English CEF Blog

End of Session Survey

2009-12-03T00:29:00.002-05:00

Now that the session has almost finished, I would really appreciate some feedback from you to help me plan for future sessions. Please answer this survey and good luck on your final exams!

In Piazza San Domenico at the Centaur Theatre

2009-10-16T00:13:00.010-04:00

You will be seeing Steve Gallucio's play In Piazza San Domenico at the Centaur Theatre. Check your MIO account for instructions to the theatre, a short summary of the play and your written assignment. If you would like more information about the play, you can read the review in the Montreal Gazette and an article about the playright in the Montreal Arts Rover.

Here is a synopsis of the play written by Spiridoula Photopoulos of Vanier College:
Steve Gallucio's one act play is set in Naples, Italy. The year is 1952 and most of the action occurs in a piazza named San Domenico. The play centers on the young and beautiful Carmelina Benvenuto. She is the daughter of a wido, Isabella Benvenuto, and the fiancéee of the handsome and always well-dressed Guido Mandolino. Carmelina suddenly decides to call off her wedding and a series of misunderstandings ensues. As a result, comedic havoc is wreaked on the lives of the various characters in Gallucio's play. In the end, the power of love prevails over everyone's need to "keep face." Also, the characters realize that they should "stop stalling and start living."

More about the Bitter Side of Chocolate

2009-10-07T14:30:00.001-04:00

You read about Malick Doumbia's terrible experience as a slave labourer in the chocolate industry in Ivory Coast in the excerpt from the book Bitter Chocolate: Investigating the Dark Side of the World's most Seductive Sweet and you listened to the interview with the author, Carol Off. If you would like to learn more about the situation, here are some videos:
A Dutch man (from the Netherlands) named Teun van de Keuken was so angry that governments were not doing anything about slavery in the chocolate industry that he tried to have himself convicted of a crime for eating chocolate, saying that he was guilty of promoting slavery. This video shows some clips from this experience.

A montage called Blood Chocolate shows pictures from the slave industry with text to describe the situation. This report from Wales shows the positive effects of fair-trade chocolate grown in Ghana, which borders Ivory Coast.

What can you do about blood chocolate and child slavery? Write to your Member of Parliament to insist that farmers be paid fair wages and that the chocolate we receive is not produced by slave labour.

Who Are the Real Digital Natives?

2009-09-23T19:16:00.004-04:00

How reliable are statistics? Do they accurately reveal common trends and practices? We are going to try an experiment to see if the same set of statistics could produce opposite conclusions. The first day of class you filled out a survey about Media Habits and Technology using the online tool Survey Monkey. Students in Longueuil answered this one and students in St. Hubert answered this one. The questions were exactly the same. You can find the results to most of the questions here and then click on the link marked Survey Results of Student Media Habits and Technology
The question is which students are more digital or Who are the REAL digital natives? You will work with a partner to analyze your data. Half the class will argue that Longueuil students are the real digital students (and the ENA students are only digital immigrants) and half the class will argue the opposite point of view. Use the statistics from this study to defend your side, and remember to think carefully about how you use numbers (as figures or words). Print your double-spaced survey analysis to hand in and post a single-spaced version on the collaborative blog.

Sample analyses: ENA vs Longueuil as the Digital Natives.

Images from http://oip.georgetown.edu/isss/stats.htm and http://francisanderson.wordpress.com/tag/agencies/

Wikipedia and Websites

2009-09-09T01:07:00.014-04:00

About Wikipedia

Your reading this week was about Wikipedia. If you would like to see learn more about how Wikipedia works, you can watch this video of a speech given by the creator, Jimmy Wales.
Go to the English Wikipedia site to find answers to these questions:
1.How many English articles are in Wikipedia today?
2. How many languages have a version of Wikipedia today?
3. Look up a controversial topic (such as Abortion Debate) and see how Wikipedia deals with it. What happens if an article (such as this one) isn't cited clearly?
4. Look up a topic related to your program that is very current such as the Bombardier C-Series . How does Wikipedia treat it? Take a look at the Discussion to learn more about how the article is evolving. You will also see links for the Wiki Project Aviation.
5. Click on "History" for one of the articles. When was this article last updated?
6. Find out about Wikipedia's Five Pillars for articles and check out their Manual of Style. If you would like to write an article for Wikipedia, you should first follow their tutorial . Also, be sure to check out the Simple English Wikipedia which is an English wikipedia designed for non-native speakers. Here are instructions for writing Simple English articles.
7. Explore some of the other wiki projects related to your field of study and consider a topic for your research project that you could publish on Wikipedia. Here are links to some of the current projects: Anthropology, Archeology, Astronomy, Dentistry, Engineering, Fashion, Film, Graphic Design, Languages, Mathematics, Media, Medicine, Opthalmology, Nursing, Physics, Sociology , Technology, Visual Arts, and more here.

Analyzing Websites
Before using an internet site for research, you need to determine whether the site comes from a reliable source. It is important to investigate who posted the website, whether the author or sponsor has appropriate expertise, when the site was created, how recently it was last updated, whether there are obvious errors in content or format, and so on.

Below is a list of links to various websites that are hoax sites or sites set up as a front organization. Imagine that you did not know that these sites were unreliable. Working with one or two partners, choose one of the sites and then, using the questions on page 34 of Insight as a guide, analyze the site to detect the clues you find that indicate it is not reliable. Remember to ask yourself the same basic questions a journalist asks: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How:

Who posted the website?
What is the subject matter?
When was it created and last updated?
Where does the owner/creator come from?
Why was the website created?
How is the website supported and arranged?

Print your analysis and post it on the Collaborative Blog.
Public Water Supply
Clones R Us
Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division
Friends of Science (read this after looking at the site)

How Well Do You Google?

2009-09-07T08:17:00.000-04:00

Did you know that searching for information on Google in Canada is not the same as searching in Spain or China or even the United States? If you are looking for local information about a foreign country, you might want to use the Google search engine for that country, or you might want to do your search in another language. When your initial Google page opens, you can click "Go to Google.com" if you want to get out of Google Canada, or you can click "Language Tools" to access Google in foreign countries. Most of the time, the country code is easy to guess, for example google.com.ar takes you to the Argentinian Google and google.com.uk takes you to the United Kingdom. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the country you are looking for.

Google News is a good place to start to get recent news on an issue, and if you click Other News Editions at the bottom, you will have access to regional editions of Google News. If you want to search older articles, then go to Google Archives. You can always make your search more specific by clicking the Advanced News Archive Search.

