Three little assignments to get us started:

ASSIGNMENT ONE: Go to this Padlet, click on the big + at the bottom right, put your name in the title, then tell us how you feel about writing (love, hate, meh) and about taking an asynchronous class this summer (love, hate, worried), and add an image/gif/link. Respond to each other — this is meant to be fun!

ASSIGNMENT TWO: Go to Perusall (join using any email address, use the code BLAIN-J82JM when you’ve clicked the access link that’s send to your email and are asked to join a class) and annotate the syllabus — say what you like, what confuses you, any suggestions you might have for making it better… whatever you want.

how do you annotate? Pretty simple. Once you’re on the Course Home page, click on Assignments (if it isn’t already open), then find the one you’ve been assigned — in this case, it says “Syllabus Critique.” Open it, and you’ll find the thing you need to read. To annotate, highlight a word or sentence. When you’ve finished highlighting, a conversation area will open on the right. Then have at it!

what makes a good annotation? Five things (although maybe not all at once!):

  1. Ask a question. Say what you understand as well as what you don’t: “I understand… but I don’t understand…” If possible, suggest answers to your question: “I don’t understand… but could it be that…?”
  2. Answer a question. If I’ve left a prompt at a certain spot, or if a classmate has asked a question and you know the answer, answer clearly and concisely. It doesn’t have to be formal — you’re a real person, after all! If somebody has already answered but you’re not sure about it or have something to add, go for it. If you know where the answer is somewhere else in the text, point that out OR even add a link to another helpful or interesting resource (like a YouTube video). And to be polite, feel free to use the other person’s name (click on the initials in the circle and you’ll see their whole name).
  3. Clarify. If you’re not sure or you’re struggling with a spot, find a different way of saying it… just to be sure you got it. Maybe summarize it.
  4. Connect. It’s always fun when something clicks because it connects with something else you know — another class, something that happened in your own life.
  5. Extend. Go beyond what’s in the text. Think out loud about what it’s saying. Add a link to something that you think would make the conversation even better!
  6. And be sure to reply to each other! The most fun thing that happens in Perusall is when a bunch of people start talking — formally and informally — about a spot in the reading. There was one wild thread about “Fuku” (which you’ll be reading) where half the class talked about myths and scary stuff from their own cultures. It was such fun!

ASSIGNMENT THREE: Two parts to this one—

  1. Go to Perusall and do the Assignment labelled “Intro activities for your first OpenLab post.” You can absolutely leave annotations/comments on the video! Just click on the video at the spot where you want to leave something, and the Conversation window will open on the right side. Make your comment, hit Submit, and go back to the video.
  2. Then Create a post for OpenLab where you introduce yourself, tell us a bit about who you are, give us something we won’t know right away, and include an image… like this…
I put this here because it’s kind of how my brain feels at the moment.

To create a post, click on the circle with the + on the top of the site, then start writing. You’ll have to select a Category (check the gear and go to document to find the list) before you can publish. And then go see who your classmates are and say hi! [For more help on how to create a Post, go here for a video tutorial and help materials.]

I’ll post my own in the Blog tab on the main menu.

Now… your turn! And be sure to text me on Slack if you have problems (here’s the invitation link again).

Try to get all of this done before we start Unit 1 on Friday, July 8!