Lecture 26: Grammar Test Practise

Today we'll review what to expect from Tuesday's grammar test.

Remember, all the grammar we've covered during this course has been incorporated in your paragraph, summary and essay writing. 




Note: The image is from News Hugs.






Update: Answers for the practise test.

Producer of Inanimate Alice Responds to ENGL 102 Students

Hi All,

I’m Ian, the producer of the Inanimate Alice series. I work with Kate and Chris in developing the overall scope of the project and figuring out how we get the world to hear about it. Kate once said that she thought of me as the guy at the back smoking my virtual cigar while doing deals…or something like that. Producing Inanimate Alice has been a very different experience to what I imagined it would be at the outset. We have been working on it for four years now. While it is a long-haul project, it never ceases to impress me that something new comes along each day. Someone will write a blog comment with a different take on what is going on or a teacher will tell us about a fresh use for the materials. Quite amazing really.

It has been a delight to read through all of the comments and questions you put into your letters to the authors. While I cannot address all of the points raised, I’d like to pick up on some of the main themes answering them in the rambling fashion to which I am well suited.

The “idea” or concept for Inanimate Alice came from a motion picture screenplay ‘E|Mission’ that I wrote and developed in 2003/4. In this script, Alice is in her mid-twenties and working at the world’s biggest games company. ‘E|Mission’ is the backstory to that movie scenario. It is what happens in Alice’s life in the run-up to the momentous events in that movie.

Several of the comments and questions raised have asked about the creation of the story, what techniques are employed and essentially how/why it has such depth. A simple answer to this is that Inanimate Alice is produced using Adobe’s Flash software tool and anyone can create a story just like it. But, actually, it ain’t that simple. Compare it to making a movie. Anyone can make a movie, right? But very few can create something that millions of people want to watch. This applies to all creative forms. It is a great credit to Kate and Chris that they have been able to conceive of and present such a powerful and dramatic story.

In order to be sure of delivering on what we intended, at the outset, Kate wrote a story bible covering the arc of the 10 episodes we planned for the series. Not only does that story bible address the plot and the characters, it discusses the sub-plots and how they work with the body of the story. It looks at items such as Alice’s mother’s artwork, the colour palette and music for each episode. And so, from the outset, we had a firm idea of where the story is heading.

The story is an allegory. It is about human-computer relationships and how, although folks have lots of friends on the phone and via the internet, those friendships are less real than personal friendships. There is a general and growing uneasiness that people are becoming more isolated as they become more dependent on technology.

It has also been designed as a “world story” something that people from around the world can both easily access and tune in to. In her early years, Alice travels around the world and meets many different kinds of people. This reflects the reality of the modern world where more and more people are travelling far from their homes for employment or perhaps to escape persecution. One particularly pertinent observation is that the media these days conveys a world full of conflict and that it was interesting to see images of places shown from a neutral position. The facts are that the news media is in the business of dramatizing conflict, but the reality is that most of the world is at peace for most of the time. However, peace rarely makes the news. With the Inanimate Alice series we aim to portray fascinating places and peoples that most rarely get to see.

The series was developed with embedded puzzles and games that are very simple to start with becoming more complex and interactive with each episode. Alice is growing up as a would-be animator and game designer. The quality of games and puzzles in each episode reflect her skills at that age. You will have noticed that other things change as we move along. The typefaces mature, the language Alice uses improves. Even Alice’s mother is experiencing change with her art influences….more on this later in the series.

We decided to make the series an interactive experience both from the perspective of it being a relatively fresh game-like experience and that is makes the story that much more immersive. The ability to provide even a small amount of freedom of choice, for example by means of pacing, allows for widely differing experiences.

Episode 1 has been trialled on several games sites including Newgrounds and Kongregate. While a few players love the style and the imagery, most are impatient with it and become adamant that “it is not a game!” It seems clear that gamers are looking for a different experience.

The episodes have been designed such that it can be read swiftly and easily by almost everyone. However, as you have found through close reading and multiple views there is much more going on than merely page turning. Chris has responded previously on issues regarding transliteracy and I can only emphasise the strength of this by suggesting that there is much more to be read into the digital text than the “basic” words. How can such few words convey so much? Well, the answer to that is they always have done. Think of some of the great speeches. It is a matter of context.

Inanimate Alice is symbolic of the digital age. Her world is one where she is surrounded by gadgets and connections rather than friends and family. Hers is a nuclear family, becoming ever more the norm in a world with so many people. In times of crisis, Alice’s first reaction is to turn to her player and Brad. Brad is her best friend. In her early years, while travelling with her parents she came across very few children her own age. At that time he was her only friend. Here we are reflecting on the growing dependency of young people in some parts of the world where phone friends are preferred to real ones.

