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Virtual Studio, Optional Workshop, + a short reading

Work to have done:

  • Work in pursuit of a Full Draft for your Consolidation Unit Project (if you haven’t posted a proposal on the issue queue, we should talk about it by email)

Plan for the day:

  1. A short thing to read
  2. Final portfolio reflection reminder
  3. Reminders
  4. Set an intention
  5. Studio time!
  6. Exit note

Today is mostly like the other distant-learning studios: I’ll be online, but you are not required to join the Zoom (though you’re certainly welcome, even if you don’t have questions).

That being said…

  • You are expected to post notes on your intention at the beginning and progress by the end of whatever time you spend; I'll be using those notes as a way of taking today's attendance.
    • Because this is asynchronous, though, you have all of Tuesday to check in. (And if it's there by Wednesday morning, I'll consider it as having been done on Tuesday. :)
  • This being a "full draft" day, you are welcome to invite feedback from peers. But because I'm seeing a lot of variation in terms of where people are, I don't want to require a full formal workshop.
    • Instead, if you'd like more eyes on your project, please post a link alongside your intention in the google doc, and
    • begin your session by checking for other people's links.
    • Workshop can then proceed pairwise along the same lines as last time.

In addition, I’d like you to read one short piece to help you think toward your final reflections: Paul Ford’s “Letter of Recommendation: Bug Fixes” from The New York Times Magazine (June 11, 2019). (Pitt Library link). Depending on your schedule, you can read this later (for “homework”, sigh), so you can preserve 2:30-3:45 for possible check-ins with me, or (especially if you’re already past that window) you can just go ahead and read it now. It’s less than two pages long.

  • Ford writes, “I read the change logs, and I think: Humans can do things.” Read back through your own change logs, i.e. the commit histories of your projects; skim through the lesson plans. What things have you done this semester?

1. Final Portfolio Reflection (10 min)

If you read through the handout from last class, you know this already, but just in case you were putting it off because Word files are annoying to read on a phone (they are!) or whatever, it’s worth reiterating:

The portfolio should open with a prose reflection of at least 800-1200 words, reflecting on the course and framing the portfolio's contents in terms of your learning and goals. In particular, the reflection should have two parts, though you can mix them or move back and forth:
  1. The first is an articulation of your learning in the class, focused more on transferable skills than individual tools; the questions in the handout are meant to help you develop your thoughts toward that end.
  2. The second part is an introduction to the specific projects in your portfolio, calling attention to features of these multimodal texts that you hope will illustrate or provide evidence for the first part’s claims and questions.

The two parts should work together, binding the abstract to the concrete and vice versa. I expect you’ll want roughly 1200-1800 words in total, but your mileage may vary.

In addition to the portfolio, or as preparation for it, I encourage you to retake the Tech Comfort Survey from the start of the semester. Among other things, it’ll give you a space to officially tell me whether and how I can use your work as an example in future semesters.

NB: There is no separate reflection deadline for the consolidation unit; you can just include that in the final reflection for the semester.

Have questions about all that? You’re probably not alone! Please create a new post on the issue queue and I’ll respond where everyone can see it.

2. Reminders

Working on our own times, there are still ways to reach out to each other:

  • My online office, for the duration of the semester, will be at https://pitt.zoom.us/j/4969331343. Barring homelife interruptions, I’m going to try to have that room open whenever class would be in session, plus my office hours on Wed/Thurs from 12-1. I’ll be there during today’s studio hours, if you want to drop in! I’m happy to help where I can, and screensharing is often really useful.

  • The google doc that we’ve been using for shared notes, at http://bit.ly/cdm2020spring-criteria, will have new spaces where I’ll ask you to check in briefly at the start and end of your own personal class time, mainly during studio days. (See below for some prompts.)

  • And of course you can also find each other on GitHub, including on the Issue Queue and the links from there to your various repositories. Filing a help request on the issue queue will be one of the best ways to make sure I help answer your questions: it’ll help me keep track of what I’ve responded to (and what I haven’t), and it’ll prompt you to give me the info I need to respond more swiftly (like screenshots and links).

3. Set an intention

Before you start your solo time today, head over to the google doc and write a quick line about what you hope to accomplish with your remaining time. e.g. Will you...
  • Request to swap project feedback with friends?
  • Locate tutorials (for what)?
  • Play around with the assets you’ve gathered for your project?
  • Write code, public-facing copy, part of a reflection?
  • etc etc
Just a sentence or two as a guidepost will give you something to come back to, to reorient, if you find yourself walking in circles or caught in a thicket.

4. Studio

Take 70 minutes, and subtract however long you just spent reading the sections above. Then give yourself reminders to stretch, save, and write commit messages as you go!

I’ll be online in Zoom from 2:30-3:45pm.

Don't forget to save periodically as you go:
  • as a project file, if appropriate
  • as a git commit, saying what you've just achieved
  • as a screenshot

5. Quick report back

Before you leave, just as a way for me to check in, I’d like to hear more about what happened today: did you find images? Level up on a particular CSS skill? Decide something about your project? Raise a question in a new way that you’d like some help with?

Head back into the google doc and reply to your intention-post. You could email me directly if you prefer, but I'm hoping some of your insights or achievements will help inspire others.

Homework for next time

Your individual tasks will be determined by your projects; if you’re working in a group, make sure you discuss your timing and tasks with each other. Think again about the criteria you’ve set for yourself (or selves): What strikes you as a reasonable baseline for completion? What are your stretch goals and aspirations beyond that?

  • Whatever you choose, make sure you realize that Thursday is our last official class! What will you try to finish by Thursday? Will you keep working through Sunday, even as you realize that the final portfolio is due on Tuesday 4/21 (one week from today)?
Thanks for bearing with me through these weird working conditions, everyone!