Lori Ann Stephens's Blog, page 3
April 11, 2014
On teaching, the web, and internal seething
It's been a while. During the fall and spring semesters, I often find it hard to blog, much less write creatively. I had a rather startling experience a few days ago, and would like your comments, either here or on Facebook. I'm still trying to figure this all out.
I teach at private university in Dallas. You may know this campus. Its buildings demand your gaze. Its landscaping conjures fantasies of outdoor classes on the stretch of perpetually green grass. When you walk through campus, you smile at the aesthetic richness that surrounds you. Inside, students bustle to class, pull out their notebooks and laptops, and chat about the mountain of homework that they somehow (defying sleep and sanity) managed to complete (or not). The professor clears her throat, and class begins.
I know what happens in classes because I not only teach them, I observe them. I also take them. Yes, I'm incognito: I'm taking an intermediate French class to brush up for my upcoming semester in Paris. Here's what I've noticed in every single class: surfing the web.
No matter how experienced or engaging the professor is, a few students are surfing the web, physically present, but mentally checked out. Some of the surfing seems innocuous: they're emailing someone, texting, registering for the next semester, browsing photos. Other surfing is (to me) shocking: shopping for clothes or watching videos.
It never fails. I'm sitting in class, observing another teacher lecture. The students know why I'm there. I've got my business-face on, and I've got a frickin' notepad in my hand. And instead of taking notes or engaging in the conversation, the girl to my right is browsing the latest pant styles. Hundreds of pants, it seems, judging from the speed of her swiping fingers. A guy in the row in front of me is distracted too. He's shopping for the hippest shoes. It's pledging season, after all. I look back to the instructor, who is giving some important information about the big research paper due in a few short weeks. I look back at the pink iPad next to me. The girl is bored with pants, it seems. Someone has sent her a message. She reads is quickly, then closes her iPad. Finally, I can concentrate on the instructor.
The first few times this scene played out, I left class wondering, "What the hell is going on?" Who taught these silent hellions manners? But I've seen this kind of browsing before. At faculty meetings.
So I can't point the finger solely at college students.
I asked my own class their thoughts on the new classroom etiquette. Does it bother them when the person next to them is doing some online shopping or Facebooking? Do they make silent value judgements on the girl shopping for Easter stripy sandals during Middle-East History? Is she failing or lazy or stupid?
This is what they said:
Yes, whenever laptops and tablets are allowed in class, students are surfing the web instead of taking notes. In some classes, they told me, most of the class will be Facebooking while the professor lectures. It's annoying, they all agree, and distracting. But, as one student said dolefully, "What can we do? We're not going to say, 'hey, can you stop doing that?'" Everyone in class nodded. A few students talked about the decline in attention spans, and that, according to recent stats, students can only focus for about 14 minutes on one topic before mentally checking out. Several students admitted that they needed to check email or social network sites to give them a jolt in the middle of a long class. The distraction helped them re-focus on the lecture.
I'm not sure what to think of all this yet. I do know that multi-tasking (the hallmark of the new generation) leads to lower quality of the individual tasks in the end. I like using the internet in class. My students post their work on Blackboard and we project the work on a large screen to critique. They provide comments to their peers' drafts during class. But I'd be an idiot to think that a few aren't checking emails or browsing other websites.
Here's what I know about the issue:
As a student, it's hard to concentrate on anything but those freaking screens. Pants. Pants. More pants. I feel sorry for the professor. (I hate that feeling.)I make a moral judgment on the student. (Sorry--can't help but think that student is stupid or lazy or both)I seethe a little, but suppress it because...It wouldn't do any good to say anything to the offending person. (This last one is the students' perspective. Although I always stop the browsing as a professor, I'm actually completely passive as a student.)By the way, the students in my class voiced similar conclusions. So I wonder if a wired classroom is contributing to a decline in performance, a decline in thinking, a decline in respect for one another. Do the benefits of convenience and efficiency outweigh the declinations?
