One of the primary goals of the Computer Writing and Research Lab is to investigate "one of our oldest information technologies," writing itself. This is often accomplished in our classrooms through the investigation of some of the newest information technologies. The Computer Writing and Research Lab recognizes that the proliferation of and increasing accessibility to new media has changed the way we communicate, and by incorporating digital media into our conception of composition we can encourage our students to reflect on how new technology can change our 'oldest technology', how traditional composition affects and is affected by revolutions in digital technology.
In these pages we will explore the ways in which you can use new media in your classroom to teach rhetoric and composition. These pages also move away from the arena of observational cultural criticism, an approach that gives students the tools to understand a variety of rhetorics (be they visual, aural, etc.) and requires that they communicate these analyses in traditional text-based composition. Instead, these projects will emphasize a pedagogy of performance; they will encourage students to experiment productively with their own writing by embracing new forms of composition. From typography, to visual and oral delivery, to information design, these pages aim to help instructors expand the idea of college composition.
The projects on the following pages are all examples of assignments that can be done using existing CWRL technology although several of them have been developed to highlight the potential of a collaboration between the CWRL and the University's Digital Media Services. As part of the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment, DMS is an important support tool for instructors using media in their classrooms. DMS offers consulting for assignment preparation, training for students and instructors alike, as well as facilities for student use, such as a computer and audio lab. Please contact our affiliate in DMS Lucas Horton for more information on how they can help you build and support multimedia assignments in your classroom.