Writing Virtual Worlds in the Inform Programming Language (Full-day Workshop, C & W 2012)

For educators who are interested in both computers and writing, interactive fiction games (aka text adventures) offer exciting possibilities. This workshop introduces the interactive fiction programming language Inform, which uses a syntax that resembles ordinary English. Here is a sample of Inform 7 code: The Hotel Lobby is a room. A buffet table is in…

Reading Position

In our homeschool household, we do lessons year round. Knowing that she would have to finish her lessons before I took her to a party today, my daughter got up before the rest of the house. When I came into the kitchen to get myself breakfast, I found her like this, on the last chapter…

Some colleges slow to prep education majors for how to teach online

When Bartos took over Principles of Instructional Technologies at Seton Hill last year, she revamped the course that taught use of computer programs like Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint in classrooms. “It’s because of the evolution in technology — we really had to,” said Bartos. “I address right in my class that there’s a strong…

Griffin Run Cycle Test – YouTube

Here’s a quick run cycle, with some background detail thrown in for testing purposes. Similar:Debunking the newspapers are dying ideaDon’t count on viral social media posts …CultureThe Most Awesome 450 Page Presentation Everhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt9F7tKc…AestheticsTrump, halting his own policy: "I didn’t like sight of families being separated." No fake news here. This is why journ…Current_EventsWhy I Like…

Nyan Cat Rock

My daughter saw the Nyan Cat video, and then opened a rock-painting gift from a secret Santa. The result was inevitable. Similar:Things are not going well when the other king and queen stop by for such an intimate visit…Amusing31 Undeniable Truths That Journalism Majors Can All Agree OnBecause you know you have the chance to…

Blender Griffin, Part 3

Okay, that’s enough work for one evening. I added a skeleton I had already created for another project, and I added new rigging for his wings and tail. I still need to add the fancy stuff, like having the eyes follow a target, having the limbs move automatically to follow the placement of the feet…

Blender Griffin, Part 2

After another couple of hours of work, I’ve added the Griffin logo and a tail (trust me — it’s there). I’ve improved the lighting, and added some very subtle ambient occlusion (the inside of his beak and the inside of his eyes are shaded more realistically). I could probably do a better job differentiating such…

Correlation or Causation? – Businessweek

Correlation or Causation? – Businessweek. Similar:On Their Last Day, Student Newspaper Editors Cover a Shooting on Their CampusTHREE HOURS BEFORE A SHOOTING WAS FIRST …AcademiaPersonal Essays: 7 Tips for Expressing Ideas in Words Wondering how to write a personal essa…AcademiaHow to Keep Students Writing in the Age of AI Tools In a writing-intensive class, studen…AcademiaRichard…

Blender 3D Update

Holy ray-tracing, Batman, it’s a Blender 3D update! I have not had the chance to try out Blender 2.61, which features an ocean simulator, motion-tracking, and real-time ray-tracing. blender.org – Blender 2.61. Similar:Why ‘Cats’ the Movie Fails So FlamboyantlyI can’t seem to get into superhero movie…AestheticsNow you can fact-check Trump’s tweets — in the tweets…

Blender Griffin

To celebrate yesterday’s on-time submission of final grades, I spent part of last night and much of today working on this Blender 3D model of our school mascot, the Griffin.   Similar:15 Grammar Goofs That Make You Look SillyBeautiful synergy of word and image. Pro…AestheticsJournalism students guiltily ignoring the "no electronic devices" note in the…

Narnia Lesson Plans: Activities Related to the Musical (based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) — Jerz’s Literacy Weblog

I just posted the latest musical theater education packet, written by my wife, as she aims to make the most of our home-schooled children’s participation in Stage Right Greensburg’s student theater production. 1.10) Narnia, once a utopia or paradise, has become a sad, cold dystopia under the Witch’s rule. Read & discuss other examples of…

Pittsburgh Parent Magazine: Future-oriented College Majors

Pittsburgh Parent Magazine’s December issue features Seton Hill’s New Media Journalism major in a cover story by Kelli Robinson. Similar:"It's called an amphora," the artist says.AestheticsTwitter, after 10 years, hasn't been a money-makerRake-thin and bearded, Dorsey radiates a…BusinessPaper Titles: Inform by Stating your Topic and Position; Grab the Reader’s Interest If You…An effective research paper…

Losing Face

This story features my Seton Hill colleague, Lee McClain. “It’s kind of like if you are looking at a bunch of leaves on a tree, you could study them, but you’d have to work really hard to tell them apart,” said McClain. That is how she sees faces. “That part of my brain that most…