Ahhh…I’ve been on this for ages already and am hardly moving on. I’ll take a stab at some other points briefly:

How long did it take to create?
About 3-4 months to develop the story bible. Early episodes took a couple of months to develop. Now we are at 5-6 months, but as Chris explains elsewhere this is not full-on full-time, it is interspersed with other work.

Why did we use the static sound?
The static is created by a device called the Electrosmog Detector . It captures the emissions from wireless devices like phones and wi-fi and turns them into audio. What you hear are the pure unmodulated sounds of the wireless world. The world we live in. This wireless world is growing ever more intense. Some say that it is having or will have an effect on health and well-being in the future.

Will Brad’s purpose become clearer as the episodes progress?
Yes! But I can’t tell you much more about that right now.
However, have studies shown that presenting information in multiple forms of communication to be more effective for learning?
I am sure there have, but we are not the right folks to answer that question.

It is interesting how so far in the development of Inanimate Alice, there have been no visuals of Alice’s family and herself.
It was a good choice not to portray the characters visually within the series. In this way it is like reading a book. You have to imagine what they are like from the scant details provided.

Will their images be saved for a critical moment in the story?
You will have to wait and see.

I must apologise for not answering all of the questions raised. There were many fascinating insights and some of the bigger questions around the series reflecting the world today would be the subject of essays in themselves.

Thanks to you all for your views on the series. Your series of lectures is probably the largest scale investigation into the series thus far. I will be mentioning your URL to teachers around the world who will gain much from your work.

Cheers,


Ian


NB: Ian kindly sent me his thoughts which I've added here as they were much too long for a comment to all your work.

Also, the image is from Juliette Powell's blog.

Lecture 25: Inanimate Alice Episode 5 - Student Creations

Yesterday, in class, students were given the task of creating the next episode of Inanimate Alice. Students could create whatever kind of story they preferred, but had to consider two things. One: grammar spelling, punctuation, apostrophes, etc....). Two: transliteracy. As readers of Inanimate Alice, we had to analyse the role of sound, image, interaction and text in the development of the narrative. As writers now, students included these multimodal aspects in their creations.

The students have done a wonderful job! Those who created offline stories used colour, images and pop-ups to craft different modes while those working online embedded sounds and movement in very interesting ways.

I'll add all the stories here for interested readers to peruse.

Lecture 25: Inanimate Alice

Keeping in mind the aspects of transliteracy and multimodal fictions, today you are going to map out Alice's next journey. Today, you'll create Episode 5 of Inanimate Alice!

Here are some examples of what other students have made:

• One Caveat: Setting MUST be Edmonton
• Use your computers (for a list of possible tools: http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/StoryTools)

 OR

• Use markers and paper
• Be as creative as possible
• You can work with a partner
• Remember transliteracy: include sounds, interaction (pop-ups on paper?), images AND text

Lecture 24: Student Work on Inanimate Alice

Here is some of the student work done in relation to Lecture 24 on Inanimate Alice:

Michael G.


Taosha




Tasha

Lecture 24: Inanimate Alice

Today marks our third session working on the multimodal online narrative, Inanimate Alice.

Thanks to all the students who have been posting their thoughts and thanks to Chris Joseph for responding.

Today, before we get started on reading Episodes 3 and 4, I'd like you to review some of the comments made after our first reading. I would like you to respond to one of the comments. Note the student's name (and yours) in your response. Perhaps you agree with something she or he noted? Maybe you have a question about his or her interpretation of transliteracy? Please add your comment on the Lecture 22: Introduction to Transliteracy and Inanimate Alice post.

Once your comments have been completed, we'll begin reading episodes 3 and 4. Remember, Alice is maturing and so is her technical ability. Expect more intricate puzzles, sometimes you (as the reader) won't be "told" of a puzzle you'll have to solve. As a transliterate reader, you will have to explore the screen to find what's clickable.

