Notes
Click on the small “Whole Class” link at the top of the page.  To post, scroll to the bottom of this page and click on the “Reply” button.

Purpose

Each module unit takes the task of writing a good essay and breaks it down into smaller steps.  In this discussion, we will share our thoughts on our readings for this unit by relating the contents to our experiences and prior knowledge.  By sharing our interpretations on the readings, we will generate ideas for a good Essay thesis.  Doing so will be the first step in drafting a good essay final draft since a strong thesis tells the reader what the essay’s main argument will be.   In our discussion, you will also asked to support your thesis ideas with evidence from our assigned texts for this module.  That evidence will also serve to help you put together a comprehensive outline for your essay in the next assignment.

Main Post Instructions

Write three or more paragraphs (at least 200+ words) on the following:

Paragraph 1 (Your Personal Example):

Introduce yourself to the class by sharing a little about your background.   What is your experience with sports? (Common topics include where you grew up and attended school, your family, how long you have been at GCC, your extracurricular interests and hobbies, your major and / or career aspirations.)

Paragraph 2   

1. Summarize at least 5 qualities that psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says are characteristic of a flow state (see Kotler “Chapter 2: The Wave of Flow” p 23-40).  Use your own words.  Please be careful to avoid plagiarism, which can lead to a “0” grade.  
2. Next, provide a personal example of a flow experience of your own in the form of a detailed story. The flow experience does not have to be about a sport.

Paragraph 3   

On pages 29-30 of Rise of Superman, Kotler describes 10 flow state characteristics identified by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. These include

•  
• Having clear goals
• A high level of concentration on a small field of attention
• Loss of self-consciousness
• Distorted sense of time
• Direct and immediate feedback
• Balance between ability level and challenge
• The paradox of control where you feel like you can control a situation that is highly complex even though you actually can’t control many dangerous factors.
• Intrinsically rewarding
• Lack of awareness of bodily needs

Topic

1. Begin your third paragraph with a one sentence thesis that fully answers this question: Of those 10 flow qualities on pages 29-30 in Rise of Superman, analyze which 2 specific flow qualities you think are the most important for helping extreme sport athletes succeed at death-defying challenges.
2. Then support your thesis by providing examples from the stories of at least 2 of the athletes featured in assigned chapters of Kotler’s Rise of Superman: Danny Way, Laird Hamilton, Dean Potter, Doug Ammons, and Shane McConkey. 
3. End your main post with an interesting question for the class that stems from the ideas in your post.

Reply Posts (2 required, 50+ words each)

1. What parts of the other student’s main post could you identify with?  What parts did you like?  Explain why you liked those ideas.
2. Suggest improvements by referring to additional supporting examples from our class readings.  Or point out parts of the other student’s main post that you would like to see discussed in more detail, either with more explanation, clarification, or support.
3. End your reply post with an interesting question that is relevant to your discussion.

Grading

Requirements

• 1 main post (200+ words) that fully responds to Dr. Kwa’s prompt
• 2 replies (50+ words each) to others’ main posts
• Very Important:  You are required to end all of your main posts and replies with a question that is related to your thoughts in your post. 

Originality 

Please make sure to give credit to other students by name should you discuss their ideas.  If your discussion forum plagiarizes ideas or wording from another student’s post or an outside source, your post will not be accepted for credit.

Discussion Formatting and Other Important Tips

•  Main posts should be titled “Main Post”
to distinguish them from replies
•  Paragraph formatting: Divide your post into separate paragraphs.  Skip a blank line between paragraphs, and do not indent paragraphs (e.g. business letters).

•  Make sure to answer all parts of Dr. Kwa’s instructions for each discussion.

•  Avoid recopying Dr. Kwa’s questions and writing in a question and answer format.  
Write in well-organized complete paragraphs.
• Must show language respectful of other students and Dr. Kwa.  Disagreement is fine; hurtful language is not.  Flaming posts will be immediately deleted from the forum.
• Must be proofread and reasonably grammatically correct.  I recommend that you first write your post in Microsoft Word, save it, and then cut and paste it into the forum.

• Remember to capitalize “I,” beginnings of sentences, proper nouns etc.
• Use proper punctuation, including periods at end of sentences.
• Avoid all capitalized letters in words since this looks like screaming in written form.
• Avoid run-ons and fragments.
• Avoid abbreviations used typically when texting or writing casual emails.
• Always spell-check.