Creative Practice Page 118

How is the imagery and text used in these posters to create a pathos-based argument?

I would use the poster of the soldier who is missing a limb and the injured Uncle Sam poster in order to focus on how the imagery in these posters are utilized to evoke a lot of emotion from the viewer. I would point out the fact of how these powerful and pitiful images of these "fallen heros" or leaders show the less publicized side of war, pain and suffering. The text is also very influential in pushing the message a step further and making the user feel very unsettled.

Writing an Accurate and Thorough Summary

1. Appraising the Letter to Op-ed piece:

a. The writer argues that the human interaction found in classrooms is more beneficial to students than the interaction a computer screen can give.

b. The interaction in the classroom, in his opinion, is able to get the student to engage with the subject by asking thought-provoking questions and he is able to view nonverbal evidence of each student's understanding of the subject.

c. The writer does address an opposing claim by saying it is good to integrate technology in the classroom setting, but he does not explain in any detail the opposing argument at all.

d. I believe he defines his side of the argument correctly, but I feel he misses the point on how technology can truly supplement the classroom on such a level that it becomes almost imperative to integrate it into the curriculum.

2. Paul Vincelli is a teacher who requires attendance in his college classroom, because he feels he can engage his students with the subject matter better than a computer screen. He feels that the human interaction that is presented in the room provokes more thought and learning. He does acknowledge the use of technology in the classroom, but says there is absolutely no replacement for human interaction. I feel this is a valid point, but I believe that in the classroom setting some students are left behind, because this atmosphere can be intimidating when there are other students that greatly excel at the subject, which can hinder participation of someone who feels they can not contribute to the class. With this in mind, I feel that integrating other medias such as computers, books, and so on are crucial to the engagement of these students in order to excel in their academics and not just in the classroom itself.

Point of Contact

http://www.kentucky.com/2010/10/25/1493956/benefits-to-learning-within-a.html

This letter to the editor from Paul Vincelli about benefits of learning in a class room caught my attention because I agree and disagree with parts of this argument. I do agree that a classroom can by a very important part of any education, because it makes students engage in ways that a computer screen can't, and in classes such as history this can be a huge advantage. I disagree though with the statement that a classroom is the best way to learn in order to engage and interacts as humans since inevitably someone will get left behind, because they are intimidated by other students in the class that are excelling.

I also would like to pose the question of what the student is to do if the teacher is not able to offer an educational value in the classroom above and beyond what a computer can offer? I can tell you for a fact that a few of those types of teachers get through the cracks and are allowed to continue to teach even after countless years of poor student performance. At this point doesn't it help the student to fall back on these other resources in order to teach themselves? I know for a fact that I am a junior in Interactive Multimedia major here at OU, which involves web design and development, but I've taught myself everything I know about web development in the last 3 years I have been in school. I also know for a fact that everything you could ever want to learn is available via a simple Google search of the right word. Isn't it more important that we understand how to go out and find the answers to our question than to sit in a classroom and be spoon-fed the information then regurgitating it for a test?

At a Glance: The "Perfect" Topic

Issues that interest me:

1. Look Inward: Creationism, Same-sex marriage, glass-ceiling, psychology of sex

2. Look Outward: Transition from Academia to Career, Rising tuition costs

3. Use Creative Visualization: Racism, Facebook Privacy issues, Sexism

4. Use the materials of the moment: Government assistance for storm victims, Government cutting funds to local school district, illegal substance use on campus, Hate-crimes.

Letter to the Editor - The Athens News

The letter I selected for this assignment was from a Rick O'Keefe who believes that student parties should be allowed to make noise past midnight. He says this is to be expected from a college town and that its no worse than leaf blowers, and truck beepers.

The article can be read here: http://www.athensnews.com/ohio/article-32390-citizens-griping-about-loud-parties-reminiscent-of-dennisrss-mr-wilson.html

I believe that this argument is completely ridiculous. I do agree that in a college town you will get more noise just because of the atmosphere, but I disagree with the fact that residents should get used to it and stop being party-poopers. I think students need to understand that although they are allowed having fun they are also a part of a bigger community than themselves.

Collaborative Challenge for October 19th

It's been a hard week for the shop. The old man has been working his hands to the bone trying to fix the damages from the hurricane. He says he will keep me around for as long as he can afford it, and I'm thankful for it because my next meal is always in question. I've been out of school for almost two months and I wonder if I'll ever see the doors to my high school again. The little happiness in my life comes from the animals which I take care day to day. They are always excited to see me and one can't help but smile at the birds chirping in the window. They appreciated the new addition my boss added today to protect them from the weather, so they were sure to make it known to anyone who was there to listen.

