Guidelines for the Reflection over the Composition in a New Genre

Please do not respond back to this post--you need to email me your reflection by our final class, which is Thursday, May 31, 2012.

Respond to the following questions based on your project. You need to answer in complete sentences using specific language--so, don't say something like "this is the best project I have ever done because I XXX." This tells me nothing. Be specific. Each question should have two-five sentences in response. 

1. Believe this is the best project you have ever completed. Tell me why.

2. Doubt this project is any good at all. Tell me why. 

3. Predict my response to your project. 

4. Agree or disagree with your sense of my response to this project.  

And last, discuss your overall reaction to working within a group. How did your group work together? Was there an overall leader or did you work more fluidity together? This is the time to be very honest, so that I know how the group functioned together. 

The Vampire Exposed

In your final (!) blog post, you have the opportunity to explore, define, muse, and/or theorize about the past 9 1/2 weeks and your learning with and about the vampire and media ecology theory. 


Think of it this as your swan song: show me what you got. =) 


Make connections. Be specific. Use quotes. Show examples. Dialogue with one another. Feel free to be creative, though, not "creative": it should be be a work of reality not fiction (as much as a class on vampires can be a reality). 


There are no other specific guidelines because I want to see what you can give me. 


Due by class time, Thursday, May 31, 2012. 

Composition in a New Genre

For this blog post, you need to complete it together as part of your group--this will help get you into the mind-set and rhythm of working in your group. You need decide on a plan of attack, in other words, a detailed plan of action that shows your thinking and understanding of how and when to organize and complete this project. Use this blog post as a time for your group to organize the logistics of the project and to prepare for the work day on Monday. You need to provide an overview of project expectations (as established by the group), project specifics (genre, audience, rhetorical situation), and calendar of events (how/when the work will occur). 

You do NOT need to comment back to another for this post. 

Due: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 by class time. 

Work Day: What's Your Story?

Your out-of-class work day concludes with a blog post where you share your story about your researching journey. 

Part I:

Tell your “story” of your research findings and experiences, including but not limited to, your interview(s), observations, and surveys. In other words, I want you to actually tell the story of your process as if it was a story and not simply a project you were completing for class. Your audience is mainstream people. 

Some things to remember about this reflection: it should read like a story, and stories have a central point; they aim for an emotional response; and they are engaging. 

Given that this class centers on media ecology and vampires, you must include a paranormal element to your story. 

Your story needs to be 350-500 words. 

Part II:

The second part of this blog post: you need to respond (comment back) to a peer's post--you MUST do this to receive full credit. This means underneath someone's post, you need to click "reply" and comment on their post. 

Due: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 BY 11:59 PM in order to be in attendance and receive credit for your work day. 

Interview with a Vampire: Louis and Lestat

As we continue to read through Interview with a Vampire, I want you to begin your thinking of this text with an examination of the two main vampires, Louis and Lestat. Pull out some of their main character traits and discuss how they compare, for example, what makes Louis seem *more* human-like than Lestat. Do you feel yourself drawn more to one over the other? Why? These two vampires began what some scholars assess as a "new" look for the vampire: why might that be? 

Shoot for 300-400 words. Engage with others. 

Due: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 by class time. 

Vampires: All You Need is a Little Hope

Some theorists argue that the vampire can be a symbol for hope. Explain how you believe this is possible: how can something that many view as a monster offer people hope?

Support what you are saying with at least two of the readings we have done this quarter. Engage with your peers. 250-400 words. 

Due: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 by class time. 

Dracula

"I am Dracula and I bid you welcome..." 

As we wrap up reading Dracula, I want you to use this post to do three things: (1) discuss what you've learned about Dracula that surprised you; (2) explain why you believe it'd be essential to a class on vampires AND media ecology theory to read Dracula; and (3) think like a media ecologist and theorize about Dracula--the man, the monster, and the vampire. 

Use the readings we have done to support your responses. 

Engage with others. 250-400 words. 

Due: Thursday, May 3, 2012 by class time.