Make that March 2013 Special Issue for Computers and Composition, Fall 2012 for Computers and Composition Online. Okay! Now , send us your abstracts before the 8th and we'll give responses in September. :-)
ANYONE HAVE a solution to this ERROR MESSAGE: The command cannot be complete because the document is locked for editing?
I've been using the reference tool and editing references (or adjusting them to my way of using them) just fine. Today, I can't edit the citations. I mean I can use the "edit citation" feature of the tool; however, I cannot add "e.g.," within the parantheses, as one example. This was working fine but today I keep getting the error message: This command cannot be completed because the document is locked for editing." The document is not locked for editing. I've locked and unlocked and locked and unlocked. I've restarted. It just doesn't let me edit anymore.
It would be great if it worked, and maybe in the right context with a system for social assessment it could—like allowing thumbs up and thumbs down other users' contributions. But it seems like it would take a lot of oversight and effort to referee the game.
Assessment in collaborative writing has always been an issue, too. And that's my problem with the Wikia/Fallout Wiki Achievements. You can count edits, I suppose, or even the size of edits in kilobytes as a form of assessment, but you end up missing a lot of the (co)labor that might go into writing an article, for example, the discussion on an article talk page (if this is where students are doing that collaborative work). I didn't see achievements for edits other than on article pages. Of course, you could give points for edits on talk pages as well. But then you're back to the problem of people contributing to get points and the need for someway to judge the quality of contributions.
Still, finding effective ways to motivate writing and meaningful talk about writing is something I'd like to get better at, and I'd like to find a way to assess student work on wikis that requires less of me reading through history and talk pages. Right now, whatever the project, like many of us, I ask students to account for their own activities, decisions, and learning, and that works fairly well.
I've been Tweeting with a guy about its use at Vault Wiki. Apparently, it does result in some nonsense (people just trying to get points), but great for special projects.
Wow!!! Thanks, Charlie, for your support. I should mention that all of the proceeds for my app go directly to the Matt Barton Tax Shelter for Disgruntled Composition Instructors.
I think that academics tend to ask the wrong questions about this technology-- Twitter, SMS, and the like. The real question is about power. Whose interests does it serve if we shift the focus of our classes, to a greater or lesser extent, from one genre of text to another.
It's good to see others thinking of collaboration first, too. One thing I learned from open source is that it's about community, not the content. Stimulate good community development around an idea and focus on growing that community, and the content takes care of itself.
Well, my students who have done internships working with companies that have CMSs have found it useful to know some basic HTML. And then, as I pointed above, if students are interested in working in publishing, a solid understanding of HTML and some CSS could be very helpful over the next few years.
I don't think extensive HTML/CSS is warranted, though the basics are certainly useful even when using RTEs. I'd at least want them to know how to format a link and use headings and such, though I'm sure in a few more years it will be rare that you'll ever be called upon to write tags by yourself.
I've made a point of teaching students to use styles and such even when using Word to write essays, just to get them in the habit of thinking that way about documents.
It seems like we're really asking whether there's something valuable in a face-to-face experience that you don't get recorded or streamed online. If you're talking about a "cattle class" with hundreds of students and a lecturing professor, I see no reason that can't be streamed or even recorded and watched at your leisure. If you're talking about a seminar or small class, though, it seems vital that you be there in person. Video-conferencing and the like is only an advantage in cost (perhaps).
I can envision a scenario in which students are given (or required to purchase) tablets or netbooks, and then all the software is available through virtual labs (cloud computing). There are big hurdles, though, most notably in bandwidth. Plus, imagine the load on the servers if lots of students are simultaneously trying to render video or 3D objects!
I agree with the disappointment that the grant is so specific for community colleges to the extent that it would seem to discourage 4 year colleges and universities. I saw it as probably a political compromise, since if any federal dollars are going to be spent today, they have to link up to creating jobs in a direct way.
I think that if you read the rules broadly, an instiution is eligible if they offer a 2 year degree, and many institutions which are overall a 4 year institution probably do offer a 2 year degree somewhere. Plus, there's always the option of forming a consortium between 2 and 4 year colleges.
And what a big win for Creative Commons licensing!
That sounds quite reasonable. It might be, too, that the font is memorable somehow, aiding retention. I can clearly visualize logos and trademarks, which I suppose are designed to make a piece of text more memorable and recognizable (i.e., Target or Wal-Mart signs).
Make that March 2013 Special Issue for Computers and Composition, Fall 2012 for Computers and Composition Online. Okay! Now , send us your abstracts before the 8th and we'll give responses in September. :-)
ANYONE HAVE a solution to this ERROR MESSAGE: The command cannot be complete because the document is locked for editing?
I've been using the reference tool and editing references (or adjusting them to my way of using them) just fine. Today, I can't edit the citations. I mean I can use the "edit citation" feature of the tool; however, I cannot add "e.g.," within the parantheses, as one example. This was working fine but today I keep getting the error message: This command cannot be completed because the document is locked for editing." The document is not locked for editing. I've locked and unlocked and locked and unlocked. I've restarted. It just doesn't let me edit anymore.
