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An Extension & A Clarification

An Extension & A Clarification published on

Extension on Group Discussion

Orange Extension cord, in a coil on the ground. Mostly Circular by Roger H. Goun on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.I’ve noticed a lot of you struggling to collaborate on the activity to discuss writing in the workplace with your Writing Group in Discussions in Canvas. I have extended the open date for the activity to Saturday, September 9.

Take advantage of the readings assigned this week on collaborating as a group and this page on “Problems associated with group work,” which Riley shared in our Facebook group.

Clarification On Transcripts for Videos and Infographics

We only need transcripts for videos and infographics that do not already have an option for those who need them. I want to clarify how to tell when we need a transcript so you don’t have to guess.

For videos, check whether the video has closed captioning. On YouTube, you click on the CC button on the lower right, shown in the image below:

Closed Caption button on YouTube

If there is a separate transcript for a video, you will usually find a link to it in the YouTube Notes or on the page on our site that shows the video.

For infographics, look for an associated page that includes the information from the image in text. For instance, the infographics that I have made, like How to Succeed in This Online Course, are published on a page that includes (and expands) on the details in the image.

 

Photo credit: Mostly Circular by Roger H. Goun on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.


 
Last updated on Tuesday, September 5, 2017

#TuesdayTutorial: Taking a Professional Photo

#TuesdayTutorial: Taking a Professional Photo published on
Bathroom mirror selfie. Self Portrait in Barbados by Jens karlsson on Flickr, used under a CC-BY license

Don’t Use This Bathroom Mirror Selfie

Professional Photo with clean, gray background. Me for Lindberg glasses by Jens karlsson on Flickr, used under a CC-BY license

Use This Professional Photo Instead

The Professional Bio Statement that you are working on for your first major project needs a professional photo that shows readers both what you look like and something about your personality and style. I know that none of you would use a bathroom mirror selfie, but based on what students have submitted in the past, I want to provide some specific guidelines.

So what do you need? Take a photo where you are wearing the kind of clothes that you would wear to work or to an interview. Ring Dance or Wedding photos of you in a tux or formal dress may look nice, but they’re not quite right for this purpose. Everyone who looks at such photos knows that the person was trying to make-do with a photo that was clearly for another purpose.

You will find a lot more useful tips in the step-by-step tutorial in the Hubspot post How to Take Your Own Professional Headshot: A Bookmarkable Guide, which says it takes 15 minutes to read. The article covers everything from how to set up your camera to editing your final choice.

Take advantage of feedback from your writing group as well. If you can’t decide which photo is best, ask them to help you decide.

 

Photo credits: Self Portrait in Barbados by Jens karlsson on Flickr, used under a CC-BY license, and Me for Lindberg glasses by Jens karlsson on Flickr, used under a CC-BY license.


 
Last updated on Monday, September 4, 2017

Getting Started on Professional Bios

Getting Started on Professional Bios published on

This is the post for the week of September 4, 2017.

Happy Labor Day! Classes are cancelled today, so we all get a break. I am posting the work for the week anyway so that those who want to get started can do so.

Notes for This Week

  • Assignments all loaded in Canvas. The five major projects, final exam, labor logs, and group peer review sessions are all set up in Canvas now. If you are a planner who likes to map out due dates, you can now find all the details in Canvas.
  • Writing Groups set up. Everyone has been randomly assigned to a writing group in Canvas. You are in a group with others in the same course section as you.

Readings for This Week

Tasks for This Week

Here’s what you need to do for this week:

  1. Review the advice on How to Succeed in This Online Class, in the infographic above. In particular, set a schedule for getting your work done, just as you would for any other course that you take. Don’t assume that you can “fit it in.” That strategy doesn’t work out for most students.
  2. Introduce yourself to your writing group by posting in the Getting Acquainted with Your Writing Group Discussion in Canvas.
  3. Collaborate to set ground rules for your writing group. The primary work of your writing group is explained in the Writing Groups Overview. To help make your work together go smoothly, your group should make a set of guidelines, or ground rules, for how you will collaborate. The readings from Chapter 19: Group Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership will help you decide on the issues that are important and how to address them.

    Use the Group Ground Rules Discussion in Canvas to work out your guidelines, which should cover all of the following:

    • If you want, contact information that group members can use to contact one another outside Slack and Canvas.
    • Group responsibilities (division of labor) for the project. For instance, do you want a leader? Who is responsible for making sure everyone gets feedback on drafts?
    • Group scheduling and due dates. For example, do you need group due dates for posting drafts to make sure you have time to give one another feedback?
    • Communication policies that account for how the group will deal with any issues that arise, such as someone being offline for a few days or someone disappearing without notice.
    • Revision strategies and plans.
  4. (Optional) Participate in my AMA: Ask me anything discussion on Canvas. I set it up incorrectly last week, but it’s open now.

