Syllabus
What: ENGL 202H: Writing Through Media, a Fall 2009 Course at the University of Mary Washington
Where: Combs 349
When:
Section 1: 11:00 - 12:15 TR
Section 2: 12:30 - 1:45 TR
Web: http://media.zachwhalen.net
Instructor
Dr. Zach Whalen
E-mail: zwhalen [at] umw.edu
Office hours: 1:00 - 4:00, MW (or by appointment)
Office: Combs 308
Phone: 540 654 2355
Web: www.zachwhalen.net
Twitter: @zachwhalen
Objectives
This course is about media and it is about writing. The operative preposition through comprises the key, two-fold premise of this seminar: that new media technologies offer new literacies and that these literacies depend to some extent on using media technology to communicate effectively. In this advanced writing course, the successful student will balance theory with practice, and the successful student will leave with technical, working knowledge of some New Media technology and a deeper fluency in media culture. She will also be familiar with what it means to think critically with and through these technologies. The final output of the seminar will be a portfolio-style website – built on the UMWBlogs platform – around which students will build their digital identities.
Books
- Jenkins, Henry. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. Revised. NYU Press, 2008.
- Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004.
- Madden, Matt. 99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style. 1st ed. Chamberlain Bros., 2005.
- Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. Penguin Press HC, The, 2008.
- [OPTIONAL] Freeman, Elisabeth, and Eric Freeman. Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML. O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2005.
Other Requirements
- A USB Flash drive, at least 2 GB. Write your name on this, and bring it with you to class every day.
- A domain name (e.g. www.zachwhalen.net). Don't do this just yet, but you can purchases these from various registrars for $10 - $20, depending on some different options. I'll show you how to do this and advise you on different options.
- A Twitter account. You may use one you already have or create one for this class. Please Note: You are welcome to follow me on twitter, but you aren't required to. If you follow me, I will follow you back, so you should consider the implications of having a professor reading your tweets. (If I don't follow you, I'll only be reading your tweets tagged #202H.)
Assignments
Blogging and Meta-blogging [20%]
Early in the semester, you define goals and themes for your blogging, including a planned schedule. Using UMWBlogs, you will blog following your own plan, but you'll post biweekly metablogs on the course website, reflecting and reporting on your blog in progress.
Image [8%]
Use image editing tools (PhotoShop or GIMP) to construct an expressive image.
Video [8%]
Create a brief video (no more than two minutes). Use the tools in the lab (Adobe Premiere Elements, hopefully), or other tools. This may be a collage video or it may incorporate live footage. It's up to you and the needs of your project.
Style [8%]
Employ principles of good design and good HTML and CSS implementation to design your own WordPress theme.
Typography [8%]
Create a project (image, poster, animation, etc.) that uses typography in an interesting, expressive manner.
Websay (web + essay) [14%]
Build an argument using the web as your medium, combining image, text, video, and audio as needed within an appropriately designed, hyperlinked document.
Digital Identity [20%]
Early in the semester, you will create a draft proposal of your digital identity. This will center around a key idea or theme, which you will explore in your projects. At the end of the semester, you will use your domain name to build out your digital identity as a portfolio of your best work from the semester.
Exercises / Homework / Quizzes [14%]
Many of these will consist of short, graded material that is completed in class. In-class work (quizzes, for example) may not be made up if you are absent.
Grading
Distribution (Revised)
In-Class Exercises / Quizzes / Homework
15%
Blogging
20%
Image
10%
Style
10%
Typography
10%
Web Essay
15%
Digital Identity
20%
Scale
Where it applies, the following letter-to-number equivalence will be
in effect:
A
94 - 100
A-
90 - 93.9
B+
87 - 89.9
B
83 - 86.9
B-
80 - 82.9
C+
77 - 79.9
C
73 - 76.9
C-
70 - 72.9
D+
67 - 69.9
D
63 - 66.9
F
0 - 62.9
Policies
Attendance
Because this class depends heavily on class discussion and workshopping, you should be in class every day we meet, ready to contribute to the conversation. The work we do in class each day is a major part of how you demonstrate your learning in this course. Unless emergency arrangements have been made, missing class will disqualify you from completing any work submitted in class that day (quizzes, exercises, etc.), and any student who misses an excessive number of classes will automatically fail the course. There is no way to make up missed credit due to an absence.