Another good source of written information is on Google Books and for videos try Google Video in addition to YouTube. If you are collaborating with other students on your research project, you might want to try writing it using Google Documents--the document is secure, but any of you can edit it. You can talk to each other using Skype, YM or any other chat program, and collaborate on the document from your home computers.

Remember, you MUST cite all of the sources you used in your research using MLA documentation style. You can refer to your textbook for models or check these sites for guidance: OWL (Online Writing Lab), the Write Source and the Landmarks Citation Guide.
Be sure that your references are correctly formatted and that they are in alphabetical order.

Analyzing Commercials

2009-09-02T22:24:00.000-04:00

You have read about and seen videos about some of the more manipulative aspects of advertising, and you may not like these strategies. Nevertheless, advertisers have a job to do which is to interest you in the product, and hopefully, persuade you to buy it. Some advertisements are enormously successful in entertaining, creating interest and leaving an impression. Watch the following ads and reflect on how successful the ad is at delivering a message.

Consider the following questions:
1. Does the ad tell a story? If so, what is the basic structure—what is the sequence of events or actions?
2. Is there dialogue? How do the actors interact?
3. Is there a narrator (a voice of someone that you do not see)? If so, is it a man or a woman? Old or young? Authoritative, playful or matter-of-fact?
4. What is the tone of the ad—is it humourous, playful, serious, informative, etc?
5. Does the ad use music? What role does the music play?
6. What other technical devices are used in the ad: Does the ad show close-ups of the characters or long-shots (a picture taken from a distance)? Is lighting used in any special way? Are there unusual camera angles?
7. Are printed words used in the ad? What effect do they have?
8. Who is the target audience? Who is the commercial trying to reach?
9. What is the message? Is the intention to convince you to buy a product, inform you to do something or something else?
10. Does the commercial succeed in delivering the message? Do you feel inspired to act?
Berlitz (Germany)
Use Seatbelts (USA)
Guinness Evolution (Ireland)
Molson Beer (Canada)
Funding for the Arts (Canada)
Rice Krispies (USA 1960's)
How do these ads compare to other ads you have seen? Why are some ads more successful than others? Take a look at a short video called How to Write a Boring Ad that makes fun of traditional commercials.

After you have watched the commercials, work with a partner to write a short analysis of one or two of these ads by answering the questions above in a well-structured paragraph. Print out your paragraph to turn it in (double-spaced) and post your analysis on the collaborative blog (single-spaced on the blog). Read what your class mates wrote and leave them constructive comments. Click here to see some student samples.

Is there a commercial that you really dislike? If you can find a link for the commercial, leave a comment with the link. You can also leave a comment with a link for commercials you do like.

Survey on Technology and Media Habits

2009-08-21T17:00:00.002-04:00

Welcome to a new year and a new session! This session we will be using the textbook Insight: English Skills for Academic and Professional Purposes and we will be discussing topics such as the media, social networking, global warming, language protection, and preparing for professional careers. Since the first theme will deal with Media Literacy and Interpreting Media Messages, I would like ENA students to fill out this survey about Technology and Media Habits . Longueuil students please click here for your survey.

Debates and Faulty Logic

2009-04-30T00:02:00.010-04:00

As you research the arguments for your debates, you want to be sure that your logic is sound. During the debates, listen carefully to your opponents to be sure there are no flaws in their logic. This slideshow is designed to help you avoid using faulty logic.

(Unfortunately, the slideshow was hosted at Bubbleshare which has since closed.)

Watch the video below about Global Warming, paying attention to the arguments the speaker gives and determine whether you think his reasoning is solid or flawed.

Doubt: A Parable

2009-03-05T22:53:00.008-05:00

You will be seeing John Patrick Shanley's play Doubt: A Parable at the Centaur Theatre. For instructions to the theatre, a short summary of the play and your written assignment, click here and then click on the document The Centaur Theatre H09 Doubt. If you would like more information about the play, you can read the review in the Montreal Gazette or in the National Post.
Watch the trailer to the film version of Doubt to reflect on the differences between cinema and stage presentations.

Oral Presentations

2009-02-28T16:10:00.017-05:00

What makes a great oral presentation? To answer this question I would like you to take a look at a few excellent presenters. The TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference is an annual event that brings together innovative people to give 18-minute lectures on "ideas worth spreading" including topics on science, politics, culture, technology, entertainment, art and other areas of high interest. You can view hundreds of these talks by going to the TED website. I have selected two speakers I would like you to watch.

In this first presentation, Ed Ulbrich uses compelling visual aids to enhance his talk about making a computer-generated 80-year-old Brad Pitt. Pay attention to how his use of gestures and body language help engage the audience:

In this second presentation, Barry Schwartz talks about the importance of wisdom. Although he is reading from a text, his eyes spend more time contacting the audience than glued to his text. Notice how his facial expression and intonation enhance his talk:

The third presentation is not a TED talk. This is a presentation about giving presentations by Garr Reynolds, an authority who keeps a blog on presentation zen.

In conducting research for your presentation, you might find some interesting podcasts related to your topic. Check here for some academic and radio sources. Here is a list of useful dictionaries to help you find the specific terminology. Google News assembles articles from 25,000 news sources. For archived articles, I recommend you become a member of the Bibliothèque nationale (near the Berri-UQAM métro). You will have to go in person to get your membership and bring proof of residency in Quebec; once you have a membership, you can search a wide range of archived periodicals online for free, and, of course, check out their catalogue for books, magazines and recordings. Finally, remember to cite all of your references using MLA documentation style.

The U.S. Bailout, NGR Shoes and Reported Speech

2008-11-17T13:07:00.006-05:00

This week's homework assignment is from the October 20, 2008 issue of Maclean's. The questions, which were distributed in class, refer to the essay by Steve Maich on page 47 entitled Facts and Fairy Tales of Paulson's Bailout. The other article, on p. 73, is So You Never Have to Go to the Gym. The questions for the second article deal with Reported Speech. If this is not clear, then refer to page 17 in your Course Manual.

We will begin preparing for your final oral presentation: a formal debate. You should review all of your Maclean's magazines to get some ideas for current controversial topics, but you may also want to take a look at the wiki Debatepedia produced by IDEA (International Debate Education Association). This page lists Past Daily Debate Digest topics and this page lists Popular Debate topics--but you should try to find a topic that is current rather than one that has already been debated over and over.

