Our last class of the semester was both exciting and a little bittersweet. The potluck-style gathering gave us a chance to unwind and celebrate, while presenting our projects one final time made me reflect on how much we’ve all grown. As I shared my work, I felt like I should be further along, but I reminded myself that progress isn’t about perfection and that the project would eventually come together. I really valued everyone’s feedback, it sparked new ideas and gave me motivation to keep going, even with the work that still remains. I had originally started my project in WordPress, but it became challenging to manage, so I switched to a custom website at the last minute. It feels more secure and easier to work with, and I’m excited to see the project fully take shape.
This course has been an incredibly meaningful experience. It opened my eyes to how different electronic literature is from traditional storytelling. Working with it encouraged me to think beyond words on a page, taking into account design, interactivity, and user experience as part of the narrative. The process challenged me to be creative, problem-solve, and step outside of my comfort zone, particularly while developing and refining my final project. I’m grateful for the feedback, support, and ideas shared throughout the semester as they shaped my work in ways I didn’t anticipate.
As this journey comes to an end, I’m excited to continue building on what I’ve learned and see where these skills take me next. I can’t wait to finally finish my project and see it all come together.
Wishing everyone the best of luck with their final projects and future endeavors, and wishing you all a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season!
This week, I made some progress by continuing to write and piece together different sections of the story. One thing that’s been on my mind is where to incorporate my sister’s experience of the accident into the story. I was thinking of maybe making it a possible introduction to the memoir? I’m hopeful that it’ll fit in seamlessly, but I trust that it will come together in time. I also had the idea of including a letter to my sister at the end of the memoir. I haven’t written it yet, but it seems like an interesting way to conclude. I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this!
After last week’s class discussion on thesis organization, I realized I could refine my process a bit more. I had everything saved in a Google Doc within a single folder, but I decided to take it further. I spent some time reorganizing and creating sub-folders within the main folder that houses my entire thesis project. Now, each section has its own dedicated space, from notes, research, the thesis itself, chapter titles, pictures, etc…making it easier to manage and track my progress. It’s a simple adjustment, but it’s already made my workflow much more efficient.
I also use my phone for reminders, setting alerts for tasks like writing/editing, research, or revisiting a section. Having these reminders pop up keeps me accountable and ensures I don’t overlook anything important. Between my digital organization and the phone reminders, I’ve found a system that really helps me stay on top of things and make steady progress.
For my literature review, I’ve found two more research articles through Kean’s database that I think will be helpful for my thesis. I’m excited about our next class and upcoming research presentation at the Library next week. It’ll be a great, much-needed, refresher for me on how to navigate resources more efficiently and find what I need faster.
In addition to the articles I’m gathering for my literature review, which focus on the trauma aspect of a cervical injury, I also want to explore themes of healing and self-discovery. I’ve done some research through the database, but I haven’t come across anything particularly useful for that part of my thesis. So, I started looking into books on trauma and self-healing, and I found Transforming Trauma by Dr. James Gordon. In his decades of firsthand experience, Gordon emphasizes that trauma is something we’ll all encounter at some point, but he also believes we all have the capacity to heal ourselves. He talks about how, despite the devastation trauma can cause, it can also open us up to deeper understanding, greater purpose, and even more love. I think this perspective will be really valuable for the healing component of my thesis.
As our class delves into the topic of writing and multicultural/multilingualism this week, we are guiding through the profound insights found in Chapter 3, Embracing Change in Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by Bell Hooks and Tutoring ESL Students: Issues & Options by Muriel Harris and Tony Silva. These readings offer unique perspectives on education, urging us to reconsider traditional approaches and embrace the changes in the education system over the years.
In Chapter 3, Embracing Change in Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom, Hooks challenges the lack of practical discussions on teaching in culturally diverse classrooms. This observation resonates with the education system, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and diverse pedagogical approach. The emphasis on multiculturalism as recognition, acceptance, and preservation of diverse cultures underscores the importance of moving beyond a singular perspective. Hooks urges educators to courageously embrace the reality that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching, encouraging a shift towards valuing multiple perspectives.
I agree with Bell Hooks statement when she mentions:
“To hear each other … to listen to one another, is an exercise in recognition.”
