political change?

Dr. Strangelove - Assignment for Monday

THE CLASS HAS BEEN SENT AN EMAIL WITH A PDF ATTACHED; it is a critical article on Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove.

We will discuss the article and the film together on Monday. Pick out key themes, moments, and compositional modes (camera angles, lighting, mise en scene, etc.) that you noticed during our viewing or through the critical essay. Be prepared to discuss the material on Monday and note that there will be a writing assignment for the film later in the week. Feel free to write general questions or statements about the film on the comment function. What did you think of the scenes below?

What is represented here?

This shot is disturbing in more ways than one.


Megadeaths?


Did anyone notice on the "Big Board" how much of the world was not represented?


This shot as well, is disturbing in more ways than one.

Plastic Ocean Reactions

Plastic: Can We Have Too Much?

The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre: one of five high pressure zones in the earth's oceans where large swaths of plastic accumulates

Following our class discussion:
Please post comments about the text (perhaps themes or issues it evokes) and answer the following questions. Also, Free write for at least five minutes about something in the article that you think is important (something the article discussed or possibly left out).


Can we survive without plastic? What sorts of plastic are necessary or essential? What sorts of plastic can we live without?

Finally, a bit of rhetoric...how does Susan Casey appeal to audience? List how she appeals to ethics, logic and emotion. What are other ways an author might try to appeal their audience within this topic?

Briefly Thinking Ahead to Essay #4

Please list the following in your comment:

• The titles and authors of the new sources you are integrating into your research (If none yet, topic or possible journal name).

• Sections of your paper from essay #2 that you may want to develop more, or even build on with your new research sources.

• Aspects of #2 you are most concerned with improving and how you will go about making that happen.

• A recommendation for the issue your #2 is on besides the ol' "further research needs to be done," one that describes specific advice, specific action; perhaps an anecdote could cement this for you?

Now, answer the following questions.

• If you move to take a certain side on an issue in essay #4, what supports of the counter-argument do you think will be the best to refute? How can you contrast the strengths of your argument with the weaknesses of the counter-argument while remaining diplomatic?

• Is there anything Else you want to free write about regarding your essay #4?
• 

Letter From Birmingham Jail: A Manifestation of the Classical Sources of Persuasion

Letter From Birmingham Jail:
We will look at this together in class and identify where Dr. King appeals to the classical sources of persuasion (A&B ch 10).

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

Also, use this as a reference to identify the sources of persuasion:
http://courses.durhamtech.edu/perkins/aris.html




For your comment:
list a few passages where you think Dr. King effectively appeals to ethos and pathos and explain why. How is this example useful to you for composing essay #3?

Finally, write down ways you can appeal to logos in discourse.

Left to Right: Plato and Aristotle
-Really old rhetoricians!