Schedule

English 357 Online, Fall 2010
Visual Language and Culture

Last updated: December 11, 2010

After each date below you'll find a reading and possibly a writing assignment due by that day. For questions about course material, concerns about your class standing, etc., feel free to email me anytime: Cindy Nichols.

Week 1, Aug. 24-28

Course introduction. Read through all course materials (either in Blackboard or linked from Blackboard, and especially everything on our Homepage.). View "Introduction to 357" Power Point and take quiz by midnight, Aug. 31st.

Week 2, Aug. 29-Sept. 4

Read carefully through Project #1 and its accompanying Power Point.

Get your hands on a camera, figure out how you will get photos into Blackboard, then begin work on your photographic walkabout.

Be sure you've taken the first Blackboard quiz by midnight, Aug. 31st.

Week 3, Sept. 5-11

By 11:59 pm, Sept. 4th: post your 50 walkabout photos to our Blackboard "Drop Box."

More instructions forthcoming.

Week 4, Sept. 12-18

  • Review assignment for Project #1 (it's been revised a bit).
  • View all Power Points to date in Blackboard.
  • Work on your Sanders essay (Step #2 of Project #1).
  • Work on your self-portrait (Step #3 of Project #1).

Week 5, Sept. 19-25

Step #2 of Project #1: Short Sanders Essay.

Turn this in by 11:59 pm, Tues. the 21st. (This essay is explained in the instructions for Project #1.) NOTE: THIS IS A REVISED DEADLINE TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME. Post your essay in our Blackboard Drop Box.

Step #3 of Project #1: Self-Portrait

All remaining time in this week will be devoted to nuts & bolts work on your self-portraits (Step #3 of Project #1). Everyone will hand in a draft, and everyone will critique a draft created by one of their classmates. (Click here for the critique form.)

The purpose of the critiques is, of course, to give the writers some feedback, but it's also to give EVERYONE practice being editors of their own work. Keep in mind that the questions asked on the critique form are very close to the questions I ask about your finished work when I go to grade it.

Below is a list of students in this class. No later than 11:59 pm, Sept. 22rd, you must email a copy of your draft in Microsoft Word to the person whose name and address appears ABOVE yours. Please ALSO post a copy in our Blackboard Drop Box (the thread titled, "Project #1: Drafts), so that I can read it as well.

Last Name First Name Email
Aagesen Christopher Christopher.Aagesen@ndsu.edu
Berg Katelyn Katelyn.Berg@ndsu.edu
Bright Christy Christy.Bright@ndsu.edu
Dahl Elizabeth Elizabeth.Dahl@ndsu.edu
Granrud Leah Leah.Granrud@ndsu.edu
Gruby Kyla Kyla.Gruby@ndsu.edu
Hadland Rachelle Rachelle.Hadland@ndsu.edu
Hansen Brady Brady.S.Hansen@ndsu.edu
Jossart Rebekka Rebekka.Jossart@ndsu.edu
Knapp Amanda Amanda.Knapp@ndsu.edu
Kourajian Jenna Jenna.Kourajian.1@ndsu.edu
Lagergren Eric Eric.Lagergren@ndsu.edu
Nelson Richeldis Richeldis.Nelson@ndsu.edu
Neubauer Amy Amy.Neubauer@ndsu.edu
Odegaard Aja Aja.M.Odegaard@ndsu.edu
Olson Adam Adam.D.Olson.2@ndsu.edu
Schierholz Erica Erica.Schierholz.1@ndsu.edu
Schmidt Kelsey Kelsey.Schmidt.1@ndsu.edu
Schuler Jeffrey Jeffrey.Schuler@ndsu.edu
Smith Ashleigh Ashleigh.Smith.1@ndsu.edu
Thomsen Ryan Ryan.Thomsen@ndsu.edu
Well Allison Allison.Well@ndsu.edu
Williams Jacob Jacob.Williams.1@ndsu.edu
Windschitl Jacob Jacob.Windschitl@ndsu.edu

 

By 11:59 pm on Sept. 26th, you should have completed a critique of your classmate's draft (the person who emailed their work to you). Post your completed critiques in our Drop Box (the thread titled, "Project #1 Critiques"). Use this critique form.

Week 6, Sept. 26-Oct. 2

Intensive work on drafts, and instructor feedback.

Week 7, Oct. 3-9

But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It speaks, and yet says nothing.

