Group work: Introduce the interviewees' countries

All groups meet to discuss a 10-minute presentation due in class in three weeks, Nov 17.
Present the countries and region of your interviewees.
Characterize the cultures, history, and geography. Describe the political system, government, educational system, main industries, and tourism, among others.
Present using a web-based presentation. Each members needs to put the group presentation onto their own blog.

How can you structure a presentation on your region?

1.Explain why members of your group are interested in this region. Include exact reasons, names, interests.
2.Describe the environment on a large-to-small scale: continent, area, country, state, region, city, village (use your interviewees as examples)
3.Describe the history of your country
4.Describe the government, the institutions of governance, schools, health care, and other official institutions
5.What are the schooling options, literacy, communication conditions (radio, internet, cell phone, tv, cable, direct tv, etc.)
6. etc.

Meetings with Roland on Nov 3 and 10

Next week (Nov 3) I will not stay with students in class, but I will schedule 15 minute individual meetings with each student in my office LH 116 while the class works away in the B51 computer lab finishing those interviews.

Two examples for discussion in section 21, originating in section 85.
Student 1
Student 2
For first interviews, these students have been very successful. What could be improved for future interviews, how would you improve the report? How can these good examples inform your own future interview structure and reporting?

When you copy verbatim text from sources, and you do not use "quotes"...

10-20 Country/region report

Look for information on the geography, culture, and other unique aspects of the country or region of your first interviewee. Spend no more than 45 minutes on this task, before comparing notes with your new regional group (as seen in the right margin). Read, compare, and finalize the blog entry. By 8:20, every student will have posted the blog "Preliminary report on _____" on their blog site.
By next week, comment on all your classmates' blogs so that they may receive input on their approach to relate cultural and country information.

Forming area groups

Karla-A China
Mohammed-A Japan
Nathan-A Nepal
Chris-B France
Michael-C South Korea
Diao-Z -
Melanie-F Nepal
Galkhuu-G Malaysia
Sisay-G Ghana
Vishal-G Nepal
Nicolas-R Denmark
Kevin-L-H China
Kevin-R-H -
Bradley-H -
Ryan-K Germany
Ka Ye-L Nepal
Hannah-M China
Ashley-N -
Sarah-N -
Margaret-S - Malaysia (Laos, Cambodia)
Sneha-S China (Tibet)
Madelyn-T Japan
Lu-W Malaysia
Maria-W Nigeria
Wei-Z South Korea

Reports need to be blogged for all three interviews, but only two containing transcripts will be handed in.

The purpose of the report:

Describe the preparations, execution, post-production, observations and lessons learned from an interview with international students, and produce the transcript of the conversation as part of the two reports that will be graded. That means that you need to write reports for all three interviews. Only two of them will also contain the transcript. The one without should indicate why you chose not to transcribe the interview.

1. Preparations made (questions, objectives, locations, technology, etc.) (1/2 page)

2. How did you approach people, how did you secure three for interviews? (1/2 page)

3. When, where, and how did you conduct the interview? (1/2 page)

4. Whom did you interview, provide an abstract of the interviewee's biography (1/2 page)

5. Describe the interview process from your vantage point. Was there any part that impressed you, moved you, gave pause to you? (1 page)

6. Provide a short report about the country and culture of your interviewee (1 1/2 pages)

7. Attach the transcript, create a first page with your name, class, interviewee's name, and her or his country of origin, as well as the interview date.

8. Post the entire report on your blog.

9. If you want to include the audio portion, you will get extra credit. In that case, burn a CD or DVD for me and include report and .wav files.

Your first interview report is due on October 27 in your blog and on paper/CD to me. Bring it to class next week. The last interview is due two weeks later on November 10, 2009 at 5PM when class starts.

