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The designers of The Witness could have put a big block of instruction text next to the door saying, When you approach an orange panel, click the circle and navigate your mouse to the end of the track. Or they could have just thrown you right into one of the later puzzles like this one, and let you struggle to figure it out. But instead they went the way of the toaster, making it visually clear what to do without needing to be told. And the game is much better for it.

Notes the implications of intentional design beyond video games. Now, as we wrap up here, you might be wondering, Who cares? We're just talking about video games . But really, we're talking about more than just games. The principles of instruction we've seen here are relevant in pretty much any instructional context. Sums up his argument.

No matter the situation, one of the best ways to teach someone is not just to tell them what to do or what to know, but rather to let them figure it out for themselves in an environment designed to make that easy. Hmm. Makes you wonder, then, why so much of the instruction we get in school is still so tied to textbooks. That's a question for another time, but for now I want to leave you thinking like a game designer.

So today, try to notice something in your life that uses a visual vocabulary to tell you what to do without telling you what to do. Appreciate the toasters in your life. Thank you. Go to letstalklibrary.com to watch a video of this presentation. Notice how he ad-libbed as he spoke, adapting on the spot to connect with his audience. Endnotes Opening engages audience directly, including them with use of we. Return to text Uses an analogy to make his point. Return to text Returns to toaster analogy.

Return to text Proposes a better alternative to explicit instruction: implicit instruction. Return to text Points out intentional design-as easy as using a toaster! Return to text Transition signals that the presentation is coming to a close. Return to text Poses a provocative question. Return to text Closes by asking his audience to take action.

Return to text A PODCAST On Being First-Gen Students The podcast that follows was produced by Jack Long, a student who created a series of podcasts called The Third Chair as part of his work with The Lantern , Ohio State's student newspaper. The podcast here features two interviews with OSU students about their experiences as first-generation students. Jack Long is a second-year student at Ohio State majoring in journalism. Host introduces himself, the topic of this podcast, and his 2 guests.

Jack Long : This week, you're going to hear a few stories from first-generation students. In fact, they're first-generation students who are in their first semester. I'm Jack Long, and you're listening to The Third Chair . First guest gives background information. Colin Flanagan : So I grew up in this suburb on the east side of Toledo called Oregon. Just, you know, a typical American residential suburb. Really not a whole lot to do unless you cross the river into the actual city of Toledo.

We have this state park, Maumee Bay-it has a nice lodge if you're looking to stay there for, you know, a wedding or something, but other than that, you know, metro parks, but really you have to cross into Toledo. I'm Colin Flanagan, I'm a first-generation student at The Ohio State University studying political science, economics, and public policy. Colloquial language (yeah) establishes an informal tone. Yeah, so my family. . . . I live in a typical 1950s American household.

It's me, my mom, my dad, and my younger brother, who is currently a sophomore in high school where I went to school, named Chase. My dad is . . . he was an auto mechanic for 23 years and now he works for the city of Oregon as a street department employee, so he, you know, he'll crack seal or fix potholes in the roads, he'll plow snow or cut the grass in public areas. And right now my mom is a waitress. Host does not interrupt, giving the guest time and space to speak.

My family raised me to go to college, so I would say, yeah, it was expected of me to go to college. I know that various extended family members from, say, more rural areas didn't really care if I went to college, and they warned me about the debt that I was going to endure and encouraged me to go to trade school, but I didn't think twice about going to college. I feel like college provides the most opportunity to me.

I want to go into politics and hopefully attend law school before doing that and I really wasn't going to do that unless I went to college, so that's why I'm here now. A touch of humor regarding college costs helps connect with his audience. I come from a lower-middle-class family, maybe you could have guessed that from my parents' occupations. The government seems to think [ laughter ] that we can fork out a lot of money to pay for my education and, well, I'm not getting any of that.

My expected family contribution is upward of $8,000, so I knew we really couldn't afford that. My parents' interaction with me was, I think, not all that common, although it could be. They told me from the get-go, even before senior year of high school started-start looking for scholarships, start looking for scholarships. Points out one advantage of being a first-gen student. Being a first-generation student is just . . . a lot of the time, people are going to tell you that you don't know what to do . . .

and you know, maybe you don't have a really good direction about where you're going. But I think that people who aren't first-generation students fall into this category of certainty when they go away to school, go away to college or university, that they know exactly what's going to happen. And I think in some ways first-generation students have an advantage because they don't fall into that track, they don't fall into that.

