English 591: Teaching with Technology

Fall 2012

Professor Kristin Arola
Office Hours: Tu/Th 3-5 or by appointment
arola@wsu.edu
Office: Avery 309
Office Phone: 509-335-8742

About

This class proceeds from the idea that as writing and reading technologies change, our understanding of pedagogy also needs to change. This course will explore how and why (and sometimes why not) to integrate computer technology into writing-intensive classrooms while interrogating the material and cultural components of a digital pedagogy.

More specifically, we will trace the history of digital literacy scholarship and look to more current discussions about the digital humanities so as to examine where English studies has been and where we're going. Along the way, we will also interrogate definitions of digital humanities, new media, multimodality, and digital pedagogy.

Course Objectives

Acknowledge where English studies has been and where it's going when folks talk about "digital literacy"
Examine definitions and come to your own understanding of the terms digital pedagogy, digital literacy, multimodal pedagogy, and new media
Interrogate if, how, and when instructors should incorporate computer technology into the classroom
Examine the effects of digital pedagogy on teaching and learning, with a particular focus on agency, power, and identity
Familiarize oneself with the relevant scholarly conversations—primarily by computers and writing scholars—regarding the dynamics of teaching with technology

Required Materials

Bolter, Jay David and Richard Grusin. Remediation: Understanding New Media. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1999. Print.
O'Gorman, Marcel. E-Crit: Digital Media, Critical Theory, and the Humanities. Toronto, Ontario: Toronto UP, 2007. Print.
Shipka, Jody. Toward a Composition Made Whole. Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh UP, 2011. Print.
Wysocki, Anne Frances, et al. Writing New Media: Theory and Applications for Expanding the Teaching of Composition. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 2004. Print.
(numerous) additional readings will be provided

Policies

Students with Disabilities: I am committed to providing assistance to help you be successful in this course. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. Please visit the Disability Resource Center (DRC) during the first two weeks of every semester to seek information or to qualify for accommodations. All accommodations MUST be approved through the DRC (Admin Annex Bldg, Rooms 205). Call 509 335 3417 to make an appointment with a disability counselor.

Academic Honesty: All students are expected to act in accordance with the WSU policies on Academic Honesty found in the Student Handbook. These policies include falsification of information, fabrication of information, plagiarism, multiple submissions, and various others. Information about these policies can be found in the Handbook. These policies will be discussed in class and students will be asked to acknowledge that discussion and a basic understanding of the policies. For additional information on the plagiarism, WSU has a great site at http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/plagiarism/main.html

Attendance: This is a graduate class, thus I don't need to tell you that attendance is expected. But...for the record: I will forgive two missed classes, but beyond that your participation grade will suffer. Additionally, please, if you're sick, do us a favor and stay home.

Late work: Acceptance of late work is unusual and must be discussed in conference with the teacher. Late work will receive a lowered grade if turned in within one week of the original due date. Work turned in later than one week past the original due date will be given an automatic grade of F.

Evaluation: For more information on the assignments themselves, visit the assignments page. The grading scale is 100-93 A ||| 90-92 A- ||| 88-89 B+ ||| 83-87 B ||| 80-82 B- and so on.