Wednesday, February 01, 2006
WEBBING
Okay, the best place to start may not be the internet.... though I will admit I started there first! : )
I looked up transcendentalism in our Webster's and it said this: any of various philosophies that propose to discover the nature of reality by investigating the process of thought rather than the objects of sense experience: the philosophies of Kant, Hegel and Fichte are types of transcendentalism
The 2nd definition really fits my topic: by extension, the philosophical ideas of Emerson and some other 19th-century New Englanders, based on a search for reality through spiritual intuition.
Lastly it stated: popularly, any obscure, visionary, or idealistic thought...
Hmmm... so now I'm curious about Kant, Hegel and Fichte... spiritual intuition... and now the popular definition of a transcendentalist is anyone who has obscure, visionary or idealistic thoughts??????? That could be a lot of people I know! : )
Identifying types of information:
I will probably go to an encyclopedia at some point and see what it has to say, but for now it is very convenient to use my computer to find some sites. I need to get copies of Emerson and Thoreau's writings to read some of those again and to also read the introductions in those books. I know from doing some preliminary research that there are some primary documents: such as letters and essays. I can use current information also to get a take on how to present this information to the modern day student. My next step at the public library is to look for videos on the topic and see what they have to offer. If I were planning a trip to New England any time soon, I would try to look for some museums and tours, but a vacation is not going to happen before this project is due!
It's time to start the research process. Library here I come!
I looked up transcendentalism in our Webster's and it said this: any of various philosophies that propose to discover the nature of reality by investigating the process of thought rather than the objects of sense experience: the philosophies of Kant, Hegel and Fichte are types of transcendentalism
The 2nd definition really fits my topic: by extension, the philosophical ideas of Emerson and some other 19th-century New Englanders, based on a search for reality through spiritual intuition.
Lastly it stated: popularly, any obscure, visionary, or idealistic thought...
Hmmm... so now I'm curious about Kant, Hegel and Fichte... spiritual intuition... and now the popular definition of a transcendentalist is anyone who has obscure, visionary or idealistic thoughts??????? That could be a lot of people I know! : )
Identifying types of information:
I will probably go to an encyclopedia at some point and see what it has to say, but for now it is very convenient to use my computer to find some sites. I need to get copies of Emerson and Thoreau's writings to read some of those again and to also read the introductions in those books. I know from doing some preliminary research that there are some primary documents: such as letters and essays. I can use current information also to get a take on how to present this information to the modern day student. My next step at the public library is to look for videos on the topic and see what they have to offer. If I were planning a trip to New England any time soon, I would try to look for some museums and tours, but a vacation is not going to happen before this project is due!
It's time to start the research process. Library here I come!
# posted by YourMediaSpecialist @ 11:30 AM 
Comments:
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You're making good process so far, make sure to make references to the reading in class and what you're learning about the information inquiry process and it relates to your project - Annette
Rachel,
I did a satsang with a group of folks this summer. A satsang is basically a group of devotees of yoga, meditation, mindfulness, etc. who come together to talk about the practices, meditate, so on. We like to say that it is like "a bunch of mountains sitting around talking about being a mountain." The leader of this satsang was a woman who used to do quite a bit of transcendental meditation, and from her I learned about the practice and the purpose of the practice. I think that my project on wellness and mindfulness practices and your project would make good companions, and if we could put both into practice in a high school we would have some very enlightented students and teachers! I am excited to see your project's conclusion!
Lena
I did a satsang with a group of folks this summer. A satsang is basically a group of devotees of yoga, meditation, mindfulness, etc. who come together to talk about the practices, meditate, so on. We like to say that it is like "a bunch of mountains sitting around talking about being a mountain." The leader of this satsang was a woman who used to do quite a bit of transcendental meditation, and from her I learned about the practice and the purpose of the practice. I think that my project on wellness and mindfulness practices and your project would make good companions, and if we could put both into practice in a high school we would have some very enlightented students and teachers! I am excited to see your project's conclusion!
