text:
Cookbook:Chicken with Orange, Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

|

A simple recipe that combines vegetable and fruit with chicken. The recipe utilizes baking in foil, which is a great low-fat cooking method that produces wonderfully tender and juicy chicken.

Ingredients

 * 4 tbsp minced fresh dill
 * 4 tsp grated orange peel
 * 3 tsp minced garlic
 * ¾ tsp salt
 * 4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
 * 1 tbsp olive oil
 * 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced crosswise
 * 4 cups firmly packed torn fresh spinach leaves (about 8 ounces)

Equipment and supplies

 * Large baking sheet
 * Medium bowl
 * Small bowl
 * Aluminum foil

Procedure

 * 1) Preheat oven to 400°F.
 * 2) Place large baking sheet in oven to heat.
 * 3) Mix dill, orange peel, garlic and salt in medium bowl. Season with pepper.
 * 4) Combine tomatoes, oil and 1 teaspoon dill mixture in small bowl.
 * 5) Add chicken to remaining dill mixture in medium bowl and toss to coat.
 * 6) Cut 4 sheets of foil each about 20 inches long.
 * 7) Arrange 1 cup spinach on 1 sheet of foil.
 * 8) Place a quarter of the sliced chicken mixture atop spinach.
 * 9) Spoon a quarter of the tomato mixture atop chicken.
 * 10) Fold foil over, enclosing contents completely and crimping edges tightly to seal.
 * 11) Repeat with remaining 3 foil sheets, forming 4 packets total.
 * 12) Arrange foil packets in single layer on heated baking sheet.
 * 13) Bake until chicken is just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
 * 14) Transfer to plates; let stand 5 minutes.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * Serve with rice.


text:
User talk:Eagle 101~enwikibooks

Hello and welcome to Wikibooks!

Here are some tips to help you get started:
 * You should sign your name on Talk and vote pages using four tildes, like this: ~~~~.
 * Remember to conduct any editing experiments in the sandbox.
 * If you're a Wikipedian, see Wikibooks for Wikipedians for a primer on how things work here (it's a little different).
 * If you want to base your work here on materials from Wikipedia, please use WB:RFI to bring the material over in compliance with the GFDL.
 * If you're an instructor and plan on using wikibooks for a class project, see Guidelines for class projects
 * Please say hello at the Staff Lounge with any questions or ideas.
 * Eventually, you might want to read the Manual of Style and Policies and Guidelines.
 * Please take a look at Naming policy before starting a new book.
 * Remember to maintain a Neutral point of view.
 * Explore, be bold in editing pages, and have fun!

You will find more resources in Community Portal. If you want to ask a question, visit the Study help desk, the Staff lounge, IRC channel or ask me personally on my talk page. For site news, see the Bulletin board. It might be an idea if you add this page to your "watchlist" so that you can see when any new information is posted there.

Good luck!. Az1568(Talk) 00:13, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

Your account will be renamed
Hello,

The developer team at Wikimedia is making some changes to how accounts work, as part of our on-going efforts to provide new and better tools for our users like cross-wiki notifications. These changes will mean you have the same account name everywhere. This will let us give you new features that will help you edit and discuss better, and allow more flexible user permissions for tools. One of the side-effects of this is that user accounts will now have to be unique across all 900 Wikimedia wikis. See the announcement for more information.

Unfortunately, your account clashes with another account also called Eagle 101. To make sure that both of you can use all Wikimedia projects in future, we have reserved the name Eagle 101~enwikibooks that only you will have. If you like it, you don't have to do anything. If you do not like it, you can pick out a different name.

Your account will still work as before, and you will be credited for all your edits made so far, but you will have to use the new account name when you log in.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Yours, Keegan Peterzell Community Liaison, Wikimedia Foundation 23:07, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Renamed
 This account has been renamed as part of single-user login finalisation. If you own this account you can |log in using your previous username and password for more information. If you do not like this account's new name, you can choose your own using this form after logging in: . -- Keegan (WMF) (talk) 04:55, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: User talk:Eagle 101~enwikibooks


text:
User talk:72.88.194.180

Regarding edits made during February 13 2007
Thanks for experimenting with Wikibooks. Your test worked, and has now been removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing material in modules will normally be removed quickly. Please see the welcome page if you would like to learn more about contributing to our project. Thanks. If this is an IP address, and it is shared by multiple users, ignore this warning if you did not make any unconstructive edits. Az1568(Talk) 00:20, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:72.88.194.180


text:
Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/Socio-emotional Messages

=Socio-emotional Messages=

Introduction
First, I focus on the human communication process as it relates to facilitation in collaborative learning environments. As a basis for this discussion, I focus on major variables in the group model of learning presented in the introduction of this guide. I focus on socio-emotional messages that help create a group context where collaborative learning can occur. Next I focus on task-oriented messages which support intra-personal and interpersonal learning. Finally, I focus on the role of feedback in the facilitation of collaborative on-line learning environments.

Socio-emotional messages for building a group context where learning occurs
Effective computer supported communication involves both the software and human interaction. It involves creating an environment with software interfaces which are easy to use and which match the collaborative needs of the learners. Just as in the physical classroom, much of the communication is directed toward creating an environment where people feel comfortable learning. It involves human interaction which creates a cohesive group in which members feel like they belong and can trust one another. In this section ,I stress two important aspects of socio-emotional messages i.e. messages that relate to concern for the person and emotional well being of the group. First, I discuss the importance of positive feelings about the context for long-term success in an electronically created environment. Second, I discuss trust as a critical variable which influences members' willingness to participate in the electronic environment.

Building and maintaining positive context is important for learning to occur.
For groups to engage in learning together for any period of time, attention needs to be devoted to maintenance of a context that shows acceptance and concern for the individual well being of the members. Often in networked environments, when the "clock is ticking", facilitation of context is ignored in favor of getting on with the task. Unfortunately, the task may be accomplished but the level of satisfaction with the media and group experience is perceived low. Individuals are consequently less willing to engage in similar networked experiences. Rice and Love in their study of "Electronic Emotion” explain that it is perhaps the group norms, goals, and structure of the community of participants that influence the amount of context building. If, for example, network use were restricted or oriented to exchanging task-oriented information only, it's unlikely that a cohesive group would develop. A number of CMC systems, either through Chat functions or Instant Messages make it easy to engage in personal exchange.   Dr. Andrew Feenberg, while at Western Behavior Science Institute noted early on  that different host software systems were designed to focus less on group dynamics and more on task dimensions of the work. For example, communication software that is completely topic-centered in organization while useful for short-term task accomplishment might make it difficult to exchange messages that contribute to building cohesive groups for long term collaboration. In a collaborative learning group, it is important to match the design of new software and the choice of existing software to the focus on building shared group context as well as task accomplishment.

Mutual trust is conducive to learning.
Participants share a certain degree of personal risk sending messages and providing feedback to one another. If members of the collaboration do not trust other members, they will be less willing to participate and express ideas. For example, if an individual is constantly attacked, put down or told that they are wrong, that person will be less likely to continue to participate. Computer based notes conference participants generally attempt to discourage personal attacks put downs, and unfair evaluations of others and their ideas. When this occurs in a networked group, members of the group will generally attempt to discourage the communication. When members feel that they do not trust one another, they will withhold the vital feedback necessary for all members to achieve understanding, higher task performance and greater productivity. Attention to creation of context will vary with the needs of the group. For example, in groups where participation is ad hoc or the group was created for limited information exchange, less attention to context building would be required then in an on-going collaborative learning group. In an on-going collaborative learning group, more time and energy are required to create and maintain a supportive context, which is critical to success and continued participation.

Creating group trust encourages the risk-taking necessary to form new concepts.
The facilitator asks: "what can be done to encourage and challenge the individual to risk reconstructing his/her thought processes." Not only does the facilitator attempt to foster a context where members trust one another, but the facilitator attempts to create an environment in which the learner is encouraged to explore new ideas and learn within the context of his/her work. As a measure of trust, members of a team are constantly asking and answering the question: " If I were to openly express myself, will what I say be used against me." A member of a learning group will not test out hypotheses about new strategies or attempt to check out what has been understood, if another member is waiting for others to make a (mistake) so that s/he can correct. Trust and open participation would quickly deteriorate if this were to occur among a networked group of collaborators.

Mutual exchange of trusting and trustworthy messages are essential to building context.
In the previous section, I examined the importance of building trust for collaborative learning to occur within the group. I now discuss how trust might be established and maintained in the context of a collaborative networked group. Johnson and Johnson view the development of trust through a mutual exchange of trusting and trustworthy messages. ‘’Trusting’’ behavior is defined as openly expressing thoughts, feelings, reactions, information, ideas and resources. ‘’Trustworthy’’ behavior is defined as expressions of acceptance and high regard for the participants, expressions of support for the capabilities of members, and expressions that you are going to work with the other members of the group to achieve the group goals. Trusting and trustworthy behaviors will build upon each other to increase the level of participation and commitment to the learning goals of the group. Without conscious attention to the development and maintenance of trust in a collaborative group, the learning goals of the participants will not be achieved or the group at best will on lower level learning or information exchange.

