Learning EssayThis quarter in English 138, taught my Dr. Marc Bousquet, I learned a great deal about the blending of internet culture and English. Composing hypertexts for this class was definitely an interesting learning experience. There was a very distinct progression from my first hypertext to my last. My first personal hypertext looked into an aspect of my networked self, undergraduate research. I looked at the undergraduate research happening in the sciences at SCU. This project took many hours to create, but it was quite simple in design. Looking back on it now I see that some of the pages could have had a better progression from one set of pages to the next. Also I see that my menu bars could have been better utilized. Nonetheless, I was able to successfully explore this aspect of my networked self, even through some minor flaws. Next, I created an analytical hypertext looking into the possible integration of technology into education, specifically what was possible within the next 5 years. This hypertext reads much better than the first and the menu bars and internal links are well placed. I was also aware that this hypertext took less time to put together, although there was the added complication of the linear version. The changes in this hypertext included being more aware that people will skim and not scroll down the page and making sure that the menus were easily understood. This project seemed like a necessary stepping stone to our last hypertext. Lastly, I created a civic-engagement hypertext which dealt with California’s budget and K-12 spending. I really could not think of any better way to get people engaged, than to inform them about what is happening within their state. Compared to the other hypertexts this one came together very smoothly once all the initial research was done. Attempting to whittle all of California’s financial problems into a web page was very difficult. However, I see that at the end of the process that I was left with a very easily navigated webpage with a wealth of original text that helps to explain and offer solutions to a problem. From the second hypertext I attempted to make this hypertext broader, with more internal links, and a different color scheme. Other than this I was quite happy with the overall feel of my second hypertext. I am very comfortable with the simple pages as I believe too many colors and pictures often cheapen the website and make it feel childish. I am very proud of this work because I spent many hours researching and drafting what would have to most impact on the internet. The hypertext in general was an interesting medium and creating the review of the literature and the annotated bibliography helped distinguish how we read papers versus how we read websites. When making the linear version it was often difficult to order the paragraphs so they made sense. Furthermore, it was often necessary to combine two paragraphs or copy and paste sections together. This actually helped my hypertext in some instances because I could tell that there was not enough information on some of the pages. Also, the annotated bibliography helped remind me exactly why I chose the source in the first place, as well as help me place the source in context within the theme of whatever page it was on. The review of the literature helped guide my question and at times helped my confidence in asking the question. All aspects of the hypertext truly helped me see that creating a website is distinct from creating an essay, but you need to remember the basics of writing in each case. The civic engagement page was a hallmark of the class and when composing it I attempted to promote a new participatory democracy. The participatory democracy came up in many issues, especially the netizens. In comparison, my issue may have seemed pretty bland, funding K-12 schools, but it is an issue from which most people are separated. I hope that my site would help people understand the entire issue and truly inspire people to pressure lawmakers into devising new solutions. I believe that people effected by the budget cuts may want to look at my site, if nothing else than to realize people care. Also, I think that my idea of changing the status quo would be heard by all, as most people believe that the system should change. I hope that my site would cross all boundaries and speak to anyone who is tired of incessant talk of cuts to necessary programs. Finally, I have learned that we have the power as individuals to impact society through the internet. The first day of class we were introduced into the idea of publishing ourselves through a website and since then we have explored the possibilities of that power. At the beginning of the quarter I did not think very much of this idea. But, as we began creating hypertexts I began to see how we could attempt to reach a wide audience. There is a great power in the hypertext, but at this time the distribution of sites seems to be a limiting factor. The fact that there are so many sites out there makes it less plausible mine would be found and dampers the excitement of starting ones own cause. I can use what I learned in this class in other classes and places by helping create online hypertexts dealing with areas of my life. In all, the skills leaned in this class will undoubtedly help me at some point in my life and allow me to understand the true possibilities of the internet. Civic Engagemetn Site description: My civic engagement site consisted of fifteen webpages, averaging four internal links per page, plus a navigation bar of four standard links. There was only one external link on this site. It included roughly 3,700 words of my own writing (counting the review of the literature), plus a 3,200-word printable research essay based on this site. A 19-item annotated bibliography with links to 13 online or print sources available online and descriptions of six articles available through the library-based avenues. |