This blog is an experiment in using blogs in higher education. Most of the experiments done here are the first of their kind at least in India. I wish this trend catches on....
The Blog is dedicated to Anup Dhar and Lawrence Liang whose work has influenced many like me . . . .
Now you can view this blog on your mobile phones! Give a try.
Subject: MA in English with Communication Studies Credits: 4
Paper title: Linguistics Total Hours: 60
Paper Code: MEL234Max Marks: 100
The economic globalisation since the early 90s has had a consequent interest in language studies for various socio-political, communicative and technological reasons. With communication - both oral and textual - becoming crucial to widen the global impact of political and economic organisations, and the consequent struggles of resistance to economic imperialism have contributed to the renewed interest in linguistics in multiple domains – Media studies, corporate communication, advertising and marketing, anthropology, and health.In the case of India, in the wake of language becoming a major site of identity politics and the consequent interest of the state through increased funding and establishment of research centres is a testimony for the relevance and need for this paper.
Objectives
To introduce the students to the scientific study of language
oTo expose students to the locate language in a broader socio-political, and economic setting
oTo expose students to the use of scientific study of language in multiple domains
Introduction to Linguistics. Concept of Linguistics. Branches of Linguistics
Language : Definition, nature, properties and functions of language, sub-systems of language
Communication: Definition, nature, requirements and types of communication
Phonetics: Definition and branches. Brief sketch of articulatory, acoustic and auditory phonetics
Speech: Formation of speech. Speech mechanisms: Air stream, phonatory, articulatory and resonatory mechanisms
Classification of speech sounds: Segmentals and suprasegmentals
Segmentals : Vowels and Consonants
Classification of consonants: Place and manner of articulation, voiceless ad voiced consonants
Classification of vowels: Concept of cardinal vowels
Suprasegmentals: Stress, pitch, tone, and intonation
Semivowels and diphthongs: Formation and classification
Sounds formed using non-pulmonic air stream: Ejectives, implosives and clicks
Phonology: Definitions of phoneme and allophones. Phonemic analysis with reference to Indian languages. Distinctive feature analysis.
Syllable: Types and structure of Syllables
Morphology: Concepts of morph, morpheme, and allomorph and their relationship. Morphemic analysis. Morpheme types-inflectional and derivational. Word: Definition, types, process of word formation
Syntax:Syntactic analysis, I.C. Analysis, Phrase structure grammar, Transformational grammar, components of functions of grammar. Acceptability and grammaticality of sentences.
Semantics: Concept of meaning. Different types of meanings. Concepts of synonyms, homonyms and antonyms. Semantic ambiguity.
Introduction to semiotics: Saussure, Pierce, and Barthes; Discourse analysis and Pragmatics
Psycholinguistics: Introduction to psycholinguistics. Competence and Performance. Language acquisition in children. Major theories
Bansal R. K. and Harrison J. B., Spoken English for India: A Mannual of Speech and Phonetics. Longman.Madras, 1983.
Chandler, Daniel. Semiotics: The Basics. New York : 2002.
Hockett. C.F. A Course in Modern Linguistics. New York: Macmillian, 1958.
Krishnaswamy, N.and Archana S. Burde. The Politics of Indians' English : Linguistic Colonialism and the Expanding English Empire. New Delhi: OUP, 2004.
Krishnaswamy, N. and SK Verma. Modern Linguistics: An Introduction. New Delhi: OUP, 2005.
Leech G. N. Principles of Pragmatics.London: Longman, 1983.
A National Conference on Changing Fabric of Intimate Relationships - Challenges to Theories and Practices in Mental Health
The Department of Psychology, Christ University, Bangalore is organizing a two-day National Conference on February 13 and 14, 2009.
The last two decades have witnessed rapid transformations in globalization and the ensuing social structure. The advent of technology has strongly impacted intimate relationships – within and without marriage. With an ever-increasing competitive Indian social scenario, one can locate intimate relations on a dynamic continuum. While the end goal of ‘settling down’ still remains a priority among majority of the Indians, the process and nature of marital and familial relations is undergoing a sea-change. Besides the changing conceptualization of ‘normative’ relationships, there is an ever-widening lens to view a variety of intimate relations. The national conference would focus on the challenges thrown up for psychotherapists/counselors/social workers by this evolving dynamics of intimate relations.
