Schedule | Rhetorical Arts: Digital Divides

Class Schedule

Week 1

Monday:
- Introducing the class and one another
- Introducing the syllabus, the course themes, and the way we will approach rhetorical arts
Wednesday
- Admin: sign up for Twitter (class hashtag #RHETSp15), follow classmates.
- Read: Clay Shirky, Here Comes Everybody Chapter One: It Takes a Village to Find a Phone (Readings)
- Read: Anne Trubek, “Why Tweet? (and how to do it)” (web)
Friday
- Discussion: The Circle
- Admin: Explain Media Diary (see handout)
- Write: Answer discussion question (blog)

Week 2

Week 3 – Immigrant or Native?

Monday
- Read: Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants by Marc Prensky (Digital Divide)
- Read: “Generation Myth” by Siva Vaidhyanathan
- Write: Respond to the readings on Twitter and in the comments section of this blog. Which author do you agree with? Do you see a point of view neither of them see? Where do you see yourself in their paradigms?
Wednesday
- Write: A 500 word introduction of yourself as either a digital native or immigrant. Bring 3 copies to class
- Read: RA Chapter 2
- Admin: Peer groups
Friday
- Write: Based on peer comments, revise your blog introduction.
- Blog: Post your intro Add an image.
- Speak: Use your written intro as a basis for a 2 minute introduction speech.

Week 4

Monday
- Library Visit
Wednesday
- Read: Sherry Turkle “The Flight From Conversation” (Remember to Tweet)
- Read: danah boyd “Participating in the Always-On Lifestyle”
- Write: discussion questions

Friday
- DUE: Comments on group’s 2 – 3 page draft of Assignment 1 (Workshop). Paper, correctly formatted, must be forwarded to editing group by 6pm Thursday

Week 5

Monday
- DUE: Essay Assignment 1 (Final Draft)
- Read : Clay Shirky, “Means” Digital Divide
- Speak: 5 minute oral version of Assignment 1 (with notes)
Wednesday
- Read Del Gandio p.37-63; RA Chapter 3, pgs. 43-64
- Write answer to discussion questions
- Speak: 5 minute oral version of Assignment 1 (with notes)
Friday
- Read: Nicholas Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Digital Divide
- Read: Eli Pariser, chapter from Filter Bubble (on readings page)
- Watch: TED Talk – The Filter Bubble (Eli Pariser)
- Write: Answers to discussion questions
- Handout of Assignment 2

Week 6 Spring Break – No classes

Week 7

Bring to class: one-page summary and sample rhetorical and analytical claims drawing from Carr, Pariser, Shirky, Turkle, or Boyd, hard copy of citations page
Read: Nicholas Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”
Jamais Cascio, “Get Smarter”
Write: answers to discussion questions.

Week 8

Monday
- Read Del Gandio pp 99-143 (Bring 5 words); RA Chapters 9 and 10
Wednesday
- Read: Various readings on Gamergate
- Discussion of online abuse – what is the rhetoric?

Friday

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Monday and Wednesday
- Screening: We Are Legion
Friday: Due: thesis and rough plan for research project
- Bring to class to discuss in writing group
- Speech: 2 minute preview of research topic

Week 12 Easter Break – work on final project

Week 13 (April 14 – 18) – Conferences: No Class

Conference: Discussion of portfolio / let me know which essay (1 or 2) you’re revising
(Optional for Extra Credit) Post a 300 – 500 word blog post on your research topic. Include relevant links, check over carefully.

Week 14

Monday
- Essay 3 Due
Wednesday:
- Speech workshops
Friday
- Blog: reflections on the class / what you thought was good / what could be improved for next time
- Debrief: Be ready to discuss your advice to next year’s students

Week 15)

FINALS WEEK – Portfolio Due – Oral Presentations