Learning Journal

This week was a very interesting week in Truth in Society. The week started pretty uneventful like a normal week. We had to do assignments in which we researched pirates. After we came up with research we were put in groups to further discuss things and to narrow our research so we can begin work on certain topics. My learning journal this week however isn’t going to talk about pirates but about Thursday and the discussion in regards to the learning structure of this class.
First I want to be clear that in no way am I trying to put down anyone or put down the course but rather state my feelings about it and the structure. When we were discussing the problem Justin was having with the class, there was an interesting point made by Thom or Russ. The class isn’t about grades because it encourages you to strive away from that necessity of writing for grades and persuades to write for yourself. I do think this is very important. However, I think Truth in Society is failing in this respect. The way the class is structured and the way the marking scheme works doesn’t encourage free writing, it encourages laziness. Once again an important objection was made about this, if you do lazy work people will judge you, you will be ridiculed. This is the main reason I don’t think Truth in Society is working. Yet, it is something that has almost nothing to do with how the class is structured but our overall class. There is a very clique like atmosphere amongst some of the students. As not part of this “clique” I feel like nobody reads or gives a shit about my writing anyway. I post blogs, reflections, whatever I am asked to do. Every week though, it is the same people’s postings being commented on by the same people. In the classroom during discussions, I feel overpowered because if I state my opinion or stand behind my writing and one person from this “clique” does not, I have to begin to explain my opinion to seven different people. Also I feel that the class discussion over the past few weeks has completely deteriorated into jokes and people throwing out stupid opinions to avoid work. Once again I am in no way claiming perfection or to be above any of this but I’m spotting this problem.
Lastly, the marking scheme is a major concern for me. I understand the checkmark system really does not matter that much. It is more about writing, having an opinion, debating, and changing this opinion and that is fine. Though we do get an overall mark based on our learning reflection and assignments completed throughout the year. As I was trying to explain in class before I felt ridiculed for having an opinion. I do not feel posting something to your F drive is more important then a 5 page turning point assignment. This is when Thom informed me checkmarks don’t matter and asked if I would like to have 5 for it. The problem is that the checkmarks do matter. They make up your mark. If you forget to post something by Wednesday at noon, it affects you. It’s not the fact that there are so many assignments that angers me, but when they are all worth the same you lose your motivation. If I have the ability to write on my sheet “ sorry, didn’t have time to do this” and still receive a mark, it’s a problem. I completely understand that the program is trying to use this as a way to encourage free writing but it promotes quantity over quality in a bad way. I can write 50 completely meaningless posts at 4 am without a care in the world but personally it wouldn’t feel as good as writing 1 meaningful post that I studied, examined and took the time to care about. Having to do so many assignments, with so little guidance and such little motivation makes it really hard to care about the topic. Especially if no one cares how you do the work just whether or not that it is done.

That’s all I have to say, if I offended anyone it was not my intention. I needed to get this off of my chest. Hopefully next time someone tries to bring up a topic like this in class it can be done without making that person or those people feel stupid and awkward

PeaceEric

Learning journal

Dear journal. I have been sick for the past month. It is either death or swine flue. I’m falling behind on my assignments. And I can never seem to do these damn learning journals. Unfortunately due to my deteriorating health I was only able to attend one class last week. In this class we once again graciously discussed piracy but most importantly we discussed Johnny Depp. It was an interesting discussion but nothing really changed my mind on feeling that pirates were just dirt bag, rum drinking, rapists and thefts. Then my beliefs changed so much that I had to do a learning journal right after.

I think I found out why piracy was so appealing. Piracy was like joining the army except without the political pressure. Yet at the same time it was like resorting to a life of crime because they had no other options. After reading about the Somalia pirate situation I was hit by my misjudgement on pirates. Realizing I completely misinterpreted why pirates are the way they are I read more and more. I think one thing I read is really important the Somalia pirates turned this way because of illegal fishing in their community. They were mostly fisherman who lost their job because richer countries just went in and stole their resource. This is sad in many ways. One way it promotes the poor getting poorer as the richer get richer, secondly these men had to resort to a life of illegality and sin and thirdly these men were put in the worst of situations, they needed money, they had no opportunity or wealth it left them with only one thing to turn to. I think this is a lesson we can all take in our everyday life. Next time you see someone to something stupid, or say something ridiculous, find out why they are doing it or saying it, the reasoning could shock you.