DWRL Lesson Plans - Trevor L. Hoag

Student Digital Activism as Rhetorical Advocacy/Analysis

Hoag — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 21:05:39 +0000

Author:

Image Credit:

Graphic posted on xomariee.wordpress.com

Brief Assignment Overview:

This assignment challenges students to become digital activists/advocates for a cause of their choosing, and aids them in developing a portfolio of work in the service of that cause.

Type of Assignment:

Semester-long Project

Assignment Length:

Semester-long Project

Pedagogical Goals - Rhetoric:

Pedagogical Goals - Literature:

Close Reading

Textual Analysis

Word Choice

Pedagogical Goals - Writing:

Pedagogical Goals - Digital Literacy:

Media Requirements:

Technology-Based Classroom (computers for each student)

Timeline for Optimal Use:

First Day/Week

Full Assignment Description:

This ambitious assignment challenges students to become digital activists/advocates for a cause of their choosing, and aids them in developing a portfolio in the service of that cause. Students begin the class by researching a cause to advocate for such as vegetarianism, marriage equality, or gun rights. Students then produce a series of compelling “media artifacts” for that cause such as social media websites, blog sites or websites, an image or infographic/meme, an “anti-artifact” in the form of information deletion/lockdown, a digital map or timeline, and finally, a collaborative project. Instructors can also ask students to “justify” their artifacts by theoretically analyzing them and by comparing them to other analogous artifacts.

Note: Many other options for artifacts exist such as games, videos, and more.

Suggestions for Instructor Preparation:

Not for the faint of heart, instructors who wish to employ this assignment arc must familiarize themselves with a number of different technologies including, for example: Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress, tumblr., Wix, easel.ly, Wordle, quickmeme, Storify, and many other applications. However, instructors should not fear discovering and learning new technologies alongside their students as it encourages a more “horizontal” classroom structure. An instructor who attempts such an assignment will learn much!

Instructions For Students:

In this course on digital writing/humanities, you will become a digital activist in the service of a cause. You will develop a portfolio of work in the service of this cause that you will present at the end of the semester. You are also responsible for theoretically analyzing the “media artifacts” that you create by applying course readings as well as comparing the rhetorical strategies you have employed with other similar (or different) media artifacts.

Step #1: Research a cause to advocate for across the arc of the semester. You have a lot of options, so make sure you care deeply about the cause for which you are advocating. Students in past courses have become digital activists regarding, for instance: body image, disability, cheating in sports, net neutrality, vegetarianism, cyber-bullying, women’s health services, marriage equality, and much more!

Step #2: Once you have an exciting/fulfilling cause to advocate for, you will now begin producing and analyzing “media artifacts” in the service of that cause. In this particular course, you will produce six different types of digital media/humanities writing: a social media website (or sites), a blog site or website, an image or infographic (which can include a series of memes), an “anti-artifact” in which you will delete or lock down information online, a digital map or timeline, and finally, a collaborative project with others in the class. You do not have to have any prior knowledge of the technologies that you employ to develop your artifacts—a big part the assignment is just exploring! So take a look at the following examples, create accounts on whatever sites you think will work best, and go to town!

P.S., It’s a big help to find others in the class who are using similar sites/technologies or advocating for similar causes at any given time. Start collaborating as soon as you can, and you’ll find it eases your classroom tasks immensely!

REMINDER: Every artifact is accompanied by a 1-page theoretical analysis. For example, one might discuss one’s Twitter feed in reference to, say, Denis Campbell’s Egypt Unshackled: Using Social Media to @#:) the System. Likewise, all deletions should engage Viktor Mayer-Schonberger’s Delete: The Virtues of Forgetting in a Digital Age. Analyses are also encouraged to include comparisons/contrastings of rhetorical strategies with other similar artifacts, whether those of student colleagues or “outsiders.”

