First Day of School!

[ellaguru]

Yeah, those is freshman length classes.

I guess I'll share, too:

Mon 6:30-8:30 - Management of Information in Organizations
Wed 1:00-4:00 - Technologies of Knowledge Media Design
Thurs 3:00-6:00 - Knowledge Media Design: Fundamental Concepts

[Chet]

i am very scared.

[Ignatius]

I'm excited to see what readings English people are assigned in an Introduction to American Literature.

[morgan]

I am taking Intro to Public History, Intro to Museum Studies, and Post-WWII U.S. History, and teaching five sections of World History to 1500. OVERWHELMED.

[elpollodiablo]

Just realized I've taken 20,000 words of reading notes in the last four weeks. 

[auto-da-fey]

I am taking Intro to Public History, Intro to Museum Studies, and Post-WWII U.S. History, and teaching five sections of World History to 1500. OVERWHELMED.

five sections?!?  jesus, that's a lot.

would love to see the post-WWII reading list, though.

[RoyBiggins]

Did you guys know I work at an online school?

Our first day of school is CONSTANTLY.  Which is to say, the school has 4 tracks, and each track has 10 weeks on, one week off.  So there's a new term start at least once a month, frequently more. It's nuts.

[Bernard]

First day of school! Very excited that:

1. I was told (in a tone that made it sound like an order) to take two courses with a time conflict.
2. I was told in the same tone to consult the track supervisor to find out what else I should take.
3. I found out from a fellow student that the supervisor is on sabbatical. In Moscow.
4. My registration login was canceled because I haven't been in school for three terms.
5. I was sent a bill for the new term (and I cannot now sign up even for the two conflicting courses I've been told to take, although I can still fork up the dough for a full load).

I love bureaucracy!

[morgan]

Oof, Bernard, that's rough. FUN TIMES, dealing with academic bureaucracy!

I am taking Intro to Public History, Intro to Museum Studies, and Post-WWII U.S. History, and teaching five sections of World History to 1500. OVERWHELMED.

five sections?!?  jesus, that's a lot.

would love to see the post-WWII reading list, though.

Yep, five sections. Yep, it's a lot. I am never NOT busy.

The reading list is full of biographies! Included are books about Elvis, JFK, LBJ, MLK Jr., and Reagan. I can send it to you via message, if you'd like.

[hannah]

How many papers will you have to grade this semester, Morgan? Yeesh.

My first day of school is finally almost here. I am taking two required courses—a history of international film (silent era) and a general approaches-to-the-graduate-study-of-film class—as well as a theory of film history seminar. Although I certainly have significant gaps in my knowledge of film history and theory, I don't expect the first two courses to be wildly exciting or revelatory. And I may audit fourth-year Russian, should the language placement coordinator ever respond to one of the three emails I've sent him... yaaaaaghhh. No teaching, though!

[morgan]

School is starting so late for you, Hannah! Sounds like you'll be fairly busy.

The class I'm teaching for has two papers and two exams, but only three of the four are counted for each student, which means that a good number of students elect to skip one of those. All in all, I'd say I'll probably have about 150-ish papers to grade and 150-ish essay exams to grade. Not the most fun in the world, but it could be a lot worse.

[Bernard]

school wound up going well, am taking champagne to my counselor to thank her
want to get something for dude who let me into an empty room to take care of stuff
he likes fancy beerz, please recommend something
today I caught syphilis from a doorknob or something, feel like a rhino is trying to control my brain with lasers

[Little Sixes Little Nines]

school wound up going well, am taking champagne to my counselor to thank her
want to get something for dude who let me into an empty room to take care of stuff
he likes fancy beerz, please recommend something
today I caught syphilis from a doorknob or something, feel like a rhino is trying to control my brain with lasers

 

[Bernard]