I think you run the line of, you really get to find things out for yourself and learn on your own. You know, you don't learn things unless you do it on your own. Like when you're a little kid and they say-clich example-when you're a little kid and they say don't touch the stove, and you touch the stove. Well you're really not going to touch it after you do that. Host chooses to have second guest introduce himself directly to audience.

Brandon Hernandez : I believe my dad was fifteen when he first came to the United States, but he stayed in California and that's where he, you know, did the typical work, he worked on farms and stuff like that. He told me how he used to pick lettuce. My name's Brandon Hernandez. I'm studying political science and economics here at The Ohio State University. Tells something about his background and upbringing.

My dad works for the city of Hamilton, he works in waste-water treatment, and my mom is a quality control specialist at a Tyson food factory. Both of my parents never finished high school, but they've always strongly emphasized and pushed for education because they believe education is kind of like a tool for success and it opens up so many doors and gives you so many opportunities that it's just necessary to have in today's day and age.

Subject of college costs comes up again, something on the minds of many students. You know, I usually don't get like stressed out over things, but the whole aspect of the finances has taken a little bit of its toll, because I know at the end of the day it's an investment, like you're investing in your future. And as long as you find the career path that you know you'll make money, I mean it'll be worth it. But just seeing all those big numbers . . . I would say I went through a mini panic attack.

If it wasn't for one of my high school teachers, whose name was Mr. Stebbins, he really helped me out throughout the process because I was really worried once I saw, you know, I didn't get a full ride. Shift to second-person (And you know) helps connect with his audience.

And you know, growing up and things like that, you're predicting your path and you're like, All right, I'm going to do this, this and that, and it's just all going to work out. And then adulthood and reality hits you and you're just like, Well, okay, that didn't work out . . .

how am I going to go about this and solve it? And I was really worried for a time in my senior year, like that was like the main thing occupying my mind, and I would say I kind of lost sleep sometimes about it, just thinking about it. Advice helps him get beyond lost sleep. But Mr. Stebbins reassured me, you know: Don't worry about it too much.

If you let it consume you, you're going to start slacking on your sleep, which will impact your grades, which will impact all that. And he just said, It's going to be a domino effect.

It's going to affect you that way, so what you need to do is, you need to relax, don't be afraid too much about loans and the huge sums that there are, just, you go out there, you prove to them through your effort and your grades and all that that you belong here, and eventually you'll be able to pay it off. First guest sums up the message he wants to leave listeners with.

Colin Flanagan : One more thing I want to add: I think a lot of people come in being a first-generation student and they're really afraid because they don't know what to expect. But there's a certain comfortableness in the chaos of it. Because it's just . . . you don't know what to expect. And so, with that, there's no expectations. And I think that's a lot better than having expectations not being met. Host returns to close the session, thank his guests, and note the podcast website.

Jack Long : The Third Chair is produced and written by Lantern reporters and myself. We're published by The Lantern at The Ohio State University. Special thanks to Brandon Hernandez and Colin Flanagan. You can find other great podcasts from The Lantern on thelantern.com. You can listen to the full podcast at letstalklibrary.com .

Endnotes Uses an analogy to underscore doing things on your own. Return to text AN ORAL HISTORY Milton G, and a Lesson The text that follows comes from the transcript of an oral history of Levi Strauss &Co., the fabled firm that invented Levi's jeans in 1873. It's an excerpt from an interview with Walter Haas Jr. about his years as president of the company.

The interview was conducted in 1994 by Ann Lage, associate director of the Regional Oral History Office of the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. In the following excerpt, Haas shares some stories about his first years with the firm. Stories help capture important memories. Haas : There are several stories: the first one didn't have to do with me, but it gave me a lesson. Milton G was an elevator operator on Battery Street.

One day he went to my grandfather and said, This is a family business. I know that a member of the family is always going to be the head of it. I want to rise to the top, and I obviously can't do it here. I'd like to go out to the factory because maybe I can someday be the factory manager. He was just a little elevator operator. Lage : And young, I would presume. Haas : Very young. [But some years later] Milton G became the factory manager. It was wonderful.