Artifact A (Social Media—Facebook, Pintrest, Twitter, etc.)

https://www.facebook.com/veggiedc?ref=hl

https://www.facebook.com/NoSpecialTreatmentofReligiousOrganization?ref=hl

http://pinterest.com/pin2891/rhe312/

http://pinterest.com/gendernorms/genders-created-by-society/

https://twitter.com/kidsaresponges

https://twitter.com/ChurchesTax

Artifact B (Blog or Website—tumblr., Wordpress, Blogspot, Jux, Wix, etc.)

http://loverealyou.tumblr.com/

http://lgbtmarriagenow.tumblr.com/

http://fucknoqueerfetishization.wordpress.com/

http://healthstartfoundation.wordpress.com/

https://aforactivism.jux.com/

http://copywritecopy.wix.com/copyrightorwrong

http://getyourkidsoffline.blogspot.com/

Artifact C (Image—easel.ly, quickmeme, Photoshop, Paint, etc.)

http://i.imgur.com/1vX9GVx.jpg

https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/92675/Drugusage/image.jpg

https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/94299/Queerfetishization/image.jpg

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3t8ws8/

http://www.wordle.net/

http://www-958.ibm.com/software/analytics/manyeyes/

Artifact D (Deletion)

Note: The deletion is in some ways the hardest artifact to produce. Essentially, your goal is to “become-imperceptible” by removing yourself from the Web, or by blocking access to content that’s related to you and/or your cause. You can also find a website or application to analyze that “deletes” something for you. Be creative and try your best! (See also: http://lessonplans.dwrl.utexas.edu/content/becoming-imperceptible-or-how-disappear-completely)

https://duckduckgo.com/

http://suicidemachine.org/

Artifact E (Map or Timeline—Google Maps, Text2MindMap, Storify, Zeega, Tiki-toki, ManyEyes, Wordle, etc.)

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=210792301150685076515.0004d98cf1fb8dcdd07a1&msa=0

http://www.text2mindmap.com/vBL47F

http://storify.com/Dopeandsports/drug-enhancement-in-professional-sports

http://storify.com/ryleegonzalez/queer-fetishization-and-gay-marriage

http://storify.com/dawn1/women-s-sports-uniforms-across-time

http://zeega.com/103969

http://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/115265/Idiot-Nerd-Girl-Meme/#vars!date=2012-01-04_21:28:09!

http://www-958.ibm.com/software/analytics/manyeyes/

Artifact F (Collaboration)

Note: The collaborative artifact can be approached in a couple different ways. One is to use a familiar technology but in tandem with others. Another is to find a wholly new technology and try it out. It’s up to your group—what matters is that you’re writing and advocating/analyzing with others!

http://i.imgur.com/kCTt3xF.jpg

https://twitter.com/kidsaresponges

Other (Video, Reddit, etc.)

http://vimeo.com/63134670

http://www.reddit.com/r/occupyaustin/

Step #3: Now that you have produced a series of sophisticated media artifacts (that is, various forms of digital media/humanities writing), it’s time to show off your work to your classmates in the form of a presentation. Keep in mind that this presentation isn’t merely show-and-tell, but yet another opportunity to rhetorically advocate for your cause. Aim to persuade!

Note: Your instructor will be extra impressed if you use a presentation platform other than Powerpoint!

Presentation Examples:

http://prezi.com/2w58dqz1nlm0/untitled-prezi/

http://prezi.com/wwjfvklxd8wx/untitled-prezi/

http://prezi.com/uz0fbnnbqb_l/genders-game/

Evaluation Suggestions:

There are many ways to approach evaluating the above assignment(s). The simplest is via “completion” grades, but what “completing” the assignment means may vary widely from instructor to instructor. I would recommend developing a rubric for evaluating each artifact. For instance, one might have a ten-point scale where the following criteria are considered (I use the following rubric myself):

Does the artifact make a clear argument (or series of arguments)?

Does the artifact provide evidence for any claims it makes (e.g., by citing any and all sources)?

Does the artifact respectfully engage an opposition and an audience?

Is any written text on/in the artifact clearly and carefully composed?

Is the artifact accompanied by a theoretical analysis/comparison that is sophisticated (that is, considers/cites either the readings for the course or similar artifacts)?

