This is an abbreviated version of a presentation given as part of a Residency program for graduate education students earning their Superintendent's letter.
Science Communication and Looking For LoveJohn C. Besley
This is a special Valentine's Day edition of my communication strategy talk. It focuses on the potential value of communication aimed at shaping warmth, competence, perceived listening, identity, attitudes, norms, and efficacy beliefs. The presentation is adapted from a talk I also give as part of Michigan State University's science communication training initiative. Delivered to Forestry graduate students, February 9, 2017.
Active Story System - design methodology for transmedia storytellingRobert Pratten
Design methodology for creating participatory transmedia stories. For $1.25 you can buy an interactive PDF of the worksheets shown in this presentation. This allows you to complete the fields for your own projects and print. Here's the link:
http://an.cr/sa/jH0In
Get Better Content with Analytics and User TestingMichael Powers
So you're going to Confab Higher Ed. You're already pretty excited about content strategy. But your boss and colleagues? Not so much. To outsiders, content strategy is just another buzzword. And as more schools move to become "data-driven" organizations, talking about content can sound hopelessly qualitative.
So don't say "content strategy": do it. This session will look at content strategy practices you can introduce to show even your most quantitatively-oriented colleagues the value of content strategy: content analytics, social media analytics, and user testing techniques. Rack up successes first—then start talking content strategy.
• Introduce content strategy practices into your organization when your organization doesn't care about content strategy.
• Use analytics to identify what needs improvement.
• Learn how user-testing techniques can improve your content.
This is an abbreviated version of a presentation given as part of a Residency program for graduate education students earning their Superintendent's letter.
Science Communication and Looking For LoveJohn C. Besley
This is a special Valentine's Day edition of my communication strategy talk. It focuses on the potential value of communication aimed at shaping warmth, competence, perceived listening, identity, attitudes, norms, and efficacy beliefs. The presentation is adapted from a talk I also give as part of Michigan State University's science communication training initiative. Delivered to Forestry graduate students, February 9, 2017.
Active Story System - design methodology for transmedia storytellingRobert Pratten
Design methodology for creating participatory transmedia stories. For $1.25 you can buy an interactive PDF of the worksheets shown in this presentation. This allows you to complete the fields for your own projects and print. Here's the link:
http://an.cr/sa/jH0In
Get Better Content with Analytics and User TestingMichael Powers
So you're going to Confab Higher Ed. You're already pretty excited about content strategy. But your boss and colleagues? Not so much. To outsiders, content strategy is just another buzzword. And as more schools move to become "data-driven" organizations, talking about content can sound hopelessly qualitative.
So don't say "content strategy": do it. This session will look at content strategy practices you can introduce to show even your most quantitatively-oriented colleagues the value of content strategy: content analytics, social media analytics, and user testing techniques. Rack up successes first—then start talking content strategy.
• Introduce content strategy practices into your organization when your organization doesn't care about content strategy.
• Use analytics to identify what needs improvement.
• Learn how user-testing techniques can improve your content.
Beyond the page digital storytelling through gamesCathie Howe
Telling stories through games. Engaging students in digital story telling through designing computer games, transmedia stories and alternate reality games.
Similar to Reed: "Player 2: Mixing Gameplay and Audience Heuristics" (20)
Create a Seamless Viewing Experience with Your Own Custom OTT Player.pdfGenny Knight
As the popularity of online streaming continues to rise, the significance of providing outstanding viewing experiences cannot be emphasized enough. Tailored OTT players present a robust solution for service providers aiming to enhance their offerings and engage audiences in a competitive market. Through embracing customization, companies can craft immersive, individualized experiences that effectively hold viewers' attention, entertain them, and encourage repeat usage.
Young Tom Selleck: A Journey Through His Early Years and Rise to Stardomgreendigital
Introduction
When one thinks of Hollywood legends, Tom Selleck is a name that comes to mind. Known for his charming smile, rugged good looks. and the iconic mustache that has become synonymous with his persona. Tom Selleck has had a prolific career spanning decades. But, the journey of young Tom Selleck, from his early years to becoming a household name. is a story filled with determination, talent, and a touch of luck. This article delves into young Tom Selleck's life, background, early struggles. and pivotal moments that led to his rise in Hollywood.
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Early Life and Background
Family Roots and Childhood
Thomas William Selleck was born in Detroit, Michigan, on January 29, 1945. He was the second of four children in a close-knit family. His father, Robert Dean Selleck, was a real estate investor and executive. while his mother, Martha Selleck, was a homemaker. The Selleck family relocated to Sherman Oaks, California. when Tom was a child, setting the stage for his future in the entertainment industry.
Education and Early Interests
Growing up, young Tom Selleck was an active and athletic child. He attended Grant High School in Van Nuys, California. where he excelled in sports, particularly basketball. His tall and athletic build made him a standout player, and he earned a basketball scholarship to the University of Southern California (U.S.C.). While at U.S.C., Selleck studied business administration. but his interests shifted toward acting.