I'll be searching for more research on this topic. If you have links, please do share.
I teach at private university in Dallas. You may know this campus. Its buildings demand your gaze. Its landscaping conjures fantasies of outdoor classes on the stretch of perpetually green grass. When you walk through campus, you smile at the aesthetic richness that surrounds you. Inside, students bustle to class, pull out their notebooks and laptops, and chat about the mountain of homework that they somehow (defying sleep and sanity) managed to complete (or not). The professor clears her throat, and class begins.
I know what happens in classes because I not only teach them, I observe them. I also take them. Yes, I'm incognito: I'm taking an intermediate French class to brush up for my upcoming semester in Paris. Here's what I've noticed in every single class: surfing the web.
No matter how experienced or engaging the professor is, a few students are surfing the web, physically present, but mentally checked out. Some of the surfing seems innocuous: they're emailing someone, texting, registering for the next semester, browsing photos. Other surfing is (to me) shocking: shopping for clothes or watching videos.
It never fails. I'm sitting in class, observing another teacher lecture. The students know why I'm there. I've got my business-face on, and I've got a frickin' notepad in my hand. And instead of taking notes or engaging in the conversation, the girl to my right is browsing the latest pant styles. Hundreds of pants, it seems, judging from the speed of her swiping fingers. A guy in the row in front of me is distracted too. He's shopping for the hippest shoes. It's pledging season, after all. I look back to the instructor, who is giving some important information about the big research paper due in a few short weeks. I look back at the pink iPad next to me. The girl is bored with pants, it seems. Someone has sent her a message. She reads is quickly, then closes her iPad. Finally, I can concentrate on the instructor.
The first few times this scene played out, I left class wondering, "What the hell is going on?" Who taught these silent hellions manners? But I've seen this kind of browsing before. At faculty meetings.
So I can't point the finger solely at college students.
I asked my own class their thoughts on the new classroom etiquette. Does it bother them when the person next to them is doing some online shopping or Facebooking? Do they make silent value judgements on the girl shopping for Easter stripy sandals during Middle-East History? Is she failing or lazy or stupid?
This is what they said:
Yes, whenever laptops and tablets are allowed in class, students are surfing the web instead of taking notes. In some classes, they told me, most of the class will be Facebooking while the professor lectures. It's annoying, they all agree, and distracting. But, as one student said dolefully, "What can we do? We're not going to say, 'hey, can you stop doing that?'" Everyone in class nodded. A few students talked about the decline in attention spans, and that, according to recent stats, students can only focus for about 14 minutes on one topic before mentally checking out. Several students admitted that they needed to check email or social network sites to give them a jolt in the middle of a long class. The distraction helped them re-focus on the lecture.
I'm not sure what to think of all this yet. I do know that multi-tasking (the hallmark of the new generation) leads to lower quality of the individual tasks in the end. I like using the internet in class. My students post their work on Blackboard and we project the work on a large screen to critique. They provide comments to their peers' drafts during class. But I'd be an idiot to think that a few aren't checking emails or browsing other websites.
Here's what I know about the issue:
As a student, it's hard to concentrate on anything but those freaking screens. Pants. Pants. More pants. I feel sorry for the professor. (I hate that feeling.)I make a moral judgment on the student. (Sorry--can't help but think that student is stupid or lazy or both)I seethe a little, but suppress it because...It wouldn't do any good to say anything to the offending person. (This last one is the students' perspective. Although I always stop the browsing as a professor, I'm actually completely passive as a student.)By the way, the students in my class voiced similar conclusions. So I wonder if a wired classroom is contributing to a decline in performance, a decline in thinking, a decline in respect for one another. Do the benefits of convenience and efficiency outweigh the declinations?
I'll be searching for more research on this topic. If you have links, please do share.
February 23, 2014
Just call me Dame Lori
That's right. Look what happens when you support artists in America: you get all sorts of appreciation. And titles. Damn straight. I mean, Dame Straight.
