Welcome to the Summer 2008 Blog. Here, you will engage in a meaningful dialogue with other Honors and AP students about your summer reading.
If you are visiting for the first time, set up your username and Display name and make a Test Post (the first topic) so your teacher knows you can comment.
Remember to adhere to the requirements provided at the end of Spring semester when blogging. For a copy of those requirements, click on the link at the left.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Blog Directions - Summer 2008
Access this post's first comment for a copy of the Blog Directions.
During the blog window for the summer, you are expected to participate in several discussions, making 9 thoughtful and complete contributions. You may certainly exceed this minimum—indeed, you are encouraged to do so—but your grade will be based on this level of interaction.
Many students have success with posting 3 times on 3 different topics. Such a strategy rewards you for being more deeply involved with fewer topics, and your insight and experiences can be more complete.
You could post 9 times on 9 different topics, but we find that posting multiple times on a single topic allows posters to fulfill more of the "conversation" intent of the blog. As such, please aim for multiple posts and in-depth interaction on at least one topic.
The blog window is from June 9 to July 25.
Information
The term “blog” is a linguistic abbreviation of the actual name “web log.” It is simply a message board where your teachers may post questions or topics for you to comment on. Your comments will be visible for your classmates and teachers to read and comment on, forming an on-line discussion forum. Your comments will also be visible to anyone who accesses the blog, although we doubt it will be of much interest to anyone who is not in the class. Nevertheless, you need to be aware that whatever you write will be in the public domain of the Internet. Your first name and last initial (and your teacher’s initial) will be your display name; only you, your teachers, and other honors and AP students in class should know who you are. If any of this poses a problem for you, please see your teacher privately.
Posting Criteria
In order to receive credit for a posting, you must meet the following criteria:
1. All posts will cite something directly—the novel, outside readings or research, or another post. A. When citing from the novel, you should consider paraphrasing the context for your information, then quoting directly from the text. Give the word, line, phrase, or passage, and include the page number in parentheses following the quotation. B. When citing readings or research, you should incorporate the author and/or title into the sentences you use to lead in to your quotation. Provide the author/title/publication information (like a website address) at the end of your post. C. When citing another student's post, note who said it (and the date if it is not a recent post), and either paraphrase them closely or quote them directly. D. Superior posts (ones earning full credit and the adoration of your future teacher) will engage with multiple sources (the text, outside readings, and previous posts).
2. If your post shows no evidence that you have read and followed the discussion (it simply repeats what has already been said, or it posts something completely independent and ignores the flow of the dialogue), it will not receive credit. Read what has already been posted and add something to it; do not ignore or simply repeat the conversation.
3. While you are encouraged to post and respond directly to one another, multiple posts on one topic on the same day will be counted as a single post. Plan to participate frequently throughout the entire window.
Blog “Etiquette”
We are sure many of you have experience “chatting” online. However, this is an academic blog—not a chatroom—and a slightly different language protocol is in order. Please DO NOT use acronyms or emoticons; they are not appropriate for your audience. Please capitalize properly, write in complete sentences, and use standard grammar as appropriate for school assignments. The purpose for the blog is to create a forum for academic discussions of the works we are studying in class. Both your classmates and your instructor will appreciate a more formal language. Comments should remain focused on the topic/work at hand, not personal agendas.
When Commenting . . .
Read the post and all of the comments of your classmates; failure to read previous pasts inevitably results in tedious repetition of ideas. Try to extend the “vein” of what is being discussed if you can before changing the flow/direction of the topic. Add to, disagree with, or provide support for what you or others are saying (specific textual evidence is expected when you refer to the novel). If you have nothing constructive to add to the present vein of thinking, you might wait a bit before posting a new idea. However, if a particular vein gets repetitive or exhausted, by all means post a fresh idea to begin the discussion in a different direction. Also, it is perfectly acceptable to disagree with that someone else has written—we would hate to believe that all of our students think the same way—just be sure you put your thoughts to words in a way that does not attack others or negate the other’s right to his/her opinions. And be sure you support your claims.
Please do not post a comment unless you have something pertinent to add. Refrain from mundane comments like I agree or That’s just what I was thinking, which add nothing to the discussion. Consider ways you can contribute to or advance the dialogue without simply adding another example of the same point. Try setting up a counter argument, negating an example as support, or playing "Devil's advocate" by adopting the opposing position.
Be aware that you will be expected to treat each other with courtesy and respect, just as though you were in the actual classroom and not at home in front of your computer. Your teachers will directly deal with any attack or attempt to belittle another student. Such behavior could very well cause your privileges on the blog to be revoked, which ultimately could affect your grade. Be particularly aware that in face-to-face discussions the words themselves are only a part of your message. Much of what you say is communicated thorough body language and tone of voice. When you post comments on-line, however, that tone of voice may be present in your head as you type, but it is absent when it reaches the eyes of other readers. Electronic writing can sometimes fool writers into a feeling that they are talking privately rather than writing publicly.
Overall
Finally, your participation in the blog is a part of the course. As with anything you will do this year, a minimal effort will reap minimal reward. Plan to check the blog frequently during your window to see if new topics are posted and feel free to comment often. Credit earned will be based on the quality of your entries, not just the quantity. Your teachers will be checking to make sure you are participating in a “discussion” and that you do not merely reiterate what others have said. Please dialog with others as you discuss the questions, but be aware that multiple entries in one day will be treated as ONE entry, as part of one discussion. The goal is that this is an ongoing conversation.