Use of Electronic Devices in Class
Students are allowed, even encouraged, to bring laptops or other electronic devices to class for the purpose of taking notes. However, activities such as surfing the web, reading e-mail, or text-messaging are not allowed. Also, turn off your cell phone ring, and -- unless there is an emergency -- please do not answer it if you forget and it rings . If you are browsing Facebook instead of participating in class, I will consider you absent for the day. Furthermore, if I determine that you are abusing this policy, I reserve the right to ban use of electronic devices either for you individually or for the class at large.
Academic Dishonesty
The UMW Honor System is in effect for our course. I may authorize specific exercises as collaborative work, but all other work must be your own, as per Article 1, Sections 1 and 2 of the University of Mary Washington Student Honor Code.
Late Work
Unless otherwise indicated, all assigned work is due at the beginning of class on the specified due date. Work that is submitted after this time will be considered late and will be subject to a significant grade penalty. Work that is later than four days after the due date will not be accepted under any circumstances.
Decorum
Students are expected to treat the instructor and fellow students with the appropriate degree of respect, both in class and in online discussions. Communication, either in person or through electronic media, that is deemed abusive, threatening, or harassing in nature will not be tolerated. Students who fail to abide by this policy will receive a participation grade of 0.
Unsatisfactory Mid-Semester Reports
Students with a grade average below 68% or with more than 3 unexcused absences by February 24th will receive an unsatisfactory grade report at the mid-term. Also, students who have not created a blog entry by Feb. 24 or have otherwise failed to participate in class activity will also receive unsatisfactory reports.
Students with Disabilities
The Office of Disability Services has been designated by the University as the primary office to guide, counsel, and assist students with disabilities. If you already receive services through the Office of Disability Services and require accommodations for this class, get in touch with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodation needs. Please bring your accommodation letter with you to the appointment. I will hold any information you share with me in the strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise. If you have not contacted the Office of Disability Services and need accommodations, (note taking assistance, extended time for tests, etc.), I will be happy to refer you. The office will require appropriate documentation of disability. Their phone number is 540-654-1266.
Schedule
The class schedule will be maintained on the course website, under the "Calendar" link at the top right. In addition, a summary of the agenda and reading assignments for the next class period will always be visible in the "Next Class" block. This schedule may change from time to time, so it is your responsibility to check it regularly. It is your responsibility to come to class having completed all of the day's reading, which you should be ready to discuss by adding your own keen insights and analysis.
Books
- Jenkins, Henry. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. Revised. NYU Press, 2008.
- Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004.
- Madden, Matt. 99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style. 1st ed. Chamberlain Bros., 2005.
- Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. Penguin Press HC, The, 2008.
- [OPTIONAL] Freeman, Elisabeth, and Eric Freeman. Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML. O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2005.
Other Requirements
- A USB Flash drive, at least 2 GB. Write your name on this, and bring it with you to class every day.
- A domain name (e.g. www.zachwhalen.net). Don't do this just yet, but you can purchases these from various registrars for $10 - $20, depending on some different options. I'll show you how to do this and advise you on different options.
- A Twitter account. You may use one you already have or create one for this class. Please Note: You are welcome to follow me on twitter, but you aren't required to. If you follow me, I will follow you back, so you should consider the implications of having a professor reading your tweets. (If I don't follow you, I'll only be reading your tweets tagged #202H.)
Assignments
Blogging and Meta-blogging [20%]
Early in the semester, you define goals and themes for your blogging, including a planned schedule. Using UMWBlogs, you will blog following your own plan, but you'll post biweekly metablogs on the course website, reflecting and reporting on your blog in progress.
Image [8%]
Use image editing tools (PhotoShop or GIMP) to construct an expressive image.
Video [8%]
Create a brief video (no more than two minutes). Use the tools in the lab (Adobe Premiere Elements, hopefully), or other tools. This may be a collage video or it may incorporate live footage. It's up to you and the needs of your project.
Style [8%]
Employ principles of good design and good HTML and CSS implementation to design your own WordPress theme.
Typography [8%]
Create a project (image, poster, animation, etc.) that uses typography in an interesting, expressive manner.
