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English
516: Computers and Writing, Fall 2004 | Eastern Michigan University | Steven D. Krause |
The title of the course says it all (almost): English 516 is about the theory and practice of computers and writing. The one thing not included in the title of but explicitly part of the course description is that English 516 is concerned with the teaching of writing in computer mediated environments at all levels, from elementary school to college and beyond.
Schedule of Events:
Since this is a "new and revised" version of
this class, there are a lot of things that fall into the "To Be Arranged"
(TBA) category. So there will certainly be some changes and updates
to the schedule as the semester goes along. I will let you know about
these things in class, via the class electronic mailing list, and here.
September 2:First day of class introductions
- Getting to know everyone, class introductions, etc.
- "A Survey..."
- Tour of class web page and how to sign up for class email list.
- "Invent your own technology" project assigned.
- Introduce Blogger.By next class meeting, post an introductory message to your blog.
- Introduce book review/report assignment.
- A brief, selective, and idiosyncratic history of the teaching of writing and composition pedagogy from your instructor.
September 9:Writing as a technology
- Readings: Dennis Baron, "From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technologies," in Passions, Pedagogies, and 21st Century Technologies; Steven D. Krause, "'Among the greatest benefactors of mankind": What the Success of Chalkboards Tells Us About the Future of Computers in the Classroom;" and Walter Ong's "Writing is a Technology that Restructures Thought." All of these readings are available via Electronic Reserves. Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- "Show and tell" for "Invent your own technology" assignment. Hand in brief word-processed essay about this process.
- Introduce the class research writing project.
- Demonstration of the book report and review assignment.
- Sign up this evening for book report and reviews.
Interesting Links: These aren't "required readings," but they are web sites you might find interesting.
- Walter Ong's Obituary
- "Notes from the Walter J. Ong Archives, a blog about Ong.
- "Handwriting becomes lost art," from The Detroit News
September 16:"Paying attention;" The "wired" library
- Readings: Cynthia L. Selfe, "Technology and Literacy: A Story about the Perils of Not Paying Attention." This essay is available via Electronic Reserves. Also, "CCCC Position Statement on Teaching, Learning, and Assessing Writing in Digital Environments;" Wendy Pradt Lougee's "Diffuse Libraries:Emergent Roles for the Research Library in the Digital Age," (available here as either an HTML or PDF document); and Vannevar Bush, as "As We May Think," available here online. Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Meet in the Bruce T. Halle Library Room 110, NOT our regular classroom! We will tour the library, both physical facilities, and the "virtual" databases..
Interesting Links: These aren't "required readings," but they are web sites you might find interesting.
- "The Limits of Proof in Writing Instruction," a 1994 essay/CCCCs presentation by Fred Kemp that addresses the age-old question of "do computers help students write better?"
- Wikipedia entry on Vannevar Bush
- "Makers scramble to put some bend in 'Electric Paper," from The Washington Post
- "10 Reasons Why the Internet is No Substitute for a Library," from the ALA web site.
September 23: Connecting technology and the teaching of writing: getting started
- Readings: "Section I: "Writing Technologies for Composition Pedagogies" in Takayoshi and Huot, pages 17-66. Douglas Kellner, "Technological Revolution, Multiple Literacies, and the Restructuring of Education." This essay is available via Electronic Reserves.Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Lori Hubbard, The New Literacies; Tim Sisler, What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy.
- Introduction of people.emich.edu
Interesting Links: These aren't "required readings," but they are web sites you might find interesting.
(TBA)
September 30: How to make a web page, part 1
- Topic Proposal Blog Entry due! Post it to your blog space by today's class.
- Simple homepage assignment introduced.
- Readings: Browse/read through the first four chapters of The Web Style Guide (Second Edition), Colin Mackenzie's "Web Design Tips,"and SpiderPro's 100 Dos and Don'ts of Web Design, each of which are available online. Post ONE message to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Discuss and work with Krause's "How to HTML" Web site
- In-class work on first draft of simple homepage
October 7: Word processing and the role of the essay
- Readings: Douglas Hesse's "Saving a Place for Essayistic Literacy," Alex Vernon, "Computerized Grammar Checkers 2000: Capabilities, Limitations, and Pedagogical Possibilities," Tim McGee and PatriciaEricsson, "The Politics of the Program: MS Word as the Invisible Grammarian," and Myka Vielstimmig, "Petals on a Wet Bough: Textuality, Collaboration, and the New Essay," all available via Electronic Reserves. (Note that the "Myka V." document is very large, so you might want to download this on campus some place). Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- David Curtis, Oversold and Underused; Leah Straschwski, Radiant Textuality : Literature after the World Wide Web.
Interesting Links:
Bill Hart-Davidson's "Tools for Designing Documents: Microsoft Word" workshop.
