Welcome Netliterates
Welcome to my blog. I started this blog as part of a Theories of Composition and Rhetoric class presentation. After having a chance to experiment with blogging on a few occasions and liking the results, I have decided to emphasize this aspect of invention more in my upcoming classes. So, since you are the first class I’ve had since then, you are the guinea pigs.
What is a netliterate? A netliterate is a person who uses the interent to advance their level of literacy. This is exactly what you will do during this semester. Over the next few months, I will be assigning various types of blogs for you to complete in addition to other virtual reading material, media clips and research. We will have a lot of fun, learn a lot, and see the amazing talent that lies within each of you. But lets not start out in the deep end of the swimming pool, we must begin slowly.
When you have created your own blog, you need to add a comment to this blog telling me who you are and what your blogsite is. This will be advantageous to both the entire class for three reasons: 1)I have your blogsite so that if you forget the name you chose you can check my comments and find it 2)your peers know where you are in virtual space so they can read your blog and 3)the readers of my blog know where you are–you might find an interesting comment from a stranger one day, who knows.
After you’ve created your blog, you’ll need to post part of your diagnostic to it as well. Your diagnostic requires that you complete a polished blog and I can’t wait to read it! Remember when posting that anybody can read your blog, so don’t name names unless you are willing to have them read what you wrote.
But what if you have no desire to write a blog? Well, I’m hoping that through this semester you come to realize that blogging (and writing itself) can be fun. There’s a certain relaxation to writing just for the fun of it, no matter who you are. Give it a try and see where it takes you. Remember that you may post any blog you wish in addition to the class-related blogs, so if you want to blog on formal, a recent date, how much you hate that your parents won’t send you money, how much you don’t want to write this paper, feel free (but remember that the assigned blogs are graded so you must do those).
My students are required to keep up with my blog. If you miss class, this is the place you’ll find an overview of the class. You can also use my blog as a means of beginning to design your own blog. A part of your final portfolio will be the presentation (to me) of your blog. I want you to do everything you can to make this blog your own. While you need to make sure that you post to your blog with regular frequency and answer all of the required prompts, I also want you to take time to post when you feel an inspiration that is not related to class. I’ll be checking student blogs throughout the semester and commenting on the contents of your blog. I hope you learn to like this form of writing as much as I do.
Students are not the only ones who can post comments to this blog. I welcome comments from other bloggers, spectators, or other English teachers who have suggestions for the First Year Composition blog.
Happy Blogging!
