Evaluation: Self as Peer Responder

1. Quote three specific pieces of feedback (not the whole responses, just parts of a response) that you received on your work that were particularly helpful to you in revising (not editing, revising the content).  Include links to these comments.   Crissa commented on my podcast and said that I needed to go back and erase two of my podcast that had posted and save the one that I wanted the listener to hear.  This comment can be found by clicking here.  Crissa commented on my guest editorial and said that “The last line seems incomplete.”  I considered this comment and changed the line to make it sound more complete.  To view this comment click here.  Erica made a comment on my PowerPoint Presentation that was very helpful.  She told me that it may be a good idea to tell more about how devices are fitted.  I was planning on doing this anyway but when someone else caught it, I knew it had to be done.  To see the actual comment click here.
2. Quote three specific pieces of feedback (not the whole responses, just parts of responses) that you gave to someone else that you believe were most likely helpful to them in revising their own work.  Include links to these comments.   When I commented on Crissa’s email exchange I told her that I thought it would be a good idea to expand on the stages of dementia and to tell exactly where her client fit.  I think that this will help tell more about her client and make her project better.  To view this comment click here.  I commented on Meridith’s journal entries and told her that I thought she should tell more about the approach that is being used with her client.  I also wanted her to expand on this.  I thought it would help the reader’s learn more about her client and make her project more complete.  To see this comment click here.  Another comment that I think was helpful is one that I made to Meridith’s interview transcript.  I know that when I met with Mrs. McComas she told me that it would be a good idea to show my research in each project, so when I reviewed the transcript I noticed that there wasn’t any research present.  I made the suggestion to add some research on something.  To view this comment click here.
3. Examine your examples for the first two items above and write about what this information tells you about the kind of peer responses you give.  I think that I am a good peer responder.  Everytime I reviewed my classmates work I would think to myself, “What would make this better and what would I do differently?”  I wanted to provide them with feedback that they could use and that would improve upon their project.  I thought that this was very important because I want my classmates to do well on this project and I hope that I was a valuable source in thier efforts to improve upon their work.  
4. Write a goal (behavioral objective) for yourself as a peer responder.  Specifically (this is an important word as I do not mean generally), the next time you participate in a peer response group, what do you intend to do differently?   Before responding to the work that I review I will read the work in its entirity, think about what I read and what could be done to improve the work, and critically review the work at hand so that my comments are helpful.

Self-Evaluation

Communication Disorders 315: http://whitneyh.wordpress.com 

Accuracy:

1.  Does the author cite sources used to develop the site?  Yes, there is a resource page with proper citations.  There are also some citations found on the entries on the main page and on the project prospectus.

2.  Is it possible to verify the legitimacy of these sources?  Yes, the citations provided give information needed in order to look up the sources used.  In some cases there are direct links to websites that were used.

3.  Does the background of the author point to knowledge of the subject covered?  Yes, in the table of contents there is a link to a page that tells the reader about the author, and she is a senior in the communication disorders program at Marshall.

4.  If the site is research-based, does the author clearly identify the method of research and the data gathered?  Yes, in some of the author’s reflections on her main page she explains in detail what she has done to find the information.  The page also contains APA formatted citations and some direct links.

Authority:

1.  Do you recognize the author’s name?  The author’s name is not well known but in the About the Author page she states some of her knowledge in the area that the page is on.

2.  If you don’t recognize the author’s name, what type of information is given about the author?  Position?  Organizational affiliation?  E-mail address?  Biographical information?  There is an About the Author page that tells about the author’s educational experience and personal information.  An e-mail address is not provided but comments can be made via the comment feature of the page.  The author is a senior in the Communication Disorders program at Marshall University.

3.  Was the site referenced in a document you trust?  Yes, this website is available through my Communication Disorders 315 website.

Objectivity:

1.  Determine what is the aim of the author or organization publishing the site.  The author of this website is to show what the author has learned through various assignments that were given throughout her class.  Her multi-genre research project is the main focus of the learning experience.

