Blog #1: Effects of Digital Texts

Write a 500+ word blog entry that makes a strong claim about the effects of digital texts (video, websites, podcasts, etc.) in your own life, using your own experience and articles by Carr and Johnson as evidence. How might Carr's and Johnson's experiences compare to your own? Please include one image in your blog post and make sure to reference this image as a source. Once everyone has posted their blog on Tuesday, you must read and comment on at least two of your peers' blogs to thoughtfully consider and respond to their perspective.

Due by class on Tuesday, January 19th

Two comments due by class on Thursday, January 21th

Blog #2: Rhetorical Analysis

Write a 500+ word blog entry that analyzes the rhetoric and design choices of one text (web, video, audio, etc.) from one of the informational campaigns we discussed in class on January 12th (see the Twitter feed). In analyzing this text, be sure to use the terms for analysis we have discussed from Ch. 2 of Writer/Designer. In addition to including one image in your blog post, please also make sure to create a hyperlink to the text that you are analyzing. Once everyone has posted their blog on Tuesday, you must read and comment on at least two of your peers' blogs to thoughtfully consider and respond to their perspective.

Due by class on Tuesday, February 2nd

Two comments due by class on Thursday, February 4th

Blog #3: Digital Literacy Autobiography

Write a 500+ word blog entry that traces three literacy technologies (book, magazine, talk radio, audiobook, telephone, word processor, social media, photograph, etc.) that have been formational in your life. Focus critally on how each technology has shaped the way you use language, which we can more broadly define as the use of symbols in each of the five modes. In other words, you can examine how you use the language of images or sounds in addition to the traditional definition of language as words. Answer the question: How has each technology shaped who I am as a writer, composer, and designer? Also, how might each technology change how you view the world? As in the other blog posts, you should include one image in your post. Once everyone has posted their blog on Thursday, you must read and comment on at least two of your peers' blogs to thoughtfully consider and respond to their perspective.

Due by class on Thursday, March 17th

Two comments due by class on Tuesday, March 22nd

Blog #4: Solving Digital Communication Problems

With the shifting context of digital texts, communication and understanding have become more and more difficult. Consider this recent example of communication with a Tennessee State legislator. Select your own example of digital communication breakdown (youtube comments, facebook posts, viral misunderstood Tweet shaming, etc.) and use your newfound skills of rhetorical analysis from Ch. 2 of Writer/Designer to analyze why this breakdown happened. In other words, you must use terms such as audience, genre, author, context, and purpose explicitly to explore the communication breakdown. Then, provide a thoughtful solution to this problem. How can communication be restored to this situation? Can it be? This should be a 500+ word blog entry that includes at least one image (possibly a screenshot of what you are analyzing). Once everyone has posted their blog on Tuesday, you must read and comment on at least two of your peers' blogs to thoughtfully consider and respond to their perspective.

Due by class on Tuesday, April 5th

Two comments due by class on Thursday, April 7th