Here is a link to my Prezi about MLA citation!
http://prezi.com/5k-znlchnuiy/what-i-learned-in-eng-102/
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Technology
Phillip
Bradford
English
102
Laura
Cline
5
May 2012
Online
classes have an advantage for me because I have a daughter, so taking
classes in person can be an interesting scheduling challenge. There
are a lot of roles I have to fill and often these things occur at the
last second. It is much easier to adjust my schedule accordingly in
an online setting. Also, for many in person classes a portion of the
grade is based on attendance making it even more of a challenge. It
is more convenient for me because I am more comfortable in an online
setting, I do have my own blog and study game design, so if given the
choice I would choose an online class.
A
big difference in online versus in person is the lack of interaction
with other students and teachers, online classes make you more
independent. Taking a class online means that a student cannot rely
on classes that are completely lecture or review. It is up to the
student to read the book, study for the test, and look at any
additional information a professor may post online. However, this
does have its advantages and, in particular, for an English class. I
felt students were more honest about their feelings regarding what we
read because the class online so students felt there was less
judgment. Students are also forced to participant in order to get a
grade so there is are a large variety of opinions. This is important
to an English class because there are often different views regarding
books for a wide variety of reasons. With the requirement of students
responding to books there is the benefit of getting a wide range of
opinions resulting in a students views being challenged and having to
support their own opinions regarding a reading.
The
technology that was most beneficial to me was the videos and the
general benefit of an online class. The online classes fit my
schedule and the videos were always available for me to watch. I also
enjoyed the few videos that I did do for the class. I found it easier
to watch lectures than to read for an assignment. Most of my classes
require a lot of reading so seeing a video posted was also a breath
of fresh air.
What
I liked the most regarding technology is that it allowed me to come
back to what I was doing. I was able to make my own class time and
review my work. The notes, assignments, and lectures were always
available and I could work at my own pace. For example, I felt the
rough drafts were easier to work from than in other settings.
Everything that I may have missed was on the page and reviewed. This
was most helpful to me regarding learning to properly cite sources
and how to set up a paper. I felt visually seeing what where and how
I went wrong and being able to see it side by side with my my final
draft helped me to learn these skills.
In
the future I know I will use videos and outside sources to learn. I
am going to continue to take online courses and will utilize making
videos for assignments. I will also use research for other classes in
order to either better understand a topic or to support my argument.
image source:
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Reflections on the Course
In this course I
have learned how to be more efficient in researching topics which
currently is effecting my college courses. I have learned how to find
the information I need and use it effectively in papers. I have also
learned the importance of making research flow naturally in a paper.
I feel the
readings have not effected me so as much as seeing other class
members reactions to the readings. It is often easy to overlook
certain aspects of books and form one opinion. However, discussing
books have made try to see things from others perspectives even if I
may disagree. This was most obvious when I was reading Up In The Air.
I felt the movie was easier to relate and tried to understand why
others enjoyed the book more. I felt reading multiple perspectives
helped me see parts of the book I had overlooked. It may not have
changed my opinion but it did change how I read the rest of the book.
I feel in the future when I read a book or even watch a movie I will
try to keep other possible views in mind.
I feel that in
each learning outcome I have improved. This is most evident to me in
using and citing sources. I felt at the start of this course much of
what I used was done so awkwardly and cited improperly. Now I feel
much more comfortable using outside sources and citing them. As I
stated before I also feel I have improved in considering new
perspectives.
My writing
process has changed in that I find it easier to create a thesis
statement and to work from there. Before I felt the most difficult
part of writing a paper was starting it, however, it has become
easier for me to start with an idea or statement, go through the
research process, and to realize that it is okay if my idea changes
during this process.
My primary
challenge in this class, like all my classes, has been time
management. I felt that I was able to overcome this by pretending I
was unable to turn in any assignments late and only using it when I
had a week in which I was overflowing with work, homework, and other
responsibilities. I felt this method really helped my time
management.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Rough Draft #4
Phillip Bradford
April 22, 2012
Laura Cline
English 102
Up in the Air
While the movie and
film “Up in the Air” are both about the openly secluded life of a
man who's job it is to fire people, and a pro at it too. The two are
their own separate beasts, the protagonist Ryan Bingham is at heart a
lone wolf, there is no room for human connection in his line of work.
Bingham is not only in the business of firing people, he also
lectures about his business philosophy in the book the character
comes off as a cold unfeeling businessman who one can connect with
only if they too were a unabashed cynic with six figures in their
bank account. In the film George Clooney's character with Ivan
Rietman direction immediately adds a likeability to the character.
