About
the Course
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Our class will go beyond the walls and boundaries of the traditional classroom. Because the class will be internet-assisted, you will be expected to construct one webpage relating to one of the poets we read this semester. Also, each student will give two presentations during the course of the semester. In one of the presentations, you will lead the discussion of a particular aspect of the poet and poems discussed that class period; in the second, you will briefly summarize and critique a recent critical writing about the poet or poems under discussion. For both types of presentation I will expect you to provide the class with a handout or Powerpoint presentation outlining your major ideas. Also, your presentations will be much more effective if you actually talk to the class and clearly present your ideas rather than simply read from a typed manuscript. A chat room where you can interact with your classmates as well as with the teacher, a discussion board, and a message/announcement board will be available online. You will be able to post your response journals, as well as have an arena where you can discuss freely with your classmates and teacher the texts read for class. Video clips of your presentations, interviews/video clips of former students who have done research on these poets, and audiofiles of you introducing and reading poems will be posted online. |
The webpage you design should have a clear design, with carefully chosen and closely related images, and it should contain the following content: |
1.
brief introduction of the background of the poet and poems 2. outline of your report about the poet and poems 3. guiding questions 4. relevant links with brief introduction 5. works cited or consulted |
Most of our class time will be spent in discussion. I view this course as a "reader's workshop" which attempts to read the poems in diverse critical ways. I see my role in this course as that of an informed facilitator: I will offer a general format for the course but will allow you liberties in choosing the directions we will go. Together we can work out our exact reading assignments and calendar. |
Grading Policy |
You have the option of writing two medium sized papers or one longer paper (20-30 pages); you also will be required to give two presentations, create a webpage, and post online responses to your reading, respond to your classmates's journals, join online chats, and record an introduction and reading of two poems.Course grades will be based on the paper(s) (50%) as well as the quality of presentations and participation in discussions (30%) and webpages and online materials (20%). |