1.  What is your topic?
          The incapability of Mitt Romney through his personal and political shortcomings with the bent of a gay and women's rights activist.

2.  Describe what you know about your topic.
          I am heavily involved in my topic personally and politically and have completed a great deal of research on it outside of the realm of this class. Through this class, I have also completed a good amount of research on the current election as it pertains to gay and women's rights and the impact that the results of the election could potentially have on them.

3.  Tell what you want to learn about.
          Ideally, I hope to learn that Romney is pulling out as a candidate from the race and preferably, fleeing the country.
          Realistically, I would like to become better acquainted with the multimodal forms that my project will take on and learn more about the future of gay rights in our nation. I know a good deal about the history and the ways in which we have gotten to the spot we are currently at, but I would like to read more into the projections for where our nation may be headed considering the unlikely success of Romney.

4.  Describe the types of sources you've found so far. Which sides are represented? What has been your focus? Do you present a variety of source types?
          The sources that I have focused on thus far are largely satire. Frankly, I see most news [FOX anyone?] to be satire nowadays and because of this, have a hard time taking any news source seriously. From this, I've garnered the mentality that any news source is just as good as the next and that it is up to us as the consumer to determine what is our own personal truth.
          I also rely heavily on the websites for the Huffington Post and the Associated Press for my 'serious' news. While I try to vary my sources, I often times find it difficult to find reliable sites.

5. What form would you like your project to take? Purely multigenre/multimodal narrative? Video? Documentary?
          I plan on employing many different forms in my final product. I plan on taking the bent of satire and will likely use more creative forms than not in my final assignment. I plan on including at least one poem, if not a journal full of them, perhaps written through the voice of Romney himself.
          If at all possible, I plan on making more of a mockery of Romney than he already has of himself. I am up for the challenge.

6. Remember if you choose not to do a video, at least five of the genres must be of your own creation. List all genres you are considering.

• Advertisement
• Arrest Warrant
• Cartoon
• Declaration of War [On Women]
• Dialogue
• Email
• Eulogy
• Eviction Notice
• Job Application
• Journal Entry
• Love Letter [From Romney to Self]
• Obituary [of Romney's dignity]
• Poetry [satirical]
• Public Announcement
  
• Recipe [For Disaster]
• Resume [Limited]
• Self Portrait [A la Crayola]
• Sermon [Convention Speech]
• Speech
• Stand-Up Comedy
• Survival Story
• Travel Log [And Expenses]

7. Which modes would you like represented in your project? Why are these the best choices?
          While I am not absolutely certain of exactly which modes I plan on using, I am definitely aiming to employ more than five. The list that I have provided above, believe it or not, is the abridged version. I plan on doing as many of these as I possibly can to create the most well rounded portrait of the upcoming election and have chosen the aforementioned means because I feel that satire can work well within them all.

8. Create a timeline for creating a draft of your project to present in class during the week of October 9. That is just over 2 weeks (13 days) and 3 classes from today. 
          Planning is not my strong suit therefore, I am incapable of providing a day to day breakdown of how and when I will create my draft, however; before October 9th I will have accomplished the following:

• Prioritized the aforementioned modes and chosen a top 10
• Placed said 10 in an order in which they will be most effective [this is subject to change]
• Begun to draft out the bodies of each of these modes, perhaps even completed drafts of a few

9. What feedback would you like the most from those reading your plan? What are you struggling with the most?
          From my classmates, I would like to know which of the modes listed in section six that they would like to see the most in the final product. The list is notably more expansive than the product that I will be capable of producing in the breadth of the semester and I would like to know which methods that they would most enjoy seeing considering that my final product will be a satire and is intended to be humorous.