Reflections on SCORCHED

2008-10-21T11:06:00.009-04:00

After you have seen the play, reflect on the following points:

What would have been the advantages and disadvantages if Nawal had decided:
1. to tell her children that they were the offspring of a prison rape
2. to tell her children about their father after the war-crimes tribunal
3. never to tell her children about their father or half-brother
Instead, she refused to speak after the war-crimes tribunal and led her children to find out about their father and half-brother on their own after her death. Was this the best decision?

Consider the quotes below. Who says them? What is the significance in the play? How do they relate to the overall theme of the play? Why are these lines repeated?
Childhood is like a knife stuck in the throat.
Now that we are together everything is better.

Although the setting is presumably Lebanon, the specific country is never mentioned. What elements of Nawal's story are universal? What are some other countries that this story might have taken place? Look through your Maclean's magazines to find current stories where similar tragedies and struggles are taking place today.

How does live theatre differ from cinema? Consider the use of space, lighting, setting and props, character changes, music, etc. What effect did the play as a whole have on you? Do you think a movie would have the same effect? Be able to explain your observation.

Scorched at the Centaur Theatre

2008-10-05T22:47:00.011-04:00

The play you will see at the Centaur Theatre is Scorched written by Wajdi Mouawad. The playwright was born in Lebanon in 1968. His family fled the war torn country and settled first in Paris, then in Montreal. He graduated from the National Theatre School in Montreal and has had a career as an actor, writer, director and producer.

Summary:

Scorched is a story about loss and redemption. It follows the mythic quest of twins Janine and Simon Marwan as they attempt to uncover the mysteries of their past. The play opens in a notary's office with the reading of a will--that of their mother Nawal, whose past is filled with silence and mystery. Janine is a mathematician who teaches at a local college and Simon is training to become a professional boxer. At the reading of the will, the twins are each given a letter with instructions to find the rest of their family. One letter is addressed to their brother and the other to their father. At first, Simon is angry with his mother and refuses to comply with her last wishes. Janine embarks on a journey to her mother's homeland to find out the truth about the past. She learns of the violence and turmoil of Nawal's tragic life.

Although the location of Nawal's homeland is not directly named, Wajdi Mouawad uses his native country of Lebanon as a setting for his play. The past is related through flashbacks to Nawal at the ages of 14, 19 and 40. Scenes of the past are juxtaposed with the present-day reactions of Janine and Simon as they realize the harsh realities of their origins. Each twin attempts to deal with problems in their own way: Janine through logic and mathematics, and Simon by fighting. The twins experience firsthand what their mother meant by having a knife stuck in the throat of childhood and this leaves them forever altered.

Directions to the Centaur Theatre: 453 St François-XavierOld Montreal Directions from METRO: Place D'Armes Metro Station Take St-Urbain exit. Once outside turn right (south) towards the Notre-Dame Basilica. Walk up 2 blocks to Notre Dame Street.On Notre-Dame street turn right.Walk 1 block to St François-Xavier and turn left. The Centaur Theatre is on the left hand side.

From AUTOROUTE VILLE MARIE: Take Berri/St-Laurent Exit. Stay Left - Turn Left on Rue Viger. Left on St-UrbainRight on St-Paul. Right on St François-Xavier. The Centaur Theatre is on the East side. From DOWNTOWN: Take St-Jacques going East. Right on Peel St. (at Dow Planetarium). Left on Notre Dame. Continue until Notre Dame Basilica. Turn Right on St-Sulpice. Right on St-Paul. Right on St François-Xavier. Centaur Theatre is on the East side.

Preparation for Midterm Exam

2008-09-29T23:49:00.005-04:00

To prepare for your midterm exam, you should read through the five articles in the September 29, 2008 issue of Maclean's on the different candidates in Canada's current leadership race (Stephen Harper p. 18-22; Stephane Dion, p. 23-26; Jack Layton, p. 28-30; Gilles Duceppe, p. 31-32 and Elizabeth May, p. 33-34). Also read Andrew Coyne's essay on p. 12 entitled "How Journalists Get in the Way of the Election" .

Bring the magazine with you, along with your course manual and a dictionary. The second part of the exam is open-book.

The first part of the exam is closed book. You will need to study the vocabulary and language elements listed on the handout I gave in class.

Canada's Boy Wonder (Lester Pearson) and the Jerry/Bill Ad

2008-09-22T14:42:00.004-04:00

On pages 81-83 of the September 22, 2008 issue of Maclean's you will find an article that is part of a series about Extraordinary Canadians. This one is about Lester B. Pearson. Read the article, do the vocabulary exercises and answer the questions on the hand-out. These items are taken from the Maclean's In-Class Program which you can access with the password I gave in class. You can find more questions by clicking "Archives" and the "Social Studies" to find the questions for this article.

You will also read the article in the Business section (p. 46) about a new Microsoft ad that features Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. (See "English Lesson) in the In-Class program. After reading the text, doing the vocabulary and answering the questions, take a look at the ad and see if you agree with the journalist. What does the ad seem to be promoting? You can see some of the ads that Maich refers to in this collection of Mac vs PC ads.

Canada's Smartest Cities and Surveys

2008-09-16T10:18:00.007-04:00

The cover article in the September 8, 2008 issue of Maclean's is about Canada's Smartest Cities. How would you define a smart city? You would need to establish certain criteria, conduct a survey, collect data and then analyze and interpret the data. For this study over 4,700 cities were surveyed and you can find the complete study here. You might be surprised to discover that Montreal and Longueuil did not fare very well on this study, and another city in Quebec, Saguenay, rated at the very bottom.
Your assignment is to write a 100-word synthesis of the main article (p. 46-50) and a slightly longer analysis (200 words) in which you include comments that refer to the related articles (p. 52-56). Do you think the poor ratings of cities in Quebec is justified? Are there questions that were not asked that might have changed the results or do you think the survey results paint an accurate picture of the level of learning opportunities in these cities?
Remember to include a proper reference for your article.

Surveys are commonly used to elicit information from the public to discover trends and collect data. The specific questions that are asked (or not asked) as well as the wording of the questions can affect the outcome. The interpretation of the data can also vary from one person to another. Next week you will design a survey to be posted on the Collaborative Blog using the online tool Survey Monkey. Come prepared with a good idea for your survey and a variety of questions. You will work with a partner. Here is a sample survey you can look at.

Longueuil students should also do the exercises on the Passive Voice on p. 16 of your course manual.

