Welcome to Literature and Life 2013

Hello all! This semester I have the pleasure of teaching second year Nineteenth Century Literature and third year Shakespeare and the Renaissance. Both these units have challenging and exciting components. For the 19th Century we are going to be challenged by Shelley’s verse drama “Prometheus Unbound” and George Eliot’s Middlemarch. For Shakespeare we will plunge into Twelfth Night and Anthony and Cleopatra.  In both units we have theatre parties organised. 19th C students are going to the STC’s Wharf Theatre performance of Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren’s Profession on Wednesday 27th March at  1pm ($55). Shakespeare students are going to John Bell’s Henry the Fourth at the Opera House on Saturday April 20th at 7.30 pm ($40). I will be collecting money for these events in our first week of class (bring correct change in and envelope with your name on it).

My plan for the blogging/ ePortfolio part of these two units is to trial a system in which you place yourselves into groups of 5-7 and work closely within your group assisting each other to make the best use of your digital writing.  I have a sense that working in tighter groups like this will allow you to work more effectively together in responding to questions and activities posed by the week’s reading.

We have moved back to WordPress mainly because there are some new tools available to make your experience more effective and pleasurable. First of these tools is the University’s subscription to Lynda.com which is now free for all students. They have some fabulous online videos and one of them is the basics of WordPress: “WordPresscom-Essential Training”. If you click on the link I have just given you, you will be prompted to put in your Uni user name and password and you will then have unlimited access.

I have used Lynda.com for years and it is a fabulous resource for all areas of digital work. It is worth spending some time with Lynda.com. You will find that it really enhances your experience with WordPress. Remember that the ePortfolio that you will produce by the end of semester will be a valuable asset for any future employment opportunities.

I look forward to working with you all next week.

MG

PS the picture at the head of this blog is a view from the ridge above Galston Gorge. This is one of my favourite stopping spots when I am bush walking. During the autumn the valleys are often filled with these rising mists.