I am going to present a new media project in line with my teaching curriculum. In order to teach argumentation and rhetoric, I will begin by using the visual aspects of advertising. The project will include supplying the class with newspapers and magazines, or they can bring their own. Each student is to find an advertisement that “sells” him or her on the product. They will cut out their selections and paste them on a bulletin board. The bulletin (poster) board will be divided in three sections and labeled: (1) ethos, (2) pathos, and (3) logos. We will then evaluate which form of Aristotelian logic is most persuasive. The project I will present in class (6480) is the final outcome (the poster) and the resulting observations.
Newer Teaching Philosophy
There are many multi-modal strategies that I have learned this semester that I would like to incorporate into my teaching philosophy; however, I am restricted by what I can and cannot do within the parameters I teach. For example, I teach at Utah Valley State College, and I am restricted by the expectation of the Beginning Composition Department. I am also restricted by the level of students I teach. Students enter my class (ENGH 0890 or ENGH 0990) based on a college entrance exam score. Obviously, I am required to help the students attain a certain level of grammar and writing so that they are able to pass the test in order to enter college-level English (ENGL 1010).
In spite of these restrictions, I am attempting to revise my teaching philosophy to incorporate more multimodal experimentation. I am particularly impressed with Jody Shipka and the examples of some methods she uses in her classroom. The OED is exercise is something I would like to explore. I have decided that I must be ultra-creative in order to balance the expectations of my course requirements and implementing multimodal composition. It is a goal I am excited to pursue.