Don't like the topics you see? Just you wait . . .
We have close to a dozen blog topics for each novel, but we will only release them a few at a time. The idea is to help the discussions develop over time and to revitalize stagnant discussions with fresh topics. So as the title says, if you don't see something you like right away, wait a few days or a week or so and there will be more to choose from.
1 comment:
Honors and AP Blog - Summer 2008
Summer Blog Assignment
During the blog window for the summer, you are expected to participate in several discussions, making 9 thoughtful and complete contributions. You may certainly exceed this minimum—indeed, you are encouraged to do so—but your grade will be based on this level of interaction.
Many students have success with posting 3 times on 3 different topics. Such a strategy rewards you for being more deeply involved with fewer topics, and your insight and experiences can be more complete.
You could post 9 times on 9 different topics, but we find that posting multiple times on a single topic allows posters to fulfill more of the "conversation" intent of the blog. As such, please aim for multiple
posts and in-depth interaction on at least one topic.
The blog window is from June 9 to July 25.
Information
The term “blog” is a linguistic abbreviation of the actual name “web log.” It is simply a message board where your teachers may post questions or topics for you to comment on. Your comments will be visible for your classmates and teachers to read and comment on, forming an on-line discussion forum. Your comments will also be visible to anyone who accesses the blog, although we doubt it will be of much interest to anyone who is not in the class. Nevertheless, you need to be aware that whatever you write will be in the public domain of the Internet. Your first name and last initial (and your teacher’s initial) will be your display name; only you, your teachers, and other honors and AP students in class should know who you are. If any of this poses a problem for you, please see your teacher privately.
Posting Criteria
In order to receive credit for a posting, you must meet the following criteria:
1. All posts will cite something directly—the novel, outside readings or research, or another post.
A. When citing from the novel, you should consider paraphrasing the context for your information, then quoting directly from the text. Give the word, line, phrase, or passage, and include the page number in parentheses following the quotation.
B. When citing readings or research, you should incorporate the author and/or title into the sentences you use to lead in to your quotation. Provide the author/title/publication information (like a website address) at the end of your post.
C. When citing another student's post, note who said it (and the date if it is not a recent post), and either paraphrase them closely or quote them directly.
D. Superior posts (ones earning full credit and the adoration of your future teacher) will
engage with multiple sources (the text, outside readings, and previous posts).
2. If your post shows no evidence that you have read and followed the discussion (it simply repeats what has already been said, or it posts something completely independent and ignores the flow of the dialogue), it will not receive credit. Read what has already been posted and add something to it; do not ignore or simply repeat the conversation.
3. While you are encouraged to post and respond directly to one another, multiple posts on one topic on the same day will be counted as a single post. Plan to participate frequently throughout the entire window.
Blog “Etiquette”
We are sure many of you have experience “chatting” online. However, this is an academic blog—not a chatroom—and a slightly different language protocol is in order. Please DO NOT use acronyms or emoticons; they are not appropriate for your audience. Please capitalize properly, write in complete sentences, and use standard grammar as appropriate for school assignments. The purpose for the blog is to create a forum for academic discussions of the works we are studying in class. Both your classmates and your instructor will appreciate a more formal language. Comments should remain focused on the topic/work at hand, not personal agendas.
When Commenting . . .
Read the post and all of the comments of your classmates; failure to read previous pasts inevitably results in tedious repetition of ideas. Try to extend the “vein” of what is being discussed if you can before changing the flow/direction of the topic. Add to, disagree with, or provide support for what you or others are saying (specific textual evidence is expected when you refer to the novel). If you have nothing constructive to add to the present vein of thinking, you might wait a bit before posting a new idea. However, if a particular vein gets repetitive or exhausted, by all means post a fresh idea to begin the discussion in a different direction. Also, it is perfectly acceptable to disagree with that someone else has written—we would hate to believe that all of our students think the same way—just be sure you put your thoughts to words in a way that does not attack others or negate the other’s right to his/her opinions. And be sure you support your claims.
Please do not post a comment unless you have something pertinent to add. Refrain from mundane comments like I agree or That’s just what I was thinking, which add nothing to the discussion. Consider ways you can contribute to or advance the dialogue without simply adding another example of the same point. Try setting up a counter argument, negating an example as support, or playing "Devil's advocate" by adopting the opposing position.
Be aware that you will be expected to treat each other with courtesy and respect, just as though you were in the actual classroom and not at home in front of your computer. Your teachers will directly deal with any attack or attempt to belittle another student. Such behavior could very well cause your privileges on the blog to be revoked, which ultimately could affect your grade. Be particularly aware that in face-to-face discussions the words themselves are only a part of your message. Much of what you say is communicated thorough body language and tone of voice. When you post comments on-line, however, that tone of voice may be present in your head as you type, but it is absent when it reaches the eyes of other readers. Electronic writing can sometimes fool writers into a feeling that they are talking privately rather than writing publicly.
Overall
Finally, your participation in the blog is a part of the course. As with anything you will do this year, a minimal effort will reap minimal reward. Plan to check the blog frequently during your window to see if new topics are posted and feel free to comment often. Credit earned will be based on the quality of your entries, not just the quantity. Your teachers will be checking to make sure you are participating in a “discussion” and that you do not merely reiterate what others have said. Please dialog with others as you discuss the questions, but be aware that multiple entries in one day will be treated as ONE entry, as part of one discussion. The goal is that this is an ongoing conversation.
Post a Comment