Within the broad theme of the conference, (i) an attempt would be made to closely engage with understanding the shifts in the macrosystem which have impacted the family, marital, and couples relations – how changes in the larger social system have percolated to the individuals and rippled to the subsystems of intimate relationships. Changing economies, wide-exposure to Western & technological lifestyle, erratic work-life balance, etc are making in-roads in such a way that the traditional family structure is becoming malleable to adapt itself in order to keep abreast of the times. In continuation with this, (ii) the conference would attempt to capture stories of mental health professionals from the field, who had to re-negotiate their pre-conceived notions of marital/family therapy, and in the process, learnt valuable lessons while engaging with difficult clients/families. These would be stories of experiences of psychologists/ therapist/counselors/social workers who might have had success/failure in terms of outcomes of therapy, but gained insights into renewed ways of conceptualizing intimacies. (iii) The conference would also focus on and give voice to relationships that remain in the margins of social systems, like gay & lesbian intimacies, live-in and cyber relationships. In this context of the social system being in a state of flux, (iv) the conference would also like to address the challenges faced by young mental health professionals in making a radical paradigmatic shift from individual therapy to a systemic framework. In consonance with a systemic framework, a young trainee also needs to grapple with the larger issues of gender, power, and socio-politico-cultural processes. In such a scenario, it becomes important to closely look at psychotherapeutic training in the Indian context, and how it can be garnered to meet the future challenges in this field.
Against this backdrop, this conference will attempt to explore the changing fabric of intimate relationships in order to engage with the challenges that contemporary mental health disciplines face in both the domains of theory and practice.
Conference Themes · Family structures in transition · Culture and Diversity Issues in Intimacy · Challenges to Parenting · Emerging contexts of intimacies –Work and Cyber space · Alternative Sexualities · Current challenges to mental health practice · Evolving training needs in mental health · Intimacies in therapeutic relationship · Information technology and changing human relationships
The conference will include keynote address, various theme symposia, panel discussion, and free paper and poster presentations around the themes of the conference.Deadline for submission of abstracts (500 words) for paper/poster presentation is December 7, 2008.
E mail: cfir2009@psy.christuniversity.in Conference Secretariat CFIR – 2009 Department of Psychology Christ University Hosur Road Bangalore 560029 Tel: +91-80-4012 9316/17/43
Today I woke up to one of the most memorable days of my life - Obama is the next President of the US. I have deeply admired his concern for the less privileged, values he upholds and the way he has risen to the position he is going to hold. It is not so much of his getting elected but the way it is going to inspire millions across nations, races, communites, religions for the time to come that makes me immensely happy. I am sure he is going to be a role model for many young people. Among the youth I have known, the last person i can remember who had significant influence, across demographies in India was Abdul Kalam. Obama is the next one as I see it.
(Photo taken from http://www.barackobama.com/photos/)
Central Sahitya Akademi is organising an international seminar on Raja Rao. It's happening at Senate Hall, Central College Campus on 8th,9th and 10th of November, 2008. (News from the Dean's office)
Deep Focus Film Quarterly welcomes articles, reviews and interviews with film directors. The write-ups can be of any hue, of any persuasion, as long as they are serious reflections on cinema. Manuscripts must be neatly typed in double line spacing. It is very important to include film stills to illustrate your article. Deep Focus hopes to engage in a continuing debate on various aspects of cinema through these write-ups.
About Deep Focus
Deep Focus Film Quarterly is every cinema connoisseur's delight- a film journal born out of a collective effort by a group of the most eminent filmmakers, film academicians and cineastes from India and abroad. The only cinema journal of its kind in India, Deep Focus, since its inception has been internationally acclaimed and noted for publishing some of the most in-depth and definitive articles, interviews and critiques on cinema, both Indian and international. Through essays on cinema it has constantly explored the aesthetics and cultural politics and its impact on contemporary cultural practices, politics and social behavior. Even as it offered, through the years, a platform for fresh, incisive and even radical criticism and debate on cinema and its evolving forms and breakthrough movements, Deep Focus has reflected and located emerging trends in society. By keeping its roots in the present and its eye on the horizon, Deep Focus has always strived and managed to stay ahead of the times and is one of those rare phenomenons in the magazine world, where the older issues acquire substance and vintage with the passing time and are prized and acknowledged as 'collector's items'.