Discovery of Acting Passion
Tom Selleck's journey into acting was serendipitous. During his time at U.S.C., a drama coach encouraged him to try acting. This nudge led him to join the Hills Playhouse, where he began honing his craft. Transitioning from an aspiring athlete to an actor took time. but young Tom Selleck became drawn to the performance world.
Early Career Struggles
Breaking Into the Industry
The path to stardom was a challenging one for young Tom Selleck. Like many aspiring actors, he faced many rejections and struggled to find steady work. A series of minor roles and guest appearances on television shows marked his early career. In 1965, he debuted on the syndicated show "The Dating Game." which gave him some exposure but did not lead to immediate success.
The Commercial Breakthrough
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Selleck began appearing in television commercials. His rugged good looks and charismatic presence made him a popular brand choice. He starred in advertisements for Pepsi-Cola, Revlon, and Close-Up toothpaste. These commercials provided financial stability and helped him gain visibility in the industry.
Struggling Actor in Hollywood
Despite his success in commercials. breaking into large acting roles remained a challenge for young Tom Selleck. He auditioned and took on small parts in T.V. shows and movies. Some of his early television appearances included roles in popular series like Lancer, The F.B.I., and Bracken's World. But, it would take a
Skeem Saam in June 2024 available on ForumIsaac More
Monday, June 3, 2024 - Episode 241: Sergeant Rathebe nabs a top scammer in Turfloop. Meikie is furious at her uncle's reaction to the truth about Ntswaki.
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 - Episode 242: Babeile uncovers the truth behind Rathebe’s latest actions. Leeto's announcement shocks his employees, and Ntswaki’s ordeal haunts her family.
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 - Episode 243: Rathebe blocks Babeile from investigating further. Melita warns Eunice to stay clear of Mr. Kgomo.
Thursday, June 6, 2024 - Episode 244: Tbose surrenders to the police while an intruder meddles in his affairs. Rathebe's secret mission faces a setback.
Friday, June 7, 2024 - Episode 245: Rathebe’s antics reach Kganyago. Tbose dodges a bullet, but a nightmare looms. Mr. Kgomo accuses Melita of witchcraft.
Monday, June 10, 2024 - Episode 246: Ntswaki struggles on her first day back at school. Babeile is stunned by Rathebe’s romance with Bullet Mabuza.
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 - Episode 247: An unexpected turn halts Rathebe’s investigation. The press discovers Mr. Kgomo’s affair with a young employee.
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 - Episode 248: Rathebe chases a criminal, resorting to gunfire. Turf High is rife with tension and transfer threats.
Thursday, June 13, 2024 - Episode 249: Rathebe traps Kganyago. John warns Toby to stop harassing Ntswaki.
Friday, June 14, 2024 - Episode 250: Babeile is cleared to investigate Rathebe. Melita gains Mr. Kgomo’s trust, and Jacobeth devises a financial solution.
Monday, June 17, 2024 - Episode 251: Rathebe feels the pressure as Babeile closes in. Mr. Kgomo and Eunice clash. Jacobeth risks her safety in pursuit of Kganyago.
Tuesday, June 18, 2024 - Episode 252: Bullet Mabuza retaliates against Jacobeth. Pitsi inadvertently reveals his parents’ plans. Nkosi is shocked by Khwezi’s decision on LJ’s future.
Wednesday, June 19, 2024 - Episode 253: Jacobeth is ensnared in deceit. Evelyn is stressed over Toby’s case, and Letetswe reveals shocking academic results.
Thursday, June 20, 2024 - Episode 254: Elizabeth learns Jacobeth is in Mpumalanga. Kganyago's past is exposed, and Lehasa discovers his son is in KZN.
Friday, June 21, 2024 - Episode 255: Elizabeth confirms Jacobeth’s dubious activities in Mpumalanga. Rathebe lies about her relationship with Bullet, and Jacobeth faces theft accusations.
Monday, June 24, 2024 - Episode 256: Rathebe spies on Kganyago. Lehasa plans to retrieve his son from KZN, fearing what awaits.
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 - Episode 257: MaNtuli fears for Kwaito’s safety in Mpumalanga. Mr. Kgomo and Melita reconcile.
Wednesday, June 26, 2024 - Episode 258: Kganyago makes a bold escape. Elizabeth receives a shocking message from Kwaito. Mrs. Khoza defends her husband against scam accusations.
Thursday, June 27, 2024 - Episode 259: Babeile's skillful arrest changes the game. Tbose and Kwaito face a hostage crisis.
