The permissions form is now uploaded on the Readings page. Please print, sign, and bring with you when you pick up your blank CD on Tuesday between 3:10-5pm in Williams 17e. Thanks!

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Today in class, we will:

• discuss the final “This I Believe” assignment and how to reflect on your class experience.
• discuss the items that will go into your final portfolio, what format they need to be in, and when they are due

Radio Essay Reflection

The purpose of this assignment is for you to articulate the rhetorical, aesthetic, and functional/technological choices you made while producing your radio essay. This is a print-based assignment, and it should be 2-4 single-spaced pages (more is OK; less will probably not be adequate). I’ll add more details here after class, based on our class discussion.

“This I Believe” story

The purpose of this assignment is to tell a story about your personal beliefs as an English/Comm/etc. major in relation to a “writing” class about aural genres. This essay should be less than 3 minutes (probably closer to 1 or 2, once edited) and exported to WAV and MP3 format for the portfolio. In the story, consider addressing questions such as: (1) What did you expect from this class? (2) What obstacles/challenges/disagreements/etc. did you have in regards to the class content and form? (3) What do you feel you have learned from taking this class? Has it been useful/not useful, and why? etc.

Basically, the purpose of this “story” is to tell me, but also potential students who might take this class, and even high school students who might wonder why they should become English majors, what value — if any — you, personally, got from this class. (And, yes, your belief may be that this class was totally stupid and you didn’t learn anything. If so, make it your story.) No matter your story, make it count.

UPDATE: Look at and use the Course Description and Goals (linked above, on the menu) to help you discuss your reflection on the class.

Final Portfolio items

The following items must be included in your final portfolio, which you should burn to a data CD. The portfolio CD *must* have your name written on the CD, be inserted into a CD case (hard or soft), and brought to the beginning of class on May 1 to turn in. Also due with the final portfolio: a blank CD, with your name on it, and in a case. I will NOT return the portfolio CD, but will return the blank CD with everyone’s projects burned to it.

1. Poetry Radio revision (as WAV and MP3)
2. Radio Essay Pitch revision (as WAV and MP3)
3. Radio Essay Script (as a word-processing or PDF document on the CD — NO .docx!!)
4. Radio Essay revision (as WAV and MP3)
5. Radio Essay reflection (printed and stapled with your name on it)
6. This I Believe story (as WAV and MP3)
7. Permission form (printed and signed, if permission is granted)

Categories: homework, summaries
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Today in class, we are workshopping. To workshop, go to the Moodle discussion forums>Assignment Turn-Ins>Radio Essay: Final Workshop and read the instructions for responding to your peers’ final essays. Everyone needs to respond to at least three essays.

For those not in class today, or not able to share in class today, you need to workshop each others’ essays outside of class by Thursday. (This applies to Teke, Ben, Lindsey, Kris, Corine, Derek, and Kristen, so please coordinate with at least three others and respond to their essays by Thursday evening.)

No class on Thursday - to give you time to revise. Next Tuesday, we will discuss the final portfolio.

cb

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Today in class, we will

• go over change in schedule, including possible workshop NEXT Tuesday
• collect/exchange equipment
• discussion post about your progress
• sign up for meeting times, if needed

Thursday’s class will be optional meeting times with me in my office (sign up today in class)

REST OF SEMESTER

• April 15: workshop
• April 17: no class/revise
• April 22: go over final portfolio; “This I Believe” assignment
• April 24: optional class time/work on portfolio
• April 29: evaluations
• May 1: portfolios due w/blank CD (for copying); listen to “This I Believe” assignments
• May 6: pick up blank CD with all

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All-

In class today we workshopped. If you were not here, you need to partner with at least two other people to workshop your large-scale editing stories. Kris will be emailing those absent to give you the rubric, but I will repeat it here:

In 25-50 words, describe your essay’s theme, characters, and conflict. Make sure your workshoppers have this information when they review your stories.

Each workshopper should answer the following questions for each essay they review, using the following scale for each question:

NO <—–|——|——|——-|——-|——> YES

(1) Do the individual stories meet/suit the essay’s overall purpose?

(2) Does the sequence of the stories keep your interest?

(3) Is the story entertaining/interesting/engaging?

(4) Do the stories adequately describe (give you a good sense of) the main characters?

(5) Is the conflict evident in the stories?

List any additional comments or suggestions you have for the author.

In addition to workshopping, everyone needs to

• email me your script by Wednesday
• post the URL(s) that you used for workshopping in the Assignment Turn-In>Large-Scale Editing discussion forum by THIS Thursday (make sure you list them in the sequence they will appear in your final essay), and
• write a workshop response with the above posting to indicating how you plan to use the workshop feedback to continue editing/revising your essay.
• By next Tuesday, you should have addressed any of the revision suggestions from the workshop and be ready to put finishing touches on your essay.

Reminder: There is NO class this Thursday, April 3, and I will be offline much of Wednesday through Sunday.

Categories: homework, summaries
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In class on Tuesday, we shared progress reports, talked about levels of editing and how to prepare for your workshops next Tuesday, and exchanged equipment.

Since everyone in class on Tuesday is working on their home computers to complete the radio essay assignment, I decided that Thursday’s class (3-26) would be a “work day.” I will be in my office, and I have some appointments set up during class time. If you want to make an appointment, email me. And for those who weren’t in class, my one word of caution is Do Not Waste This Work Time! Remember that for every minute of completed audio, it will take approximately 200 minutes of editing to get it completed. Don’t dally.

HW: By the beginning of class next Tuesday, you need to upload (as WAV or MP3) the major stories in your radio essay. These should be done in large-scale editing style (i.e., don’t need to be polished yet). I will be in the classroom by 1:30 to help upload.

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In class today, we will

• exchange equipment
• get an oral progress report from everyone
• discuss logging and scripting (pages 15-17 of Radio book)
• review timeline of due dates
• open Q&A, if time allows

HW:

• continue/finish collecting interviews
• log interviews
• create script (due next Tuesday)
• if you haven’t already, listen to the “Pulling Back the Curtain” radio program  (on Readings page) for class next Tuesday and be ready to discuss large-scale editing of your stories.

NOTES:

• You will turn in your written script with your final portfolio!
• Class is cancelled on Thursday. You need to let me know in-class today if you want open-lab during that time, so I can arrange it.

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Hey all-

Due to a number of reasons (some of which are good), I am cancelling class tomorrow. Have the homework that was due tomorrow ready on the Tuesday we get back. (To my knowledge, no one needed to turn in equipment tomorrow — but if you do, I will be in my office during our class time.)

If you have any questions, let me know. I will be offline Friday through Tuesday. Enjoy your break, and sorry that I didn’t know I would be cancelling class earlier in the week.

Cheryl.

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In class on Thursday, we will:

• discuss how to “log” interviews
• listen to an interview clip
• practice logging the interview
• discuss logs, editing, & story directions

HW:

• collect interviews
• begin logging interviews
• watch Storytelling #3 (linked from Readings page)
• listen to On the Media episode, “Pulling Back the Curtain” (linked from Readings page)

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Today in class, we will

• listen to examples of mic placement during interviews
• distribute equipment according to timeline needs
• discuss interview techniques: setting up & doing interviews (Cheryl’s example)
• practice interview techniques in small groups (with equipment)

HW:

• refresh-read pages 10-17 of Radio Guide
• review StoryCorps interview tips (on Readings page)
• set up interviews

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