Lena
Rachel,
I am a Transcendentalist! One of my favorite topics to teach. Also one of best courses I took in my undergrad program. I've been to Walden (and environs) many times...amazing each time. You may want to check out a project my college class did for our trip--
www.shepherd.edu/transweb/travelguide.htm.
It is an online travel guide to American Transcendentalism--it seems right up your alley. The class is being taught again this semester, and the site is being added to. Good luck! Let me know if I can be of any help.
I am a Transcendentalist! One of my favorite topics to teach. Also one of best courses I took in my undergrad program. I've been to Walden (and environs) many times...amazing each time. You may want to check out a project my college class did for our trip--
www.shepherd.edu/transweb/travelguide.htm.
It is an online travel guide to American Transcendentalism--it seems right up your alley. The class is being taught again this semester, and the site is being added to. Good luck! Let me know if I can be of any help.
It looks like I am going to be able to follow one of Callison's Key Words and Student-Talk! Catherine and Lena's comments have opened up a lot of different possibilities for me. Now there are different ways I can go with this assignment and research methods and then final project. I think it would be interesting to give the kids an overview of transcendentalism, present them with the modern day version of Transcendentalism, discuss the historical aspects of the philosophy as it pertains to Thoreau, Emerson, and Fuller (I've added Fuller to give it the female element!), and lastly I'd like to add the New England element of places to visit get a sense of where these people lived, worked and Transcendentalized!
I am using this comment section because the edit wouldn't work and after reading your comments, Annette, I need to add some other elements to this entry! : )
I'm following your advice from the Wondering Literature and being flexible and so I am revising my topic as I go... : )
Unit Questions:
Why is America's version of Transcendentalism different from other countries?
How did Emerson's works affect later transcendentalists?
What does current day Transcendentalism look like?
How did Margaret Fuller impact Transcendentalism?
How has Henry David Thoreau and his idea of civil disobedience affected our nation and the world?
I've given this project a lot of thought over the last few days and definitely feel that Kulhthau's Information Search Process Model is right on target when it comes to the range of emotions when dealing with inquiry.
The problem is that I am still in the Selecting a Topic stage of emotions: confusion, sometimes anxiety, brief elation, anticipation
I also exhibit the Exploring Information Feelings: confusion, uncertainty, doubt, sometimes threat.
But I do have to say after writing some things out, getting some feedback from two people like Lena and Catherine whom I respect I feel as though I have advanced to the stage of Formulating a Focus
Feelings: optimism, confidence in ability to complete task.
I know that I can do this project, learn a lot and be able to follow the inquiry model. I just hope that I can come up with a final project that is decent. I should have started on this a long time ago! Procrastination strikes again... oh and a sinus infection! : ) Indiana weather!
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I am using this comment section because the edit wouldn't work and after reading your comments, Annette, I need to add some other elements to this entry! : )
I'm following your advice from the Wondering Literature and being flexible and so I am revising my topic as I go... : )
Unit Questions:
Why is America's version of Transcendentalism different from other countries?
How did Emerson's works affect later transcendentalists?
What does current day Transcendentalism look like?
How did Margaret Fuller impact Transcendentalism?
How has Henry David Thoreau and his idea of civil disobedience affected our nation and the world?
I've given this project a lot of thought over the last few days and definitely feel that Kulhthau's Information Search Process Model is right on target when it comes to the range of emotions when dealing with inquiry.
The problem is that I am still in the Selecting a Topic stage of emotions: confusion, sometimes anxiety, brief elation, anticipation
I also exhibit the Exploring Information Feelings: confusion, uncertainty, doubt, sometimes threat.
But I do have to say after writing some things out, getting some feedback from two people like Lena and Catherine whom I respect I feel as though I have advanced to the stage of Formulating a Focus
Feelings: optimism, confidence in ability to complete task.
I know that I can do this project, learn a lot and be able to follow the inquiry model. I just hope that I can come up with a final project that is decent. I should have started on this a long time ago! Procrastination strikes again... oh and a sinus infection! : ) Indiana weather!
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