Dynamic Subspace

Author: Jason W. Ellis

  • September 2023 Updates to the Generative AI and Pedagogy Bibliography Page

    An anthropomorphic cat dressed like a professor in a tweed jacket, sitting at a desk with papers in front of him. Shelves of books behind him. Image created with Stable Diffusion.

    Since posting the original version of my Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Pedagogy Bibliography and Resource List in April 2023, I have continued to add resources that I find through my research and daily online reading. I’ve added 61 articles and books to the bibliography since August 2023 for a total of 382 MLA-formatted references. Also, it has 55 online groups and resources linked at the bottom. Whenever you access the bibliography, you can check the bottom of the page to see if I’ve recently updated it–I always add the date for any updates.

    I hope that the bibliography might be useful to you! If there’s something that my bibliography is missing, send me an email (details in the “Who is Dynamic Subspace” widget to the right) or connect with me on social media (links on my About page).

  • LEGO Death Star 10188 Is a Storytelling Nexus Spanning A New Hope and Return of the Jedi

    I originally built the LEGO Death Star set over some days after moving back to Atlanta for the Brittain Fellowship at Georgia Tech. Of all the LEGO sets that I’ve assembled over the years, I think this one brought me the most joy. It encapsulates major scenes from both Star Wars (1977) and Return of the Jedi (1983) and it does so in a compact, three-dimensional narrative form of haptic play. The Death Star playset permits playful time travel as minifigures are moved from space to space, interrupting the narrative in unexpected and interesting ways. It invites remixing and transformation in its solidly constructed spherical platform. The set juxtaposes before and later

    After moving to Brooklyn two years later to begin my job at City Tech, I brought it to my office (very carefully in a large carry bag), but it didn’t seem as interesting or inviting to students who dropped by during my office hours so I brought it back home at the end of the semester. I eventually sold it on Craigslist to free up space for other projects, because unfortunately, it did take up a lot of room!

    Below are wide shots of the Death Star.

    Below are close-up shots of the individual scenes.

  • LEGO Mashup MOC of Gandalf 30213 and Fierce Flyer 31004

    Back in 2013, I built a small LEGO MOC scene depicting Gandolf (from The Hobbit 30213 polybag set) riding on one of the great eagles (LEGO Creator Fierce Flyer 31004). The scene shows a miniature river flanked by mountainsides. I used one of the mountains to anchor a Technic support that buoyed the eagle carrying Gandolf on an important Middle Earth mission. Positioned correctly, the support isn’t seen and the eagle appears to be in midflight.

  • Simple Sewing 2: A Catnip Filled Lion for Our Mose

    In my classes, I encourage students to visit their local bookstores to browse the magazine section for topics that might interest them. Back in 2019, Y and I were browsing our local Barnes and Noble’s magazine section when a sewing/crafting magazine with a free bonus caught my eye. It included instructions and material for a tiny plush lion. It seemed like it might be a good size for a cat toy, especially if I spiked it with catnip. I bought the issue and got to work sewing the lion for our Mose.

    It included pieces of orange felt, purple felt, thick orange cord, and thread (orange, black, and purple). I marked the felt according to the instructions and cut out the pieces to build the lion. I had to Google some of the sewing patterns mentioned in the instructions that I did not know.

    I can’t say that I nailed it, but our Mose seemed happy enough with it, at least until he took a nap. It’s still around here somewhere, but I don’t know where Mose has hidden it!

  • Simple Sewing: Hook-and-Loop Patches for Your Backpack

    I outfitted the front MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment) webbing surface of my backpack with M-Tac’s Morale Patch Boards (3″ square and 4.5″ x 3.5″ rectangle) so that I could swap and change embroidered patches that I sewed hook backing to along the outer border of the patch.

    I enjoy displaying patches that mean something to me. Maybe someone else will see them and get a boost. But for myself, it’s carrying a little morale with me wherever I go.

    I cut slightly more hook material than needed, positioned the patch on the opposite side of the hooks, sewed around the border of the patch through the hook material, and finally, trimmed the excess hook material.

    Unless you’re planning to tape where you’re sewing patches directly to your bag, using hook-and-loop attachments like this will maintain its waterproof/water-resistance.

    Pro Tips:

    • Verify what you need to attach to your patches (hook or loop backing) before you sew!
    • Use a sharp needle of size 2, 3, or 4 as patches are generally heavier fabric and some have thermal heat backing.
    • Absent a thimble to help push the needle through the fabric, use the corner of the table, a LEGO brick, or something else sturdy and not easily damaged by the back of the needle pressing into it.
    • A cheap travel sewing kit with a few needles (though they might be smaller gauge needles than ideal), different color thread to match the border of your patches, and a needle threader should get you started. But, you can create your own kit with a spool of black thread, a pack of needles, and a thimble.