October 14: Blogs
- Readings: Laura J. Gurak et al (Editors) "Into the Blogosphere: Rhetoric, Community, and Culture of Weblogs," a collection of essays about blogs available online; and John Lovas, "A Guided Tour to Blogging, available via John's blog. We will arrange a schedule for reading and responding to these readings. Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Blog browsing: Here is a short list of some interesting
comp/rhet blogs-- we'll talk more about this in class and on the class
mailing list:
- Bill Soleau, The Language of New Media; Paul Breck, Pause & Effect: The Art of Interactive Narrative.
Interesting Link: Review of Into the Blogosphere by Lanette Cadle in Computers and Composition Online.
October 21: Developing academic web sites; How to make a web page, part 2
- Readings: Section IV "Teaching and Learning New Media" in Takayoshi and Huot, pages 153-216; Nicholas Burbles, "The Web as a Rhetorical Place;" George Landow, "Educational Innovation and Hypertext," both of which are available via Electronic Reserves. Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Discuss the "slightly more complex" professional/personal web site.
- Discuss HTML editing software.
- Discuss (briefly) the Annotated Bibliography entries.
- Jennifer Castillo, Technology and Social Inclusion: Rethinking the Digital Divide; Tom Black, Literacy in the New Media Age.
Interesting Links: These aren't "required readings," but they are web sites you might find interesting.
- Webmonkey
- CSS Zen Garden
- "Cyber Learning is Authentic Learning" (Nellen and Mayo, one of the many articles Handa references).
- Evaluating "real" web sites.
October 28: Online/distance ed
- Readings: Section III "Teaching Beyond Physical Boundaries" in Takayoshi and Huot, pages 105-149; Evan Davis and Sarah Hardy, "Teaching Writing in the Space of the Blackboard," from Computers and Composition Online; and David F. Noble's "Digital Diploma Mills" Rehearsal for the Revolution." TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- First Ten Annotated Blog Entries due! By today's class, you need to have a total of 10 annotateb bibliographic entries to your research project blog.
- Meridith Graupner, Crossing the Digital Divide: Race, Writing, and Technology in the Classroom; Chris Buchanan, Electronic Literacies: Language, Culture, and Power in Online Education.
Interesting Links:
- If you're interested in what David Noble has to say, you might be interested in seeing the other parts of Noble's "Digital Diploma Mills" essays.
- WebCT
- Blackboard
- eCollege
November 4: Hypertext fictions
- Stuart Moulthrop, "Reagan Library;" Deena Larsen, "Disappearing Rain;" Laura Miller, "www.claptrap.com" (this article will require you to have a New Your Times login);N. Katherine Hayles, "Bodies of Texts, Bodies of Subjects;" Thomas Swiss, "Electronic Literature." (The Hayles and Swiss essays are available via eReserves). Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Allison Bennett, Writing New Media: Theory and Applications for Expanding the Teaching of Composition; Lisa Smith, Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity
- About research project report blog entry assignment.
Interesting Links
The best place to go for some interesting links is the notes section of the Thomas Swiss essay-- check 'em out!
November 11: Assessing electronic writing
- Readings: Section V "Assigning and Assessing Student Writing" in Takayoshi and Huot, pages 219-257; "Electronic Portfolio Learning at Northern Illinois University," which is an interesting collection of links and info about Electronic Portfolios.Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Research Project Progress Report Blog entry due!
- Barry Graham, Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution; Tanisha Blackmon, Doing Literacy Online: Teaching, Learning and Playing in an Electronic World.
November 18: :Selfe/Hawisher book, part 1
- Readings: Read and discuss the introduction and the first three chapters of Selfe and Hawisher's Literate Lives in the Information Age. We may also be discussing other related readings, TBA. Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Second Ten Annotated Blog Entries due! By today's class, you need to have a total of 20 annotateb bibliographic entries to your research project blog.
- This is "TBA," but we might have time to talk about these stories from an NPR "Morning Edition" series on Google; articles on "Google-bombing;" Google Guide: Help with Searching; and Plagiarism.org.
- Barry Graham, Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution; Bill Soleau, The Language of New Media
Interesting Links
- About the "Oregon Trail" game... This is mentioned in chapter 1 of the Selfe/Hawisher book, and it is a fairly well known but early educational game.
November 25: Thanksgiving
No class.
December 2: Selfe/Hawisher book, part 2
- Readings: TBA, but we will probably read and discuss chapters four through seven, and the conclusion.We may also be discussing other related readings, TBA. Post TWO messages to the class electronic discussion BEFORE class about these readings.
- Mini-peer review: We'll spend a portion of tonight's class meeting discussing the research project essays, which are due next week. The goal is to get as much feedback from classmates as possible before the project is due.
December 9: The research project, the web site, the take-home final
- The Research Projects due! This is an important deadline! I need to have your research project by today's class so that I can read it and make comments on it to return to you by the time of our final.
- Distribute and discuss take-home final.
- In-class work on Personal/Professional web sites. The final version of these sites needs to be posted by the end of class tonight!
December 16: The End!
Take-home final is due promptly at the beginning of class; research project essays passed back.