Wednesday, 28 December 2011

A Wrinkle in Time in 90 seconds

Video here.

Week two schedules

Finding computer availability is exciting!  This schedule is likely to change.

Class 21
Tuesday 9:00 Lab (d216?)
Tuesday 10:00 Classroom(d222)
Thurs 3:30 Lab (d118)
Thurs 4:30 Classroom (d222)
Fri 2:30 Lab (d118)

Class 22
Mon 4:30 Classroom (d222)
Wed 9:00 Lab (d118)
Thurs 2:30 Lab (d118)
Fri 3:30 Classroom (d222)
Fri 4:30 Lab (d118)

Class 23
Tues 2:30 Classroom (d222)
Tues 3:00 Lab (d118)
Wed 2:30 Lab (d216?)
Fri 9:00 Classroom (d222)
Fri 10:00 Lab (d118)

Class 24
Mon 9:00 classroom (d222)
Tues 4:30 Lab (d216)
??Very tentative below this point??
Wed 10:00 Lab (d118)
Fri 12:00 Lab (d118)
Sat 12:00 Class (d222)


Tuesday, 27 December 2011

Interesting introductions

Many introductions are boring and don't tell us meaningful details about the person.  Your first assignment is to introduce yourself in as interesting a way as possible.

I will update this post to include links to a few interesting students from each class.

Saturday, 24 December 2011

possibly viral videos

Wikipedia on Viral Videos:

A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email.[1] Viral videos often contain humorous content and include televised comedy sketches, such as ..., amateur video clips like Star Wars Kid[2] the Numa Numa[3][4] videos, The Evolution of Dance,[5] Chocolate Rain[6] on YouTube; and web-only productions such as I Got a Crush... on Obama.[7] Some eyewitness events have also been caught on video and have "gone viral"[8] such as the Battle at Kruger.[9]
With the proliferation of camera phones,[10] many videos are being shot by amateurs on these devices. The availability of inexpensive video editing and publishing tools allows video shot on mobile phones to be edited and distributed virally, by email or website, and between phones by Bluetooth or MMS. These consumer-shot videos are typically non-commercial, intended for viewing by friends or family. A video becoming viral is often unexpected, and an accident, and therefore a video cannot be called viral purely in the creator's intention at the time of recording.


I am simply preparing this post so that I can fill it in later.  The assignment is for students to choose one of the videos below and comment on it.
Comments and discussion should include: what is happening in the video, how it makes you feel and why you chose it, and some examples of research you have put into understanding the video.
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Mr Dean's example:
I am not sure if this is viral or not, but I have seen it pop up in several locations online.  I like it.  If the embedding doesn't work, here it is.



In the video, a frog is confused by the images on a smart phone screen.  It sees a game where one is meant to touch the screen on the ants as if eating them.  The frog doesn't know it is a game.  I think it is funny for three reasons.  First, the image is clear enough to fool the frog.  I have seen cats attack images on TV screens but haven't seen frogs tricked like this before.  Second, I can only imagine that the frog is getting confused and angry.  For some reason, I find the idea of an angry frog funny.  Third, the surprise at the ending is great.  For some reason the exclamation the person makes sounds Korean to me.

In researching the subject, I have found that at least one other animal has tried to eat ants from a phone screen.   Here is a horny toad.
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Mr. Garrioch and Ms. Palomo were in a video that went viral.  Have a look!

Optional readings

Censorship is a strange thing and yet we all do it to some extent.  If I am watching TV and my son is in the room and I hear too many swear words, I will change the channel or turn the TV off.  I do not feel comfortable watching some of my favourite shows or movies with him nearby now.

The meaning of words change.  "Gay" once merely meant happy and authors would describe two men laughing and playing gaily, but now the word "Gay" often means homosexual.

At the Gutenberg Project is a book of Censored Mother Goose Rhymes. From the forward: "The book is dedicated to the censors who have taught us to read naughty meanings into harmless words."

The second reading is one you might take home.  A science fiction/ fantasy writing camp in South Carolina runs for two weeks.  In the first week, students create a world for their stories.  The world on its geography, biology, history and cultures.  In the second week, they write stories set in that world.  The pdf is here.

Friday, 23 December 2011

To Do lists

This camp begins as the year 2011 ends.  At such a time, it is traditional to look back on the past year and to plan ahead for the new one.  I would like to hear a bit of both from my students and this seems an excellent way for students to introduce themselves.

First, as I think they are interesting, here are To Do lists from Leonardo daVinci and Woody Guthrie (and Wikipedia links: daVinci, Guthrie).
Guthrie:
daVinci:

Writing about your past and your plans for the future can be personal and I remind you that your classmates are expected to read your blog.  Because I am asking for personal information, I feel I should tell you about my experiences in 2011 and some of my plans for this camp and 2012.

In early 2011, my son and I went to Ontario, Canada for a month.  We loved our time there: skiing, skating and tobogganing.  One month of a cold, Canadian winter out of five years is great; five months every year might not be.

One thing I loved doing in 2011 was volunteer swim coaching.  I helped ten elementary school students learn to swim and we all had fun.

My classes at university in semesters one and two were good but I saw ways to improve them.  To be honest, the weakest part of my teaching was in the blogging requirement for my second year students.  They told me they forgot despite my frequent reminders.  I am uncertain why so few did their blogging homework.  Please, if you dislike blogging at camp, tell me why. I will not be angry but grateful.

My summer in Busan was not exciting.  I much prefer Gangwon's beaches and attractions.

I would say I was lazy through 2011 and need to work harder in 2012.  Here are some of my plans for the new year:

  1. speak more Korean
  2. Do more wood carving
  3. Draw more pictures with my son, help him with math and reading and teach him to swim
  4. ride my bike to school and exercise more.
  5. prepare meals at home and take them to work.
  6. Look for ways to earn more money.

I studied Korean seriously when I first arrived but lost interest.  I should speak more.  In 2012, I will work to learn a few new words every day and also a few sentences and phrases.  One problem I have is that my parents-in-law speak Korean in Gyeongsang dialect.  A pillow is a 비개, and a sock is a 양발 to my mother-in-law.

I enjoy wood carving and when I do it, time flies by.  When I stop, I feel no urge to start again and I don't know why.  Maybe it is because I cut my finger so often!

My son and I have been working on a mural covering one wall of his toyroom.  We should finish it soon.












I don't think the other points are all that interesting but I want to read yours.  Get to Work!