Journal Blog #1: What is your greatest source of inspiration?

Welcome to the first ERS journal blog entry for Trimester 3, 2013. For this term of ERS, the theme for us will be Innovation/Inspiration. In my view, before we are able to innovate, first we need to be inspired to do it. We draw our inspirations from many sources, whether it be family or someone we admire. We may be moved by art or nature. There might be something from within us that motivates us and gives us the energy and will to pursue a particular idea or dream.

As a teacher-for-life, I can easily say that I draw inspiration from my students. My students can be my inspiration, my frustration, my joy, and my sadness all at the same time. When thinking about my day in class, I can either go to bed happy, annoyed, energized, disappointed, or inspired. This is what keeps me in this profession and motivates me to do better and understand more about what we do everyday in that classroom.

For this first blog journal, the topic is wide open. You may be involved in a club or sport. You may enjoy spending time in a park with your thoughts or in your room with your music... there are so many things that bring inspiration. Please share your own ideas about what inspires you.

Make sure you include your student ID# in your post. I look forward to reading your thoughts. Aj. M

Journal Blog #4: What happens next?

So...  we have worked on an Introduction: background, context, thesis statement. Your essay should have a specific and clear point that it wants to talk about and explore.

What happens next? This is the same question I asked on Day 1. One paragraph / one idea... what are the ideas for the following paragraphs (the Body) that you will use to support clearly and directly your thesis statement? Brainstorm and select the three best ideas you can think of, and then be ready to provide supporting details for those ideas.

In this blog entry, state your thesis for your essay, and then describe what happens next.

Make sure you include your ID # in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #3: What is your area of interest?

We now have to start thinking of topic ideas that are both related to our theme of Leadership and to your area of interest. We talked in class about narrowing, which is the first, and maybe the most important step in the writing process. If you don't have a specific point from the beginning, your writing (and the point of your writing) will suffer to the end...  and so will you. Writing is awful when you don't know what you're writing about.

In this journal blog, share what you're thinking about doing. Try to be as specific and as narrow as you can. The narrower, the better.

Please remember to include you ID# in  your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #2: Who is your perfect example of a leader?

In class, we have read about Aung San Suu Kyi, the freedom fighter of Burma. Her life and leadership is inspiring, and at least for me, makes me want to be a better person in my life. The sacrifice that she makes for her country, and the principles that she symbolizes are things that make me reflect on what I can do better  not only for myself in my life but for others as well.

Others may think about a parent when they think of a leader. Maybe a coach or a teacher of some kind. In this journal blog, I'd like you to describe your perfect example of a leader and explain why.

Make sure you include your ID# with you post. I look forward to reading your thoughts. Aj. M

Journal Blog #1: Becoming a leader.

Welcome to the course and to the ERS journal blog. Over the term, you will be asked to share your reflections on topics we're discussing in class on the blog. I will write my own contributions to the blog, and I'll work to respond to your comments as we go.

For this term, our theme is Leadership. For this first journal blog, I would like to get your view on how a person becomes a leader. We can look at many examples of people becoming a leader by many ways: by accident, by necessity, by ambition, or by luck. A CEO may build his or her company from scratch and show great leadership in doing it. However, the son or daughter of the CEO may inherit that same company later and not know how to lead it. Are people born leaders? Can anyone become a leader? Are some people just not capable to be a leader? Feel free to respond to any of these ideas.

I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts. Make sure that you include your ID# in your post.

Aj. M

Journal Blog #5: What happens next?

You have created your Introductions. You have introduced the topic, given some examples for the reader, and made the clear thesis statement....   so what happens next?

What are the supporting ideas that you will use to write the Body of your essay. Make sure the ideas are relevant and clearly relate to your thesis statement. In this journal blog, please say what your thesis statement is again, and describe some of the ideas you plan to use to support it.

I'm looking forward to reading your work.

Don't forget to include your Section # and ID# in your post.  Aj. M

Journal Blog #4: What is your area of interest?

For this final essay, you need to start narrowing your topic. Our theme for the term is Art. It is very possible that you're not interested in Art, and that's ok. However, can you make some kind of link from our theme of Art to an area that is interesting to you.

In this term, we have read a variety of texts about different aspects related to Art, some of which have to do with the Law, with Technology, and with Business. There are many ways to think about Art, and I think we can develop a topic together from your area of interest. Think about your major and think about how you can relate your field of interest to our theme in order to get to a fully narrowed topic.

Share your ideas here, and I will work to help you figure out your topic.

Make sure to include your Section # and ID # in your post.

Blog #3: What is your favourite type of art?

For me, I appreciate all art, but I guess music is what moves me the most. I enjoy visiting a gallery now and again, but after a while one painting or one sculpture just starts to look like the next and the next...  I love literature as well, but I'm not always in the mood for it. Film is fantastic, but there's too much of it. However, if you ever ask me to go out to a pub, theatre, or arena to see a good musician, hear a great drum solo, or watch a professional pick a guitar, I'll never refuse. Watching and listening to good musicians always brings pleasure to me, and it moves me to do other artistic things.

What about you? Please include your Section # and ID in your posting.  Aj. M

Journal Blog 2: Copying a crime?

Here at MUIC and most universities are really tough on plagiarism. And they should be. Not only because copying someone's words and using them as if they are your own is dishonest, but also because people should be challenged and encouraged to produce their own ideas and contributions to the world.

But sometimes there is a grey area as Gladwell describes. The story you might overhear from a friend. The tune a guitar player strummed on the street. The poem on a napkin you found at a table...  are those ideas us for grabs? If you write about a piece of gossip you heard: is it an idea? Or is it "intellectual property?"

The journal blog topic for this week: Is it a crime to use, reproduce, mix, and mash art as your own?

Include your Student ID and Section # in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #1: Art

The theme for this term's edition of ERS is Art. One can be artistic, but then if not, one can also be artful. One does not need to know much about art to appreciate it or be moved by it.

We often think about Art as a painting on a wall of landscapes and ponds and people, or we may think about great sculptures of ancient Greece or Italy. But in fact, Art is all around us, whether it is a cleverly designed billboard at the BTS, a thought provoking poem on the wall of a bathroom stall, or an App on your iPhone about almost nothing at all.

For this first Journal Blog, I want you describe what comes to your mind when you consider the word, Art. Do you think about those classical pieces of art or does it mean something else. I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Please include your ID# and Section # in your comment post. (Names are not necessary.)  Aj. M