EVANESCENCE
Les talks about the intriguing OIE Model
by Les Cañete
What surprised you? I'm surprised by the emphasis on separating readers' responses into OIE, or Observation, Interpretation, and Evaluation. From past workshops we've had, feedback was more general, and sometimes we often forgot the 'Interpretation' part and just gave our observations and our decision on whether we liked them or not. It's like we focused on overall impressions rather than breaking down specific aspects of the text in a structured manner. There's really a source of amazement in the way that I already envisage that this is actually very effective. And I feel bad after re-reading this because I nearly forgot that I already read Cain’s “Re-visioning the CW Workshop.”
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What intrigued you? I’m intrigued, but I should say that I’m still intrigued by the concept of interpreting the meaning behind details and patterns. I mean, this is not new to me, knowing that we've had workshops before, but I just like that it highlights the importance of understanding a specific author’s intentions and the deeper layers of the writing beyond surface observations. I believe that we each have our own uniqueness and creativity in writing, and my classmates' drafts prove that.
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What disturbed you? I’m disturbed, perhaps, by the idea that some students may struggle with relinquishing control over their work and accepting alternative visions. As someone who has not been exposed to workshops and writing criticisms before, I admit that sometimes, receiving feedback and comments from others is intimidating because at some point, I become emotionally invested when I write, and I have to question my credibility as a writer. There’s a fear of loss in accepting alternative visions. However, I know that I’m here because I want to learn more. My classmates and my professors are there to help me, not to make me a better writer in terms of conforming to conventions but instead, to help me reconsider textual choices and open up the dynamic of my struggle with authority.
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How have your experiences in other CW classes informed your understanding of the OIE model? My experiences highlighted this approach to provide feedback through the revision process. During workshops, there’s always a balance between peer critique and the comments of the professors. We are obliged to give remarks, and if we just give our observations, the instructors would ask us again what we think of our observations: like what are our insights on a certain element in the text, and do we like it or not. There’s no explicit explanation about the OIE model, but somehow we are following its process.