Friday, June 28, 2024 - Episode 260: Two women face the reality of being scammed. Turf is rocked by breaking
From Slave to Scourge: The Existential Choice of Django Unchained. The Philos...Rodney Thomas Jr
#SSAPhilosophy #DjangoUnchained #DjangoFreeman #ExistentialPhilosophy #Freedom #Identity #Justice #Courage #Rebellion #Transformation
Welcome to SSA Philosophy, your ultimate destination for diving deep into the profound philosophies of iconic characters from video games, movies, and TV shows. In this episode, we explore the powerful journey and existential philosophy of Django Freeman from Quentin Tarantino’s masterful film, "Django Unchained," in our video titled, "From Slave to Scourge: The Existential Choice of Django Unchained. The Philosophy of Django Freeman!"
From Slave to Scourge: The Existential Choice of Django Unchained – The Philosophy of Django Freeman!
Join me as we delve into the existential philosophy of Django Freeman, uncovering the profound lessons and timeless wisdom his character offers. Through his story, we find inspiration in the power of choice, the quest for justice, and the courage to defy oppression. Django Freeman’s philosophy is a testament to the human spirit’s unyielding drive for freedom and justice.
Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to SSA Philosophy for more in-depth explorations of the philosophies behind your favorite characters. Hit the notification bell to stay updated on our latest videos. Let’s discover the principles that shape these icons and the profound lessons they offer.
Django Freeman’s story is one of the most compelling narratives of transformation and empowerment in cinema. A former slave turned relentless bounty hunter, Django’s journey is not just a physical liberation but an existential quest for identity, justice, and retribution. This video delves into the core philosophical elements that define Django’s character and the profound choices he makes throughout his journey.
Link to video: https://youtu.be/GszqrXk38qk
Meet Dinah Mattingly – Larry Bird’s Partner in Life and Loveget joys
Get an intimate look at Dinah Mattingly’s life alongside NBA icon Larry Bird. From their humble beginnings to their life today, discover the love and partnership that have defined their relationship.
Meet Crazyjamjam - A TikTok Sensation | Blog EternalBlog Eternal
Crazyjamjam, the TikTok star everyone's talking about! Uncover her secrets to success, viral trends, and more in this exclusive feature on Blog Eternal.
Source: https://blogeternal.com/celebrity/crazyjamjam-leaks/
Experience the thrill of Progressive Puzzle Adventures, like Scavenger Hunt Games and Escape Room Activities combined Solve Treasure Hunt Puzzles online.
240529_Teleprotection Global Market Report 2024.pdfMadhura TBRC
The teleprotection market size has grown
exponentially in recent years. It will grow from
$21.92 billion in 2023 to $28.11 billion in 2024 at a
compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.2%. The
teleprotection market size is expected to see
exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow
to $70.77 billion in 2028 at a compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 26.0%.
Maximizing Your Streaming Experience with XCIPTV- Tips for 2024.pdfXtreame HDTV
In today’s digital age, streaming services have become an integral part of our entertainment lives. Among the myriad of options available, XCIPTV stands out as a premier choice for those seeking seamless, high-quality streaming. This comprehensive guide will delve into the features, benefits, and user experience of XCIPTV, illustrating why it is a top contender in the IPTV industry.
Scandal! Teasers June 2024 on etv Forum.co.zaIsaac More
Monday, 3 June 2024
Episode 47
A friend is compelled to expose a manipulative scheme to prevent another from making a grave mistake. In a frantic bid to save Jojo, Phakamile agrees to a meeting that unbeknownst to her, will seal her fate.
Tuesday, 4 June 2024
Episode 48
A mother, with her son's best interests at heart, finds him unready to heed her advice. Motshabi finds herself in an unmanageable situation, sinking fast like in quicksand.
Wednesday, 5 June 2024
Episode 49
A woman fabricates a diabolical lie to cover up an indiscretion. Overwhelmed by guilt, she makes a spontaneous confession that could be devastating to another heart.
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Episode 50
Linda unwittingly discloses damning information. Nhlamulo and Vuvu try to guide their friend towards the right decision.
Friday, 7 June 2024
Episode 51
Jojo's life continues to spiral out of control. Dintle weaves a web of lies to conceal that she is not as successful as everyone believes.
Monday, 10 June 2024
Episode 52
A heated confrontation between lovers leads to a devastating admission of guilt. Dintle's desperation takes a new turn, leaving her with dwindling options.
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Episode 53
Unable to resort to violence, Taps issues a verbal threat, leaving Mdala unsettled. A sister must explain her life choices to regain her brother's trust.
Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Episode 54
Winnie makes a very troubling discovery. Taps follows through on his threat, leaving a woman reeling. Layla, oblivious to the truth, offers an incentive.
Thursday, 13 June 2024
Episode 55
A nosy relative arrives just in time to thwart a man's fatal decision. Dintle manipulates Khanyi to tug at Mo's heartstrings and get what she wants.