How well does any analysis grasp the theoretical texts it employs?

Does the artifact employ good design (for instance, color, arrangement, etc.)?

How persuasive is the artifact in terms of rhetorical appeals? Does it contain any fallacies?

Has an “appropriate” amount of effort been exemplified by the student (e.g., number of posts on a social media site, number of pages on a website, and so on)?

Has the artifact been peer-reviewed twice?

Have peer and instructor comments been integrated following peer review?

Notes on Reception, Execution, etc.:

This assignment arc has been employed to great success at the University of Texas in a “Writing in Digital Environments” course. The students seemed to really enjoy the work, though were sometimes frustrated by how surprisingly hard it is to get outsiders interested in what they are/were producing. However, whether a particular student project is getting feedback from outsiders is often an opportune moment to discuss kairos. If I would recommend anything, it would be: get students to really think about and research their topics, make sure to show students lots of examples, don’t be afraid to let a student use a technology no one is familiar with, encourage theoretical analysis of artifacts, assign whatever media types you like and don’t be confined by what I’ve listed above, stick closely to a rubric and encourage students to pay close attention to whatever rubric is provided. This will better the life of all involved!

Course Type:

Advanced Writing Course

Intermediate Writing Course

Course Description:

Writing in Digital Environments/Writing for the Digital Humanities

Tags:

Mapping Memorials: Research and Public Advocacy on Campus

Hoag — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:13:47 +0000

Author:

Trevor L. Hoag

Image Credit:

Cesar Chavez statue on the University of Texas campus.

Brief Assignment Overview:

Through this assignment, students learn to close-read (critique) monuments on campus and consider the rhetorical nature of memory.

Type of Assignment:

Homework Assignment

Assignment Length:

One-Two Class Periods

Pedagogical Goals - Rhetoric:

Pedagogical Goals - Literature:

Pedagogical Goals - Writing:

Pre-Writing

Research

Style

Pedagogical Goals - Digital Literacy:

Multimodal

Additional Pedagogical Goals:

This assignment promotes student research by having them look into what monuments and memorials are on campus, learning why those objects exist along with their histories, and considering arguments and controversies concerning those monuments and memorials that already exist. Through this assignment, students also practice advocacy by making a “two-fold” argument (dissoi logoi) concerning whether or not (and why) a monument or memorial should exist. Moreover, this argument is made in a public forum, which may invite response from persons outside the university. Finally, this assignment helps familiarize students with two digital programs, Google Earth and Panoramio, programs that students can use again in the future for other courses, projects, professional applications, and personal enjoyment.

Media Requirements:

Technology-Based Classroom (computers for each student)

Required Materials:

A digital camera; access to a computer as well as the programs Google Earth and Panoramio.

Timeline for Optimal Use:

Useful Anytime

Full Assignment Description:

In this assignment, students learn to digitally map and critique on-campus monuments and memorials. Unsurprisingly, then, students are first asked to find an interesting monument or memorial on UT-Austin’s campus. After finding a monument or memorial (e.g., the Caesar Chavez or Barbara Jordan statue), students must take a photo of that statue and load it into the on-line program Panoramio. Once logged into Panoramio, students must post the photo to Google Earth with a comment/critique that explains a.) what the monument or memorial is about, i.e., its history and so on, b.) a very brief argument concerning why the monument is appropriate and should remain in UT’s public memory, and c.) a very brief counter-argument concerning why the monument is inappropriate and should be forgotten. After the photos are approved by Panoramio’s site administrators, anyone can visit UT’s campus in Google Earth and learn more about its monuments and memorials, as well as read students’ critical reflections upon those monuments and memorials. One can also have students tour the campus on-line later in the semester, reading each others’ entries and posting responses.

Suggestions for Instructor Preparation:

Before having students do the assignment, I highly recommend that the instructor first do the assignment him- or herself. This way, the instructor can become familiar with the computer programs as well as any potential hang-ups that may occur. Moreover, by doing the assignment ahead of time, the instructor will have a nice example to show their students. Once again, keep in mind that Panoramio photos require approval from the site administrator.

