As a way to bring the year to a close, I asked the Brittain Fellows to answer the following question:
“Looking back over the fall semester, what are you most proud of?”
Here’s a round-up of their answers:
Teaching
- Leeann Hunter: This semester, I actively transformed the classroom into a space where innovation could thrive. I found that students largely benefited from the experimental nature of the course and what I called “Invention Mobs” and “Professional Interventions.” It’s the first class that I’ve taught that I would teach again and again. For more information about the course, visit my website at www.leeannhunter.com/invention.
- Julia Munro: I’m proud of, and impressed by, the creative work that the first-year Gatech students (in my 1101 classes, and other 1101-1102 classes) come up with to meet the challenge of our multimodal assignments.
- Aaron Kashtan: I’m proud of having gotten my students to notice typography.
- Jesse Stommel: I am most proud of the many ways that my students continue to surprise me with their brilliance and creativity. The students in my 3 ENGL 1102 sections made 3 horror movies that examined the nature of humanity and monstrosity. The 2 screenings for their films had nearly 300 people attendees. Their films will also be released online. Information will be forthcoming on the facebook pages for the films:
- Lauren Curtright: Looking back over the fall semester, I’m most proud of my own and my students’ realizations that communication and community are closely related terms. By completing service-learning group projects, the students developed communication skills as they worked together toward common goals that will benefit community partners.
- Regina Martin: I am proud that all of the community partners for my service-learning class were satisfied with the work my students produced and are eager to work with Georgia Tech students again.
- Malavika Shetty: Last semester, I am glad that I decided to hold a class in the CommLab. The class went really well, and I felt that having the students work together on this project during class time, subtly, changed the dynamics of the class. (To read more about what happened when Malavika took her students to work in the Communication Center, read her recent post in Teachable Moments).
Research & Professional
- Christine Hoffman: I think I’m most proud of finishing that book proposal.
- Bob Blaskiewicz: At the end of October I appeared at a major convention on critical thinking in New Orleans, the CSICon, where I presented alongside and hob-nobbed with my superheroes.
Committees
- Jennifer Parrott: I’m most proud of the accomplishments of the Ferst Center Gallery Committee, who created and staged an exhibition of work produced in Writing and Communication Classes. Everyone should come out and see the exhibit when classes resume in January!
Personal
- Brandy Blake: I am most proud that I managed to survive my first semester being a new mom, a new Communication Center tutor, and a teacher all at once.
- Michelle DiMeo: Surviving my first semester teaching American undergraduates!
- John Harkey: I think, from the broad view and given my rookie-hood, I’m most proud of simply having accomplished the task at hand—investing, adjusting, persevering, making things work, and just “making it.” Of course I feel pride over specific projects and cases and student achievements that have punctuated the semester; but predominantly I am simply thankful and deeply satisfied that both my 69 students and I have weathered our first stormy, thrilling adventure sailing the WOVEN seas (!).
- Tom Lolis: I’m most proud of Susan, my wife. She’s finished writing her novel weeks before the impending arrival of baby #2!
From the editors:
Diane Jakacki: “I think I’d have to say I’m most excited about how we have redesigned and expanded TECHStyle this term, and how the Brittain Fellows have responded to those changes. I’ve really enjoyed fine-tuning the new theme and components we’ve added, and thinking through how we want it to grow moving forward. But perhaps the most fun has been working with Katy Crowther – collaborating on TECHStyle has given me a chance to get to know her so much better, and with all the stress of the semester I always look forward to our meetings.”
Katy Crowther: “I’m going to cheat and list multiple things [She can do that because she’s the editor –Editor]. I’m proud of the amazing work my students in English 1102 did on their digital mapping projects (post on this coming soon!), I’m proud of my work in the digital humanities this semester, and I’m especially proud of how we have redesigned TECHStyle (big props go to Diane for this) and how, with the help of the fabulous Brittain Fellows, we’ve made it the new “hub” of the Brittain Fellowship and a cool space to showcase the awesome work we’re all doing. In the process I’ve got to know the wonderful Diane Jakacki better and forged a fast friendship. It’s been a great semester!
Thanks everyone – Happy Holidays!
