Hey everyone:

Tuesday, comparatively, is a mild day for us. What we want to try to do at this point is think in a bit more detail about the daily posts. This activity is one of the primary ways that you'll interact with the course material and with each other. So it's REALLY important to think about this genre. What you are trying to do (as a participant in this class) is use the discussion forum to create a dialog with other class participants. This is what your grade will be based on (and it's 20% of the total class grade). So you need to not just post on the articles, but you need to read the other posts that people make and respond to them in thoughtful ways. It's critical.


So today you have a reading and two challenges:

You will find the Reading Here:

Revisualizing Composition: Mapping the Writing Lives of First-Year College Students
http://wide.msu.edu/special/writinglives/


CHALLENGE #1: Go to the blackboard space and read Check out the posts in the "Genre" discussion board. I am going to be posting some more information on the genre of discussion boards and how to do it. Then post to the course readings discussion forum. Try to get into the swing of both posting and responding. Ask yourself questions like these: what kind of post would be most likely to get other to respond? How might I respond to someone's post in a way that would start a discussion going?

CHALLENGE #2: Go to the Blackboard space. Under the "Assessment" link you will see there is quiz labeled "You are Here #1: Whaddaya Know." Complete the quiz (obviously you can be looking at the Syllabus and 1st week readings and activities list as you are doing the quiz -- the point is really to make sure you are reading carefully

Again, keep asking questions! You'll see that I am responding like crazy to all the questions in the forum. So keep up with the readings and have faith (those of you feeling confused). It'll start to gel any day now.