Immediately after each date below is a possible reading assignment or task which should be completed before that class period. Also following each date below, usually in parentheses, are likely in-class activities. If you happen to miss a day, please first contact your group members for notes, schedule changes, and titles of possible handouts. Then see me if necessary. You're expected to be prepared for each class meeting, even if you missed the previous one.  Feel free to visit, call, or EMAIL ME if you ever have questions or problems.

Unit One

Wed. Aug. 28—(Course introduction. Some basic questions and issues we'll be thinking about all semester. Get acquainted: introductions and individual profiles. Write "describe this class" paragraphs. Instructions for setting up blogs and completing online survey.)

Fri. Aug. 30—

Have your blog set up by class time and be sure to email your web address to me and to your group by day's end. Start blogging! I'll be giving you blog assignments as we go along, but you should be using your blog on your own as well, for any personal or school-related application you so choose.

(Meet in IACC 114. Note: we will always meet in IACC unless I announce otherwise. Perspectives cone on "this class" and questions about literacy, college, personal experience. Why are we all here—REALLY? Continue discussion of our to-be-solved semester problem. IRB agreements.

Troubleshoot preliminary blog questions and glitches, set-up and management. We'll use Blogger initially, but you can switch to Pitas, Xanga, or your choice of web log management site at any time in the semester. Discuss how to edit blog entries and create links.)

Mon. Sept. 2—Labor Day. No class.

Over this long weekend, please do the following:

1) Read Holt's, "School is Bad for Children" (class handout).

2) Start exploring web logs. Peruse "Blogs of Note" and "Fresh Blogs" at Blogger.com. as well as blogs by Andrew Sullivan and Rebecca Blood.

3) Filter at least 2 blogs you've explored online.

Wed. Sept. 4— (Set up collaboration groups. Discuss purpose, advantages, and disadvantages of groups. Meet group members, sign contracts. Summary writing: purpose, tips, and techniques. Blog a summary of Holt's essay. Groups assigned articles for Fri.)

Fri. Sept. 6—(Feedback on Holt summaries, then begin group work with articles on web logs.)

Mon. Sept. 9—Be sure you've completed the online survey by this date. (Continue group work.)

Wed. Sept. 11—(Groups devise plans for teaching their articles, assigning each group member a specific role: presenter, question-taker, tester. Don't forget to be blogging on your own!)

Fri. Sept. 13—(Blogging day. Blog and browse. Blog blog blog. Read and respond to classmates' blogs and check out the blog sites of companion 110 instructor blogs: Kevin Brooks and Sybil Priebe. .)

Mon. Sept. 16—(Groups teach essays=2pts. Blog minute papers on the articles you learned about = 4pts.)

Wed. Sept. 18—(Assignment for Major Project #1. Finish up group teaching, if necessary. Be looking for filter-style blogs.)

Fri. Sept. 20—Locate 2 filter-style blogs and filter them on your own blog site. (What makes a good filter blog? Each student blogs an answer for 10-15 minutes. Pair and share to create a new, improved answer through discussion. Each student then continue blogging, explaining new answer. Share results on board. )

Mon. Sept. 23—Locate 2 journal-style blogs and filter them on your blog site. What makes a good journal blog? Same as for Mon.)

Wed. Sept. 25—(Taking stock: what do you think so far? What have you learned as a blogger about the benefits and pitfalls of blogging for personal satisfaction, fun, work, school? Are web logs an effective educational tool? Outlining strategies for first drafts. Groups devise peer review questions and set up meeting times/places. Discuss online and campus resources for writers.)

Fri. Sept. 27—First draft of Major Project #1 due. Bring 2 copies, and include sideshadowing. (Peer critiques.)

Mon. Sept. 30—Open office hours for walk-in conferences. No regular class. Groups meet on own time for peer review of second drafts. Consider using blogs for peer feedback??)