Thanks, Deb
Glad to see you got it resolved, Dennis. And it's great story. Your various blog posts would make a good reading for an Internet Culture class.
It would be great if it worked, and maybe in the right context with a system for social assessment it could—like allowing thumbs up and thumbs down other users' contributions. But it seems like it would take a lot of oversight and effort to referee the game.
Assessment in collaborative writing has always been an issue, too. And that's my problem with the Wikia/Fallout Wiki Achievements. You can count edits, I suppose, or even the size of edits in kilobytes as a form of assessment, but you end up missing a lot of the (co)labor that might go into writing an article, for example, the discussion on an article talk page (if this is where students are doing that collaborative work). I didn't see achievements for edits other than on article pages. Of course, you could give points for edits on talk pages as well. But then you're back to the problem of people contributing to get points and the need for someway to judge the quality of contributions.
Still, finding effective ways to motivate writing and meaningful talk about writing is something I'd like to get better at, and I'd like to find a way to assess student work on wikis that requires less of me reading through history and talk pages. Right now, whatever the project, like many of us, I ask students to account for their own activities, decisions, and learning, and that works fairly well.
Thanks for the thought-provoking post!
Wow, I so got scooped with this...! Yuck. Guess that's what I get for thinking I actually had an original idea.
Anyway, this does look amazing:
Help Page for Achievements
Here's the announcement blog post about it.
I've been Tweeting with a guy about its use at Vault Wiki. Apparently, it does result in some nonsense (people just trying to get points), but great for special projects.
Well, shoot--
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Special:Leaderboard
It already has been implemented by Wikia. See for example: http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Special:Leaderboard
Very nice video. Elizabeth, thank you for making it and sharing it. I like the information systems perspective in particular.
I have just heard that the commons will be the centerpiece of his re-election campaign as well.
You are too kind, Matt. But you forgot to give yourself credit, Matt, for ghost writing the book. It wouldn't have been possible without you.
Wow!!! Thanks, Charlie, for your support. I should mention that all of the proceeds for my app go directly to the Matt Barton Tax Shelter for Disgruntled Composition Instructors.
What a Life Saver! I used Matt App to help myself write a presentation I have to give next week so its not only for writting.
I think that academics tend to ask the wrong questions about this technology-- Twitter, SMS, and the like. The real question is about power. Whose interests does it serve if we shift the focus of our classes, to a greater or lesser extent, from one genre of text to another.
I wonder what's with the focus on @ mentions. I have a hardtime remember people's handles; I'd rather have some kind of menu option.
Yeah, and unfortunately many of us are more focused on word count than making words count. :)
OMG I gotta add 800 more words!!! Because = due to the fact that.
It's good to see others thinking of collaboration first, too. One thing I learned from open source is that it's about community, not the content. Stimulate good community development around an idea and focus on growing that community, and the content takes care of itself.
Good points, well made.
You'll see in my blog www.open.ac.uk/blogs/CharityOERs how we're transferring lessons form how Linux & Firefox operate.
Hope to read more on this,
Tony
Well, my students who have done internships working with companies that have CMSs have found it useful to know some basic HTML. And then, as I pointed above, if students are interested in working in publishing, a solid understanding of HTML and some CSS could be very helpful over the next few years.
I don't think extensive HTML/CSS is warranted, though the basics are certainly useful even when using RTEs. I'd at least want them to know how to format a link and use headings and such, though I'm sure in a few more years it will be rare that you'll ever be called upon to write tags by yourself.
I've made a point of teaching students to use styles and such even when using Word to write essays, just to get them in the habit of thinking that way about documents.
It seems like we're really asking whether there's something valuable in a face-to-face experience that you don't get recorded or streamed online. If you're talking about a "cattle class" with hundreds of students and a lecturing professor, I see no reason that can't be streamed or even recorded and watched at your leisure. If you're talking about a seminar or small class, though, it seems vital that you be there in person. Video-conferencing and the like is only an advantage in cost (perhaps).
I can envision a scenario in which students are given (or required to purchase) tablets or netbooks, and then all the software is available through virtual labs (cloud computing). There are big hurdles, though, most notably in bandwidth. Plus, imagine the load on the servers if lots of students are simultaneously trying to render video or 3D objects!
Charlie, et al:
I agree with the disappointment that the grant is so specific for community colleges to the extent that it would seem to discourage 4 year colleges and universities. I saw it as probably a political compromise, since if any federal dollars are going to be spent today, they have to link up to creating jobs in a direct way.
I think that if you read the rules broadly, an instiution is eligible if they offer a 2 year degree, and many institutions which are overall a 4 year institution probably do offer a 2 year degree somewhere. Plus, there's always the option of forming a consortium between 2 and 4 year colleges.
And what a big win for Creative Commons licensing!
Yours,
Bob
Thanks, all, for being so supportive. I hope that the book is useful to people and am very humbled to have received the award.
Congratulations for Bob! The book is on my reading list.
That sounds quite reasonable. It might be, too, that the font is memorable somehow, aiding retention. I can clearly visualize logos and trademarks, which I suppose are designed to make a piece of text more memorable and recognizable (i.e., Target or Wal-Mart signs).