   —Romeo talking about TV?

  • Finished version Project #1 is due in Blackboard "Drop Box" by 11:59 pm, Oct. 7th.
  • Over this week, be reading all of Introducing Media Studies, pp. 3-174.

Week 8, Oct. 10-16

  • After reading Introducing Media Studies, view and study a Power Point presentation titled, Course Review and Some Principles for Understanding Visual Culture.
  • By 11:59 pm, Oct. 17th, complete a worksheet on media studies. Click here for the worksheet. When finished, post your worksheet in our Drop Box. (You can also find a copy of the worksheet there.)
  • Also by 11:59 pm, Oct. 17th, complete a "Media Studies Quiz." This is our second online quiz, located in the "Quizzes" area of Blackboard. You can take the quiz twice.

Week 9, Oct. 17-23

  • Introduction to timeline-as-genre.
  • Assignment for Project #2.
  • Finding a topic and focus for your project.
  • Online chats in our new "Conversations" forum in Blackboard Discussion Board.

Week 10, Oct. 24-30

  • Review research strategies.
  • Intensive RESEARCH for timelines, with special attention to topic exploration, information-gathering, analysis and possible theses.
  • Continue discussion board chats in "Conversations" forum.

Week 11, Oct. 31-Nov. 6

  • Intensive work on timelines, with special attention to argument and thesis, as well as design.
  • Timeline drafts due Nov. 4th. Conversations on two topics in our Blackboard Discussion Board are also due by Nov. 4th!
  • Draft feedback in BB.

Week 12, Nov. 7-13

  • Intensive work on Project #2 timelines, with special attention to revision, editing, and proofreading.
  • Begin work with film.

Week 13, Nov. 14-20

  • Project #2 due no later than 11:59 pm, Nov. 14th.
  • By the 15th or 16th, rent and watch 2 films: Miss Congeniality and David Brynes' True Stories. These are both available in video stores around Fargo/Moorhead (True Stories may be harder to find). You can also watch them via Netflix (a DVD mail service, if you have a subscription), or Amazon.com. (You can watch films at Amazon for $2.99; need a credit card). I DON'T recommend YouTube or other web downloading sites; the quality is almost always awful, and you can't be sure you're getting the whole film. KEEP IN MIND THAT TRUE STORIES IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF FILM; KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND DON'T APPROACH IT WITH THE SAME EXPECTATIONS YOU'D BRING TO, SAY, A BIG-BUDGET HOLLYWOOD ACTION FILM.
  • 3 approaches to film: a Power Point presentation on this topic will be available for viewing on the 14th. This presentation includes links to a number of items you'll need to read. View the Power Point presentation and read all assigned material by Thurs., the 18th.
  • Discussion Board conversations: contribute to these by the 18th.
  • Assignment for Project #3.

Week 14, Nov. 21-27

  • By the 21st, be sure you've read all of the assignments given in our Power Point presentation titled, Reading Film. Those readings are:
    • The Basics of How to Read a Film (this is very basic—a quick primer).
    • Yale's Film Analysis Guide (this is more complete).
    • In Blackboard, Blake Snyder's "Classical Hollywood Film Formulas."
    • In Blackboard, "Bill Nichols' Discussion of Art Cinema vs. Classical Hollywood, The Film Industry, and Globalization."
    • In Introducing Media Studies, pp. 127-149 (re-read and review).

    • Now:

  • Watch, study, and research your choice of film for Project #3, applying one of the critical approaches we've discussed.
  • View a Power Point presentation on the visual essay and ways to make a good argument.
  • Eat turkey on the 25th and turkey leftovers on the 26th.
  • Begin work on draft.

Week 15, Nov. 28-Dec. 4

  • Intensive drafting and critiquing for Project #3.
  • Draft due in our Drop Box no later than 11:59, Nov. 30th.
  • Peer critiques due by Dec. 5th.

Week 16, Dec. 5-Dec. 11

  • Portfolio assignment.
  • Begin work on portfolios.
  • Intensive revision and improvement of Project #3 drafts.

Finals Week, Dec. 12-17

Dec. 17

PROJECT #3 DUE NO LATER THAN 11:59 PM, DEC. 17th

ALL PORTFOLIOS DUE NO LATER THAN 11:59 PM, DEC. 17TH.

 

Have a great break :)

 

 

back to 357 Online Homepage