2.  What is the purpose of the website?  The purpose of this website is to provide information about what the author has learned.  She is also providing information on one particular subject, which is severe Broca’s aphasia with apraxia of speech.

3.  Do you trust the author or organization providing the information?  Yes, this site is not biased and is based on factual evidence that can be found by looking at the author’s sources.

Currency:

1.  Is a date clearly displayed?  On the main page dates are clearly displayed beside of the title of each post.  However, the dates are not displayed on the Table of Contents but on some of the postings you can look at the date of when comments were made.

2.  Can you determine what the date refers to?  The date beside the postings refer to the day that the item was posted.

3.  Are the resources used by the author current?  All of the resources are current.

4.  Does the page content demand routine or continual updating or revision?  The page content demands routine revision when new information is found concerning the treatment and symptoms of severe Broca’s aphasia with apraxia of speech.

5.  Do the links on the page point to the correct Internet site address?  Yes, the links point to the correct site address.

A13.5: Week 13 Reflection

Aims and Objectives:

My goals for this week were:

• To review my previous work and make improvements.
• To organize my multigenre research project.
• To create my reference page for my project.

Declarative Knowledge:

This week I learned a new way to revise papers.  It is called the SCAR method.  I think that it is very interesting and it really helped me improve upon my work.  I worked on my reference page and learned more about APA format.  I think that this is really helpful.  I also learned how to organize a table of contents for my page.

Procedural Knowledge:

To create the table of contents I logged on to my wordpress account.  I went to my dashboard and clicked write.  I then clicked write page.  I wrote the page and added the links by clicking the chain after highlighting the words that would contain the link.  I also made the table of contents the parent page for all of my MRP.  I did this by clicking on my previous work in manage and selecting the table of contents as the parent page.  I then went to the class website and clicked on Crissa’s link.  I reviewed her podcast by answering the questions that were posed by the instructor.  I then went back to the class website and clicked on Meredith’s link and reviewed her PowerPoint Presentation. I returned to wordpress and logged in.  I created my reference page by using the APA manual and sources that I have found while doing this assignment.  To complete the revision I printed a copy of my guest editorial.  I then went through the piece and edited it using the SCAR method.  I asked myself if words could be substituted, should I cut anything, does anything need added, and if I needed to rearrange anything.  This method really helped me improve my work.

Conditional Knowledge:

I think that learning the SCAR method will help me revise future work.  I found this method to be very effective.  It helped me make my work more cohesive and understandable.  The table of contents helped me with organization.  Learning to organize will help in school work and in my future professional life.  Learning about APA is continuous and will help me throughout my life.

Question:

I really don’t have a question about the work but since Thursday was Thanksgiving, which do you prefer turkey or ham?

A12.7: Week 12 Reflection

Aims and Objectives:

My goals for this week were:

• To complete my PowerPoint presentation.
• To go back and review my previous work.
• To learn more about digital literacy

 Declarative Knowledge:

This week I learned how to put a PowerPoint presentation on my weblog.  It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be.  I integrated my work on the types of digital literacy and learned that this literacy is very important and will continue to impact our society.  I also learned what a preface and the acknowledgements of a piece of work should contain.  Now I might just read those two sections of books.

Procedural Knowledge:

To begin my assignments I wrote the About the Author section of my work.  To do this I went back to my previous introduction and revised it a little.  I then went to wordpress and published my work.  I added this work to the Multi-genre research project page that I have developed.  I then went to the class webpage and read what a preface and acknowledgements section should contain.  I thought about why I did my project and who I would want to thank.  I posted these on wordpress.  I then responded to my groupmates sixth genre by going to their websites and reading their project.  I analyzed the project and I thought about how the project could be improved.  I posted my thoughts by using the comment feature.  I then reviewed what I had previously learned about the types of digital literacies and combined what I had learned into a comprehensive piece of work.  Throughout the week I developed my PowerPoint by using the program.  I selected the layouts and backgrounds that I wanted.  I used pictures that I had taken of devices available at Marshall and some from websites.  Once this was completed I went to wordpress and uploaded the file.  When it was uploaded I sent it to my page.  I then completed my weekly reflection.