Composer Quest is a great little podcast worth supporting. If you like learning about music, supporting artists who are trying to keep doing what they love to do, and being an all around friend of the humanities, you can help Charlie keep interviewing composers. For the price of one cup of Starbucks each month.
Composer Quest is a great little podcast worth supporting. If you like learning about music, supporting artists who are trying to keep doing what they love to do, and being an all around friend of the humanities, you can help Charlie keep interviewing composers. For the price of one cup of Starbucks each month.
February 14, 2014
February 7, 2014
Call for Submissions: Very Short Stories
For all you Texas writers and art lovers, here's a fun short story "contest" that I wish I had time to enter.
It's sponsored by Arts & Letters Live, which selected my short story a few years ago, and they're doing this little shindig with the Dallas Museum of Art.
I've copied here some of the details, but follow the link for the fine print.
Arts & Letters Live, the literary series at the Dallas Museum of Art, invites you to write a very short story(400 words; due Saturday, February 15) inspired by one of four objects currently in DMA art storage. Four people will be selected to read their stories aloud and compete during our Fresh Ink event on the Friday, February 21 Late Night as part of an "Object Slam." Prizes will be awarded!
You have one week. Go!
It's sponsored by Arts & Letters Live, which selected my short story a few years ago, and they're doing this little shindig with the Dallas Museum of Art.
I've copied here some of the details, but follow the link for the fine print.
Arts & Letters Live, the literary series at the Dallas Museum of Art, invites you to write a very short story(400 words; due Saturday, February 15) inspired by one of four objects currently in DMA art storage. Four people will be selected to read their stories aloud and compete during our Fresh Ink event on the Friday, February 21 Late Night as part of an "Object Slam." Prizes will be awarded!
You have one week. Go!
February 4, 2014
Cover Contest
The cover of SOME ACT OF VISION is in a cover contest over here.
When I saw my book's cover, I fell in love with it. The designer, Timothy Pryor, did such a phenomenal job. If you love it, too, please hope over an vote on the design. The winner will get a bit of free advertising. (Authors love free advertising.)
And vote on the other sci-fi books, too. I like the fact that my book's cover stands out a bit, don't you?
When I saw my book's cover, I fell in love with it. The designer, Timothy Pryor, did such a phenomenal job. If you love it, too, please hope over an vote on the design. The winner will get a bit of free advertising. (Authors love free advertising.)
And vote on the other sci-fi books, too. I like the fact that my book's cover stands out a bit, don't you?
February 2, 2014
Operas and Agents and French, oh my!
After years of taking advantage of the tuition benefits at SMU (free tuition for my son), I decided to take an intermediate French class. I need an intense course to help me brush up on my rusty French and prepare me for a gorgeous semester in Paris. So I'm spending about four hours a day on homework and general studying--a sign that I've become obsessed with the French language.
I've just spent four solid hours doing French grammar exercises online.
The only thing I could do to drag my eyes away from that French online program was to tell myself I needed to blog.
Because I have to announce a definite date for the live opera performance of my libretti. Yes, libretti, as in two of those little things. I found a beautiful little brochure in my mailbox at the university and opened it to find this staring back at me:
On May 2, 2014 at Southern Methodist University, the opera singers in Meadows School of the Arts will perform the opera libretto that Neil Gaiman and Jeremy Sams chose as the winning libretto for the English National Opera contest: The Lingerer. Max Perryment, the composer, has created an arrangement for a small live orchestra. AND my other miniopera, Mobile Home, will be performed, too! Charlie McCarron is the composer of that little gem. Best of all, it's free! Bring your lunches and come picnic with me in the Bob Hope Lobby of Owen Arts Center.
All this excitement should distract me from my jitters as I search for a super, dedicated agent for my new humorous novel for children. The entire novel is inspired by my son, Julien, and his year in fifth grade. He practically wrote the thing. More on that later. : )
I've just spent four solid hours doing French grammar exercises online.
The only thing I could do to drag my eyes away from that French online program was to tell myself I needed to blog.
