ENGLISH 531
Computer-Mediated Instruction:
Discourse, Literacy, Pedagogy

Bowling Green State University
Summer I, May 17 - June 25, 1994
TR, 1 - 4 pm, 200 University Hall*

Deepika Petraglia-Bahri 302 Moseley Hall
2-8668
Office hours: 4-5 TR
dbahri@andy.bgsu.edu

Mike Doherty
200 University Hall (Dept. Mac Lab)
2-6027
Office hours: 9AM-Noon Wednesday (Open Lab)
mdohert@andy.bgsu.edu

*This class will meet a few times in 126 Hayes Hall -- these times will be announced in class

BEFORE COMING TO THE FIRST CLASS, if you do not already have an internet (e-mail) account, please register for one through University Computer Services. This is a free service available to all Bowling Green students and staff -- simply take your student i.d. card to the window of 100 Hayes Hall and ask for an "andy" account. (There are other kinds of internet accounts, but for reasons of class consistency, please make sure you are signed on to andy.)

Once you've figured out the basics of e-mail -- we recommend that you ignore the rather dense instruction sheet and ask one of us or another friend to take ten minutes to teach you all you really need to know to start -- please drop a note to both of us at the addresses above. We will put your name on the class mailing list, and send you notes and other materials you will need for class.

Course Materials:

*Bolter, Jay David. Writing Space: The Computer, Hypertext, and the History of Writing. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1991.

*Selfe, Cynthia L. and Hilligoss, Susan. Literacy and Computers: The Complications of Teaching and Learning with Technology. New York: MLA, 1994.

*Other required readings will be on reserve in the library.

Class Format:

All students are required to come to class having read the assigned material. Additionally, for each class period they should be prepared to introduce a "discussion thread" on an issue of particular interest to them. This "thread" may arise from one or more of the assigned readings and can be introduced fairly informally (Possible openings: one problem with X reading is the definition of Y--it occurs to me that Y could be defined thus so etc.; the suggestions in Z reading sound great but in my classroom they would not work because etc.; In my experience the problem with classrooms and students is not X--as reading Z suggests--but Y etc.).

There will also be a "class discussion" carried on via e-mail; this will be a place for you to bounce around ideas about the readings and f2f (face-to-face . . . you'll learn the jargon quickly enough) discussions. How is this different from what you're doing in class? This format grants you some freedom to get polemical; it allows time for reflection and pause before you respond; it allows you to revisit and clarify as well as to "save" and "recall" discussions. Participation in this virtual discussion is part of your attendance & participation grade (2 postings/week recommended).

Grades:

Your grade will be based on the following:

30%: Annotated bibliography (20-25 items) on a computer-related research topic in your area of interest (Eg. Computers and invention, collaboration, issues of access and control, the infoway etc.)

50% : An 8-10 page documented paper to be cleared with Deepika by the end of the second week. This paper should explore a current, possibly controversial issue in computers and literacy. This paper is to be presented in class during the last week of class

20%: Attendance and participation in the workshop format

TENTATIVE SYLLABUS

Week #1
Tuesday, May 17: Introductory Material

Register for an e-mail account, as described earlier. Following instructions forwarded to you by your instructors, subscribe to MegaByte University and any other listserv which interests you.
  • Bolter, 1-11 (Introduction)
  • Selfe and Hilligoss, 1-21 (Introduction and Costanzo chapter)
  • Heim, Michael. The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality. 2-11; 14-19.

    *Optional: Collins, James L. "A Writing Teacher's Guide to Computerese" and "Electronic Pen" (Writing On-Line)

    *Reference: Selfe, Richard J. "What Are They Talking About? Computer Terms that English Teachers May Need to Know."

    Thursday, May 19: Introduction (continued); Classification and Research

    *"Zen and the Art of the Internet" and "MBU FAQs" (Megabyte University Frequently Asked Questions) - both will be posted to your e-mail address, but are also available in hardcopy

    *Bolter, 15-43 (Chaps. 2-3, "New Writing Space" and "Technology")

    *Selfe and Hilligoss, 37-55 (Hawisher chapter)

    *Hawisher, Gail & Charles Moran. "Electronic Mail and the Writing Instructor"

    *Herrmann, Andrea. "Computers and Writing Research." (Computers and Writing) 124-134.

    *Recommended: Begin to familiarize yourself with Megabyte U, and post an introductory thread.

    Week #2
    Tuesday, May 24: Literacies, Pedagogy, and Practice

    *Selfe and Hilligoss, 22-36 (Chapter 1); 56-86 (Chapter 3 and Response)

    *Bolter, 147-168 ("Critical Theory and the New Writing Space")

    *Schwartz, Helen J. "'Dominion Everywhere': Computers as Cultural Artifacts"

    *Selfe, Cynthia L. "Computers in English Departments." (Computers and Writing) 95-103.

    *Tuman, Myron C. Word Perfect: Literacy in the Computer Age.

    *Optional: Bridwell-Bowles, Lillian, Johnson, Parker, and Brehe, Steven. "Composing and Computers: Studies of Experienced Writers."

    Gerard, Lisa. "Computers and Basic Writers."