Conditional Knowledge:

Learning about digital literacy has been very helpful to me.  It has helped me sharpen my skills and be a better student.  The PowerPoint presentation is very useful because you can use them for so many things.  I like how professional they make your work look. 

Question:

When is our final work due on the MRP?

A12.3: Digital Literacy

     Before beginning this class I had no clue that there was a such a thing as digital literacy.  I never knew that I possessed these skills and I never realized how important these skills were.  Digital literacy skills help a person navigate through the digital world safely and efficiently.  Digital literacy is composed of five different literacies.  They are:

• Photo-visual Literacy which is the ability to look at a picture and understand the meaning of that picture.  There are several areas of cognition involved in understanding an image, which include but are not limited to: questioning, personal associations, categorizing, analyzing, speculating, and fact finding.  The complexity of the picture will vary so the cognitive skills involved in interpreting the meaning of the picture will change.  These skills continue to emerge as people grow and learn.  The more you know the better you will be at this.
• Information Literacy is the ability to recognize when information is needed and is able to retrieve the needed information.  The person has to know when there is a need for information.  They have to know how to obtain the information and then organize it.  These skills are needed to be a good researcher and an information literate person.
• Branching literacy involves understanding complex topics involved in technology.  It also involves using a digital device.  Branching literacy is used when you surf the internet and check databases.  It is the ability to navigate the system without getting lost in hyperspace.  This literacy emerged as technology has improved and is becoming more important as the days go by.  To be an efficient user of this skill you must be able to mentally model the space in your head.  You need to be able to use concept maps and other forms of representation to convey the idea of the world-wide web.
• Reproduction literacy is a type of digital literacy in which a person uses existing texts, images, or audio and creates a new interpretation.    This literacy is relevant in writing and art.  It enables individuals to put a new spin on an old work.  This type of literacy is important because it allows a person’s creativity and ideas to develop.  I think one thing that may come into question is when is this considered reproduction and when is it considered copyright infringement.  The skills that an individual must have to be reproduction literate are being able to think in a multidimensional ways and think outside of the box in order to create a new take on an old piece of work.  I think that the skills required are significant because a lot of individuals do not know how to do this.  I think that this is an important skill to learn because it will help in many ways.
• Socio-economic literacy is a type of digital literacy that deals with the social interactions that occur within the digital realm.  It deals with protecting yourself within the digital world.  This literacy teaches a person wrong from right and teaches a person how to discrimintate good people from bad people within the online community.

     Of course there are certain skills needed to possess digital literacy.  An individual must learn these skills in order to be an effective user of today’s technology.  As technology continues to improve the demands will increase.  These skills will help a person protect themselves while using the community.  They will become an effective researcher.  These skills are very important.

     I think that digital literacy has already changed the education system.  I hope that it continues to change so that children our more prepared to live in that society that we live in.  I hope that teachers continue to add these skills to their curriculum.  I also think that classes pertaining to these skills should be offered and maybe even required.  I know that the education system will continue to evolve with these skills.

A11.4: Week 11 Reflection

Aims and Objectives:

My goals for this week were:

• To take pictures of some augmentative devices that our clinic has available.  I want to do this to prepare my Power Point presentation.
• To complete my assignments.  I wanted to complete my assignments and learn from the experience.  I just didn’t want to do them, I wanted to really learn.  So my main goal was to not just do the assignment but to pay attention to what I was doing and what I was learning.
• To give my groupmates helpful suggestions about their projects.  I want to help my groupmates improve and I hope that they feel the same way.

Declarative Knowledge:

     This week I learned about the final type of digital literacy, socio-economic literacy.  I now know that this literacy helps individuals safely navigate the internet.  It includes knowing proper net-etiquette and being able to protect yourself from predators.  I also was able to learn from my groupmates suggestions.  These suggestions are helping me prepare for revisions to my project and improve upon my work.

