Elevated expectations

On By Editor Karolyn HIn Editing Projects, Projects 2017Leave a comment

lecture

Project quote

“Characteristics of lecturers include enthusiasm, interaction, research experience, clarity, inspiration, and credibility.” (Feng Teng, M., 2017; Identity development of university English “old lecturers” in mainland China.)

My thoughts

When I hear the term ‘lecturer’, I picture a university lecture hall, with rows of seats wrapping around in a half-circle, rising from ground level up to the top tier, amphitheater style, and the lecturer’s podium below in the center. The lecturer paces back and forth across his or her space, occasionally writing on a whiteboard at the front, or randomly choosing a victim in the student audience to answer a question. I’ve only physically been in one of these types of rooms once, at a local university, where I met with a few members of a political interest group for a video presentation. But this is the image I hold in my head, probably acquired from various movies and television.

None of the classes at the college I attended were held in this type of a room. But the one lecturer who stands out in my mind as portraying all of the characteristics listed above was my Philosophy instructor. I enrolled in four of his courses and loved them all, most especially Intro to Logic. All of the philosophy courses were enjoyable and thought provoking. But Intro to Logic combined philosophy and math and gave me a headache after each class. That’s how I knew I was actually learning something and forcing my mind to think critically. He had elevated expectations for our essays and asked challenging questions in class. He encouraged voicing unpopular opinions and interpretations which led to very engaging class discussions.

Please share below about any lectures or courses that you’ve attended that stood out as particulary memorable.

Editing projects for week ending October 29, 2017
Excel spreadsheet, Cover letter, Academic Research Article, College application statement
Client countries: US, China

 

 

Companions

On By Editor Karolyn HIn Editing Projects, Projects 2017Leave a comment

companion

Project quote

“With that warm body to his chest, Chikunda’s laughter turned to tears and then to sobs once more. Sobs at having something living that cared about him, something that, through its desperate whimpers and excited relief evidently needed care.” (Michael Smorenburg, 2017; The Reckoning)

My thoughts

This paragraph is about a dog, Jack, one of the secondary characters in the story. I love stories that incorporate a pet or animal companion as a substantial character. Books written directly from an animal’s perspective are few in number and are always enjoyable to read, as well. However, animals as main or secondary characters are especially appreciated by me, personally. They highlight how much color pets and other animals add to our lives and how each has their own distinct personality and worth.

Editing projects for weeks ending October 22, 2017
Fiction Book Critique, Academic Research Article, College Application Personal Statement, Fiction book
Client countries: US, China, South Africa

 

 

Immersion

On By Editor Karolyn HIn Editing Projects, Projects 2017Leave a comment

foreign_language

Project quote

“In an era of rapidly changing economic, sociocultural and political contexts around the world, learning a language entails complex and often contradictory relationships that challenge conventional practices and beliefs.” (Feng Teng, M., 2017; Identities, imagined communities … in learning Chinese as a third language during study abroad.)

My thoughts

From Spanish and German language courses, along with some personal study of Arabic, I’ve learned that mastering a foreign language involves more than simple memorization and substituting one word for another. It also requires education about culture related to the language speakers, and the history behind the origins of common words and phrases. I would love to get the opportunity to practice Spanish in Spain, and learn a couple other European languages in their native countries. I’ve always heard that being immersed in the language and culture on a daily basis is a much faster way to gain a real understanding and mastery of a foreign language. My future plans involve testing this theory.

Editing projects for week ending September 24, 2017
Academic Research Article
Client countries: China

 

Autonomous Learning

On By Editor Karolyn HIn Editing Projects, Projects 2017Leave a comment

unrestricted

Project quote

“Autonomous learners are often motivated learners and autonomy often leads to better, more effective work.” (Feng Teng, M., 2017; Learner autonomy: An educational goal of teaching English as a foreign language.)

My thoughts

Individuals learning any topic or skill will always learn faster and work more productively if they are personally interested in what they’re learning and free to study it and learn about it without restrictions or outside influence. This is often difficult to find in standard traditional education systems, in my opinion. Structure is important for many aspects of life. But when it comes to learning, I feel that breaking free from structured instruction is the best motivation to explore and truly examine a subject fully.

Editing projects for week ending September 17, 2017
Academic Research Article
Client countries: China