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Post by coldfire22 on Jun 24, 2008 21:13:20 GMT -5
Like Jango, said that doesn't sound good. Its understandable though. I mean if he is too busy to keep xverse open only so we can enjoy the site, we have to be understanding. I am just super glad that we have this place though. It would suck if we didn't.
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Post by Squeekness on Jun 24, 2008 22:31:49 GMT -5
Yeah, no word yet. I am glad I kept this place running just in case. Other than the elims games being interrupted, everything is pretty much the same here as it was there. If XVerse stays down too long, or even forever, maybe you guys should restart your YouTube vid thread. I know you guys posted in there a lot.
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Post by coldfire22 on Jun 25, 2008 17:55:05 GMT -5
Yeah thats a good idea.
So I finished the revisions to the textbook I am co-authoring. I was told that there may be revisions to make from the editors stand point, but that it shouldn't be much, so it looks like things are ready for round one of publication!! I'm excited about that. There will one version of the textbook out in September, that will only be available to the University I worked at last year. Sort of a trial run of it. After that, changes will be made according to how it was used and perceived by students. Then a year later, after those changes, the final version will be published nationally (Japan). And whats even better for me is, if things go right, I could technically get two publications out of it, which would help my career since many places look for the quantity of publications over quality. Thats probably not a good thing, but if it works to my advantage... well.. I'm happy thats the case then;)
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Post by Jango Fett on Jun 25, 2008 20:13:10 GMT -5
Thats really cool. It should be the other way around, but hey, if it works.....lol.
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Post by Squeekness on Jun 25, 2008 22:30:25 GMT -5
Awesome news! I had no idea you were writing a book. What is the subject?
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Post by Squeekness on Jun 25, 2008 22:38:12 GMT -5
Oh, I started an elims game here in teh games forum if anyone cares to play.
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Post by coldfire22 on Jun 26, 2008 1:41:30 GMT -5
Thanks Jango and Squeek.
Well I am co-authoring a writing textbook aimed at Japanese University students. The book has gone through a lot of changes so far. When it started it was much more difficult in subject matter, but much more educational as well. The publishers didn't like it though because it probably wouldn't sell, so they wanted a more appealing format and look. I am not disappointed with the way it is now, but they did sort of force us to dumb it down.
Its sort of ridiculous, but there are like 7 authors to this and really only 3 of us worked on it. I probably did about 30% of it, and another guy that I work with did about 50%... leaving the other 20% to the 3rd person, BUT the other 4 people are sort of our bosses, so they get their names on it by default, which burns me up since they did so little. Still, I was asked by them to help, and this will be my first real publication so its a good opportunity for me.
And yes, it should be quality not quantity, but here its really not. I don't know why... maybe because most of the people in academia here don't understand English anyway, so whatever is published is fine by them or what. I don't know. I really can't complain but its VERY difficult to research on top of the other stuff we have to do. I think in Japan we get more administrative work than profs in the US do. And perhaps a few more classes too. So those are other reasons (maybe).
Still, whatever works in my favor;)
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Post by Squeekness on Jun 26, 2008 8:28:42 GMT -5
Sounds great. But you still didn't answer my question -- what is the book about?
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Post by coldfire22 on Jun 26, 2008 10:28:18 GMT -5
Oh sorry. Its a writing textbook. Oh.. sorry... I am not sure if you all know what I do, I teach English as a Foreign Language in a University here in Japan. The book we are writing is a textbook geared toward those students to help them with their writing abilities. Each chapter is basically two fold. There is a theme like: Recreation, Hobbies, Careers, Travel, etc and there are writing focuses such as Topic, Supporting, and Concluding sentences, transition words and phrases, etc. Each chapter also has a grammar focus like the proper ways to use conjunctions and tenses, subject-verb agreement and the like. The trick was to make them all blend together. I learned a lot doing it, so that in itself was a reward, but I'll be happy once its finished with.
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Post by Jango Fett on Jun 26, 2008 12:06:06 GMT -5
Thats really cool. It sounds difficult to do, but then again, you're a teacher so you know how to, well, teach. ;D
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Post by coldfire22 on Jun 26, 2008 17:53:36 GMT -5
Yeah its tough. Even in teaching though, well at the University level, there are sort of two different types of "professors" the teacher type and the researcher/writer type. I am more the teacher type, but unfortunately in Academia you have to "Publish or Perish". Still I think this textbook should be good because those of us writing it are a combo of research type and teacher type.
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Post by Squeekness on Jun 26, 2008 22:31:13 GMT -5
Sounds great. What could be more fun than a book about writing? It's one of my favorite things to do.
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Post by coldfire22 on Jun 27, 2008 0:13:15 GMT -5
I enjoy my writing classes, but I teach Advanced writing. The students there are more academic which makes its easier to teach. One of the biggest difficulties is when students don't want to learn. Its really an endless cycle and the argument is never ending as to whose fault it is, the teachers or the students when a student just doesn't get it, but I think its both. I have students who drop my class for easier teachers. When I look in on those teachers though the students are learning anything, they are just there going through the motions. Whats the point? I guess those teachers figure they get paid so why not? The students just want the credits. Its a shame though.
I actually want a class... maybe I'll try that next term actually... where students just write stories and are more creative. Squeek you just gave me an idea on the final project for next semesters writing course;)
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Post by Jango Fett on Jun 27, 2008 0:31:32 GMT -5
Writing a book? Wow, well I dont know if thats what you were going to say but that would be cool. And yeah, its mostly the student's fault, sometimes students just dont want to learn, and the teacher really cant do anything. But there are some teachers that dont really "teach" just sit there and order students to do work out of a book or something.
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Post by coldfire22 on Jun 27, 2008 4:52:18 GMT -5
Yeah there are all types of teacher. Normally those types are the "research" type of teachers that really don't want to be i the classroom.
Although recently there is a big change in all levels of education in the US that is focused on "Student Centered" teaching, which really seems like the teacher isn't working, but honestly its a lot of work. The teacher basically leads students but they have to do all the work. The teacher is there only to answer questions. Its actually really effective as the best way to learn is to do, but it comes down to the students. If they don't want to learn or are lazy, then it gets tough.
Most grad students have to do most of their own work that way too. I have one class that I am trying that out in now and its tough. The students here in japan aren't used to that way of learning and its my first time teaching in that manner so its tough. I am learning a lot though.
As for the writing class, no, I won't have them write a book, but I will focus more on stories. If I can appeal to their creative sides, it might make writing more enjoyable for them, and give them focus at that the same time. Up until now I have been doing research papers. Some students like them but others don't.
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