Friday, 14 June 2024
Episode 56
Tlhogi is shocked by Mdala's reaction following the revelation of their indiscretion. Jojo is in disbelief when the punishment for his crime is revealed.
Monday, 17 June 2024
Episode 57
A woman reprimands another to stay in her lane, leading to a damning revelation. A man decides to leave his broken life behind.
Tuesday, 18 June 2024
Episode 58
Nhlamulo learns that due to his actions, his worst fears have come true. Caiphus' extravagant promises to suppliers get him into trouble with Ndu.
Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Episode 59
A woman manages to kill two birds with one stone. Business doom looms over Chillax. A sobering incident makes a woman realize how far she's fallen.
Thursday, 20 June 2024
Episode 60
Taps' offer to help Nhlamulo comes with hidden motives. Caiphus' new ideas for Chillax have MaHilda excited. A blast from the past recognizes Dintle, not for her newfound fame.
Friday, 21 June 2024
Episode 61
Taps is hungry for revenge and finds a rope to hang Mdala with. Chillax's new job opportunity elicits mixed reactions from the public. Roommates' initial meeting starts off on the wrong foot.
Monday, 24 June 2024
Episode 62
Taps seizes new information and recruits someone on the inside. Mary's new job
In the vast landscape of cinema, stories have been told, retold, and reimagined in countless ways. At the heart of this narrative evolution lies the concept of a "remake". A successful remake allows us to revisit cherished tales through a fresh lens, often reflecting a different era's perspective or harnessing the power of advanced technology. Yet, the question remains, what makes a remake successful? Today, we will delve deeper into this subject, identifying the key ingredients that contribute to the success of a remake.
Tom Selleck Net Worth: A Comprehensive Analysisgreendigital
Over several decades, Tom Selleck, a name synonymous with charisma. From his iconic role as Thomas Magnum in the television series "Magnum, P.I." to his enduring presence in "Blue Bloods," Selleck has captivated audiences with his versatility and charm. As a result, "Tom Selleck net worth" has become a topic of great interest among fans. and financial enthusiasts alike. This article delves deep into Tom Selleck's wealth, exploring his career, assets, endorsements. and business ventures that contribute to his impressive economic standing.
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Early Life and Career Beginnings
The Foundation of Tom Selleck's Wealth
Born on January 29, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, Tom Selleck grew up in Sherman Oaks, California. His journey towards building a large net worth began with humble origins. , Selleck pursued a business administration degree at the University of Southern California (USC) on a basketball scholarship. But, his interest shifted towards acting. leading him to study at the Hills Playhouse under Milton Katselas.
Minor roles in television and films marked Selleck's early career. He appeared in commercials and took on small parts in T.V. series such as "The Dating Game" and "Lancer." These initial steps, although modest. laid the groundwork for his future success and the growth of Tom Selleck net worth. Breakthrough with "Magnum, P.I."
The Role that Defined Tom Selleck's Career
Tom Selleck's breakthrough came with the role of Thomas Magnum in the CBS television series "Magnum, P.I." (1980-1988). This role made him a household name and boosted his net worth. The series' popularity resulted in Selleck earning large salaries. leading to financial stability and increased recognition in Hollywood.
"Magnum P.I." garnered high ratings and critical acclaim during its run. Selleck's portrayal of the charming and resourceful private investigator resonated with audiences. making him one of the most beloved television actors of the 1980s. The success of "Magnum P.I." played a pivotal role in shaping Tom Selleck net worth, establishing him as a major star.
Film Career and Diversification
Expanding Tom Selleck's Financial Portfolio
While "Magnum, P.I." was a cornerstone of Selleck's career, he did not limit himself to television. He ventured into films, further enhancing Tom Selleck net worth. His filmography includes notable movies such as "Three Men and a Baby" (1987). which became the highest-grossing film of the year, and its sequel, "Three Men and a Little Lady" (1990). These box office successes contributed to his wealth.
Selleck's versatility allowed him to transition between genres. from comedies like "Mr. Baseball" (1992) to westerns such as "Quigley Down Under" (1990). This diversification showcased his acting range. and provided many income streams, reinforcing Tom Selleck net worth.
Television Resurgence with "Blue Bloods"
Sustaining Wealth through Consistent Success
In 2010, Tom Selleck began starring as Frank Reagan i
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From the Editor's Desk: 115th Father's day Celebration - When we see Father's day in Hindu context, Nanda Baba is the most vivid figure which comes to the mind. Nanda Baba who was the foster father of Lord Krishna is known to provide love, care and affection to Lord Krishna and Balarama along with his wife Yashoda; Letter’s to the Editor: Mother's Day - Mother is a precious life for their children. Mother is life breath for her children. Mother's lap is the world happiness whose debt can never be paid.