Because I have to announce a definite date for the live opera performance of my libretti. Yes, libretti, as in two of those little things. I found a beautiful little brochure in my mailbox at the university and opened it to find this staring back at me:
On May 2, 2014 at Southern Methodist University, the opera singers in Meadows School of the Arts will perform the opera libretto that Neil Gaiman and Jeremy Sams chose as the winning libretto for the English National Opera contest: The Lingerer. Max Perryment, the composer, has created an arrangement for a small live orchestra. AND my other miniopera, Mobile Home, will be performed, too! Charlie McCarron is the composer of that little gem. Best of all, it's free! Bring your lunches and come picnic with me in the Bob Hope Lobby of Owen Arts Center.
All this excitement should distract me from my jitters as I search for a super, dedicated agent for my new humorous novel for children. The entire novel is inspired by my son, Julien, and his year in fifth grade. He practically wrote the thing. More on that later. : )
January 17, 2014
The Good Five
It is January. And there is happiness in this house.
I'm going to talk like an old person now: (ready?)
I spent my youth and young adult life chasing things. Dreams. Lovers. Degrees. Jobs. Kids--yes, we all chase our kids. I chased things because I thought they would deliver the most essential, intangible goods:
Happiness. Stability. Admiration. Respect. Love (the deep, real kind).
Shall we call them the Good Five? Somewhere along the way, I realized that all these intangible goods could not be captured like some flag waving beyond our fingertips. Of course, they are only born within oneself. And they only survive with a certain stubbornness that flies in the face of Trials and that other face, Tribulations.
The fourth decade is a marvelous time, at least it has been for me. I am one of the lucky ones. My parents are still alive and healthy and adorable and kind. My children make me laugh every day, even the grown son who is off in New York, experiencing his own sort of rebirth. I write something new and challenging every year. And I'm no longer chasing flags and getting tackled along the way.
There are still moments when, in spite of working my ass off, I feel the metal blade of inadequacy slice through me. I think I'm never going to be good enough. I've got everyone fooled. But after a while, I have a quite comical realization (the sun's rays shining down in a shower of illumination) about those depressing thoughts: I'm just silly, thinking that I'm living in the shadow of the Approval of Others. I know the important people and the important things in my life, and only I can treasure them by giving them the Good Five.
This morning, our younger son had a talkative morning. He talked and talked and talked. My husband and I gave each other knowing glances and blamed each other's genetics. Then we laughed. And our son jumped between us because he wanted to share in the laughter. We laughed so much, we had to hold each other for stability. It was a morning full of happiness and stability and admiration and respect and love.
Welcome, January.
I'm going to talk like an old person now: (ready?)
I spent my youth and young adult life chasing things. Dreams. Lovers. Degrees. Jobs. Kids--yes, we all chase our kids. I chased things because I thought they would deliver the most essential, intangible goods:
Happiness. Stability. Admiration. Respect. Love (the deep, real kind).
Shall we call them the Good Five? Somewhere along the way, I realized that all these intangible goods could not be captured like some flag waving beyond our fingertips. Of course, they are only born within oneself. And they only survive with a certain stubbornness that flies in the face of Trials and that other face, Tribulations.
The fourth decade is a marvelous time, at least it has been for me. I am one of the lucky ones. My parents are still alive and healthy and adorable and kind. My children make me laugh every day, even the grown son who is off in New York, experiencing his own sort of rebirth. I write something new and challenging every year. And I'm no longer chasing flags and getting tackled along the way.
There are still moments when, in spite of working my ass off, I feel the metal blade of inadequacy slice through me. I think I'm never going to be good enough. I've got everyone fooled. But after a while, I have a quite comical realization (the sun's rays shining down in a shower of illumination) about those depressing thoughts: I'm just silly, thinking that I'm living in the shadow of the Approval of Others. I know the important people and the important things in my life, and only I can treasure them by giving them the Good Five.