After reading both episodes please address FOUR out of the following FIVE questions in a comment to today's lecture post (that's this one):

1. If you were a reporter and were going to interview one of the characters, what questions would you ask? Why? (Write at least 5 questions.)
2. Pretend that you are “Dear Abby” and Brad writes to you about his problems. How would you respond to him?
3. What is the one thing that sticks in your mind most about Inanimate Alice Episode 3 and Episode 4? Was it the plot? A character? Why?
4. Give three examples of scenes which you read as a transliterate reader. These might be scenes where the images do not support what the words say. It might be an example where the loud and quickening tempo or the music does not match the calming images and words. Please write each example (give the episode number and describe the scene) and then explain how you interpreted EACH of the modes (image, sound, text, interaction).
5. Rewrite the ending of Episode 4 in a comic book style.
• Use this tool: http://www.pimpampum.net/bubblr/.
• You need to create at least ONE frame up to a maximum of FOUR frames
• When complete, click on “blog this,” grab the code and paste it into an e-mail to me: LaccettiJ @ macewan.ca
• Include the link to your comic book ending in your comment

*****Homework*****

Please bring laptops, colouring pens/pencils/markers, blank paper and anything else that might help you *create.*

Lecture 23: Transliteracy and Narrative

During our last class many of us read a multimodal fiction for the first time. Reading through the comments it is clear that everyone realises how different a narrative like Inanimate Alice is from other texts we've covered in class. Not only is there a fictional element (as so far we have focussed on non-fiction essays) but the coming together of sounds, images, video, text and user interaction require a different reading strategy.

Today we are going to perform a kind of close reading of a few scences from Inanimate Alice. This activity will model how one might perform a multimodal "literary" analysis. In other words, we'll examine how the different modes work together (or against each other) to develop the story.

At the end of the lesson I'd like you to being work on your blog comment which is due on the blog before Thursday's class. This one is worth 3% of your mark.

Choose ONE of the following:

• Writer a letter to the authors: Kate Pullinger and Chris Joseph

                ** Use strong English, give examples
                ** ask at least two questions
               ** length should be two paragraphs

• Create a podcast reflection of Episodes 1 and 2 (include the link to your podcast and e-mail me the HTML and the written version). Analyse the role of multimodality. You might use http://www.mypodcast.com// or http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
• Create a google map of places from the first two episodes of Inanimate Alice (include the link to your map in the comment and e-mail me the HTML). For each place marked on the map include:

                              **analysis of the story related to that area
                              **and a link to an image

Note, if you choose to do the google map activity, you might want to check out The 21 Steps.

Note: 21 Steps image from: http://www.ganyet.com/interface/21-steps-literature-meets-google-maps




Reminder, on Thursday we'll be in the computer lab again: 5-231.

READ MORE BELOW THE LINE FOR STUDENT WORK!!!

Lecture 22: Introduction to Transliteracy and Inanimate Alice

Today we're in the computer lab (room 5-231) for our introduction to multimodal reading, transliteracy and the online narrative, Inanimate Alice.

The class will begin with a few definitions:

Multimodality [I build upon Kress's notion: "Two logics are brought together…the logic of the written and the logic of the image” (Kress, Literacy in the New Media Age).]

Transliteracy: the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks. (This is the *working* definition, still undergoing research and development, see here)

Importantly, transliteracy for me is very much about how we read in the online environment. It means being able to critically interpret text, image, sound, video, and interaction as it occurs within the same space.

Background to Inanimate Alice

Inanimate Alice is an “interactive multimedia story” that most recently won the Premio per l'arte digitale, Italian Ministry of Culture.

Plot: bildungsroman exploring childhood, technology, fiction, reality, and how narratives can be actively created (both by Alice and the reader).

Structure: composed as a temporal progression but with each episode interactivity increases and there are more puzzles to solve; reflecting Alice's own developing skills as a game designer and animator.

Interesting Characteristics The reader never actually sees narrator/protagonist Alice, we only ever have her view

Various games which increase in difficulty with each new episode make demand a more transliterate reader

Emphasis on narrative (not only images and sound)

Critical Reception

• “The story is told with child-like innocence by Alice in an almost poetic fashion and is told through some very sophisticated and design oriented animation. Very stylish work.”
• “The sound and vision all help to propel the narrative but, at the heart of it, is always Alice's story.”

Your Turn: Inanimate Alice and Transliteracy in Practise

• Read Episode 1 and Episode 2 of Inanimate Alice
• While reading note:

• How reading this online fiction is different from reading the essays in the course books or reading the texts for your research assignment
• What can readers infer about the identity of Alice? What traits does Alice seem to possess?
• 1 instance of foreshadowing
• Complete this sentence: “I think the author is trying to say....”
• The definition of transliteracy, do you feel you are transliterate? Why or why not (explain).

Post your responses to the class blog DURING this lesson
 

*****Homework*****

Research Assignment Due Next Class!