Instructions For Students:

RHE 309K: Rhetoric, Memory, and Forgetting

Mapping and Critiquing UT-Austin Monuments

In this assignment, you’ll find an interesting monument or memorial on UT-Austin’s campus to photograph, research, and critique—offering both an argument for the monument’s existence as well as one against its existence. You’ll then post your findings to the web.

To begin, you’ll need to find an object on campus to work with. It can be a statue, a memorial, a monument, an artwork, and so on; all that I ask is that its existence have something to do with remembering (or forgetting). Let’s say you pick the Caesar Chavez statue near the Student Union. First, you’ll want to take a picture of statue with a digital camera so that you can load the photo onto the internet. If you don’t have a camera, let me know and I can pair you up with someone who does (or we can use my camera). Next, you’ll want to do a little research on the statue: Why is it near the Union? Who built it? Who paid for it? What is its significance? And so on. After reading about the statue, you’ll then want to envision two arguments, one for why it should remain on campus and one for why it should be removed.

At this point, you’ll create a Word file and write three concise, but dense, paragraphs explaining: 1.) what the statue is all about, 2.) an argument “for” it, and 3.) an argument “against” it. Then, on the appropriate day, you’ll bring this write-up plus your photo to class—though you’ll only turn in the write-up.

In class, I’ll show you how to use the programs Google Earth and Panoramio. We’ll load both your photo and write-up into Panoramio, and after they’re approved by the site administrator, everyone who goes to UT-Austin’s campus on Google Earth will be able to see what you’ve come up with. Thus, you’ll not only educate yourself through the course of the assignment, but you’ll also educate people visiting the Google Earth website! Who knows, what you write may even elicit a response from someone outside the university, but it’s up to you whether or not to keep the conversation going.

Finally, later in the semester after all your photos are approved by site administrators, we’ll take a digital tour of UT-Austin’s monuments and memorials in class. That way, everyone can learn about the different monuments and memorials that people researched, as well as comment upon what you’ve written in your critique.

Points: This assignment will count for as much as a research summary (i.e., four pts). Good luck! And please let me know if you’ve got any questions!

P.S., If you’d like to do something non-traditional for this assignment, please ask. For example, you might take a picture of the bullet-holes left by the 1966 tower shootings, offering an argument both for and against replacing the stones scarred by the event. If you’ve got something like this in mind, just ask!

Evaluation Suggestions:

For this project, I gave students credit equivalent to a short writing assignment. They were evaluated on: a.) whether they successfully posted their photo and comments, b.) whether they provided ample background on their monument or memorial, and c.) whether they respectfully and responsibly advocated in writing for at least two positions concerning the monument’s or memorial’s continued existence (or non-existence).

Note: For evaluative purposes, it’s a good idea to have students submit their write-ups to the instructor, along with posting them on-line. And this assignment can easily be preceded by a short peer review, which promotes evaluation of student work by the students themselves.

Notes on Reception, Execution, etc.:

All in all, students were excited about this assignment, and found using the digital technology fairly easy. They enjoyed taking photos as well as investigating on-campus “artifacts” that had previously eluded their attention. Many were surprised by what they discovered in their research, and felt strongly about relating their views on-line. Students also expressly mentioned looking forward to the digital campus tour later in the semester, not only in order to see what monuments and memorials their colleagues had highlighted, but also their colleagues’ critical evaluation of these monuments and memorials.

Course Type:

Introductory Writing Course

Course Description:

Rhetoric, Memory, and Forgetting

Tags:

Becoming-Imperceptible, or How to Disappear Completely

Hoag — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:58:19 +0000

Author:

Trevor L. Hoag

Image Credit:

"Whitechapel" via an untrained eye's Flikr stream

Brief Assignment Overview:

In this assignment, students learn about the importance of protecting their information and image online, and in turn, take measures to delete themselves from the myraid places where they are visible/vulnerable.