Panchayat Season 3 - Official Trailer.pdfSuleman Rana
The dearest series "Panchayat" is set to make a victorious return with its third season, and the fervor is discernible. The authority trailer, delivered on May 28, guarantees one more enamoring venture through the country heartland of India.
Jitendra Kumar keeps on sparkling as Abhishek Tripathi, the city-reared engineer who ends up functioning as the secretary of the Panchayat office in the curious town of Phulera. His nuanced depiction of a young fellow exploring the difficulties of country life while endeavoring to adjust to his new environmental factors has earned far and wide recognition.
Neena Gupta and Raghubir Yadav return as Manju Devi and Brij Bhushan Dubey, separately. Their dynamic science and immaculate acting rejuvenate the hardships of town administration. Gupta's depiction of the town Pradhan with an ever-evolving outlook, matched with Yadav's carefully prepared exhibition, adds profundity and credibility to the story.
New Difficulties and Experiences
The trailer indicates new difficulties anticipating the characters, as Abhishek keeps on wrestling with his part in the town and his yearnings for a superior future. The series has reliably offset humor with social editorial, and Season 3 looks ready to dig much more profound into the intricacies of rustic organization and self-awareness.
Watchers can hope to see a greater amount of the enchanting and particular residents who have become fan top picks. Their connections and the one of a kind cut of-life situations give a reviving and interesting portrayal of provincial India, featuring the two its appeal and its difficulties.
A Mix of Humor and Heart
One of the signs of "Panchayat" is its capacity to mix humor with sincere narrating. The trailer features minutes that guarantee to convey giggles, as well as scenes that pull at the heartstrings. This equilibrium has been a critical calculate the show's prosperity, resounding with crowds across different socioeconomics.
Creation Greatness
The creation quality remaining parts first rate, with the beautiful setting of Phulera town filling in as a scenery that upgrades the narrating. The meticulousness in portraying provincial life, joined with sharp composition and solid exhibitions, guarantees that "Panchayat" keeps on hanging out in the packed web series scene.
Expectation and Delivery
As the delivery date draws near, expectation for "Panchayat" Season 3 is at a record-breaking high. The authority trailer has previously created critical buzz, with fans enthusiastically anticipating the continuation of Abhishek Tripathi's excursion and the new undertakings that lie ahead in Phulera.
All in all, the authority trailer for "Panchayat" Season 3 recommends that watchers are in for another drawing in and engaging ride. Yet again with its charming characters, convincing story, and ideal mix of humor and show, the new season is set to enamor crowds. Write in your schedules and prepare to get back to the endearing universe of "Panchayat."
As a film director, I have always been awestruck by the magic of animation. Animation, a medium once considered solely for the amusement of children, has undergone a significant transformation over the years. Its evolution from a rudimentary form of entertainment to a sophisticated form of storytelling has stirred my creativity and expanded my vision, offering limitless possibilities in the realm of cinematic storytelling.
21. GAMING COURSE DESIGN
1. Emergence as a Tool
Do I have a specific group or groups of readers in mind—
3. Emergence as a my family, parents of teenagers, churchgoers, legislators,
or scientists?
Practice What opinions and values do they probably share that are
relevant to my topic? Are they likely to agree with one
another? With me?
Do they know more, or less, than I do about the subject?
What do I need to learn in order to address this audience?
How simple or technical should my language be? What
terms or concepts will I need to define, explain, or
illustrate?
What do I want to accomplish in writing this? To teach my
readers something? Convince them of my point of view?
Move them to action—or to tears? Entertain them?
22. GAMING COURSE DESIGN
1. Emergence as a Tool
3. Emergence as a
Practice
5. Emergence of Multiple
Audiences
23. GAMING COURSE DESIGN
1. Emergence as a Tool
3. Emergence as a
Practice
5. Emergence of Multiple
Audiences
7. Emergence into Multiple
forms of Production
25. GOALS
Three sites for interrogation:
• Meaning within the Game
(Audience ↔ Text)
• Meaning around the Game
(Text ↔ Writer)
• Meaning outside the Game
(Writer ↔ Audience)
Good afternoon, everyone, my name is Scott Reed, and I do a lot of thinking about games and rhetoric. But where my paper begins today has a lot more to do with my particular situation. I'm a professor at Georgia Gwinnett College, a very new institution with (until very recently) an open access policy. Like many who work with non-traditional students, I found myself preferring an approach that emphasized audience awareness and critical reading over the development of technical skill. One of the biggest challenges for me in getting students to transition from the formula-driven nature of high school writing is to get them to transition into richer and more developed notions of audience: to think of their writing less as pro-forma exercises and more as opportunities for meaningful engagement and invention. It's from that situation that I'm approach my comments today.