Bring Laptops to Class

Lecture 21: Annotated Bibliography and Research Essays

As noted in our last class, today's class will unfold as a workshop session. Each student should come prepared to work on either part of her or his Research Assignment (the annotated bibliography or the essay), with computers, books, journals and class notes.

To help with your analysis and evaluation, take a look at this very useful critical thinking mind map from IQ Matrix:

"Becoming an Outstanding Critical Thinker has more to do with a state of mind rather than the specific set of tools, techniques or strategies you utilize on a daily basis. [...] Moreover, it is exactly this state of mind that will assist you in effectively piercing through the veil of filters coloring your understanding of the world around you [as well as the texts you'll use for your annotated bibliography]"

Ask these questions of each of your sources:

NOTE: Next class, Thursday the 19th of November, we'll be in the computer lab (5-231) ready to begin our reading of multimodal fiction Inanimate Alice.

Lecture 20: Research Essays

The duration of today's lesson will be spent collecting appropriate scholarly resources to use in your research assignments (remember, you need three sources for the annotated bibliography).

Come to Tuesday's class ready to work on the writing of either part 1 of the assignment (annotations) or part 2 (essay).

Bring anything that will help you write: books, articles, computer, class notes, library hand-outs etc...




Note: Image is from Casellas & Company.

Lecture 19: Research Assignment Review

In today's class we shall go over the following:

Punctuation and Quotation Review
MLA Style Video
Quotation Activity
Annotated Bibliography Review
Annotated Bibliography Tips
Annotated Bibliography Activity
Homework and Notes

Here are some examples of direct quotations:

Direct quotations involve incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing:

In her essay “Whiteness as Property,” Cheryl Hanson argues that property actually becomes a “right” and not merely a tangible object (“The Quest for Self-Identity in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon” 8).

He admires Pilate’s ability to “tackle the problem of trying to decide how she wanted to live and what was valuable to her” (Morrison 149), later noting that “[w]ithout ever leaving the ground, she could fly” (336).

Lecture 17 and 18: Library Research Sessions

For Lecture 17 (Tuesday 3rd of November) you'll have the opportunity to use class time to research your topics for the annotated bibliography and essay. For assignment information see here.

For Lecture 18 (Thursday 5th of November) we'll have a library research session in room 7-202C on the Western side of the CCC library. Please make sure you give yourself enough time to find the lab. Jody will be sharing with us some ways to find scholarly resources which you'll be able to use for your annotated bibliographies and essay.

Lecture 16: Comparative In-Class Essay

As you`re all aware, today`s the day for the comparative essay.  As noted in class, you`ll be comparing any two essays from our books (except the two we`ve just read on addiction) OR you might wish bring in two of your own texts (poems, essays, plays) to compare. You must decide HOW you`ll compare the two texts.

As with our previous in-class assignment, I encourage you to bring in your books, laptops and dictionaries.



NOTE: Image is from Life Insurance Quotes.

Research Assignment

ENGL 102: Research Assignment


Assignment: Annotated Bibliography and Essay

Topic: Your Own Choice (but please discuss with me and choose by 5th November)

Overview: This assignment gives you the opportunity to ask and find some answers to questions that have arisen so far during our course and the readings we have completed. You will begin with a question that you have formulated.

Your research process will begin with background reading to learn more about your topic. As you read, you will be performing a wide general search, finding out about the general subject: what is there to know? What are the central issues? What do scholars seem to disagree about? What do they agree on? Is there anything still undiscovered or unknown? What steps are being taken to find out? As you read, research and discover, you will be narrowing the field to an aspect of the topic that you find yourself drawn to or deeply interested in.

Subject Areas: Based on class readings some topics might include:
• The evolution of language
• Sports and nationhood
• Population rates and parenthood
• Terrorism
• Conflict
• Gang Violence
• Addiction
• Innate intelligence
• Pandemics

REMINDER: SearchPath Tutorial Due 3rd November

Remember your SearchPath Tutorials are due on the 3rd of November. Please find the online tutorial via Blackboard. If anyone has any questions, do let me know via e-mail Laccettij AT Macewan.ca

(remember to remove the spaces and replace AT with the @ symbol).

Lecture 15: Compare and Contrast Review and Practise

Today's Outline:
Reading Review – Responding to Headings
“Embraced by the Needle” Activity
Comparison and Contrast Cue Words
Homework

*****HOMEWORK*****

• Re-read all chapters and class notes on comparative essay writing
• Choose any two essays from Essay Writing (except “Addition in Free Markets” and “Embraced by the Needle”) to compare for your assignment next class, be sure you have a basis for comparison.