Deep Focus Film Quarterly is for people and institutions who partake in its worldview of cinema as the most potent medium of expression in our times, who believe in the power of cinema- as an instrument of change and revolution, as a mirror of our society and times and as a entity of mystique. Deep Focus has a wide-reaching international subscription base with film schools, media, art, culture and research institutions, libraries and embassies as also among film directors, cinematographers, technicians, academicians, scholars, journalists, artists, persons actively involved in creative fields like theatre and advertising and most importantly, the lovers of film.
These are strange times for cinema and meanings and even, vocabularies are in flux. Even as millions of images are produced and stored every second, the language of cinema is increasingly generic. Information is continuous but all sense and reflection is suspended. In these manic times for the cineaste, Deep Focus endeavors to provide a panoramic view of cinema from across the world- the real and the digital, and cut through the excess, the unnecessary, the superficial, the jargon and provide its readers with a glimpse of the light at the core of so much chaos and a portrait of the world through the flicker of the magic lantern.
The followings are useful CALL-related electronic journals around the world. 1) ReCALL http://www.eurocall-languages.org/recall/index.html ReCALL is a new international journal published by EuroCALL that is the largest European academic association in CALL.
2) Language Learning and Technology Journal http://llt.msu.edu/ LLTJ is an electronic journal on language learning and technology that started publication in July 1997.
3) Educational Technology & Society (ISSN 1436-4522) http://www.ifets.info/ ETS is an electronic journal on educational technology. There are many on-line articles with tecnical suggestions.
4) The Internet TESL Journal http://iteslj.org/ ITESLJ is an electronic journal on Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Japan. There are many on-line articles with practical suggestions.
5) Teaching English with Technology http://www.iatefl.org.pl/call/callnl.htm TET is an electronic journal for Teachers of English pulished by IATEFL Poland Computer Special Interest Group.
Formerly known as iJeLLT (Internet Journal of e-Learning & Teaching, since January 2004 until December 2007), MOJeL (Malaysian Online Journal of e-Learning in Institutions of Higher Learning, since January 2008) is devoted to the dissemination of information concerning the application of e-learning in learning and teaching. It is published twice a year on the Web. MOJeL is a fully refereed electronic journal.that publishes articles, research studies, reports, software and book reviews related to online language learning and teaching.PacCALL Journal
7) Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication http://jcmc.indiana.edu/ JCMC is a quarterly electronic journal published by University of Southern California since 1995.
8) The IALL Journal http://iallt.org/iallj.html The IALL Journal is the primary publication of the International Association for Language Learning Technology, and a subscription to the Journal is included with membership in that organization. Established in 1965, IALL is a professional organization dedicated to promoting effective uses of media centers for language teaching, learning, and research. IALL's membership represents hundreds of institutions of varying sizes and educational levels. The majority of the Journal's readers are administrators or technical support staff of language labs, ESL labs, and other centers in which technology is applied to language teaching and learning; the readership also includes language faculty/teachers who use technology. The Journal is a fully refereed professional journal, published twice yearly: in May and in October.
9) ALT Journal http://www.alt.ac.uk/alt_j.html An international journal devoted to research and good practice in the use of learning technologies within tertiary education.
10) JALT CALL Journal http://jaltcall.org/journal/ The JALT CALL Journal (ISSN 1832-4215) is an international refereed journal published from April, 2005. The Journal encompasses and builds upon the SIG newsletter, C@lling Japan, and is committed to excellence in research in all areas within the field of Computer Assisted Language Learning, while at the same time offering teaching ideas and suggestions from teachers' personal experiences. The JALT CALL Journal is published three times a year: April, August and December.