Procedural Knowledge:

      This week I began my assignments by going to the class website.  I then responded to my groupmates fifth genre by going to their websites and reading their project.  I analyzed the project and I thought about how the project could be improved.  I posted my thoughts by using the comment feature.  I then researched socio-economic literacy by going to yahoo and typing in the words socio-economic literacy.    I know that I use Yahoo a lot but that is the search engine that I am most comfortable with so I tend to use it instead of other search engines.  I read some articles and gathered my thoughts on this literacy.  I then went to wordpress and posted this assignment.   I then did my journal entries.  My journal entries are my integrating genre so I thought of how I wanted to lead my audience to the answer to my question.  I structured this genre so that it would do this.  I wrote it out on wordpress and added in the links to my pages by highlighting the keywords and clicking on the chainlink.  I then typed in the address of the page and clicked save.  Next week I will add the link to my Power Point presentation.  This is how I completed my assignments this week.

Conditional Knowledge:

     Learning about the digital literacies has been very useful.  The one that I learned about this week will help me protect myself while I am surfing the net.  I think knowing about this will help me keep my kids safe in the future, if I have kids.  The integrating genre has taught me how I can integrate my work so that it becomes a comprehensive piece that answers and important question, which will be helpful to me as a student and professional.  Being able to grow and improve from suggestions will also help me as a future professional.   This is how I can use what I learned.

Question:

Should the integrating genre contain additional information or should it just make your project cohesive?

A11.3: Socio-economic Literacy

   

What is socio-economic literacy?  Socio-economic literacy is a type of digital literacy that deals with the social interactions that occur within the digital realm.  It deals with protecting yourself with in the digital world.  This literacy teaches a person wrong from right and teaches a person how to discriminate good people from bad people in the online community.  I think that this skill is very important especially for children because of all of the predators that are out there. 

 

I definitely agree that there are skills out there needed to be an effective user of this literacy.  You have to be a good judge of character in order to chat in a safe environment.  I also like the rule of thumb to just add people who you know.  I think you have to know what you should do or should not do in order to be safe on the web.  These skills definitely need to be taught.

 

I do not remember ever being taught this type of literacy through school.  I think that my parents tried to teach me this skill when we got a computer.  I look back on when I was a teenager and I use to go to chat rooms and talk to people.  Looking back on it I would not do what I did back then.  Later on when I was in high school I would get on ICQ and chat with people from school.  All of the people on that list were people that I knew.  I would never let an individual that I did not know add me to their list.  I also didn’t publish my address or phone number because my older brother told me not too.  I think that this literacy is very important for children now.  If you watch Dateline or even just pass by NBC when it is on you will see the “To Catch a Predator” specials.  It is amazing how many individuals are out there that solicit underage children for sex.   In my opinion I think that this should be taught in a class.  After reviewing all of the different types of digital literacy I think that these literacies should be taught throughout an individual’s academic career.  I think that a class should be offered in high school or even in college so that people can obtain these skills and use them in their life.  These are my opinions on socio-economic literacy.

A10.5: Week 10 Reflection

Aims and Objectives:

My goals for this week were:

• To continue my research on Broca’s aphasia with apraxia.  Due to some other assignments I have not been able to do anymore research and I want to continue to look for new information, so my project is up to date.
• To learn more about Podcasting.  I have never podcasted but after learning how to I find it very interesting.
• Completing all of my assignments for this class and making sure that they are accurate.

Declarative Knowledge:

This week I learned about podcasting.  I learned that podcasting is making an audio file available to other people.  We learned how to do this by phone which was really cool.  I learned more about apraxia and how it affects speech production.  I learned more about digital literacies, in particular reproduction literacy which I think is the most important literacy to know about, because it can help you determine if a source needs to be cited or not.

Procedural Knowledge:

This week I began my assignments by going to the class website.  I then responded to my groupmates fourth genre by going to their websites and reading their project.  I analyzed the project and determined how I thought the project could be improved.  I posted this by using the comment feature.  I then researched reproduction literacy by going to yahoo and typing in the words reproduction literacy.  I read some articles and gathered my thoughts on this literacy.  I then went to wordpress and posted this assignment.  Throughout the semester I have been lurking onto an online community and this week I had to post my observations of that community.  I thought about what I had read and answered the questions that were posed, I also made some additional comments.  I then did my Podcast.  To do this I created a script of what would be said.  I also provided the scenerio and gave background information.  I then called in my Podcast to gcast.com and it was posted.  To post the podcast to my website I had to go to gcast and link the page that the podcast was available on, because the site is not compatible with the player needed to hear the Podcast.  This is how I completed my assignments this week.

