First taught in Spring 2020, I designed this course for an intermediate writing audience, comprised of students who passed FYC. The course cultivates rhetorical awareness and concepts relating to technology and the cultures that have subsequently risen from it. During this course, we cover a wide swath of digital cultures, beginning with the origins of the internet and social media to brief snapshots of current digital cultures that impact traditional means of writing, from the heavily visual Youtubers to memes to writing designed to disappear, such as Snapchat.
A central question of this course is how we understand the writing that occurs in these spaces, and if writing is not located, what are the communicative methods? We have weekly readings, writings, and conversations to explore these questions, along with a few projects, to develop your awareness and ability to write about these contexts.
Writing in Digital Cultures Syllabus
Writing in Digital Cultures Course Calendar
Your Digital Culture: The first major assignment of the course (3-4 pages) is a
reflective piece, asking students to consider what digital cultures they feel connected to and alienated by. This will be a chance to explore unique definitions of digital cultures, what potential futures mean for student careers and identity markers, and acknowledge how digital cultures have transformed over time.
Rhetorical Analysis of Digital Cultures: For this project (4-5 pages), students will select 2-3 different digital cultures that heavily rely on communication and/or writing. Inspired by the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, writer, exigency, kairos, etc.), they will compare and contrast the different cultures, questioning how they reflect their audiences, writing styles, and digital culture. Topics covered during this period can be used during the final project.
Presentation and Short Paper: There are an unfathomable number of digital
cultures. Naturally, we cannot cover all of them in a fifteen week semester. Luckily, everyone will have time to briefly teach the class about a culture they’ve discovered. Students will host 5-7 minute presentations and lead an informative, not argument based, presentation on the history, culture, and communication of a digital culture.
Final Project: The final project of the course (6-8 pages) is an argument based paper, created to inspire freedom and flexibility in topics/engagement. Potential topics include arguing over the most influential digital culture, the future of digital cultures, or arguments unique to a singular culture.
Renee Ann Drouin 