engl 4320 _spring 2010_ _professional writing new media

8/14/2019 ENGL 4320 _Spring 2010_ _Professional Writing New Media

1/9

INSIDE THIS

SYLLABUS

Course Policies andProcedures . . . . . . . . . . 2 Attendance/Participation

Late Work

Technology Issues

In-Class Conduct

Course Policies . . . . . . 3 Paper Format

Academic Honesty

Diversity Statement

Students with Disabilities

Advising

Office Hours

Course Policies . . . . . . 4 Course Calendar

Social Networking Tools

Teaching Philosophy

English Majors

Assignments/Grading . . . 5

Student LearningOutcomes

Grade Distribution

Grading Scale

Assignments/Grading . . . 5

Grade Appeal Process

Questions

Daily Schedule . . . . . . . 8

Prerequisites for thiscourse: English 1301 and1302, junior or seniorstanding.

Course DescriptionTechnological innovation continues to occuron the internet at an extremely fast pace.Keeping up with the speed of innovation andMaintaining a familiarity with the most recent

tools and capabilities is handy in someprofessions and absolutely critical in others.This course is designed to help you under-stand and effectively use a variety of web 2.0 technologies includingblogs, RSS, wikis, social bookmarking tools, mapping tools inprofessional writing situations.

In this course, we will examine research approaches to contemporaryissues surrounding social networking software, privacy concerns, andcopyright issues. We will also use social networking tools and reflect ontheir sociality. We will discuss this sociality and how it impacts todayspersonal and public worlds. We will use social networking tools to createprofessional writing for an outside client/institution.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Professor: Dr. Billie Hara Email: [email protected] Twitter: @ProfHara Phone: (361) 825-2360 Office: FC 274A Course Blog: http://engl4320.wordpress.com/ Office Hours: M/W: 1:30 to 2:30, T/TH: 4:00 to 5:30, and by appt.

REQUIRED TEXTS: Tapscott & Williams, Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes

Everything Aoki & Boyle, Tales from the Public Domain Library Reserve and Online Articles Internet access Portable storage medium (e.g. flash drive) A few dollars on your SandDollar card for printouts.

ENGL 4320.201

T/R: - 11:00 to 12:15

Professional Writing: New Media & Social NetworkingSpring 2010


2/9

Attendance/ ParticipationYou must attend and be on time for class, because the work we will do during class will be crucial

to your understanding of the material and your success in the course. In addition, English 4320 isa pre-professional course, and you are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner,which includes good attendance. If you are alive, you need to be here. To be considered present,you must be in class on time, participate in all class activities, and remain in class for the entireperiod.

Absenceso If dire circumstances cause you to miss class, let me know and I will work with you.o The only excused absence is a university sanctioned one. Extra-curricular (non-

academic) activities, studying for another course, breaking up with a boyfriend /girlfriend, and very many similar issues are not sufficient cause to miss this class orto be late with an assignment.

o Excessive absences will lower your final grade: after two absences, you will lose letter grade for each additional absence.

o At five or more absences, you will fail the course.o Missing class the day an assignment is due does not automatically mean you get

more time to complete that assignment. Tardies

o If you arrive at class after your name is called, you are tardy. Two tardies equal oneunexcused absence.

Late Work

I will take any essay up to a week late (Monday to Monday, for example) without a grade penalty.However, when you submit your work late, I do not put comments on your work. I will not acceptlate work after the last day of classes (no exceptions).

Technology IssuesThis course relies heavily on access to computers, specific software, and the Internet. At somepoint during the semester you WILL have a problem with technology: your laptop will crash, a filewill become corrupted, a server will go down, or something else will occur. These are facts, notemergencies. Technology problems are no excuse for unfinished work. Count on "stuff"happening and protect yourself by doing the following: Plan ahead start early, particularly ifscarce resources are required. Save work often at least every ten minutes. Make regularbackups of files in a different location from the originals. Save drafts of work at multiple stages.When editing an image, set aside the original and work with a copy. Practice safe computing whensurfing the web and checking email. On your personal computer, install and use software tocontrol viruses and malware.

In-Class Conduct

In general, treat each other and me with respect and follow simple standards of common courtesy.Here are a few specifics:

Please turn offall cell phones or other electronic communication devices and place them out ofsight (in a bag, purse, pocket) while in class.

Use the computers only for ENGL 4320-related purposes. Please do not engage in e-mailing,IMing, or the use of social networking websites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.) during classunless directed. Those who violate this policy will be required to turn off their monitor until thecomputer is needed for class work.

Please do not bring food to class (it can be highly disruptive). If you wish to have a drink, as Iwill usually have one, please make sure it has a secure lid.

When group work is assigned in class, you must work in a group, not as an individual.

During group work time, please stay on task and work cooperatively with other group members.

Course policies

Page2


3/9

Paper FormatUnless otherwise instructed, all out-of-class writing, including rough drafts, must be word-

processed and in the format discussed in class. (This is generally double-spaced, normalfont (Times New Roman or Ariel) in a 12-point font, 1 margins.)

