A web-log or blog is a running commentary, updated periodically, to reflect your personal learning experiences. It can also serve as the basis for organizing presentations later on.
You are provided lists of numerous NASA history and Space
Law/Policy weblinks to explore, starting at the course assignment page. Survey
the required possible sources and select one to explore, reporting this choice.
Weblogs will be reviewed for progress, and graded on-line at the end of each
week, in "Levels" with increasing point value.
Your weblog amounts to a research notebook. for example, if your topic is an
on-line book with 8 chapters: analyze and report on at least 2 chapters per
week, outlining what's in the text and COMMENTING with your opinion: "This
was interesting to me because..." or "I found this hard to accept
because..." Adding at least a page of notes per week is expected.
Maximum points are earned weekly for: evidence of progress by adding to the
weblog in a comprehensible manner; citing your sources, including a web-link to
your primary source from the list; presentable spelling and grammar (use your
Word tools!); clarity of formatting. Note: graphics are welcome but not
essential and do not substitute for text and content.
The goal is for you to get in-depth on important facets of human activity in
space. We're not looking for a finished "term paper" but rather
evidence of your process of discovery with your chosen topic. We'll be watching
your weekly progress, and happy to help with webpage problems or clarifying
technical points in articles you are studying. Email rstencel. Happy hunting!
More FAQ:
?for the topics for the weblog: do we have to choose one topic and explore that
more and more each week? or can i pick several topics (such as the Galileo
crashing, X-rays of the mood, Hybrid Rocket Motor for X Prize Entry
SpaceShipOne testing, etc [all pulled from space.com]) and explore the article
about a different one every week?
---
Actually I was hoping you'd find one or two topics to examine in more and more
depth over several weeks, rather than skim the daily space.com news. Space.com
has lots of nice current articles, but there are over-arching issues related to
each. Example: Galileo crash --> NASA budget priorities for exploration
versus Shuttle X-prize --> alternative propulsion technologies Hope this
helps.