INTERMEDIATE WRITING SPRING 2011:

To turn in your final unit 4 projects, please be aware of these instructions:

– Have your root folder on a flash drive.
– BRING your flash drive to the individual conference.
– Try your final web site in the IE preview mode before turning it in. Doing this will help you catch bugs with links (internal or external) and catch any links to images that may be broken.
– Remeber to name your files with short names and NO spaces. File name like “root folder” doesn’t work as well as “root_folder”
– Get rid of anything NOT in use with your site.
– If you need to change the name of anything in your web site directory, double check all links (internal and external) and any links to images. Remember, having one little thing out of place or renamed can crash the whole site.
– Arrive to the conference ON TIME. I will be assisting you in uploading your site, and this might take a few minutes.

Today’s agenda:
– Turn in final versions of the unit 3 project. We’ll be downloading the projects from Prezi, but in case anybody is absent, there are instructions on how to download and save the project in the post, “Prezi Project Presentation Download Instructions” on our blog here.
– Also due today is journal entry #6. This is a companion to the project.
– Finally, we will kick off the unit 4 project. The overview of the unit can be found on this web page:

Unit 4 Project overview (web page)

– Thursday (4.7), I will be out of town, so there will be no class held that afternoon.

Assignments for the weekend:
1. GET STARTED (after this week, we are running out of time to complete our projects). Get a topic in mind and start researching ASAP.
2. Post a topic proposal and reply to others. See the page, “Unit 4 Topic proposal” on our blog for instructions.
3. When we get back to class on Tuesday the 12th, have a concept in mind of what you want your page to look like. Maybe sketch out some storyboards to get that concept in mind.
3.A. Requirements for class on Tuesday the 12th:
– Bring a flash drive to class.
– Sign up for your personal space on the BGSU server by going to TSC (Hayes Hall #110).
4. Just to keep our time line in mind as you get started, final versions of your projects will be due during finals week (May 2nd – 6th). Details to come later.

To turn in your Prezi project: DUE IN CLASS ON TUESDAY APRIL 5th.

Your task over the weekend:
– Wrap up your projects.
– Draft your next journal entry:
Prompt:
“How did this round of peer review go for you? Were the comments helpful in finishing up your project? Is there anything you’d change about this style of peer review? Also, write a brief paragraph about what choices you made during the composing process of this project. Think in terms of why you chose the ad you chose; what colors you used; the transitions (the pathways). Also, since Prezi works in a non-linear format, how did this affect your perception of transition from main point to main point? How does this differ from a text-based essay? A PowerPoint essay?”

– I am requiring a downloaded copy of the Prezi presentation as well as a link to the online version.

Steps for downloading the project:
– Log into your Prezi account.
– Make sure you are in the “Your Prezis” tab.
– Click on the Prezi project you want to download.
– Wait for it to load on the site.
– Click on the “Download” tab along the right hand side of the screen.
– In the “Choose a format to download” dialogue box, make sure you’ve selected the “Export to Portable prezi: to present offline” option. NOTE: since we’re free users, this is the only available option.
– Click on the “Download” tab in the lower left hand corner of the box.
– Prezi will “package” the presentation.
– Once it is finished “packaging,” the box will have a message that reads:
“Your downloadable prezi has been created. Please “click this link to download” the file. The phrase in quotes here represents the download link.
– Click the link, and a box with save options should come up.
– With Internet Explorer, the option buttons are “Open,” “Save,” and “Cancel.” Click “Save.”
– Next, in Internet Explorer, a “Save As” dialogue box will appear.
– Also, it’s usually a good idea to make sure you’re saving it to the desktop. Internet Explorer does offer the option of saving it directly to the desktop.
– Next, find the folder on the desktop; it is a zip file.
– Right click on the zip file and choose the “Extract Here” option.
– A folder will appear after the extraction is complete.
– Rename the folder using this format:
lastname_unit3_project (example: lenz_unit3_project)
– I will need the entire folder because the presentation can’t run without ALL the contents of this folder.
– On the due date (Tuesday, March 5th), I will have my flashdrive for easy an easy transfer.
– The link to the prezi can be emailed to me.

To get a link to your prezi, follow these steps:
– After clicking on the prezi project that you’re turning in, scroll to the options below the project.
– There are options for what level of privacy you want for your project, but a link will work no matter what level you select.
– Just above these privacy options and just below the prezi project, there is a link called “Get link” or share.
– Click on this “Get link” option.
– Highlight and copy the entire link.
– Paste this into the body of an email message.
– What about posting links to discussion board so we all can look at other projects?

Here’s a video of me walking through the steps of downloading, extracting, and renaming the project:

Here’s a list of good questions to keep in mind when viewing a peer’s project:

Advertisement being analyzed (print ad or commercial):
– Is it clear what advertisement is being analyzed? If so, how; if not, why not?
– Is the ad referenced within the text? How effective is this?

