I started writing a new introduction, but after rereading the one I posted at the beginning of last semester, I realised I was still pretty fond of it, so I'm going to use most of it again, and adjust it according to the changes of thought I've experienced since then.

When deciding upon a username to use for this site, I decided that I wanted to fall somewhere between anonymity and publicly claiming my identity.  I have been taught my entire life to keep my identity private online and, to me, anonymity often feels like safety.  But I also believe that we are all responsible for what we say, online or not, and by using my name on my posts I feel like I am publicly claiming responsibility for what I say.  So I decided to fall somewhere in the middle and use only my first name- generic enough that people outside of this course will probably not know who I am, but specific enough that I feel ownership over what I am posting here.  

My thought process for picking an avatar went along similar lines- I immediately rejected using a picture of myself, because it feels more identifying than I am comfortable with.  I also wanted to use a photo I have taken, because I often take pictures of things that interest me and I feel more connected to them than to other people's photos.  

 The moment of my life that this picture captures is a crisp and happy memory for me - a combination of things that I love. Looking at it brings me to a time and place that I feel happy and at one with nature, so it felt like a very 'natural' fit for my Eco-Literacy avatar. It brings me to that magical time of year between winter and spring where the flowers are just beginning to bloom, and you can't help but to start wearing shorts and t-shirts even though it's still too cold outside. The air smells different and new, and for a few short weeks, the park by my house becomes a sea of buttercups. This photo encapsulates a 'perfect' and unshatterable memory for me, where I felt like a kid again, and could truly feel the magic of nature.

Over the summer, I had the amazing opportunity to live in D.C. for an internship. After living in one place: Bend, Oregon for my entire life, coming across the country to study at Bryn Mawr, studying abroad in Copenhagen, and living for three months in D.C., I've discovered how I can appreciate and thrive in different places. My avatar shows how happy I was living in one place, but how excited I am for traveling, living in and developing a sense of belonging somewhere else. I think that this realization will be helpful in framing concepts that we discuss in this course cluster. The environment is all around us and shapes us in different ways, while we are simultaneously shaping our own environment. 

For the most part, I am a very optimistic and always smiling type of person. I don't like to hold grudges or dwell in the past. I love setting goals for myself and challenging myself mentally, emotionally, and physically. I love to live for the adventure and no matter the circumstance, I push myself until I see the sun shine bright once again. Hence, my avatar picture reflects who I am as a person, big smile and the pink shining through the light coming through the window in my dorm. The background of the picture is white, unfilled and untouched as it awaits for a new adventure to be drawn and fill the space. 

Wednesday:  On Quantitative Reasoning:  Playing with Numbers and Computers

Preparing for class:  Before you retire Tuesday night (or by 3am Wednesday morning)

Register for the Sapling Learning Course by following the procedure described in the  Accessing Sapling Learning Course and e-Text handout below.

Under Introduction to Sapling Learning, watch the video and complete the Using the tools in Sapling Learning to get a sense of how the online homework engine works.

Now complete the Math Review problem set.   It’s really misnamed:  It’s not so much a review as an opportunity for me to assess strengths and areas  for attention going into class on Wednesday and going forward this semester.    Any reference to “grades” should be ignored (at least in terms of the factors I’ll use to evaluate your performance in this course).

If you are comfortable bringing your laptop or iPad with you to class, please do so.   If not, I'll have access to a computer available for you (but you'll need to be able to log in to your Bryn Mawr or Haverford accounts).

Friday:   Community Profiles:  Counting what we can Measure

Preparing for class:

I’ve had a Serendip account for nine years. A few years ago, when the “avatar” option emerged on the site, I selected this picture of myself, which suited me quite well for a long while: I liked my smiling, welcoming face, the face that went with my user name (which is my real name). I liked being out, claiming, as myself, what I said on-line.

In the fall of 2013, however, I was co-teaching a cluster of courses called Women in Walled Communities (in which Jo, Jody and Sophia participated), and some of the time we met in a women’s prison in Philadelphia. As a get-acquainted activity, we asked the “inside” women to pick an image to represent themselves, then printed off the avatars of all the BMC (or “outside”) women—and we had to go around and try to figure out who we were. But nobody wanted to talk to me, because it was so obvious who I was. They were much more interested in figuring out who had chosen to represent herself with a cactus flower, or a bike, or an owl, or a beach…and why…