At the end of the year, my grandfather called this young man in and said that he had done a remarkable job and they had bonuses they gave to the executives in a good year, and they wanted to give Milton G a bonus. And he said, Mr. Stern, I am poor, I'm supporting my mother, I really need the money. But I can't take a bonus unless you give a bonus to all the factory employees as well. Use of dialogue makes the story more immediate and personal. Explains why this story matters: the lesson it teaches.

This was an unheard of thing in those days. My grandfather said, I have to think about it overnight. The next day he said, All right, we'll do it. And Milton said, Well, you can only do it if you come out when I give out the checks. My grandfather did, and apparently it was a scene of utter chaos and elation, that these mostly foreign-born women, mostly of Italian extraction at that time, were recognized as human beings instead of numbers on a sewing machine.

They cried, and they laughed, and they hugged everybody. . . . I think that's a wonderful lesson, and Milton G was a remarkable man. Note that the interviewer does not interrupt the speaker. Empathy for the Employees Another lesson I learned from Milton. They had a cafeteria in those days, and they had a couple of ex-sewing machine operators who were along in years who washed the dishes. One day I went to Milton, and I said, You know, I think it'd be better to buy a dishwasher.

It'd save money, be more sanitary. Instead of discouraging me, he said, Well, that's a good idea. Why don't you make a little study of the costs. Contrasts (ironically?) what he learned at school with something he learned on the job. Well, I had gone to the Harvard Business School, so I made a very detailed little study and pointed out that it would save money and be more sanitary if we in fact got a dishwasher.

And he said, Well, that's fine, but there are two ladies who've spent over thirty years in the company. What would I do with them? And I realized that there's more than just money involved in any decision. And that was a lesson that stuck with me. Milton G dancing with a colleague at a factory party-wearing Levi's, like most everyone there. Endnotes Direct quotation lets Milton G speak for himself. Return to text Question helps keep the narrative going.

Return to text More direct quotations bring Milton G to life. Return to text Transition leads to a second story-and another lesson. Return to text Concludes his story by reiterating the lesson learned. Return to text PART 7 MEDIA / A PORTFOLIO Chapter 29 Digital WE TEXT. WE ZOOM. WE SEND ONE ANOTHER LINKS ABOUT VIROLOGY. -DAVID REMNICK IF I COULD COME BACK AS ANYTHING, I'D BE A BIRD-BUT DEFINITELY THE COMMAND KEY IS MY SECOND CHOICE -NIKKI GIOVANNI Where do you do most of your work? Online.

Where do you go for news or information? Online. Where do you go for meetings? Increasingly, online. Where do you go for entertainment? Especially during a pandemic-online! Anytime you visit a website, play a video game, open an app, read an ebook, write an email, or attend a video conference, you're doing so via digital media. In short, the world we know today is in large part a digital world, and we are its citizens.

J. K. Rowling tapped into the magic of digital media in 2020 when many students were learning from home, launching Harry Potter at Home , a website that provides games, quizzes, chapters read by Daniel Ratcliffe and others-all based on the wizarding world of the Harry Potter books. It's not quite Hogwarts, but it's something that only digital media could pull off. You may not be assigned to create a digital Hufflepuff site, but chances are that much of the work you do in college will be done online.

Providing guidelines for every kind of digital text you might want to create isn't possible in this small book-or in any book, since technology is constantly changing-but here are some tips that can help: Whatever platform you're using, think about what features it offers that will help you achieve your PURPOSE and appeal to the AUDIENCE you wish to reach: images? visual data? audio? links to sources your readers are likely to trust? Think about how you can attract readers and viewers.

Titles are especially important in digital media, both for describing what your text is about and for making it one that someone doing a Google search will want to click on. What's your STANCE toward your topic? How do you want to come across to readers? What TONE do you want to project: conversational? businesslike? earnest? something else? Be sure that the words you use convey that tone.

Be sure to add CAPTIONS to any visuals that you include-and to credit the sources of any that you yourself have not created. Whether you're creating a BLOG , a YouTube video, or a website, think about the look you want. What FONTS , colors, and VISUALS will produce that look? If you're filming yourself in a video, think about what you'll wear and what will be in the background. Whatever your text, its DESIGN will affect the way it comes across-and is received.

