Project ideas

1. Yesterday I went to the wiki-editing event and, it was so much fun! I did most of my editing and writing into the wiki in Spanish and realized why when I was teaching in Mexico I didn’t allow my students to use Wikipedia and here I do. The wiki in Spanish is AWFUL! No sources, bad writing, etc, etc. So I was thinking of doing an event, or a series of events, inviting people from all over (especially in NY and Mexico, which is where I have contacts) to edit and add to the wiki in Spanish. I could even promote an event at Baruch (where I teach) for everyone to add to the wiki in their own language (being it that the student body is so diverse).

2. My topic of research is Erotic Literature. I am still unsure of what my dissertation will look like, but my ultimate goal has always been to find out what makes a text erotic. (in comparison to just plain cheesy or pornographic). I could go different ways – techwise- with this. DO a data anaylsis of texts, repetition of particular words, or set of words, and how they work.

3. The other way I could go would be to create a database of some sort, a place, perhaps a website, which is an erotic literature encyclopedia, indicating where to go, what to read, what can be expected, etc. I am talking about high quality erotic literature, which is really hard to find, considering most of the smut and corniness around.

4. Another erotic diagram could be on influences of literature, very visual as to who has influenced who in forms of writing. It could also be following the way something has been described, i.e. the orgasm, or even more specifically, female or male orgasm. by compiling the data some form of analysis could be made, no? (or description of particular parts of the body?) (it could also be compiled in different languages and even compare translations)

5. Something else erotic related…

6. Create an app or website which teachers can approach to get teaching approaches. I would do this for literature classes for non-lit majors. I love teaching non English majors, students who, for the most part, dislike literature. I love the challenge of the turning of the screw, of finding a way to connect with the students, helping them find a way to connect with the texts. I know many teachers struggle on how to teach particular texts, so this could be a peer-to-peer, user generated content site. Many students who are not literature or art oriented usually don’t like to read. The kind of requirement courses we often teach are the last resort we have to enamor students to literature. I have found that by using alternative and more tech oriented forms of teaching, students find a way to connect to the texts better and find reason, joy and pleasure in reading.

7. Why not make students teach other students? If students use ‘rate my professor’, why couldn’t they use a similar ‘rate my reading’ site? What to look for in a class, what assignments with a particular teaching or in a particular requirement class are harder and what is easier.

8. Another part of this last idea would be to give the students a place where they can share their works. It happens that they work very hard on certain projects and then it doesn’t go beyond the teachers eyes, or sometimes their fellow peers. What would happen if we could build a platform where the students could ‘paste’ their work, in an anonymous way, but also in a way that would help their peers study for the exam, come more prepared to class, etc. (Like I make them do Tumblrs, why not share what they have made? Another class has them do tiki-tokis. I will also have them do, as an optional assignment, youtube-book reviews)