JENNIFER L. SHAW
Spring 2018
Composition Theory
Course Design
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I was largely unaware of composition theory when I began this class. After successfully completing the course I am familiar with and can now identify and explain key concepts and theories in the field.
This course gave me allowed me to practice using theory as a framework for reading and composing when working on our major assignment.
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The final project in composition theory was to "Create a syllabus and schedule for a writing course....supported with a pedagogical rationale and demonstrating the incorporation of pedagogical theory into the teaching of writing in higher education"
I created a curriculum that combined elements of several theories that I thought would best apply to a 1st year writing course.
Since Comp 1 often serves as a refresher course for many students,
I decided to utilize elements from Process pedagogy early in the semester. Expressivist pedagogy was represented in the form of weekly blogging and student-centered assignments. Rhetorical theory was represented in a unit introducing classic rhetoric and the importance of the relationship between author and audience. Digital (New Media) theory was expressed in multimedia assignments, the online nature of the class, and an emphasis on accessibility.
Profile of a Theorist
Several projects for this class required additional independent reading when locating, analyzing, assessing, and synthesizing scholarly research. Throughout the semester, students were encouraged to research individuals who were important to the pedagogies we were focusing on, and develop a multi-media presentation profiling the theorist who interested us most. Because of my existing interest and investment in digital pedagogy, I selected Cynthia Selfe for my biography project and researched her extensively, purchasing and reading most of her published work.
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This powerpoint is an example of my ability to give effective presentations with appropriate visual aids. Additionally, for this portfolio, I have done some minor copyediting and design revisions to the Powerpoint to create a more professional looking presentation.
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Course Design
Google Doc
Original
Cynthia Selfe
Powerpoint
(Revised)
Cynthia Selfe
Powerpoint
Fall 2018
Introduction to Research Methods
In Research Methods, I learned how to utilize library resources like digital rentals, interlibrary loans, and how to conduct effective database searches. During this course, I learned various coding methods and successfully reviewed, edited, and coded various surveys and interviews, compiling the results of research, and creating reports based on results. We completed several coding exercises that, while necessary to learn, for the purposes of this portfolio, were a little tedious to review so were excluded from the examples. During the semester, we were assigned several minor projects where we researched various topics utilizing the Ottenheimer Library's professional-level electronic research tools to find information.
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Although I had already completed CITI IRB training for an undergraduate research project, I used the opportunity to renew my certification through November of 2022.
IRB Certification forms
Fall 2019
The Technology of the Book
In Technology of the Book, one of the major projects was to create a "Web-based Case Study on Reading in a Digital Age" This requires using technology, in this case, Google sites, to invent, refine, and deliver a variety of texts. My proposed case study was to discuss digital forms of interactive narratives and to explore the use of interactive narratives in the classroom to incentivize reading. This required that I conduct primary and/or secondary research that added to knowledge in their field.
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My conclusions revealed that in younger readers digital narratives are useful in improving problem-solving and comprehension skills as well as engaging reluctant readers, but for older students, writing interactive narratives results in increased awareness of tone, content, and improved abilities when crafting an appeal designed for a specific audience or specific rhetorical situations.
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I designed my site to allow for two methods of navigation,
employing document design as a substantial component of the
Intractive Narrative case study
overall argument by making the site interactive and thus more engaging. One means of navigation was through a traditional menu bar to maximize accessibility for less adventuresome students.The alternative means of navigating the site is embedded in the pages and is purposefully similar in design to the branching structure of Interactive Narratives. This secondary interactive design required that I used advanced features of programs, as I had to duplicate all of my pages and adjust the links to accommodate the dual navigation, which became very tricky and required specific naming conventions for accurate linking.
Fall 2019
Rhetorical Theory
Madness and Civilization
In rhetorical theory, I learned about classic Aristotelian theory all the way through Post Modern Theorists like Jacques Derrida. We were instructed to read each chapter and then conduct outside reading/research and then bring that research to class for group discussion. To that end, I read numerous books, papers and other primary documents by rhetoricians like Cicero and political theorists like John Stuart Mill.Our text covered the entirety of written language and so, did not go into detail on any particular characters. To remedy this, students were instructed to select a theorist that was not thoroughly discussed in our textbook, to research and then write a paper synthesizing our research into primary documents of that theorist.
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For my final paper, I decided to read and discuss Madness and Civilization by Michele Foucault. This paper is an example demonstrating general research skills and the accurate identification and explanation of key concepts and theories in the field. I was interested in his concepts of epistemes and the power dynamics that he saw in every level of society.