Glossary PURPOSE, 25 In writing, your goal: to explore a topic, to express an opinion, to entertain, to report information, to persuade, and so on. Purpose is one element of the RHETORICAL SITUATION . AUDIENCE, 25-26 Those to whom a text is directed-the people who read, listen to, or view the text. Audience is a key part of any RHETORICAL SITUATION . STANCE, 17-19, 26-27 A writer's attitude toward the subject-for example, reasonable, neutral, angry, curious. Stance is conveyed through TONE and word choice.

TONE, 27, 96 The way a writer's or speaker's STANCE is reflected in the text. CAPTION, 346, 467 A brief explanation accompanying a photograph, diagram, chart, and screen shot, or other visual that appears in a written document. BLOG, 496-98 From web + log , blogs are sites that focus on topics of all kinds. Blogs are regularly updated, usually strike an informal TONE , and include a space where readers can respond.

FONTS, 472 Typefaces, such as Calibri or Times New Roman VISUAL ANALYSIS, 63-65, 139 A GENRE of writing that examines an image, video, or some other visual text and how it communicates its message to an AUDIENCE . Key Features: a description of the visual - some contextual information - attention to any words - close ANALYSIS of the message - insight into what the visual says DESIGN, 96-97, 448-58 The way a text is arranged and presented visually.

Elements of design include FONTS , colors, illustrations, LAYOUT , and white space. BLOGS Blogs (from web + log ) are sites that focus on topics of all kinds. Think food blogs. Tech blogs. Mom blogs. Fitness blogs. Grammar blogs! If there's something you're interested in, chances are there's a blog about that. And if not, you might want to start one. Most blogs follow a simple organization.

A homepage describes what the site is about and lists its posts in reverse chronological order, the most recent one on top. Then comes the main content, which may include images and links. And almost always there's a place to comment. Like a lot of writing on the web, most blogs strike an informal tone and are written in conversational language. And at their best, blogs generate conversations.

Write about something you care a lot about, creating a blog of your own about that topic-and if you work at it, you can build an audience who will join you in conversation. Here are some tips to get you started: Come up with a good name. Make it one that's easy to remember and that gives some idea of what the blog is about. Serious Eats , TechCrunch , NASCARista , and Barefoot Nurse are a few of our favorites. Follow other blogs on related topics, and make a point of responding to what they say.

That's one way others will find you. Tag those blogs in your blog, and make an effort to refer to them occasionally. Include links to other info that may interest your readers. Include a Comments section on your blog, and invite response. Simply posing a question can help prompt response. And be sure to respond to any comments. Keep the conversation going. Update your blog regularly!

A BLOG POST Erin Hawley is the creator, writer, and editor of The Geeky Gimp , a blog that focuses on disability in comics, games, and TV shows. A graduate of East Carolina University, she is now an accessibility consultant for analog and digital gaming. She adores Star Trek , Spock, and Mariah Carey. Visit her blog at geekygimp.com . Writing While Disabled: The Damage of Ableism June 1, 2018 Share this post: Erin Hawley Opens with a question that announces the theme of the post.

Are people telling me this thing I wrote is good because it's actually good, or are they praising it because they have such low expectations of me? Short paragraphs focus on the key points and make the post easy to read. Being a writer is hard. I'm a perfectionist, which makes me dislike everything I produce. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as my perfectionism makes me a decent writer and an even better editor. Boldface type highlights important points.

But as a disabled writer , I question other people's reactions to my work. The opening quote is something I ask myself every time I share my writing with others. Words highlighted in blue link to definitions. Conversational language connects with readers. Some people name that thought process imposter syndrome , but that doesn't cover it. My insecurities around people's reactions stem from ableism, specifically the way abled folks assume so little of me.

It stems from inspiration porn , where every action of a disabled person is praised , including mundane, ordinary things like going food shopping or having friends. I grew up defying expectations from an ableist society by simply existing. Anything beyond that, like graduating from college or being in a romantic relationship, blows people's minds-and it shouldn't.

While much of my work is aimed at dismantling ableism, I understand this -ism, like all oppression, is far too ingrained in society to change overnight, or within my lifetime. That means I must learn to live within this structure. I value my writing-I need to make that clear. This isn't about my talents , but more about how abled and some disabled people view my talent, and how those views negatively impact my craft.

