I did post one memo a few weeks ago.

I’m pretty nonchalant about a particular system, because I believe all of us have some great ideas up our sleeves.

However, I do like the idea of tricking the students. We can start in an auditorium style classroom and Kim can act as the teacher with her powerpoint and monotone lecture. The students will probably be unexcited and become bored pretty quickly. Once we don’t have their attention, that’s when we’ll switch gears and prep them for a game. College is full of surprises and opportunities, so why not start now?

I also like the idea of putting on quests. Social media and phone apps are always popular, so they’re using a system that they can gain familiarity with very quickly. We just need to edit the quests and add more that focus on downtown businesses and Chico points of interests.

In order to divide them into groups, when they “check in”, they can be assigned a color. That way, they’re guaranteed to meet new people.

As for a “point system”, it’s been unanimously noted that we must create something new. I’m sure we can think of something.

I can’t wait to get started on this!

(I know this post is early, but since this is still fresh in my mind, here it is.)

First, I just want to mention how excited I am for EPIC! The idea of designing a game specifically for our incoming Wildcats absolutely excites me. I can’t wait to show what Chico has to offer and to excite them for their upcoming college years.

I was just browsing through some ideas in class on popular games. Obviously, Cards Against Humanity is huge right now! I was just playing around with titles when I mentioned “Cards Against Chico”. Teri thought it was super clever, so I kept the title in the back of my mind.

Today, I got some resounding “ooooo’s” around the classroom, so Teri, Megan, and I playfully browsed ideas of what the white and black cards would say. Obviously, they aren’t going to be as raunchy like the original game. The examples of the black cards would pertain to different places around the campus and town (i.e. Meriam Library, The Bear, Bidwell Park, etc.) Then, for the white cards, different verbs and nouns would be on the white cards (silly ones, of course.) We only talked about this for a few seconds, so brainstorming hasn’t really taken off.

At the places that are mentioned, mentors will be at the location to let them choose white cards. When the groups first start, they’ll be given the black cards. How would these be distributed? This is what we could brainstorm as a class.

The central idea I have for this game is the team aspect. A way each team can be divided is by each person having a color or number, and those with the same ones will be placed in the same group. That way, they’ll get to work with others and meet new people. Like Jane McGonigal mentions, it gives them a sense of purpose.

The goal? Could it be the number of funny cards? Maybe the mentors can determine the funniest cards in the ending as a whole jumbo group? Whoever has the most funniest cards wins the ultimate prize? I know there are more clever, creative minds in our class that could explore ideas or tie in other ideas to make this a blast they’ll remember.

The trouble I have with this is some of the quests from last year that were fantastic ideas, especially the “Travel Through Space and Time”. Before we can determine any design, my group (and Derek) mentioned we should ask last year’s participants if there was anything they wish we could’ve included when they participated in EPIC.

No matter what design we choose, all I care about are the ideas that students develop through their game: teamwork, discovery, optimism about college, and happiness. College may seem scary, but it’ll be far better and more enjoyable than high school. I can’t wait to see what designs we come up with!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellyoakes/how-good-is-your-grammar#.eowEY0d05

Normally, when teenagers, children, and other adults hear the word “quiz”, they detest the idea and ignore the idea in disgust. In the school setting, students often tremble in fear for their grade when a quiz is due or a teacher surprises their class with pop quiz. It’s a student’s worst nightmare, whether they understand the information or not.

Once the media has flourished in the world, Buzzfeed revolutionized the Internet. I remember when Buzzfeed first made its Internet prominence. It was approximately two to three years ago, where they’d post random lists, such as “12 Things All English Majors Understand” or “15 Things That Describe Picky Eaters.” I thought the lists were random and fun, which attracted the daily Internet junkie.

About six months ago, Buzzfeed Quizzes were “the norm” on Facebook – Disney characters, which state you belong in, what country you’re really from, and anything in between. Buzzfeed crossed into educational territory, testing subjects such as biology, chemistry, history, and…ahem, grammar. The difference was that those quizzes were trending through Newsfeed or the Buzzfeed website itself.