SECOND NATIONAL & SIXTH ELT@I VIDARBHA CONFERENCE ELT@I Vidarbha Chapter is organising the Second National & Sixth ELT@I Vidarbha Conference in collaboration with Dharampeth Arts and Commerce College, Nagpur on 10 - 11 JANUARY 2009
Conference Theme: “New Vistas in Teaching and Learning English”
Sub-Themes: - Integrating Technology with Language Teaching - Innovations in Teaching Of Literature - Using Web Resources for Language Enhancement - Creative Ways of Language and Literature Teaching - Teaching English for Specific Purposes - ELT for Differently Abled People - Innovative Approaches to ELT In Rural Areas - Teacher Training and Development - Current Trends in Evaluation
Call for Proposals: Proposals are invited for 15 minute paper presentations, 45-60 minute workshops and poster presentations related to the conference sub-themes or any other relevant area. The maximum limit for papers is 2000 words. Please submit your full papers, proposals for workshops or plan of posters by 20 December 2008 to any of the contact persons mentioned below. Paper presenters must also submit a soft copy of their papers either on a CD or as an email attachment.
Best Speaker Awards: As every year, this year too the best presentation will be awarded the ‘Best Speaker Award’. Only those papers which are received by 20 December 2008 will be considered for the award. Papers will be evaluated on the basis of innovativeness of idea(s), academic quality, racticability, relevance to the context and overall style.
Delegate Fees: Rs. 250 (Before 20 December 2008) Rs. 350 (After 20 December 2008) Rs. 200 (For PG, M. Phil. and Ph. D. students, Flat rate)
For registration and more details, contact any of the persons mentioned below: 1) Dr. Sandhya Nair Head, Dept of English, Dharampeth Arts and Commerce, Nagpur Mobile: 9422804091,
2) Dr. Urmila Dabir, Programmes Coordinator, ELTAI Vidarbha Chapter & Principal, R. K. Girls’ College, Jaripataka, Nagpur. Tel: (Off) 0712-2630699 Mobile: 9850393939
3) Dr. Amol Padwad Head, Dept of English, J. M. Patel College, Bhandara. 441904. Tel: (Off) 07184-252364 (Res) 07184-254805 Mobile: 9326911033 Email: amolpadwad@rediffmail.com, amolpadwad@gmail.com
Winter School in Philosophy (December 30, 2008 – January 10, 2009) Organized by Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati in association with Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla
CLASSROOM INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
Understanding the nature of Reality, Knowledge and Value
It is often felt that teaching a course in ‘Introductory Philosophy’ is far more difficult than teaching a course on a specific philosophical area at a relatively higher level. The ‘introductory’ nature of Philosophy is not elementary in nature. Indeed, there is not ‘elementary’ philosophy with which one can begin as a way of introducing the student to Philosophy. Philosophy is, by nature, intrinsically ‘deep’ right from the beginning. The pool of philosophy is deep all over, with no shallow banks. Any enduring academic experience of teaching Philosophy surely testifies to this claim.
If a teacher has to introduce Philosophy as a specific discipline in an under-graduate class, how would he or she go about doing that? Are there basic chapters of a typical text to start with, in the way there are in other disciplines like Physics and Economics and Biology? Even if certain basic chapters are touched upon, how basic are the contents of those topics or concepts? It seems that the so-called ‘basics’ of Philosophy are far too dense in meaning to help the student make a smooth and easy entry into the subject.
It is almost pointless to begin the discourse with the etymological meaning of ‘Philosophy’, e.g. ‘Love of Wisdom’. After all, the term ‘wisdom’ itself is not too clear or free from ambiguity. Besides, wisdom is not what the teacher is going to teach in a professional academic discourse of Philosophy. The teacher would therefore do well to think of a more ‘practical’ and ‘relevant’ way of accompanying the student in the journey of Philosophy.
Perhaps the best strategy is to begin with the illustration of the central samples of philosophical discussion that have traditionally been the occupation of philosophers. Here the move would require making use of the traditional classification of Philosophy into three broad categories of discourse: Metaphysics or the Theory of Reality; Epistemology or the Theory of Knowledge; Axiology or Value Theory. The introductory discourse of Philosophy ought to take up the principal concerns of these three sectors.