I would write more if I felt secure that my work was valued and critiqued by others the same way I view and critique myself. I wouldn't hesitate to publish if I knew my writing was not seen as a miracle, or met with a patronizing good for you! So when I release a blog post into the wild and receive praise for it, I can't tell if it's genuine. And I'm certain some of it isn't genuine , but rather a manifestation of ableism-even if well-meaning and unrealized.

I want abled people to read my work knowing I am a disabled woman because I am proud of who I am, but I also want them to read it without the framework of ableism . That isn't possible, though, so I internalize and dissect my writing to an unhealthy degree. I can't accept praise even if I also think my blog post or poem or marketing pitch for work is good. Specifies a particular audience she's addressing. I've thought about ways to dismantle this thought process.

What I'm trying to do is write for a small audience. I don't mean the number of people who read my posts; what I mean is, when I write, I only have myself in mind. Or I only have other disabled people in mind if I'm writing specifically about disability. I am telling myself that abled people's opinions of my writing do not affect or control my writing. Some people will view everything I do through the lens of ableism, and I can't let that hinder my words .

Disassociating is not an easy process, but it's a necessary one to keep my powerful voice intact. Concludes by inviting comments and response-in italics to emphasize the request. I am curious if other disabled writers experience similar thoughts, or have any tips on how to keep writing while disabled. Please let me know in the comments! Endnotes The title makes a provocative claim that draws readers in. Return to text Date the blog was posted.

Return to text VLOGS Vlogs (from video + log ) are blogs that are delivered in video. There are thousands of them on YouTube , and like blogs, they are about any number of things: travel, family reunions, how to make face masks. Many of them are by college students-and many of those are about being college students. Some of these provide information: how to find the best classes, how to juggle work and school.

Many others simply tell about the vlogger's everyday routines: a day in their life at college, a stroll across campus, writing an essay at midnight that's due the next day. In fact, it's now an option in some composition classes to produce a short vlog. Students have composed NARRATIVES about their first (or last!) day at college, REPORTS on something they're researching, ARGUMENTS for candidates they support. Even if it's not an assignment, maybe there's just something you want to tell others about.

Planning a vlog is not all that different from anything else you write, but usually you'll want to keep it casual. Start by jotting down the main points you want to cover. Some vloggers write out a script; others just make a list of keywords to keep them on track as they speak. But think about how you'll begin: you'll need to introduce yourself as well as your topic, and in a way that will make your audience want to listen to what you have to say.

And keep it conversational-you'll be doing the talking, but remember that you'll have an audience, so speak directly to them and acknowledge them in some way. It's possible to film a vlog on a simple smartphone. In fact, many of the best vlogs are appealing because they keep it simple. Here are some tips to help you get started: Watch a few vlogs to see how it's done. You could start with Brandon Hayden's vlog on page 501 . Create a YouTube channel.

If you've not done this before, take advantage of the QuickStart guidelines that YouTube provides. Decide on a background, but make sure it doesn't distract from YOU: you're the star of this show! If you'll be walking around, decide on your route. Try out your options for lighting. It's best to use natural light, with the light on you and not behind you. But avoid filming in direct sunlight.

Get comfortable with whatever camera you use-and remember that the quality of the camera is not as important as the content of what you say. Consider getting an inexpensive tripod, and if you'll be seated in the vlog, position the camera at eye level. Remember to look directly at the camera. Practice, practice, practice. Press Record and start talking. Be yourself! Say what you have to say! Glossary NARRATIVE, 186-202 A GENRE that tells a story for the PURPOSE of making a point.

Key Features: a clearly defined event - a clearly described setting - vivid, descriptive details - a consistent POINT OF VIEW - a clear point. Also a strategy for presenting information as a story, for telling what happened. When used in an essay, narration is used to support a point-not merely to tell an interesting story for its own sake. Narration can serve as the organizing principle for a paragraph or an entire text.

See also LITERACY NARRATIVE REPORT, 157-85 A GENRE of writing that presents information to inform readers on a subject. Key Features: a topic carefully focused for a specific AUDIENCE - definitions of key terms - trustworthy information - appropriate organization and DESIGN - a confident TONE that informs rather than argues. See also IMRAD ; PROFILE ARGUMENT, 99-131 Any text that makes a CLAIM supported by REASONS and EVIDENCE . A GENRE that uses REASONS and EVIDENCE to support a CLAIM .