Phoniness, Business and Questionable Rights (Homework Assignment)

2008-09-08T23:14:00.008-04:00

In this week's Maclean's (September 1, 2008), read the opinion article on p. 13 (The West, Mad at China for Being Fake: That's Rich) and read the articles in the Business Section, p. 33-34 (Looking for help in all the wrong places / Groceries go under the shrink ray / Mining firm gets a lesson in queuing / Evian for kids: it's all about image) and the short article on p. 29 (What's a Mouseketeer with no gun?) . Be prepared to discuss the articles in your discussion groups.
Students who have not turned in one of the assignments should write a short synthesis (100-150 words) and analysis (100-150 words) for one of the articles. If you are up to date, you do not have a written assignment this week, but be sure to read the assigned articles (and any others that interest you).

Media, Ads and Corporations

2008-09-02T04:33:00.008-04:00

This week you are going to read a couple of articles about advertising. The first article is about embedded advertising and the second one is about how some ads are intentionally designed to encourage children to nag their parents. Before reading the articles, watch this video and then, if you wish, you may post your opinion on the collaborative blog for your class.

Your written homework assignment is to write a business letter in which you respond to the use of embedded ads (product placement) and/or the manipulation of children to encourage parents to buy products. Using the model letter you received in class, write a letter to Susan Linn (author of Consuming Kids: Protecting Our Children from the Onslaught of Marketing and Advertising) in which you explain your point of view regarding the nag factor. You might include anecdotes from your own childhood. OR Write a letter to David Westin, President of ABC Broadcasting Company to let the company know your opinion of using embedded ads in TV shows.

Welcome Bloggers of 2008

2008-08-25T23:23:00.002-04:00

Welcome to a new session. In this course we will be using the weekly magazine Maclean's as a reading source as well as a springboard for discussions and written assignments. Stay tuned for more information as the session unfolds.

The Carpenter at The Centaur Theatre

2007-10-06T19:30:00.000-04:00

Directions to the Centaur Theatre:
453 St François-XavierOld Montreal
Directions from METRO: Place D'Armes Metro Station
Take St-Urbain exit. Once outside turn right (south) towards the Notre-Dame Basilica. Walk up 2 blocks to Notre Dame Street.On Notre-Dame street turn right.Walk 1 block to St François-Xavier and turn left. The Centaur Theatre is on the left hand side.
From AUTOROUTE VILLE MARIE: Take Berri/St-Laurent Exit. Stay Left - Turn Left on Rue Viger. Left on St-UrbainRight on St-Paul. Right on St François-Xavier. The Centaur Theatre is on the East side.
From DOWNTOWN: Take St-Jacques going East. Right on Peel St. (at Dow Planetarium). Left on Notre Dame. Continue until Notre Dame Basilica. Turn Right on St-Sulpice. Right on St-Paul. Right on St François-Xavier. Centaur Theatre is on the East side.

Before you go to the theatre, watch this video about the play The Carpenter and read this introduction from Centaur's website.

Assignment: The Rosato family faced a number of challenges when they immigrated to Montreal in the late 1950's. Describe their experience and the evolution of the family and then compare it to issues facing immigrants to Montreal today. You may want to mention some of the themes portrayed in the play such as the importance of family; the effects of aging, memory loss and failing health; sibling rivalry; and the long-term ramifications of war.

CV, Cover Letter, Rewarding Employees

2007-09-24T17:16:00.000-04:00

This week you will write your own CV and cover letter according to the model in your course manual. In addition, you will read the interview with Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees on pages 20-21 in the September 3, 2007 issue of Maclean's.

Interview with Naomi Klein on The Shock Doctrine

2007-09-17T09:27:00.000-04:00

This week's assignment is again from the September 10, 2007 issue of Maclean's. Before you read the interview with Naomi Klein , watch this video about The Shock Doctrine:

You should also watch at least 3 of the following 6 parts of the lecture delivered by Naomi Klein about her book and the rise of disaster capitalism.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6

This article from The National Post criticizes Klein's work.

If you would like more information about some of the people referred to in the interview with Klein, check these links from Citizendium:
Milton Friedman / John Maynard Keynes / Richard Nixon /Ronald Reagan / FDR (Roosevelt)
and these links from Wikipedia:
Salvador Allende / Augusto Pinochet / Mao Zedung / Francisco Franco

Do Grades Really Matter?

2007-09-10T09:22:00.000-04:00

This week you will read "Do Grades Really Matter?" by Sarah Scott in the September 10, 2007 issue of Maclean's (pp. 70 - 74). You must also watch the video below which shows the Commencement Speech delivered by Steve Jobs, founder and CEO of Apple and Pixar Animation, at Stanford University in 2005. Reflect on this speech in your analysis and remember to include it in your references.

Radicalism at Our Doors

2007-08-31T21:49:00.000-04:00

This week read carefully the article The Radicalism at Our Doors on pages 24 and 25 of the August 27, 2007 issue of Maclean's, then read quickly through the article From Africa, With Guns on pages 20 and 21 in the same issue. Write a 100-150 word summary of the first article and then write a 100-150 word analysis in which you also consider the implications from the second article. Be prepared to discuss either article in your groups.

Our Girls Aren't Guinea Pigs

2007-08-27T22:38:00.000-04:00

Welcome to a new session of English with interesting articles to read and learn from. This week you will read "Our Girls Are Not Guinea Pigs" on page 38 of the August 27, 2007 issue of Maclean's. You will write a synthesis of 100-150 words and an analysis of 100-150 words. See the example I gave in class for a model.
If you need help in writing the reference for your article using MLA (Modern Languages Association) documentation style, you could try this site.

Wounded Canadian Soldiers / Causumerism

2007-04-09T23:03:00.000-04:00

The cover article of the March 26, 2007 issue of Maclean's is about wounded Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan and their challenge in readapting to life in Canada with disabilities. Feel free to comment on any aspect of this article you find interesting or thought-provoking.

The article on page 40, The Trouble with Buying for a Cause, discusses the issue of "causumers" that is, people who buy a particular brand because a certain amount of the profits will go to Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. You can find out more about Product Red (discussed in the article) here. On the other hand, websites such as buylesscrap.org argue that shopping is not a solution. Read the article, look at the websites, think about the implications and then share your thoughts on "causumerism".

