Famous Last Words Week 1

I have only been enrolled in this course for a few days and have already learned so much about opportunities in online education! I have refined my blogging and curating skills which will no doubt continue to be developed throughout the semester. I have also gained a general understanding of how this course is structured, and a broad overview of the material that will be covered. I have to admit, I feel like I have a much better understanding of how this course will go than most of the courses I’m taking in the physical class room. I had such a lovely summer and got to spend lots of time with my friends and family, as you can see in the picture below.

(Image Information: personal photo with friends;
photo from August 2012.)

However, I was ready to come back to school. I love the routine and self-scheduling associated with the academic year. I hope to stay ahead of schedule on most of my coursework at the beginning so that I can keep my head above water for the whole semester! I was very thankful to learn that this class will be very flexible and self-paced. If I have a crazy week coming up with lots of tests in other classes, I will be able to either get ahead beforehand or make up for any missed assignments with extra-credit. This will allow me to relax a little and really focus on the most important content in this course. I am most looking forward to the storytelling aspects of Indian Epics. The storytelling assignment we completed this week with a nursery rhyme was so much fun for me, and a great chance for me to get creative (or at least try). I am also looking forward to getting into the reading assignments. It looks like it’s going to be a lot, but it also looks very interesting! Can’t wait to dive into the readings next week!

Week 1 Curation Blog

I honestly have never used bookmarks on my computer until reading about them for this assignment. After creating just two folders, I completely understand how bookmarks are a powerful organizing tool. Usually when I am flipping between sites for a research project I open a bunch of tabs and then copy and paste all of the website addresses to a word doc so I can re-open the tabs the next time I work on the project. However, bookmarking and keeping organized folders would make research much easier!

As far as the tools for sharing go, I am active on Twitter, but mostly for social reasons. I love to tweet funny things that happen to me throughout the week, and also use it to keep up with my friends and family in their day-to-day lives. However, I understand that Twitter can also be used in an educational way for sharing news, articles, and ideas with others. I'd be interested to see how I could use Twitter for this class specifically. I'm familiar with Pinterest, but have not yet created an account. I laughed when Dr. Gibbs wrote she initially thought Pinterest was for shopping and cooking because those were my exact thoughts as well! However, my best friend who is a history major often uses Pinterest to find  images and quotes for her class assignments. I have not heard of Known at all, and am excited to explore that platform for sharing ideas.

Another way to share images, words, and ideas online is Instagram. I use Instagram to keep friends and family updated on my life, but I also follow some very informational Instagram accounts such as TIME Magazine. Below is a screenshot of my personal Instagram account profile.

(Image Information: personal photo of Instagram account;
photo from August 2012.)

I look forward to exploring concepts of curation in this class which will no doubt expand my ability to be creative, and effectively share my creativity with others.

Growth Mindset Blog

I remember once when I was in the fourth grade, a lady came to our class with some math "trick questions". I guessed a wrong answer and was told I was wrong, another student answered correctly and received praise. I remember in that moment thinking to myself, "I'm just no good at math". I remember coming home with math homework in elementary school and middle school bawling to my parents when I could not figure out my assignments. Luckily for me, I have very patient parents who understand the importance of a Growth Mindset. When I couldn't figure out a problem, they taught me how to search through my textbook like a detective looking for clues. I learned how to look back at other problems and find similarities and differences between the problems. The focused shifted from finding the right answer immediately, to learning how to problem solve... which is actually pretty fun! I remember both of my parent's constantly reminding me to slow down when I did my homework, which turned my homework into more of a learning experience than an assignment.

Fast forward to high school and math was not only my favorite subject, but the subject in which I excelled the most in. Moving on into college, I've chosen a major that places a large emphasis on statistics and calculus. I'm so glad my parent's helped me work out of the failing-mindset to the not-yet-mindset mentioned in the video.

I appreciate the concept of a Growth Mindset because it recognizes the paralyzing fear of failure that is evident in most students. I love the imagery Carol Dweck used of challenging problems exercising your brain and making it stronger. That really is so true. The ability to memorize facts and regurgitate them to others is decreasingly important with search engines and textbooks available to our generation at the snap of a finger.What is more important that ever is a willingness to learn, an ability to adapt to new challenges, and a problem solving process- all of which the Growth Mindset works to develop.