The two-week long WINTERSCHOOL IN PHILOSOPHY is conceived as an interactive workshop for young philosophy teachers and doctoral students, who will be instructed by a team of experts on how to deliver effectively introductory lectures in the classroom. Attention is to be drawn specially towards the role of being a teacher of philosophy inculcating philosophical knowledge to beginners in Philosophy. But the teacher himself or herself needs to be sufficiently clear about the way one ought to unfold the conceptual story of Philosophy. That unfolding is to follow the principal issues and arguments available in the discussions of metaphysics, epistemology and axiology.
Metaphysical issues relate to the question of being, whether it is the “Being of God, the World, or the Self”. There are traditional “Arguments for the existence of God: Especially the Ontological Argument”, arguments of “Realism or Idealism about the existence of the World”, and both “Substance-essentialist and Anti-substantivist arguments regarding the existence of the Self”. Furthermore, there are subsidiary metaphysical questions concerning “Mind-Body Dualism”, “Causality, Determinism and freedom of the Will”, and about “Universals and Particulars”.
Epistemological issues that prominently figure in discussion include the “Platonic Definition of Knowledge and the Gettier Problem”, “Perceptual Knowledge”, “A Priori Knowledge”, “Internalist and Externalist theories of Epistemic Justification”, and the general “Problem of Skepticism”.
Axiological questions basically concern Ethics and Aesthetics. Some major issues include “Morality and Egoism/Altruism”, “Moral relativism/Absolutism”, Moral Theories like “Eudaimonism, Utilitarianism and Deontology”, “Virtue Ethics”, and the rise of “Applied Ethics”. Aesthetic problems related to questions about the “Ontology of Art”, “Aesthetic Detachment”, theories of “Artistic Representation/Expression/Form”, and the “Value of Art in Human Culture”.
The WinterSchool will consist of discussions on a chosen set of topics that relate to these three branches of Philosophy. It is presumed that a basic understanding of Philosophy as an intellectual discourse is an understanding of the principal problem of metaphysics, epistemology and value theory. This understanding is supposed to be uniform and well-integrated, so that a teacher of Philosophy is capable of rendering that understanding in a format which conduces to a systematic and coherent grasp of the subject.
Emphasis will be laid on thematic discussion and understanding of Philosophy rather than a historical understanding. Reference to history of philosophy would be subservient to thematic relevance. The Indian/Western division of Philosophy would be circumvented by an attempt to tackle a given problem from different angles.
It is most important to realize that the young mind of the student is quite likely to be puzzled by the kind of questions that arise in Philosophy. That is because of the unique peculiarity of the discourse. The teacher must therefore be able to explain why at all such peculiar problems arise, and how they inevitably arise given human rational inquisitiveness. The WinterSchool will take special care to alert the participants to the utmost need of grasping the rationale of philosophical questions.
It is expected that the two weeks of rigorous philosophical training and interactive exercise of reflection will create enough confidence in the mind of the young teacher/scholar of Philosophy. Towards the final stage of the School, some particular sessions will be exclusively devoted to the demonstration of teaching by the participants. This exercise will be accompanied by regular written assignments on relevant issues.
It is hoped that the result of this exercise in the Winter School will eventually be a rough working paper that synoptically describes a fairly standard programme of ‘A Classroom Introduction to philosophy’. The urgency of such an outcome cannot be denied at least for one reason. Philosophy is certainly unlike other academic discourses because of its peculiar nature. The ‘justification’ of Philosophy is often demanded in view of its apparently ‘impractical’ and abstract character. A young philosopher therefore must be well-versed in the arguments that lend justification to the philosophical enterprise. And the ‘arguments for justification’ must be amenable to their grasp at the introductory level.
It is known that the patterns of courses/papers taught in different Universities are not always the same, and not all Universities have Semester-system method of teaching. But the WinterSchool programme is catered to a generality of pattern that would be compatible with these variations. In other words, a participant duly trained in the course of these two weeks can be reasonably expected to play a better role in inculcating philosophical ideas in any pattern in which he or she is supposed to adjust to in his or her home-institution.