Wed. Oct. 2—Read "Needed: A New Literacy" online through the EBSCO database. Also, take a look at an A Guide for Writing Research Papers Based on Modern Language Association (MLA) Documentation as well as Bedford-St.Martin's guide. (Click on the Humanities thumbnail at the Bedford-St.Martin site, then select "MLA Paper.")

(Follow-up on critiques: questions and problems. Begin Unit Two. Return to questions from first week of class: what is "literacy"? Why are you here—really? What will college, literacy, and education in general look like in the 21st century? What are you going to need for your own literacy gearbag//toolkit/medicine cabinet/weapons stash/Super Power Plant/pick-your-own-metaphor in the coming decade? Work with reading assignment.)

Unit Two

Fri. Oct. 4--(Final version of Major Project #1 due, with assigned materials attached. Continue work with Unit Two:Building a Toolkit for the 21st Century. How do we approach this problem? How do we figure out what goes into this thing? Phase 1= research.)

Mon. Oct. 7—(Assignment for Major Project #2 (Toolkit).   Research strategy. Filter-blog findings.)

Wed. Oct. 9—(Research: filter-blog findings.)

Fri. Oct. 11—(Phase 2 = Stretching And Essaying. Define your project—consult list; make a proposal; define your criteria for grading.)

Mon. Oct. 14--(Access: will everyone have access to a toolkit? What can we do to keep a level playing field? Continue work on stretch projects.)

Wed. Oct. 16--(Which category seems most important: hardware, software, wetware, funware, other? Why? Continue work on stretch projects.)

Fri. Oct. 18--(No regular class. I will be at Linguistic Circle conference in Winnepeg. See Mama Blog and email for full instructions.)

Mon. Oct. 21--(Work on draft outlines for essay component of Project #2. See online tips for drafting: click here.)

Wed. Oct. 23--(First Draft of Major Project #2 due. Peer review of first drafts.)

Fri. Oct. 25--(Showing off your stretch projects.)

Mon. Oct. 28--Conferences; No regular class meeting. (Groups should meet once with me and once with each other for review of second drafts and study sheet on novel, Chaps. 1-6.)

Wed. Oct. 30--Same as for 28th.

Fri. Nov. 1--Same as for 28th.

Unit Three

Mon. Nov. 4—(Final version of Major Project #2 due. Begin work with Project #3. Study sheets on novel due.Personal narratives.)

Wed. Nov. 6—Bone, Chaps. 7-16. (Continue work with novel.)

Fri. Nov. 8—Bone, Chaps. 17-end. (Complete work with novel.)

Mon. Nov. 11—Vet's Day. No class.

Wed. Nov. 13--Gergen, "The Self in the Age of Information." (Assignment for Major Project #3. Summaries of Gergen.)

Fri. Nov. 15—(Finish summaries, if necessary.)

Mon. Nov. 18—(First draft of Major Project #3 due. Peer critiques.)

Wed. Nov. 20—(Conferences. No regular class. Groups should meet once with me and once with each other for critiques of second drafts.)

Fri. Nov. 22—(Same as for 20th.)

Mon. Nov. 25—(Same as for 20th.)

Wed. Nov. 27—(Final version of Major Project #3 due. Begin Unit 4.)

Unit 4: Electronic Portfolios

Fri. Nov. 29--Thanksgiving Holiday. No class.

Mon. Dec. 2—(Assignment for Major Project #4. Discuss electronic portfolios: purpose, expectations, strategy.)

Wed. Dec. 4—(Portfolio workshop.)

Fri. Dec. 6—(Portfolio workshop.)

Mon. Dec. 9—(Draft of Major Project #4 due. Peer critiques.)

Wed. Dec. 11—(Open office hours for feedback on portfolios.)

Fri. Dec. 13—(Major Project #4 due. Course evaluation.)

NOTE: the usual 1-week grace period does not apply to Project #4. Any portfolios which reach my hands after Fri. the 13th will receive a 2-pt. per-day deduction.