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Final Reflection

In Authentic Learning in the Digital Age: Engaging Students Through Inquiry, Larissa Pahomov writes, “For student reflection to be meaningful, it must be metacognitive, applicable, and shared with others,” and defines metacognitive reflection as taking the process of reflection “to the next level because it is concerned not with assessment, but with self-improvement: Could this be better? How? What steps should you take?” (read full article here). In light of this assertion, I would like you to write a metacognitive reflection letter on the final project. This reflection should be addressed to me in letter format, with full paragraphs, and aim to identify how you could improve your work. Here are some guiding questions:

  1. Describe your contributions to the final project in detail. What writing/research/design/management responsibilities did you take on in order to complete this project? What did your group members contribute? Did you feel the other group members valued your contributions? Did the reactions of your group members (revisions, suggestions, critiques) help you develop your materials in a constructive way?
  2. What did you learn through the process of creating and presenting the final project? How did this project help you synthesize and apply the topics we covered throughout the semester? Do you have suggestions to improve this assignment?
  3. How do you feel you contributed to the class discussions?  Did you feel that your contribution to the class discussion was sufficient? How might you change your involvement in class discussions in the future?
  4. Do you feel the service learning component enhanced your experience in this class? How did working for a real client change the way you approached your assignments? Describe your engagement in service learning throughout the semester.
  5. And finally, what readings, activities, assignments, and discussions did you find particularly helpful, informative, and engaging in this class this semester? What would you suggest be changed to improve this course next time it is offered?

You may expand or add to these guidelines in any way you wish. This is your opportunity to speak directly to me about what you learned in this course.

This will be submitted as a Google Doc or Word Doc (file name: finalreflection_yoursection_yourlastname for example finalreflection_256ON1_licastro) that you share with me upon completion at alicastro@stevenson.edu or amanda.licastro@gmail.com. For Google Docs, you must invite me as an editor (with privileges to edit, not just read or comment) to amanda.licastro@gmail.com. You will complete this after our final presentations on the day of our scheduled final exam.

Also, please include this statement at the bottom of the document and fill in your name and response:

I ____________ (do/ do not) give Dr. Amanda Licastro permission to use my final project as an example in scholarly presentations and publications.

Final Assignment

The goal of your final project is to remix one story from Americanah into a digital publication. You should select one scene or narrative thread you find most compelling to translate into an interactive experience. In order to do this you need to deeply understand the main point of this story, the motivations of the characters, and the geography of the setting. Research will help inform your work.

This project will be split into four parts:

  1. A proposal
  2. A bibliography
  3. A written script
  4. An interactive story

    Proposal
  • This should be 350-400 words long, with a visual. Think of this as your pitch.
  • It should explain your inspiration – citing specific sections of the novel.
  • It should contain at least one outside source that provides critical analysis of the subject.
  • It should describe the platform (digital tool) and why you chose this medium.

Bibliography

  • Five to seven sources on your subject, including at least two scholarly sources from the library database, two popular media sources, and one literary analysis.
  • Each source should have a 250 word annotation that summarizes and evaluates the source.

Script

  • Aim for a 3-5 minute experience, which translates to 2-3 pages of text.
  • This script can include dialogue, story description, narrative, and research.
  • This must be revised and edited carefully, including the correct spelling of characters and places. Must be in MLA format with citations.

Interactive Story

      • This can be a game, comic, map, VR/AR experience, or podcast.
      • This is the visual representation of your script.
      • Tools include:

I recommend working in groups of 2 or 3 students, and each group member should have clear responsibilities. You will have two weeks in class to work on this project. Each group must meet with me for a review of your project the week of May 6th.

You will post the pitch by class time on 4/22 with category “final” and tags “final” and “proposal.” You will post the final, including the script, a link/embedded interactive element, and the bibliography by midnight on 5/10 with category “final” and tag “final.”

Provocation Assignment

Throughout the semester you will notice “provocation” assignments built into our syllabus. These tasks are often broken into groups and correspond to longer works of fiction. Provocations are meant to provide context and support for your student-led discussions in class.

If you are in charge of posting a provocation you must:

  • Read the assigned text very closely and annotate it thoroughly.
  • Choose one section of the text you found most interesting/problematic/controversial/stimulating and summarize it in 5-7 sentences.
  • You should use at least one direct quote in this summary with an MLA citation.
  • Construct a complex question for your classmates to answer about that section of the text that will spark a lively debate.

If you are in charge of posting a response, you should:

  • Read the assigned text very closely and annotate it thoroughly.
  • Read ALL of the provocations from the previous group (for example: Group 2 responses to Group 1, Group 4 response to Group 3)
  • Write a thorough, well-researched response that follows the provocation model. In other words, your response needs to have a citation as evidence of your point, and ask a clarifying question at the end.
  • You must respond to at least two of the provocations. 

This is intended to create dialogue.

On the blog, you will post your provocations and responses BEFORE class time as indicated on the syllabus. ONLY post when your group is listed on the syllabus. Use the category and tag provided by your professor for each post.

These posts will be graded on a 5 point scale:

  • 5points= An engaging, thought-provoking post that shows attention to detail and comprehension of the text. Grammar and mechanics must be practically perfect (edit carefully!). Direct evidence from the text with a citation must be included.
  • 4points = An accurate summary and well-composed question that may contain a small, but not catastrophic, misreading or errors in grammar and mechanics.
  • 3points= A sloppy post that shows little effort and does not include the elements listed above.
  • 2points= A post that is a day late, or difficult to read, or phrased in a way that students would be unable to respond.
  • 1point= A post that is a week late, contains numerous errors, and does not contribute to the conversation.
  • 0points= The post does not exist.