Chat Transcript: Need help printing an article on e-reserve.
Bernard: Hello, I have located the entryfor article I need to print for my FTV116 course, but don't see how I can view it or print it.
What's capitalizaton?: Librarian 'What's capitalizaton?' has joined the session.
What's capitalizaton?: Hello!
Bernard: Hello!
What's capitalizaton?: o.k. let me see if I can help, hold on
Bernard: Thank you.
What's capitalizaton?: I clicked on the number to see the resource available to check out, which item are you looking at?
Bernard: It's PN1995.9 F54, "More Than Night" by Jame Naremore.
What's capitalizaton?: ummm, it looks like some of them are in the library
What's capitalizaton?: It is available in the Arts Library.
What's capitalizaton?: at the reserve desk.
Bernard: Yes, that looks right. Our instructor told us it's on e-reserve, and that we should be able to go online and print it out.
What's capitalizaton?: it looks like its a book. I don't see any links to chapters from this page.
Newest Message
Bernard: Ok, I'll write to my instructor and see if she has any suggestions. Thanks!

[elpollodiablo]

So I have a shitty institutional desk in a windowless box that I share with three other people, but with the addition of a reading lamp, electric kettle, French press, various teas, coffee and condiments, I actually really enjoy working in my office.

[Bernard]

Thumbs-up. Those little homey touches make a big difference.

[jm]

So I have a shitty institutional desk in a windowless box that I share with three other people, but with the addition of a reading lamp, electric kettle, French press, various teas, coffee and condiments, I actually really enjoy working in my office.

That actually sounds awesome.  I've been considering finding a lightbox for my room for two reasons:

1) can actually put up the lightbox poster of my movie, and alternate it with
2) fake window!

But really I think the most welcome addition to my room would be the electric kettle and french press.  Damn.

[ellaguru]

Hey, davy (and others with relevant experience), one of the courses I'm considering taking for the fall is being offered remotely, as the prof will be in Britain all next term. How did you find these distance courses? Would I lose a lot by being not in the classroom?

I guess it's not exactly the same, as all the students are in Toronto, so we could still do any required group work together in real life.

But still, I worry. What was your experience?

[davy]

My distance courses were all taught in real-time. We had a live lecturer and the ability to "raise our hand" and ask questions at any time. We also had the ability to chat in the public "classroom" or privately amongst ourselves. It was also a great way to give a powerpoint presentation, or share a web link with the class. The software we used was WIMBA by Blackboard, I think. I thought it was great.

I took two solid years of classes via WIMBA and I loved it. Surprisingly enough, I ended up with closer friends in the department than I had as an IRL undergrad.

If it's that sort of distance education, I say go for it. If it's more along the lines of independent study, I'm not really the one to ask.

[ellaguru]

My sense is that's what it is. The class has a set time, so I expect that means it will be live. As I say, all the students are in Toronto, so it's really only distance-y on the actual lecture end.

Thanks.

[Bernard]

stuff I'm going to do when finals are over:
1. Finally go to the fucking post office (ellaguru, I am so embarrassed)
2. Bake almond lace cookies
3. Make felt flowers
4. Knit tiny sweater
5. Sew tiny coat
6. Take baby to park
7. Cyb3r
8. Shoot film
9. Wrap presents
10. Make a big pot of something stewlike and comforting

[ellaguru]

stuff I'm going to do when finals are over:
1. Finally go to the fucking post office (ellaguru, I am so embarrassed)

Hey, no worries. It'll be a Christmas present!

While I didn't do such a bad job with yours this time around, I have been known to not be able to get the block and a half to the post office (which I *ahem* walk past every other day) for weeks on end when I have something to mail.

[hannah]

This time last year I had:

- two twenty-page papers to write
- a Russian final to study for
- four PhD applications to submit
- a two-minute animated film to make
- and forty speeches (and students) to grade

This time this year I have:

- one twenty-page paper and one fifteen-page paper to write

And yet this is no less daunting.

[kyle]

Bummer,

Final test in Spanish is a group skit. However no one seems interested in writing the script and therefor it is now four hours before class and I am completing everything. We've been allotted no time in class and class and now I'm worried we will fail horribly. Goo.

[kyle]

stuff I'm going to do when finals are over:
1. Finally go to the fucking post office (ellaguru, I am so embarrassed)

Ugh, yeah. I still haven't sent Alex her mixtape.