Balance of media and text?
– Where are the moments of strength where there is good balance of media and text? What makes these strong points?
– Where are moments of weakness with balancing media and text? What makes these moments weak? What can you suggest for improvement?
– Are the placement and scaling of media used sharp and clear?

Design / Color / Construction:
– Does the color and design match the content of the topic? If so, how; if not, why not?
– Does the project flow freely, leading you as a viewer to each point the composer is making? If so, how; if not, why not?

Overall Analysis:
– Are references to specific examples from the ad clear in the overall analysis? If so, how; if not, why not?
– Are the sources used integrated smoothly and cited properly? If so, how; if not, why not?

Project as a Whole:
– Since this is a work in progress, what can you suggest to the composer as s/he finalizes the project?

The Unit 3 project centers more on balancing text and media as well as analyzing the contents of media examples. The whole project is worth 40 points, and I think it should be up to us all to decide how to distribute the weight of those 40 points.

– What should the major content areas be?
–Requirements…10 pts.
–Content / Research…20 pts.
–Media / Design…10 pts.
– What should our schedule look like between here and a due date?
– When should our due date be?

Requirements (10pts):
– Minimum 5 sources (other than the ad itself).
– Include a visual example of the ad in the project.
– Include a Works Cited list at the end of the project.
– Include a link to where you found the image / video of the ad.

Content / Research (20pts):
– The sources (5 minimum) are relevant to the analysis.
– The content of the discussion utilizes specific examples of the ad to help ground the analysis.
– The research is integrated smoothly and effectively.
– Overall, the analysis of the ad needs to draw conclusions from the specific examples and the research; however, the discussion can remain primarily analytical in nature or it can take an argumentative stance.

Media / Design (10 pts):
– Color and font choices match the tone of the project.
– Composer embraces the features of the Prezi program.
– Final product shows an awareness of potential viewers.

On Tuesday (3.22), we decided on the schedule for the rest of our unit 3 project:

– 3.24 (Thr): In-class work day. I’ll be checking in with students on their projects.
– 3.29 (Tue): Technology review and unit project review (last minute details).
– 3.31 (Thr): Peer Review day (musical chair style like last time). Finalize rubric for project.
– 4.5 (Tue): Unit 3 projects due in class. Kick off unit 4 projects. There will be assigned readings with a blog post (TBA).
– 4.7 (Thr): No class held.
– 4.12 (Tue): Return for introduction of technology for unit 4 and in-class discussion on readings.

Notes provided by classmate, Todd:

The main topic for todays class was advertising. The first video we watched was a clip from “Mad Men.” This clip showed how marketing agencies use tactics that help the consumer to relate to their product so that they will buy it. If a person feels a relation to a product then they will be more likely to purchase it. The next two videos we watched were about marketing to children and how companies spend billions of dollars in advertising hook children to their product at a young age. Companies market products so heavily that they become an everyday part of life for kids. These marketing firms believe that once they get the child hooked at a young age, they will be a lifelong user of their products. Finally, we wrapped up class by talking about Unit 3 and issuing our next reading assignment (pages 51-57 from the book, Fast Food Nation, use the eBook version from the BGSU library, and chapter 6 in our textbook). Also, finish watching the documentary, Consuming Kids, which can be found either on our blog, see post “For today 3.15” or using the title as a search term in YouTube. The requirements (for the Unit 3 project) can be found in the Prezi link located on our class blackboard page (and there’s a link on our blog, see post “For today 3.15”).

Unit 3 focuses our attention to the world of advertising, which truly, truly fascinates me as a member of modern society, as an educator, and as a scholar.

This first visual example showcases a fictional account of what is at the heart of advertising through the perspective of an insider:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRDUFpsHus

mad men

As a companion to our reading coming up, here’s a scene from the documentary, Supersize Me:

The next excerpt is part of our assigned reading for the week. This is a scene taken from the documentary, Consuming Kids:

Kicking off unit 3:
Assignment overview:
Unit 3 Project Overview: Prezi Presentation

Reading assignments for this week:
– Pages 51-57 from the book, Fast Food Nation. The eBook can be found through the BGSU library. Use the title as a search term through the “title” filter. You’ll need to log into your BGSU Library account to access the book.
– Finish watching the film, Consuming Kids. The entire film can be found on YouTube.

The documentary is just over an hour long, and we’ve watched some in class to get started, so there’s about a 45 minute time commitment.
– Finally, read Chapter 6 (pgs 382-424) from our textbook, Picturing Texts.

Group 3: (Todd Grubaugh, Ryan Harris, and Jennifer Hinkle) will be responsible for drafting discussion questions for us this week. The questions are due no later than the end of Friday 3.18 at 11.59 pm. Others, please post a response to their questions no later than Sunday 3.20 at 11.59 pm. Group 3 will then be responsible for providing some feedback on the posts.

Notes provided by classmate, Jenn Hinkle