Triboro News

Hi everyone!  

I thought I would go ahead and answer some of the things we get asked the most when students start at RMCAD:

1. How do I access the library databases: 

Log in to the RMCAD portal. Click on "RMCAD School Resources" from the navigation menu on the left-hand side of the page. Then, click on "Academic Databases." This will bring you to a list of links to the academic databases that the library provides to RMCAD students. If you're having issues opening the links, make sure your pop-up blocker is disabled! 

2. It doesn't work for me. 

Yes, it will. The popup blocker can be hidden. Trust me when I say this is the issue 99.99% of the time.

3. How do I make an appointment with the SLC?

The scheduler is here: https://rmcad.mywconline.com/ You will need to make an account with your RMCAD email address. Then choose your topic and schedule for when you are free. Please actually show up when you make an appointment. If you are having trouble with time zones, you can reach out for help (learning@rmcad.edu)

4. How do I get an ArtStor account?

Email the library@rmcad.edu and  we will get you set up. 

5. Where are my textbooks?

This one is complicated. Many of the textbooks ARE available through the library databases, but not all of them. Your class should have detailed information about access, so read your syllabus. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the library@rmcad.edu. 

6. I found a book in the catalog, but I'm an online student. 

Unfortunately, we can't mail our books to online students, but we can help you find a library near you that has the book. Just ask. 

Official poster for the collaboration of the mural project

Abel Miller- Art Education

Mural Blog August 26th

Welcome to the first installment of “The Triboro 102 Mural” only featured in the Learning Commons Blog. Over the next 4 months I will be writing once a week about the journey of this mural going up in, you guessed it, Triboro Room 102, in Fall 2024.

It all started with a beloved Art History teacher’s need to retell the story of a JCRS nurse. Dr. Becky Black, faculty advisor of 360 Thinkers, wrote a proposal, then presented the idea to the RMCAD student-led club, 360 Thinkers. As a new group the President, Zuzana Tothova was eager to take on such a project that would fulfill the mission of the club. To learn more about the 360 Thinkers, and their mission, please visit the Clubs + Organizations page on the RMCAD website. 

Please reach out to Dr. Black if you would like to read the proposal, and stay tuned for next month's blog for this series on September 30th 2024!

Finals are almost upon us!

The first step in tackling a final project is to thoroughly understand the assignment requirements. If you aren't sure, ask!

Once the project requirements are clear, the next step is to create a detailed plan and timeline. Breaking down the project into smaller, manageable tasks can make the process less overwhelming. 

Effective time management is crucial for completing final projects successfully. Use the SLC and our tipsheets! Constructive feedback can help!

If you get through finals, you will be able to enjoy the rare break without any worries. 

Ray Oldenburg is an American sociologist who made very influential contributions to the concept of "third places." He developed this argument in his 1989 book, The Great Good Place, where he described the role that informal public gathering places play in building communities and social interaction. Oldenburg defined the third place as those social milieus apart from the two typical social environments of home and the workplace. 

Oldenburg's work brought into focus how these third places are vital in community life in that they provide neutral grounds where individuals can congregate and converse with each other in the development of social bonds. He based his argument on the view that third places are restorative to people and healthy for communities, working socially to bond individuals and create cohesion, inclusiveness, and civic engagement together. His ideas on urban planning, community development, and the design of public spaces bring out the issue of accessing an environment that is equally welcoming to all people as a means of supporting social interaction and community building.

Libraries have been regarded as the archetypal third places and are informal public meeting places where citizens congregate, socialize, and eventually develop relationships apart from their homes, which are their first place, and work, which is their second. In this way, through their acting as a neutral space for various groups to meet, libraries assist in creating social cohesion and community bonding. They create inclusiveness and mutual support among members of their communities. In addition, library-based social activities offer individuals a way of reducing their feelings of loneliness and isolation, thus fostering mentally healthier minds. The ambience in these places is informal and relaxed, hence allowing an individual to take a break and unwind completely. Libraries are neutral, accessible spaces that embrace an environment for community engagement, lifelong learning, and social interaction. They make a significant contribution to the daily life of people in the community as places of cultural exchange, civic debate, and personal development.

Join us in the library this Wednesday, August 7th, for Community Building as we create Slime from 12-4pm!

Did you know we have these great guides: https://rmcad.libguides.com/

Larger programs have separate groups, like Interior Design, but we try to have guides for every program. 

Take a look  at your program and see what we are missing. We are always open for suggestions. Put your ideas on this form. 

Guides like this help you get started, but they also help you stay organized. Rather than making random lists, help us make these guides more complete and useful for yourself and other students. 

If you are tired, this can be a bit of a challenge to your motivation, but there are several ways to help you boost your spirits. 

Set concrete goals. Clear and attainable goals give a sense of purpose and direction. Make sure that the set goals are realizable and bound to a timeline.

Instead of working on a large task all at once, break the big problem into small, easy tasks. The task will look less overwhelming, and it becomes possible to start.

Reward yourself! Do you have a favorite treat? 

Change your environment once in a while. Work in a different room, take a walk, or simply reconfigure your workspace.

Stay hydrated. The fuel you put into your system is directly related to the energy you produce. Be sure to drink plenty of water!

Take small breaks to avoid burnout. Periodic breaks may be applied using techniques like the Pomodoro method, in which one works for short periods and then takes a break.

Imagine yourself accomplishing this task. Visualization can give you that boost of motivation to help keep you focused on your goal.

Get moving! Any form of exercise can offer you some energy and enhance your mood. As little as it may seem, even small doses of exercise will do.

