After thinking about additions and revisions to my digital documentary before the rough draft is due, I have come up with couple additions to my page and the main blog. On the main blog, I believe I will put our original proposal with corrections on the blog, and have a mini description or summary of the proposal as a separate tab. I will also suggest adding links to our blogs on the about page. Personally, I want to see if I could make the blog slightly more visually appealing. Sadly, we could not pull off a group picture on Monday, but we will try to make one within this week so we can give the blog a human aspect As for my part specifically I need to add some additional information and images. I will probably add in some more pictures of the buildings and the people I interviewed. Most of the pictures added will be the Davis Marksbury Building. I still need to add at least two more interviews and I hope I can either get it this week or the last two days before Thanksgiving Break. I will probably add the ethnography I took of the Davis Marksbury Building and a have a link to my descriptive web-text. Another addition I want to add to this blog is an creative piece on how I think the College of Engineering will look in 10-20 years. Within this post I want to describe the inside of a future classroom. I also want to maybe research further into possible new majors, and the needs the college needs to incorporate. I am still debating this, but the way the information is presented on my part are some larger paragraphs, and I am trying to figure out how to space it out and make it easier to read.
Author Archives: jonchen814
Progress Post
As a group so far, I believe we are on track and heading toward the finished product in a timely manner. For myself specifically I have done an ethnography of the Davis Marksbury Building and researched the different technologies that encompasses the building. I am currently in the process of collecting interviews, in fact I have one schedule tomorrow with an Associate Dean. My goal is to get at least 3 interviews from deans and professors. Within these 3 plus interviews I will be contacting heads of the several different departments in the College of Engineering to get several different perspectives. Along with those interviews, I’m trying to decide whether or not I would like to maybe interview students or survey people on how they think the College of Engineering will be headed in the next couple years and in the future. After doing the Artifact presentation, I have a more general understanding of where I am headed toward. I still need to locate some more additional information on funding and possible projects. If there are no proposed projects, I should be able to generate a theoretical projects based off data I have collected. Another part of my research is the Top 20 Plan, as of now I have read through a couple of the documents and collected data on the accomplishments of the plan so far. I may also contact the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and maybe try to get an interview so I can receive a more personal insight of the Top 20 Plan. As a group we have already discussed on how we are creating this website. We should be meeting in the next couple days or this weekend to create the draft for this project. Most likely today right before class we will decide when we will meet. We also have decided to create a WordPress Blog where each one of us will add things to it and then review it as a group.
Map Making Techniques
After thinking about all the options for map-making for this project, I believe a program that could map out a simple, but visually appealing map would be best suited. For me, I kind of like Google Earth because it allows you to annotate the map, add our own little things, attach pictures. I feel like this program maybe the best suited for what we aim for in our program greenfoot. The aim of the project is to present variety of information in which the audience can easily learn about history, architectural background and so on. This program will most likely also allow me specifically to pinpoint some potential areas of interest where possible future buildings maybe built. Also the idea of street-view as well as a satellite image of the area is extremely appealing.
Visually Appealing Website
When I looked at this assignment, and started brainstorming for visually appealing websites or resources, I had significant troubles coming up with one. With technology now, almost everything has an “appealing element” to it, and ends up making everything look similar. A lot of websites compete against each other but also borrow ideas from each other to one up them. But at the end I came up with a conclusion, I looked for a website that I visited occasionally and had noticeable elements. I decided that Hulu is actually quite visually appealing. Hulu employs several techniques to help draw the audience’s eyes. Hulu attempts to use different colors with a very subtle white background which magnifies each of the icons that contains the shows. This magnification is created through the contrast between the white and the various colors shown in each icon, even the advertisements are easy to see because they are large and apparent. Another thing that is noticeably attractive about this website is the use of large, and easy to read words, icons, and subtitles. The genre titles are large and easy to read and right under it are the shows related to this content. The choice of text in this website was chosen for two reasons, for the viewer to be comfortable and the ease of reading it. There is also a clear use of alignment in this website with various rows with the repetition of the same shaped ans sized rectangles throughout the site. This site’s main purpose with how they set up their website is to project this is easy to use site along with you will find a wide variety of shows to fit your interest.
