Closer to a defined goal

Worked some more on my diss proposal this week. I'm still struggling with defining what I'm looking for and how to justify that. It's a long, uphill battle, but it's getting more and more fun. When I initially began the proposal process, I really didn't enjoy writing it. I felt I needed to write in an academic tone and with academic pretense.

I've given that up. Instead, I'm writing in my own voice and having a blast. Now when I open up my document and begin working I feel like I'm putting together the pieces of a puzzle. And not only am I enjoying it more, but I'm writing more accurately: my definitions are more tightly couched within a context of use. That's satisfying.

I'm wondering now if I can define software into "production" software, such as Word, FrontPage or InDesign, and "communication" software such as email and IM. The exciting part is that IM is such an important part of my own scholarly pursuits that I'm tempted to define it as both communication AND production software.

Diss Grants Group

These represent a sort of rough draft of researching granting opps. I looked around for stuff related for my own interests; however, I included ones that sounded interesting. Help yourself.

FY 2006-2007 Discretionary Grant Application Packages from the US Department of Education:
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html

Intel in Your Community
http://www.intel.com/community/grant.htm

ACLS Digital Innovation Fellowships
http://www.acls.org/difguide.htm

Lindbergh Foundation
http://www.lindberghfoundation.org/grants/?CFID=1649118&CFTOKEN=46388928

MacArthur Foundation - Knowledge-Networking Awards
http://www.dmlcompetition.net/networking.php?CFID=1649118&CFTOKEN=46388928

(Cut) Loose and Fancy Free

I frequently get asked about what it's like to work on a phd online. It's quite similar to other venues, actually: there are advantages and disadvantages. I miss out on the hallway gossip and the informal cup-of-coffee or pint-of-ale conversations. And I really miss those. But what I get in return is transcripts of every single discussion I do have. Pretty valuable when you're trying to remember which article or book your prof mentioned in class, or that great idea for getting at your data that a classmate suggested. It's give and take.

But right now the hard part is that I don't have any more classes. If one has to be self-directed to get a good degree online, then that goes double for conducting research and writing in an online phd program after classes are done. As my grandfather, Pete Shands, always said, "You have to keep your eye on the ball."

Lee Brasseur and Pub Night

At lunch today we heard a cool talk by Lee Brasseur about fetal ultrasound and the effect of graphic representation on patient perception. She led a workshop tonight on semiotics and graphic design, but I needed to do some more work on my dissertation proposal so I bowed out and came back to my room.

If you haven't read Dr. Brasseur's article "Florence Nightingale's Visual Rhetoric in the Rose Diagrams" (TCQ 2005, 14:2) then you should. Excellent example of how a TC article can be informative, clear, useful, and passionate.

Tonight's after-dinner activity was Pub Night with Locke Carter and Fred Kemp. It was a long table with about twenty or so people attending, so I didn't actually get to talk with Fred. He's my diss director, so I was kind of planning on having tonight to chat a bit. But I got a ride home with him, so that's something. Just goes to show, you should take the chances you get to talk to your diss director.

More contact between online and onsite students?

Last week, Rich Rice, Janie Santoy, Lennie Irvin and I presented a panel at the SITE conference in San Antonio. Prior to driving down to San Antonio in Rich's truck (there was a problem with the lights--old trucks, bad design--you know the drill) I got to hang out in the MULL with Rich. I wound up seeing Leanne Schroer-Motz, Christiana Christofides, Locke Carter, Becky Rickly, Kirk St. Amant, and Sam Dragga. So when combined with hanging out with my online classmates Lennie and Janie, and spending loads of times with Rich Rice, I had a real windfall. The conversations, both casual and professional, were outstanding. My juices got flowing and I started having all those intellectual inspirations one is supposed to have when studying for a doctorate.

So what's the upshot? Well, I was thinking we should organize a yearly conference for all the online and onsite students. It would be a conference with no theme, a writer's retreat. . .a Chatauqua, if you will, of TCR phd students. For those who couldn't make it, an online component would be easily added using the MOO and some IM chat sessions. Folks both at home and on location could drop in and out, making conversation and contributing and sharing ideas. Faculty would of course be invited (again--both online and in-person contributions would be welcome) so we could pick brains and make connections.

Anyhow, just an idea. The planning is the hard part--times, places, facilities, participants, etc. And selling the idea might not be too easy. Most of us have conference plans year-round, anyhow. But this one would be difference. We wouldn't have a theme that constrains what you do or talk about--we'd have a No-Theme Theme. Dirt cheap, too, if we can get the right facilities and rough it just a touch.