Happy 50th, Osama

2007-03-27T00:12:00.000-04:00

Read the cover article from the March 19, 2007 issue of Maclean's and share any observations you may have--what have you learned from this article or from the film we saw in class about education in Afghanistan. Do you think Osama bin Laden is still alive? Do you think it is likely that al Qaeda is planning another major terrorist attack? Should we be worried in Canada? Do you think it is possible for the west to achieve a final "war on terrorism"? What strategies do you think the west should use?

Feel free to respond to other articles in this issue, but if you do, make a link to the Maclean's website with the specific article you are responding to. (Find it by doing a search at the top of the site).

Do Immigrants Need Rules?

2007-03-11T18:43:00.000-04:00

The March 5, 2007 issue of Maclean's discusses the Quebec town of Hérouxville that made international headlines by creating a list of "community standards" for newcomers to the community. Some of the rules included the prohibition of covering your face except on Halloween, or that children were prohibited from carrying weapons to school--"real or fake, symbolic or not." The rules also stipulate that beheading and stoning are illegal.

Are these rules a way of avoiding potential future problems or do they indicate hidden xenophobia? In the article, journalist Ben Aubin and Jonathon Gatehouse ask: " Have we reached the point where we need hard and fast rules for immigrants? A code that spells out just what is expected of newcomers, and how far society is willing to go to help them feel comfortable in their new home...Has a country that ranks multiculturalism alongside free health care and hockey in the pantheon of its greatest achievements finally reached the limits of tolerance?" What do you think?

Also in this issue: Reinventing your wheels: The non-polluting hydrogen car has finally arrived...almost. Pages 40-46. Read the articles and post your opinion of the new eco-friendly (but not budget-friendly) cars.

The Bubble-Wrapped Kid

2007-03-04T22:30:00.000-05:00

In the February 15, 2007 issue of Maclean's, Kenneth Whyte talked to author Michael Unger about parents raising a generation of over-protected kids. Michael Unger is the author of the book Too Safe for Their Own Good. You can read a short excerpt from his book here.

After you have read the interview, what is your opinion? Do you think today's parents are over-protective? Is the level of protection justified? Should kids have to wear helmets to bike/snowboard/go sledding? Are children driven around too much by their parents? Do children need to take more risks to become healthy, productive adults? What do you think?

If interested, you should be able to hear an interview with Michael Unger here.

Glorious!

2007-02-17T23:17:00.000-05:00

Here is an excerpt from the review in The Gazette written by Matt Radz which appeared on Feb 03, 2007:

Let's face it, Centaur, our main anglo stage, hasn't had a runaway smash hit since Mambo Italiano had them rolling in the aisles more than five years and two dozen plays ago. The drought may be over, thanks to a heroically vile American soprano, ... Glorious! hits all the right notes, precisely the opposite of Florence Foster Jenkins, the character celebrated by Peter Quilter's screwball stage biography.
A wealthy socialite, the flamboyantly tone-deaf Jenkins was billed as the Soprano of the Sliding Scale. Her vocal overreaching was likened to the wild wallowings of "a demented cuckoo in its cups." Yet she sold out Carnegie Hall a month before her death in 1944 at age 76, as if to prove that, indeed, money can buy everything, including artistic immortality.

Her costumes - wait till you get a load of Dunsmore fluttering about after she straps on Angel of Inspiration wings - were even more outrageous than the frightfully earnest vocalizing. Jenkins created a show-biz persona so irresistibly bizarre, she counted Cole Porter and Irving Berlin among her many devotees...

Click here to hear how off-beat the original Florence Jenkins really was in Ms. Jenkins MySpace page!

After you have seen the play, write a post in your blog that relates one of the quotes below with Florence Foster Jenkins' real-life success. Read and comment on your classmates' posts as well.

"Truth is stranger than fiction because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't."

"To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence." --both by Mark Twain

"Getting ahead in a difficult profession requires avid faith in yourself. That is why some people with mediocre talent, but with great inner drive, go so much further than people with vastly superior talent." --Sophia Loren

"How do you go from where you are to where you want to be? I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life." --Jim Valvano

Wikis and Web 2.0

2007-02-11T23:12:00.000-05:00

I found three videos that I recommend you watch and then respond to in your blog.

The first one is a clever look at Web 2.0 with the subtitle: "The Machine is Us/ing Us" Can you explain the title? What do you think about issues related to copyright, authority, identity, ethics, aesthetics and so on?

The second one shows how pages evolve in a wiki. The subject is the "Heavy Metal Umlaut" but as you watch it, you will discover that it really shows you how wiki users modify posts. My question to you then is, Is a resource such as the Wikipedia more or less reliable than a traditional encyclopedia?

The third video pokes fun at our modern technology by showing a monk who does not know how to access information in a book. The video is in Danish with both Danish and English subtitles.

If you still have time, then have a good laugh with the last video. It's a comedy sketch from 1948 called "Let's Speak English"

Welcome Bloggers of 2007

2007-02-05T19:35:00.000-05:00

To set up your new blog, I suggest you look at some of my earlier posts. Click here for an introduction to blogging; this link will take you to a blog I created with teachers around the world--you will find links on the right sidebar to the blogs that different teachers created. For a tutorial to help you set up your blog, click here.

Since your first written assignment was based on the cover article about Stéphane Dion in the January 22, 2007 issue of Maclean's, I have asked you to post your analysis (but not your summary) on your blog. When everyone has posted an analysis, I would like you to read what your classmates have written by clicking on the links to their blogs in the right sidebar. Be sure to leave comments!

Some students have asked about the location to the Centaur Theatre. For the moment, you can refer to this post which includes the address and directions.

Avoiding Faulty Logic

2006-11-25T22:16:00.000-05:00

In preparing your debates, it is important not to use faulty logic. You will also want to be sure that your opponents are not using faulty logic. If you detect faulty thinking in your opponents' arguments, you should feel free to point it out during the debate.

To help you review the types of Faulty Logic we discussed in class, take a look at these slides.

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Abstract

2006-11-25T22:15:00.000-05:00

For your oral presentation, you are to post an abstract (summary) of what you will be talking about. Your abstract must be no less than 60 words and no more than 70 words.

A good abstract contains as much information as possible within the word limit, but it is also concise, well-organized and self-contained. Wordiness and unnecessary information must be eliminated. However, unique terms, abbreviations (except units of measurement) and acronyms should be defined or indicated in the title.

Are the Benefits of Homework a Myth?