Talking or texting with a friend can sometimes get one going again. By sharing your goals and progress, you may feel more inclined to be accountable.

Most of all, don't be hard on yourself. We all need to regroup sometimes. 

We have a new fashion tutor on campus!

1. What’s your major?

Fashion Design

2. What’s your year? 

I just turned a senior 

3. Where are you from?

I am from North Aurora, Illinois  

4. What's your favorite spot on campus? 

My favorite spot is the sewing lab or the beach chairs by the entrance

5. What's your favorite art medium or tool?

Sewing Machine

6. Who is your favorite artist? 

Music: BTS or Wave to Earth

Artist: Takato Yamamoto

7. What's your favorite food?

Pechuga con queso y jamon

8. What's your favorite mode of transportation?

Car

9. What's your favorite book? 

Chain Reaction Book by Simone Elkeles

10. What's your favorite TV series?

Naruto or Criminal Minds

11. What's your favorite movie? 

Coco or The Silent Voice

12. If you were a character in your favorite movie/book/TV show, who would you be?  

A character I would be is Restue Uunohane from Bleach 

13. Cats or dogs?  

Dogs

14. Lightning or thunder? 

Lightning

15. If you were a color, what color would you be? 

The color that I would represent is the color green. 

16. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?  

Invisibility 

17. What would you do if you had to do the same thing every day? 

I would teach Fashion design to students

18. What is the scariest fun thing you have ever done?

Climb up a high mountain in Cripple Creek

19. What do you hope to do when you graduate?

Something I hope to do when I finish here at RMCAD is to work aboard where Fashion Textiles are primarily being used. 

20. What's your one piece of advice for RMCAD students? 

One piece of advice is to be yourself and be confident in your choice of art/design.

We are seeing an uptick in people using artificial intelligence to write their papers. This is an issue because very often, students are not actually reading what they are turning in.

Here are some things we have seen:

• A student turned in a discussion board post that covered a lot of ground. When quizzed on the material, he knew nothing and failed the quiz.

• Some students have turned in essays that contain completely nonsensical sentences. 

• Students are taking other peoples discussion board posts and running them through paraphrase machines, or AI generators. 

   

The consequences of these actions should be clear. 

• The first student does not have the knowledge to pass the class

• The students who don’t read the work they turn in are likely to cut corners in such ways that they will not be responsible employees

• The students who use other peoples posts are being caught BY STUDENTS before the faculty members even grade their work. Do not anger your fellow students!

All of these instances have been really obvious. I believe it is possible to use AI large language machines to create essays and discussion board posts that don’t read like nonsense, but that requires almost as much work as writing the essay yourself. 

We have a lot to learn ourselves, as an institution. We will need to figure out a way to help you learn, even while we adapt to new technologies. We have noticed that Grammarly often shows up as 100% AI generated when it was used as a grammar checker. We are hoping that is as the technology improves, we will have the ability to use a grammar checker that doesn’t want to rewrite everything to sound the same. 

And isn’t that what it boils down to?  AI generated text often sounds so soulless and alike, it is easy to determine when it is being used.  It is better to turn in a paper with some errors and a unique voice. 

The SLC has writing support and ideation support. Rather than turning in computer genertated work, just to check off a box, spend some time to make your work as unique as you are. 

Summer B has started and I hope everyone is feeling comfortable where they are and with what they are doing.

Let’s go over a few things:

The Learning Commons consists of the Student Learning Center (SLC) and Library. We are here to provide academic support. This means we can help with coursework, understanding assignments, providing feedback on your work, making suggestions and more.  We cannot do the work for you. 

We don’t have any control over when you take which classes. For that, you will need to talk to the advising team. We don’t have any control over grades, that is your teacher's job.

What we can do is help you to learn more effectively. 

To that end, we have several tools. 

1. Our library databases. These are all available through the portal, but you can get a glimpse at them here: https://rmcad.libguides.com/az/databases
   1. If you go to the portal and the links don’t work, check your popup blocker. You have to allow pop ups. 99.99% of the time, that is the reason the databases don’t work. 
2. Our SLC scheduler: https://rmcad.mywconline.com/
   1. You need to make an account, this is not automatic. Use your RMCAD email address and make up a password of your choosing. 
   2. Once you have an account you can choose your topic and find the person who can help. We meet on Google Meet, Zoom, or in person.
3. Our SLC Shared Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0AE5f5szuWpX6Uk9PVA
   1. This drive has all our tipsheets – we even have a spreadsheet with the tipsheets all linked!
4. Our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RmcadSLC
   1. This channel has helpful videos of all kinds, including how to access library resources. 

These are tools, the main thing is for you to know that it is okay to reach out and ask for our assistance. We are pretty friendly and want you to make the most of your time at RMCAD. 

Hi, I’m Angela! I’m a Writing Specialist, having taught English Composition classes at colleges in California, Florida, and Colorado. I'm an adventurous lifelong learner who enjoys hiking, piano, guitar, songwriting, reading biographies, writing poetry + fiction, welding sculptures, time with family, friends, our herd of cats (Cheddar, Harley, Sadie, + Crash), and our rescue pup Milo. Here are links to a couple songs I’ve written:

“Too Many Broken Bones To Fly”

“You’d Be Here”

“Spring”

It’s wonderful to be at RMCAD and working with our Art + Design students like you!!!

Remember, you can schedule with any of our tutors here: https://rmcad.mywconline.com/

If you don't see a topic or time that works for you, email us at: learning@rmcad.edu

All my best,

Angela “Dr. B” Blewitt