Then: My Conclusion
In my own classroom, I
build a strong foundation in rhetorical principles using Faigley's
text, Good Reasons. In the course of a semester, students are asked to
write numerous rhetorical analyses, a narrative argument, causal
argument, and evaluative argument, all of which appropriately lead up
to the proposal assignment.
As a testament to my
institution's dedication to the use of technology in English studies,
each composition classroom at Kennesaw State University is equipped
with a computer for each student, allowing me to assign daily in-class
writings that encourage invention and build up to their major
assignments in the course.
The week before a major
assignment is due, I provide in-class writing time during which I
conference with each student in order to facilitate and aid in the
writing process. All students benefit from the one-on-one instruction
and I am better able to assess the progress being made on each
assignment. Students choosing to do a documentary for this assignment
must write their way into their argument, just as those writing a
traditional paper must.
The composition process
is equally emphasized when students produce proposal documentaries as
the final product in my course. I expect that the results will continue
to impress and validate the use of new media texts in the composition
classroom in the years to come.
It is also worth noting
that problems arise within the realms of university protocol and
staying within the conventions of academic norms. I still have not
determined how to negotiate the policies of IRB and the production and
use of student documentaries. Meeks and Illyasova have this to say
about the issue:
But, this open space is
also an administrative nightmare: Working out permissions, ad hoc
protocols for procedures, and troubleshooting the technical errors.
Such spaces aren't for the faint of heart, but then neither were land
grand universities in 1862. (4)
Even as I write this, I
feel the anxiety associated with such protocols and procedures. And as
a relatively new instructor, I know that I will have to learn through
trial and error how to maneuver through the conventions set in place by
the traditions of the university. But I must forge ahead, continuing my
inquiry while honing the proposal documentary assignment, knowing that
my students, my institution, and the field of composition and rhetoric
will benefit from the innovation of new media applications in the
composition classroom. Now is the time for reflection and radical
thinking, and I have made those first tenuous steps.
This is the new age in
composition studies, and I look hopefully towards the future, ready to
embrace the many possibilities.
This is a video
presentation* I made as a virtual seminar presentation. >>