Lessons from the first interviews in class

Some observations about the test interviews in class:

• interviewers take charge forcefully, and try to stay in command (discouraging the interviewee)
• interviewers fire one question after the other, once they have obtained a short answer (no time to answer)
• interviewers hate silence and want to keep things moving (interviewee has not enough time to think, and prepare her/his response in a foreign language)
• interviewers connect with what they hear and comment right away (the interviewee gets the impression that they should listen to the interviewer)
• interviewers tend to be torn between self-expression and the task of listening, and promoting information flow from the interviewee (relax, de-identify, embrace the interviewee mentally)
• interviewers need to get used to a structured speaking environment and re-learn natural speech (pretend to have "just a conversation")
• interviewers tend to move around nervously on their chairs and do not hold eye contact well (show your interview partner through body language, hand motions, eye contact, that you are "with them")
• interviewers are very result-oriented when the process of interviewing is just as valuable for their own growth and understanding (if you blow an interview, learn from your mistakes and apologize to the interviewee, if needed)

All but five students in s21 had their first interviews lined up. Good luck to all others with the first interview this week, the recording, the gift of an interview, and structured information gathering.

Conduct the interview and record.
Listen to the recording one more time, before you start transcribing the tape
Transcribe only usable information
Make note of notable events that a reader would not know about (e.g. the interviewee had a phone call and seemed distracted then, etc)
Do not write down portions that do not carry information you consider vital (if you spend five minutes talking about sports, for example, you say so in the transcript - but you do not transcribe that portion, if it doesn't carry the main focus of the interview)
A report is due about the interview.
A report contains:
Information about how you met your interviewee, where and when you met, and general observations about the interview.
A brief 1-2 page explanation of the country and culture of your interviewee.
Your personal observations about the interview and what you have heard/learned.
The edited transcript, possible a .wav file with the interview
First interviews are due 10-27
Have fun, listen well, and marvel at the world "they" open up for you.
Roland
10-14-09

Test run Hannah and Sisay, introduction

10-12

As of 4:40 PM on the due date, five people did not post new objectives. Please look at Nathan's objectives for a clear list, Maria's for thoughtful language, and Mohammed's and Maddy's for post-production. Vishal's blog also warrants reading.
Again, everybody needs to comment of classmates' blogs today so that I can be sure you have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Cheers
Roland
10-12-09

Oct 6, 2009

Nathan liked this http://www.easybib.com/

Bibliographical Service, just an option

The elements of each interview

The elements of each interview

-an interviewee who is a foreign student

-an agreed upon time for the interview (not to exceed one hour)

-a recorder, a script with objectives and questions

-a quiet place to conduct the interview

-an opportunity to allow the interviewee to ask questions, also

-a transcript of the entire interview that you write up as you hear it on the tape you had recorded, verbatim

-an edited version of the verbatim transcript that edits errors, mistakes, and incomplete elements. Remain true to the intent of your interviewee

-a report of the process to this point: how did you achieve the points above in each case? Your report will be written in the first person, and recount your steps, your impressions, and your evaluation or conclusion of the interview process

You will be conducting three interviews. You need to write reports on two, and transcribe two. You may drop the weakest interview.

Roland
10-6-09

Some ideas for suitable goals beyond what you already have...

Most of you have great questions that should help you feel prepared.

In the interview, be sure not to read your questions off verbatim. Only if you get stuck should you glance at them. Be sure to give a copy of your questions to the interviewee so that they will not feel disadvantaged. It seems a really good idea, also, to invite the interviewee to ask you questions toward the end of the interview.

Hold back on making comments or impose your views after they have made statements. This is not about agreement or mutual views. This is collecting statements of fact, and personal views of an international interviewee. Unless needed to keep the flow going, refrain from commenting. But your body language should acknowlege their speech, and encourage them to continue, through subtle body signs.

Phrase questions in a way that discourages yes/no answers. That is done using question words like How, When, Who, Why, etc.

You may find that the best information starts to flow when the recorder is off. Make a quick memory protocol to capture those statements, if they occur, after you have parted ways.

Please do not forget to review all the objectives of your classmates.
10-1-09
Roland