Return to CNL Guide Main Page


text:
Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/Task Oriented Messages

=Task Oriented Messages: The human side of getting the job done.=

Introduction
Besides individual willingness and an overall supportive context, the facilitator can support the learning process directly with a number of specific strategies. Next I focus on task-oriented messages which support intra-personal and interpersonal learning. In this section,I focus first on different messages which support intra-personal learning and then focus on interpersonal exchanges.

Encouraging representation and articulation of tentative constructs.
Facilitation messages encourage formulation and representation of tentative constructs, based upon the current state of understanding. The facilitator would also encourage learners to look for patterns as well as support the individual as s/he attempts to formulate new patterns to encompass ‘’new’’ information which no longer fits previous understanding. The facilitator supports and encourages the learner to continue the intra-personal process. The individual learner may only feel comfortable representing these tentative understandings for himself. The facilitator can encourage the process without requesting that the learner engage in premature interpersonal communication.

Probing for additional examples or observations.
A facilitator can support learners by helping them discover or experience additional information or instances of events within knowledge areas in which they are working. For example, if my only exposure to software tools utilized a directory and file structure, I might induce that this structure was the only way computers organized information. However, through exposure to other systems I might formulate a different tentative hypothesis and then continue to refine that hypothesis as part of my on-going learning process.

Encouraging use of representational tools.
Oftentimes the individual can learn through the aid of a representational tool which allows them to map out their thoughts. Depending upon preference, the learner may use written words, pictures or spoken words, to formulate and communicate ideas for his/her own consumption before the ideas are ready for public consumption. Ideally in a collaborative network learning environment, the tools for self representation should feed directly into the shared network. Individuals would then have an opportunity to test out ideas with others.

Messages which facilitate interpersonal communication.
The work of Dr. Mildred Shaw is useful in helping to understand the types of task-oriented messages that facilitate learning. As part of her work in personal construct psychology, Shaw has identified different behaviors to help individuals attempt to extend and understand their own thinking in networked groups. The messages which facilitate the learning processes, helps individuals to:
 * see the relationship of their points of view to those of others;
 * explore differing terminology for the same mental constructs;
 * become aware of differing constructs having the same terminology;
 * extend their own construct systems through interaction with others;
 * share with others constructs that they have found valuable;
 * and finally facilitate areas of disagreement or agreement among members of a group.

Additionally, two specific types of task oriented messages can be discussed--(1)messages that facilitate individual meaning and sharing of meaning,(2) messages that lead to a shared meaning among all members, e.g. consensus or knowledge pooling.

Facilitating individual meaning or construct formation.
The availability and accessibility of relevant examples is critical to the on-going learning process. However, the example must be of personal relevance. Relevance would result from one of three conditions:   the facilitator understands the learner and the state of processing at the time well enough to provide relevant examples, the individual is aware of his current state and is able to request the required knowledge independently, or the individual and the facilitator negotiate a strategy for discovery or uncovering the required information. One key advantage of message sharing in a networked environment is that collaborators theoretically have the possibility to draw on relevant information and knowledge from a wide range of sources, either from other participants directly in a synchronous channel such as through audio or video networks or through asynchronous channels such as CMC or by accessing information stored in any database.

Creating shared meaning, knowledge in a team.
Another important category of facilitation involves messages that create shared meaning among the group or work team. Rather than using the group as a "sounding board" or context for testing out their own meaning, members may attempt to create shared knowledge and understanding in a particular area. For example, a work group engaging in the process of design would ideally need to pool their individual knowledge in order to create a new product. They will eventually want to create a shared meaning, which would allow them to take action together to carry out the design. For example, the activities of groups who are using a combination of media to share individual drawings, an audio conference to discuss their meaning, and electronic mail or conference to exchange on-going messages are engaging in group learning and knowledge creation. The final integrated design is new knowledge which the group created through their collaborative efforts. Reaching a shared meaning such as occurred in this example involves a process of differentiation and integration, according to Johnson and Johnson (p. 244). Differentiating messages proceed the integrating messages. ‘’’Differentiation’’’ involves seeking out and clarifying differences among members' ideas, information, conclusions, theories, and opinions. It involves highlighting the differences among members' reasoning and seeking to understand fully what the different positions and perspectives are. All different points of view must be presented and explored thoroughly before new, creative solutions are sought. ‘’’Integration’’’ involves combining the information, reasoning, theories, and conclusions of the various group members so that all members are satisfied. After differentiation the groups seeks a new, creative position that synthesizes the thinking of all the members.

Paraphrasing Guidelines for Group Learning
It is important to provide ways for checking the perception and understanding of the messages by all members of the group. Members often assume that they understand the intended meanings when in fact a shared meaning never occurs. Facilitating and the use of paraphrase is a vital part of collaborative networked learning.

Paraphrasing for confirmation of understanding.
One useful strategy which facilitates the collaboration process is checking understanding through active paraphrase. Johnson and Johnson( p. 244) suggest that the use of paraphrase for perspective-taking can advance understanding and shared meaning in groups. This involves a process of constant checking and rechecking understanding of individuals and the members of the group as interaction progresses. Using messages such as "Are you saying....." or "Let me see if I can summarize, how I see your point of view," the group moves toward shared meaning. The strategy of paraphrasing is designed to promote understanding rather than debate. The following guidelines have proven useful for facilitation through paraphrase:
 * restate the other person's messages in your own words,
 * do not indicate disapproval or approval,
 * do not offer advice, or blame until the other person has acknowledged the accuracy of your paraphrase,
 * wait for a confirming message from the other person before proceeding with discussion of the issue,
 * continue the paraphrasing process until confirmation is reached.

Using summary paraphrase to advance understanding and show sense of group progress.
Skilled summarizes messages and replies from members periodically as a way of moving progress along and reaching a shared consensus among the conference participants. Not only do the messages serve as a paraphrase, but since the messages are publicly displayed in the conference, they tend to serve as a documentation of group progress. Since each participant has an opportunity to confirm, reject, or modify the facilitator's paraphrase, the group can progress toward developing shared understanding and achieving its learning goals. While this strategy may add additional message traffic to the network, it is critical to processing the goal of shared understanding, necessary for group learning. Utilizing the strategy is generally easier in audio and video networks than asynchronous computer mediated messaging systems. In computer mediated communication systems the delay between message and feedback might tend to inhibit paraphrasing, nonetheless, the strategy is necessary and effective.

Return to CNL Guide Main Page


text:
ERP Internals/Modules/Layout

The Introduction section contains one or more paragraphs describing the major functions of the module.

The Functions link lists all the tasks that the module can do. Typically, a module has a few functions that are used very heavily and a dozen or so additional functions that are used occasionally.

The Reports link lists all the reports the module can produce. Although the word "report" implies paper, most of the reports will only be viewed on the user's screen.

The Tables section lists the major data tables that the module uses. Most tables are used by more than one module.

The Data Exchange section describes which other modules this module communicates with.

The Transactions section describes the transactions that can occur within the module. Typically there are less than a dozen types of transactions of which two or three form the bulk of the actual transactions.

Layout

title: ERP Internals/Modules/Layout


text:
Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/Eliciting and Contributing Feedback

=Eliciting and Contributing Feedback: How are we doing?= There is a need to elicit feedback. Feedback is crucial to the creation of meaning in a social context; it is the basic element of the process which allows learners to validate their knowledge with others. As part of a face-to-face group individuals are constantly reading the nonverbal communication such as gestures, facial express, voice tone,and change in body position. In essence, the communicators are monitoring the interaction looking for feedback that says: "how things are going." These feedback messages are both verbal and non-verbal. Communicators become accustomed to 'reading' the nonverbal messages for level of understanding, agreement, or meaning that is shared among the participants in the interaction. In many collaborative networked environments, the non-verbal messages are reduced or non-existent. Participants develop special strategies for eliciting and sharing feedback in networked environments. For example, in an electronic network involving only text-based computer mediated communication (CMC) the feedback is more restricted than in other networks. The lack of feedback and replication of the conversational conditions that exist in other forms of collaboration is particularly disturbing to new users. However, early research conducted by Kerr and Hiltz (1982) indicated that this changes over time and that experienced users are often annoyed by having to interact at a time and pace that someone else chooses. To compensate for the lack of immediate feedback, collaborative networks have created special interaction (space) where participants can just chat or exchange instant messages in text, audio or video. Some electronic learning network globally have created “lounges” where learners can see who is on-line and exchange messages with others on-line and receive immediate feedback.