This morning, our younger son had a talkative morning. He talked and talked and talked. My husband and I gave each other knowing glances and blamed each other's genetics. Then we laughed. And our son jumped between us because he wanted to share in the laughter. We laughed so much, we had to hold each other for stability. It was a morning full of happiness and stability and admiration and respect and love.
Welcome, January.
December 16, 2013
Free books! (Good ones, too.)
I've been very bad at keeping up in the blogosphere, but I'm peeking in to announce a book giveaway.
Everyone loves free books, right?
This new book by a very talented writer, Nikki Loftin, is already getting much buzz by the likes of Kirkus as a literary gem: Nightingale's Nest. If you don't win an advanced reader copy, buy it. It's already on my Holiday Gift List for Yours Truly.
Go here to enter for your chance to win a copy. Hooray, Nikki! (She's a genuine, good person, too. The Real Deal.)
Oh, and there are MORE free books, if that's what floats your holiday boat.
DANCE SPIRIT MAGAZINE is giving away copies of my YA novel, SOME ACT OF VISION. SOME ACT is their January 2014 "Pick of the Month," and they'll be giving away both ebooks and paperbacks to lucky winners. Good luck!
Everyone loves free books, right?
This new book by a very talented writer, Nikki Loftin, is already getting much buzz by the likes of Kirkus as a literary gem: Nightingale's Nest. If you don't win an advanced reader copy, buy it. It's already on my Holiday Gift List for Yours Truly.
Go here to enter for your chance to win a copy. Hooray, Nikki! (She's a genuine, good person, too. The Real Deal.)
Oh, and there are MORE free books, if that's what floats your holiday boat.
DANCE SPIRIT MAGAZINE is giving away copies of my YA novel, SOME ACT OF VISION. SOME ACT is their January 2014 "Pick of the Month," and they'll be giving away both ebooks and paperbacks to lucky winners. Good luck!
November 6, 2013
School Visits and Free Books
This past Monday, I visited Ereckson Middle School, home of the Huskies, and talked to about 150 smart middle schoolers about the writing process, SOME ACT OF VISION, and never giving up on books.
I was so thrilled to be there, caught up in the moment, that I didn't ask anyone to take pictures. Argh!
But I did give away two copies of my YA novel, along with a blank journal and a Starbucks gift card (because we all know that coffee and writing and reading are best friends). And I have the suspicion that I'll be Skyping with several of those cool kids in a few weeks. They were amazing.
Thanks, Ereckson English teachers for inviting me! And extra-special thanks to Mrs. Cooper.
If you follow me on Facebook (AuthorLoriAnnStephens), you can learn how to get a signed bookplate in time for Christmas. And if you hop over to Goodreads, you can enter the FREE book giveaway, which happens in one week. So get on over there before time runs ou--
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Some Act of Vision by Lori Ann Stephens Giveaway ends November 13, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
I was so thrilled to be there, caught up in the moment, that I didn't ask anyone to take pictures. Argh!
But I did give away two copies of my YA novel, along with a blank journal and a Starbucks gift card (because we all know that coffee and writing and reading are best friends). And I have the suspicion that I'll be Skyping with several of those cool kids in a few weeks. They were amazing.
Thanks, Ereckson English teachers for inviting me! And extra-special thanks to Mrs. Cooper.
If you follow me on Facebook (AuthorLoriAnnStephens), you can learn how to get a signed bookplate in time for Christmas. And if you hop over to Goodreads, you can enter the FREE book giveaway, which happens in one week. So get on over there before time runs ou--
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; }
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Some Act of Vision by Lori Ann Stephens Giveaway ends November 13, 2013. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
October 30, 2013
Barnes & Noble Book Reading and Signing
I'm so very late on this this post, but here are a few photos from the book reading and signing. I was told there were about 38 people in the audience. College students rock.
Sooo many people
Purple, a significant color
candy and bookmarks
Thanks, Barnes & Noble, for hosting my book signing!
Sooo many people
Purple, a significant color
candy and bookmarksThanks, Barnes & Noble, for hosting my book signing!