    Post any questions you have about me, my background, or the course. Read whatever has been posted. Add replies or follow-up questions as desired. Please keep the conversation classroom-friendly.

  5. Read the Professional Bio Statement assignment, and ask any questions you have. If you have any questions about the assignment, check in #general in Slack to see if they have already been answered. If they have not, post your question there and I will reply when I can. Asking a question is not required.
  6. Get started on your Professional Bio by jotting out things you want to be sure you include. We’ll talk about some example bios next week. Here are the relevant dates for the project:
    • Wed, September 13: Post a rough draft of your bio to your Writing Group in Canvas by 11:59PM.
    • Fri, September 15: Post feedback in Canvas to all your group members by 11:59PM.
    • Mon, September 18: Submit your Professional Bio Project by 11:59PM.
    • Thu, September 21: The grace period ends at 11:59PM.
  7. By 11:59PM on Friday, September 8, write your 09/08 Labor Log in Canvas. The grace period for your log entry ends at 11:59 PM on Monday, September 11.

 

Image Credit: How to Succeed in This Online Class by Traci Gardner.


 
Last updated on Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Online Discussion Guidelines

Online Discussion Guidelines published on

During this first week of classes, I am sharing additional information about the course in my daily posts. The Daily Discussion Posts that I described earlier this week will start on Tuesday, 9/5.

As outlined on the syllabus, all work and participation in these courses are governed by the Virginia Tech Principles of Community. You surely read the Principles of Community when you first came to Virginia Tech, but you may not have returned to them for a careful reading since then. Today, I will share how the Principles of Community apply in the course.

To get started, we need to review the Principles. You can read the Principles online or watch the video below (click the CC button if you want to see the subtitles):

These Principles relate particularly to how we, as Hokies, interact with, treat, and think about other people. They are especially pertinent then when you work with your Writing Groups and when you enter into conversations in Discussions, on Slack, on Facebook, and in website comments.

We can narrow the ideas down to some simple guidelines for our interaction in the courses:

  • Respect everyone. Listen to what others have to say.
  • Allow everyone to state their ideas freely and openly.
  • Support diverse ideas and the diversity of those in the courses.
  • Commit to following these guidelines in order to support our classroom community.

To sum it up, remember that everyone is welcome, and be nice and supportive to one another. That’s it. If you have any questions about the Principles and how they apply to the course, you can leave a comment below and we’ll work out an answer.

 


 
Last updated on Saturday, September 2, 2017

How Canvas Grades Works

How Canvas Grades Works published on

During this first week of classes, I am sharing additional information about the course in my daily posts. The Daily Discussion Posts that I described earlier this week will start on Tuesday, 9/5.

Grade book by David Mulder on Flickr, used under a CC-BY-SA 2.0 licenseI use Canvas Grades differently from the way most teachers do, so today, I want to explain how it works.

What Is Tracked in Canvas Grades

Canvas only tracks what you have done and what you have not done. It’s not calculating your course grade.

As explained in the Syllabus and on the Requirements page, your grade in this course is based on labor, on the work you put into the course. There are essentially three categories your work can fall into:

  • If you complete the required activities, you will earn a B in the course.
  • If you do not complete the required activities, you will earn less than a B in the course.
  • If you complete additional work, you will earn a grade higher than a B in the course.

Most of the work you do in the course earns either a Complete or an Incomplete. In Quizzes, because of limitations in Canvas, your work earns a 100 (Complete) or a 0 (Incomplete). If you do not attempt an activity at all, your work (or lack thereof) earns a 0.

Because Canvas Grades is a computer program, it will provide you a Total calculation at the bottom of the list. Remember that calculation doesn’t matter. Canvas doesn’t have a way to calculate your grade in this labor-based system.

Completes vs. Incompletes

Canvas Grades tracks the Complete and Incomplete status of your work with icons. Here’s a screenshot of the Grades for an Example Student:

Screenshot of the Grades for an Example Student
Click for larger image

As shown under the Score column in the image, a checkmark means that the work is Complete. An X mark in the Score column means that the work is Incomplete. It doesn’t desginate that anything is wrong. It tells you that you need to revise.

How to Tell How You’re Doing

If you have completed all the work that is required, you are on track to earn at least a B in the course. Even if you have an Incomplete on a Major Project or a Labor Log, you are still on track to earn at least a B in the course. As long as you are putting in your best effort, you don’t need to worry.