Key Features: an explicit POSITION - a response to what others have said - appropriate background information - a clear indication of why the topic matters - good REASONS and EVIDENCE - attention to more than one POINT OF VIEW - an authoritative TONE - an appeal to readers' values BRANDON HAYDEN College101: Choosing a Major! Brandon Hayden is a student at Georgia State, where he's majoring in sociology.

The piece on the following pages comes from a vlog he runs on YouTube called College 101: A Helpful College Series! He has another YouTube channel called Happily Dressed , a name he also uses for his Instagram account, @happilydressed. It's a label that reflects his belief that being ourselves is effortless and 100% worth it-and that trying to fit in is old news. It's a message with an audience: Hayden now has 2.8K YouTube subscribers!

We cannot include an actual vlog on the pages of this book, but as you'll see on the following pages, we've included several screenshots along with a partial transcript of Hayden's spirited and wise advice about choosing a major. The transcript shows his introduction and conclusion-but go to letstalklibrary.com to see the full vlog. If you haven't yet chosen your major, Brandon Hayden is here to help. A YouTube Vlog Clear title of series attracts intended audience. List of episodes.

Simple, uncluttered background doesn't distract from the speaker. Title of episode, number of views, date posted. Makes eye contact and crosses fingers for good luck-connecting to viewers. Here's a transcript of the start of Hayden's vlog. Introduction explains the glitch and introduces a current topic. Hello guys! So, we are back. I fixed my microphone, I got a new battery for it, so we're back on the nice camera.

But, I'm here for another installment of the College 101 series, and today we are talking about choosing a major. Uses his own experience to connect to the audience. Now this can be extremely difficult, and sometimes you just don't get it-actually, most of the time, people don't get it right on the first try.

I know when I applied to Georgia State, I went under a marketing major, then I got here, changed to a communications major, then added a journalism minor, and then now I've just changed completely to sociology. Conversational tone and everyday vocabulary are used throughout. So basically, it's hard to get what you want to do right the first time. You have assumptions, you take the classes, and then you realize, you know what, maybe this is not for me-I think I have a passion somewhere else.

So then you just change it. And it's okay to change majors between freshman and sophomore year. Once you get to junior and senior year, you get kind of like uugh if you change your major again-you kind of have to stay an extra year or extra two years, so definitely try to make a decision before sophomore year is over. But hopefully, with this video, I can help you kind of dissect what you really want to do. To do this, I'm going to go through the process of me choosing my own major.

And here is the conclusion to Brandon Hayden's vlog. I hope you guys enjoyed this video. I did a lot of talking like I always do in all of my videos so I shouldn't be surprised. If you want more of me and this college series and the college vlogs and just the random videos here and there, you can subscribe down below. I post every Monday. And yeah, don't take picking a major so, so seriously.

Because once you get here, you might decide you don't want to do it anymore, you'll choose maybe two different other ones, you can even pick a minor. So yeah, you have time, so please, don't stress out about picking a major. Pick what you think you want to do now, you'll get here, and if you don't like it you can switch. And if you do, then great on you! You're ahead of the game. But you don't necessarily have to be.

I hope this helped you in any way, shape, or form, and if it did, and any of your other friends are worried about picking a major, please send them this video. And I'll see you guys next Monday! See you guys later. Endnotes Explains what is to come in the rest of the vlog.

Return to text WEBSITES Chances are, when you're online, you're on a website: looking something up on wikipedia.org , checking news on politico.com or foxnews .com , reading reviews of a new film on rottentomatoes.com , ordering takeout from a local diner, doing schoolwork on one of your college's many sites. And that's just for starters: if you take time to jot down every website you visit in a day, you'll see just how much a part of our everyday lives these digital conveyors of information are.

The links are a key component, one that affects the way you write something on the web. For example, you can link to the definition of a term rather than defining it yourself in your text-and you can quote from a source and link to the full text rather than summarizing or paraphrasing it. If there's a chart or graph you'd like to include in your text, you can cut and paste it into your text-or you can simply link to it. Same goes for videos.

The links also work for readers, letting them decide what they want to see, and not. Whether you're creating links or clicking on them, you are using websites all the time. As former President Bill Clinton has said, Twenty years ago only astrophysicists knew about websites. Today my cat has a website. Maybe so, but I bet the cat had some help building its site. Fortunately, free website builders like Wix or GoDaddy provide templates to help you get started.