2006-09-18T00:30:00.000-04:00

This week you read an interview between Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth, and Kenneth Whyte, publisher of Maclean's. You can also watch a 5-minute interview between Mr. Kohn and CBS reporter Rene Syler by clicking here --you will then need scroll down the page a bit, and then click #3 to watch the video. If you would like to know more about what Mr. Kohn has to say, you will find several of his articles here.

In this blog post, the author of D-Ed Reckoning, pokes holes in Mr. Kohn's assertions. His style is informal and his choice of words not always the most eloquent, but his arguments include legitimate points to consider. He also recommends this article by Daniel Willingham, a professor in Cognitive Psychology, which discusses how much students should practice what they learn.

After you have read the interview in Maclean's and the post in D-Ed Reckoning, write your own evaluation of Mr. Kohn's ideas. Was homework in elementary school a waste of time? What did you learn from the assignments? What about high school? What types of assignments were the most useful? No one knows the factors that have helped you learn material like you do. You are the experts, and many people would like to know your opinion.

Welcome to the World of Blogging

2006-08-22T10:20:00.000-04:00

Welcome Future Bloggers!

Welcome to a new session and a new season of blogging. Technology is changing so quickly that now it is possible for ordinary people like us to create blogs, add pictures, voice and even videos. I hope you will feel free to be creative. Before you start looking at blogs, I would like you to click here to answer my survey. When you have finished, click "Done" and then click "Back (Précedent)" in the top left-hand corner two times to get back to this page.

Now, let's take a look at some blogs from around the world. Click here to find a blog I created with teachers from different countries. You can find their blogs by scrolling down the page a bit until you see the links in the right sidebar where I have written the teacher's name and country. Click on any of the names. When you finish looking at one, click "Back (Précedent)" and then click on another one.

Now look at some blogs that former students of this course created by clicking on some of the names in the right sidebar of this blog.

To create your own blog, click here to read the Tutorial I wrote. And for instructions on how to edit posts that you have already made, click here.

Do Podcasts Justify the Lecture Method of Teaching?

2006-05-17T22:12:00.000-04:00

I just read this article in an Edu-blog (blogs where educators ponder the appropriate use of cutting-edge technology in the classroom). In the Maclean's article we read about lectures, nothing was mentioned about the use of podcasting as an alternative. A number of universities in the States now issue i-pods to students and students are required to listen to certain lectures, but they do not need to come to class to do this. They can listen to the lecture while walking to other classes, while riding their bike, exercising in the gym...there are many possibilities. I think there is an interesting element to this (I would guess that a student's attention span would last longer while exercising than while sitting passively on an uncomfortable chair), but the danger is that if this becomes the norm, students will no longer feel they can go for a walk, or a bike ride, or a gym workout without "studying" at the same time. What do you think?

Just Quit Lecturing Them--Persuasive Essay Assignment

2006-04-24T22:30:00.000-04:00

After reading the article "Just Quit Lecturing Them" in the March 27, 2006 issue of Maclean's, write a persuasive essay in which you argue For or Against the lecture format for classroom instruction. Defend your point of view with three strong arguments. You may use examples from the text or examples from your own educational experience.

Your essay should include a brief introduction, three paragraphs in which you develop your arguments, and a conclusion in which you tie your ideas together. Do not use questions in your essay. Provide a correctly formatted reference at the end.

Abstract of Oral Presentation

2006-04-24T12:21:00.000-04:00

An abstract is a concise summary of a written or oral production. For your oral presentation, you are to write an abstract that is between 60 and 70 words and post it on your blog. Your abstract should be rich in content, but no less than 60 words and no more than 70 words. Do NOT waste words by saying the obvious (e.g. "For this oral presentation I am going to teach the class something about..."--13 words wasted!) The title does not count as part of the word count. After your classmates have delivered their presentations, feel free to leave comments on the post for their abstract.

And now, just for the fun of it, try using this tool (Springdoo) to make a podcast out of your abstract--you can listen to my example here

Another nifty tool for podcasting is called Odeo. Here is my humble example

Cheech Assignment: Montreal After Dark

2006-03-08T12:46:00.000-05:00

As many of you described in your blogs, Montreal is a city of contrasts with an astounding variety of venues and activities. For example, Base Player 101 described the music scene, God Gave Rock & Roll to You described the athletes, English Blogging described the Auto Shows and Genny’s Blog described the parks and museums. I think I can honestly say I’m relieved that no one chose to describe Montreal’s apparently-thriving escort service, although several mentioned that the city is more entertaining after dark. Montreal, does appear to be a city that knows how to keep its secrets. Choose one of the topics below, making links to Maclean's articles, classmates' blogs or websites to defend your answer. Embed your links by highlighting the text you want to link and clicking on the icon for links as I have done in this post.

The six characters: Ron, Sophie, Olivier, Maxime, Stephanie, Alexis are all touched by the effects of the escort service and their lives are interconnected although they don’t know it until trauma hits. All the characters, except Ron, can be considered Generation X-ers. In our discussions of Maclean’s articles we touched on a number of issues affecting this generation: living beyond their means, wanting to be sedated, that 18-year-olds are too young to vote or videogame widows

1. Can the fact that these characters suffer from some sort of depression, neurosis or anxiety in some way be attributed to being part of this generation? Defend your answer.

2. Could this play take place in another city or in a different time? Consider details of the setting, props and costumes that are unique to Montreal and/or elements of the play that are universal. Make links to you observations as you defend your answer.

3. Sophie says that she does not accept the fact that the market is down as an excuse for not doing well in business. She claims that if a person delivers what clients want then business will always be good. She purports to be talking about the real estate business, but we know where her success really comes from. Can Sophie's business decision be compared to Google's business decision in China? (or another business decision you can cite) Defend your answer.

4. Does Cheech represent the competition that any business has to face? Does this competition improve or lessen the quality of the product? Defend your answer with links to examples.

You must print your response on paper (in Word, double-spaced) AND post it on your blog. Include links to Maclean's articles, websites and/or your classmates' blogs and remember to embed the links.

Cheech or The Chrysler Guys are in Town

2006-03-08T12:36:00.000-05:00

The Centaur Theatre is located at 453 St. François-Xavier, Old Montreal. The show starts at 8:00 pm. Plan to arrive about 15 minutes early.

