Course Unique Numbers: 40995/
Time: 12:30-2 TTH
Place: PAR 104

It’s no secret that technology has had a major impact on contemporary culture around the world. So it should not be surprising that new media are reshaping politics and the democratic process in the United States. Because this year’s elections seem especially significant for the future of the country and the future of the world, and because the American people are so divided on the outcome of the election, we will focus on this topic for the course. Many people believe that college students aren't interested in the issues and don't vote. What do you think? Over the course of the semester, we will analyze the ways that candidates are using electronic media to present information, make appeals, and generate youth support for their campaign. All readings will be available online, and class activities will primarily be in workshop format. Plan on daily writing and research; success in this class will require effort and dedication.

Objectives for the course:

• Students will develop their abilities to conduct online research, to analyze issues and sources, to distinguish misinformation from valid information, and to make informed judgments based on sound criteria
• Students will develop their abilities to express themselves effectively both informally and formally, in writing and in speech
• Students will gain a deeper understanding of how technology is changing the way people argue, prove, and believe
• Students will gain a deeper understanding of political issues that affect their lives
• Students will develop their abilities to create rhetorical appeals for specific audiences
• Students will increase their technological skills for composing and communication in a variety of media
• Students will practice and develop skills for working collaboratively with a team

• All readings online as assigned

The CWRL classroom:

This course is held in a CWRL networked computer classroom, which offers a variety of resources for constructing projects, researching topics, and communicating with each other and with other researchers. The CWRL also provides an open use lab for students in CWRL courses, in PAR 6. The CWRL has an extensive web site with helpful information for students and instructors at http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu.

I enjoy meeting with students to discuss your thoughts, concerns, and questions about the class. Please feel free to stop by my office during office hours, or email me with questions or suggestions for the class.

* Grading Policy:

Evaluation is via the Online Learning Record (LRO), a portfolio-based system fully described on the web at http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~syverson/olr. Grades in this course are determined on the basis of the LRO, which accompanies a portfolio of work presented at the midterm and at the end of the course.These portfolios present a selection of student work, both formal and informal, completed during the semester, ongoing observations about student learning, and analysis of student work and interpretations with respect to the student's development across five dimensions of learning: confidence and independence, knowledge and understanding, skills and strategies, use of prior and emerging experience, and reflectiveness. This development centers around the major strands of work in the course: rhetoric and composition, research, technology, and collaboration. Grade criteria for this class can be found at http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~syverson/olr/grades.html and in the Learning Record Online application.
Please review the information at the LRO web site carefully.

* Please note: All assigned work, including informal writing, proposals, rough drafts, finished projects, peer critiques, the midterm LRO and final LRO must be completed and submitted on time to receive a passing grade in this course. Except under extraordinary circumstances, there will be no incompletes in this class.

* Attendance: This class is highly collaborative. When you miss class, the class also misses you. My absence policy is that four absences result in a failing grade for the course; three absences result in a reduced grade for the course. Arriving late, after the start of class, usually (but not always) signaled by a bell, or leaving early count for one-half an absence.

Students with disabilities: I will make every attempt to support your work in this class. The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic adjustments for qualified students with disabilities.
Information about University resources for students with disabilities can be found here:
http://www.utexas.edu/disability/
The University policy about web accessibility can be found here: http://www..utexas.edu/web/guidelines/accessibility.html
For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471.6259, 471.4641 TTY.