If you’d like confirmation, look at Grades in Canvas for one of these indications:

  • Look at the Score column in the light gray list of activities at the top of the table. If you see 100s, checkmarks, and X marks, you are on track to at least a B in the course.
  • Find the categories followed by an asterisk (*) in the medium gray list at the bottom of the table (marked on the Screenshot above). Look at the Score column for those categories, which are required for a B. If you see 100% for those categories, you are on track to at least a B in the course.
  • If you do not see 100% for the required categories, look at the Out of column in the medium gray area to tell how far off you are. If you see 200/300, for instance, you’ll know that just one thing is missing (so you are still likely to be on track for at least a B in the course).

If you are working toward a grade higher than a B, pay attention to how many of the additional contributions listed on the Requirements page you have completed. I have not found a way to track this additional work in Canvas yet. If I do find a workable solution, I will update you.

 

 

Photo credit: Grade book by David Mulder on Flickr, used under a CC-BY-SA 2.0 license.


 
Last updated on Monday, November 13, 2017

Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity

Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity published on

During this first week of classes, I am sharing additional information about the course in my daily posts. The Daily Discussion Posts that I described yesterday will start on Tuesday, 9/5.

Disabled Parking by Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine on Flickr, used under a CC-0 Public Domain licenseToday, I’m outlining an activity that focuses on making resources in the course more accessible by providing text versions. You can read more about accessibility in this course in  the Accessibility page and the Classroom Access & Support Guide, the latter still a working draft.

What’s the Activity

Ideally, everything in this course should be accessible to everyone. For instance, videos and audio recordings need transcripts, and images need alt attributes that describe what they show.

The goal of this activity is to create transcripts and descriptions that are missing for some of the resources used in the course. Your work will focus on accurately presenting the words from the original as well as applying document design principles to ensure that the transcript is easy to read and navigate.

These resources provide how-to information and tips:

How Are They Graded

The transcript activity is completely optional. If you create a transcript, I’ll check it for accuracy to the original, standard correctness, and good document design. If necessary, you can revise a transcript until it is usable for the course. Your transcript will be graded either Complete (signified by a checkmark in Canvas Grades) or Incomplete (signified by an X in Canvas Grades), meaning you can revise.

If you are working toward a grade higher than a B in the course, you can create a transcript as part of the extra work you do to build community in the course and share ideas. This transcript activity is just one of several options available to you.

How To Participate

Creating a transcript is an independent activity. You won’t interact with anyone other than me. Here’s the process you’ll follow:

  1. Choose a resource that is missing a transcript. They will usually be things that are posted in the Daily Discussion posts.
  2. Email me with the details on the resource you want to work with. I will check your request to make sure it’s not too big or too small. After I check it, I will send you an approval. Wait for that approval before you begin your work.
  3. Use the resources above for tips on how to create your transcript.
  4. Use a word processor to type and format the text from the video or image that you have chosen.
  5. Submit your transcript in Canvas in the Optional Transcript Assignment once you have finished.
  6. If your work is finished, I will mark it Complete in Canvas Grades and add it to the course website and credit you. If it needs to be revised, I’ll mark it Incomplete in Canvas Grades, and you can revise.

 

 

Photo credit: Disabled Parking by Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine on Flickr, used under a CC-0 Public Domain license.


 
Last updated on Thursday, August 31, 2017

Optional Facebook Group

Optional Facebook Group published on

During this first week of classes, I am sharing additional information about the course in my daily posts. The Daily Discussion Posts that I described yesterday will start on Tuesday, 9/5.

Today, I’m explaining how the optional Facebook Group for the course will work: what we’re using it for, how it can influence your grade, and how to participate. You can join the group whether you want to participate or just want to lurk (or don’t join at all, if that’s your preference).

Panorama of Lane Stadium during the "white out" Virginia Tech vs. Austin Peay football game, September 8, 2012 by CBGator87 on Wikipedia, used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license
The Cover Photo for Our Facebook Group

What’s the Goal

Our optional Facebook Group is one of several ways that you can work toward a grade higher than a B in the course. The group isn’t focused on work for work’s sake however. I have several goals for the posts that you make to the Facebook Group:

  • to encourage you to research topics related to writing in the workplace.
  • to give you the chance to share and discuss what you find with others in the course.
  • to build community and interaction in the course.
  • to allow you to contribute material that may be shared on the course website.

What About Privacy

If you are already in Facebook Groups, you probably know all of this. I’m explaining it just to be sure everyone knows and is comfortable participating.

I have set up a closed Facebook Group for the course. I approve every request to join the group to ensure only members of the class get in. Only members of the Group can read and post messages and comments in the group.

