This schedule is subject to change.
Schedule
Aug 20-24
Mon
Introduction, Syllabus
Wed
Watch: Rachel Botsman. “Collaborative Consumption.” TEDxSydney (31 May 2010).
Fri
Explore The Academic Writer (AW).
BLOG: Building WordPress blogs. Identify your goals this semester.
Week 2
Aug 27-31
Mon
BLOG: A. CE Prewrite. How do you identify yourself as a consumer? How might you need to change your consumer behavior, and why?
Wed
AW 3 Analyzing Rhetorical Situations
Select an advertisement to analyze and discuss in class: Creative Advertisements
Fri
Read: Rachel Botsman, “The Stranger Exchange,” Shareable.com (29 Nov. 2009)
Read: Lars Eighner, “Dumpster Diving”
Week 3
Sep 3-7
Mon
Labor Day, No Class
Wed
BLOG: B. CE Rhetorical Analysis. Perform a rhetorical analysis of an advertisement for a commodity you currently own. Create a new ad—with images, slogans, and text—based on your own experience of the commodity.
Fri
Read: Denis Diderot, “Regrets for My Old Dressing Gown” (1769)
Week 4
Sep 10-14
Mon
Read: Rosenbloom, Stephanie. “But Will It Make You Happy?” New York Times (7 Aug. 2010)
Wed
BLOG: C. CE Experiment. Sell or gift one commodity in your possession; purchase or receive a used commodity. Stage a series of photographs of the old and new commodities to tell their stories.
Fri
Bring all of your Consumer materials for group peer review and brainstorming
Watch: Cameron Herold, “Let’s Raise Kids to Be Entrepreneurs”
Week 5
Sep 17-21
Mon
Watch: Matt Ridley, “When Ideas Have Sex.” TEDGlobal (July 2010)
Watch: Steve Johnson, “Where Good Ideas Come From” (2010)
Wed
PAGE: D. CE Reflection. Revisit and revise your prewriting materials. Make a statement about consumer culture today, based on your experiences, class discussions, and class materials.
In class: ZeFrank: Chillout; Dreams Project, A Show: Make Believe, Missions
Fri
BLOG: Reflect on how you chose your materials for the consumer essay.
Read AW: Ch. 9, “Strategies for Invention”
Bring a commodity that you enjoy
In class: Invention Mobs and Activities
Week 6
Sep 24-28
Mon
Watch: Daniel Pink, “On the Science of Motivation” (2009)
Watch: Simon Sinek, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” (2010)
Wed
IN-CLASS: E. Invention (Group). Identify something that you would normally consume, and replace it with something of your own invention. How does your product make consumers look, feel, or act? Your product might be an object, a work of art, a habit, or something else. Write a description of your consumer product.
Fri
BLOG: What is the inspiration for your Invention Mob? What is the purpose?
Watch: Sunni Brown, “Doodlers, Unite!” (2011)
Week 7
Oct 1-5
Mon
F. Audience Analysis (Group). How might your potential consumers become contributors to your product? Design an ad campaign that appeals to your audience and inspires them to volunteer contributions. Invite your audience to submit a simple element to your artifact, such as a drawing, slogan, or short narrative.
Wed
Watch: Elizabeth Gilbert, “On Nurturing Creativity” (2009)
Fri
Watch: Jane McGonigal, “Gaming Can Make a Better World” (2010)
Week 8
Oct 8-12
Mon
Watch: Rachel Botsman, “The Currency of the New Economy Is Trust” (2012)
Wed
Group Work
Midterm Grades Due (Students in ENG 101 will not receive midterm grades, due to the portfolio nature of the course.)
Fri
PEER REVIEW: G. Production (Group). Edit these contributions into a single creative artifact. Package the final product according to your target audience and purpose. Prepare your product for public display. Consider creating a poster, video, Prezi, handout, or survey to accompany your presentation.
Week 9
Oct 15-19
Mon [HYBRID]
BLOG: DIY Homework. In the spirit of Google’s free “20% time,” design your own homework assignment related to this course. It could be anything from reading and responding to a relevant article online to performing a social experiment of your own, or something else. Do the homework you design, summarize it in your blog post, and then analyze the value this homework has for you. Think of this assignment as preparation for coming up with a TED Talk topic. Length: minimum 300 words.
Wed
QUIZ: All TED Talks, open note
H. Document (Individual). Perform a rhetorical analysis of your invention mob’s product. Turn this analysis into a written blog narrative accompanied by photographs, screenshots, and other process-oriented documentation. Post it as a NEW PAGE on your blog site. Include links to your group member’s blog sites and to your final product. Length: At least 1000 words and 4 original images. Draft due before class Monday, Oct 22.
Fri [HYBRID]
READ: AW Ch. 10: Strategies for Planning and Drafting
BLOG: I. Brainstorm ideas for your individual TED Talk. Write a 250-word proposal.
Week 10
Oct 22-26
Mon
PRESENT: Final drafts of your Invention Mobs! Goal: Inspire your classmates with a narrative of the purpose and process behind your Invention Mob. We want to hear every group member speak and actively participate. Dress: business casual. Length: 7 minutes max.
Wed
TED Talk brainstorming
Fri [HYBRID]
BLOG: DIY Homework. In the spirit of Google’s free “20% time,” design your own homework assignment related to this course. It could be anything from reading and responding to a relevant article online to performing a social experiment of your own, or something else. Do the homework you design, summarize it in your blog post, and then analyze the value this homework has for you. Length: minimum 300 words.
Week 11
Oct 29-Nov 2
Mon [LIBRARY]
ATTEND: Library Instruction. MEET in Terrell room 105.
Complete TED Talk research preparation document: TED Talks (Blank)
See my example: TED Talks (Art & Business)
READ: AW 6: Doing Research: Joining the Scholarly Conversation
Wed
BLOG: J. Research existing perspectives on your topic. Consider primary and secondary sources. Consider popular and peer-reviewed sources. Gather documents and narratives from your own experiences this semester. Create an annotated bibliography of at least 3-5 sources. Draft due by midnight. See assignment details here.
Fri
Catch-up day
Week 12
Nov 5-Nov 9
Mon
Visual Rhetoric
Wed
BLOG: K. Visual Essay. Produce 5-10 original slides. Use photography, charts and diagrams, or a mixture of both to create a photo essay. Revise and develop your slides until you have 10-15 visually interesting and informative ones. Draft due by midnight.
Fri
Peer review
Week 13
Nov 12-16
Mon
Veteran’s Day, No Class
Wed
PAGE: L. Transcript. Put together a transcript of your oral presentation. Length: 6 spoken minutes (about 1000 words).
Putting it all together: creating an audio slideshow of your TED Talk
Fri
M: Produce digital TED Talk for your Blog
Week 14
Nov 19-23
Thanksgiving Holiday, No Classes
If you are using the break to catch up on your work, I’ve created a handy checklist for you to refer to.
Week 15
Nov 26-30
Mon [HYBRID]
BLOG: In lieu of class, write a blog post (500 words or more) that reflects on your work this semester:
- Revisit the first blog post you wrote on your goals for this semester. How do you feel about those goals now?
- Re-read your favorite blog posts / pages. Why are they your favorite? What makes them different from your least favorite posts?
- Define yourself as a writer, thinker, inventor. Who have you become this semester, and how did you get there?
Wed
Read AW 12: Strategies for Revision
Portfolios
Fri
Portfolios
Week 16
Dec 3-7
MWF Portfolios
Final Portfolio due Dec 7
Dec 10-14
Final Exams (There will not be a final exam for this class. The portfolio will represent the culmination of your learning this semester.)
Dec 18
Final Grades Due