Directions from the Place d’Armes Metro Station:
Take the St. Urbain exit
Once outside turn right (south) towards the Old Port
Walk 2 blocks to Notre Dame Street and turn right
Walk 1 block to St. François Xavier and turn left.
The Centaur Theatre is on the left hand side (1/2 block)

Cheech was written by François Létourneau; translated by Rick Desrochers; directed by Gordon McCall
CHEECH brought the house down when it premiered at Théâtre de la Manufacture last year. Edgy, funny, daring and very much in the know, this is truly a play inspired by Montreal after dark. From the world of today’s generation, it is a play that will recharge your batteries. The Chrysler convention is in town and Ron runs an escort service, so could there be a better day for making an easy buck? All he's got to do is show the Chrysler guys a portfolio of his girls and just wait for the calls. But everything goes wrong, everything gets way out of order, and there's only one guy to blame: CHEECH!

There are 49 scenes in 90 minutes. As you watch the play, think about the following:
· How have time and place been portrayed or manipulated?
· How are lighting and sound used to determine a scene’s location?
· What effect does the soundtrack have?
· The scene takes place in Montreal, yet Montreal is hardly mentioned. What in the setting, props and costumes do you recognize as authentic representations of Montreal? Would the story be universal to anyone, anywhere?
· All of the characters suffer from some sort of depression, neurosis or anxiety. Are these characteristics unique to people touched by the escort service or are they universal characteristics? What elements do you identify with, if any?
· The “stutter scenes” are not in chronological order. Is this how our memory works—like pieces of a puzzle? Why are some scenes repeated?

Blogger Censored in Pakistan

2006-03-06T23:07:00.000-05:00

After reading about the censorship of Google and bloggers in China, Bee in Brazil, sent this link from the WikiNews about the Pakistani government shutting down Blogger.com (our host!). The article states, "Bloggers are debating whether the move by the Pakistani government is a sign of a long-term online censorship campaign, or a temporary move to prevent potentially embarrassing blog coverage of U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to the country this weekend." An Indian blogger, Neha Viswanathan, does not believe that Bush's visit is the reason for the censorship, but rather that the blockage "might be on a very experimental basis to see how far they go. The Pakistani govt has hardly had any dialogue with bloggers at all."
Clearly, governments are not sure what to do with bloggers. As you can see, publishing work for an international audience is as easy as a few clicks. How effective do you think blogs will be in promoting world peace and democracy?

Yes, Master: Opinion Response

2006-03-02T23:41:00.000-05:00

After you read the article Yes, Master in the Feb. 20 issue of Maclean’s, choose one of the topics below to discuss in your blog. Include a proper reference to the article and at least one link to a website that is related to your topic.

1. Is Google helping or hurting Chinese citizens by developing a search-engine that automatically censors searches?
2. Explain what Leon Sullivan accomplished in South Africa and whether you think the same type of strategy could be used for China
3. What was Canada's role in the Three Gorges endeavour? Should the Canadian government (and other foreign governments) be held accountable for projects that cause the mistreatment of local citizens?

Editing Your Posts

2006-02-21T23:12:00.000-05:00

You can either go to Blogger or type in the address of your own blog--or go directly from this blog. Click on the "B" in the rounded orange box on the upper left corner of this page. You will get a prompt to type in your Username and your Password. Once you have typed these and clicked "sign in" you will be sent to your "Dashboard" (Tableau de bord)

To Edit a post, click on the green cross next to the name of your blog, under "New Post" (nouveau message). This will take you the list of all your posts. Click on "Edit" (modifier) of the post you want to modify. Now you can make corrections and modifications. When you are finished, remember to click the orange rectangle at the bottom of the page to Publish your post. It is a good idea to click "Republish blog" after your changes have been saved to make sure that the changes were made in the whole blog.

Now click "View Blog" (Afficher le blog). If a window doesn't suddenly appear with your blog on it, then look at the bar at the bottom of the screen to see if it was minimized. Click on this and check to see if the changes were made. If they weren't, don't despair! Your probably need to refresh the screen. Do this by clicking the icon with two circular green arrows at the top of your screen. You might say a few kind words to your computer at this point. Computers like positive reinforcement.

To create a new post--click on the Blogger icon (the B in a rounded orange box). Since you have already signed in, this should take you directly to the Dashboard. Again, click the green cross to create a new post and then type in the title and text of your post. Remember to Publish your post and Republish your blog when you have finished.

Creating Your Blog

2006-02-14T18:24:00.000-05:00

Here we go Future Bloggers.... First go to the Blogger site.
Click on the orange arrow to create your blog now
Username: this is not as easy as it looks because you must select a unique name that no other blogger is using. You may have to try a few times before it is accepted. When it is accepted, write it down immediately because you will probably forget next week.
Password: please choose a password that you don't mind sharing with me (I don't want to know any of your secrets). After the first few weeks you can change your password, but in the beginning it is helpful if I can get into your account when you are having difficulty.
Display Name: (nom à afficher) This is the name that shows up when you leave a comment. Most people use their first name, but you can decide for yourself.
Email address: This is important to verify your account

Once your username and password have been accepted, you will need to name your blog and give it an address. You will also be asked to type in some letters--this is to assure that you are a human being and not a computer. Click the orange arrow to continue.

Now you will need to choose a template (modèle). There are not many choices here, but once your blog is created you will have more choices and you can change it. Click the orange arrow and then click the tab that says Template (Modèle) and then Sélectionner--now there are many choices of templates. Choose the one you like and then SAVE the changes. You will also need to Republish your blog. Every time you make a change in your blog you must save and republish the changes.

To avoid spammers from leaving comments on your blog do this: Click on Comments (Commentaires) and then scroll down to where it asks about word verification (Afficher la vérification des mots pour les commentairs?). Click YES. Now, only human beings can leave comments and not computer-generated spammers. Remember to SAVE this before moving to another page.

Now you are ready to make your first post..........click Post (Envoi). Write in the title of today's post. Type in your information in the big box. You can make links by clicking the icon of a link over a green earth. Upload pictures by clicking on the little square picture. Explore the tools and be creative.........you are now a blogger!

Welcome to the Winter 2006 Edition!

2006-02-02T23:47:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to a new session of blogging! To get started, take a look at the new blog I created as I moderated a class for teachers around the world. We had 150 teachers from over 50 different countries. You can see their picture in the revolving banner at the top of the page and you can learn something about the countries they come from by clicking on their own blogs in the right sidebar. Bon voyage!

Please answer this quick survey about your Study Plans. Longueuil students click here. ENA students click here.