          I consider myself to be a digital native. I grew up in a household that was as wired as it could be considering the times. At all times, we had at minimum two desktop computers running and usually one laptop. My parents set me up with an email account before I exited elementary school. Of course this was only to contact relatives, but it also served as the platform through which I was first able to reach out and begin to learn the ropes of the World Wide Web. My school district was relatively progressive. In fact, when planning to move in 1997, [and of course considering school districts] my parents also took into account what forms of technology were being used in the classroom as they must have seen the onset of this dissonance between digital literacy and its counterpart approaching.
          Because of this, I have notably taken a liking to classes such as this one: where writing is technologically based and the class moves at a relatively fast pace. On the contrary, classes that do not move at least somewhat quickly tend to lose my attention just as fast as they garner it and in turn, I do not benefit as much from them. In this regard, my digital literacy has worked to both my benefit and detriment.
          As a writer, I am able to pump out much more material via the computer in a much shorter amount of time than I am able to do by hand. I think too quickly to hand-write my material and often do not produce the same quality of work. As a researcher, I tend to be the same way. I no longer have the patience for a library let alone a card catalogue and hence, find myself performing most of my research, if not all, on the computer or another technological device.

Discussion Questions:

          As Prensky states, "So what should happen?  Should the Digital Native students learn the old ways, or should their Digital Immigrant educators learn the new?" (3) 

• Considering the stress that Rowan's Writing Arts program is now placing on digital writing and digital literacy, [look at where we're all seated,] what is best for the future generations to pass through the ranks of the educational system: a school full of teachers who are Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, or a some combination of the two?
  

For those who consider themselves to be Digital Immigrants:

• Do you feel as if you have an "accent" in today's digitally adept world? If so, in what ways?
  
• How do you overcome the technological boundary in classes that require a digital literacy [just as this one does]?

For those who consider themselves to be Digital Natives: 

• How did you become such? Were you self sufficient as a child? Did you have parents who kept ahead of their times in terms of technology? Was there a particular teacher who stressed the importance of digital literacy? How about your district and their educational plan - was it inclusive of "future" concerns?
  
• In retrospect, how do you see your digital literacy in context with your non-digital schooling [i.e. do you feel unchallenged by classes that do not employ digital literacy or do they lose your attention more easily]?

For the Education Majors: 

• In what ways do you foresee the dissonance between teachers who are digital natives and those who are digital immigrants taking a toll on your students in the classroom? In what ways can our educational system act to remedy this?
  
• As we head into the future, how should educators, be they digital natives or digital immigrants, put a handle on the use of technology in the classroom? In what ways should they address cell phone or laptop use? What about online textbooks? 

          

          In our technological age, the media seems as if it is beginning to take over not only our society's social lives, but academic as well. Multimedia based projects and homework are quickly becoming the norm at the high school and collegiate level and seem as if they are taking over. Because of this, the burden of creating a balanced academic environment has been placed on the teachers and professors creating the syllabus.
          Multimedia has become a new medium to facilitate learning. As a result of this technology, instructors have the improved ability to better their instruction to include a more multimodal form of teaching. Long gone are the days of assignments that simply consist of simple journal entries and written responses. Now, with the accessibility to technology at an all time high, students have the ability to blog, post video responses, and even tweet their homework. 

          As far as progress goes, I am always gathering information both intentionally and inadvertently. The election is ever-present and consequently, impossible to avoid. I am far beyond the point of figuring out where I stand and self-justifying it, though I am fighting to climb out of the rut that the Incumbent’s poorly supported promises has created. As I have previously stated on my blog, this election for me has come down to a battle to elect the lesser of two evils. There is no realistic “good candidate” unless our nation is ready to vote libertarian.

          For my final product, I plan on producing a satirical piece similar to the work of Colbert and Stewart. As my previous posts have suggested, I am also drawing inspiration from The Onion [The World’s Finest News Source]. I will be gathering my facts primarily from the Associated Press and Huffington Post and will also be considering the online material from the BBC News. Though I am not yet settled on the form in which I will present my final product, my aim is to provide a humorous account of the election and the presumably bleak position it has put our nation in.

