GeorgiaSouthern University  WRIT5550/5550G - Technologies of Writing

WRIT5550 Section A, CRN #15464
WRIT5550  Section B, CRN #16033
WRIT 5550G Section A, CRN #16001

T/R 3:30-4:45pm, Newton 2211
Spring 2004
Dr. Janice R. Walker
jwalker@georgiasouthern.edu

Instructor | Course Description | Required Texts and Materials | Honesty | Class Listserv | Attendance | Grades | Regents' Exam | Disclaimer | Assignments | Useful Links | Contact Me!
Instructor Information
Dr. Janice R. Walker 
Department of Writing and Linguistics 
Georgia Southern University 
P. O. Box 8026 
Statesboro, GA  30460
Office: Newton 2222-A
Telephone: (912) 871-1327
Office Hours: T/R 10-11am, 1:45-3:30pm
Online Office Hours Fridays, 7-8 pm
Email: jwalker@georgiasouthern.edu
Home Page: http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/~jwalker/
Course Description
This course will consider the technologies of writing--from cave paintings to the Internet (and beyond!)--on our society and our personal lives.   Technologies of Writing analyzes the meanings and implications of the new technologies on reading and writing as well as explores the relationship between a culture's technologies of writing and cultural narratives of identity, subjectivity, and agency. 

This section deals with the various ways that we construct and are constructed by technologies, specifically technologies of communication.  Students are expected to bring an enquiring mind to the course.  We will spend the beginning of the semester reading and discussing selected articles and technologies as a class.  Students will then self-select an area to research (e.g., how to use a specific technology, how some technological apparatus affects us as individuals or as a society--or the world, or other topics chosen in consultation with the instructor).  During the final weeks of the semester, students will then present the results of their research to the class in an oral presentation (hopefully using one of the technologies we have considered, such as PowerPoint, Web pages, digital camera, or other means).  Each student will then author an e-zine article for publication to the class Web site.

Students will work extensively with technology during the semester; however, previous experience with computers and/or the Internet is not required.
 
Required Texts and Materials

Recommended Texts:

Materials Needed:
Honesty
All members of the academic community recognize the necessity of being honest with themselves and with others.  The integrity of the educational experience is diminished by cheating in class, plagiarizing, lying, and employing other methods of deceit or dishonesty.  (See Student Conduct Code for definitions of Academic Dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarizing.)  The need for honest relations among all members of the community is essential.  Students will be held responsible for academic integrity and honesty in all work done in this course.  The instructor retains the right to set the minimum academic penalty for dishonesty in the course.
Class Listserv
All students will join, read, and contribute to the class listserv discussion.  You are required to make at least one posting per week in response to the readings, class discussions, or to each others' postings.  You will need to access and read the postings frequently to keep up.  You may also choose to post more than once per week, either responding to other students' posts, asking questions regarding assignments, readings, or class discussions, or discussing topics of interest to the general student population.  Spamming, use of inappropriate language, or posting of inappropriate materials will not be tolerated.  It is your discussion board, and as such it is up to you (the students) to police it.  For more information on joining the course site, see schedule of assignments.
 
 

Subscribe to the class listserv

  1. Send an email to: WRIT5550-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
  2. Leave the subject line blank.
  3. In the message body, type:  subscribe WRIT5550 yourfirstname yourlastname
  4. Send your message and then check your inbox.  You should receive a message asking you to confirm your subscription.
  5. Reply to the confirmation request by choosing "Reply" and then "Send."  Do NOT type anything.
  6. Finally, you should receive another email welcoming you to the list. 
  7. To send email to the class, use the address: writ5550@yahoogroups.com
NOTE: If you do not receive the 2 confirmation email correctly, repeat these steps, or follow the directions at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WRIT5550/

 
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory except when otherwise noted.  My attendance policy is firm: no excuses are allowed.  However, missed assignments may be made up.  It is the student's responsibility to find out any assignments or information missed as a result of tardiness or absence.  Please make arrangements with another student early in the semester to ensure that, should you need to be absent, you will still have access to this information.  Late assignments will automatically be lowered one full letter grade, or 10% (again, no excuses; save your creativity for your essays).   Participation in class discussions is essential for this course; therefore, it is essential that you come to class prepared.  Please make sure you consult the reading assignments below and complete the readings by the day indicated!
 
