Wednesday 26th September, 2001
Sep 29 at 10:10pm by ObverseView
diary for Wednesday 26th September.
Seattle Coffee Shop - Taipei Station. Watching the traffic go by and waiting for inspiration to strike.
iIt's quite noisy here as I wait for class. I started this month writing five hundred or so words each day, but unfortunately, I lost the lot when my PDA crashed unexpectedly. I am still feeling the reluctance to trust it again so I have to remember to back up my data each day everyday, until it's a habit. The habit of writing in each day was a good one, I just to find the time to do it. But I feel so much pressure from all my classes right now, I don't know how to get around it right now.
The thought of writing a paper also fills with dread each time I think about it. I have to find time to be private, time away from disturbances so I can read and write, that part of me knows this but I don't seem to have the discipline to do this. I also don't know where I can make my own cubby hole, cut off from the world/telephone or net/tv. Getting what you came for is inspiring me to think long term about the fuure. I wonder if I can really bring it off by learning this, I am already 35 years old, and planning my future. It feels like I haven't really done much in my life, but that's not true. I just have this negative attitude the past, compared to what? Yes, compared to what? I have done well for myself, and I know I can do even better.
For many weeks, I have been thinking about the Jalt article, I need to keep a record of the thoughts that occur to me: what is my instrument going to be? I havent really decided the criteria for that yet, either.
iIt's quite noisy here as I wait for class. I started this month writing five hundred or so words each day, but unfortunately, I lost the lot when my PDA crashed unexpectedly. I am still feeling the reluctance to trust it again so I have to remember to back up my data each day everyday, until it's a habit. The habit of writing in each day was a good one, I just to find the time to do it. But I feel so much pressure from all my classes right now, I don't know how to get around it right now.
The thought of writing a paper also fills with dread each time I think about it. I have to find time to be private, time away from disturbances so I can read and write, that part of me knows this but I don't seem to have the discipline to do this. I also don't know where I can make my own cubby hole, cut off from the world/telephone or net/tv. Getting what you came for is inspiring me to think long term about the fuure. I wonder if I can really bring it off by learning this, I am already 35 years old, and planning my future. It feels like I haven't really done much in my life, but that's not true. I just have this negative attitude the past, compared to what? Yes, compared to what? I have done well for myself, and I know I can do even better.
For many weeks, I have been thinking about the Jalt article, I need to keep a record of the thoughts that occur to me: what is my instrument going to be? I havent really decided what I am going to do about that! I am still considering that. There are parts that I can write up, now though such as the limitations and the source of the data for the experiment. Also, I can write up the introduction (I think I already did that)
What other ideas can I use?
The Instrument:
The instrument is simply numerical and includes a list of the likely things found on a website:
links
specifically ruled out personal materials, resumes, course descriptions,
complete lessons (may include more than one element from the list below).
grammar
vocabularly
listening
reading
writing
interactive elemnts-should also include discussion lists, groups, chat forums, etc.
teaching materials (specifically designed for teachers)
An investigation should highlight the frequency with which teachers try to create materials for each specific website. This will highlight the most likely ways that teachers are providing materials for their students.
Errors
Because teachers may compile numerous websites and virtually link them together, it may be difficult to determine authorship of particular pages. This may mean that pages linked may give the appearance of being part of the teachers' homepage, but in fact may be unrelated. Pages may also have been authored that are not directly hosted on the teachers' home page, but are merely linked, these may have indeed been written for the purpose of … Also, pages that have been put up may be extracts from courses, and put up for particular students in teacher's own classes. They may have not been removed or intended for wider dissemination.
Some materials may be counted several times or be counted in one particular category, though they may be listed under other possible headings, such as a complete lessson may have vocabulary AND listening elements as well. This may well determine a new category.
I may also have to offer a definition of what a particular can and cannot include.
Early Diary Entry #2
Sep 29 at 10:10pm by ObverseView
diary
I'm sitting at school, and keeping my wife company. I don't know wwhat's going to happen today.
I am thinking aout my paper and some of the steps that I have to put into action. First of all, I think I have to create the database with he list of links catalogued on it. That's a good place to start, but it's going to take a while to put the paper together.
Early Diary Entry
Sep 29 at 10:10pm by ObverseView
diary… 9/28
another coffee shop, and my five hundred words. at least I am getting the chance to write something every day no matter how banal it is. I can make time to do since none of my classes are back to back. what a nightmare that used to be, but I'm glad it's over. I wish that I could compress my week into half a week. it's a neat idea. If only, then I could have three days a week free to do the things that I need to do. That would be cool. Wonder if it's possible.
it would be a killer on the voice though that's for sure.
writing five hundred words a day, that's a challenge, but as long as I can find time to do it, then I will be okay. it's taking the time to write something coherent that really requires some effort. This diary is a good starting point for my writing, but I wonder where it will lead in the end. I know I have to write more stuff in the future, I just have no idea what that should be, whetere it includes a ph. d. o rnot. this tea's hot, so hot it nearly burns the roof of my mouth, but the blt sandwich I had was DELICISOUS, really!
To keep writing that is the challnege for me. because I don't know what I really want to say. It's just that time seems to fly by without really geting a grasp of the situation, I think that's why I wnat to write something so that i can know if I used my time well or not. it's scary how time flies by, but at least wrirting the diary can help me focus my attention on that time, and gettting me in the habit of recording my impressions and apprehensions about life. I really admire the way a young girll like Anne Frank handled the situation with so much matureity despite her immaturity. I respect htat in her very much, if I could capture some of the insights she had in her writing, without the trouble and strife that she experienced in her short life, that would be admirable.
I am still turning over the Jalt article in my mind, it seems to be coming together in my mind each day as I think abou tit. The area I am wondering about now is the theconclusions that I need to draw from the statistics. I also need to design the actual instrument, I think that I need to keep that instrument as simple as possible for the initial examination,k that will shorten the research period. Also it would be helpful to follow up with interviews. but what stage am I at? I think I can visualize the page of the spreed sheet quite simply as a a vertical list of websites and a horizontal list of information: links, etc. also I think the discussion section can be divided inot different parts each of which would deal with one aspect of the survey, that would allow a basic structure for the discussion. I have no real ideas how that would proceed from that point, though, but at least I can structure part of the discussion clearly. also, some general comments on the role of motivatiion of computers in the Interent, perhaps even CmC might be relevant in some guise. I should really get the lowdown on the current state of my paper. Can I turn it in to a really good paper? I wonder.
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