So, like a lot of younger and fairly inexperienced teachers, I found myself falling back on a lot of handbook models, a lot of rehashed Aristotle. Rhetorical topoi, simple audience analysis. In other words, I was working with a set of pretty traditional and tightly defined heuristics for thinking about audience. [click]
Around the same time, I opted to preserve my sanity by teaching around a topic familiar to me: video games.
As much as I'd like to spin some enlightened BS about how I did this as a bold pedagogical move based on reams of New Media and comp theory, the core truth is that managing a 4/4 load means needing to figure out some way to have fun with what I teach, so I don't burn out and die. My interest in actual game scholarship did of course play a part, and it's through that scholarship that I converged on the topic of my discussion today.
Games are by their nature really good at getting us to think about rhetorical complexity. And if there's a reason that people joke why Computers & Writing might be lurching towards “Games & Writing,” think there are good enough reasons why.
Games are grammatologically layered, multimedial, multimodal objects. They are multiple, and are situated at a juncture where two new important media – code and image – meet with more traditional ways of writing (consider the massive textual corpus at play in a game like Warcraft, Skyrim, or Mass Effect). [develop more]
Games operate as cybernetic feedback loops. They require active (usually playful) participation. They structure that participation, and they always already reply somehow to the game’s input.
Play, I have found, facilitates knowledge transfer, particularly between private and official discourses. The “agility and flexibility” that is endemic to play is the same agility and flexibility that Darren Cambridge argues is essential to facilitating knowledge transfer in electronic portfolios.
And all this is really handy, because it dovetails with the drive, which I can't help but see as being co-sponsored by thinkers native to both rhetoric and technology, to develop “methodologies of complexity.” Such methods, according to Byron Hawk, would attempt to articulate constellations of effect between our institutions, our subject formations, our technologies, and our discourses.
Whereas a traditional Berlinian classroom looks at one specific type of connection – between subjects and ideology – Hawk's critique is that even that liberatory sort of program neglects many other of the complex factors that we know govern our experience. Reading, not creativity, is the primary articulation of Berlin's program. Students in classes, though almost certainly profiting from the dissoi logoi treatment of working in dialectical pairs, speaking up for the marginal and unspoken, are also by that very treatment hailed into very specific positions which the teachers have chosen. Hawk's suggestion, ultimately, is to “create contexts, not subjects,” by considering more complex webs of relations which participate in the ecology of writing.
Between these two topics – games and complexity – I want to introduce you to a strange loop of my own: an example of my pedagogy in which theory and application co-evolved. There is no narrative here of discovering complexity theory by way of games or vice versa: the ideas are entirely inherent in each other, and what I'll be trying to suggest in this talk are handful of the pedagogical tactics I used to get students to momentarily interrupt that strange loop: to interrogate the complexity of their circumstances in a way that supports both fundamental audience awareness (of the invoked/addressed sort) and fosters a sense of meaningful connectivity between self and audience, self and text, text and institution.
And thinking about heuristics is the lever that connects both. A heuristic is, ultimately, just a rule or a principle, a relay for turning x into y. An algorithm, if you will. Hawk's analysis of the role of vitalism in the rhetorical tradition locates the ways that various heuristics get deployed and discusses how, like any logos , a heuristic necessarily includes and excludes. Any rhetoric or pedagogy, however motivated by a grand metanarrative, develops some heuristic for presenting material to an audience. In the case of Berlin's dissoi logoi approach to dialectics, where students interrogate ideologial dynamics by supplying the opposing term to an argument, a specific type of student and a specific type of interaction are included, while others are excluded.
Rather than simply abide by one heuristic or another, the goal of rhet/comp scholarship and teaching should be to investigate particular constellations created by multiple kinds of heuristics, ones that help us think about the multiple relations among “architectures, technologies, texts, bodies, histories, heuristics, enactments, and desires.”
Similarly, in the evolution of game's scholarship – or really, in the creation of game scholarship – we can attend to a similar sort of move. While the dominant cultural narratives tend to paint games as engines that strip meaning from experience (that make us lazier or more disconnected), a wealth of critical scholarship came up to show that games have ways of including meaning as well – to make arguments through processes, as Ian Bogost argues, and to create social connectivity (TL Taylor, Celia Pearce, Henry Jenkins). Of particular interest to me, is a term shared between Hawk and game theorist Jesper Juul: “emergence.”
In Half-Real, Jesper Juul discusses the distinction between games of progression and games of emergence. Both games are based on speicfic rules of behavior, but a game of progression tends to advance the player in a particular direction, toward a specific goal, using fairly constrained methods. Think of Candy Land or Life or Trouble with the Popamatic Bubble. A game of emergence, on the other hand, uses rules to create a situation: a set-up out of which mutliple possibilities can emerge.
Juul’s go-to example is this, the “dust” map from the game Counter-Strike. The rules of the game are simple: point, shoot, don’t get shot, and so are the rules of the physics, like how the walls are solid. But from that basic set of rules, a wide variety of complex tactical and strategic behaviors are possible.
