Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Hi Everyone,
This will be our class blog space for spring 2017. We'll get to negotiate design and content as we go.
Today we're going to post an introduction just to make sure everyone is familiar with the software, and to also allow you to get to know your classmates a bit better.


Here's what you can add as part of a multi-paragraph introduction:
1. general interests
2. first place I go on the web (and why)
3. Major

I'll go first:

My general interests are in education, technology, personal finance, and politics. I think political activity and awareness is a civic duty, and I'm very closely watching the Betsy DeVos's nomination process for Education Secretary. I found this article on her from the Washington Post, "A Sobering Look at What Betsy DeVos Did to Education in Michigan — And What She Might Do as Secretary of Education" and from this article I'll continue to read from sites like the BBC, Guardian, New York Times, and Al Jazeera to get some other perspectives on her nomination and history.


So the first place I generally go on the web is to news websites. I get in the habit of surfing one particular website first for a few weeks, then I switch it up. I also go to Facebook to connect with family and friends, and I spend quite a bit of time on personal finance sites and blogs.


My major was creative writing, but I remember when I was an undergraduate that I applied to work in a U.S. Congressional office in Florida. One of the tasks that I had to complete there was to look at a news article and determine whether there was "bias" toward the congressperson in the text. I didn't get the job--so I don't know if I was right about my interpretation, but I hope that it was just because I was young, or that there were many other applicants for the position. Since then, I pay particular attention to argument and bias. Perhaps it led me to this career?


Julie Q.