Blog 13: Reflection for the Food Unit

For this blog entry please look back over your work for the Food Unit. These include

1. Blogs 9-12
2. Your response to the "XXXL: Why Are We So Fat?" Google Group, 
3. Your evaluations of two CATs for other students
4. Your reading of the student responses to "Hype"
5. Your response to CAT 3
6. any revisions you have made to previous blog entries.

In your first paragraph, discuss how the content of the food unit connects to previous texts ("The Allegory of the Cave," The Truman Show, The Matrix, "Red Pill or Blue Pill?" etc.) and to the main theme of this class, as expressed in the subtitle of my blog, Brave New World: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad."

Examples of ideas to explore for this section of the reflection: Why do you think the makers of The Meatrix films used The Matrix as the basis for their arguments? What possible connections could the food industry have to the ideas in The Matrix and, by association, the themes of this course? Or: How do the readings in "XXXL" reveal a system of control through food?

In your second paragraph, explain what tasks from the six-item list above you have done well and what needs improvement. What challenges are you facing? What do you think you need to know right now to move ahead? What can you say about your response to CAT-W #3?

Please write 400+ words reflecting on your experience and work in this third unit, giving specific evidence from your blog entries, work in Google Groups, and evaluation of two student responses to CAT #2. My feedback for the Food Unit will be a response to this reflection.

Connecting with The Matrix; Revising CAT # 1

Today we will:

• Connect the world of The Matrix to our world 
• Practice writing claims, reasons, and evidence
• Begin Blog 13: Revision of CAT #1

***

I. Connecting The Matrix to Our World

Neo's life in the simulated world of The Matrix. From Job Interview Tips

Find the group work questions HERE.

II. Practicing Connection through Claims, Reasons, and Evidence
This exercise is to help you practice the kinds of integration between text and response that the CAT requires. The point is to create as much dialogue based on claims, reasons, and evidence as possible.

Go to the The Matrix Group HERE. Join the group. Then:

1. Choose one question from those originally posted by Dr. J., Dr V., or Dr. X.
2. Answer the question using the following format: 

Claim:
Reason:
Evidence:

Where CLAIM is a clear argument, REASON is the motive or explanation as to why you are arguing what you are arguing, and EVIDENCE is one example, fact, quote, description, story, definition, etc. that develops your claim and reason.

   3. Repeat, only this time you may choose between a question from another professor, or the answers from your classmates or from other classes.
   4. Keep reading and responding. The more you practice engaging with others, the easier it will be when you take the CAT.


III. Blog 13: Revision of CAT #1
Use the feedback on the Writing Assessment Analytic Scoring Rubric to write a revision of your first CAT. You may start over or add/delete as you see fit. If you need a copy of "The Dangers of Reality TV," check under Class Docs on this blog.

Your goal is to try to reach the next score level for each category, especially on those that you did not do so well. This blog entry must be 400+ words. 

Peer Evaluation; Reflection; Self Assessment (11/11)

Welcome, Dr. Van Slyck!

PART I
To continue our study and reflection of successful writing strategies, today we will evaluate four of your classmates' responses to CATW 4. I will model what to do using the first response, and then each group will evaluate two more responses. You will only have 15 minutes per response, so pace your work carefully!


INSTRUCTIONS
One person in the group should read the response out loud. Then, using the Peer Evaluation handout, discuss

1. what are some good strategies evidenced in the response  ("We like...)
2. what could be approached differently  ("We recommend...")
3. what is not working ("You must...")

Once you have decided as a group what your advice to the writer is, type it up in the Google Docs below that corresponds to your group number.

Repeat for a second response.

Towards the end of the hour, we will come together as a class to listen to your advice and perhaps add some more of our own.

Lastly, go back to Blog 14: Ideas for Improving My Performance in the CATW (or start Blog 14 if you missed last class) and write a short explanation of what you have learned about the CATW from doing this exercise. Did this exercise give you new ideas of what to do or what NOT to do when writing the CATW? If you feel that you have learned nothing new, what things that you already knew were emphasized by doing this exercise?

Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6

PART II
Now check your response to CATW 4 in Blog 11 for a comment left for you by a reader from Dr. Kristen Gallagher's Seminar for Teaching Writing.

After reading the comment, go to Blog 14 again and write a few more lines: What did you learn from reading the feedback from Dr. Gallagher's student? If you feel that you have learned nothing new, what facts about your writing were emphasized by the student's feedback? Are there any things that the student said that do not make sense to you? If so, what and why?

Last but not least: SELF ASSESSMENT

Working with a partner, use the Peer Evaluation Sheet to figure out how well you did in CATW 5 (Blog 13). Read one partner's response first, evaluate it, and then repeat for the other partner. Be honest.

Now go back to Blog 14 and write a few more tips to yourself.

If there is any time left, we will do the exercise on page 24 of the CATW Student Handbook. 

Copy of "Let Them Eat Fat"
Copy of the Peer Evaluation Sheet

Blog 13: Typing CATW 5; Comparing Your Reponse to the Model in the Student Handbook ; Blog 14: Ideas for Improving My Performance in the CATW (11/9)

 PART I

• Type your CATW 5 exactly as you wrote it on Monday. This will be Blog 13.
• Change the settings of the Comments on your blog to "Anyone." Keith, Michael H., and Christian, please turn off your "captcha" also.
• Check your Comments page.

 PART II

I will put you in groups of 3 to do the following:

1. Compare your annotations of the CATW 5 reading with those of page 15 of the CATW Student Handbook. Quickly write down any ideas that the comparison gives you. Is there any way you could improve your annotation of the reading? 
2. One person in the group read the Sample response on page 16 of the CATW Student Handbook.As a group, identify: 

• the summary
• the writer's thesis (it may be more than one sentences)
• an example that develops the thesis

Now compare your answers to those on page 17 of the CATW Student Handbook. Quickly write down any ideas that the comparison gives you. Is there any way you could improve your response to the reading?

3. Now we will look at the ideas about structure and connection on pages 18-19 of the CATW Student Handbook. Now look at the list of transitions on pages 13-14 of the packet. Quickly write down a few transitions that would help you organize your CATW better.

Type the ideas you have written down as Blog 14: Ideas for Improving My Performance in the CATW.