No products in the cart.
Vocabulary 101
Bildungsroman: A type of novel (or text) concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.
What’s your all-time favourite story? What was it that made you like it so much? While the answers will vary, odds are you saw something of yourself, your experiences or your future in the text. Stories – whether fictional or non-fictional – are our way of trying to make sense of the world, and our place within it. And while there are lots of different ideas as to how many types of stories are possible, there’s no denying that most stories, when finished and carefully considered, allow us to realize this important truth: ‘and now the world will never look the same…‘
Throughout this course, you will experience and explore many different types of stories, but at the same time you’ll be on your own journey to discover the answer to this key question: how do the texts with which we engage impact and influence us and our place in the world? In fact, this course has been designed with your learning journey in mind. After all, aren’t we all the protagonists in the stories of our lives?
And so, with this idea in mind, take a moment to consider and record memorable stories – as well as a time in your own life when it was true that ‘and now the world will never look the same…‘ Since there’ll be many times throughout this course when you’re asked to do this, it’s important to realize the following:
- you can write out your ideas, record them orally or as a video or use any tool of your choice;
- you should make sure that you do actually record your ideas; there’s little worse than having a great idea that cannot be remembered; and
- throughout the course, the item on which you record this information will be referred to as your Notebook.
- Avoid repeating what someone else has already shared. Don’t type in ALL CAPS ! It looks like screaming.
- Avoid sarcasm. Without hearing your tone of voice, it is difficult to know your intent. Be polite. Use “please” and “thank you” when appropriate.
- Disagree respectfully. Everyone has the right to their own opinion. Make sure your information is accurate. Include a source if you can.
- Be brief… and to the point.
- Name the person when referring to a previous contribution in the discussion. Your question is important. Ask it. Read comments in the discussion before sharing your own.
- Be forgiving of a mistake. It happens to the best of us. Review your spelling and grammar before sharing.
My First Metacognitive Moment
Metacognition is a higher-order thinking strategy that invites you to think about your thinking; by doing so, you will gain an increased awareness and understanding of your own thought processes. Try answering this question as an early introduction to this course-wide idea. What stood out to you as the most obvious and most surprising point? Which point is your strongest? Which point do you feel you need to improve? Record your answers in your Notebook.