In the meantime, it's likely that you'll be posting a project or presentation to a site that already exists, much like the article on the following pages. ROSA GUEVARA Jailene M.: The Future of Tech, with Enthusiasm Rosa Guevara wrote the following article when she was at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, New York, and was a staff writer for The Bridge , LaGuardia's student newspaper.

She's now at Baruch College, majoring in business communication-and reporting on social justice issues for The Ticker , their student newspaper. AN ARTICLE ON A WEBSITE Newspaper banner includes a photo of the Queensboro Bridge between Manhattan and Queens, home of LaGuardia Community College. Search bar allows readers to search the site. Main menu includes links to 6 parts of the site.

Jailene M.: The Future of Tech, with Enthusiasm by Rosa Guevara on October 9, 2019 in Features, Home Short paragraphs make newspaper articles easier to read. Learning various English skills along with the principles of journalism to become the next great reporter providing truth and facts to citizens takes a toll on many journalism students. Jailene M. is working on all that and more, studying both journalism and digital technology.

She has already closed the tech gender gap in various ways-and she hopes to empower the next generation of tech leadership by succeeding in school while also learning the basics of the digital era. Everyday language strikes a pleasing, conversational tone. It was 5:30 pm on a Sunday when I met Jailene for a cup of coffee in Elmhurst, Queens. She was on her laptop, drinking coffee and rubbing her eyes, probably because of the brightness of the screen.

I tapped on the door while she looked and enthusiastically waved at me-I opened it, and in an instant, she gave me a hug. She mentioned how she had already ordered exactly what I wanted, and as I sat down, she was already telling me how grateful she was about being interviewed-this was her first time. Born in Queens of Mexican descent, Jailene is not only an aspiring journalist, but also a technology enthusiast, a coder, a babysitter, a first-generation and full-time college student at LaGuardia.

She is proud of her roots and where they're leading her and for what the future looks like it has in store for her. She's been studying the basics of coding with an eye toward creating her own website and publishing articles along with other first-generation students. Her main goal is to close the gender gap and become the next tech leader.

Jailene is majoring in New Media Technology with a concentration in Digital Journalism, and she says another major goal is to become as digitally adept as possible while also providing truthful information to citizens on apps or websites. In her free time, Jailene enjoys coding and teaching others, one of her strongest skills.

I like seeing how just typing codes can turn into beautiful websites-and seeing what that can turn into has attracted me more to it, and made me want to learn more, she told me while sipping her large hot latte. Surrounded by video games when she was growing up, Jailene developed her interest in technology at a young age. She now has the chance of making something virtual into her own masterpiece, a website that can get the recognition she hopes to attain.

While learning the ways of coding, she has noticed that she is the only Hispanic woman in her class. I thought this only happened in Mexico! she said, I guess this stereotype will continuously follow me even in the United States! When she realized that, she decided to go against the stereotype where men are usually the only ones involved in technology, to familiarize herself with coding and break the misconception about women not being able to master this computer language.

During this time, she has also practiced blogging, reporting, and interviewing-in addition to attending web design classes. The many direct quotations let Jailene speak for herself-and let readers hear her voice. Look, I'm more focused on learning HTML coding, JavaScript, jQuery, CSS, Bootstrap and so much more. I would show you, but I think I'd confuse you so much. Maybe we can stop! She laughed while closing her laptop and again sipping her latte.

Jailene is a shy woman who is very passionate about her studies. But more than that, she cares about the people who want her to pursue her dreams, particularly her little brother. Her everyday motivation is to become part of the next generation of top talent in technology, to promote diversity, and to support innovation. Links in this column take readers to other recent feature stories and to archives of previous issues of the newspaper.

She also gets her inspiration from her little brother, who has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a neurological disorder that causes those who develop it to have difficulty paying attention and to become excessively active. My brother is 10 years old and has ADHD, Jailene said. This really does motivate me to accomplish my academic and personal goals because I want him to know that he can accomplish anything he wants no matter what his condition.

I want him to know that his disorder does not define him and does not limit what he can do. Her family back in Mexico wants the best for her, especially since she is the first granddaughter and is seen as an example. Many first-generation college students say they must go to college to help their families because they are viewed as saviors, family representatives, and a way out of poverty. She is dedicated to doing well this term while also remembering to take care of herself.

