Class Over All

This class was not what i was expecting out of an english class because of the local foods thing being twisted in and at first i did not like the idea of having an entire class being formulated around one topic but in the end i found this beneficial because every assignment played into one another and made each less work.

Extra Credit

I personally appreciated having the opportunity the extra credit for the portfolio and also having to do the assignment because i liked looking over the work i have had to do for this class because it was not only an english class but it was focused on locally grown foods not something most of normally think about on an everyday basis.

Position Statement

I thought the position statement was a good paper for us to write because we had to pick sides to issues related to topics we don't generally even thing about and we had to have a strong opinion about whether or not we liked it or not This can be proven a challenge but it was a good one because it is something we do every day argue but we had to do it constructively and have it well thought out.

Panels

The second day of panels went well also but it was more controversial and brought up more opposing points then the first day and i think this made it more interesting to watch and closer to an actual debate to watch and you could tell they all felt strongly about there topics and did a very good job of presenting there topics in a professional way.

Panels

I thought the panels on the first day brought less arguments forward but went well it was fun to hear other people opinions on what they thought about things. I also thought it was interesting how everyone on the CAFO panel was against CAFO's but never really thought about how they would change there everyday behaviors to fit with sides they chose.

AOC

i absolutely loved All Over Creation! this story totally drew me in and enthralled me. i loved how realistic the whole story was. i felt like i knew all the characters (partially because we could see their thoughts) and i could feel their frustration, pain, and anger. this story really made the GM debate more real, even if the characters were fictional.

DNGC

i thought that while Dinner at the New Gene Cafe was verrrry boring and drawn out it was a very informative and really helped me to understand the issues of GM foods. i think that it helped that i could alternate reading DNGC with AOC for a break from reality. i think that if i hadn't taken this class i never would have thought too much about the issues with GM vs non-GM, even if i don't personally participate or agree with the debate

"going green"

i think the "green" movement is an interesting phenomenon. it seems to be a fad. as more and more celebrities do it, the general public also tries to decrease their ecological footprint and do things to decrease thier consumption. if it does last, it can really help our planet in the long run but it needs to be something that everyone does all the time - not just some people some of the time.

how DNGC and AOC complemented each other

I thought that DNGC complemented each other very well. DNGC is more objective and informative-- it helps readers of AOC inderstand more about the back story of the debate between GM and non-GM foods. Readers can learn and understand more by understanding the issues of the debate and then apply them to the fictional story of AOC to make the story more real. AOC helps bring DNGC into focus - personalizing the story makes readers feel closer to the debate and shows how this issue can affect every aspect of the lives of real people. The two books kind of complete one another - reading both of them helps the reader understand both stories even more.

panels

I thought that the panels were a good way for the whole class to learn about each topic area without each individual having to create a seperate presentation. it worked much better and showed the knowledge of each individual on the panel because answering questions showed how the students understood of their topic area and that they learned more than just the specifics of their paper.

I thought panel went well today. I was really interested in the Ethanol discussion. I didn't know much about this topic and the students did well in explaining it.

Panels Today

I thought that the panels went well today and the ethanol panel especially was very interactive and interesting. These panels were a very interesting and educational class project, something different from the everyday class schedule.
On another note I wish you all the best with your finals and final papers. Hope that you have a fun summer and good luck in all that you do. It's been a fun semester and I have really enjoyed the class. OK well see you around campus. :)

Panel day 2

I thought today's panel was quite interesting, and the ethanol panel seemed to be the most informative and free-flowing out of all of the panels. There were a lot more follow up questions and very inquisitive minds in the class. I felt I got to put in my two cents worth, and I think everybody on the panel gave very valuable information and made valid points.

today 5-1

The panels werent nearly as nerv racking as I thought they were going to be. I thought that the Ethanol panel did really well today I learned alot that I did not know before. Good luck to everyone on their finals, the rest of college, and your future career. Now I have to go make a bunch of changes to my position statement. Have a Great Summer!

Post 05/01

I thought that today's lesson was very informative. I was on the ethanol panel, and prior to writing my position statement on ethanol the only thing that I knew about ethanol was that it was basically gasoline made form corn. The panel discussion was informative, and it allowed us to present some information on ethanol that is not well known. The GMO panel also did a great job, especially since they only had two people on their panel. Overall I would have to say that the panel discussion were very informative and a good experience. It allowed us to become temporary experts in our fields of study (in my case ethanol). We were able to take a position and then defend it in front of an audience. This will wind up being a valuable skill if any of us ever have to defend a position statement pertaining to oir careers. Good luck with the rest of your college education everyone.


Later
Garrett B.