Unit 7: Academic Relationships and Group Dynamics

Here is your blog topic for Unit #7. Responses are due Friday, December 3, 2010.It is very likely that you will have to participate in group assignments during your post-secondary education. Consider this following article on both the teacher and student perspective of group work.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/students-split-work-to-slash-marking/2007/07/15/1184438149575.html

What are the pros and cons of group dynamics?

Do you believe that group work better prepares you for the workforce?

What concerns do you have about doing group projects?

Unit 6: Oral Presentations

Here is your blog topic for Unit #6. Responses are due Monday, November 29, 2010.
Use the internet to research Randy Pausch. Learn about him and watch some of his presentations. What makes this man a good speaker? Is it because of his situation or in spite of it?

Understand, this man is not known as the world’s greatest speaker, but he is probably the most famous at the moment. So what does he do to make his talks interesting and inviting? What techniques and skills we’ve discussed in class does he employ to create dynamic presentations.

Discuss your observations, opinions and ideas here. Generate a discussion with your peers that is insightful and compassionate. Tell us about what you have learned and learn from each other.

Unit 5 - Writing Skills

Here is your blog topic for Unit 5. Responses are due by Friday, November 19, 2010.

For this week's blog, we want to compile your opinions on academic (formal) writing at the post-secondary level. Choose a particular focus to incite a discussion using personal observations and experience. By reading the article below, you should be able to develop a framework for your discussion. Feel free to use bulleted questions as a guide to your response but be sure to expand on them in paragraph form. The site is:

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2009/02/c2005.html

Be sure to address most of the following questions in your response:

Is proficiency in writing a valuable skill?
What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of formal writing?
Do you find academic writing difficult to understand? Why or why not?
Is a society of good writers essential or non-essential to a thriving economy?
Do you feel that academic writing is part of an elitist attitude at the post-secondary level?