Grades
Distribution of final grade: 
 
Attendance and Class Participation 
Listserv Postings 
Oral Presentation 
Final E-zine article		 30 pts. 
20 pts. 
25 pts. 
25 pts.  
 		 Grades are assigned as follows: 
 
A 
B 
C 
D 
F		 90-100 
80-89 
70-79 
60-69 
Below 60
 
Disclaimers
All assignments in this syllabus are subject to change, depending on the instructor's assessment of students' needs.  It is the student's responsibility to obtain missed assignments, handouts, changes to the syllabus, and other course-related information.

Inappropriate use of computer resources can result in students losing their accounts, failure of a class, or legal repercussions.  Inappropriate use includes but is not limited to illegal access of information (hacking), using someone else's account without authorization, tampering with the settings on Georgia Southern University's writing lab computers, uploading, downloading, or installing pirated software or files, and viewing or distributing pornographic or otherwise offensive materials using Georgia Southern's facilities.  If you are unsure whether or not a specific use is allowed, contact Computer Services.

Useful Links

Assignments

This schedule of assignments is a tentative one and is provided for planning purposes only.  Students are expected to check the schedule frequently for changes, and to complete all assigned readings and coursework as shown by the dates listed.  Additional information on assignments may be added to this site and/or discussed in class.  It is the student's responsibility to find out any assignments or information missed as a result of tardiness or absence.  (See also Attendance policy above).

Students are encouraged to submit additional links to online readings (or bring -- ugh! -- paper copies for me to xerox.  We will talk about the sites/readings in class and on the class listserv.  Remember, you are to post once a week to the class listserv on topics of relevance to the readings and class discussion and to your research.  You may also respond to other students' postings (I encourage you to do so!).  Listserv postings should be substantive (approximately 250 words in length) and should engage the topics.  You will not be given credit for postings that simply say, "I have nothing to say," or that simply recount your weekend activities.

This class will be a "success" if you learn something useful  (preferably about how we communicate in a digital age) and if we can all have some fun along the way.  So, let's begin our journey:

Week One (1/6, 1/8):  Course Introductions

Homework Assignments: 

    1. Tell your friends to sign up for this course! 
    2. Subscribe to class listserv; send your first message, introducing yourself, your interests, and why you're in this course. Include anything else of relevance that you'd like to add.

Week Two (1/13, 1/15):  Literacy, Technology, and Resistance

Readings for this week:

Week Three (1/20, 1/22): Literacy, Technology, and Society

Readings for this week:

Week Four (1/27, 1/29): Literacy, Technology, and the Body

Readings for this week:

Week Five (2/3, 2/5): Literacy, Technology, and Change

Readings for this week:

Week Six (2/10, 2/12):  Class work - individual research projects

Week Seven (2/17, 2/19): Class work - individual research projects

Week Eight (2/24, 2/26): Class work - individual research projects; oral progress reports

Week Nine (3/2, 3/4): Class work - individual research projects; 3/4 finish oral progress reports!

Week Ten (3/9, 3/11):  3/9 No Class--First drafts of articles due! 3/11 Workshop - individual research projects.

Week Eleven (3/16, 3/18):  Spring Break

Week Twelve (3/23, 3/25):  No class.

Week Thirteen (3/30, 4/1): Class work - individual research projects

Week Fourteen: 4/6/04 - Passover - NO CLASS; 4/8/04: HTML Workshop, second drafts of articles due!

Week Fifteen (4/13, 4/15):  HTML Workshop

Week Sixteen (4/20, 4/22): HTML Workshop - Final ezine articles due!

Final Exam:  Tuesday, April 27, 3-5pm, Newton 2213 -- Class presentations

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Last modified 2 April 2004 by Janice R. Walker.

Required Disclaimer:  The content of personal and other unofficial home pages is not sanctioned by Georgia Southern University and does not represent official information or opinions of the University. jwalker@gasou.edu is solely responsible for the contents of this page.

If I'm online, you can send me an instant message with this link.  However, if you don't have Yahoo! Messenger (shoe_polish), I won't be able to reply.  You can also contact me with AOL Instant Messenger  (Kiwi3) , or MSN Instant Messenger (mywabbit) if I'm online.  And, of course, there's always email.