Information for Students and Teachers looking for an exchange: The college students in this course live near Montreal, Quebec and speak English quite fluently; a few have near-native speaker ability. French is the mother tongue for most students and all of their content courses are in French. Most students range in age from 18 to 24 although there are a few who are older. The course meets once a week for 15 weeks (this session runs from January to the end of May). Links to student blogs are in the right sidebar. The url for this blog is www.englishcefblog.blogspot.com

Homework Assignment: Defending a Position

2005-11-02T17:42:00.000-05:00

Choose one of the topics we looked at in the October 17 issue of Maclean's or a controversial topic from the Oct. 31 issue. Write a clear, opinionated statement and then argue in favor or against this position.

Here are examples from the October 17 issue:

The internet is a very effective aid to the medical profession for improving wait time. (p. 10-15)
Turkey should be admitted to the European Union. (p. 39)
Dealing with sewage should be the #1 priority for Canadian municipalities. (p. 21-26)

Defend your point of view (either FOR or AGAINST, but not both) with 3 strong arguments. At least two of your arguments should come from the article.

Your essay should include a brief introduction, a body and a brief conclusion
Avoid using the 1st or 2nd person
Do not use questions in your essay
Provide a correctly formatted reference for your article

Due: November 16, 2005

Condoville at the Centaur Theatre

2005-10-16T23:50:00.000-04:00

There will be no class on Wednesday, October 26, to allow you time to go see the play Condoville at the Centaur Theatre. The show starts at 8 pm on both Wednesday and Thursday nights. (For the address and directions, click on the link above and then "How to Find Us in the left sidebar). The play is witty and entertaining with insightful social commentaries--you will love it!

AlthoughCondoville takes place in one building in Point St. Charles in Montreal, the issues the characters banter about resonate on municipal, national and international levels:

Exploitation of the Poor
The PQ vs The Liberal Party
French vs English
Quebec Separation
Treaty Rights for Aboriginals
Economic Uncertainty of Gentrification
Consequences of Free Trade
The Social Tension of Same-Sex Relationships
Drug Addiction (both legal and illegal)
Abortion and Unwed Mothers
The Bureaucracy of Social Benefit Programs (Welfare)

Your assignment: Choose any two characters and explain how the conflict between these two characters illustrates one of the issues listed above. Print your essay on paper (double-spaced) and post your essay on your blog (single-spaced).Your essay should be between 250 and 350 words.

* Introduce the two characters you have chosen with a colourful description.
* Explain the socio-political issue that is exemplified by the conflict between these two characters.
* Provide examples from the play and from current events to expand on the implications of this conflict.
* Conclude your essay with a unifying statement that leaves the reader with something to think about.

The characters in the play are: Thibault, Johnny, Irene, Claude (Paquette), Céline, Bibi-diane, Andrew, Filipe, and three characters that are frequently mentioned : Murielle, Willa, Diablo

Homework Assignment for Week #5

2005-09-22T18:21:00.000-04:00

Read the Article On a Wing and Prayer in this week's Maclean's (Sept. 13, 2005).
Write a report to the Transport Minister, Mr. Jean Lapierre, in defense or in opposition to the $350 million federal aid package to Bombardier for the proposed C-Series family of passenger jets.

The HEADING of your report should include To: / From: / Date: / Subject

Your report should be structured with these compartments (which will probably mean three paragraphs, depending on your report):
a SUMMARY STATEMENT that summarizes your position
BACKGROUND INFORMATION and DETAILS where you provide details to support your position (taken from the article)
OUTCOME or ACTION that explains what action you expect the Minister to take.

The report should be about one page, 150-250 words.

Assignment 3: The Drowning of New Orleans

2005-09-14T16:46:00.000-04:00

Read the article, The Drowning of New Orleans in the September 12, 2005 issue of Maclean's. Write a summary of the article paying careful attention to your use of Reported Speech (100-130 words), then write your analysis of the article (100-130 words). Do the vocabulary exercises for this article that are in the Maclean's In-Class site. You will need to type in the password, then click on "Archives" in the left sidebar, then click "English Lesson" and scroll down until you find the Vocabulary Matching exercise. The comprehension questions will help you to understand the article better, but you do not need to hand these in.

Assignment 2: Oral and Written Summary of News Item

2005-08-30T17:03:00.000-04:00

Oral: Choose a news item from Maclean's and briefly describe the most important points in a three to five minute oral summary. Your presentation should include a Summary Statement (the main idea) and three important details regarding the topic. Conclude your presentation with a thought-provoking question for class discussion. You should speak spontaneously, preferably without notes. You may refer to brief notes for difficult names, places and dates, but you may not read your presentation.

Written: Prepare a written synthesis (100 words) of one of the assigned articles from Maclean's followed by a brief analysis (100 words). The summary should include the main idea and three supporting details. The analysis is your opinion. Do not waste words by saying "In my opinion..." or "I think that..." I know this is your opinion. Get to the point! Provide a reference to your article using correct MLA Documentation Style. You may use this site to help you.

Assignment 1: Back from the Future

2005-08-30T16:20:00.000-04:00

For this assignment you are to brainstorm the direction you would like your professional life to take over the next ten years and then look back to explain the path your career took. Imagine that we are in the year 2015. When did you graduate from cegep (college)? Did you continue your studies at university after cegep? Did you get a job right away? What kinds of jobs did you have? You may include aspects of your personal life, but this is not necessary. You should, however, include technical descriptions of your professional life. Your entry should be between 200 and 300 words.

Before you start writing brainstorm the ideas you want to include and the select appropriate details. What you leave out is as important as what you put in.

As you write:
* Don't shift your point of view (if you are using "I" don't shift to "you")
* Use transitions to connect sentences and paragraphs smoothly and logically (therefore, consequently, as soon as, on the other hand, for example, etc.)
* Don’t waste words by saying you don't know what your future will be or that you haven't decided what you want to do. Be creative, but realistic.
* Proofread your entry carefully for verb agreement and spelling.

To make your blog entry more interesting include links to important places in your future (university, workplace, the community where you live)

Welcome to the World of Blogging

2005-08-26T15:56:00.000-04:00

Welcome to a new year, new tools and new technology. In this course you will be introduced to the world of Weblogs, or Blogs. Blogs are on-line journals that allow not just your teacher to read what you have written, but also your classmates, students in other classes you have never even met and people who may live on the other side of the world! To begin, take a look at some blogs students in Venezuela who are studying Architecture and Urban Planning made by clicking here. Many of them wrote about Montreal, a city that is far away for them. You might also want to see what some of your colleagues did a little closer to home by clicking here.