Photo: You Haven't Failed... You've Learned, Made by: Laura Gibbs with Cheezburger,

 Inspired by tweet from Vid Mcevic, Link: here

Nicole Antonio- Week 1 Storybook Favorites

The first story book that caught my attention was titled Elf Tales. In the introduction the author sets up the narrator as an old elf telling stories from his youth with his three best friends. The author is clever in how they name the elves, giving each of them the same name as a famous/commercially familiar elf. The story is silly and light-hearted, but still conveys important themes. The pictures alone are enough to keep the reader intrigued, check out the silly elf picture below!

Image Information: Elf Dance Party  Web Source: Recently in Music

Next, I noticed a project titled Gossip Girl. The flowery background and pink color scheme on the website are not usually associated with epic literature and folklore, however, the author puts their own modern spin on some Hawaiin legends to tell a unique story. By referencing a popular modern TV show, the author turns old stories into something familiar. The idea of linking present-day interests to historic stories is something I would be very interested in doing for my project.

The last story I picked was titled An Owl’s Tale. This storybook featured a simple but striking format that I very much appreciated. The author turns an owls call of, “who-who” into an idea for their story. The owl calls out to see who would want to hear a story, and the remainder of the plot flows from there. All of the owl’s stories are named after specific characters. I think it is a neat idea to keep some consistency in the naming for each of the chapters or stories. That is something I may want to implement in my project.

When skimming through past storybook projects it is easy to see how a student’s creativity can shine- not only in the words written, but also in the selection of pictures and formatting. This assignment definitely has me thinking about what my storybook might look like. 

Nicole Antonio- Indian Epics Overview

In all honesty, I first found this class after searching through upper division non-western civilization courses which are required as OU "gen-eds". However, after reading more in the course description, I realized this class would be very interesting for me.

I have little exposure to epic literature. In high school we read portions of the Iliad, but that's about it. While I have a broad understanding of epic literature, I am looking forward to learning about this kind of writing in Indian culture specifically. As I mentioned in my introduction so far, my coursework has been mainly focused on engineering and science. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to study topics such as mythology, religion, or Indian history... although I have wanted to! I am a religious person, and do study religion outside of school. I enjoy meditating and reading sacred texts such as the Bible. I also enjoy learning about religions that are different from my own- in fact I believe this is a great way to grow your faith.

My family is friends with many Indian families, and my best friend since the first grade and current roommate is Indian. Spending time with her and her family has exposed me to some aspects of Indian culture such as food, music, and traditions. In fact, last weekend we went to Dallas so I could be fitted for my first sari (traditional Indian dress) which I will be wearing as a bridesmaid in her wedding!

I am looking forward to diving deeper into the study of Indian history and culture, and appreciate the many resources made available through this course! Specifically, I've enjoyed spending time looking through the link provided that shows images and PDE epics. This one in particular caught my eye because of the beautiful colors, and mystical woman in blue. I can only imagine the fascinating story that inspired this picture.

Image: The Golden Deer

Sita, Rama, and the Golden Deer from Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues

Nicole Antonio- Introduction

Hello! My name is Nicole Antonio and I am senior studying Industrial and Systems Engineering with a pre-med option. I enjoy writing, but most of my classes are very dense and technical which leaves little room for writing exercises. That is the main reason I am excited about this course; I feel as though the writing assignments in a blog format will provide me with an outlet for creative expression.

Outside of school I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, running, and playing indoor soccer. This past summer I worked for an oil and gas company in Oklahoma City, called Devon Energy, and the summer before that I lived and worked in Titanyen, Hiati, for an organization called Mission of Hope. Working in a third-world country one summer and then corporate America the next definitely gave me whiplash. However, both opportunities provided me with invaluable learning experiences that I will never forget.

My family means everything to me, and I don’t know where I would be without them. I am the youngest of three children, and look up to my siblings more than they realize. My parents have also served as incredible role models for me. Our family has a small dog named Truman who is horrified of thunderstorms… it’s really pretty cruel we make him live in Oklahoma!

(Image Information: personal photo of my family;
photo from May 2014.)