    Thursday, May 26: Literacies, Pedagogy, and Practice (Continued)

    *Bolter, 193-222 ("The Mind as a Writing Space")

    *Handa, Carolyn, ed. Computers and Community. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton-Cook, 1990.

    *Kaplan, Nancy and Stuart Moulthrop. "Seeing through the Interface: Computers and the future of compositions." (The Digital Word: Text-Based Computing in the Humanities) 253-270.

    *Clark, John M.; Davidson, William F.; Doherty, Michael E. Jr. "Cyberwrite: Implications and Applications for the Virtual Classroom" (In press)

    *Optional: Bolter, 171-93

    PRELIMINARY PROJECT PROPOSAL DUE IN CLASS (300 word paragraph)

    Week #3
    Tuesday, May 31: Literacies, Pedagogy, and Practice (Concluded)

    *Bolter, 223-38 ("Writing Culture")

    *Selfe and Hilligoss, Part II (89-191)

    *Moran, Charles. "Computers and the Writing Classroom: A Look to the Future."

    In class: Begin discussion of individual hardware and software experiences and nuances; access and explore the World-Wide Web

    Optional: post-class meeting for less-experienced "virtualosos." (Q&A)

    Tour of Diversity University (a virtual campus with available resources and meeting spaces) with Greg Siering of Ball State University.

    *Dobrin, David. "Some Ideas About Idea Processors."

    *Hruska, Jan. "Introduction: An Overview of Threats to Computers Systems."

    *Thiesmeyer, John. "Should We Do What We Can?"

    *Spitzer, Michael. "Local and Global Networking." (Computers and Writing) 58-70.

    *Kemp, Fred O. "The Origins of ENFI, network theory and computer-based collaborative writing instruction at the University of Texas." (Network-based Classrooms: Promises and Realities.)

    *Neuwirth, Christine M. (et al). "Why write - together - concurrently on a computer network?" (Network-based Classrooms: Promises and Realities)

    In-class hands-on work with Daedalus software, Locke Carter and Fred Kemp, authors, 1990 ff.; "Hypervention" - a Hypercard stack for teachers of Basic Writing, Mike Doherty, author, 1994.

    Week #4
    Tuesday, June 7: Hypertext and Hypermedia

    *Selfe and Hilligoss, Part III (195 - 315)

    *Bolter, 45-81 ("The Elements of Writing")

    *Optional Bolter, 85-119 ("The Conceptual Writing Space")

    *Reference: Nielson, Jakob. Hypertext and Hypermedia, introductory chapter(s)

    ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE IN CLASS.

    Thursday, June 9: Hypertext and Hypermedia (continued)


    *Selfe and Hilligoss, Part IV (319-335)

    *Bolter, 121-146 (Chapter 8)

    *Lancashire, Ian. "Computer-Assisted Critical Analysis: A Case Study of Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale." (The Digital Word: Text-Based Computing in the Humanities) 293-318.

    *Landow, George P. and Paul Delany. "Hypertext, Hypermedia and Literary Studies: The State of the Art. (Hypermedia and Literary Studies) 3-50.

    Week #5
    Tuesday, June 14: Cyberpunk, Virtual Reality, and the Infobahn


    *Elmer-Dewitt, Philip. "Cyberpunk!" Time Feb 8 (1993): 58-65.

    *Elmer-Dewitt, Philip. "Take a Trip into the Future on the Electronic Superhighway." Time Apr. 12 (1993): 52-58.

    *Gibson, William. "Johnny Mnemonic." Burning Chrome. NY: Ace, 1986.

    *Penley, Constance and Ross, Andrew. "Introduction" in Technoculture. viii- xvii.

    *Ross, Andrew. "Hacking Away at the Counterculture" (Technoculture) 107-134.

    *Sterling, Bruce. Preface. Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology. NY: Ace, 1986. ix-xvi.

    *Reference: Wymer, Tom. A Cyberpunk Glossary/Index. Unpublished draft in progress.

    Recommended Cyberpunk fiction:

    Gibson, William. Neuromancer

    Sterling, Bruce. Schismatrix

    (actually, anything by Gibson or Sterling except The Difference Engine)

    Stephenson, Neal. Snow Crash

    Thursday, June 16: Cyberpunk, Virtual Reality (Continued)


    *Haraway, Donna. "The Actors are Cyborg, Nature as Coyote, and the Geography is Elsewhere: Postscript to 'Cyborgs at Large'" (Technoculture) 21-26.

    *Penley, Constance. "Brownian Motion: Women, Tactics and Technology" (Technoculture) 1-20.

    *Penley, Constance and Ross, Andrew. "Cyborgs at Large: Interview with Donna Haraway" (Technoculture) 135-161.

    Week #6
    Tuesday, June 21: (Conclusions)

    *Bolter, 239-40

    *Selfe and Hilligoss, 336-40 (Conclusions)

    FINAL PROJECTS DUE IN CLASS; 10-15 minute oral presentations; bring (at least) a one-page abstract to distribute to each member of class.

    Wednesday, June 22 or Thursday, June 23: Logout

    Continue oral presentations

    Comments are encouraged!

    Mick Doherty (mick@rpi.edu)