Gorgeous, Beautiful Pics!

I'll miss you guys!  Take care, keep in touch, and remember the keys to public speaking: be prepared, know your stuff, practice, and be yourself.  :)

Survey!

COMM 131rs,

I like to administer end-of-quarter surveys to every course I teach.  It serves two major purposes: (2) it's a way for you to reflect on your learning throughout quarter and, thus, get started on your portfolios and (2) by finding out what worked for you, didn't, and why, it's a chance for me to improve my teaching.  Additionally, I've found that sharing your/our survey data on the last class provides the opportunity to bring nice "closure" to the course.

Your responses are anonymous!  Click here for the survey.

Thanks!

Z

Podcasting

Here are some helpful resources that can help you work through your portfolio project -- specifically, how to make a podcast!  As far as submission requirements go: as long as I can watch/listen to it, you're good to go!  If you can turn your portfolio speech/video into a file so that I can download it, even better.  I'd like you to post/link your work to your blog, but if you're not comfortable doing that, feel free to email me.  :)

Click here for an excellent article on podcasting.  If you wanna cut to the meat'n'potatoes, go to Chapter 4 for the logistical "how to.'

Podcasting with Audacity (a free program) that can be used on Macs and PCs:

I use Garageband for a DJ podcast that I do every once in a while called The People's Radio Show.  Here's my Christmas episode.  (Warning: it's a little weird.)

Brainstorming Possible Portfolio Questions

Click this link for our activity at the end of today's (April 27th) class!

Post Your Speech #4 Links/Materials Below

Please post any links or materials that you'd like to quickly access for your 4th speech.  Click right here to access the Google Doc.  Thanks!

"Stop, Start, Continue" Reflections for Speech #3

I just sent this email, below, to everybody. Just in case some of you check our blog more often, I thought I'd post it here too. 

***

Comm 131rs,

Yo!  Happy Thursday and almost Spring Break!  Woooo!

Alright, so I saw some major improvements in your radical speeches this week, and that made me really happy.  Nice job, folks.  Almost all of you are really loosening up when your "on stage" and being yourself more (always a great idea), and the organization/structure of your speeches seems to be "tighter" and more coherent.  Awesome, awesome.

Good news: we have some well-deserving winners for the contest, and I'll announce them in class on Monday, April 4th.  Before then, though, I'd like you to post your Start/Stop/Continue reflections to your blogs and, if possible, upload your videos.  (Don't know how to do that?  Me neither.  Google it!  YouTube it!  Seriously!)  I have a few special requests that can help make this third reflection even stronger -- and thus, more valuable -- than the last two:

• Tell me about three classmates' moves that you found really effective and HOW/WHY they were effective.  
• Along that front -- and also, with respect to analyzing your own speeches -- get SPECIFIC.  Like, REALLY SPECIFIC.  Help me SEE, exactly, what you're referring to.  The more you can break down what you think/thought, see/saw, or heard into a detailed description, the more you'll be able to do that yourself.  And that's the whole point -- I want you to gain a heightened awareness of all the minutiae that goes into (effective) communication.
  
• I'd also like you to read three classmates' reflections, and then leave a 100-word response about what you like, what you agree with, some questions you have for them, or some advice you might have.  How do you do that?  Well, first, you need to wait for someone to post their reflection (remember: you can access your classmates' blogs through my/our class blog, comm131spring16.blospot.com).  Then, once they have, all you need to do is type in the "Comment" box at the bottom of their blog post.  (Attached is a screen shot of Perez's blog.  Right there in that "type-able" box is where you can leave your feedback.
  
• Please know that you need to be signed in to Gmail to leave feedback.  Also, I'd type up your responses in a separate MS Word/Google Doc document and then copy/paste it over (instead of just typing directly on the blog).  Why?  Sometimes Blogger craps out the first time.  If you have it saved, then you don't need to worry about it craping out -- you can just copy/paste it again.  
  
• One last note: try to spread out your responses.  For instance, if LaQuay has 6 responses but Daisy only has 1...  leave Daisy some love!

I don't want any whining from any of you.  This isn't THAT much more work, and I definitely think it'll be worth it.

The last month of our class should be a lot of fun.  I'm legitimately juiced up about it.  I briefly mentioned it in class, but in case you missed it, I will again: we're gonna be creating group "Sharktank"-style pitches to local Santa Barbara companies.  Woooooo!  