Type of Assignment:

In-class Exercise

Assignment Length:

Single Class Period

Pedagogical Goals - Rhetoric:

Audience

Ethos

Ideology

Pedagogical Goals - Digital Literacy:

Accessibility

Creative Commons

Social Media

Additional Pedagogical Goals:

Research

Advocacy

Other (Please describe)

Increase student awareness of their digital “presence” and its dangers

Media Requirements:

Technology-Based Classroom (computers for each student)

Required Materials:

Collective student access to the internet. Projection screen for main classroom computer.

Timeline for Optimal Use:

Useful Anytime

Full Assignment Description:

The internet’s memory is gargantuan. Nearly every keystroke one makes is recorded in some way, and used for some purpose by companies and corporations. Sometimes this information is put to uses that we don’t approve of, e.g., marketing or identity theft. The European Union believes this kind of misuse is such a problem that legislation called “The Right to be Forgotten Online” has been proposed.

The purpose of this assignment is to make like the EU and fight back against the misuse of information that one provides online. Students begin by researching various ways to attempt to disappear from the internet. Simple searches like: “how to disappear from the internet,” “how to delete yourself online/from the internet/from Facebook,” and so on, reveal a vast array of possible ways for decreasing one’s online “presence.” There are even online services (like “Reputation Defender”) designed to do information-removal for its clients. Therefore during class instructors can have students research the options available for decreasing their internet visibility, and then have students move to implement it. Instructors can also have students share the tactics they found with other students, and show them how/what they themselves did to diminish their existence online If the instructor wants to require students to accomplish something specific, they can ask them to find a least one-two novel form(s) of digital deletion and implement it/them. This doesn’t have to be anything major, though. If nothing else, students can research how to delete something like a thread-post on Facebook, etc (pssst…there’s an invisible ‘x’ that appears in the upper-right hand corner of FB posts that allows you to delete them), but even small implementations can make a difference.

In order to help students see the value in such an undertaking, consider a couple of approaches: One is to explain to them how online companies and corporations use their data to persuade them (rhetorically) to view media and buy products that they might not otherwise view or buy (e.g., Amazon.com’s recommendations). That is, there is an unperceived rhetoric of manipulation that is silently operating on the internet all the time! Students can also see the value in such an assignment by realizing how vulnerable their information is online. A great way to demonstrate this vulnerability is by virtue of what a colleague of mine christened “The Facebook Blitz.” This involves getting on Facebook and accessing the information that your students have made public (but probably don’t realize it). When you come to class, though, and show them everything you’ve found (e.g., embarrassing images and posts, personal information that is public for anyone to see, etc), students are often shocked, and become more willing to engage in some type of deletion activity, even if only to change their privacy settings on Facebook and Myspace. In sum, this assignment involves lessons in rhetoric, memory/forgetting, and digital media visibility/vulnerability.

Suggestions for Instructor Preparation:

In preparation for the assignment, one should consider reading about the EU’s “Right to be Forgotten” legislation and/or a selection from Mayer-Schonberger’s Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in a Digital Age. It’s also a good idea to navigate around and find potential deletion tutorials for students to use, and it’s always a good idea to try these various deletions yourself before having your students try them!

Instructions For Students:

Becoming-Imperceptible, or How to Disappear Completely

The internet’s memory is gargantuan. Nearly every keystroke we make is recorded in some way, and used for some purpose by companies and corporations. Sometimes this information is put to uses that we don’t approve of, e.g., marketing or identity theft. The European Union believes this is such a problem that legislation called “The Right to be Forgotten Online” has been proposed. The purpose of this assignment is to make like the EU and fight back.

Step #1:

We’ll begin by researching various ways to attempt to disappear from the internet. Simple searches like: “how to disappear from the internet,” “how to delete yourself online/from the internet/from Facebook,” and so on, reveal a vast array of possible ways for decreasing one’s online identity. There are even online services (like “Reputation Defender” and “Web 2.0 Suicide Machine”) designed to do information-removal for its clients.