Link takes readers to information about the author. Another link takes readers to other articles by Guevara. Part of the graduating class of 2019, she hopes to see the day when gender stereotypes no longer exist, in technology or any field. Sometimes it is women competing against women or men against men. I just do not understand it-and it continues to frustrate me. We can all just help each other succeed.

But that's not how it works here in America. Digital Journalism , Laguardia student feature , Slider ABOUT ROSA GUEVARA View all posts by Rosa Guevara Endnotes The title uses a key word- tech -that makes this article searchable. Return to text This powerful quotation lets Jailene have the last word. Return to text PART 7 MEDIA / A PORTFOLIO Chapter 30 Social IT'S A DIALOGUE, NOT A MONOLOGUE. . . . SOCIAL MEDIA IS MORE LIKE A TELEPHONE THAN A TELEVISION.

-AMY JO MARTIN ANYONE CAN BE A REPORTER OR A CULTURAL CRITIC ON TWITTER , AND THAT'S LED TO A UNIVERSE OF DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS, ALL AMPLIFIED ORGANICALLY. -WIRED ONLY CONNECT. . . . LIVE IN FRAGMENTS NO LONGER. -E. M. FORSTER Where do you most often get news or information these days? And how do you most often communicate with others? If you're like most people now, your answer will involve social media.

A 2019 Pew Research study reports that 74 percent of adults in the United States turn to Facebook daily, while 63 percent turn to Instagram and 40 percent to Twitter . Again, that's daily . And it very likely includes you. So this chapter is not going to tell you how to log on to Facebook or post a photo on Instagram . But it will get you thinking about how you can use social media to connect with others-and to do so carefully, effectively, and ethically.

It might be useful to stop and think about what makes social media social. In short, it enables us to meet up with others. To talk and to listen. To think about what they say, and why. To engage with others, and with their ideas. In other words, social media is about dialogue and conversation,more like a telephone than a television. They help us connect. With people. With ideas. With the world. But how exactly do social media help us connect? They're interactive .

Social media sites are designed to invite response. As a writer, you can respond to what someone else posts, join a conversation, or initiate one yourself. They help us find audiences-and communities . Social media sites give you some control over who sees what you write, and they even provide ways for you to build an audience. You can use privacy settings to decide who can see your posts, and you can @mention people you want to see them. You can also choose who to follow.

They enable us to share and follow ideas-and discover new ones . You can add tag (#) keywords to add your own thoughts to conversations on a certain topic-and to make your own posts searchable by others. Say you post something about social distancing, for instance: adding #stayhome, #sixfeet, and #washyourhands will help others interested in that topic find your posts. They're driven by algorithms , which amplify the spread of information -actual information, misinformation, and totally false information.

Algorithms are designed to track clicks and likes and then to feed us content that's in line with our preferences; the fact that shocking, disturbing, and angry content is apparently most engaging drives the spread of such information. Because they're online and instantly accessible, social media messages are amplified -for both good and ill. Like a giant megaphone or microphone, social media blast out messages: some are truthful and fact based; others are exactly the opposite.

That's why ethical users of social media take special care with the messages they send-and do not retweet or repost messages they cannot verify. FACEBOOK Created in 2004, Facebook began as an online directory of the first-year class at Harvard. It included nothing but each student's name, photo, dorm, and high school. The content was nothing new.

But something else was new: students could edit their profiles, adding details about their relationships, their classes, their favorite bands or movies or teams, whatever. And they could then see who else was in their classes, who else was in Expos 20, or rooted for the Celtics. In other words, it prompted students to think about how to present themselves, and it made it easy to find communities who shared their interests. The rest is history.

Today, more than 1.5 billion people log in to Facebook each day: primarily to stay in touch with friends and family, but also to get the news, show off vacation photos, watch videos, and more. As a college student, you may well use Facebook to learn about school events, collaborate with classmates, write to your grandparents. Remember that your Facebook profile is one way that you present yourself to the world, so you'll want to think hard about what you put there.

Unless you make your account private, it could reach a pretty wide audience, including future employers-who have been known to cancel interviews or reject job candidates after looking at their Facebook pages. Be careful not to post anything you wouldn't want a future employer to see. INSTAGRAM A free photo-sharing app, Instagram allows you to upload photos and videos, and to write something about them.