New Directions in the Teaching of Writing
The University of Akron Graduate Program
One of my final courses to satisfy the requirements for the Masters of English Literature degree at The University of Akron has been the course on New Directions in the Teaching of Writing. The formal course description is as follows:
This course will explore ways to expand the teaching of Composition by engaging new media. In addition to discussing theories of multi-modal writing and public rhetoric, students will practice their own skills by composing a blog, contributing a Wiki, creating a multi-media argument, and collaborating on a community-based writing project. The class will offer a balance of seminar-style discussions and hands-on workshops.
Through this course, I was able to apply my previous knowledge from my undergraduate multimedia journalism degree alongside my composition teaching experience. In this course, I was able to develop a new vocabulary to assign and assess digital writing projects, and now have a more developed confidence in assigning multi-modal digital assignments. As the world around us becomes digitized, it is important for English Departments (and the humanities) to stay up-to-date with curriculum and pedagogy despite the challenges that will imminently arise.