Contributing feedback is a shared responsibility.
While any participant may assume responsibility for eliciting feedback and confirming meaning from other participants, all members of the learning group share the responsibility for clarification and confirmation. Each individual participates actively to let others know their current level of understanding or acceptance. David and Roger Johnson (1987 pps.112,146, 156-158.) offer some general advice for providing feedback which will help create a group context which supports learning. Based on their research:
 * Effective feedback is as immediate as possible; rather than allowing misunderstandings to multiple and continue.
 * Through a series of exchanges, members check for understanding regularly.
 * Effective feedback focuses on description and personal interpretations of messages rather than judgment or evaluation.
 * Effective feedback focuses on the particular message or behavior of the participant rather than imagined personality traits.
 * Effective feedback is personal such as  I perceive... or  I understand... rather than impersonal such as The general perception is..... or The level of understanding is ......
 * Effective feedback provides only the amount of information that can be understood or is meaningful at the time, rather than a dissertation.
 * Effective feedback is specific and focused rather than general and abstract. It is meaningful within the present context of the group communication.

Feedback about group process is important.
One often neglected aspect of feedback is the collaborative process itself. The Johnsons suggest that members of a group who are attempting to engage in collaborative learning focus feedback on group process as well as the specific content of the group efforts. Note that research is currently on-going in this area. The unique characteristics of electronic mediated environments require special consideration of the effects of variables such as delay and the organization and display of feedback messages as part of a communication system. Additional research into the nature of feedback and interaction in networking learning groups is needed.) in collaborative group learning environments, they offer the following ground rules for providing effective feedback. Furthermore, Elaine Kerr (1985, p. 16) has argued:
 * " Small task-oriented groups need to occasionally pause to talk about the process itself: participant rates, the tone of the conversation, conflicts, feelings about the process, impacts, observations and problems of using the system, equipment..." Creating a special time or electronic space for this type of feedback is vital to the on-going success of the collaboration.

If the team is to continue to collaborate and grow as a group, then it will need to focus on its own interaction as a group. Sharing observations about process in the group can help group members become aware of where the group is collectively and how individuals have contributed to that direction. Observation of this nature provides the feedback necessary for groups to improve their overall productivity and satisfaction.

Return to CNL Guide Main Page


text:
General Astronomy/The Heliocentric Model

The modern heliocentric model of the universe was proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus in his book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium which was published just before his death to avoid prosecution for heresy. It addressed many of the problems associated with the Ptolemaic model which required a multitude of epicycles to describe planetary motion. Heliocentrism places the Sun at the center of the solar system. While some of the ancient civilizations in India and the Middle East had proposed the heliocentric model before, Copernicus' discovery set the groundwork for the modern view of the solar system.

Copernicus' Model
In Copernicus' heliocentric model, there are seven theories he presents:
 * 1) There exists more than one center of the universe.
 * 2) There is a center of the universe near the sun.
 * 3) The planet Earth is not the center of our universe.
 * 4) The scale of distances between the Earth and the Sun is minuscule compared with the astronomical distances between Earth and the stars in the sky.
 * 5) The Earth revolves around the sun, thus causing the annual cycles of the seasons that we witness.
 * 6) The Earth's own rotation causes the stars to appear to shift every night, rather than any motion of the stars themselves.
 * 7) Any retrograde motion, previously explained by epicycles, is in fact caused by the differing orbital velocities of planets around the sun.

Copernicus harbored his belief of heliocentrism for many years, and did not publish his work until 1542, a year before he died. Some speculate that Copernicus held onto his idea for a considerable time simply because he was fearful of the reception it would have among his peers and more importantly, the Church. Many consider the publication of De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolution of the Celestial Sphere) to be the start of the Scientific Revolution.

In the years that followed, Copernicus' theory was refined and independently verified by notable scientists, most prominently Galileo and Kepler. Specifically, Galileo noted that all phases of Venus occurred (similar to our moon), which cannot be adequately explained in a geocentric model. This contradicted the solely new and crescent phases predicted by the geocentric model.


text:
Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/Software Support for CNL

=Software Support for CNL--Intra-personal and interpersonal group support software=

Introduction
We are expanding our understanding of how much of the learning process can be facilitated on-line in an electronic environment. The more understanding we gain about the learning processes that occur in the individual and in conjunction with others, the more we can design systems that support the intra-personal and interpersonal processes critical to learning. Additional research regarding the intra-personal and interpersonal group processes will allow product developers to design more effective tools. In the previous section, I focused attention on critical aspects of facilitation that support learning in a collaborative networked environment. I directed attention to the particular communication variables of context, socio-emotional messages as well as intra-personal and interpersonal task-oriented messages, and discussed the role of feedback in relation to collaborative learning. In the next two sections of the guide, I discuss software developments in order to highlight specific features of existing technology which might be used to facilitate aspects of collaborative learning. First, I focus on intra-personal learning support tools. Specifically, I describe the use of the following: ‘‘simple’’ personal construct display systems, which help learners sort out the meaning of their own ideas; personal information systems such as outliners, mind mapping which help learners organize and represent ideas so they can see how their ideas fit together; and icon, graphic tools and simple simulation creation tools, which help the learner formulate mental ideas in some tangible form. Second, I focus on group software, interpersonal groupware and discuss specific features of existing tools to demonstrate how they might support collaborative learning. I am not proposing software replacement for human facilitation in collaborative network learning. Rather, I demonstrate that there are software tools currently available which facilitate aspects of the learning process. Computer facilitation support tools can compliment, enhance, and at times provide new support functions in an on-line environment.

Helping Learners Sort Out the Meaning of Personal Constructs
Often learners have not tried to sort out the meaning of the constructs that they are developing in their own mind. Often ideas do not get formulated until the learner tries to express them. Dr. Mildred Shaw, who works in the area of personal construct theory developed and continues to refine tools. Shaw (1987) presented a software tool which provides individuals with an opportunity to formulate and re-formulate their own personal construct system. The software provides valuable knowledge to the learner in a safe environment, prior to sharing and comparing constructs with others. The system probes the learner to discover similarities and differences between elements (chunks of experience) much as a human facilitator might do. In her report, Dr. Shaw provides a simple example of how a learner might formulate knowledge about the construct of managerial effectiveness. The screens below help illustrate how the software would be used. First, the learner enters the specific purpose for the session, and is asked to keep the purpose in mind. The bottom half of the window will change as the elements and constructs are formulated. The next thing that the learner does is think of some managers and add these as elements of experience. The learner adds five managers to the elements window. The learner then engages in "triadic elicitation" in which s/he specifies in what way one of the three differs from the other two managers in the group of managers selected randomly by the system. The learner decides that AJ and BH are alike and different from VK. The learner types, ‘’needs supervision’’ as one pole of the construct. He would define the other end of the pole as the opposite, ‘’doesn't need supervision’’ The learner then rates all other elements on this scale. He can put the other managers anywhere on the scale. The learner has now created his first construct. He can now continue developing additional constructs using randomly generated triads from the five original managers. As a method to clarify his constructs, s/he can select the ‘’Highest Match box’’. This process takes him to a screen showing which constructs are matched. He can see from the display that when he is saying that a manager is a ‘’poor communicator’’, he is also saying that the manager has a ‘’narrow view’’. This situation could occur if the learner always associates ‘’poor communication’’ with having a ‘’narrow view.’’ The learner has the opportunity to further clarify this construct by adding another element to the list who is either a ‘’a poor communicator’’ and ‘’open minded’’ or ‘’a good communicator’’ and ‘’has a narrow view.’’ The learner can continue this process to externalize his/her own intra-personal knowledge structure, which is often out of his conscious awareness. When the learner becomes consciously aware of how s/he organizes his/her knowledge, s/he acquires valuable information which can support additional personal learning and construct reformulation. Shaw reports that learners generally respond favorably to the display and demonstrate a high degree of personal ownership. In contrast, messages supplied by an outside facilitator may not have the same degree of credibility and be dismissed. Once individual learners have formulated constructs individually they have an opportunity to share the constructs with others in their network. It is also possible to engage in ‘’perspective taking’’. To indicate his degree of understanding of other members constructs, the learner would complete a construct elicitation procedure on a scale created by another participant. The learner would complete the procedure as if he were the other individual. The system would then compare the degree of match. The results would indicate how closely the learner understood the other persons view of the selected aspect of the world.

Helping Learners Organize Ideas
‘’’Hyperinformation’’’ Much of the early process of concept formation consists of fragmented ideas, data, and pieces of information that may fit together only partially or possibly not at all. Some ideas may fit into a particular pattern while others may be in conflict. Hyperinformation systems provide a way for a learner to document and refine his/her own intra-personal communication process and eventually share that with other learners. According to Jeff Conklin (1987) each node could be thought of as representing a single concept or idea. In his analogy to semantic nets, he explains that the nodes and the links between nodes reveal the conceived interrelationships among ideas. For example, using the old notecard metaphor, the learners could display their own personal concepts in notecard shapes and then link them to other cards. The learners could also select from a library of icons to create a visualization of their personal knowledge system. Eventually, the individual learner may want to share a representation with others in the network as part of the on-line collaborative learning process. Intelligent linkages for new connections between ideas. When one adds minimal intelligence to the above systems, the learner might possibly be prompted to see relationships or connections not previously contemplated. Personal information management tools provide for the formation of linkages between bits of information, not previously specified by the user. They look for similarities in the personal database and make connects or advise the user of conflicts. While limited in intelligence and available only in a local environment, they provide a flavor of how intelligent support tools might aid the learner in discovering construct not readily evident. Research is currently being conducted on intelligent information systems which could support the learner in a distributed environment through display of previously undefined relationships in graphic as well as text form.