Peer critique from Jacob Barr:

The ever seeing the doors to the high school i do not get? Unless it is in the summer?

Essay #2 - Commercials

The four commercials addressed in my second essay (two "selling" a free product, and two actually selling a product).

Thomas Hine

Some other visual quotations that become cliches representing a specific locale are:

1. The Sphinx and Pyramids - Egypt

2. Mount Rushmore - South Dakota

3. Washington Monument - Washington D.C.

4. Space Needle - Seattle, Washington

I remember when I actually traveled to the Grand Canyon; I had never seen this giant canyon except for in pictures before. I believe that the location greatly surpassed the image's detail, and the emotion that I felt while being at the actual Grand Canyon was a thousand times stronger than anything I could have felt from an image. This trip to the Grand Canyon will always remain as a very vivid memory, and because of this I feel even stronger emotions than before when I see a picture of the canyon. I will always remember the emotion I felt while standing beside it.

Analyzing New Twitter

Twitter has reinvented itself and is now advertising its new face lift via an online YouTube video that is embedded on an interior page of their site (http://twitter.com/newtwitter). It is interesting to see how Twitter treats its advertising, because in all reality they do not have to worry about sales since they are "selling" a free service that is used by millions of people.

Content

The add is selling the new features that Twitter is now beginning to support. Say good-bye to clicking those annoying hyperlinks, because Twitter is now supporting the embedding of video and images on their feeds! The ad does go one step further though and it seems to be selling an idea as well that Twitter is constantly in our lives whether we notice it or not.

Message

The ad is selling the new features by taking us through an average day in a very visual world with many colors and ideas. The message in this ad is, "We know that we are a part of a visual world, so why not share it as we experience it."

Character and Setting

The ad actually features a paper image of the Twitter logo bird in many different places such as on a pancake, in a library, on a bus window, and even on strawberries at a grocery store. No actual faces of people are actually shown, but you can infer from the parts of the individuals that you can see that their target audience seems to be urban individuals between the age of 18 to 25. I feel they intentionally didn't show faces, because they want to reach out to a wider audience and they don't want to alienate any ethnic groups by focusing on one primary persona.

Story

The advertisement is showing the new features of "New Twitter".

Theme

The underlying message in this ad is that Twitter is every where we are and that it is almost like a living breathing individual like you and me that grows each day with us.

Medium

The medium was actually via a YouTube video that was embedded on their site. This was an interesting choice in not using any other medium, because the video is all about Twitter being out in the everyday world but its being showcased only on the site in its "digital fortress". I believe that this served Twitter well though, because I think the goal of this ad was to actually let their current users that a few things are going to change.

Historical Context

The new Twitter was an international release in a time where progress was a necessity. If

Twitter were to continue to not support video and images then they would have found their following abandoning them for new social networks that would. This ad alludes to the fact that the key to technology is that it is never stagnant and to continue to push forward is what everyone needs to do in order to succeed.

Word and Image

There are zero actual words in this ad and this is very important, because it emphasizes the importance of visuals in our everyday life. If more words were present in the ad then it would have weakened the argument that adding images to Twitter is a sign of progress.

Layout

The sequence of the commercial is intriguing, because the viewer is wondering what the big build up is all about and as soon as you see the picture on the page you realize that the way you think of Twitter just changed before your eyes.

Design

The Twitter logo was blue which is a color that conveys an idea of social networking. This is important to Twitter, because what they hope for users to do as a brand is to use their site in order to connect with others they know and communicate.

Voice

This ad is a story being told in third person, using an informal yet serious voice in order to create a strong pathos connection between the viewer and the story.

Imagery

The video has very close detail shots that always include the Twitter logo. The frame is always very dynamic and the main content is never just in the center of the shot. These details help to back up the feeling of dynamic movement and the progressive beliefs of Twitter.

Rhetorical Appeals

The Twitter logo is meant to act as an ethos voice which adds a level of trust to the video's message. The story line of this video is heavily pathos driven. The use of music and imagery make if very easy to relate to the video itself.

Strategy of Development

Narration is used in this ad to tell a story and illustration is used as well in order to show how Twitter is a part of our day-to-day life. These strategies help to create a more convincing appeal, because they don't just come out and tell the viewer how he/she should feel. The ad first draws the attention of its viewers, then calls forth an emotional response, and then finally delivers the argument.

Culture Resonance

The ad definitely uses the Twitter logo in order to build an ethos appeal which increases its persuasiveness. This helps with the argument because many current users of Twitter will listen to this ad just because it has a logo they know and trust.