Academic Honesty/ Plagiarism

The university will not tolerate plagiarism or any other form of intellectual/academicdishonesty. Plagiarism is a serious violation of departmental and University policies, but itis sometimes difficult to understand what plagiarism actually is. Often, students commitunintentional plagiarism (not citing sources properly, for example), because they areunaware of the standards that apply. In general, any work that contains material fromsources (including your textbooks) must be documented properly. Work that is turned infor the course that is plagiarized will be failed. If you are unsure about your use of sources,please consult with me or visit the writing center (in the TLC, in Library 216) for advice onsource documentation BEFORE the item is due. For this course, you must use either APA or

MLA citation style but be consistent. Any grammar handbook and many web sites havedirections on correct citation. You can find an excellent review of the various forms ofplagiarism, good for any teacher to review/use, at this link. It is long, but worthwhile.(http://firstyear.tamucc.edu/wiki/Resources/PlagiarismTutorial).

Acceptance of DiversityWe are the most diverse campus, in terms of racial identity, in the Texas A&M system. Thismeans that we are all meeting and working with people who are different from ourselves interms of their identities: whether that is defined by their race, ethnicity, class, gender,sexual orientation, and/or religion. Respecting and accepting difference is vital to yoursuccess in this class, on this campus, as a future teacher in your own classroom, and in theglobal community.

Students with DisabilitiesThe Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute thatprovides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among otherthings, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learningenvironment, which provides reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believeyou are a student requiring an accommodation, please contact the Office for Students withDisabilities at 825-5816. Students with special needs (recognized and documented by theUniversity) should notify me so we can discuss appropriate instructional aides oraccommodations. These conversations will be confidential.

Academic AdvisingThe College of Arts and Humanities requires that students meet with an Academic Advisor

as soon as they are ready to declare a major. The Academic Advisor will set up a degreeplan, which must be signed by the student, a faculty mentor, and the department chair.The College's Academic Advising Center is located in Driftwood 203E, and can be reached at825-3466. If your major is in another College (e.g., Education), please contact that collegefor information and requirements about advising.

Office Hours

During the office hours posted on the first page, I will be in my office and available to talkwith you about any questions, comments, or concerns you have about the course. Pleasestop by and see me during these hours. If those hours do not work for you, email me, andwe will find a mutually convenient time.

Course policies

Page3


4/9

Course Calendar

In the course calendar that follows, you will find what we will be doing each day, what youare expected to read or write for homework. The course calendar is very important, andyou are responsible for completing all the assignments listed. Keep in mind, too, thatwriting can be a longer process than I can image now as I construct this syllabus.Therefore, I reserve the right to make changes to this syllabus as we move through thesemester. If we do make changes, do not be alarmed. The changes will most often helpyou. Those changes, however, will NOT be to move a date up early; if I have to change adate, it will be to give you more time.

Tw itter and other Social Networking Tools

I am an avid social media user. As timeallows, we will use some social networking

tools in class. In addition to regular office

hours, I am on the Twitter network as

@ProfHara. You can follow me if you wish.

Additionally, by engaging in social

networking and new media work in this

course, we will use a number of online tools.

These tools are free, but you need to signup

for account to have access:

Philosophy of TeachingMy teaching philosophy centers on ideas of critical / relational pedagogy, and the centralgoals are simple. The critical: I will challenge you to think differently about the writing,about the world, and even about yourself. The relational: while the responsibility forlearning belongs to you, we will do the work together. I support your products and yourefforts.

Reminder to English Majors: As part of the English undergraduate capstone course

(ENGL 4351), all English majors are required to submit a portfolio of writings in differentdiscourse genres that they have completed for their college classes. To help you prepare forthis assignment, you should keep a copy of all essays, research papers, literary analyses,creative and report writing, etc., so that you will have an ample selection from which tochoose when the portfolio comes due.

Course policies

Page4


5/9

Student Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, you should be able to:1. Apply contemporary theories of digital humanities (new media) to the design anddevelopment of professional

2. Create collaboratively-produced documents for an outside agency/institution3. Write in multiple new media genres to improve your own writing skills.

Please see the graph to understand how the course assignments will help you meet thesestudent-learning outcomes.

Grade DistributionYour grades will be based on the following assignments:

Oral Presentation (Pecha Kucha) 10% Blogging Project 20% Twitter (micro-blogging) Analysis 10% Wikipedia Entry 20% Collaborative Professional Writing 30% Final Writing Project 10%

Grading ScaleIt is your responsibility to keep track of your grades. If you need to clarify or confirm yourgrades, I am happy to do so during office hours. I will not discuss your individual grades in

class. If you have concerns about how to fulfill an assignment, or if you have concernsabout your grade, please make an appointment to see me. In the case of a grade issue,please schedule an appointment at least 24 hours after I return the assignment to you. Besure you have read my comments carefully, and be prepared to discuss how your paper fitsthe criteria given for that assignment.

