Today in class we were able to set a date of completion for our final project. This will be taking place on Thursday at around 9pm in the Hub. I am truly excited to be seeing our Team Earth page on that day. Of course, it will not be perfect, hence the earlier date than the actual deadline, but that’s what our group meeting will be considering. Numerous tweaks will be required such as the implementation of our story map and other coding to make the page be more visually appealing.
As a silkworm, I will be focusing on aiding the team in the visual aspects of page. Learning how to add things such as “jump links” that would take the reader to different sections of the page if they so wish to. Also, adding in autoplay codes that will play a specific youtube or soundcloud (for example) link when the reader goes into the page. So forth, these will be the things that I would wish to contribute in and hopefully be able to support the members of Team Earth.

Our group had a meeting at the Hub this evening, and it was very productive. The members of Team Earth were on track, creating a new deadline for all of our projects before the actual one. In the meeting we jotted down new ideas such as what to add into the earth group page. One of which included music from the silk road such as Mongolian Throat Music, playing automatically as the reader is scrolling through our page. This was very stressful and actually getting the codes to work for the automatic audio loop took around 30+ minutes. However, once executed properly, it was beautiful. We planned on creating a file that was invisible, hidden within the code, and would play as soon as the reader clicked on the earth page, playing, for example, Mongolian throat music and going on an audio loop (which you are listening to right now, and if you aren’t, turn that volume up!). Hopefully the reader does not become annoyed, but we doubt they would be on the page for numerous hours as well as not have a volume control button on their laptop/computer. However, there will be talks concerning how we will dead with audio playback, seeing if it really is necessary to prevent readers from turning it off on the youtube clip/soundcloud clip itself.

Further into the meeting one of the members, Austin, is bringing in a book concerning the travels of marco polo, called “marco polo: from venice to xanadu”. The great part about this novel is that it also includes a sort of commentary from a well-known author, Laurence Belgreen, whom in which will be explaining the travels more thoroughly. This would very much help Austin in his part on Marco Polo’s travels.
Also, Sam added valuable input such as a possible voice-over of the readings that would be on the earth page. And pertaining to what I mentioned earlier, concerning the automatic audio-loop, an automatic play of Sam’s voice narrating the story is also highly possible. On another note, his work is in track and has started to create a story map that will be based on his email so that they can contribute their works in that single file, due to sharing not being possible for story map.
Lastly, but important as well, Jake. He too is on track with the project. With his side project concerning the secret history of Mongolians, Jake has contributed a lot of great thoughts into the hub meeting and were all excited to see what the page will turn out to be in the end of our custom deadline (which is around november 9th).

After filling out everything and completing the application (on my end) for the study abroad programs (both Silk road and Japan), I felt at ease. This thought was last week. Allowing me to take a breath and get on with my other work, such as working on these blogs and pre-flight quizzes. However, I missed one crucial part of it. There were more than just applications for the Guilford College. I was assigned to complete one for the ISA study abroad website.
My chill went inside out into a concentrated adrenaline rush, as the deadline was October one. Not to mention, they were all required to be mailed. If you read any further into this blog, it is mere fumes of myself and my problems that is in no way scapegoating.
So forth, on my list was this page and a half essay for my scholarship, and documents that need to be mailed to an office in Texas. My mind drifted away from anything considered class work and more into what will happen next year.
Still dealing with this problem, I sent 6 emails out to different departments in search for documents, and one came out to be a huge relief, which was the ISA study abroad office mentioning that they were going to extend the deadline to October 10. Such a time crunch, and this came to save my life. A relief that must go on this post as it was nearly the death of me, mentally speaking.  And so, I will be able to catch up on all these posts, hopefully do this pre-flight quiz with ease tonight, fingers crossed.
And also, talking about study abroad. During my scholarship essay, my mention of cultural and modern bridges that Japan is so uniquely molded into, Daniel Diaz told me to add the current event of Emperor Akihito’s abdication. Yes, he will be abdicating, but is trying to find a method in doing so, as he does not think his mentality will hold much longer (which means he’s at the age of retirement). More so, he made an appearance on national TV, one of the rarest things in history, mentioning his abdication. Check it out!

 

As of yesterday, Team Earth has decided to change the topic due to limited resources of the initial one. During our meeting with the professors, we’ve decided to focus on silk road travelers.
More specifically, we will be doing a cross reference comparison with eastern and western travelers. Perhaps Marco Polo comparing Rabban Bar Sauma & Markos. Using the story map as our medium, we will collect data on their travels through primary and secondary sources. And another thing to add on to this research, specifying it ever more, would be to concentrate on Mongol interaction. Because of Marco Polo’s work with Qubilai Khan, there’s bound to be other travelers who also either advised or experienced interactions with this leader or any other during the mongol rule. Also to note, this then dedicates our research during the 13-14th century, (Around 1206 to 1368 when the last emperor of the Yuan Dynasty passed away).
Thus being said, we’ve found a lot more sources to do the project, and the members have shown much interest with travelers and mongols.