If a potential employer Googles you, the messages you post to the Group won’t show up in the search results. Posts and comments that you make will not appear in your Timeline, so your friends and family won’t see them. Members of the Group (including me) can only see information on your profile and Timeline that are public—and, of course, anyone can see information that is public.

How Are They Graded

Facebook posts and comments should relate to writing in the workplace, so they can be useful for anyone in the course to read. That said, reading and participating in the Facebook Group is completely optional. Participate or lurk whenever you want to (or not at all). It’s your choice.

If you are working toward a grade higher than a B in the course, you can post and comment in the Group as part of the extra work you do to build community in the course and share ideas. The Facebook Group is just one of several options available to you. If you hate Facebook, there’s nothing to worry about. Just choose another option.

How To Participate

Joining the Group

Whether you want to lurk and read or post and comment in the Group, the first thing you have to do is request to join the Group. To . Go to the Group on Facebook, and make a request. Facebook will ask you which class you are in (Business Writing or Technical Writing), so that I can confirm you are in the class before adding you.

Posting to the Group

This Group should function something like a shared bulletin board for the course. As you find interesting resources about writing in the workplace, you can share them with the Group.

Just post advice articles, how-to webpages, relevant images (like infographics or memes), and other resources you find to the group. You can also ask questions or discuss class readings if you like.

In addition to sharing a link or uploading an image, say a bit about why you are passing it along, how you connect to it, and/or why you recommend it.

Commenting and Replying

You already know how to respond on Facebook, so I don’t need to tell you how that works. I do ask that you respond with good comments. Aim to contribute ideas, engage with others, and extend the conversation. You can also Like (or any of the other options) posts. Feel free to use emoji, polls, and any of the other things available to you. Keep things appropriate for the classroom, but otherwise you can be yourself.

 

 

Photo credit for the cover image: Panorama of Lane Stadium during the "white out" Virginia Tech vs. Austin Peay football game, September 8, 2012 by CBGator87 on Wikipedia, used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.


 
Last updated on Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Daily Discussion Posts

Daily Discussion Posts published on

During the first week of classes, I will share some additional information about the course in my daily posts. I know that there was a lot to read in yesterday’s post, so the daily posts this week space some additional information out a bit.

Winn Army Community Hospital Pharmacy Stays Online During Power Outage by MC4 Army on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 licenseStarting next week, Tuesday through Saturday, I’ll post additional resources on the course website every day. Today, I want to tell you more about how those posts work and how you can respond to them.

What I Will Post

During the week, I post advice articles, how-to webpages, relevant infographics, and other resources. The idea is to share additional readings that will help you in the workplace. These posts meet three goals:

  • to give you information that relates directly to projects you are already working on.
  • to cover topics important to workplace writing that we are not covering in the major projects.
  • to share resources that help with writing generally (such as writing strong sentences or techniques for document design).

I organize these posts around a series of hashtags:

  • #TuesdayTutorial
    These posts either demonstrate or tell you how to do something. It may be how to write a specific thing (like a memo) or how to revise something you have already written (like revising for concise phrasing).
  • #WednesdayWrite
    Each post asks you to consider how you would handle a specific situation in the workplace. As an example, you might consider an ethical scenario and discuss the various options available.
  • #InfographicInspiration (on Thursdays)
    Every post will present an infographic about communication and writing in the workplace. The infographic on yesterday’s post is a great example of the kind I will share.
  • #FridayFact
    These posts will share a specific fact about writing in the workplace, which you can compare to what you know about your field. Usually these facts have an accompanying article that supports the fact.
  • #WeekendWatch
    Every weekend post (usually on Saturdays) will share a video that presents something relevant to what we are covering in class or something else related to writing in the workplace.

There may be other kinds of posts, of course. Sometimes there will be announcements about something important or something that needs to be clarified or changed, for instance.

How Do These Posts Work With Grades

These additional posts supplement the projects that you are working on. I encourage everyone to read through them, especially when they relate directly to the projects you are working on. They’re short. I believe most of them will take 2 to 3 minutes tops. The one exception is the #WeekendWatch posts, which may have videos that take a bit longer to watch.

Reading and responding to these posts is completely optional. You decide whether to participate and how to participate. If you are working toward a grade higher than a B in the course, you can respond to these messages as part of the extra work you do to build community in the course and share ideas. They are just one of several options.

How To Respond to the Posts

Responding should be relatively easy. If you can comment on YouTube videos or Facebook posts, you will do fine responding to these posts.

