GEOFFREY’S JOURNAL AND TIMELINE

GOALS AND TIME LIME

December 2 through 4 – assign and organize the project; try my best to communicate with the team.

December 5 through 8 – assemble research, bibliography, note cards; try my best to communicate with the team.

December 9 through 13 – write and focus on how best to polish the final product; try my best to communicate with the team.

December 14 – submit.

JOURNAL (WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED)

December  5

We have divided the project into individual assignments.  I am responsible for the following items: Building Wiki Page, Classification, Gram Stain, Structure, History, and Developing More Information than was listed.  Michelle and Jessica were responsible for the remaining items including: News Articles, Beneficial Properties, and other information.  I decided to get together an organizational file on my computer just to use while was the project was in progress, to see how I would schedule my  individual personal time on this and the assignments for my other classes.  This past week we worked on the assignment in class.  Much of the time was focused on obtaining background information.  The information was not “leaping off the page at me.”  This is not going to be a simple deal. I re-read the assignment very carefully.  Yes, I saw the topics that were highlighted that should be in the final report.  But, there is the “you must put the more information part.”  I decided to just read through all of the information that I could find before I started to write down anything so that I could get a fuller sense of the topic, since I’m responsible for building the page and for developing more information as needed.

December  6

I spent ALL DAY reading through the information on this topic.  Some of it is very complicated.  I kept going from one site to another to see if I could find simpler versions.  After a while, it started to make sense.  I began to assemble information on bacteria in general, its fossil record, its pathogens, on Leuconstoc mesenteroides, how discovered, etc. to get a comprehensive picture so that the wiki would respond to going “above and beyond” the points stated in the assignment.  I want to have enough information to share with my team Monday as to what I had done so far.

December 7 

I could not work on the project extensively.  I had to do my other homework.  I did not want to fall behind.  I had to reconstruct some of what I had done before.  Computer problems!

December 8

I shared with my team mates what I had done so far. Specifically, now, I am spending time building the information, notecards and bibliography.  I made a sketch outline of how I wanted to present the information.  I focused especially on the introduction section re bacteria.  This included the work of von Leeuwonhoek, Pasteur, etc.; bacteria as a whole and its pathogens, and bacteria as a whole and its benefits.

December 9

I am continuing to do the basic research.  For the front comprehensive information, I am continuing to compile information on all of the areas stated yesterday.  However, I am moving on to new material. In particular I am doing my very best to understand the new research that is going on.  I really find it interesting that Leuconostoc mesenteroides is emerging as a pathogen with serious possible consequences.  Once again, it shows the importance of research.

December 10

I wanted to have actual written information to share with my team mates, not just bits and pieces of what I have learned.  I stayed up extremely late and drafted it.  What I basically did was pull together the written material and the graphics.  I am trying to follow the previous outline that I had drafted and to make the language clear and understandable.  If I don’t understand it, I can’t write it.

December 11

Again, I shared with my team mates in class what I had put together so far.  I may change some things, but this is the bulk of what I have.  I had some other homework that I need to, so I left this alone for some time.  When I got the chance, I re-read what I had previously written.  I realized that I’m missing some information in the area of reproduction.  I started to go through the databases to see what I could find on other possible methods beside binary fission.

December 12

I did not work on the project in terms of doing new research.  I focused on locating animations to augment what I had already completed.  I learned today that it is best to create your bibliograpy and notecards completely as soon as you first learn of your information.  It is too difficult to go back and attempt to reconstruct.  That's just what I've had to do though. I spent time doing my other work, because I knew that I would have to devote Saturday to this project.

December 13

I spent time building the bibliography and making sure that the page would look visually good.  I did not upload it to avoid have to change the wiki over and over.  But, I have shared this information already with the team.  I am doing the bibliography and notes, and it is a lot more than I imagined.  I am working on the web site evaluations using the library guide.

December 14

I will place finishing touches and submit.  I incorporated input posted by team members and I e-mailed team members about what I was doing and gave them my cell number so that they call me regarding changes.  I am assembling in mind my a “lessons learned sheet for the next time I do such a project.”  We started on time, but, we should have made it a team requirement that everybody should have had to report in everyday in writing as to where they were on the project.  That would have reduced the stress level.  But, we are now learning, and this is all part of it.