Moodle Assignments for English 1001

The internet is becoming a primary means of research and the exchange of ideas, and this assignment requires us to consider the possibilities and pitfalls that our increasing dependence on the internet entails. You will complete the following assignments on the Moodle website designated for Fall 2009 English 1001.

Each of the three main assignments requires one initial posting and responses of 50 words minimum to classmates' postings.

1. Favorite poem by Langston Hughes. Which poem by Hughes on the syllabus is your favorite? Refer to specific details in the poem in supporting your answer. You must restrict your choice to the poems on the syllabus for this class. (150 word minimum). DUE WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23RD.

   Respond to your classmates' posts. Respond to at least one post in the forum. With what do you agree? Are there other aspects of the poem that warrants praise? Criticism? Dialogue?

2. Helpful Websites. What is a useful website for researching a topic related to one of the works on the syllabus? (200 word minimum + one link). DUE DATES (CHOOSE ONE):

   O'Neill—Oct. 5th

   Chopin—Oct. 23rd

   Hemingway—Nov. 11th

   Silko—Nov. 30th

   McClatchy—Dec. 11th

   Sign up in advance for one of the above works on the syllabus. Identify a topic related to the chosen work. Then, find a website that provides useful information that pertains to that topic and that offers you a clearer understanding of that topic. The topic you choose should be something other than the title of the work or the name of the author. Do not use a link to Sparknotes or any similar resource that simply addresses the chosen work—that would be too obvious. The same goes for Wikipedia. Instead, be creative in your choice of topic and think of some new way to approach your chosen work. Clearly identify your topic in the Subject line of your post.

   By the deadline listed above, post your link with a 200-word commentary that explains why we should find this link helpful. Two basic rules for links:

   1. It cannot be a link that someone has already posted to the forum.

   2. Again, it cannot be a link to the Sparknotes, Cliffnotes, Wikipedia or other obvious pages for this work. BE CREATIVE IN CHOOSING A SITE. Commentary should provide a brief overview of what the site has to offer and an argument for why your classmates should bother looking at the site—how the site will give your classmates a new perspective on the chosen book. Copy and paste the URL for the link directly in your commentary so your classmates can easily find the site.

   Respond to classmates' helpful websites. You do not need to respond to a post for the week in which you post a website unless you wish to make a comment about a classmate's response to your post. For every other author, you must post at least one comment about the helpful website a classmate posted to the forum. You must respond some time after the due date for that group, and sometime before the next group posts their links. (50-word minimum for each response).

3. Reflect on the semester through the literature. Choose your favorite moment (scene, poem, character, class discussion) from the semester and explain to your classmates why it was your favorite. Be as specific as possible when referring to moments in the texts to support your answers. Now reflect on what your particular moment tells us about American Literature as a whole. After reading the selections throughout the semester, has your definition of American Literature changed? In what ways? (200 word minimum). RESPONSES MUST BE POSTED BEFORE THE FINAL EXAM PERIOD ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 2009.

Procedure for Accessing Moodle

1. Access the Moodle Homepage at moodle.umn.edu.

2. Click 'Login' in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Log in with your UMD internet username and password.

3. Find ENGL 1001 on your list of courses. You should already have access to the Moodle page for ENGL 1001, and it will appear on the 'Overview of my Courses' list.

4. Find the main page for this course. You will see a list of the required texts for this course, as well as the assignments that accompany those texts. Take a minute to navigate around the Moodle site. Explore the different buttons. You will be using Moodle for this course and for many other courses at UMD, so become familiar with the layout and options.

5. Take a minute to update your profile. Upload an avatar. Supply some information that will allow your classmates to better understand you as a student. Keep in mind that any information you supply can be seen by the other members of this course, and by your classmates in other courses.