Step #2

After you find a particular “deletion tactic,” write down what it will take to enact it as well as what you think about it: Will it work? What will it accomplish? Is it a good idea? Now you need to decide: do I want to enact this form of deletion myself? If not, keep looking until you find one that you’re okay with. If you find one you’re comfortable with, go ahead walk through the steps, taking notes about what you had to do. However, the form of online deletion involved doesn’t have to be massive. For example, you could research/enact something like deleting a thread-post on Facebook, etc (pssst…there’s an invisible ‘x’ that appears in the upper-right hand corner of FB posts that allows you to delete them).

Step #3

Present to the class (in small groups) what you found out! This can be either a particular tactic for online removal and what you think about it, or how you went about deleting yourself from something. Please at least have something to share concerning your research, even if you didn’t delete yourself from anywhere. That way, everyone can get participation points!

Evaluation Suggestions:

In my own course, I deployed the above assignment as an in-class task for participation points (based on whether students did the in-class research and presentation of their findings). However, it would be very easy to formalize the assignment, e.g., by turning it into an outside-class research task, or by turning it into a short writing assignment one hands in for points. If you’re feeling your oats, you could always offer extra credit to anyone willing to delete something like their Facebook account while everyone watches! : ) You’d not only provide the class with an interesting and dramatic demonstration, but if a student is desperate enough for points to delete their Facebook, they probably don’t need to have it as a distraction from their work anyway! ; ) I joke, of course, of course, but in joking I want to highlight that there ARE ethical ramifications with this assignment, so please exercise caution not to pressure students into anything problematic or irrevocable.

Notes on Reception, Execution, etc.:

Students generally seem to like this assignment, but it helps a lot if you can grab their attention from the get-go with a “Facebook Blitz” or the South Park clip of Stan Marsh removing himself from the internet (or both). Students are often reticent to delete anything major, but even having them learn to delete cookies from Google (to slow data aggregating) or to change their Facebook privacy settings is a win in my book. One of the most important things to come out this assignment, too, is that it’s a conversation starter—it leads students to think about an issue they may have never considered before. My main advice after having done this assignment myself is to come up with concrete examples of things to delete or edit so that your students will have something specific to do/discuss. Giving points/credit is also a must!

Additional Resources:

One great way to have students prepare for this assignment is by reading a selection from Viktor Mayer-Schonberger’s Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in a Digital Age. The first chapter contains especially relevant anecdotes that students may find interesting.

Here, for example, is a wiki on how remove yourself from the internet step by step, and includes tutorials on deleting yourself from Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Flickr, StumbleUpon, Myspace, Paypal, eBay, Craigslist, wikis, Alma maters, gaming sites, blogs, forums, and so on:

WikiHow - Instructions to Delete Yourself from the Internet

Search engines also collect the data we put into them in order to sell products. For example, Google, Yahoo, Bing, PeopleFinder, and other sites all aggregate data:

WikiHow - Ungoogle Yourself

If students are feeling really ambitious, they can visit this site recently featured on South Park called Web 2.0 Suicide Machine. However, this type of deletion is massive and CANNOT be undone, so advise your students accordingly!!!

The Suicide Machine

Course Type:

Introductory Writing Course

Course Description:

Rhetoric, Memory, and Forgetting

Jump-Start Your Rhetoric Class with Text Visualization Software

Hoag — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:21:59 +0000

Author:

Trevor L. Hoag

Image Credit:

A wordle created on the future of education, posted on RodgerDodgerOwl's blog

Brief Assignment Overview:

This user-friendly activity has students do some informal free-writing in response to an educational film, then reflect on their writing using "word cloud" freeware.

Type of Assignment:

In-class Exercise

Assignment Length:

Single Class Period

Pedagogical Goals - Rhetoric:

Invention

Visual Rhetoric

Pedagogical Goals - Literature:

Textual Analysis

Word Choice

Pedagogical Goals - Writing:

Invention

Pre-Writing

Word Choice

Pedagogical Goals - Digital Literacy:

Open Access Software

Visualization

Additional Pedagogical Goals:

Rhetorical Analysis

Invention

Media Requirements:

Technology-Based Classroom (computers for each student)

Required Materials:

A computer-linked classroom and access to the free online programs Many Eyes and/or Wordle.

