The first set of student-led group facilitations this week were effective and set something of a standard by which I think all future facilitations will be judged. The clear delineation of responsibility led to most group members appearing comfortable and confident with their assigned roles. Practical activities and discussions occurred in both face-to-face sessions; real-world examples of technical communication as well as reading summaries kept sessions from being too nebulous.
Neither had much of a clear conclusion; each dissolved into more general discussion about the class, which was fine. That written, I have an expectation that future facilitations will have a cleaner, clearer closing section. Still, I want to offer my public thanks to those students who were brave enough souls to facilitate first.
There was also a noticeable shift in the blogs toward more practical, technical concerns this week. The level of comfort and confidence with Posterous and/or Twitter is sufficient now that many are able to get into the nuts-n-bolts of technical writing. Perhaps some are just seeing greater worth in the online textbook by McMurrey. It may also involve the shift in focus to the group project and the proposal in particular, which is due about 36 hours from now.
The "Zero Gravity Toilet" (ZGT) assignment was due this week, too. Below are some personal favorites that I think captured the spirit of the assignment and showcased a strong, burgeoning understanding of technical communication.
M1:
The Cornballer from Arrested Development
The Neuralizer from Men In Black
The gun bra from Austin Powers
M2:
The PKD blaster from Blade Runner