Course Strands

Web Savvy
Your job is to develop knowledge of and fluency in the many genres of writing that take place on or over the web. You will also develop knowledge of the intellectual history of the Internet and how it has been influenced by commercialization, the incorporation of visuals, and technological developments (i.e., wikis, paypal, blogs, chat, etc.).

Collaboration
Throughout the course of the semester, you will be expected to collaborate with your peers through in-class workshopping, in and out-of-class peer critiquing, and a variety of activities that will ask you to share your thoughts and work. You will work on a variety of collaborative projects, so you will really get to hone your teambuilding and communication skills.

Technology and Technical Skills
As you increase your understanding of and familiarity with technology, you will learn new applications and new functions within applications that are already familiar to you. You will learn how to manage files using a transfer program, create and manipulate images in Photoshop, program in W3 compliant HTML, gain basic proficiency in Macromedia Dreamweaver and CSS, and develop an understanding of accessibility issues. You will design and maintain original websites, both individually and collaboratively, that incorporate these newly acquired skills.

Written Expression
As you work on your written expression, you will improve the stylistic clarity and sophistication of your prose. This improvement will be demonstrated in your essays and other written work that you do for this class. As you learn more about yourself as a writer and author, you will learn more about "the writing process" in general--different strategies for invention, arrangement, and revision--and your own, personal writing process more specifically. Evidence will be drawn from your observations, submission and draft materials (done in class and out), wiki postings, and websites, etc.

Rhetorical Sophistication You will understand the basic canons of rhetoric as they relate to the writing process (memory, invention, arrangement, style, delivery). You will be able to identify, analyze, and evaluate audiences, their needs, and the way that design is a function of both. You will create websites and written documents that demonstrate your understanding of these design and rhetoric concepts.