Rethinking Thoughts; or, a Modest Attempt to Reinvent the Teaching and Learning of Literature in Higher Education
This is a pow-wow to discuss non-traditional assignments in Literature classes: what they might be; their value; how we prove their value.
Mission Statement (sort of): For years I have been deeply committed to the importance of teaching language skills – high-level reading, writing, and a multi-faceted awareness of the depth of language. I understand that America needs to improve its math and science literacy – television commercials indoctrinate me to this need every day. More important, I think, but not nearly as in vogue is the need to raise our language literacy – I don’t mean just getting folks to read at an eighth-grade level, but higher, at a deeply literate, genuinely sophisticated, adult level. I believe in the importance of this. I have also come to believe in the usefulness of new technologies to help us explore and achieve such literacy, thus this meeting.
Some Core beliefs (which you may or may not agree with):
• College course work should try to interest students
• Course work should be fun
• Standards should be rigorous
• A challenge should be implicit throughout
• We should try to guess how course work prepares for the next generation or so
Possible modes of pedagogical assignments and delivery:
• New Media in general
• Epubs
• Newsletters (consecutive and one-offs)
• Youtube
• Twitter
• Tumblr
• Cell phone movies
• Audio podcasts
• Traditional, on-line, and twitter exhibitions
I hope we discuss the possible development of a rubric upon which to measure and provide feedback for non-traditional assignments
A Thought Experiment
Let’s say Kinsella is going to offer a new course on the writings of George Orwell, Virginia Woolf, or Anthony Burgess – almost anybody – even Shakespeare. If the course is offered at the 3000 level, he will probably ask students for about 24 pages of polished writing (2 seven-page essays, 1 ten-page essay). He will provide some guidance on possible topics, but not too much; that’s just the way Kinsella is. His goals for these writing assignments, surely, are to have students reread texts; think carefully and critically; create a sophisticated argument; and write in clear and effective prose.
But what if he decides to replace one or more of these essays with non-traditional assignments such as one-off newsletters, on-line exhibitions, media documentaries (for podcasts or youtube), or any other cool assignment we can dream up.
- Should there be equivalencies between his old 24-pages worth of writing and the new assignments?
- Should the new assignments attempt to achieve goals similar to those of the old assignments, or are there other noteworthy goals to be chased?
- Can we suggest why any switches should be made?
- Can we measure the usefulness of any changes over time?
The meeting will be on-campus, in a conference room within the splendid Hermadrome.
Top from left (and clockwise): Blue moon, flying cow, foot, witch, classic pig, naked pig, loon (center)