Visualization
Easy graphic and iconic display exemplified by systems such as the early outlining tools in word processing software as well as mind-mapping can facilitate the intra-personal learning process. The ease with which users can create pictorial representations of internal concepts, manipulate, and then share them with others is worthy of exploration, particularly for the visually oriented learner. Work is currently underway to extend these display capabilities to distributed networks for collaborative dialog.

Modeling software
Today, we are accustomed to working within the simulated environment of a desktop model of documents, an "in and out" tray, and "trash bins." The screen desktop has become the model of the world within which the user edits. A generic modeling tool of similar ease-of-use could help any learner formulate his/her current model of the world. The learner could share the model with others to test out hypotheses and understanding. A simple to use modeling tool has great potential. The learner would be able to externalize his intra-personal processes as they emerge. The learner could test out the validity of a construct system by making explicit his view of how properties would work together. Once constructed, other members of the learning group could "step" inside the simulated world to test out differences of opinion about the world, thus collecting data and verifying hunches as part of knowledge creation. The world could be a simulated business, or it could very well be the internals of new piece of hardware. These tools provide support for the intra-personal processes occurring within the learner. They help the learner sort out personal constructs, organize their own ideas and create graphic or simulated models of ideas. Ideally, one would expect the different intra-personal support tools to be sharable in a distributed networked configuration.

Interpersonal Support and Groupware for collaborative learning
Purposeful communication in groups is one of the key features of effective learning. A class of software, called groupware, allows individuals to collaborate across barriers of space and time to change the way we work. Not only is groupware revolutionizing the way people work, it also has great potential for supporting the learning progress in collaborative groups. In this section, I will highlight several different kinds of groupware and discuss how they can facilitate collaborative networked learning. In specific I will focus on general knowledge worker support tools, specific features of groupware which could help build positive context, different tools for providing feedback in CMC collaboration. I also describe software that allows learners to share their personal construct displays with one another.

Knowledge worker tools
A number of tools are currently in use can be re-directed to support collaborative group work. Some of these have direct relevance to interpersonal aspects of group learning. Meeting facilitation tools for knowledge workers, although originally designed for collaborative work, can be utilized in direct support of the learning process, in a least two ways: to document and make publicly accessible the pooled knowledge among a group, to aid the group in development of a commonly shared integration of their individual knowledge. One seminal experiment with groupware, ‘’’Cognoter’’’ at Xexor PARC, provided for three distinct phases of group activity in support of a final presentation of a group idea (knowledge). The tool assisted the group in managing ideas to reach a shared consensus. In the process of working with the tools, members of the collaborating team engage in goal-directed behavior in three phases. Cognoter supported generation and sharing of ideas through group display, grouping ideas conceptually and linking ideas, consensus or final ordering of ideas into like categories for presentation of the group results. A critical feature of this software is the interface which provides for a graphic display of linkages between ideas.

Context building--Message structuring in interpersonal CMC
Each computer based conferencing system has its own unique structure for participants to provide feedback. Different systems provide for different organization of messages and feedback. For example, messages may be organized in linear fashion with replies( feedback messages) following each topic (original message). Other systems organize messages into keyword categories so that feedback are automatically associated with pre-defined key ideas. Still in other systems, graphic tree structures are used to display the organization of messages and replies. Messages and feedback structures can be in linked structures. Consequently, the learner would have extreme flexibility in structuring ideas and concepts and receiving feedback from others. While the communication richness of the system is vital to collaboration, the balance between variety of options and complexity of use will certainly influence acceptance of any system to support learning.

Voting
One useful feature for building shared group knowledge is the use of consensus assessment routines such as voting. Voting has been a popular feature of system. It provides a mechanism for formal feedback. Systems provide a wide variety of pre-defined,1-5 rating scales as well as techniques for rank ordering items. User have the capability of defining their own scales for eliciting feedback on their ideas from other participants.

Annotation
‘’Annotation’’ is feedback which allows one learner to send a message and another to respond in either voice or written form at any particular point in the message. Collaborative authoring tools allow to prepare a final written group document. Annotation messages can provide feedback up to five levels, comments on comments on comments, etc, as the group continues to refine its knowledge. At the end of the process, the group can review a listing of the ideas that influenced the group decision process over time and version. Not only is the group able to create knowledge together but they also have a record of feedback messages to on another to help them improve their overall group process.

Anonymous messaging
One way that computer conferencing has developed for sharing ideas that are risky, is to provide for anonymous messaging. The message can be posted with the "FROM" portion of the message stripped off. When trust is low in a team, anonymous messaging can provide an opportunity for individuals to address sensitive issues. For instance, an anonymous message might help the group focus on its on 'process' at a time when no individual member felt comfortable owning the observation.

Private messaging
Another strategy is for groups members to establish themselves as a private group. In an intact group which is private, participants know that any messages shared will only be available to members of the group. If I knew that only a trusted group of individuals would have access to my messages, then I would be more willing to express ideas openly. Restricted, closed groups and private messaging are useful for increasing level of trust, and open dialog. However, the possibility of learning which might occur from open exchange with a variety of divergent opinions is lost when the group restricts access to the outside world. Both options are available in all forms of non broadcast electronic exchange. The decision is made based upon the purpose and desired outcomes of the group.

Simultaneous sending and receiving of feedback.
In two person conversational networks such as video or audio conferencing, users observe the turn taking rituals of face to face conversation. One person usually does not offer feedback until someone else stops speaking. In a group, however, individuals may break apart and speak in small units simultaneously. Usually, in CMC electronic systems the receiver would have to wait until the message had been sent to provide feedback. However, participant systems have been development which allow a group to display messages and provide feedback to each other without waiting for a replying. Each user has an assigned window in which his/her message is displayed. Participants are free to structure their own interaction. Members of the group each have a window unique to the sender for display of text messages. Each can provide messages or feedback to the group as a whole or to individual members simultaneous. Each member of the group is able to compare the feedback from several participants at the same time.

Hyperinformation for group concept formation
In the discussion of intra-personal tools, I explored how a hypermedia system might be used for manipulating ideas and concepts. The same software when distributed can be profitably used in group collaboration. Not only do hypertext and hypericon systems provide a way for learners to group different symbols together as well as document their reason for the connection name the links. For example, a team of writers who have all gathered information about different products, might want to pool their different individual pieces of information into a number of shared concepts(topics) for a final report of their knowledge. For example, given information about objects such as tape, floppy disk, CD-ROM, and hard drive. One participants might link the tape, floppy disk and CD-ROM together with a link such as "used with" Personal Computers while another might link the CD-ROM, tape, and hard drive together as "types of storage.’ Each writer could link any number of diverse pieces of information together to represent how s/he is organizing his/her knowledge. Once the structures are graphically revealed in a web-like structure of nodes and links, the different participants can now manipulate the structures through a graphic editor. By sharing their individual structures, members of the team would be able to form a new knowledge structure from which they could now all work together. Through the representation and sharing with this tool, each member has learned together through the collaborative efforts of the others.

Sharing personal constructs in a network
It is desirable for learners to share ideas which they have formed and externalized as part of their intra-personal learning process. An electronic networked environment can facilitate interpersonal knowledge creation and sharing, as Dr. Mildred Shaw has developed over the years at the University of Calgary Shaw has developed and demonstrated a working model of a networking participant system which provides for the sharing of knowledge about personal constructs. The system takes advantage of the graphic interface in a network   Instead of constructing personal construct displays just for one's own understanding, members of a group agree on an area of common knowledge to be explored. Each participant would then individually develop their construct display girds. The completed grids would be stored in a database for later manipulation. Each participant then calls up the completed original and makes two copies, omitting the ratings. The participant then completes the other member's construct grid for oneself and then as if s/he were the originator. The degree of match is computed and then all three grids are displayed together. The learner can now see where the knowledge of the world is the same as or different from that of other members of the group. The sharable graphic display allows one member to see how others view the world, and can help them understand and use the constructs of others.

Return to CNL Guide Main Page


text:
User talk:129.31.77.98

Hello and welcome to Wikibooks!

Here are some tips to help you get started:
 * You should sign your name on Talk and vote pages using four tildes, like this: ~~~~.
 * Remember to conduct any editing experiments in the sandbox.
 * If you're a Wikipedian, see Wikibooks for Wikipedians for a primer on how things work here (it's a little different).
 * If you want to base your work here on materials from Wikipedia, please use WB:RFI to bring the material over in compliance with the GFDL.
 * If you're an instructor and plan on using wikibooks for a class project, see Guidelines for class projects
 * Please say hello at the Staff Lounge with any questions or ideas.
 * Eventually, you might want to read the Manual of Style and Policies and Guidelines.
 * Please take a look at Naming policy before starting a new book.
 * Remember to maintain a Neutral point of view.
 * Explore, be bold in editing pages, and have fun!

