lopezla2015

Kean University 2017, The Network

In-Class Open Mic (Take 2)

lopezla2015 on March 26, 2017

Wow! I cannot begin to express how moved I was by this week’s impromptu sharing session. It was an unforgettable experience. So powerful. I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by such an amazing group of people. I loved what Dr. Zamora said about the perception of Kean University and its students as being “diamonds in the rough” so to speak. I feel the same way about my town, Rahway, and often try to get that message out there to […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Finding my “groove” through sound this week…

lopezla2015 on March 21, 2017

Feeling like a “Sound Alchemist Wizard” First, I appreciated the slight redirection received from Dr. Zamora and Alan regarding feeling empowered to choose what aspects of the “checklist” we focus on. I found myself lost for hours on things that were not necessarily part of “the list.” It was freeing and productive. Friday just happened to be St. Patty’s Day and my family just happened to have a trip of bagpipers converged in my cousin’s living room. Audio gold!! Again, […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Seasons Change

lopezla2015 on March 14, 2017

Me: Spring Break 1994 Me: Spring Break 2017 and….. You might not know this about me, but I do not know how to relax. It’s an issue in my house. My husband has no problem taking a nap in the middle of the day or vegging out in front of the tv for hours on end, but not me. When I find myself with “down time” I turn it into “do time.” I think it’s guilt. Not sure what it […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

The Network Effect

lopezla2015 on February 27, 2017

Day 1 of Watching “The Network Effect” 70 degrees, Friday afternoon. I’m sitting outside on my deck feeling particularly relaxed. I decide check out The Network Effect. Upon clicking, the website opens to full-screen mode on my laptop. (I decide against the site’s suggestion to use headphones.) There’s a slight glare from the sun and I can’t decide if that’s why it hard to focus or not, so I shift my seat. It’s a little better but I still find […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Order & Choas, Gif & Meme Style

lopezla2015 on February 27, 2017

So it seems as though we had a little jump start in class last week with creating our memes for the week. I knew right away that I wanted to try La La GIF this week, so I started tinkering early in the week. I started thinking of how I could relate the order/chaos theme to the school setting (prompted somewhat by Howard Rheingold’s talk about his experience as a child in his mother’s art class and partly by our human graph experience) […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Fan Fic Blackout

lopezla2015 on February 20, 2017

Both the fanfiction studio visit with Flourish and Elizabeth and the in-class conversation that followed were highly engaging. I went into watching the video with what I thought to be a “pretty good” understanding of the basic concept of fanfiction, as a whole. I left the video realizing that there was a lot I didn’t know and, as a result, many more questions emerged. (The more you learn, the less you know, right?) First, I had no idea this was […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Speaking of Audio….

lopezla2015 on February 20, 2017

Kean University 2017, The Network

The Most Dramatic Blog Post Ever

lopezla2015 on February 14, 2017February 14, 2017

It’s Tuesday evening. I’ve just finished watching the latest studio visit in preparation for tomorrow night’s class. It was such a pleasure to watch. Lots of note-taking going on and looking things up in another tab. With my fanfiction juices flowing, I’m tempted to write all about it now and include in my post, but am thinking I will save my lengthy thoughts for next week’s post. (Digression- The timing of these posts still feels a little “off” for me…this […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Weekly Round-Up

lopezla2015 on February 7, 2017February 7, 2017

Weekly Round-Up There was no shortage of work to do this week. That’s the wonderful (and sometimes terrible thing) about this class….and my job, and the US postal system (from what they say), and the laundry: THERE IS NO END!!!! For some, this may not present a problem. For me, it’s a blessing and a curse. “Are you finished with your work, Mom?” “Uhhhh…nooo? There is no such thing as ‘finished,’ hon.” And “Babe, wanna watch TV?” “I can’t, […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

I’m Folding My Cards

lopezla2015 on February 7, 2017February 7, 2017

The flickr challenge proved to be harder than imagined. First, I found myself “cheating” by restarting the photo selection process a few times….only to regret my decisions a few times, before finally allowing the cards to “fall where they may” and giving it a go. (This is ironic considering the fact that I enforced the “rule” of not starting over with my 6th graders…oh horrible teacher!) Yes, Alan, that was my kids flooding the stream!! I so admire my students’ […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Twitta Wha? Twitta Who? Twitta Wha? Twitta Who?….Uhhh…Twitta Bots????

lopezla2015 on February 6, 2017February 6, 2017

The wonderfully fascinating world of Twitter Bots had my wheels spinning all week. For the first few days, honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what they were, exactly. I followed Professor Flores’s advice and started with the following “conversation.” (I wasn’t sure if I had to “follow” this bot first in order for “it” to reply or if it would respond to a non-follower…still not sure, I guess, since I chose to follow before I reached out for advice.) @KairosHotBots Can […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Lucid Dreams, a fairytale

lopezla2015 on February 6, 2017February 6, 2017

DDA36 response Prompt from @MagicRealism: A lily causes anyone who smells it to believe they are a firefly. Title and 1st paragraph: (I was in a fairytale kinda mood) Lucid Dreams, a fairytale Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a young girl named Lucia who lived with her Auntie Mo in a small cottage in the woods, far beyond the outskirts of town. Lucia didn’t know it, but she was born with mystical powers. She […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

The Scientist

lopezla2015 on January 31, 2017February 1, 2017

All this talk of alchemy had me thinking of this song…enjoy! A description of this week’s media task gave me a false sense of confidence. Upon reading, I thought: No prob. Got this. The challenge simmered all week and my camera roll is testament to my (futile) efforts to capture intriguing, unique images of the 4 elements. For example, this beauty went right “down the tubes”: Sticking my hand in this to unclog the drain is, perhaps, the grossing […]

Digital Alchemy Gold, Kean University 2017, The Network

Getting My Sea Legs

lopezla2015 on January 30, 2017February 1, 2017

Ahhhh…Where to begin? A Little Background… I feel compelled to start at the beginning. I chose to sign up for this course for a number of reasons. In addition to being genuinely interested in the subject matter and being enamored with Dr. Zamora’s teaching style, I was also recently given the opportunity to take part in my district’s “model classroom” initiative. I was provided with a set of chromebooks for my 6th grade students and directed to infuse technology-based lessons/activities […]

Kean University 2017, The Network

Broad Strokes

lopezla2015 on January 22, 2017January 23, 2017

Broad Strokes I have come to understand “digital alchemy” to be the transformative process that occurs when words, ideas, images, sounds, etc. are transmitted (and received) across a digital network. I say received, however, with some reservation. I wonder, does the message have to be received in order to be transformed, or is the creator’s act of creation enough to warrant it as being digitally-alchemic? (Is art “art” if no one ever sees it?) I am tempted to argue that, […]