VirginiaPlaces blog
15% of the class grade is based on participation, which we do through use of a blog at VirginiaPlaces.wordpress.com. Each week, students should post at least one comment on the blog.
WordPress is different from Facebook; learning how to use the WordPress blog software will take a little effort on your part. The blog is restricted to just students in the class. Others who try to access it will see this screen, and without a password will be unable to log in:
I will invite you to join the VirginiaPlaces blog at the start of class, granting you "rights" as a Contributor to post messages and to comment on messages posted by others. You'll get an e-mail similar to this:
Go to the WordPress.com site, enter your username (in lower-case letters, with no spaces or punctuation marks). Unless you want to start a blog of your own, select at the bottom "Just a username, please."
Click on Next at the bottom, and you'll be notified that "An email has been sent to [your e-mail address] to activate your account. Check your inbox and click the link in the message. It should arrive within 30 minutes. If you do not activate your account within two days, you will have to sign up again."
You'll get an e-mail saying something like this:
Click on the link, and you'll see:
Ckick on the Login hyperlink, and you'll get to the page where you enter your username and password. If you're on your personal computer (not in the GMU computer lab or at the library, on a computer that others will use...), then you can have the computer remember your password and reduce the hassle factor in future logins.
The Dashboard may be confusingly complex at first, but focus on the right-hand side. That's where you'll enter your text, comparable to preparing an e-mail message. You can save and preview your draft, so it's not a big deal if you get interrupted while you're preparing your message. When you're ready, click on the Submit for Review link. I'll approve your messages, but may advise you to edit more before we finalize the content and post it for everyone to see. (Mostly, I'll filter so messages are relevant to class content, and tone of the messages is respectful to other students. However, I can't filter comments posted on other messages - so be responsible adults, and avoid sarcasm and sourness when commenting on the messages posted by your classmates.)
First posting will describe why you are taking the class - see sample message. Each week, your postings should report on the weekly material, especially your ideas on the weekly questions and your experience/perspective regarding the Web Exercise, Map Exercise, Site Visit, and Newspaper Article(s). In addition, students are encouraged to post questions and comment on other postings regarding Virginia geography. Feel free to ask questions ("think the high concentration of people with college degrees in Northern Virginia is due to GMU, or are college-educated residents getting their education elsewhere and moving to NOVA?"), to suggest answers ("One way to check: get statistics from the Alumni Office on how many graduates from GMU live in this region"), and to share information ("Did you see the latest report from the Department of Transportation on how much it will cost to extend Metro to Dulles? Check out this link...").
Think of your postings as "class discussion" without the hassle of having to drive to campus. You'll learn best whenever you participate in the conversation and contribute your ideas. Don't worry about providing the "right" answer in the discussion - if you knew all the answers, why would you take the class? (Hint: The instructor doesn't know all the answers either; studying Virginia is a never-ending journey.)
Current events in Virginia - traffic jams at all times, drought in June-August, hurricanes in September, elections in November, etc. - are opportunities to learn how to apply your new geographical "smarts" to real-world situations. There's a reason the wealth and the voters are concentrated in Northern Virginia. There's a reason why pockets of poverty and unemployment are more common in Southside and the Appalachian Plateau. There's a reason why the endangered mussels and clams in Virginia are concentrated in the rivers of Southwest Virginia. Use the blog to discuss why we see what we see, when we look outside the car window...
If you feel shy about posting, or are new to making comments on a blog - relax. These messages are tools for learning. Access to the blog is limited to just class participants; postings can not be viewed by anyone outside of the class.
Feel free to use the blog to not only ask questions, but also to share opinions that should stimulate additional discussion ("I suspect it will take decades for Southside Virginia can match the educational attainment statistics for NOVA, even if they open a brand new college in Danville... but taxes from NOVA should be used to make it happen, just like taxes from NOVA upgraded Route 58"). However, we all have tp be on our best behavior when making comments on postings by other people. Our names will be asociated with our postings, so fellow students will be able to recognize who is saying what.
Don't be judgemental about someone else; we're all gonna be learning new things, and maybe changing our minds after we learn those new things. This blog is a geography class resource, where it's OK to speculate on the election outcome in November or the appropriate level of taxes for financing transportation infrastructure - but it's not OK to belittle someone else's point of view on commuting through traffic, working for government contractors, or voting for a particular candidate. The golden rule of this blog: treat others as you would like others to treat you. Demonstrate that you can disagree without being disagreeable.
I know that some topics trigger our emotions. When we talk about sectionalism, immigration, taxes, or even tourism, it may be appropriate to discuss the battle flag of the Confederacy. I know that symbol can stir more than just geography questions; emotions are part of who we are. We will have elections, sports contests, NASCAR races, and a few other timely topics that could stir the pot during the semester. If you get hot and bothered, count to 100 before commenting on a post. If necessary, count to 150. Don't add fuel to a fire. Admiral Hiram Rickover reportedly said, "Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people." I expect you to aim for being a great mind...
Remember your netiquette - be polite in presenting your comments, questions and answers. For example, the use of ALL CAPITAL LETTERS IS LIKE SHOUTING. We're not politicians trying to make the last point on a Sunday morning talk show; treat your messages as if the person on the other end had feelings, even if you have never met them face-to-face.
Just to be sure we treat each other respectfully, I will moderate the blog initially. I will review each message before it is posted for the rest of the class to see. Postings will not appear until I approve them. In the first few weeks, I may contact you and suggest modifications to make the message more useful for class discussion, before approving the post.
NOTE: WordPress offers technical guidance at its support site. Don't get bogged down in guidance on how to get your own blog; just figure out how to post messages on the VirginiaPlaces blog.
Also, take advantage of the computer support specialists at GMU for technical computer support. I want to get involved with your geography questions. However, if for some reason you find yourself unable to log onto the blog, send your posting for that week to my e-mail address, 
Yes. Assume we'll have about 20 students, and everyone will be posting at least one item every week. Remember, you must participate in these discussions each week to earn your 15% class participation portion of the final class grade. On occasion, something will strike a cord and generate a flurry of online discussion. Those are the moments a teacher lives for, incidentally - that's when I know you're really learning, rather than just regurgitating stuff that I've transmitted earlier.
YET ANOTHER REMINDER: You get your money's worth by asking questions. Don't be shy or passive. Since you're taking the class, I assume that you don't already know all the answers - and you'll soon discover that I don't either. In many cases other students in the class may stimulate your learning as they address such questions as "Where was the original home of Pocahontas?" and "Why did Virginia vote for a Democratic governor, but a Republican-controlled House of Delegates and State Senate, in 2001... and do it again in 2005?" |