You will find more resources in Community Portal. If you want to ask a question, visit the Study help desk, the Staff lounge, IRC channel or ask me personally on my talk page. For site news, see the Bulletin board. It might be an idea if you add this page to your "watchlist" so that you can see when any new information is posted there.

Good luck!

If you like what you see here, feel free to make an account! Mattb112885 01:54, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

Signals and Systems
MAny of the links that you added to the Circuit Theory book should probably have been put in the Signals and Systems book. The latter covers topics such as filtering and such. --Whiteknight (talk) (projects) 00:41, 19 February 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:129.31.77.98


text:
Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/Conclusion

=Conclusion= A collaborative networked learning environment is one promising response to the learning demands of the new age of connectivity. In this new age of connectivity, the human value-added is in the ability to learn quickly and constantly in the face of rapid change. Consequently, in this guide I have focused on how to facilitate and support the learning process in an on-line collaborative networked environment. I have focused on key characteristics of communication which go beyond simple data and information transmission to the symbolic communication necessary for value-added learning to occur in today's workplace. Value-added learning involves both intra-personal and interpersonal communication processes. In this guide, I discussed facilitation within the framework of a group communication model. The model and knowledge shared in this report can serve as the basis for developing guidelines for facilitators of collaborative networked learning. It is important to focus on the following summary statements as guidelines: learners form concepts based on perceived similarities and differences among examples, e.g. data and information from the work environment, sufficiently rich data and information is available on-line from co-workers and external databases to aid learning and knowledge creation, socio-emotional messages can establish and maintain a context where members trust one another, mutual trust supports learning and encourages the personal risk taking necessary to share ideas, articulate tentative constructs, and test out hypotheses about the world, representational tools and strategies that facilitate intra-personal message formulation need to be available for on-line interpersonal communication in order for the learner to validate personal constructs. communication strategies and tools which facilitate interpersonal message sharing need also to create and provide access to a record of group messages, a group database, as an aid to memory and an additional source of examples for other learners from other networks, and communication norms and a messaging structure which elicit and process feedback from participants are necessary to validate learning in the real world. Finally, I highlighted key features of software that will support on-line collaborative learning, not as a substitute for effective human communication but as tools to enhance and augment human intelligence in the workplace. As a means of helping the reader visualize how learning might be supported, I sighted examples of the following categories of support tools: personal construct elicitation, personal information management tools such as hyperinformation and information management with intelligent linkages, and visualization and modeling tools to facilitate externalization of constructs. I also highlighted features of groupware which could be included as part of the on-line interpersonal communication learning support system. I discussed the following features: knowledge worker tools which help groups share ideas and compare conceptual linkages, context building features of groupware, sharing feedback and refining ideas such as voting and annotation and simultaneous sending and receiving of feedback, hyperinformation for group concept formation, and sharing personal constructs with others in a network. All of these features taken together help us visualize how to support learning in a collaborative networked environment. The knowledge about software support for intra-personal and group learning form the basis for design of present and future electronic learning environments. Together they begin to call attention to design features which could enhance and support learning.

Return to CNL Guide Main Page


text:
Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/Introduction/Advanced

=New Age of pervasive connectivity= A collaborative networked learning environment is one promising response to the learning demands of the new age of pervasive, wireless connectivity. In this new age of connectivity, the human value-added is in the ability to learn quickly and constantly in the face of rapid change.

One might begin the journey by focusing on how to facilitate and support the learning process in an on-line collaborative networked environment. Not only does one need to turn the traditional model of learning upside down to construct a new model of collaboration but also a new model of learning as construction. It is a model of drawing out and drawing together ideas and participants rather than a model of memory and recall of existing accepted knowledge to fill in the tabla rasa.

The key characteristics of communication go beyond simple data and information transmission to the symbolic communication necessary for value-added learning to occur in today's workplace and other physical and virtual learning space.

Value-added learning involves both intra-personal and interpersonal communication processes.

Facilitation occurs within the framework of a group communication model. The model and knowledge shared can serve as the basis for developing guidelines for facilitators of collaborative networked learning. It is important to focus on the following summary statements as guidelines: learners form concepts based on perceived similarities and differences among examples, e.g. data and information from the work environment, sufficiently rich data and information is available on-line from co-workers and co-learns and external databases to aid learning and knowledge creation, socio-emotional messages can establish and maintain a context where members trust one another, mutual trust supports learning and encourages the personal risk taking necessary to share ideas, articulate tentative constructs, and test out hypotheses about the world, representational tools and strategies that facilitate intra-personal message formulation need to be available for on-line interpersonal communication in order for the learner to validate personal constructs.

Communication strategies and tools which facilitate interpersonal message sharing need also to create and provide access to a record of group messages, a group database, as an aid to memory and an additional source of examples for other learners from other networks, and communication norms and a messaging structure which elicit and process feedback from participants are necessary to validate learning in the real world.

Performance platforms can be created to support on-line collaborative learning, not as a substitute for effective human communication but as tools to enhance and augment human intelligence in the workplace or adult learning spaces. Learning platforms might be supported through tools in the following categories: personal construct elicitation, personal information management tools such as hyper information and information management with intelligent linkages, and visualization and modeling tools to facilitate externalization of constructs. Features of groupware might be used to support on-line interpersonal communication. The features include: knowledge worker tools which help groups share ideas and compare conceptual linkages, context building features of groupware, sharing feedback and refining ideas such as voting and annotation and simultaneous sending and receiving of feedback, hyper information for group concept formation, and sharing personal constructs with others in a network.

All of these features taken together help us visualize how to support learning in a collaborative networked environment. The knowledge about software support for intra-personal and group learning form the basis for design of present and future electronic learning environments. Together they begin to call attention to design features which could enhance and support learning. In the current age of wireless, pervasive connectivity, we challenge ourselves and our models to support just in time learning anywhere, anytime.

Return to CNL Guide Main Page


text:
Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/Introduction/Intermediate

Collaborative Networked learning, therefore, would occur in the context of a group with a mission or agree-upon-purpose. The work involves the structuring and restructuring of conceptual knowledge. The final product is a message, an external artifact of the group knowledge at a particular point in time,which communicates the knowledge of the group. The message might take the form of a program, a report, a strategy document, a diagram, a drawing etc. Learning-work involves the cognitive processes of assimilation—intake of information from the environment, accommodation—restructuring to fit new into the old, present structure, and integration—directly fitting information into existing structure. And most importantly it involves the resolution of conflict between old and new structures,which can lead to innovation.

Two communication processes or type of dialogs are involved in learning-work: (1) Intra-personal communication—integration, and accommodation—involves processing within the individual. (2) Interpersonal communication involves assimilation—the intake of information from the environment—and representation of one's knowledge structure in a form and medium that can be shared with another person. As one person,shares ideas with another person, the process becomes an on-going loop from assimilation through representation of knowledge structures.

At any point the learner may represent his/her ideas in order to test out hypotheses to gain agreement or validation. When members of a mission oriented group create shared knowledge structure and produce an artifact such as a written report or a software program, for example, they engage in learning to created a product which is their collective knowledge.

As you study the different parts of the guide, it may be useful to keep this model in mind and use it as a basis for developing your own insight and focusing your knowledge creation process.

Return to CNL Guide Main Page


text:
Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/Introduction/Beginner

=Collaboration--Across Time and Distance: A Premier=

Channel Selection
Electronically networked group involves different communication channels than when working one to one. Selecting an appropriate channel for the each tasks may accomplish the objectives. Adler and Elmhost (2005) consider five important factors to help one decide when, where and how to communicate, such as the time required to receive feedback, amount of information conveyed, sender’s control over the message, control over receiver’s attention and effectiveness for detailed message. In order to determine when to meet face-to-face or when to send e-mail or perhaps when to send a simple instant text message, consult Table 1.1 page 13 in Adler and Rodman, Understanding Human Communication 9th edition for guidance.

Feedback Strategy: Feedback messages without nonverbal clues
As part of a face-to-face group individuals are constantly reading the nonverbal communication such as gestures, facial express, voice tone, and change in body position. In essence, the communicators are monitoring the interaction looking for feedback that says "how things are going." These feedback messages are both verbal and non-verbal. Communicators become accustomed to reading the nonverbal messages for level of understanding, agreement, or meaning that is shared among the participants in the interaction. In many collaborative networked environments, the non-verbal messages are reduced or non-existent. Participants develop special strategies for eliciting and sharing feedback in networked environments. For example, in an electronic network involving only text-based computer mediated communication (CMC) the feedback is more restricted than in other networks.