          In our capitalistic society, finding true, unbiased news can be nearly impossible. Between the societal pressure to censor the news and the media's loyalty to certain target audiences, our news and consequently, our information has become and is continuing to be biased and unfair. We live in a world of sensationalism, where news reporting has been narrowed to only portraying the stories with a high emotional impact attached to them. News stations and sources are looking to elicit a reaction from their audience that will make them feel some form of connection to the story, and in turn, those who have told it to them. They are looking for loyalty from their audience; they want them to come back for more each day, and why? Money.
           The media will stop at no end to tailor a story to fit in with the provider's beliefs and motives in reporting. Unfortunately, the recurrent theme of taking information out of context is plaguing our news sources and affecting the way we retrieve our news. Misquotes and biased storytelling are turning our news into a work of fiction, when it should really be a medium that the public can rely on for fiction's direct antithesis. The news should be just that: cold, hard facts reported in a way that will not sway the listener to feel anything other than informed, but what's the fun in that?
          Because of this, I prefer to watch satirical versions of the news like The Colbert Report and Jon Stewart. To me, all news is becoming a satire anyways, so why not watch those who are honest about portraying it as such. I am also following numerous news sources on Twitter; some for fun like FOX News, and some for legitimate news reporting like the Associated Press. 
          In terms of the upcoming election with all of the aforementioned bias taken into play, it is notably difficult to find reliable reporting anywhere. Because of this, I am sure to corroborate any information that I pick up with other sources and am exceedingly picky about where I gather my information. Politics has historically been a sticky subject to say the least [we all remember Florida 2000 correct?] and hence, considering today's media boom, it comes as no surprise that reporters are trying to beat the system and appeal to our cathartic society. 

I'm moving.

          The claws are out, America. The race has begun and now more than ever, the public eye has honed in on the incumbent and his competition. While the both of them are busy making desperate attempts to cover their asses and support their claims, I am spending my time hatching a new plan - fleeing the country.
          Now while I throw Canada out there as an option, primarily because of its reasonable proximity to the US, it of course is not my only consideration. I am no expert on Canadian government nor would I consider myself to be one on that of the US; however, one striking difference in social politics and mindset is quickly driving me towards the border. I plan on getting married sometime in my near, thought not immediate future. The vast majority of my country, whether they be strictly against same sex marriage or too apathetic to vote for it, doesn't seem to support that.
          Of course, there are many other issues that are near and dear to my heart. As a woman, I am increasingly concerned for my professional future in our chauvinistic society - where over 50% of master degree recipients are women, but regardless, we are still earning 73 cents to the dollar on average in comparison to our equally qualified male counterparts.
          Though it may not directly affect me, a woman's right to chose is also something I do not take lightly. Government's recent intervention with cutting funding to Planned Parenthood establishments nationwide is despicable - especially when placed in context with the current stress on sufficient healthcare for all citizens. 
          We were able to put New Jersey's Governor Cupcake on a private jet to endorse Romney at this year's Republican National Convention. Forget impractical. That was a complete waste of taxpayer dollars that could have gone towards reforming healthcare at least at the state level. Instead, we flew in a personal statement regarding our true take on healthcare and it's importance to our nation.
          It's difficult to believe in having a fruitful life in a country that does not fully support your social liberties. For that reason, I can't say I see myself here much longer. So far as this election is concerned, it has quickly turn into a battle for the lesser of two evils. May the least offensive, most stable candidate win.