What should you write in response? Respond with significant, well-explained comments. This is not the place for “yeah, I agree” or “me too” kinds of comments. Instead, aim to contribute ideas, engage with others, and extend the conversation.

How do you respond? Just use the comment form at the bottom of the posts. You do not have to enter your real name. I understand that you may not want to have your name come up in a Google search. Do, however, use your vt.edu email address so that I can confirm you are a member of the course. Your email address will not appear on the site. Remember to keep track of your comments in your Labor Log.

When will your comment appear? The first time you post, I have to approve your comment before it appears on the website. After that first post, as long as you use the same name and email address, your comments will appear automatically.

 

Photo credit: Winn Army Community Hospital Pharmacy Stays Online During Power Outage by MC4 Army on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.


 
Last updated on Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Introduction to Business Writing & Technical Writing

Introduction to Business Writing & Technical Writing published on

This is the post for the week of August 28, 2017.

This is the course website for these four courses, all taught by Traci Gardner at Virginia Tech during Fall Semester 2017:

  • English 3764 (Technical Writing), CRN #83879
  • English 3774 (Business Writing), CRN #83890
  • English 3774 (Business Writing), CRN #83891
  • English 3774 (Business Writing), CRN #83892

Information on all assignments, weekly activities, and related resources for these courses will be posted here. Check this site regularly for the details on what to do for the course.

Notes for This Week

  • Mandatory Syllabus Quiz due today! The English Department requires that you complete an assignment by 11:59PM on the first day of classes. There is no grace period, and there is no extension possible. If you do not, you will be dropped from this course by English Department policy. Details are in the first bullet point under the “Tasks to Complete This Week” heading.
  • Two Courses, One Site? It may seem strange, but yes, this site and the various resources we are using are for two different classes: Business Writing and Technical Writing. Why? The policies and general set-up for the courses are the same. The readings, activities, and assignments are sometimes different. Sometimes they do overlap. Basically, I would rather spend my time helping you than maintaining two nearly duplicate sites.
  • Work Hours: Normally, I am online from late afternoon through early morning hours. I’m not a morning person. So look for responses from me during those hours.

Readings for This Week

Tasks for This Week

You will notice that there are a lot of tasks. I try to post everything that you need to do at the beginning of each week. In my experience, online students have to fit work for this course in around many other responsibilities. By posting everything at the beginning of the week, I hope that I give you enough lead time to fit the coursework around your other obligations.

Here’s what you need to do for this week:

  1. Complete the Course Overview Module in Canvas. You will read the various course documents and then take a syllabus verification quiz.
  2. Confirm that your notifications in Canvas are set the way you want them. Note that Canvas uses your notification preferences to determine whether to email you or text you (or not tell you at all) about information on the site. See the section "How do I adjust my notification preferences?" in the Student Getting Started with Canvas Guide for more information on setting up your notifications.
  3. Add a professional profile picture to your Canvas account. Follow the Canvas documentation to add a profile picture in your user account. Since this is an online course, your profile picture helps me see you as more than just a name on the course roll.
  4. Join our team on Slack and say hello in #general. Check out the information on the Help with Slack page for details on how to choose a username and how to use the discussion tool. You can also ask for help in #general—and if you see someone ask a question you can answer, please chime in. We will use Slack for informal discussion and real-time conversations.
  5. Add a professional profile picture to your Slack account. Photos will help us all get to know one another and will personalize the discussion. Without photos, it’s just a list of names for your classmates. If you need help, check the Slack documentation on editing your profile.
  6. Discuss writing in the workplace with your Writing Group in Discussions in Canvas. After reading the Why Good Writing Is Needed for Better Jobs Infographic, write a reply that explains five capabilities people in business fields or technical fields need to be successful. You should make one post by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, 8/30, then collaborate to build a group list of ten capabilities by 11:59PM on Friday, 9/1. The grace period for this activity ends at 11:59PM on Tuesday, 9/5 (you get an extra day because of the Labor Day holiday).
  7. (optional) Participate in my AMA: Ask me anything on Slack. Post any questions you have about me, my background, or the course. Read whatever has been posted. Add replies or follow-up questions as desired. Please keep the conversation classroom-friendly.
  8. Watch this site or Announcements in Canvas during the week for additional information about the course and the work that we will do together. There will be posts daily that give you more details..
  9. By 11:59PM on Friday, September 1, write your 09/01 Labor Log in Canvas. Read more details on Labor Logs page. The grace period for your log entry ends at 11:59 PM on Tuesday, September 5 (again, you get an extra day because of the Labor Day holiday)

 

Image Credit: Why Good Writing Is Needed for Better Jobs from Grammarly.


 
Last updated on Monday, August 28, 2017

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