Process Facilitation—how are we doing as a group
While any participant may assume responsibility for eliciting feedback and confirming meaning from other participants, all members of the learning group share the responsibility for clarification and confirmation. Each individual participates actively to let others know their current level of understanding or acceptance. David and Roger Johnson (1994) offer some general advice for providing feedback which will help create a group context which supports group communication. Based on their research in collaborative group learning environments, they offer the following ground rules for providing effective feedback:

Effective feedback is as immediate as possible; rather than allowing misunderstandings to multiple and continue through a series of exchanges, members check for understanding regularly.

Effective feedback focuses on description and personal interpretations of messages rather than judgment or evaluation.

Effective feedback focuses on the particular message or behavior of the participant rather than imagined personality traits.

Effective feedback is personal such as I perceive... or I understand rather than impersonal such as The general perception is..... or The level of understanding is ......

Effective feedback provides only the amount of information that can be understood or is meaningful at the time, rather than a dissertation.

Effective feedback is specific and focused rather than general and abstract. It is meaningful within the present context of the group communication.

Feedback about group process is important.
One often neglected aspect of feedback is the collaborative process itself. The Johnsons suggest that members of a group who are attempting to engage in collaborative group work focus feedback on group process as well as the specific content of the group efforts. Elaine Kerr (1985,p. 16) " Small task-oriented groups need to occasionally pause to talk about the process itself: participant rates, the tone of the conversation, conflicts, feelings about the process, impacts, observations and problems of using the system, equipment..." Creating a special time or electronic space for this type of feedback is vital to the on-going success of the collaboration.

If the team is to continue to collaborate and grow as a group, then it will need to focus on its own interaction as a group. Sharing observations about process in the group can help group members become aware of where the group is collectively and how individuals have contributed to that direction. Observation of this nature provides the feedback necessary for groups to improve their overall productivity and satisfaction.

Collaborative Group Productivity suggestions
Get to Know the members

Review the background introduction profiles Share fears, success and concerns about collaborative team work Group Memory

As part of the work process it is important to create a group memory or repository of content date.

Use the chat room with “record” selected to archive the decisions and discussion. Use the discussion forum conference to post and discuss ideas rather than sending individual attachment emails. Project Management Hints Create time tables for different phases.

Set expectations about individual and group deliverables.

Follow-up discussion and meetings with summarized agreements and reminders of timelines.

Return to CNL Guide Main Page


text:
Basic Writing/Invention

Invention:
Determining the subject and focus of a writing project; the foundation upon which a composition is constructed. Or, in two words or less: idea discovery.

What do they want from me?
Many people begin college composition class assignments with this question, although not many will say it out loud. Well, what do they want from you? First, ask yourself, who is "they"? For many people the only possible "they" is the instructor, but that is not completely true. Behind that instructor is every writing teacher the instructor ever had; the university's general education goals for that class, which can be quite specific; writing theorists the instructor may have read; and of course, the other people in your class who will certainly be reading your writing in peer revision groups. In other words, instead of a single instructor to please, you have an audience.

Luckily, as spokesperson for this audience your instructor has given you a map of sorts -- the assignment sheet. Read this carefully. After reading it, read it again, only this time use a colored marker to highlight key points such as when it's due, page count, type of writing (genre), style (MLA, APA...), and most importantly, anything resembling an ingredients list. If your instructor has given you a bulleted list, you're home free. This is honestly what "they" want.

What if the assignment is vague or uses terms you find unfamiliar? That can happen. What you do then is ask questions, preferably in class when the instructor is going over the assignment for the first time. This may sound obvious, but some students enter college with remnants of the "be cool" attitude left over from high school where sometimes, not always, but sometimes, asking questions was seen as "dumb" or "sucking up" and greeted by eye-rolling or worse by other students. A university is different. Asking questions is what successful students do, and if you have thought of the question, chances are many others in the class have thought of it too and will be grateful that someone spoke up. The instructor will be glad too--questions mean you're paying attention and care whether or not the class goes well for you.

What do I know?
In anything that you choose to write about, you will have some sort of advanced knowledge. It may not be much, but it will give you a spring-board to a starting point in your research.

 * For instance, if your topic is World War II, think about the key names of leaders and maybe some places involved: Winston Churchill, D-Day, Blitzkrieg. You don't have to know much about a topic, but you can get a start without opening a book if you just think about what you already know. You will probably not know specific statistics or dates at first, but you will know where to start.
 * Another topic you might choose is climate change. Think about the key names of leaders and maybe some terms involved: Al Gore, car emissions, the polar icecaps. Again, you don’t have to know much about a topic; you just think about what you already know.

What do I need to find out?

 * Once you have your general topic—like World War II (WWII), for instance—and you’ve established what you already know about it, then you need to determine what it is you would like to know more about it. Because WWII is too vast a subject to read or write about with any detail for the purposes of your instructor’s assignment, you need to narrow your focus to something more specific about WWII.  For instance, you may have jotted down “symbols” when writing down what you already know about the topic.  Therefore, you might decide that you want to know more about what kind of symbols were used during WWII and, even more specifically, what kind of symbols were used by the Nazis to mark their enemies.  So you look through a book about WWII, or you google “WWII symbols,” and you learn that the colors and shapes determined what the wearer's offense was according to the Nazis.  If you decide at this point that you want this to be the specific subject of your paper, then you need to learn as much as you can about the symbols as it relates to WWII, but be wary still that even this topic may be too large for a short paper (i.e. 5-10 pages).  Your subsequent research can be narrowed, however, by asking yourself questions like some of the following: When and why were they designed? What was its function for the wearer and the Nazis? What were the different symbols used for? Which symbol was most used and why? and so on. From there you need to decide on a specific question that you wish to answer in your paper, do the necessary research for that question, and then begin the writing process.
 * Let's speak to the other sample topic of climate change. You may have jotted down “ozone” when writing down what you already know about the topic. Therefore, you might decide that you want to know more about the ozone layer. So you look through a book about climate change, or you Google “climate change + causes” and you learn by filtering through various sources that may or may not be biased in their reporting.

What is the point of the paper?
Have you ever seen a preview for a movie that was misleading? You thought you were going to see a movie about guys having an adventure in the wilderness and how they survive only to discover the movie is really a documentary about a family of ants. The disappointment and misunderstanding that follows is what your audience will feel like if your topic is not specific, and if the rest of your paper does not make good on the promise of your introductory paragraph, which should give a clear preview of the rest of your paper.

The point of your paper is to reveal to your audience the details and information about your particular topic. The specific question that you want to answer about your topic will therefore guide your entire paper. The answer is sometimes called a thesis, and much of the writing you will do in university classes is thesis-driven writing. Once you know what your thesis is, you can then make sure that everything in the paper connects to it in some way. The goal is for your paper to look and sound like a crystal stream instead of a muddy ocean. There may be many things that you are interested in discussing in your paper. However, a paper must have one focus (or thesis) to sound clear.

Once you have your thesis, some of the following brainstorming ideas may be helpful to determine what best fits under your topic. Brainstorming will also help you expand the sub-points. Every topic has the option of a variety of sub-topics, but not all sub-topics go together. You need to decide which sub-topics answer the main question that you are trying to answer. Even if you are really attached to a particular sub-topic -- which at some point you will be -- cut it out! Think of it as the bad boyfriend or girlfriend that you can't seem to let go of, yet you know that letting go is the best choice for everyone involved. Break up with that sub-topic and never look back!

Sources of Inspiration
Many times an instructor will give you the option of choosing your topic for an assignment. This can be a daunting task for anyone. Sometimes having a choice of everything is so big that you end up not being able to think of anything to write about! However, just look around. Something is bound to spark your interest and give you a good starting idea for your assignment. Any of the following can be sources rich with inspiration for topics to write about:
 * Media:
 * Art
 * Literature
 * Music
 * Movies
 * Other Media (i.e. newspapers, magazines, television, internet-browsing, etc.)
 * Dreams:
 * Your dreams, whether real-life occupational/career goals, personal wishes/wants, or even those you have while sleeping or staring out the window while driving, can frequently contain topics or ideas worthy of writing about.
 * Memories/Experiences:
 * Thinking about who you are and the experiences that inform your identity can be a fruitful exercise for coming up with writing topics or ways to approach a particular topic.
 * Personal Interests: Favorite recent movie: The Martian because I cried at the end of the book and for once the movie got it right. Favorite sport to watch: soccer because I like the agility, speed, and endurance levels of the players. I also like it that it’s not overly violent and it has international appeal. Favorite sport to play: volleyball because I associate it with beaches, summer, family and friends getting together. Favorite TV show: CSI because I learn something every time—it’s the science instruction I never had. I also love it that the main character gets excited about and seems to know everything about bugs. Favorite piece of nonfiction: Brain Droppings by George Carlin because George is hilarious while dissecting the English language, society, and taboo subjects. Favorite popular fiction book: the Harry Potter series because it’s clever and it transports me. Plus, I love it because it led kids to love reading. Favorite Magazine: Entertainment Weekly because I enjoy consuming popular culture during my down time and the writers of that magazine manage to be smart and provocative about pop culture. Favorite kind of music: Lady Gaga because she’s talented musically, and her lyrics connect to my life. Favorite kind of vacation: beach because I like to get up really early and walk on the beach to watch the sun rise, because I love seafood, sea breeze, salt water, sand, sun, breakfast on the terrace overlooking the ocean, because I love dinner on the terrace overlooking the ocean; I love the waves and the unending movement of the seas. Favorite type of food: Asian because I adore all kinds of vegetables, really enjoy hot food, and like the experience of eating with chopsticks.
 * Journalling:
 * Keep track of your ideas and emotions on a regular basis. These thoughts can be the starting point for an assignment or may provide those extra details needed to make the paper more effective. Through tons of research, keeping a journal has been proven to help your writing for personal or academic papers. Reflecting on things around you as well as things you read and talk about in class will point you in the direction you need to go to improve your writing skills.
 * Discussions with family, friends, colleagues, etc.
 * Research
 * Imagination
 * Browsing:
 * "Staring down the Spines": Go to the library. Stand amongst the shelves of the topic you are going to write about. Staring at or reading the spines of these books can often initiate an inspiration or two.