Okey dokey, artichokeys.  I'm outta here for now.  Enjoy your Spring Breaks, and I'll catch you soon.

Z

-- 

Zack De Piero, M.Ed., MA

Ph.D candidate, Education: Language, Literacy, and Composition Studies
Teaching Associate, Writing Department
University of California - Santa Barbara
Zdepiero@education.ucsb.edu

Your Classmates' Radical Speeches: Who Could Claim the Cash Prize?

Per the SBCC Comm Dept's policy, you'll get to vote on your two favorite speeches.  The winners move on to the next stage where they'll have a shot at $1,000!  Woooooooo!

Day 1's speakers/topics:

• Polly Victoreen - government-mandated fitness hours
• Chris Perez - government-run match.com
• Linda Arellano - prisoners should go to college
• Courtney Castle - abolishing food laws
• Daisy Carreon - the universe doesn't matter
• Kyle Ignatius - eliminating political correctness
• Makena Matousek - marriage should only be allowed once
• Steve Barilla - public executions
• Maddie Ittner - adopting orphans/ no kids
• Nick LaQuay - aliens are real
• Jesus Terrazas - self-euthanasia
• Sarah Jimenez - policemen should wear speedos

Day 2's speakers/topics:

• Mackenzie March - technology evolution
• Ryan Fochtman - sweatshops should be legal in the US
• Ben Feldman - criminals shouldn't go to jail
• Dan "Mr. D" Stawiecki - humanure: backyard composting toilets
• Laurie Trinidad - women take the lead in marriage
• Taka Hisamoto - elimating a private car
• Canyon Gutierrez - animal testing
• Conner Thomson - back to barter
• Ling Bai - 1-child policy
• Nestor Galvan - graffiti is mandatory
• Owen Strassner - 
• Sarahanne McCool - 
• Jake Sanez - 

Rubric for Speech #3: Gettin' Radical!

Click here!

Speech #3: Radicalism!

Links to Speech #2

Click here.

Rubric for Speech #2

Click right here!

Speech #2: Deconstructing (and Teaching Us About) a Speech Genre

Here's the prompt for Speech #2: Pick a speech genre and then make a case about how/why it’s a (specific) speech genre.  What are its conventions, and what purpose do they serve?  What are some of the speaker’s “moves”, and why do you think they're effective/ineffective?  In what "rhetorical situation(s)" do we find this speech genre?  (Think: audience, purpose, context, tone, style, etc.)

And, although this isn't necessary, you could also consider this question to heighten the "so what?" aspect of your speech: What’s the value of learning/studying speech genre as a concept?

Remember what we've been working on since Speech #1: we've focused on using the terms genre, conventions, and "moves" to help us understand specific communicative acts. Use these terms to guide your analysis of a speech genre and explain to us how it all works. And don't forget: be as specific as possible! Tell us the nitty-gritty of each convention and why it's there (i.e., what purpose it serves).

Your job is to (1) explain to the class the conventions of a specific speech genre and also (2) bring our attention to some of the speaker's "moves."  You don't necessarily need to "act out" the speech itself -- you don't have to give a wedding toast -- although you could act out specific components to highlight what you've observed in this genre.  Your job is to teach us what the ingredients/components/patterns of speech are involved in a wedding toast (or whatever genre you've chosen).  Have fun with this and be creative!  :)

How to Make a Prezi

Click out this quick'n'dandy "How to Make a Prezi" handout that my former friend/colleague Hannah Yanow and I put together.  For Speech #2, I'd like you to use Powerpoint or Prezi, and I'll give you a +1 bonus if you venture outside your comfort zone and give Prezi a shot.

Invention Exercises for Getting Started

Yo!  These inventions exercises can help you get started on your Speech #2 (and, really, any other form of writing that you'll engage in).  Remember: it's important to utilize first-order thinking.  Be free.  Be weird.  Make mistakes.  Get your ideas down.

Webbing

Drawing Relationships

Outlines

Self-Referential Metagenres!

Check out these metagenres -- genres about themselves.  They each reference their own conventions throughout them, and this might give you some ideas for working through your Speech #2.

Here's an example of a (meta) self-referential genre that you could create for WP3.  It's an advertising/branding video about... advertising/branding videos!

