Guiding questions
Who are you?
What is literacy?
How can you be successful in this class?
Activity 1: Who Are You? What is your life story? Would you need to write a memoir to explain everything, or would you be able to select one event from your life that helped shape you as a person? For your introductory post, you are going to record a memoir of your life, but there is a catch–you only have six words to portray yourself however you wish to get a message across. Here is a 3-minute video with examples, and a resource site if you’d like to learn more about the story behind the 6 word memoir and see more examples. Once you are ready with your 6 word memoir, record your video on Flipgrid (enter join code: 6af0e42d). My memoir is up there already.
AND/OR Record your video on Flipgrid (enter join code: 6af0e42d) as you answer the following questions:
- What is your name?
- What brings you to BMCC and to this class?
- What are your hopes for this semester?
- What challenges to you expect to face this semester?
- What advice do you have for yourself and for your classmates regarding this semester?
Next, comment on your classmates’ videos, via video or text. Here are some questions to consider: Do you have something in common? Do you have any additional questions? Let’s chat.
Activity 2: Sign up for BMCC OpenLab (see instructions here) if you haven’t done so yet. Once you are a member, either accept my invitation to join this course or request membership to the course (whichever option you see here).
Activity 3: How to succeed in this course? What do you think? Please review the following documents:
- Welcome video
- course syllabus
- course guide
- the announcements page here on the OpenLab
- watch this 2-minute video: Student Success- Time Management
- watch this 2-minute video: How to Write a Professional Email For Students by Students.
- view course site on Blackboard (we will only use it for the grade book, quizzes, assignment submissions, and a few selected course materials).
Activity 4: What is literacy? What does the term mean to you? Research the word “literacy.” Take notes.
Activity 5: Here is a TEDxTalk by John Trischitti titled “Literacy is the Answer.” Watch the video and take notes.
Activity 6: Review our Discussion Boards instructions for posts as you prepare to contribute your first reply and replies to classmates.
Activity 7: Post 1– Your enormous reply (minimum 200 words): what is literacy? Based on activities 4 and 5, what is your definition of literacy? What did you find when you researched the term? How does John Trischitti define literacy? Why, according to Trischitti, is it important? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Replies to classmates (minimim 50 words per reply x 2)- Some ideas for replies: Do you agree with your classmates? Why or why not? Do you have any questions? Can you relate to something they’ve said?
Activity 8/ Optional & suggested: Complete the E-learning orientation on Blackboard. While our course site is on the OpenLab, you will still need to navigate Blackboard to access your grade book and some course assignments, including quizzes and essays.