Use Pre-writing to:

 * think more clearly
 * establish the beginning of your paper
 * keep track of your ideas
 * organize your ideas into a conducive paper
 * practice expressing yourself in writing

Prewriting/Writing Activities
The following are techniques that can aid in the composition process, either in coming up with ideas or in working through various obstacles along the way:
 * Listing:
 * Listing allows the writer to accomplish several important tasks:
 * Finding a topic
 * Determining whether you have enough information for a topic before proceeding: After narrowing down your topic, create a list with everything
 * Narrowing the topic: If writing about World War II, for example, the focus will need to be on a specific component of WWII or there will be too much information. Make a list of everything you know about WWII. Then decide which topic interests you the most by crossing of those topics that don't interest you as much.
 * Example:

"The thing to remember about outlining is that you can't have a support with only one compliment. If you have an 'A.' then you have to have a 'B.'"
 * Free-writing:
 * Similar to listing, only in this case you simply start writing in sentence form literally anything that comes to mind in context of thinking about your topic and/or assignment.
 * Napping:
 * Seriously! Taking a 5-10 minute nap can help rejuvenate the mind and relax you enough to release the tension that comes with writing.
 * Meditation:
 * Finding a place where you can sit in silence for 5-10 minutes and simply focusing on nothing but your breathing can be a surprisingly effective means of "silencing the noise" in your mind prior to writing, allowing you to better focus on the task at hand without internal distractions.
 * Mini-computer games:
 * When stuck on a topic or during writing, playing simple but repetitive computer games like Minesweeper can help relax the mind (i.e. it serves as a kind of meditation).
 * Outline
 * This form of prewriting is geared more toward organization. It groups your thoughts into a definite main point and the supporting detail. So using the topic of "Badges," the outline would being as follows:
 * Clustering/Brainstorming/Mapping
 * Clustering is a primarily visual form of pre-writing. You start out with a central idea written in the middle of the page. You can then form main ideas which stem from the central idea. In this case, you've narrowed the topic down to "Badges." The ideas stemming from that central idea are all having to do with the central idea, but different aspects of that idea. Once the main ideas contain enough information for you to write about, you can determine in what order you will present the ideas in your paper.

 * Storyboarding:
 * Storyboarding functions in much the same way as Clustering-Brainstorming. It has definite advantages, though. In storyboarding, the ideas are written on note cards in much the same way a Hollywood screenplay is organized. In this instance, you can write information you have gathered about World War II symbols/badges. For instance, say in your research, you find information on rebellions against badges. You can write all of that information on a note card, but make sure you make a note as to where the information came from so that you can easily go back and check your sources and cite them properly. The next note card will cover another topic, say, types of badges and the employment of those badges. The next card can cover the beginnings of their use, and so on.

Why Pre-Write?
Prewriting for even 5 to 20 minutes can help you establish what you already know about a paper topic, as well as aid you in discovering where you would like to go with a paper (i.e. what you want to know). Doing so can often help prevent you from committing to superficial and/or mundane responses. Prewriting can help you find strong, thoughtful, and clear answers to questions posed by either the assignment or by your consideration of it. It can reveal to you those potential areas of personal interest within the writing task: in a manner of speaking, prewriting enables you to "discover" yourself within the context of your topic. It can also help you nail down responses--to move ideas from short-term memory into long-term or written memory--so that you can get to the work of writing rather than trying to remember what it is you want to say. That is, your thinking is often more clear and better focused when engaged in actual writing. As such, prewriting can act as a tool to stave off or break through what is commonly called "writer's block."

title: Basic Writing/Invention


text:
User:Jiayoujia

a new start

title: User:Jiayoujia


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Canary Cream

Overview
Canary Creams, a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes product, are trick pastries that turns the person eating them briefly into a canary.

Extended Description
Canary Creams outwardly look like custard creams, but have a spell on them that causes the consumer to change into a large canary. The spell lasts only a few seconds, after which time the canary moults, and the victim returns to his normal shape. The first victim is Neville Longbottom, but he is by no means the last; these bewitched treats, sold by Fred and George at seven Sickles apiece, are used extensively in the month between the Triwizard Tournament's First Task and Christmas.

Analysis
Canary Creams seem to play no important part in the story, except perhaps as a prelude to the Skiving Snackbox line that Fred and George will be perfecting in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. On their own, they are an indication of the type and extent of the twins' magical abilities, and more specifically of the nature of the tricks that they are likely to play.


text:
Basic Writing/Revising

Definition
Revising is re-vision--seeing your paper again. Revising is more than correcting spelling errors, it's finding clarity of thought. It could even be finding new thoughts you didn't have before you started the paper. You might find yourself getting rid of extra fluff.

As you were writing you were revising if you think about it. You had concerns about the paper as you were constructing it. Write those concerns down (make notes in the margin, highlight, make familiar marks) so that you can return to them. Identify what you think are strengths too and bring the rest of your paper to the level you are seeking.

Remember, "A work of art is not a matter of thinking beautiful thoughts or experiencing tender emotions but of intelligence, skill, taste, proportion, knowledge, discipline and industry; especially discipline," according to Evelyn Waugh, 1903-1966, English novelist, travel writer, and biographer.

When to Revise
Your first draft shouldn't be your final draft. No draft is ever perfect; there's always room for improvement. You have to have content to work with before you revise. You may want to allow yourself to finish a complete draft before you hamper the "creative springs" with revisions. After you have completed drafting your ideas and have established what you consider to be a complete product of the thoughts you intend to convey, then delve into the revision process.

Steps
Read carefully over your draft several times, with a different purpose in mind to check a specific problem each time (this is where it helps to know your common downfalls with writing). Look first for content (what you said), then organization (your arrangement of ideas), and finally style (the way you use words).

Listen carefully to your paper aloud for confusing statements or awkward wording. Listen for the paper's flow and pay attention to details one idea to the next. Each idea should come to some sort of conclusion while introducing the next idea, and each idea should relate to the one before it and the one after it.

Take time between readings. Allow yourself time to finish a paper (avoid procrastination if possible) so you can put it aside and read it fresh when you go back to it later, to be more objective.

Identify the specific problems with your weaker elements: content, organization, or style. Proofreading of mechanical errors, spelling, and punctuation will follow later.

The essential components of content are the intended purpose, sufficient support, and that all the details are related to the main idea of your paper.

 * Achieving the intended purpose--does it provide explanation, details, argument, or narration?
 * Providing sufficient support--does it need more detail, facts, examples to support the topic?
 * Including relevant details--do you need to cut any irrelevant "fluff" information?

The importance of organization is to arrange ideas and details to make the most effective order, and to connect ideas to show a clear logic of thought process.

 * Ideas and details are arranged in the most effective order--ideas and details should make your meaning more clear.
 * Ideas are logical and clear--use of appropriate transition words to relay the connection of thoughts (such as "therefore", "for example") and any use of sentence combining techniques.

The power of your style will make the meaning clear, interesting for the audience with purpose, and insure the sentences read smoothly.

 * Is the meaning clear--did you use vague or general terms where you need to be precise?
 * Is the language interesting, appropriate for audience and purpose--is the language to be formal or informal, did you avoid slang and cliches?
 * Is it smooth--did you use a variety of sentence structures?

Four steps to revising: add, cut, replace, and reorder. These are the words you can use in the margin of your paper as you read and make decisions to revise. If you know the standard editing marks you can make revision directly to the writing context. Standard Editing Marks (with additional common writing errors)

Questions you might ask of your final paper:
 * Are you saying what you mean to say?
 * Will your audience understand it?
 * Will it accomplish the purpose?

If you want to be more critical of your writing, judge its readability, clarity, and interest to its audience.