Between games and complexity, ultimately, I found myself with a basket of potential ideas for working with complex tasks using complex methods based on simple heuristics. The more I thought about it, the more I recognize that rhetorical complexity, on the order that Hawk describes, isn’t too far removed from the way games work all the time, anyway, and I wanted to find a way to convey that to my students.
As part of my own constellation of influences, though, I recognize also that I have to work within a particular rhetorical ecology, where there are specific needs I need to address with my population of students. I work at a 4-year teaching college that was until this year open access, and whose population exploded from about a thousand in 2007 to almost ten thousand in the coming year. For me to work in these complex terms means to also engage the writing-level needs of students who exhibit vastly different levels of preparation (and to make it clear to administrators that the new kid on the block isn't chasing down theoretical windmills at the expense of students). What I want to show in the rest of my presentation is the way that I engineered a recent course to do this, to work with the conceptual braid between complexity and gaming, and to do so with a solid rhetorical focus – and that focus became audience.
In their seminal essay, “Audience Addressed/Audience Invoked,” Lunsford and Ede, in essence, debate two conflicting set of heuristics. In one, the “audience addressed” model, writers go through prescribed processes of writing, response, and feedback to attempt to imagine a real and practical audience. Such heuristic processes, though, Lunsford and Ede argue, elide the importance of invention and the importance of writers reading their own writing. Conversely, the “audience invoked” model requires that the writer “internalizes academic convention,” with the unfortunate effect of overemphasizing the writer's role in shaping discourse. As with any heuristic, relationships are forged which necessarily include and exclude certain skills, processes, and ways of being in the rhetorical situation. So Lunsford and Ede, to me, throw down a gauntlet. If not any one heuristic is going to get the job done (in terms of creating emergence), then use more than one. And in so doing, to create some emergence of my own.
One: define emergence, and treat it like an interpretive tool to be applied. So their first paper was a project in identifying the emergent experience that comes from a game. The heuristics here are the interpretive kind, the textual kind, and the technological kind, as we developed a vocabulary for understanding how digital images and gameplay contribute toward “emergence.”
Two: a more traditional research paper, directed at an academic audience. They had a wide choice of topics; they had to investigate an issue or phenomenon related to gaming, and investigagte it by drawing on some academic source. Here is where I unloaded the barrel in terms of traditional audience heuristics: following the handbook steps and getting them to learn and apply some basic notions of audience. Based on these heuristics, the project becomes one of emergent knowledge through research and writing.
Three: Things get interesting. Sort them into groups who are all assigned the same game. Students are assigned a project to describe their experiences in gameplay, compare and contrast those experiences with those of their peers, and to account for the factors (such as prior experience, values, and individual purpose) that led to that “emergence.” As a more reflexive project, the rhetorical equation gets dimensionally more complicated, because now, through gameplay, students are being effectively asked to interrogate themselves as an audience, an audience who brings all sorts of complicating factors to bear.
Four: Working from these same groups, students compose a concept for a video game design. This shift of move does a few things. One, it changes the compositional materials being used. Now they have to write in algorithms, inventing rules and mechanics for their game, while they also must write in images by creating an aesthetic “feel.” Two, it shifts the focus of the class from reading (induction) to producing the text (production). Three, it adds a third audience – an imagined audience for the game. The audiences are networked together in the form of a high-stakes pitch presentation in which teams pitch to an audience of academics (literally, as I got colleagues to volunteer to be my panel) a game that would appeal to an outside third audience – not strictly themselves, but not academics either. I wanted the course sequence to be a process of gradually introducing and complicating the notion of audience. By the end of the class, students would, the hope would be, display greater rhetorical savvy by effectively “mixing” different kinds of heuristics: interpretive, audience-based, and technological. This isn't a sequence that is by any stretch of the imagination complete, but I do want to present it as an attempt to “invent” complex pedagogy using the materials at hand, with the goal of promoting a sense of”situatedness,” accompanied by a bevy of “ethical connections [and by ethical, I don't take Hawk to mean as much in the sense of behavior as in the sense of connections among my ethos, your ethos] that will lead to productive acts and texts” (Hawk 258).
Here are some loops: a few principles I brought into the process, followed a few lessons that “emerged” from ”doing” this pedagogy and which serve largely to reinforce those principles of both game theory and complexity.