Want another?  Below, you'll find a Nine Inch Nails song (the frontman is named Trent Reznor) about Nine Inch Nails songs.

For reference, here are a couple of original NiN videos.  Note: it's firmly planted on the creepy and profane side -- though I have to admit, I think it's also firmly planted on the super cool side of artsy-fartsy-ness -- but it's one of the best self-referential examples of a genre that I've seen. 

An absolutely awesome former student of mine, Pamela Santos, created this self-referential YouTube video of a "Vlog Update." 

OK, now if you really wanna let loose and get totally wild'n'crazy, click this link to find an APA paper about... APA papers!  (I know, I know -- we're really "going for it!")

Animated Video of a Blogger's Writing Process

Comm 131rs, check out this animated video of a blogger's incredibly awesome and thorough writing process.  We're primarily checking it out because it can help you brainstorm ideas for Speech #2, but before we do, we're also going to examine how it's its own speech genre (with its own conventions).

"Moves"

I.  Love.  This.  Lesson.
#omfg
#truestory

Whether you realized it or not -- and whether I, the writer, realized it or not -- I made some "moves" right there.  I tapped into my pop culture resources and used some informal conventions of the modern "millenial" generation to (1) reach you, my target audience, by writing a somewhat unusual teacher-to-student "hook" in the beginning (2) let you know that I'm honestly juiced up to teach this lesson... perhaps my enthusiasm for this will be contagious, and (3) let my hair down for a change.

Some other moves I made right there?

• put the key buzzword in boldface for added emphasis
• #'d that list so you realized that there were only a few things you had to get through
• #'d that list so that my punctuation (commas) would come across more clearly -- the #s allowed me to separate each "thing" without using commas.  By using #s, I can save my commas within each item/thing so you (probably) wouldn't confuse them as an additional unit/thing
• used the "rule of 3" (a cheap trick that most readers seem to enjoy)
• finished the list with a joke.  If I started that list with my "long hair joke," would it have been as effective?  Probably not -- punchlines usually work best at the end.

OK, so Writing Project #2 is coming up, which requires you to analyze and evaluate what's gained/lost between scholarly and non-academic texts.  To most effectively do this, I'd like you to consider each writer's moves -- what they're doing, how they're doing it, and whether you believe that it was effective.

By studying this, my hope is that you'll be able to detect writers' moves more clearly and, in doing so, consider adapting what you find to be effective.  Think of this as a way to open up your tool kit.

Ever hear of two musicians "jamming out"?  Well, this is essentially what you're doing as a (good) reader.  You're listening to what the writer/musician is trying to communicate, and if you like what they've done, feel free to "borrow that lick."  (But remember: if you're borrowing their ideas/research, you need to attribute that work to them in a citation!)

Blah blah blah.  Here are some videos that can help us start thinking about "moves."

#thisissocool

Click here for the MJ video on Vimeo.

Speech Genres... and How to Deconstruct Them!

Yo, COMM 131rs!  After we've finished reviewing what we covered from last class -- genres, and specifically, textual genres -- we're going to brainstorm a few more textual genres that we're familiar with and the conventions that can, and usually do, make them up.  And remember, whenever I say "conventions," think: recurring patterns, ingredients, threads, features, characteristics.

Before I cut you loose to brainstorm a badass list of speech genres -- along with the conventions that comprise them -- I want us to gain some more practice with how to deconstruct genres.  Let's take a look at one unique genre under the broader umbrella of speech genres: the TedTalk!

Warning: these are all white guys!  Ahhhhh, OMG, the horror!  Hey, listen, I wanted to quickly find some interesting/good ones that we could compare'n'contrast, and these will do the trick.  I'm mostly putting in this qualified claim for any outsiders (i.e., folks not in our class, who don't know us/me) to acknowledge that there's no race privileging here, there's just... digging into TedTalks speeches!  

How to Speak So People Will Want to Listen  - Julian Treasure

     The 7 secrets of the greatest speakers in history - Richard Greene

How to sound smart in your TEDx Talk - Will Stephen

Thinking About Genre (and Conventions) Through Country Music and Horror Movies

The concept of genre -- and the conventions that comprise them -- is going to form the basis of our "Speech 2 Unit" on speech genres.  To activate some schematic connections inside our brains, I want us to work from our prior knowledge about music genres, film genres, and then textual genres so we can dig into speech genres during Wednesday's class.