          At this time of the year, it is becoming nearly impossible to log onto Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networking site and browse through the day's posts without coming across some form of political statement. Not only are people compelled to express their own personal political platform on their own pages, but candidates and their supporters have have begun to use social media as a method of campaigning. This is brilliant. The internet has provided our society with a quick and generally accessible means of connecting to one another. Hence, using the aforementioned sites is both completely free and extremely effective. Most collegiate kids with such accounts access their pages at least once a day and in turn, these candidates and inadvertently making their ways straight into the lives of a largely influential sector of the voting population. 
           A candidate's use of social media makes him or her more accessible as an individual to the public. For instance, though he is likely not the one updating it daily, President Obama's use of Twitter has allowed site users to feel a greater sense of connection to him and consequently, more tuned into his ideas and political bend for the upcoming election. At the same time, the use of social media has put him and the competition directly into the scrutiny of the public and as a result, has allowed the public to be more informed critics of their viewpoints and every speech they give, step they take, and faux pas they make for that matter. Imagine if twitter were big when Dick Cheney shot Harry Whittington in the leg while hunting in February 2006.

"Still sure about those gun laws, Mr. Cheney?" @lolwhitehousefacts #lmao #resign #hopeforwhittington


It would not have ended well.


          

Five Unique Uses:
          Long gone are the days when Twitter was simply a platform on which people would announce to the world when they were brushing their teeth. In the context of today's technology dependent world, it comes as no surprise that our society has begun to derive newer [and  sometimes questionable] ways to utilize a new website. Twitter users have transformed from simple minute to minute updaters and have taken on new roles: giving voices to fictional characters and talking on the painstaking 140 character challenge. 
          The website itself comes with little restriction besides the character limit. There is no right or wrong way to use it, no specific topic to speak of, and users aren't expected to post a certain amount of times [though some should be cut off].
          In this cathartic world, the fact that our predominantly tech-savvy society would take advantage of  the ability to rant and go on in such a way - both publicly and online - comes as no shock. Thankfully, Twitter has limited this ability to a length less than the average text message. 

Twitter Goes to College:
          Many colleges seem to be integrating Twitter and other social media with the idea of the, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," mentality. While most collegiate classrooms discourage the use of modern technology and ask that students withhold from bringing laptops and insist they refrain from using their cell phones, some are beginning to embrace the benefits and entrust students with utilizing technology in a way that will benefit their coursework. 

          Using Twitter as a way for a large class to connect with one another during scheduled class time seems a bit hinky, though it sure beats the alternative of mass amounts of disengaged students. In a class setting like ours, I am interested to see the ways in which Twitter will weasel its way into the coursework and allow us to connect to one another. 
          
The Effects on College Grades:
          Twitter allows for increased student engagement in a way that no other classroom technology has before. Its immediate nature and accessibility - both on the computer format and mobile - Twitter has smoothly made its way into the academic environment. In its own way, Twitter has the ability to serve as a campus portal of sorts. Students have the ability to both post and read about upcoming events and as a result, can become more connected to their academic and social communities. 

          The congruent idea with this cause and effect is that due to said student's increased participation, it is likely that his or her grades will change for the better. While this concept may not necessarily be incorrect, I find it hard to believe that Twitter alone is to praise for this. Social media has become an integral part of the collegiate world and its integration into a student's academic life definitely has the ability to better his or her grades. This alone however, does not prove that Twitter stands alone in the battle to combat student apathy. Generally, from what I have seen here on Rowan's campus, the more a student becomes involved in their academics and takes advantage of social opportunities on campus [without over-exerting themselves], the more likely or easier it will be for them to become a successful student. 

Twitter Critic or Follower:
          So far as my relationship with Twitter goes, I will forever remain a partial skeptic. I do believe that it has its uses and I enjoy having the ability to follow my favorite musicians and actors, however daily tasks such as waking up, combing your hair, and brushing your teeth are things I see as being on a need to know basis and frankly, no one really needs to know that but you. Because of the rampant overuse of Twitter, I sometimes find it hard to be completely into it, however when I am able to overlook or bypass those who use it in this fashion, I do enjoy the occasional tweet. With that, I am not a very vocal tweeter, though that seems as if it is bound to change by the nature of this course. I guess the internet world will see as the semester progresses - only time [and my IP sever] will tell.