Avg. 98 95 92 88 85 82 78 75 72 68 65 62 0

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

Student Learning Outcomes / Grading Criteria

Page5


6/9

Grade Appeal ProcessAs stated in University Rule 13.02.99.C2, Student Grade Appeals, a student who believesthat he or she has not been held to appropriate academic standards as outlined in the classsyllabus, equitable evaluation procedures, or appropriate grading, may appeal the finalgrade given in the course. The burden of proof is upon the student to demonstrate theappropriateness of the appeal. A student with a complaint about a grade is encouraged todiscuss the matter first with the instructor. For complete details, including theresponsibilities of the parties involved in the process and the number of days allowed forcompleting the steps in the process, see University Rule 13.02.99.C2, Student GradeAppeals, and University Procedure 13.02.99.C2.01, Student Grade Appeal Procedures.These documents are accessible through the University Rules Web site athttp://www.tamucc.edu/provost/university_rules/index.html. For assistance and/orguidance in the grade appeal process, students may contact the Office of Student Affairs.

Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this syllabus, please speak with me as soonas possible. You are responsible for understanding and adhering to the policies of thiscourse and TAMU-CC.

Assignments and Grading policies

Page6


7/9

Readings must be completed before coming to class on the day listed. Remember to bring

your notebook everyday!

DAY DATE ASSIGNMENT

Introduction to Web 2.0

Thurs 1/14 Introduction to Course, What is Web 2.0

Tues 1/19

OReilly, What is Web 2.0.Carr, The Amorality of Web 2.0Carr, The Good, the Bad, and the Web 2.0BLOG POST #1 (introduction) BLOGS / TWI TTER

Thurs 1/21

Carr, Is Google Making Us Stupid.Jarrett, Interactivity is Evil! The Critical Investigation of Web 2.0Shirky, "How Social Media Can Make History," & "Web 2.0 Expo Keynote"BLOG POST #2 GOOGLE DOCS

Tools of Web 2.0

Tues 1/26Rettberg What is a Blog?Trapani, Lifehacker (Blogging Heroes)Warren, PostSecret (Blogging Heroes) PREZI

Thurs 1/28

"Social Bookmarking in Plain English" The Common Craft ShowMathas, Folksonomies Cooperative Classification and CommunicationThrough Shared MetadataBLOG POST #3 DELICIOUS

Tues 2/2Johnson, How Twitter Will Change the Way We LiveHuberman, et al. Social Networks That Matter: Twitter Under theMicroscope LINKED-IN, FACEBOOK, ETC.

Thurs 2/4

Wesch, An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube. Presented at the

Library of Congress. YouTube. [Note: 55 minutes]Wesch, The Machine is (Changing) Us: YouTube and the Politics ofAuthenticity. YouTube.BLOG POST #4 YOUTUBE

Community / Collaboration

Tues 2/9Rheingold, TED Talk on Collaboration [video]Shirky, Chap 1 (1-24) WIKIPEDIA

Thurs 2/11

Turkle, Who Am We?Kelly, Who Are the Web?Harris, We Feel Fine. [Interactive]BLOG POST #5 SCRIBD / SLIDESHARE

Tues 2/16Berners-Lee, The world wide web.Communications of the ACM, 37, 76-82.Dibbell, J. (Dec. 1993). A rape in cyberspace. Village Voice. [PDF]

Thurs 2/18

Bush, As we may think. Atlantic Monthly.Harris, We Feel Fine. [Interactive.]Kelly, We Are the Web.Wired.Turkle, Who Am We?Wired.BLOG POST #6 FLICKR

Privacy

Daily Schedule (subject to change)


8/9

Tues 2/23Bound by LawAlbrechtslund Online Social Networking as Participatory Surveillance

RSS READERS

Thurs 2/25Bound by LawUnderstanding Net Neutrality [video]BLOG POST #7 PANDORA / BLIP

Ethics

Tues 3/2

Calcanis, Is Facebook Unethical, Clueless, or Unlucky?

Harris, Universe. [Interactive.]Vaidhyanathan, Naked in the nonopticon. JIFFLE

Thurs 3/4Moulthrop, You Say You Want a Revolution? Hypertext and the Laws ofMedia.BLOG POST #8 SIDE WIKI

Tues 3/9DeVoss & Porter, Why Napster matters to writing: Filesharing as a newethic of digital delivery.Thompson, Brave New World of Digital Intimacy.

Thurs 3/11Anderson, "Free! Why $0.00 is the Future of Business"Gladwell, "Priced to Sell. Is Free the Future?"BLOG POST #9

Tues 3/15 SPRING BREAK (no classes)

Thurs 3/17 SPRING BREAK (no classes)

Literacy and Writing

Tues 3/23Selfe, C.L. (1999). Literacy and technology linked.

Rheingold, Howard. "Attention Literacy."Thurs 3/25 BLOG POST #10

Tues 3/30 WIKIPEDIA ENTRY DUE

Thurs 4/1 BLOG POST #11

Tues 4/6


Tues 4/13


Tues 4/20


9/9


Tues 4/27

Thurs 4/29COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONAL WRI TING PROJECT DUEBLOG POST #15

Tues 5/4

Tues 5/11 FINAL PROJECT DUE

engl 4320 _spring 2010_ _professional writing new media

Documents