On the whole, the WinterSchool programme is supposed to have a tutorial flavour. In this respect, it is supposed to be rather different from the usual Refresher Courses in Philosophy. The level of interaction is supposed to be much greater, and constant attention is to be maintained towards improving the analytical teaching potential of the participant.
The WinterSchool, to be hosted by Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, in association with Indian Institute of Advance Study, Shimla, will invite young lecturers (preferably within 40 years of age) of Colleges and Universities, including a few Ph D scholars. Prospective participants will be selected on the basis of their curriculum vitae and a three-hundred word write-up explaining their intention to participate in this programme. Out of 30 participants, 20 will be from the North-Eastern region, and the rest from the other parts of the country. The Head of the Department of the respective College/University Department/Institute Department will be asked to recommend the person who would like to apply for participation. It is expected that the participants will take due leave (duty leave or whatever) from their respective institutions for the entire period of two weeks. Incomplete attendance is strongly discouraged, as discontinuation will adversely affect the purpose of the whole programme. Every participant completing the entire course of the WinterSchool will be provided with a certificate of being trained in the programme.
Participants are allowed to claim II tier air-conditioned return fare by rail for their journey from the place of work to Guwahati and back, plus charges of local transportation by taxi/auto/bus etc. Free accommodation will be provided to the participants on a twin-sharing basis in the Guest House of IIT Guwahati. Local hospitality will be free all along. For detail write to:
Dr. Archana Barua/Dr.V.Prabhu,
Course Coordinator: Winter School in Philosophy, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati,
Guwahati – 781039.
E.mail: vprabhu@iitg.ernet.in
Following article is from Times of India 29 Oct 2008. To veiw it on TOI Click here
‘Surfing internet alters functioning of brain’
Canberra: The internet is not just changing the way people live but altering the way our brains work with a neuroscientist arguing that this is an evolutionary change which will put the tech-savvy at the top of the new social order.
Gary Small, a neuroscientist at UCLA in California who specializes in brain function, has found through studies that Internet searching and text messaging has made brains more adept at filtering information and making snap decisions.But while technology can accelerate learning and boost creativity it can have drawbacks as it can create internet addicts whose only friends are virtual and has sparked a dramatic rise in Attention Deficit Disorder diagnoses.
Small, however, argues that the people who will come out on top in the next generation will be those with a mixture of technological and social skills.“We’re seeing an evolutionary change. The people in the next generation who are really going to have the edge are the ones who master the technological skills and also face-to-face skills,” Small said in a telephone interview.
“They will know when the best response to an email or instant message is to talk rather than sit and continue to email.”AGENCIES
1.The Chief Producer, Films Division, on behalf of the President of India, invites sealed tender from producers on contract basis for production of films as follows:-
2. I. Films of 30 seconds to 2 minutes duration in Eastman Colour in 35mm format conveying social message(s) on the following subjects, for release in theatres and telecast on different channels / media. (i.)Social Justice. (ii). Health & Family Welfare (iii).Women & Child Development (iv) Panchayat Raj (v).Environment (vi)Agriculture & rural development (vii)Promotion of tourism (viii)Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (ix) Road safety (x)Civic Sense (xi)Organ donation (xii)Water shortage (save water) / Water Harvesting (xiii)HIV & AIDs (xiv)Dowry & Child Marriage (xv)Communal harmony and National Integration (xvi)Global warming (xvii)Child labour (xviii)Social Evils (xix)Anti Terrorism (xx)Social Unrest (xxi)Crime against Women etc.
3.II. DOCUMENTARY FILMS ( 26/52 Minutes duration in Digital format ) for telecast on TV channels on the following subjects:-
4. (i)Agriculture (Animal husbandry/farming/forestry/Horticulture/Misc) (ii)Archaeology & Monuments (iii)Health, Community development & Co-operation (iv)Cottage Industry (v) Crafts (vi)Art & Culture (vii) Food & Festivals (viii)Tourism (ix)Natural Resources (x)Trade & Commerce (xi)Social Welfare (xii) Rehabilitation &Employment (xiii)Geography & Travel (xiv)Education & Youth activities (xv)History/ Freedom Struggle (xvi)Famous Personalities etc. (xvii) Subjects pertaining Jammu & Kashmir and North Eastern States etc.