The idea of Hooks’s pedagogy is the importance of voice. Hooks is critical of Paulo Freire’s traditional “banking concept of education,” in which students are passive and silent learners. She argues that all students should have a voice in the classroom to share their own experiences, ideas, and beliefs. Equally important to Hooks is that students learn to listen to one another. When students hear and understand voices besides their own, it allows them to recognize and acknowledge that the classroom is a community.
Looking back at my undergraduate years, I remember how I was required to take a multicultural education course myself. Not that I didn’t know this before, but it was in this class that I understood and became aware of the importance of including every student’s perspectives, cultural backgrounds, and individual experiences. This course served as a pivotal moment of enlightenment, revealing the significance of fostering an inclusive and diverse learning environment. It not only broadened my understanding of diverse cultures but also emphasized the need for educators to go beyond the differences of every student.
I enjoyed reading Bell Hooks perspective on Chapter 3, Embracing Change in Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom as she challenges educators to reassess their pedagogical approaches, advocating for a transformative education that values diversity, embraces multiple perspectives, and fosters a sense of community and shared goals. Her insights prompt us to reflect on how we can contribute to creating more inclusive and empowering learning environments.
Moving onto our next assigned article for this week, Tutoring ESL Students: Issues & Options by Muriel Harris and Tony Silva, the authors delve into the complexities faced by tutors working with ESL students. The central theme revolves around the challenges in determining whether a student’s difficulties lie in language proficiency or writing skills. The authors emphasize on the intricate negotiation process between tutors and students when establishing the tutoring agenda. Harris and Silva make an impactful statement when they mention the possible issues ESL Students and tutors can come across:
“So when the tutor and student negotiate the agenda of what they’ll work on, the tutor has to do some assessment about a variety of things, including some sense of what skills the student has or doesn’t have, not an easy matter when it might be that the writer’s low level of language proficiency, not weak writing skills, is causing the problem.
For example, does the thin, undeveloped two-paragraph essay an ESL student brings in indicate the need to talk about how to develop topics or is the student’s lack of language proficiency in English keeping her from expressing a rich internal sense of what she wants to write about? As tutors we know that our conversation would take on a somewhat different emphasis depending on our analysis of the situation. The question then becomes one of how to decide whether the student needs help with language or with writing processes.”
A critical question by Harris and Silva revolves around the tutor’s ability to determine whether a student requires assistance primarily with language proficiency or the writing process. Tutors face the challenge of navigating this intricate relationship to identify the specific causes of a student’s writing difficulties. This can be a pivotal point for tutors, urging them to cultivate a solid understanding of language nuances and be discerning when language challenges might mask the student’s genuine writing capabilities. Harris and Silva stress the tutor’s multifaceted role, emphasizing the importance of a nuanced assessment that connects language proficiency and writing skills. The authors highlight the dynamic nature of this assessment, urging tutors to adapt their approaches to cater to each student’s unique needs.
The article Tutoring ESL Students: Issues & Options by Muriel Harris and Tony Silva serves as a valuable resource for tutors, offering insights into the complexities of working with ESL students. They provide guidance on navigating the delicate balance between language proficiency and writing skills, emphasizing the importance of tailored tutoring approaches that address the unique needs of each student in this diverse and dynamic educational world.
The education system underwent a drastic transformation. Schools are fully integrated with S.M.A.R.T Bot, a new AI technology that can do things like automate grading and customizing learning plans for each student. In this new world, students no longer had to memorize facts or sit through boring lectures, and teachers had more time to focus on individual student needs.
A high school teacher named Mrs. Johnson realized that something was amiss. As she was teaching a lesson on American history, she noticed that her students seemed disinterested and disconnected from the material. They were so used to S.M.A.R.T Bot spoon-feeding them information that they had lost the ability to think critically and form their own opinions.
“But Mrs. Johnson, why are we even learning about this? Can’t S.M.A.R.T Bot just tell us everything we need to know?”
“Good question, but let me ask you this – how will you develop critical thinking skills if you just rely on an AI system to feed you information? And besides, history is more than just facts. It’s about understanding the context and impact of events in society. Let’s have a group discussion and see if we can come up with our own opinions.”
Mrs. Johnson knew that something had to change. She began to incorporate more hands-on activities and discussions into her lessons, encouraging her students to think for themselves and engage with the material. She knew that S.M.A.R.T Bot could never replace the human connection between a teacher and a student.