I wanted to post these videos to help you (re)consider the following questions which can, hopefully, help you to think about the relationship between genres and their conventions:

• what's the "glue" that binds these songs together? 
• what about them makes them fall into the “country music” category?
• at what points do they bend/blend into other genres (such as folk, blues, and bluegrass)?

Country music as a music genre...

"Your Cheating Heart"

Lyrics

"Coal Miner’s Daughter"

Lyrics

"Whiskey River"

Lyrics

"I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow"

Lyrics

\

Horror movies as a film genre...

Scenario: all of a sudden, you're sitting in the middle of a movie theater, watching a horror movie.  How do you know you're watching a horror movie?  What features/things about this movie make it a horror movie?

 After you jot down your predictions, let's put our hypotheses to the test!

The Shining

Psycho

It

Paranormal Activity

Rubric for Speech #1 - Elevator Pitch

I took the elements of a successful elevator pitch that we brainstormed from last class and used them to create this rubric.  I made a couple of minor tweaks here and there, but nothing too significant.

Make sure you give this a look over the weekend -- it could help you think through the content and design/structure of your pitch. :)

Testing, Testing

1, 2, 3.

Scoping Out Some Elevator Pitches

Let's use these examples from YouTube to analyze the ingredients of a successful(?) elevator pitch in greater depth.  I'll show some of these in class tomorrow, and we can talk about what tactics we like, dislike, and why.  (Feel free to check them out on your own too, fyi!)

Here are some ways of thinking about elevator pitches and crafting your message in a deliberate, attention-getting fashion.

These two videos show examples of effective and ineffective elevator pitches.

A "how to" video on thinking through your elevator pitch.

Here are two successful contest-winning elevator pitches.  

And here's a TedTalk that can get you thinking about larger rhetorical considerations involved with constructing -- and receiving -- an elevator pitch.

The Rhetorical Situation

We're going to be talking about this today during class, and I think it'll help you think through your upcoming "elevator pitch" to make it more authentic, realistic, and life-like.

Instead of writer and reader, we'll be thinking about speaker and listener, respectively.   Some other major terms/concepts that I'd like us to have "down" are exigence, context, and purpose.

Activities During Class

When we have in-class activities -- either in small group work or solo-style work -- let's use this Google Doc throughout the whole semester to record our responses.  

Lesson Plans and Our In-Class Notes

Hey, COMM 131rs, I'm going to post our weekly lesson plans in this Google Doc, so if/when you'd like to access them, you can find them right there.  Also, please know that whenever you see me taking notes on our discussions in class, it'll be available there too.  (Put another way: don't feel like you need to spend your time scribbling down every last detail -- I'll try to capture the most important take-aways.)  

Links to Our Course Readings

Below, you'll find links to our course readings.  Note: the ones that I've highlighted aren't "open access" (available, for free -- legally -- online) so I'll email them to you.  Also, please keep in mind what I said in class: these readings are designed to help guide your individual speech projects, so although you won't be getting quizzed on them, they're still super-important.  (Much more important than any quiz or test, in my opinion.) 

Teaching Two Kinds of Thinking (Elbow)

Navigating Genres (Dirk)

How to Read Like a Writer (Bunn)

As a Result – Connecting the Parts (Birkenstein & Graff)

SoWhat?  Who Cares? – Saying Why It Matters (Birkenstein & Graff)

Index of Templates (Birkenstein & Graff)

Anonymous Questions?

If you have a question that you'd like to ask me but you either haven't gotten around to it or you feel embarrassed (PS: don't feel embarrassed -- we're in this together) or something, feel free to post it in this anonymous Google Doc.  ll do my best to check it every few days.

Upload Your Blog Info

When you've finished creating your blog, make sure you upload your blog information (so I can add you to my blog) in this Google Doc. 

How to Create a Blog!

Follow these simple steps to create a blog for our course -- we'll be using it to post our "Start, Stop Continue" analyses and various in-class assignments.  Don't worry about the specifics for now -- I'll be explaining all of this in greater detail in class.

COMM 131 Syllabus

Greetings, COMM 131rs!

Click this link to find our course syllabus.  I wanted to upload it as a Google Doc (instead of, say, a regular MS Word "doc" file or a PDF) because I may make some small changes to our readings here and there.  No sweat, though -- I'll make sure to give you a heads up if/when I do.

Z