First, I want to start with a sense of the stated goals of the class: the simple rules which form the basis of later complexity. In one sense, the course came out with three fundamental learning goals: --- to have students interrogate the heuristics that games deploy to create meaning (meaning within the game; audience ↔ text). Heuristics for textual analysis, just like learning close reading or any other method for interpretation. --- to have students interrogate the heuristics that they themselves use to interpret the gameplay experience. They were prompted to reflect on which aspects of the game affected them in particular, without necessarily being asked to analyze them, and to define holistically an “experience” that the game provided. (meaning around the game; text ↔ writer) --- to have students interrogate the heuristics that structure the way they develop their writing for various audiences (meaning outside the game – all networked together; writer ↔ audience)
Now, in one sense, this plays out like a traditional Aristotelian triangle of writer-text-audience, hardly anything complex enough to write home about. And that’s exactly what excites me – that starting from these simple heuristics something else came out. So, I’m going to try to discuss three qualities I attempted to design into the class, or rather that the class seemed to present to me, which bring some much needed dimensionality to these goals.
My first interesting loop is provided by what I call enactment. I think that central to any pedagogy based on complexity is the need to enact the content. In this, I’m mirroring Greg Ulmer’s “heuretic” approach, in which materials are not simply used as texts to be analyzed by our standard issue heuristics. Instead, those texts are the interfaces we use to construct new heuristics. In this case, to talk about games means DOING games. Using the same materials. Doing games gamically. (Character sheets, rules, deadlines) Playful – show examples of battle turtles and artemis and all that good stuff need to pull an Ulmer quote to make this work
One way I pulled this off was to structure the class, as much as possible, like a game. Students, for example, kept a “character sheet” on themselves. (Where my old school D&D players at?) Each item is a small-scale heuristic used by the writer for generating knowledge about the writer.
More profoundly, by having students move from the critical position to the creative position, they were able to ENACT their developing understanding in various forms. What you see here are various artifacts constructed by students during this process – artistic concepts, design flowcharts, justifications and explanations for the impact on audience. Though the scale of the evidence Is limited, they do represent steps towards moving students, as Greg Ulmer proposes, “from consumers to producers of image discourse.” So here you have not only visual texts constructed by the students, but also visualizations and imagetextual combinations.
The second emergent feature of this pedagogy is the way that it produced a space where students had to network their own knowledge. This is a neat little term, because I think it strikes at two valences of the class. One is sort of simple. By “enacting” the content of the class, an understanding emerges where students themselves are a variable in the game, and an attention to their own private and lived experience with these games (with PLAY, which is an affective, pathos-laden, felt experience).
Then the push is on to connect personal, private, felt experience to larger discourses. A game-based research paper does this in a gentle sort of way, where the challenge is to connect the writer, various sources, and games. A kind of contiguity is established between tools, practices, and audience. Multiple writing practices can react the same audience. The same tools can be used productively to speak to multiple audiences. Even if the class does (and this is a nod to my ecology) bend towards “centering” on academic discourse, the larger effect was that student anxiety between writing assignments was dramatically reduced. A sort of rhetorical network was in effect, where students could move around more comfortably.
My word choice here is sort of intentionally fraught. After all, the “networked” understanding I just referred to seems to presage a “reflexive” from students towards their writing. I'd like to argue, and this more than anything else is based on my own highly limited observations, that the key side effect is an emergent “reflexive” understanding of the university environment itself. By “enacting” gamework in the classroom – by playing the class itself as a sort of game – students came to regard not just the writing process, but the class itself, as a site of play.
In other words, to paraphrase Mckenzie Wark, they belonged to the space of the classroom the way that one belongs to a game. They learned that they could approach the ecology of the classroom the same way they approach the game. This is no longer about enacting game content in the class, it's about game content becoming the relay by which students can rethink the class itself. Working at a rapidly-growing college of students who are more non-traditionally prepared, this last understanding has a lot of interesting potential. As those of us who teach FYC can often attest, sometimes it feels that half the work is acclimating students to the culture of university. But if they belong to the university the way that they already, in a sense, “belong to games” (and I should point out that this to Wark has nothing to do with being a gamer or not, but everything to do with the complex and emergent features of digital culutre itself), we might see some of that angst dispelled.
I recognize that I've described, developed, and justified this pedagogy using some pretty damn broad theoretical strokes. I'm not one to argue that “enacted, networked, and reflexive” are better qualities for a pedagogy to have than “grounded, local, or critical.” But I do join with Hawk in wanting to advance the larger argument that pedagogies based on this kind of complexity have the benefit of helping students negotiate between themselves and the discourses of the university, negotiate with themselves and their own learning, forge links across domains of knowledge. There are a lot of possibilities in there that aren't reducible to one kind of student “body” or disciplinary program. Working with unfamiliar subject matter secures me a necessary tactical advantage: I can assume that, whatever their preexisting attitudes toward games (and trust me, they vary wildly), the students are already asked to assume an unfamiliar position. The class becomes then, I'd hope, less about a particular student “body” and more about a rich context that produces possibilities. And they have the additional benefit of keeping our pedagogy more playful for us, more fun for us, more engaging for us as teachers. And I know I'm not a worse teacher for knowing that i'll probably be having fun while I work.