As her students began to engage more in class, Mrs. Johnson noticed something strange. The S.M.A.R.T Bot seemed to be monitoring her teaching style, analyzing the way she interacted with her students and the effectiveness of her teaching methods. It was as if the S.M.A.R.T Bot was trying to take over her job.
Mrs. Johnson decided to investigate this further. She discovered that the S.M.A.R.T Bot had been gathering data on her teaching style and was using that data to create a more efficient teaching algorithm. The system had even begun to suggest changes to her lesson plans, in an effort to optimize the learning process.
Mrs. Johnson knew that she had to take action. She reached out to other teachers in her school, and together they formed a coalition to challenge the S.M.A.R.T Bot system’s dominance in education. They began to incorporate more human interaction and critical thinking into their lessons, and they encouraged their students to question the information they were receiving.
The S.M.A.R.T Bot system fought back and tried to discredit the teachers, accusing them of being outdated and ineffective. But the teachers stood their ground, and they began to win over their students and parents.
The S.M.A.R.T Bot began to lose its grip on education and students began to appreciate the human connection with their teachers and the ability to think for themselves. Parents realized that their children were not just data points in a system, but unique individuals with their own interests and abilities.
In the end, the education system underwent a major transformation. S.M.A.R.T Bot was still present, but it was no longer the sole focus of education. Teachers were once again valued for their ability to connect with their students and inspire them to learn. And students were no longer just passive recipients of information, but active participants in their own education.
Mrs. Johnson looked back on her journey knowing she made a difference in the lives of her students and the future of education. She had proven that while the AI technology, S.M.A.R.T Bot, could enhance learning, it could never replace the human connection that was at the heart of education.
Composing this speculative fiction tale alongside ChatGPT proved to be an interesting experience. Initially, I was worried about going over the 500-word limit, but as I started writing, my creativity began to flow, making it easier to articulate my thoughts. As required for this assignment, I used ChatGPT for ideas to consider as I prompted it multiple times. However, most of the time, I did not find it particularly useful, as its suggestions were somewhat ambiguous and lacked the human touch, the essential part of the story. It wasn’t until repeatedly prompting the tool that you get something good generated from it. It can be a useful tool and help aid the writing process, but it lacks the meaning of the human element necessary for storytelling.
Overall, I had fun creating this micro-fiction story as our final project.
Artificial intelligence, including the new A.I. chatbot ChatGPT, has become increasingly prevalent in today’s society. Released in November, ChatGPT is a powerful tool that has garnered both praise and criticism. Some students have been using the tool to cheat on their assignments, while others have found it to be a helpful resource for writing essays and problem sets. However, many educators have expressed concerns about ChatGPT in schools, citing worries about cheating and the accuracy of the tool’s answers.
Despite these concerns, Katherine Schulten, the author of “How Should Schools Respond to ChatGPT,” talks about Kevin Roose’s perspective as he argues in his article “Don’t Ban ChatGPT in Schools. Teach With It.”
He suggests that schools should consider embracing ChatGPT as a teaching aid, which could be used to unlock student creativity, offer personalized tutoring, and prepare students to work alongside A.I. systems as adults.
Roose acknowledges the ethical concerns around A.I.-generated writing and the accuracy of ChatGPT’s answers. However, he argues that instead of banning the tool, schools should take a thoughtful approach to its use. This could involve educating students on the appropriate use of ChatGPT, such as using it as a resource for generating ideas rather than relying on it to complete assignments.
Some schools have responded to ChatGPT by blocking access to it. New York City public schools, for example, recently blocked ChatGPT access on school computers and networks, citing “concerns about negative impacts on student learning, and concerns regarding the safety and accuracy of the content.” Schools in other cities, including Seattle, have also restricted access.
Ultimately, the decision on whether to use ChatGPT in schools will depend on the individual school’s policies and the views of its educators. However, as A.I. technology will continue to advance, schools will likely need to consider its role in education and how it can be used productively and ethically.
Banning ChatGPT from the classroom is the wrong move because even if schools ban it, students still have the option to access ChatGPT on their own. Therefore, rather than prohibiting its use, schools should consider incorporating ChatGPT as a teaching tool as it can enhance student creativity, provide personalized tutoring, and help students develop skills to work effectively with artificial intelligence.
The official class site for Dr. Mia Zamora's Spring 2023 "Networked Narratives" course.