• Bring books, dictionaries, computers to next class ready to write the comparative essay

NB: Top flow chart image from the Visual Leap, clue words and peer review ideas from Ted Nellen.

Lecture 14: Comparison Essays

The In-Class Position Paper Assignment

Function of the Essay Assignment: To assess students’ ability to apply learned invention, organisation, development, revision, and editing strategies efficiently without advance preparation with regard to the particular prompt.

To assess the proficiency students have gained regarding fundamentals of writing mechanics, syntax and style and ability to properly support a stance.

As part of the assignment, namely the capacity to edit and organise, I would like each of you to "mark" your essay. Look at the rubric below for some ideas of how to mark. I realise you might be tempted to give yourself an A++ however the purpose of this assignment is to show how you can improve your own writing and thinking. Take this opportunity to show me how you might change, develop and improve your writing.

A reminder about taking a stance:

• Understand your audience
• Support your opinion
• Know the various sides of your issue
• Respectfully address other points of view
• Find common ground with your audience
• Establish your credibility

 Read more here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/ppt/20071017014427_696.ppt#296,5,Steps for Effective Persuasion

Lecture 13: Introduction to Compare and Contrast Essays

Compare and Contrast:

When you compare items, you look for their similarities--the things that make them the same.

For example:

Apples and oranges are both fruit.

They're both foods.

Both are made into juice.

Both grow on trees.


When you contrast items, you look at their differences.

For example:

Apples are red. Oranges are orange.

The fruits have different textures.

Oranges need a warmer place to grow, like Florida. Apples can grow in cooler places, like Alberta.



There are three strategies to organise comparison and contrast papers:

1. Whole-to-Whole, or Block

2. Similarities-to-Differences

3. Point-by-Point



*****Homework*****

Read Chapter 10 in Essay Writing.

Lecture 12: In-Class Position Paper

As you know, today is the day we complete our position papers in class. On Tuesday you had the opportunity to read and brainstorm. Your homework was to come prepared to today's class with any reference information or other resources (dictionary, computer, books) that will help craft your response essay.

Remember your essay should be well structured with an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion which sums up your final thoughts and thesis statement. We've practised using transitions so be sure to link your paragraphs together. If they flow clearly, your argument will be obvious to your reader.

It is especially important to include both evidence of your position AND a dissenting opinion. Remember, including an opposing view and then dismissing it (in a logical way - without pathos) serves to strengthen your own stance.

A reminder about the assignment:

Due: End of Thursday’s Class
Length: 5-8 Well Formed Paragraphs (2-3 pages), You may have more than 3 overall points to your argument, but you should not have fewer.
Style: Formal
Audience: Academic
Additional: Remember to use MLA style for references, include page numbers and your name on each page (top right header)

Refer to your Graphic Organisers, Notes, Text books, Dictionaries

Note: Image is from Graffiti Black Book here.

Lecture 11: Reaction and Response Essay

Outline:
Review
Begin Draft Position Paper (Final Due at the End of Thursday’s Class)
Homework

Review:
Read the Sample Student-Written Position Paper
Complete the Graphic Organiser

Essay Assignment:
Due: End of Thursday’s Class
Length: 5-8 Well Formed Paragraphs (2-3 pages)
Style: Formal
Audience: Academic
Additional: Remember to use MLA style for references, include page numbers and your name on each page (top right header)
Refer to your Graphic Organisers, Notes, Text books, Dictionaries

***Come Prepared to Complete Position Paper for end of Thursday’s Class***


NB: Image from University of Bonn.

Lecture 10: Reaction and Response, Using Evidence

In today's lesson we reviewed rules and then created evidence to support changes to rule. We used statistical and factual evidence and spoke about expert opinions.

After reading the Ted Byfield essay on Health Canada, we then filled in a graphic organiser with examples of evidence used.

For homework, please prepare for Tuesday's class in which we'll begin writing our position papers.

You can either come to class with a topic and source(s) for your position paper (newspaper opinion piece, journal article, film review,  must be at least two pages and include sources of evidence).

OR
Choose to write on "The Ticking Time Bomb" (247), "The Decline of Public Language" (367), or "Any Colour as Long as it's Shakespeare" (361)

Lecture 9: Reaction and Response

Today's Outline:
Taking a Position
Reacting and Responding
Read Response Essay
Reading Activity
Homework

Lecture 8: Introduction to Essay Writing Process

Lecture 7: Different Points of View

Here are the paragraphs ENGL 102 students crafted in opposition to Tim Dowling.

 

 

 

Lecture 7: Different Points of View

Lecture 6: Sumary Practise and Test