In my first two years at OU I was heavily involved in the Campus Activities Council (CAC), specifically with an event called Soonerthon. Soonerthon is OU’s official philanthropy event which benefits the Children’s Hospital Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Last year I began to get more involved in Crimson Club and the Institute of Industrial Engineers chapter on our campus. I plan to continue my involvement with these organizations in my senior year.  

I hope you feel like you have learned a little more about me by reading this blog post, I look forward learning more about each of you throughout this course!

Week 1 Storytelling:Little Bo-Peep and her Precious Sheep

There once was a young lady who stood less than five feet tall named Bo-Peep. Her big brown eyes took up most of her face, and gleamed with hope and sunshine. She was so precious and lovely that no person could dare do her harm. Because of this, her parents allowed her to keep track of their sheep. Any robber who came to take their sheep would take one look at little Bo-Peep, and have their heart of stone melted to a soft mush. They would swiftly walk away doing no harm to the property.

Bo-Peep took her responsibility of taking care of the sheep very seriously. So seriously, she began to view them as her own children. She smothered the sheep with love, almost to a fault. The sheep began to feel suffocated under her care. One day the sheep decided they needed to get away, if only for a little while. They snuck away while Bo-Peep went inside the house to fetch her lunch.

LITTLE Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And can't tell where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they'll come home,
And bring their tails behind them.

Young girl holding onto sheep

Photo author unknown, circa 1940. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Bo-Peep returned outside to find her beloved sheep missing. She broke down and cried; tears ran down her face until her clothes became soaked. She cried so hard that she became exhausted, and fell asleep early that evening. She woke up every few hours to check if they had come back, but found herself still alone each time.

Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep,
And dreamt she heard them bleating;
But when she awoke, she found it a joke,
For they were still a-fleeting.

Meanwhile the sheep were enjoying their adventure. They stayed out late, and found a man with crooked teeth to play cards with. He fed them fine food, and brought out his best drinks. He offered them warm baths, and scrubbed them each until their coats were fluffy and white. The sheep picked up on card games quickly, and even learned how to gamble with stones the man with crooked teeth passed out to each of them. He then made them a bet, for their wool and their tails, which the sheep could not resist.

Bo-Peep awoke in the morning feeling determined to find her little loves. She set out for a long journey, and walked for miles until she no longer recognized her surroundings. Finally she found them all in a ditch. They were bald, cold, dirty, shaking, and bleeding where their tails had once been. They wailed out their apologies, and vowed to never leave her again. Bo-Peep was devastated, and felt like she had failed her flock. From then on Bo-Peep’s heart ached each time she looked at their little nub tails. She often wondered if she’d ever find a way to forgive herself.

Then up she took her little crook,
Determin'd for to find them;
She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed,
For they'd left all their tails behind 'em.

Author’s Notes and Bibliography

The story written above is based off the nursery rhyme, “Little Bo-Peep” which is quoted in italics throughout the story. You can find this nursery rhyme in The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang (1897). The rhyme is simply about a little girl who looses her sheep, and finds them again without their tails. I tried to think of reasons the sheep might have run away from home, and began to think of Bo-Peep as a type of controlling helicopter parent. Following that same train of thought, I considered what sometimes happens to kids who are sheltered by those types of parents once they get to college. Sometimes they go wild with their first real taste of freedom, and learn some life lessons the hard way.

Nicole Antonio- Favorite Place

My favorite place I've been to so far has to be the University of Oklahoma. I'm a senior, and at the end of each summer I am always so excited to come back to this school. The combination of caring people, beautiful landscapes, and unique traditions make OU the ideal place to learn. I feel extremely lucky to get to go to school here. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my coursework, I also enjoy spending my weekends here. Below is a picture of my friends and I at an OU football game.

(Image Information: personal photo at an OU football game;
photo from September 2012.)

My favorite spot on campus is the South Oval. In the fall and spring I love to walk around the beautiful buildings, statues, and flowers. However, the South Oval is also just as beautiful covered in snow in the winter.

Seed Sower
Photo by Flickr user Majdan, July 2005. Source: flickr.

There are many reasons to love the University of Oklahoma. For me the people, beauty, and traditions have made it my favorite place.