NEW STUDENT READER Faculty Training Session

August 26, 2008

Using Clickers to Encourage and Facilitate Discussion

Jill Caviglia-Harris

What state are you from?

17% 17% 17%17%17%17%1. Maryland

2. New Jersey

3. New York

4. Virginia

5. Pennsylvania

6. Other

What is your major?

20%20% 20%20%20%1. Liberal Arts (Fulton

School)

2. Business and Economics (Perdue School)

3. Science and Mathematics (Henson School)

4. Education (Siedel School)

5. Other

What year are you in?

25% 25%25%25%

1. Freshman

2. Sophomore

3. Junior

4. Senior

How would you rate the freshman reader Into the Wild?

20% 20% 20%20%20%

1. Excellent

2. Very good

3. Good

4. Fair

5. Didn’t like it

Who do you think is responsible for Chris’s death?

20% 20% 20%20%20%

1. Chris

2. Society

3. Chris’s parents

4. Government

5. Other

What are your personal views of Chris?

25% 25%25%25%

1. Admire him2. Admire him but think

he’s reckless3. Think he’s a reckless

idiot4. unsure

Contemplate the following passage…

“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun… in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.” (Chris McCandless journal passage - page 57)

Explain (on paper) how this passage relates to one of the main themes within the text.

Do you agree with the passage from Chris?

50%50%

1. Yes

2. No

Were your viewpoints changed after reading your partner’s paper?

50%50%

1. Yes

2. No

Chris McCandless was above all rebelling against “the idiocy of mainstream American life” Does the author think he really was different?

• Yes

• No

• Maybe

McCandless was hardly unique; there’s quite a few of these guys hanging around the state, so much alike that they’re almost a collective cliché” (letter sent to author about Outside piece – page 71).

“Dozens of marginal characters have marched off into the Alaska wilds over the year never to reappear.” (page 72)

“Rosellie become convinced that humans had devolved into progressively inferior beings and it was his goal to return to the natural state.”

For several weeks Waterman lingered in the areas of Sheldon Mountain House a small cabin perched on the side of Ruth Glacier.” (page 80)

• “As McCunns food supply dwindled to almost nothing he wrote in his journal’ ‘I’m getting more than worried’.” (page 84)

• McCandless didn’t conform particularly well to the bush causality stereotype. He wasn’t incompetent – he wouldn't have lasted 113 day if he were. And he wasn't a nutcase, he wasn’t a sociopath, he wasn’t an outcast. McCandaless was something else – although precisely what is hard to say.” (page 85)

Comment on Chris McCandless’s relationship with money

• “One hundred twenty-three dollars was promptly reduced to ash.” (page 29)

• “Claimed he (Chris) didn't need money” (page30)

• “Tramping is too easy with all this cash” (page 33)

• He (Chris) didn’t seem interested in money so much as the fact that he was good at making it.”