Research Post #1
Summary & List of Findings
Recently Built Buildings
- Davis Marksbury Building
– Completed in 2011
– Houses the Department of Computer Science
- Ralph G. Anderson Building (RGAN)
– Completed in 2002
– Houses the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Engineering Administration
- James F. Hardymon Building
– Completed in 2000
– Houses the faculty offices and research labs for the Comp Sci department
Interview Targets:
- Dr. John Y. Walz (Dean of the College of Engineering)
- Dr. Rick Sweigard (Associate Dean of Academic Instruction, College of Engineering)
Interview Questions (Rough Draft):
Hello,
- I was wondering as part of University of Kentucky’s initiative to become a Top 20 Public Research University / College, what plans and goals does the College of Engineering have?
- In these plans are there possible upgrades and updates on the current buildings?
- Does the College of Engineering plan to develop and build new buildings like the new Davis Marksbury Building?
- If there are plans for future development, if you don’t mind me asking where could the possible funding come from?
- Also as part of the future of the College of Engineering, is the college attempting to create further connections between industries and the academics?
- What personal goals, and what personal investments do you have in the advancement of the College of Engineering.
Thank You for your cooperation.
Top 20 College Research:
Mandated by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1997 to become a Top 20 Public University in Research by 2020.
Increase Faculty.
Increase Enrollment by 7000 students.
Increase Expenditures to over $700 million dollars.
Set up benchmarks and comparison to other Top 20 universities.
University of Kentucky is currently ranked 35th out of 88 public research universities.
Overall goal to push UK into a top 20 facility while
- Increasing the Health of citizens across Kentucky.
- Increase the level of education as well as graduates in Kentucky.
- Solving key issues that effect the state of KY.
Evidence of “Firsts” of the Top 20 Business Plan:
2011-2012 Record Enrollment: 28,094
Record Enrollment:
- African American Students: 1499
- International Students: 412
- Out-State Students: 4203
Historical Highs in Doctoral / Professional Practice Graduates: 2034
3.63 Average High School GPA
25.4 Average ACT Score
Sources:
Rhetorical Analysis
The state of Kentucky has always been known by stereotypes and three key industries that are bourbon, horse racing and tobacco. Behind the shadows of these well known industries a industry, human trafficking lurks in the background. Human trafficking has not been as apparent in the state of Kentucky versus other areas of the globe. This was the information presented by Beth Connors-Manke in her article “Human trafficking in Kentucky”. She brings the issue to forefront by mixing in personal feelings that the audience can relate to creating her pathos appeal. The emotions she projects in the piece is apparent. She addresses the topic by bringing in personal stories like Theresa Flores’ story and statistics to balance her argument by attempting to get the audience riled up and ready to call their senator about the HB 350. As a person that is from Kentucky she shares a common bond and knowledge about her own state giving her an ethical appeal or ethos. By presenting several apparent devices used in movies and reasons why Kentucky has become a hotbed for human trafficking (because of I-75) she helped create a logical (logos) appeal to us as the audience. After reading this article, she accomplishes her goal in promotion of further protections on the children who is the key demographic affected according to her and also the goal of alerting the public to the problem.