Currently in class, Tierney is giving us a broad range of tools to use for our digital project. One of which includes Metadata. Basically this is whatever defines a piece of information such as author’s name, copyrights, and other varieties of cites that provides useful data about that particular material. It was something that we see in our daily lives; only until today did I realize how to describe this common sight.
Further into this class, the teachers have introduced to us an account on Shared Shelf that enables a community media archive as another resource for our silk road. To clarify, students and professors alike have the ability to upload media relevant to the silk road class into the Shared Shelf account and, with proper citations, share it with the class. All media will have specific bibliographies to be certain of avoiding any copyright issues; as we’ve learned in class, (with both teacher and professor repetitively emphasizing on citing every uploaded image).
This is a great way for students as a whole to share the media that have been seen through their daily internet usages. With the whole classroom given this ability, the SharedShelf account will, without a doubt, be filled with very useful information relevant to our Silk Road project.
 

The Earth,

 
I am the Silk Worm for the Earth team. Other than being exploited by having silk reeled out of my body, I also advise the team. With the group sounding like it would be a huge burden, we are, thankfully, not researching the whole Earth. More specifically, we are based on areas of choice, along the silk road, which is still a large chunk of the planet.
During the first meeting, my role as a Teacher’s assistant was slightly murky. I had assumed that I would be another student in the group, except that I report back to the professors. However, after a brief explanation, it was brought to my knowledge that I am in charge of advising the group; to make sure meetings are set, progress is progressing, and time is well-managed. But other than that, I am merely a normal student going on the journey with them.
As for group members, we have Sam, whom in which shows an appreciation for medicinal plants and herbs, Austin, who is interested in architecture and agriculture, and lastly, Jake, who wants to focus on crops grown in different environments. The group started off thinking of how their interests can create crossroads for each other in doing sub-projects for the main project at hand, (as well as figuring out what that main project would be).
Austin went ahead and discussed about researching architecture and agriculture. Jake thought of possibly doing a crossroad with Austin’s research. Sam was thinking. Austin went ahead and said he wanted it all to stick together. Sam then considered that we should do a week of research so things could narrow down. Sam shoots and says he’ll research on medicinal plants and herbs. Jacob then says that he would focus on the crops grown based on environment. I was nodding and writing their speeches on my laptop.
So forth, the team had a meeting and wrote a proposal which states the research question: ““How did the fragility of the agricultural systems and medicine of oasis cities affect the larger silk road?”
And here’s the part where I state what the Earth group is all about. Slightly late, I know. Yet i’m quite certain you have a good idea on what this is about. The Earth team is assigned with the collective interest in medicine, food, herbs, magic, irrigation and farming. Crossing out magic due to some group member trading, we focused mainly on agriculture and medicine. Furthermore, the members of Earth have refined it into what their interests lie on, with the absolute knowledge of building bridges on each individual to create a larger structure. And honestly, I cannot take any credit for what the group has done. I was only there to throw in some advance, and slightly, just slightly put ideas into the brainstorming. This being said, the proposal that was posted that Wednesday night was all because of Sam, Jake, and Austin. You did a fine job, read it more than once.
As an Earthly silk worm, I feel confident that the group members that I have been assigned to will do great in the research. Even before brainstorming and official work, the group showed much enthusiasm to work with one another; a key part in group projects. Also, that our interests are very much aligned, and well grounded in the Earth group. However, I cannot say much as we are only on the first stage.
One of my concerns would be of what I am expected to do. The fear of not giving enough, or not doing a good job as a TA struck me during the first meeting. I was assigned the role of advising the team, yet what if even my own intellect and coordination would fail them. It grows into me, this feeling of being just moderate. Also, creating physical work into digitized files and publishing it into the internet where it is replicated into everyone’s screen in just a click of a button, worldwide. We are available for all that has access to the internet. More so, those who are interested in the Silk Road, and are critical to judge research. A lot comes to mind when concerning inadvertent plagiarism, slightly off data, and maybe even inadequate research. However, this is not to say that my team is below that. This is merely a fear that comes to me. But a benefit nonetheless due to the fact that I will be more aware of what is to be expected. Furthermore, I will keep this fear as a constant reminder of expectations and warnings, similar to that of Murphy’s law, in which anything can go wrong, giving the incentive to reconstruct and replicate for errors, fixing it.
On another note, I have a lot of excitement for this project. The fact that we are focusing on agriculture and farming is definitely my forte. To know more about the origins of organic product, medicinal herbs; almost following it physically as we research historical timelines about different oases and the influences of medicine that have impacted Pastoralists or Agrarians, and so forth. I am more than content that I was assigned into this group.
Also, contrary to what was mentioned above, I am quite excited to see our results go into the WordPress, and globally for all to see. Yes, there are fears of criticism and faulty information, but I do trust that my group can execute and show a well written research paper on the fragility of the silk road. A Yin and Yang of some sort, where fear makes me know that I will work harder and make it better, you can understand this i’m sure.
All this being said, I am grateful to be having the opportunity to travel the silk road this January. From advising the research to stepping on the dirt path that has been the crossroads between countries and key role in influential exchanges, it truly will be a rewarding experience. As Marco Polo says himself, “I did not write half of what I saw, for I knew I would not be believed”.