Pedagogies, processes, and possibilities : examining the future of first-year composition through the Digital Expository Writing (DEW) program
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Authors
Litterio, Lisa M.
Issue Date
2013-05
Type
Electronic thesis
Thesis
Thesis
Language
ENG
Keywords
Communication and rhetoric
Alternative Title
Abstract
This research addresses the question, "What is the future of first-year composition within a multimodal, digital landscape?" through a study of the Digital Expository Writing (DEW) Program. DEW consisted of three sections of first-year composition that examined readings relating to current technologies and assignments that asked students to write, reflect on, and combine visual, audio, and media elements. Through observations of classroom sessions, student interactions, and faculty meetings along with student interviews, this study explores findings from two major assignments: the remix video and the final multimedia project. This study demonstrates how pedagogical practices that characterize multimodal composing are engaging and student-centered, and focused on experimentation and collaboration with technology and class discussions about media elements. With the remix project, students created collaborative communities to discuss technology, became immersed in the genre, and used free writing and talking out ideas with the instructor as a way to decide on their topic. In addition, their composing processes extended beyond classroom instruction, particularly with learning the technology required for these compositions and soliciting feedback from other audience members. However, the final project, discussed in Chapter Five, required students to address multiple goals, including field work, research, and exposition through several modalities, such as writing, media, and text. These demands overloaded students and left them struggling with the various tasks and the cohesion between these components. Finally, this study offers logistical, pedagogical, and technological considerations for instructors interested in transitioning to a multimodal, digital writing program.
Description
May 2013
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Full Citation
Publisher
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY