Course Syllabus
GAH 2180: Introduction to Digital Writing
Instructor: Professor Adeline Koh
Office: K-125
Email: Adeline.Koh@stockton.edu
Class Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/780760075355001/
Course Description:
This online course will introduce you to some of the key elements for writing for the web. We will consider how the Internet functions as a meeting space for different kinds of communities, and the role that digital writing plays in constructing this space. The major assignment for this class will be to build your own specialized blog and to create a social media following for this blog.
Course goals:
- To gain a broader understanding and appreciation of intellectual/cultural activity (music, science, literature, etc.)
- To develop skill in expressing oneself orally or in writing
Course Texts
All readings will be made available on the course Canvas website. (That means you don’t need to buy any books! Yay!)
Course Policies
- No credit will be given for assignments that are late.
- Please expect a turn around time of one to two business days if you email Professor Koh.
- Refer to the Stockton policy and procedures on Academic Dishonesty for how plagiarism and related issues will be dealt with in this course here.
- Students with disabilities should work directly with the Learning Access Program and communicate their needs with me directly.
Grading Breakdown
Critical Questions Homework/Weekly Research Assignments: 15%
Critical Questions Discussion/Peer Review: 35%
Revised Critical Questions/Revised Research Assignment: 50%
Assignments
Critical Questions/Weekly Research Assignment: With the exception of the first week of class, you will answer the critical questions as a homework assignment, or asked to conduct a research assignments. Questions will be based on assigned readings or films/videos, or on your own research. These questions are intended to help you read critically about Internet space as intellectual/cultural activity (Course Goal #1) and to develop skill in expressing yourself in writing (Course Goal #2). These initial answers are due on the discussion board by Monday at 8.00am, no exceptions. They are assessed based on completion.
Peer Review/Participation in Course Discussion: Because our course is online, participation in course discussion is a centerpiece of your course engagement. After you have submitted your critical homework questions, you will be responsible for participating in discussion with your small group. The primary topic of discussion will be the critical questions you previously submitted for homework. The discussion will give you the opportunity to reflect on your responses to the critical questions and to further develop your perspectives on the texts. You must post two follow up comments to the discussion sections by Wednesday at 8.00am to receive credit. You will be given a grading rubric to assess your classmates’ work. Helpful are often very specific, rather than simply “this is good.” If you want a good grade on this assignment,
Revised Critical Questions/Revised Research Assignment. After you have participated in course discussion, you will revise your initial answers to critical questions/research assignments before submitting them once more. You should make your revisions to your original document using a different color font. Using a different color will allow you and me to see how your interpretations of the text have developed based on the discussion. Revised critical questions answers/revised research assignments are due on Friday by 8.00am. You should also add in in ‘comments’ if and how your classmates’ reviews helped improved your assignment, which will help their grade.
Final Paper/Project: As part of your final project for the class, you will be creating a specialist blog and a Facebook presence and audience for that blog. However, you will be creating and maintaining this blog and Facebook presence right away in a series of scaffolded assignments. All your weekly discussions will help you to produce and maintain content for your blog, and create an audience. Thus you will not be assessed separately for your final paper/project—your entire grade will come from your weekly participation.
Class Schedule/Agenda
Week 1 (July 1-3): Introductions
Due—How does this course work? Quiz.
Week 2 (July 6-10): Getting Started with Your Blog
This week, you will write a research report on 1) your blog topic for class, 2) a comparison of your blog topic to other existing blogs.
Monday 8am: Due--research report on 1) your blog topic for class, 2) a comparison of your blog topic to other existing blogs.
Wednesday 8am: Due--Peer review on two of your classmates research reports.
Friday 8am: Due: revised research report, changes in different colors, with comments added about how your classmates' reviews helped to improve your report (or not). You will also set up your own blog site after reading “How Do I Start a Blog (Links to an external site.)” and “Choosing the Best Blogging Platform (Links to an external site.)” and include the link to your new blog on the first paragraph of the revised report page.
Week 3 (July 13-17) Blogging, Peer Review and Creating a Facebook Presence
This week, you will write set up a Facebook page for your blog, write an introductory blog post and five sample Facebook posts that you will post on your site for next week. You will then review each others blog posts/Facebook post strategy, and then revise both and set up everything to post for next week.
Reading for the week:
1. How to write a blog post: A simple formula (Links to an external site.)
2. How to write great blog content (Links to an external site.)
3. Why people like, share and comment on Facebook [infographic] (Links to an external site.)
5. How to use images on your blog (Links to an external site.)
6. How to create a Facebook page (Links to an external site.)
7. 9 Facebook marketing strategies to build super fans (Links to an external site.)
Due Monday 8am:
1. Link to your blog's Facebook page.
2. Draft blog post with commentary.
3. Draft of five Facebook posts with commentary on Facebook marketing strategy.
Due Wednesday 8am:
TWO peer reviews of your classmates' blog posts and Facebook post strategy.
Due Friday 8am:
1. Link to your blog's Facebook page.
2. REVISED draft blog post with commentary on images used. (Changes in a different color, with comment bubbles added for what you changed according due to which classmates' comments)
3. REVISED draft of five Facebook posts with commentary on images used, and Facebook marketing strategy. (Changes in a different color, with comment bubbles added for what you changed according due to which classmates' comments)
Week 4 (July 20-24) Blogging, Social Media Strategy, Report.
Assignments TBD
Might include: Discussions on how to get engagement, places to find content, places to find free stock images etc.
Week 5 (July 27-31) Blogging, Social Media Strategy, Report.
Assignments TBD
Might include: Discussions on how to get engagement, places to find content, places to find free stock images etc.
Week 6 (Aug 3-7) Blogging, Social Media Strategy, Report.
Assignments TBD
Might include: Discussions on how to get engagement, places to find content, places to find free stock images etc.
Week 7 (Aug 10-11) Blogging, Social Media Strategy, Report.
Assignments TBD
Might include: Discussions on how to get engagement, places to find content, places to find free stock images etc.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|