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Technical Writing · Exposition & Argumentation · Non-fiction Creative Essays · Grammar and Usage of Standard English · The Structure of English · Analysis of Shakespeare
Analysis of Literary Language · Advanced Professional Papers · The History of the English Language · First Internship: Tutoring in a Writing Workshop · Second Internship: Advanced Instruction: Tutoring Writing
Visual Literacy Seminar (A First Course in Methodology) · Theories of Communication & Technology (A Second Course in Methodology) · The Writer's Guild
UMBC'S Conservative Newspaper: "The Retriever's Right Eye" · UMBC'S University Newspaper: "The Retriever Weekly" · Introduction to Journalism · Feature Writing · Science Writing Papers
Communicative Objective #1 (CO1): A re-contextualization of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
Blackboard Weekly Posts (A Bulletin Board Community)
An Explanation for a History of "this" Space · The Task Order for a History of "this" Space · Photos of the Artifacts Compromising a History of "this" Space
Goals, Choices, and Process Narrative-Sketch of a History of "this" Space ·
The Rolling Credits of a History of "this" Space
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Introduction
I do not have the original end-product; therefore, it is impossible for me to re-contextualize the end-product that was turned in on the "pass it forward" date. The end-product was returned at the end of the semester and at that time donated to Shipka for the "Shipka Archives." I donated A History of "this" Space, "Welcome to the Anti-Apathy Club: A study of UMBC student culture within the Shipka Spaces" based on the reasons as follows:
I believe because all of my peers contributed to the end-product and if it were not for their cooperation and input, this artifact would never exist. I believe that "this" history was a collaborative narrative of everyone's thoughts and feelings at the time; therefore I believe that donating the end-product to the "Shipka Archives" was the right thing to do.
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NOTE: Unfortunately, my version of MS Word is too old to reproduce the Edwardian Script font properly; therefore I will replace this image at a later date with the correct rendering.
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In the yearbook, the next 30 something pages were my peers answers to the writing prompt from the classes of ENGL 324, ENGL 407, and ENGL 493 from here on out known as the "Shipka Spaces." As I said, I do not have the written responses and if I did, I would not reveal them as I did say to my peers that the information would be kept anonymous and confidential."
Next within the yearbook were the images some of my ENGL 324 peers elected to create reporting back the same written message, but now switching mediums and modalities. The most striking image that to this day burns in my memory was a line of students inhaling a cloud of information above their heads while shiting it out their asses.
When the reader finishes reading the writing prompt responses and views the hand-drawn artwork and the pictures of 3-D play-dough sculptures, the reader is presented with the last piece of data extracted from the information provided: The List of the Student Organizations some of us belonged to.
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Next the reader finds a series of infographics informing them of what the historian/researcher found within the raw data provided.
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Shown below is the last page of the yearbook and the answer to the question posed, "What is it that makes us feel interconnected with our fellow peers here at UMBC?"
Illustrated above are some of the members of the "Shipka Spaces" Anti-Apathy Club and the channels through which they choose to connect with each other.
All of the information provided by my peers was used in some way, shape, or form. The book itself was a black bound artist's sketch book that would stand the test of time. Data was collected anonymously through two methods: a written narrative responding to a open-ended prompt question in ENGL 324, ENGL 407, and ENGL 493.
My ENGL 324 peers got an added treat. They were asked to re-contextualize the same written message using my collection of art materials (switch modes and modalities) that consisted of practically anything they could want for: sketch pad paper, construction paper, scissors, #2 pencils, #5 colored pens, magic markers, colored highlighters, colored gel pens, colored pencils, crayons, pastels (chalk and grease), glue, sparkles, and of course play dough for 3-D renderings. Any of these artifacts that could be entered into the Yearbook were pasted in. Photographs of the 3-D play dough artifacts were photographed and these photos were inserted into the yearbook.The sketches shown above are my interpretation of the data I received. Sure, there was a great deal of things said, but the recurring theme that rang loud and clear in answering the study question posed, "What is the Student Culture of UMBC" was that students will connect with each other as we all connect within society regardless of physical space or cyberspace, "we all connect through a mutually shared interest." This connection cannot be forced upon a community. This connection only occurs because two people "chose" to forge the connection with each other.
The sketch concept is a continuation of the "Cyberpeople" Re-patent and the "Analog to Digital" Authorless Text themes playing with the idea in Information Systems Telecommunication Systems in that in order for two computers to speak to each other on the Internet, they perform what is known as a "Handshake." The handshake is a discussion back and forth between the two computers establishing common grounds as how to proceed in making a connection with each other, i.e. what common channels do we have that will permit us to communicate with each other. The twelve sketches show were inserted into the yearbook as the ultimate answer of my findings. The links beneath each of the image were NOT part of the original end-product as this was impossible with a paper-based end-product. The links are an illustration of the affordances and losses of switching modes and modalities. Note that much of what I create and write about involves "Boundary Crossing" Theory stating that in order to communicate across the boundaries of disciplines one must be able to communicate with two or several disciplines with the language specific to the particular discourse. This unique capability is what separates me from other technical writers. I am NOT a "One Note Nelly."
I ultimately proved E. Piccirillo's short answer of the word "Apathy" best describes the UMBC Student Culture and also disproved Wikipedia's non-nondescript answer of UMBC student culture is that of a commuter school." Wikipedia said that there were three types of college/university cultures: rural, commuter (suburban), and city cultures and left the answer at that. This answer was only partially sufficient for me. I had attended several commuter schools and could vaguely describe the student culture. I attended one city school and could vaguely describe the student culture. Shipka came from a rural school and could vaguely describe the student culture. Note I used the word "vaguely." I could not pin down a definite answer for Shipka indicating that this area needed study. Even the information I provided is insufficient hence why I donated my findings. To describe UMBC Student Culture needs many more years of study before a definite answer can be formulated.
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