Group Sheez

Group 2: Taking Advantage of Being a Texas Tech Student

Laurie Navarrette

Entertainment and Leasuire (within City limits)

Lori Hughes

Academic 911

Vi Phung

Sports- Tech Sports

Justin Bagwell

Social-Spiritual, Greek, RSO, First Generation College Students, REC Sports, Civic Clubs

Megan Buie

Webpage composition and Technological manager

Amanda Maday

Beyond City Limits

On Carver...

"But if the writing can't be made as good as it is within us to make it, then why do it?" -Carver, On Writing

I find this to be extremely problematic. Here Carver implies that if writers are unable to make it perfect the first time around then they would be better off not producing anything at all. Imagine if this were true. Think of all the great literature that would have become lost in transition. Anthony Burgess has admitted on a number of occasions that he regrets rushing through Clockwork Orange. And had he not have been told he was dying he would have done things differently. Imagine a world without Anthony Burgess. Imagine a world without Clockwork Orange.

Moreover, I find Carver's thinking flawed since it strictly defines as world of "perfect" literature. What is perfect in the world of literature? Simply because something may be viewed as immaculate to one person does not mean it would be seen under the same light to another. That's the beauty of the arts. While Poe argues the necessity of beauty. But he would not dare to define what constitutes beauty to another. Beauty is relative. It is ambiguous. It is often hidden...which is what makes it beautiful.

Freshman Artifacts....

In order to fully evaluate various communication to freshman I have chosen a select few artifacts to share with the class...

1. TTU.EDU
What does the artifact attempt to accomplish?
The ttu.edu website is ALL tech faculty and student link to information about select courses, various programs, and emergency plan notification--flash flood warning, snow day, etc.

Where you discovered the artifact....
www.ttu.edu

What you feel it actually accomplishes or doesn't accomplish.
While a significant amount of information may be found on the site, ttu.edu does not always appear to be the most user-friendly web page. Even to find the most preliminary things--recommended reading lists, student code of conduct, etc. can often seem like a chore in itself.

How the artifact could be revised or delivered in a different way in order to accomplish what it sets out to accomplish.
Obviously a complete overhaul of the site is both out of our class budget and time frame. Maybe there is a simpler solution. Perhaps it would be easier to create a page strictly for freshman. What you need to know type of a thing. After all, increasing usability can only help to simplify access to desired information.

How important on a rank of 1-10 this information is to TTU Freshman (10 highest).
I would argue that this ranks around a 10 in terms of level of importance. Remember the first day when we discussed the Student Code of Conduct and no one in the class could even remotely identify it or where it may be found.

2. Student Code of Conduct/Student Handbook
What the artifact attempts to accomplish?
The TTU Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook exist for the sole purpose to be a what to do/what not to do guideline for all TTU students.

Where you discovered the artifact.
TTU.edu general search "code of conduct"

What you feel it actually accomplishes or doesn't accomplish.
Granted, the purpose is to outline a pre-existing guidelines of ethical student conduct including issues on everything from the mundane appropriate class dress (student handbook 2006-07) to more vital topics such as plagiarism and sga protocol. While it may or may not be viewed as being well written, the underlining problem here is one of accessibility. NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT!

How the artifact could be revised or delivered in a different way in order to accomplish what it sets out to accomplish.
Once again, while an entire revision may not be possible (and/or not entirely necessary) this is a problem of accessibility. No one knows, so no one cares. Out of sight, out of mind. Perhaps the easiest solution here is to create a buzz about the importance of freshman knowing or simply owning a copy of either the student code of conduct or a ttu student handbook. Should it be a required text?

How important on a rank of 1-10 this information is to TTU Freshman (10 highest).
I would probably rank this to be around an 8 in terms of importance. Arguably, you have to know the rules to play the game...but in reality, who really reads the how to manual?

3. Religious Information Accessibility (Ex. Foundation)
What the artifact attempts to accomplish?
The website for the foundation retreat attempts to convey information to incoming freshman about various opportunities in Lubbock for religious participation.

Where you discovered the artifact..
http://www.orgs.ttu.edu/foundation/moreinfo.htm

What you feel it actually accomplishes or doesn't accomplish.
The site is extremely user friendly, on the front page there is a question and answer section designed specifically for freshman in terms of need to know information. However, the main problem I see is that this information is church/denomination specific We all know Tech gets its student base from surrounding major metropolis areas--Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, etc. Is there a place students can go to access information about Lubbock churches and Bible study groups more efficiently. This late in stages of adolescents many freshman are still struggling to find who they really are, perhaps access to various religious organizations would be helpful throughout their learning process.

How the artifact could be revised or delivered in a different way in order to accomplish what it sets out to accomplish.
While I do not think this site in particular needs revision, I was wondering is we would be able to compose some sort of work where students could more readily access desired information concerning Lubbock fellowship opportunities.

How important on a rank of 1-10 this information is to TTU Freshman (10 highest).
I would rank this information a level 7 importance. While I think it would be a good idea, there are obvious holes. If someone was really interested wouldn't they do the research themselves? How efficient and throughought would their research be?

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Motivation alone is a difficult concept grasp since it is, after all, the underlining factor behind human behavior-- why we do the things we do, who we are, etc. Theories such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation work to narrow the gap of reason and relate specificall to human development and learning.

Intrinsic Motivation

Through brief research I have gathered that "intrinsic motivation" is greatly associated with "high educational achievement" and "enjoyment by students". I think it's interesting how the two phrases are intertwined since we do not always group them together so easily. While you could argue that someone who strives for "high educational achievement" enjoys learning, but do they always enjoy teaching--what is the enjoyment level of their students? Perhaps that's a little far fethched...Another way to look at "intrinsic motivation" is through the human desire of goal fullfillment. Who doesn't like a challange? Those seeking high educational achievement could be argued as people simply with an over ambitious desire to succeed. When does learning stop?

Extrinsic Motivation

Entrinsic motivation appears to follow closer along the lines of scare tactic teaching. Where the educator deliberatly takes ahold of their classroom by motivating their students out of fear. What are the students really afraif of anyways? Failure. Humans have a natural desire to succeed and fullfill designated goals. Again, who doesn't like a challange?

Scoring Guide

Baller

A work maintaining "Baller" status goes above and beyond to fullfill every aspect of exceptional production. A "Balller" presentation takes into account the intended audience and has proven in-depth research and analysis. Moreover, a "Baller" presentation shows significant improvment and progressive understanding of provided criticism.

Decent

A work that would be considered "Decent" fullfills project requirements without pushing the envelope. A presentation maintaining a "Decent" score conveys general points without an in-depth look at specified audience. A "Decent" presentation shows improvement from previous work without necessarily soaring above expectations.

Sub-Par

For a work to qualify as "Sub-par" the presentation completely misses the mark on terms of project fulfillment, audience awareness, and personal improvement. A "Sub-par" presentation shows a definite lack of sincerity and energy.

Group Selection

I would like to be apart of Taking Advantage (Group II).