Timeline for Optimal Use:

First Day/Week

Full Assignment Description:

Here you are perhaps embarking upon your teaching career and tenure in the Digital Writing and Research Lab. You’re excited! But then it dawns on you that you aren’t exactly sure what to do for your first couple of class days. Before that lovely panicked academic neurosis that we all know and love sets in, never fear! Here are a couple ideas for opening your class while using a very user-friendly technology.

Essentially, what we’ll be doing is using text-visualization software (either Many Eyes or Wordle) to accomplish three goals: 1) Get your students into the habit of free-writing at the beginning of every class period, 2) Get your students thinking about (and then talking about) the nature of rhetoric and how rhetoric can be defined, and 3) introduce students to the 306 forum topic of education by having them critically respond to the PBS Frontline program titled “College, Inc.”

Suggestions for Instructor Preparation:

Before trying out these activities, I’d recommend two things: 1) Going to the Many Eyes or Wordle websites and playing around with the programs. That way, you’ll be able to troubleshoot if some problems come up, and you’ll also be able see which of the two programs that you like best (N.B., Wordle is probably the most easy).

Many Eyes

Wordle

Instructions For Students:

In order to set the tone for our course, we’re going to engage in two, I hope, worth-while activities: one concerning rhetoric and the other the topic of our 306 forum, i.e., education. In order to facilitate this process, we’re going to use a program called “Wordle.” Wordle is a text-visualization software that displays and highlights features of a text. It is also helpful in that it makes watching films more “active.”

First you need visit the Wordle website

Once there, you’ll want to click on the “create” button and begin to enter text. But what will you enter? For our first activity, we’re going to discuss the nature of rhetoric. So once you’ve got Wordle ready to roll, just take 5-10 minutes to write down—in complete, articulate sentences—everything that pops to mind when you think of that term, rhetoric. After you’re done, press the “Go” button to create your visualization. Once it’s up, ask yourself what terms are appearing most frequently and why. Your instructor will also ask you to contribute to the full-class Wordle, where everyone will help develop a large-scale textual visualization. You’ll get participation points for doing so.

Now that you’re familiar with Wordle, let’s use it to analyze a longer text, one that you’re going to write as well. Your teacher will play the PBS Frontline special titled “College, Inc.” or some section from this program. As you watch, don’t just sit there like a lump; actively take notes. What’s going on? How is it controversial? What are potential paper topics that come to mind while watching? Do you agree with what’s going on in the program? What’s the program perhaps trying to convince you of? Once you’re done, hit the “Go” button on your Wordle and see what happens. You’ll then have the opportunity to discuss the results. You’ll also get participation points for actively engaging, so contribute to the discussion!

Note: Wordle can be used to analyze a long article written by someone else as long as you copy/paste that article into the website. This can be really useful for writing your second paper on rhetorical analysis. Wordles also make really nice images to add to presentations generally.

Evaluation Suggestions:

There are multiple ways to evaluate this activity. The easiest is to simply give participation and/or attendance points (e.g., 2 or so). One could also have students freewrite in Wordle over the course the semester, and then reward them with points at the end of the class.

Notes on Reception, Execution, etc.:

Although this assignment has not been used in the exact context that it’s presented here, this assignment has been used successfully in a 306 course with another topic. Therein, students used Wordle to do a number of things, including: 1) freewriting at the beginning of class, 2) responding critically to the film Fast Food Nation. What worked best in the case of the film analysis was to pick three 15-minute long segments of film that were interesting, then have students watch each segment while taking notes in Wordle. After a segment was completed, we discussed the material and generated paper topics. All in all, it worked!

Course Type:

Introductory Writing Course

Course Description:

Rhetoric and Writing

Tags:

Visualization Software

Free-writing

Invention