This comment has just been posted below by one of our most creative users of LiveJournal. A student of literature for six semesters ghettoman’s LJ is a work of art in its own right. Be sure to havea browse through this amazing LJ . Here is Ghettoman’s reflections on six semesters of LJ:
"Live journal has been the greatest tool of learning in my academic life and creative life. Live journal acts as a portfolio, allowing students to assess their own learning, and reflect on areas that need development with the appropriate help from Professor Michael Griffith. If taken seriously by the student, the student will no doubt develop the critical thinking and performing skills to accelerate the cognitive processes of understanding, analyzing and evaluating literature. At the same time the student will reap the benefits from the weekly commentaries by feeling the need to explore their own creativity and writing capacities. Through live journal the student has the opportunity to develop their own oral and written voice, providing contemporary culture with a body of many aesthetic understandings and interpretations of literature. Through the development of these aesthetic understanding the student begins to perceive the interconnection between academic life and creative life which is so powerfully embodied in the richness of literature taught by Professor Michael Griffith.
Live journal prepares the student through the weekly commentaries to write stronger essays, and developing confidence to become engaged in discussions, lectures and tutorials. Live journal allows the student to feel the connection between themselves and the artist/poet/writer of which they are studying. Though it is personal, it is also professional and academic as it continually makes the student mindful of the importance of reflection, analysis and evaluation of weekly literature readings.
Live journal is the backbone for the future English teacher or author. Through my continuous academic and creative entries into live journal I feel fully equipped to teach literature or self publish my own writings.
Literature is a vast and at times very difficult subject, and because of its rich, poetic complexity and meanings, the student must have a place to linguistically reflect on all that has been taught in the weekly tutorials and lectures.
Live journal becomes a library of knowledge, not only for the individual participant but for future students who then have the opportunity to access other commentaries to identify the deeper understandings of the artists if they are having difficulty.
Literature needs ongoing assessment; otherwise the students will have gaps in their own understandings, evaluations and creations. Professor Michael Griffith has been very wise in initiating this great learning tool for the benefit of academic, creative, social, cultural and literary growth.
Live journal and discussions was and still is the driving force behind not only literature, but my whole education at ACU. For literature encompasses deeply the historical and visual contexts I studied, allowing my mind, soul and spirit to perceive the deeper connections between the disciplines of the liberal arts.
There is no doubt that live journal and the wisdom of Professor Michael Griffith’s pedagogy stands as a template for how literature should be taught, as it intensifies the passion for lifelong learning, and that is what education should be about in both the academic and creative realms."
Michael Griffith: Home Page- Literature and Life Summer 2023 