The Recommended Exercises

 * 1) As you write, keep notes of questionable areas.  An easy way to do this is to write the page number and a portion of the line of text that you find questionable.
 * 2) Read the paper aloud several times and listen for mistakes.  Once you are satisfied with your "read aloud" revisions, ask a couple of other people to read it.  You will be surprised by the feedback that you may receive.
 * 3) Divide your readings looking for content, organization, continuity, and style.
 * 4) Mark your paper where you want to add, cut, replace, and reorder.  Sometimes it also helps to get out your scissors and literally cut up your paper into chunks so that you can rearrange at random to see what order looks and sounds best to you.
 * 5) Take time between readings.  This might mean a short break to eat or walk the dog, for instance, or it might mean a longer break such as returning to your paper in twenty-four hours.  Everyone is different.  Do what works for you.
 * 6) Take time while reading.  In other words, take time to reflect on your thoughts.  Read one paragraph at a time, envisioning what you intended to say while keeping your audience in mind.  Sometimes it is helpful to stare at a blank wall while reflecting instead of staring at your paper or computer screen.  This will give your brain a chance for little cat naps, giving it an escape from the chaos of words, information, and eyestrain caused by staring at a computer screen (assuming that you are revising electronically).

Peer Revision
Peer revision has added benefits over revising by yourself. Other people can notice things in your paper that you didn't. Some instructors set aside class time for peer review, but even if your instructor doesn't, it's a good idea to seek out feedback from a classmate, roommate, or anyone at all who can offer a fresh perspective.

If you're the one who wrote the paper, make sure you tell your peer what your biggest concern with the paper is. If you need help writing a conclusion, you don't want your peer to spend time circling grammatical mistakes in a paragraph you were thinking about deleting anyway. Remember, your peer isn't just there to catch your mistakes, she might have some ideas about new material you can add to make your paper more exciting.

On the other hand, if you're the one who is reviewing your peer's paper, think about what you'd want in her place. Ask if there's anything she's having trouble with. Be nice, of course, but don't be so nice that you aren't helpful. She may like to hear "Good job," but make sure to explain what you liked about the paper and where you think it could be even better. Remember, it's not about whether the paper is good or bad, it's about how it can be improved.

You have a responsibility to the student whose paper you are reading. Be familiar with the qualities and requirements of the assignment. Consider its merits and shortcomings to provide a complete evaluation and then ask those questions that ask the author about particular segments or certain evidence to support arguments to encourage discussion over the paper.

Possible list of peer revision questions:
 * 1) What is the writer's purpose?
 * 2) Does the writing include all the necessay characteristics of its particular type (cause-and-effect, narrative, research, etc.)?
 * 3) Is the writing organized logically?
 * 4) Has the writer used language that enhances her message?
 * 5) Is the writing unified/coherent?
 * 6) Did you point out the strength(s) or part(s) you found interesting?
 * 7) Is there any part that required more information?
 * 8) Is there any part that was irrelevant?
 * 9) Did you answer any questions the reader had about her writing?

Talking with someone else about your paper will always help you re-evaluate your content. Sometimes it reassures you that you've got it right; sometimes it reveals to you the places that need work. It is always a good idea to share your work before submitting the final draft.

title: Basic Writing/Revising


text:
Template:Collaborative Networked Learning: A Guide/TOC

Newcomer
Readers who are new to the concept of collaborative learning and the rationale for collaborative networked learning. This page should be used by readers who have little knowledge of collaborative learning or are just interested in a general overview.

Participant
Readers who are actively engaged in collaborative learning and want to improve their practice.

Facilitator and Designer
Readers who have studied collaborative learning and are in the process of implementing and designing systems for schools or the workplace.

Overview
CNL Overview and Rationale

Communication Models
Intra-personal and interpersonal communication involves new models of electronic group communication.

Socio-emotional Messages
“Explanations of Intra-personal and Interpersonal Socio-emotional Messages

Task Oriented Messages
Explanation of Intra-personal and Interpersonal Task Oriented Messages

Eliciting and Contributing Feedback
Overview of rationale and strategy for

Software Support for CNL
Details and implications related to the use of various Categories of intra-personal, interpersonal and group software.

Conclusion
Summary of Key Concepts

References and Notes
Sources for follow-up and additional reading.


text:
Basic Writing/Editing

What is editing?
Editing is sometimes confused with Revising, or with Proofreading. After you feel you've revised the draft as much as is needed, editing comes into play. Editing involves a number of small changes in a draft that can make a big difference in the draft's readability and coherence. Editing can happen at several points in the drafting process--not just at the end to "fix" things that are wrong. When it comes to writing, it isn't so much about making mistakes that you have to correct. No, there is always an assortment of options, many of which are right. Experienced writers learn which choices fit together well for them, and luckily for you, the secret to becoming an experienced writer is to practice. You can do that.

So, what kinds of things happen when editing? Here are a few.

 * word changes
 * minor sentence rearrangement
 * added transitions
 * changes for clarity
 * minor deletions

What should I edit for?
Three main areas that should be addressed in editing are: Content, Structure, and Mechanics.

When editing the content of your writing, it is important to make sure your work has a clear focus or main idea. By asking yourself a few questions, you can avoid incomplete thoughts and/or irrelevant material. The following is a checklist you can use in editing your content:

 * I have discovered what is important about my topic.

 * I have expressed the main idea clearly.

 * I have removed material that is unnecessary, confusing, or irrelevant.

Editing for structure ensures that your ideas are presented in a logical order. A single idea should be represented in each paragraph. Transitions serve to make the relationships between ideas clear. The following checklist is helpful in editing structure:

 * My ideas are logically connected to one another.

 * Each paragraph deals with only one major idea.

 * I have included appropriate transitional words or phrases.

Refining the mechanics in the editing phase prevents the reader from being distracted from your ideas. Grammar and usage errors may be avoided by keeping a dictionary or grammar handbook nearby. A checklist can also help you catch these errors in your writing.

 * I have used punctuation marks and capitalization correctly.

 * I have checked the spelling of unfamiliar words.

 * All subjects and verbs agree.

 * I have corrected run-ons and sentence fragments.

 * I have used words with the correct meanings in their proper context.

Let's look at a paragraph that is ready for editing.

Scrooge McDuck (pre-editing)
Scrooge McDuck is a rich and famous lucky duck that has it all: the luxurious mansion, 3 intelligent and athletic nephews (and one niece that gets in the way), a global industry in his name that sells anything and everything, and skyscraper sized vault of gold coins, rubies, and iconic bags of money. Scrooge McDuck would have it all if it weren’t for one minute problem. Every other day someone tries to steal his money. People have moved it into the ocean and tried to claim salvage rights. They’ve moved it away with magic, futuristic helicopters, and old-fashioned diesel trucks. Scrooge has researched every possible idea to keep people out of his money bin. Now he needs to solve that problem once and for all.

''This is a pretty good introduction to an essay that's about finding the best possible solution to a problem for a fictional character. However, taking a closer look and making a few small changes could make it even better.''

Scrooge McDuck: the Money and the Mayhem (edited version)
"Scrooge McDuck is a rich and famous lucky duck that has it all: the luxurious mansion, three intelligent and athletic nephews, and one niece that gets in the way. Owner of a global industry in his name that sells anything and everything as well as a skyscraper sized vault of gold coins, rubies, and iconic bags of money, Scrooge McDuck would have it all if it weren’t for one tiny problem. Every other day someone tries to steal his money.  People have moved it into the ocean and tried to claim salvage rights.  They’ve moved it away with magic, futuristic helicopters, and old-fashioned diesel trucks.  Viewers of Ducktales know that Scrooge has researched every possible idea to keep people out of his money bin. Now he needs to solve that problem once and for all."

An editing exercise
Word Choice

Sample Sentence: Technology is bad for people.

Edited Sentence: Technology harms our sense of community.

The edited sentence is an improvement because it uses more specific language. We learn that technology is not only harmful, but we also learn what it harms.

Transitions

Sample Sentence: I hated multiplication. I failed my math class.

Edited Sentence: I hated multiplication; therefore I failed my math class.

The transition "therefore" makes a connection between the two thoughts, making the reader see that failing the math class was a result of hating multiplication.

Sentence Structure

Sample Sentence: There was two boys in the hall.

Edited Sentence: There were two boys in the hall.

In the sample sentence, the subject and verb do not agree. In the edited sentence, the subject and the verb agree.

---

Editing and the Writing Process:
A major question that students will probably find themselves asking is this: How do I know when to edit a paper? As a matter of fact, there is no simple answer to that question. Writing is a process that involves several steps, and these steps do not always occur in a straight line. Writing any sort of text is a circular rather than a linear process. Writers are rarely completely finished with one step, even after they move onto the next.

Most people tend to think that editing tends to happen sometime near the completion of the paper. In fact, that is not always the case. While the most important part of writing is simply the ability to express yourself and get ideas across, it can sometimes be helpful to take a quick break from drafting or revising and to spend some time editing. Sometimes, playing with word choice, sentence structure, or transitions can help stimulate your mind, leading to new ideas. Thus, it's important to realize that editing is not necessarily a one-step action, but rather something that can be done throughout the entire writing process.

title: Basic Writing/Editing