Conditional Knowledge:

Learning about digital literacy has helped me realize the skills that I possess and the one’s that I need to improve upon in order to be successful.  Learning more about online communities has helped me realize that they can be a valuable resource to a person researching or learning about things.  This has encouraged me to join other online communities to find things out about different populations.  This is a very valuable tool.  Learning to Podcast was really cool and could essentially be used as a student or a professional.  Everything that I have learned this week is very valuable.

Question:

What other Podcasting sites have you used, if any?

A10.4: Online Communities

  I have never joined an online community before this class.  For the past two months I have been lurking on to a augmentative device mailing list.  Everyday I receive messages from the list and I read them.  The emails vary from questions, responses to questions, and general information about individuals using a device or needing one.  I think that this community is very supportive.

     The group members of the community are generally professionals or people who have a child or spouse with a device.  The members share some of their concerns, ask questions about devices, and give updates on what is happening.  About a week ago I received a message from a speech-language pathologist asking the community their thoughts on two different devices because she was going to fit an individual with one.    One of the reasons that she asked this question is because the client had a job and she wanted to know which one would be better for him to use.  She also wanted to know if anyone had encountered a problem with employers because of their disability.  I thought that this was very interesting.  She did get some responses from the members.  Another recent topic raised was about the different augmentative devices and how well they withstand abuses of daily living.  A mother wrote in about her daughters device.  Her daughter had already gone through two devices because they tore up due to things that happen.  She wanted to know more about developing technology that was available to individuals who use augmentative devices.  This was a really neat email.

    I think that the purpose of this community is to provide support and answer questions and concerns.  I think a lot of the members are prompt in their answers.  I also think that the answers have been thought out.  I really like that the members are concerned with what is happening and try to support each other.  I really think that this community does what it has set out to do.  You can tell that people like to get updates on individuals and even sometimes send out an email if they haven’t heard from someone in a while.  I think that this is a good list to join because it shares ample information about augmentative devices and you get to know some amazing people along the way.

A10.3: Reproduction Literacy

     What is reproduction literacy?  Reproduction literacy is a type of digital literacy in which a person uses existing texts, images, or audio and creates a new interpretation.    This literacy is relevant in writing and art.  It enables individuals to put a new spin on an old work.  This type of literacy is important because it allows a person’s creativity and ideas to develop.  I think one thing that may come into question is when is this considered reproduction and when is it considered copyright infringement.  The skills that an individual must have to be reproduction literate are being able to think in a multidimensional ways and think outside of the box in order to create a new take on an old piece of work.  I think that the skills required are significant because a lot of individuals do not know how to do this.  I think that this is an important skill to learn because it will help in many ways.

     Out of all of the digital literacies that I have read about I think that this one is the most important and the most useful.  It will help students determine when they should cite a source in a paper and when to give credit.  This is extremely important in the academic world because it will help cut down on unknown plagiarism.  I think a lot of students who are accused of plagiarism do not realize that they have plagiarized because they lack this skill.  I also think that this is the least taught digital literacy out there.  I cannot remember ever being told for sure how to know if you should cite a source in a paper and I think that this is when learning to cite properly comes into play.  I know a lot of high school English teachers only require MLA format but I think for a full advantage students should learn MLA and APA format.  Since I have been in college every paper that I have written was required to be in APA format.  I think learning this in secondary schools would really help the students of tomorrow.  I also think that this is so important that there should be an elective course available to secondary students whose focus is citation and knowing when to cite.  I hope that the importance of this literacy helps change the school systems of today and require some type of citation class.  These are my thoughts and opinions on the importance of reproduction literacy.