Please create these summaries and questions yourself: DO NOT STEAL OTHER PEOPLES WORK. If I find you have plagiarized these posts you will be reported. If you are struggling please come see me or email me with questions.

Grant Draft Peer Review

Hello class,

Please post a Google Doc link to a “clean” copy (meaning only the grant text) below by editing this post and pasting it with the names of your group members.

List:

Group 1 –Annya Pereira, Tristan Abrenica, Leah Wittler, Liz Noon, Sam Hacker

Group 2 – Adonte Langston, Amanda Israel, Lauren Aversa and Olivia Hare

Group 3 – Erin Stephey, Joseph Mauler, Mariah Williams, and Jess Merrick

Group 4 – Daria Mosely, Colin Fedor, Rawan Mahmoud, Ted Sines, Janelle Briscoe

In class, please read the entire draft of each group. Then, consult with the members of your group to offer structured, constructive criticism that answers the following questions:

  1. What is the purpose of this grant? Can you articulate a clear outcome?
  2. Is there evidence of research to support the proposed project? Does the research come from reliable sources?
  3. To your knowledge, does the grant use appropriate language to identify the population in need. Does the text use professional, academic language throughout?
  4. Does this project have a reasonable timeline? Can it be accomplished during this semester?
  5. Is the projected budget logical and well-researched?
  6. Would you fund this grant? Why or why not?

Rhetorical Analysis Assignment

In class we practiced analyzing print sources – books, magazines, etc – using rhetorical conventions. For this assignment, you will compose a rhetorical analysis of one of the following websites:

Esperanza Center, https://www.catholiccharities-md.org/services/esperanza-center/

“The Esperanza Center is a comprehensive resource center whose mission is to welcome immigrants by offering hope, compassionate services, and the power to improve their lives. Since 1963, immigrants from all over the world have trusted the Esperanza Center to help them navigate life in a new country. Our dedicated staff and volunteers provide services related to education, healthcare, immigration legal matters, family reunification, anti-trafficking, and general community support to thousands of immigrants each year.”

Maryland Immigration Rights Coalition (MIRC) http://marylandimmigrantrightscoalition.org/

“MIRC’S mission is to coordinate and maximize existing resources in order to increase the availability and quality of pro bono and low-cost legal representation to low-income immigrants; to educate the community on immigration matters; and to advocate on behalf of Maryland immigrants. MIRC believes that Maryland is stronger when our communities uphold the dignity and value of each individual.”

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) https://www.lirs.org/

“For almost 80 years, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service has been a champion for refugees and migrants from around the globe.  Our history reflects American Lutherans’ deep immigrant roots and passionate commitment to welcoming newcomers, especially those who are most in need. Through the Long Welcome, we help ensure that refugees and migrants are protected, embraced, and empowered in a world of just and welcoming communities.”

  1. First, you need to choose one website to focus on. Then, you need to determine the audience, purpose, context, author, and genre using chapter 2 in Writer/Designer (like we did in class). You should address each of these topics thoroughly with direct evidence from the site and your research. You must use MLA citations for any information you summarize, paraphrase, or quote from any website. This should be 5-7 paragraphs long with clear transitions using the terminology from our textbook. Use this site to help you structure and organize your essay:
    https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/visual_rhetoric/analyzing_visual_documents/organizing_your_analysis.html
  2. Next, you should include a thorough an analysis of the media used on the site you have selected. You should also provide an analysis of the interface – in other words the platform the text is published in – and how that interface affects your experience of the text. When analyzing the interface consider the modes and affordances, including: color, font, information architecture, and user experience. You should analyze how the visualizations were made,  what argument the visualizations are making, and how that argument is presented.  To do this you may use screen captured images (I suggest command+shift+4 on a Mac or JING), screen captured videos (I suggest Quicktime, Screencast-o-matic, or LiceCAP), or another tool of your choosing with permission from your professor. The idea is to walk your audience through your analysis aurally, visually, spatially, gesturally, and linguistically.
  3. You must post this to our WordPress site with the media in the appropriate places. This is due by midnight on 2/11. It should be posted as category “blog” and tag “rhetorical analysis.”

This is worth 20% of your grade.

Students will be asked to assent to and to uphold the University Honor Pledge:

“I pledge on my honor that I have neither given nor received

unauthorized assistance on this assignment/exam.”

WordPress Tips

Here are a few basics you can refer to if you need to know the basics of our WordPress site.
  • To sign in, click “Log In” on left side

  • Username = Stevenson username (email)
  • After the first time you use the password your professor provided, you should change it immediately to protect your privacy.
  • To change your password, click on your profile in the top right corner, then click on “Edit My Profile,” and then scroll down to change your password.
  • To add your own blog posts, click on the Dashboard, and then go to “Posts” – “Add New.”
  • To add media, you can use the box on the top of your post.
    Don’t forget to use Advanced Google Image search for “free to use or share” or upload your own original images. Every image needs a citation.
  • Always add the categories and tags your professor provided to each post.
  • To “turn in” your work, click publish. Otherwise, you can save it as a draft until you are ready.
Ask me if you have any questions!