That being said, I found a grammar quiz brought to you by Buzzfeed. I thought it’d be a “bone-headed” quiz where I’d get 10/10 right. This quiz honestly tested my grammatical expertise and I was surprised, and a bit disappointed, that I need improvement on adverbs and pronouns. The idea I was tested on basic knowledge of my first language just showed that either my teacher didn’t teach me grammar that well in secondary school, or I just have a bad memory. Maybe both. Another bad thing is that I took Principles of Language last semester and I forgot just about everything.

Sorry, Ela.

If you’re a true “Grammar Nazi”, then kudos. I’m probably half-heartedly admitting that language is not my cup of tea. I thought the Buzzfeed quiz was fun and enjoyable! I didn’t feel tested or stressed. I also give kudos to Buzzfeed for turning a person’s worst four-lettered academic, stressed nightmare into a trend that can be used as a tool or a stress-reliever.

This post is based on “Mutt Genres” and the Goal of FYC: Can We Help Students Write the Genres of the University?, since I’m not feeling well and missed our special artifact day.

“The goal of teaching students to write across the university in other academic courses assumes that students in FYC can be taught ways of writing (genre and genre knowledge) that they can then transfer to the writing they do in other courses across the university.” (Wardle 766)

When everyone talks about their past work in English 130, I can’t relate simply because my memory of English 1A [equivalent course at Shasta College] is foggy. The only work I remember writing is a compare and contrast essay. I based my essay off of airlines. I know what you’re thinking. A compare and contrast essay? That’s so middle school! I thought it was one of the most boring courses I’ve ever signed up for (as a requirement!) and that community college was a joke.

When I transferred to Chico State, I didn’t know that reforming freshman composition writing was an issue. However, when I compare to the changes I had to adapt once I did transfer, everything else made sense.

I was never taught the basis of writing at Shasta. I was taught the differences of writing essays, but never what subject they relate to and what types of genres those essays could follow. Whenever I took my science courses, we never had to write papers. But if we wrote observations and conclusions regarding our labs, we were never shown how to write. Rather, the professors assumed we knew how to write.

I registered for a PSSC (Plant Science) 392 course for my pathway minor. I thought that it would’ve been interesting, since I’ve never taken anything like it before. However, when we had to do research papers, they had to be formatted APA style and written a certain way. I had to learn on my own, thanks to the life-saving website Purdue OWL. Funny, you’d think that I’d know how to write a science paper because of the fact I have an Associates of Science in Natural Sciences – I’ve had my fair share in science courses.

Wardle voices that one reason why this movement in changing the discipline of composition writing is because in order to introduce different disciplines of genres, teachers must know what each genre and discipline entails – especially if the genre is in the sciences. I think that professionals within each in-demand field earned experience in writing (especially if they hold doctoral degrees), then genre writing within the university would be a lot more beneficial to those who are interested in going into that field. To hold the expectation that all English/Composition professionals to teach aspiring non-English majors raises the bar and pressure for them to prepare those students.

Even then, the voice of concern that stayed with me as I read this article was the argument that students who are undeclared or second-thinking their choice in major. I originally declared as a Meteorology major straight out of high school and I had my eyes set in the sciences whenever I changed. No English class I took focused on science writing, so there was no preparation and confirmation that I was truly meant to be a science major. If a student focuses their time in a science writing class and decides to change afterward, then a person can blame on the system that their writing classes weren’t beneficial and a waste of time and money. In the end, it’s a gamble and it’ll make them a well-rounded person.

I’m happy that these reforms have been an address for quite awhile. Being a science major in community college, I [ironically] saw English classes and writing as a waste of time. I never knew that I’d dedicate my academic career at Chico in the English classes and department. College prepares students for their education and composition writing needs to go along as time well spent instead of a nagging requirement.