Friday, December 2, 2011

Link to Student Evaluation Forms


Draft Workshop: Unit 3 Project Script


1. Does the script begin (i.e. in the first sentence) by telling the audience something they do not know? Is the author’s introduction one of the more effective or less effective introductions we talked about in class? If the script begins either with a rhetorical question or a broad declaratory statement (i.e. “Monet was one of the greatest artists of the 19th century,” “Abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock sought to combine emotional intensity with non-figurative imagery”) work with the author to compose a more effective introduction and paste it below.

2. Does the thesis statement (as the assignment requires) make a strong and specific claim about the artwork’s relationship to a specific context? Does the thesis statement merely state that there is a relationship, or does it define that relationship specifically? If the thesis statement needs to be revised, work with the author to revise it and paste the new version here. In addition, does the thesis statement provide a road map for the rest of the essay and answer the “so what?” question? 

Compose two more questions addressing specific issues you are dealing with on this particular draft. You can copy and paste questions from previous draft workshops or compose new ones.

3. 

4.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Instructions for Assembling Your VoiceThread


1. In your browser, go to voicethread.unc.edu and log in with your ONYEN.

2. Click on the "Create" tab and then click the button that says "Upload." Upload each image that will appear in your VoiceThread.

3. Once you have your soundtrack completed in Audacity or Garageband, export your work as an mp3.

4. Open a new Audacity project (mac users: you will need to download audacity from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/), go to File > Import > Audio and open up the mp3 you just exported.

5. In order to split your audio track into separate files, you will need to insert a label at each point where the image in your VoiceThread changes. The first label should be at time 0:00. Place the cursor there (or press the home key) and go to Tracks > Add Label at Selection. Give the label a name like Section 1 (note: each label must have a UNIQUE name or the process will not work, so don’t name them all the same thing). Repeat this step for every point in your audio track where the image will change.

6. Once you are done with the labels, go to File > Export Multiple. Choose a destination folder for your mp3s and follow the prompts on screen. Audacity will split your mp3 into sections and place them in the designated folder. Note: if this is the first time you’re using Audacity you will need to download the file http://lame1.buanzo.com.ar/lame_enc.dll and, when prompted, tell Audacity where on your computer you saved the file.

7. Go back to VoiceThread and click the "Comment" button. Your first image should show up in a larger window to the right. Under the image, click the button that says "Comment," then click the up arrow that appears. Point VoiceThread to the file in which you exported the first section.

8. When you're ready to move to the next image / section, click the big arrow at the right of the VoiceThread or the thumbnail next to the arrow and repeat step 7.

9. For the sections of your VoiceThread in which you annotate the image, you will need to record the audio live. In the VoiceThread window, click "comment" and then click "record." Give the program permission to access you microphone, and it will record what you say. As you are recording you can draw on the image; you can change the color with the palette on the VoiceThread.

POSTING YOUR VOICETHREAD TO THE BLOG

1. Go back to voicethread.unc.edu and click on the “My Voice” tab. Click on the VoiceThread you wish to post.

2. Click the menu icon at the top left of the screen then click “edit.” Click the button at the bottom of the screen that says “Playback Options” and enter 0 as the time to wait between slides and check the button that says “Start playing when opened.” Click the “Save” button.

3. Click the button at the bottom of the screen that says “Publishing Options.” Check the box that says “Allow Anyone at UNC to View.” Click “Save.” 

4. Click the button at the bottom of the screen that says “Embed.” Copy the code in the box labeled “Embed Code” (just clicking anywhere in the box will copy the code for you). Go to blogger.com, log in, and click the button to make a new post. Click the button on the top left that says “html,” then paste in the code you copied earlier. Give your post a title and hit “Publish.”

5. Ask a groupmate or friend to open the VoiceThread on their computer by going to your blog. If your friend can’t open it for some reason then I won’t be able to either and I won’t be able to grade your assignment! Please contact me if you have any technical difficulties posting to the blog.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Draft Workshop: Feeder 3.2


1. In our introduction to Unit 3 we talked about the relationship between facts--or evidence--and more complex claims in the humanities. Do you think the author has done an adequate job of supporting his or her claims with objective facts about the piece(s) discussed? Point out at least two claims made about the piece(s) in the draft and explain how each of these claims is explicitly supported by reference to facts. If you think the claim could be better supported, suggest a fact about that painting that might help.

2. Does the draft adequately contextualize the piece under discussion? What kind of context (e.g. historical, aesthetic, etc.) does it provide? Does the contextual information seem more important than the discussion of the actual piece? If so, what might the author add or cut in order to put the focus back on the main piece? 

3. Is it clear how the author will use VoiceThread's visual annotation tools in order to help guide the reader through the image? Suggest ways in which the author might better use visual annotations in order to help convince the reader of his or her claims about the piece.

4. Do you think the audio track will hold the reader's attention? Has the author used music and other sound effects in order to break it up and make the information more digestible for the reader? Give any suggestions you might have for improving the audio track.