Websay (web + essay) [14%]
Build an argument using the web as your medium, combining image, text, video, and audio as needed within an appropriately designed, hyperlinked document.
Digital Identity [20%]
Early in the semester, you will create a draft proposal of your digital identity. This will center around a key idea or theme, which you will explore in your projects. At the end of the semester, you will use your domain name to build out your digital identity as a portfolio of your best work from the semester.
Exercises / Homework / Quizzes [14%]
Many of these will consist of short, graded material that is completed in class. In-class work (quizzes, for example) may not be made up if you are absent.
Grading
Distribution (Revised)
| In-Class Exercises / Quizzes / Homework | 15% |
| Blogging | 20% |
| Image | 10% |
| Style | 10% |
| Typography | 10% |
| Web Essay | 15% |
| Digital Identity | 20% |
Scale
Where it applies, the following letter-to-number equivalence will be
in effect:
| A | 94 - 100 |
| A- | 90 - 93.9 |
| B+ | 87 - 89.9 |
| B | 83 - 86.9 |
| B- | 80 - 82.9 |
| C+ | 77 - 79.9 |
| C | 73 - 76.9 |
| C- | 70 - 72.9 |
| D+ | 67 - 69.9 |
| D | 63 - 66.9 |
| F | 0 - 62.9 |
Policies
Attendance
Because this class depends heavily on class discussion and workshopping, you should be in class every day we meet, ready to contribute to the conversation. The work we do in class each day is a major part of how you demonstrate your learning in this course. Unless emergency arrangements have been made, missing class will disqualify you from completing any work submitted in class that day (quizzes, exercises, etc.), and any student who misses an excessive number of classes will automatically fail the course. There is no way to make up missed credit due to an absence.
Use of Electronic Devices in Class
Students are allowed, even encouraged, to bring laptops or other electronic devices to class for the purpose of taking notes. However, activities such as surfing the web, reading e-mail, or text-messaging are not allowed. Also, turn off your cell phone ring, and -- unless there is an emergency -- please do not answer it if you forget and it rings . If you are browsing Facebook instead of participating in class, I will consider you absent for the day. Furthermore, if I determine that you are abusing this policy, I reserve the right to ban use of electronic devices either for you individually or for the class at large.
Academic Dishonesty
The UMW Honor System is in effect for our course. I may authorize specific exercises as collaborative work, but all other work must be your own, as per Article 1, Sections 1 and 2 of the University of Mary Washington Student Honor Code.
Late Work
Unless otherwise indicated, all assigned work is due at the beginning of class on the specified due date. Work that is submitted after this time will be considered late and will be subject to a significant grade penalty. Work that is later than four days after the due date will not be accepted under any circumstances.
Decorum
Students are expected to treat the instructor and fellow students with the appropriate degree of respect, both in class and in online discussions. Communication, either in person or through electronic media, that is deemed abusive, threatening, or harassing in nature will not be tolerated. Students who fail to abide by this policy will receive a participation grade of 0.
Unsatisfactory Mid-Semester Reports
Students with a grade average below 68% or with more than 3 unexcused absences by February 24th will receive an unsatisfactory grade report at the mid-term. Also, students who have not created a blog entry by Feb. 24 or have otherwise failed to participate in class activity will also receive unsatisfactory reports.
Students with Disabilities
The Office of Disability Services has been designated by the University as the primary office to guide, counsel, and assist students with disabilities. If you already receive services through the Office of Disability Services and require accommodations for this class, get in touch with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodation needs. Please bring your accommodation letter with you to the appointment. I will hold any information you share with me in the strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise. If you have not contacted the Office of Disability Services and need accommodations, (note taking assistance, extended time for tests, etc.), I will be happy to refer you. The office will require appropriate documentation of disability. Their phone number is 540-654-1266.
Schedule
The class schedule will be maintained on the course website, under the "Calendar" link at the top right. In addition, a summary of the agenda and reading assignments for the next class period will always be visible in the "Next Class" block. This schedule may change from time to time, so it is your responsibility to check it regularly. It is your responsibility to come to class having completed all of the day's reading, which you should be ready to discuss by adding your own keen insights and analysis.
