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Digital Writing Across the
Curriculum l Implications of
Technology for the Shape of a College Education
"Difficult dialogues"
and "dangerous discussions" are two phrases that have
been used to point up the fact that some topics are both
intellectually and emotionally challenging. In recent years,
some faculty have found ways to use digital writing to help
students engage the emotional as well as the cognitive side
of discussions. For example, they've argued, it makes no
sense to ask students to write about issues of race as
coldly as though they, the authors, were from another
planet: understanding race in our society, they assert,
requires engaging and demonstrating an understanding of the
emotions the issue raises. Many faculty are finding
that images and music are useful for tools for students to
engage those emotions, and to help their readers engage with
them as well.
Digital story telling
is one such strategy for helping students engage topics on
both these levels: These digital stories often include
textual narrative, images, narration and other sound
accompaniment to help dramatize the story. Examples of
digital story telling assignments:
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This
set of assignments on race and slavery from Tracey
Weis at Millersville University
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This
approach to teaching a course on "Latina Life Stories"
by Rita Benmayor of California State University,
Monterey Bay.
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This
online exhibit by Profs. Rachel Thielheimer
and Joe Ugoretz (Borough of Manhattan Community College)
explores many dimensions of digital writing. For
example, see how Ella Goodwin's student project,
"Homesick" uses media to evoke emotion.
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An
introduction, written by a faculty member to
motivate students to study unit in a course (evidence of
why students would benefit from learning this skill: to
write materials that will motivate an audience.)
Do you have
examples to suggest, where assignments in a major were
strengthened students used digital writing to engage the
emotional and intellectual aspects of difficult topics? In
what ways did writing online (multimedia projects, online
discussion, etc.) have distinctive value? If so, please
contact Steve Ehrmann (ehrmann @ tltgroup.org).
Digital Writing Across the
Curriculum l Implications of
Technology for the Shape of a College Education
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