Ethnography
Sun is filtering through the cloud cover. I walk briskly through the chilly air and sit on some concrete slabs nears some stairs. As I it the rays of light hits my face as I peer at the brick array. I twist my head and see all sorts of different shades of red bricks put strategically throughout the space. My curious mind, and eyes stare at the people who walk through this space. I hear glimpses of a conversation as two people walk by. I try to listen without giving the impression I am invading their personal space, but I hear them talk about class. In the edge of my eyes I see people rush by and finally enter through the glass doors. After sitting there for a while my eyes become lazy as the the early morning has caught up with me. Just as I close my eyes, a light breeze hits my face and I awaken. My senses become a little sharper from the breeze. I look at the blue sky as the aloof clouds drift freely. I look back down and see the plaques that were next to me that I had not noticed before. I look at the surrounding again. I notice things I had not cared to noticed before. I see the plants and flowers that littered around the array. I look beyond the flowers and plants and see the walls behind them. I see decorative glass as well as the window panes surrounding me. I felt as if this area was the center of the complex walls. This early morning was a cold one and made me dream of a comfortable bed where I was sleeping under the covers. As I sat there I began to zone out as people passed me. The urge to go back to sleep, hits me. I got up off the slab and sluggishly walked toward the end of this area. I met a foe the stairs. The perilous journey had began and I left this brick castle and ventured into the cold gray world.
Rewritten Proposal Statement
As for my personal goal and research into my group’s theme that is the Quad is to investigate further development in the Engineering Department. The key thing about this inquiry is to find whether or not there will be more buildings built in the near future or any updates to the structures of the buildings surrounding the Quad. The big reason why it is important to find whether or not any improvements will happen is because the incoming freshmen classes have gotten larger specifically from 1686 to over 2700 students since 2007. This information will show how the Quad, and the Engineering Complex will evolve over time. After a good amount of time UK will change just like Pinepoint. I decided the best way to research this is to interview some tenured professors or if possible talk to the new dean of engineering. Another way to gather information would be possibly visiting the Engineering Library and the Willy T. Library. The meeting started after we had walked into the Hub, the meeting was rather productive. We further discussed what type of questions we should pose in our interviews and also narrowed down the list of possible buildings we will investigate. The upcoming Tuesday, we will meet and start compiling the research we gather over the weekend. We will also assess and edit each other’s presentation to build a finer product.
Purpose Statement
- My motivation in researching the engineering complex and the courtyard is to share some of the current and future experiences in those buildings. As an engineering major, I can investigate the complex and better understand my future.
- I hope my audience learns more about engineering as well as the history of the buildings that takes up such a large part of campus. I want my audience to understand that there is fun in the entire math and science jumble.
- The best possible outcome of this project is an exciting presentation of the complex and bringing the idea has a sense of humanity.
- Worst possible outcome is group is in total conflict and eventually failing the project.
- I hope people will change their views of the engineering complex or create new ones.
Narrowed List of Topics
The Quad (Courtyard), RGAN and the histories and future plans
Our Direction:
Each of us will interview professors and leaders on campus. We will each gather facts. One member will help compile the information into one concrete piece of information. Also help develop a soundscape map or some sort of map around the engineering complex.
First Sources: Interviews, Pictures, Previous interviews, Historical facts
We will move into this topic by discussing it every week on Tuesdays and start focusing on certain topics and compile the information together. Our foundational knowledge is our own personal experiences.
Digital Documentary Project
As a group we decided to investigate and research the history of the engineering complex. Every time I walked by the engineering buildings such as the main complex with RGAN and the Anderson Tower I noticed how aesthetically appealing it is, but also how it seemed isolated. Once you enter these buildings you notice that building becomes more functional than it is architecturally beautiful. Personally I want to see how these buildings came into existence and the names behind the buildings. I also want to find out possible innovation or advancements in the engineering complexes or possible new buildings.
I’m not exactly sure on what kind of representation or map of the engineering places I would like to do. Right now I’m thinking of maybe a map of feelings along with thoughts as you travel throughout the buildings. Also connect each building with similarities or journeys of certain students.
When I saw this map, it helped describe what I go through every time I have to brainstorm or write a paper. This map is so descriptive of the process and is visually appealing. It deploys cartoons to make this seem more relatable to the audience and makes it less technical.
Space, Place & Identity 