Given the black and white jaded cynicism of the character in the book
who you wouldn't even want to be in the same room as, where as
Clooney's character however seems to have a light air about him, he's
someone you could relate to in someway even if it was just mocking
the suckers on the plane. Bingham in the book had little purpose or
message, where Clooney's speaks to a more modern economic climate,
one an audience can actually relate to.
When you dig even
deeper, you see that it's not just the bad development of the
character in the book that didn't translate, but that it also lacked
a “side kick” that was in the movie. The character development
and the addition of a new character, Natalie Keener who may replace
Bingham, made him and the plot easier to understand and relate to. He
became a man that the audience could sympathize with despite his job
of firing people. In the book your insight is provided by Binghams
inner monologue which at times can be well put and even a little
humorous although it still does little to help the reader relate to
him. Thanks to Natalie's addition, Clooney seems like a man who's
prime is passing, a man who seems to have everything figured out is
now given a very humanistic side with the threat of having his
position revoked. He is becoming outmoded and that is a scenario
anyone can understand even if they haven't actually experienced it.
When the book was
written the world was in a much different place economically, the
book was released before the recession and, as a result, the job of
Bingham did not have resonate the same as it did in movie form.
Bingham's job does not seem as important and acts more as an excuse
to keep him away from than as a reason. The movie was created for an
audience that is struggling economically and Bingham's role is to
protect the companies and offer the newly laid off employees hope
(however false it may be). The character in the movie understands his
role and how sensitive it is and has turned it into an art. However,
this results in him distancing himself from others. These changes
based on the economic situation in the country resulted in further
character development.
The addition of
Natalie also created sympathy for Bingham in that it showed just how
important his job is. The movie was created for a country in economic
turmoil with the possibility that those in the audience would have
been laid off. It is difficult to create sympathy for the person that
could have told them they no longer have a job. However, Natalie
shows the audience how important who and how you lose your job. She
believes it can all be done in an efficient impersonal way. This ends
in disaster when one employee loses their job and commits suicide.
Natalie, devastated, decides to quit. Bingham, with all his flaws,
understands people. This creates character development not seen in
the book.
In an articled in
Forbes magazine Klaus Kneale discusses “layoff specialists” or
“workplace planners”. Those hired by companies to downsize and
keep morale up in the process of lay offs. The article discusses why
it takes a specialist instead of others in the company. The
specialists can make the tough decisions while keeping the company
and its employees safe. The use of Natalie in the movie showed the
positive results of Clooney (Bingham) being detached from others. He
was able to view the job objectively and do what was needed to lay
people off in a sensitive, quick, and safe way. While it is not
pretty it is a necessary job.
In conclusion the
differences are stark even with the same backbone, all things
considered the book is still a well writen and insightful look into
the modern business culture, but surely few people can associate with
that culture in a way that the author is trying to engage the
audience. While the movie engages the audience on a social,
satirical, emotional, and economical level that the book, coming from
a well off businessman's perspective was unable to do. The movie,
overall, connected with the current problems through Bingham's
development and telling the story of those that have been laid off.
Works Cited
Kirn,
Walter. Up in the Air. New York: Anchor Books, 2001. Print.
Klaus
Kneale. “You're Probably Doing Your Layoffs All Wrong.” Forbes.
Feb. 12, 2009. Web. April
0212_kneale.html
Up
in the Air. Dir.
Jason Reitman. Paramount Pictures, 2009. DVD.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Thesis for Up in the Air.
Image: http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/7/2009/12/500x_up_in_the_air_georgeclooney2.jpg
Here is a movie review I found discussing how the movie reflects the economy:http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20323777,00.html
Monday, April 9, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Mid Semester Review
April 1, 2012
Laura Cline, Instructor
YCC
Prescott, AZ. 86303
Dear Laura Cline,
I feel that, as with all online courses, the most challenging aspect of the course has been the discipline it takes to keep up with assignments. It is all to easy in an online course to forget about due dates and slack a little at this point in the semester. I also feel at times that the assignments, because it is online, are not engaging enough so it makes it easier to fall behind. I feel the most rewarding part of this class has been staying engaged with other students and keeping up with the work.
I feel the assignments as part of the readings have affected me more so than the readings themselves. I also feel that reading what other students have to say about different readings have affected more so than the readings. I feel these parts of the readings have challenged my opinions about what we have read and have also driven me to improve my own writing. I can see what I am doing well, what I could improve, and what I may have overlooked.
The literary analysis is less research driven and more created by proving your point and supporting it. So much of college writing is based around others opinions and just the facts. In a literary analysis the voice of the author is heard more. There is more room for style and everything is open to interpretation.
My primary goal for the second half of the semester is to continue to keep up with my assignments. I also hope to remember to continue to check for using “I” in papers. It is also my goal to complete the extra credit.
Sincerely,
Phill Bradford
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