5. The details of forms/particulars/terms & conditions are available in our website www.filmsdivision.org. or can be collected from Films Division, Mumbai. Tel.No.23510461/Fax: 2351 3655/23511008/2351 5308. The proposal complete in all respect to be submitted to Chief Producer, Films Division, Mumbai latest by 5/11/08. Applicants residing in North East, Jammu & Kashmir, Andaman Nicobar Islands, Lakshdeep Islands, Daman & Diu may submit their applications by (last date + 15 days).
Following is the tentative and random list of experiments i have done on this blog and the known outcome.
If you think you have any information to add that might build this list please put it in the comment section.
Will be happy if you can comment on how this blog has been useful to you, that will help me.
This is being put together for an institutional presentation on experiments in this blog. Some of the experiments tried with the blog 1. CIA 2/3 submission on the blog. One of the reasons was to save use of paper . Led to students commenting on other’s write-ups thus leading to exciting peer review and discussion. Tried it with a class strength of 98 (BCom., 2006) BBM 2005) 2. Put up supporting material and links to online resource for students on poems and novels on topics under discussion in the class 3. Scripts of films in discussion 4. Encourage students to ask questions online, as there is less time in class, plus an anonymity 5. CIA announcements, model questions papers, course plans, certificate course announcements 6. Details of courses, talks in and around Bangalore 7. National level and other seminar announcements. 8. Fellowship details 9. links to material around international events namely Man Booker Prize announcements, Nobel prize 10. Formal Student feedback to plan future classes 11. Other course announcements 12. Announcement of programme. Students have taken admission coming to know only through the blog 13. Use it as a space to publish my own academic and other write-ups 14. Publication of chat sessions 15. Links to online academic journals – refereed and non-referred 16. Links to online resources 17. Provides, documentation and archive of a lot of activities
Outcomes 1. Platform for students to carry interactions online. 2. out-of-class support though links and discussion-space/board 3. Anonymity helps students to ask questions which otherwise they would not 4. Far greater interaction over the net than class. 5. Those that do not interact in class interact online. 6. Helps me keep in touch with students. 7. Helps other teachers for institutions across India. 8. Motivation to students to start their own blogs 9. Allow peer discussion
I conducted a two-day writing workshop for philosophy students of Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram on 27 and 28 Oct 2008. During the workshop 16 students wrote poems, short stories, features, conducted and wrote interviewnews reports and letters to the editor and also individually brought out model newspapers. I enjoyed working with the participants. Quite a passionate bunch. Grateful to Shaji, Benny, Simmy, Biston, and the participants for the experience.
Day 1 09.30 to 10.30 Session 1: Introduction, What do I look for? Writing as thinking, creativity, paragraph writing 10.30 to 10.45 Tea Break 10.45 to 12.45 Session 2 Writing poem, short story, feature, news report, letter to the editor 12.45 to 01.45 Lunch Break 01.45 to 02.00 Calisthenics 02.00 to 03.15 Session 3 Doing and writing interview 03.15 to 03.30 Tea Break 03.30 to 04.30 Session 4 Semiotics, and death of the author
(Homework: Preparing the blog. Redoing the write ups based on review of models. Give a write up on the gaps found and insights)
Day 2 09.30 to 10.30 Session 1 Paragraph writing, common errors, news report 10.30 to 10.45 Tea Break 10.45 to 12.45 Session 2 Features of a feature, short story, poem, interview, letter to the editor 12.45 to 01.45 Lunch Break 01.45 to 02.00 Calisthenics 02.00 to 03.15 Session 3 Reworking the write ups, preparation of a wall paper (pair work) 03.15 to 03.30 Tea Break 03.30 to 04.30 Session 4 Reworking the write ups, preparation of a wall paper (pair work), 04.00 to 04.15 Feedback 04.15 to 04.30 Conclusion
