Literacy and Community Service Learning Multimodal Advanced Composition Course

Pauline F. Baird

Composition makes sense in practice. Literacy is understood when students confront their own ways of becoming literate and the forces- identity and power - that help shape their literacy development process and understandings. Through their multimodal literacies students will learn more about community, literacy and how to engage their rhetorical skills to serve others. Scholars believe that writing ‘for’, ‘with’, ‘by’ and ‘about’ the community allow students to take on civic minded dispositions (Deans, Sheridan, Julier, Hea, Blair, Selfe).

Literacy, Service Learning and Multimodal Composing: Rationale

Engaging with texts is only one aspect of literacy. In a highly technical world,

students in 200 level composition class at the University of Guam will use various

technology to communicate and interact with, for and about the community. Selfe

(“Movement of Air) and Grabil (Writing Community Change) among others believe

that internet technologies, for instance, affords students opportunities to make

these literacies meaningful in practical ways that make them critical composers.

With Grabil in mind, the students will learn to use computer software: PowerPoint,

MS Word, Print Capture; cameras and video, and other resources such as the

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WWW and personal digital technology they already have for multimodal

composition.

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Community Organization: Audience

I have chosen the Island Girl Power (IGP) a local organization as the community for

service – learning engagement. IGP trains ladies ages 7-14 (living on Guam) to

develop their academic and social skills. The ladies are from Guam and the islands

of Micronesia. IGP offers social options for ladies who are at risk for suicide, teen

pregnancy, delinquency and substance abuse. Classes include jump rope, cooking,

journaling, computer science and story writing. It invites qualified volunteers to

teach a class on a Saturday morning. The invitation gives the students a sense of

agency because it is the organization that is reaching out for services. A

multimodal literacy project is suitable for the age, benefits and interests of IGP

members. It is regarded as a model for enacting Gee’s identity kit of ―saying

(writing)-doing-being-valuing-believing combinations (p. 256) with multimodalities.

Students will write with a purpose.

I have visited the organization and have had contact with the IGP organizer

and expressed my desire to offer a class. For this class, students will engage in

several projects that do not make direct contact with IGP participants. The

organizer will be involved throughout the course to provide feedback, approve

plans and give permissions and set up appointments. Students will prepare

themselves to write about and for the organization reflecting, practicing primary

and secondary research, exploring ideas and literacy skills, before while preparing

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the project. In the end, I envision that students will empower the ladies with their

literacy narratives they have created and shared.

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Introduction to Modules

This is one of 4 (3-4 week long) modules in this course. The modules are

designed to accommodate smaller projects and larger projects in a manageable

time. Along with each module, there are objectives that reflect the larger course

objectives. These objectives will work to help remind students and the teacher of

the goals. Each module has an accompanying assignment sheet that has step by

step instructions for student’s assignments and grading rubric. Because the course

material and syllabus will also be placed online, a module format will be

compatible with a weekly course layout where students can see each module

separately.

Module 2

Class: ENG 200- Multimodal Advanced Composition

Time: Mon/Wed 11:20 – 12:50 (90 mins)

Prerequisites: Students must have: Completed FYC courses

Enrolled in MOODLE of at least 1 semesterA Computer or digital writing device with software/ programs such as PowerPoint, MS word (full suite)Thumb drive or external drive

Module Description:

This module is 4 weeks long. Students will study chapter 2 “Literacy as Power”, complete

a small literacy project (definition) with the Guam Island Girl Power in mind. They will

share a project with the coordinator –partner and solicit feedback if possible.

Objectives for Module 2

Students will: continue learning about literacy through the readings and to form their own

definition of literacy (using multi-modalities) and keep an online academic journal compose a personal literacy definition using multi- modalities (visual, text, video

etc.) for the Island Girl power audience --- ladies 7-14 years old practice rhetorical strategies for composing a multimodal essay teach each other the tools necessary for completing the project. complete hands on tech-demo training for specific software with the assistance of

tech personnel peer review classmates’ presentations and prepare a sample presentation for the

IGP community sponsor.

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Syllabus: Module 2

In class Out of ClassBeginning of Module 2

Week 5Mon

Chapter 2: “Literacy as Power” Academic Journal Assignment 3: Respond to 2 classmates (Academic Journal 3)

Wed

Literacy Definitions ProjectMini- Lesson: Writing your life pp. 25-29Discuss: The meaning of Literacy in the 21st centuryhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ZRDRPqoXo

Think Piece: View: What is literacy? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zXDwiwhTCMConsider what your own meaning of literacy is. How so? Consider what other’s perspectives are. What do these perspectives have in common? How do they differ?

Week 6Mon

Literacy Definition cont’dShare think piece with a partner. What does a multimodal essay look like?Here’s an example of one. Discuss this Essay using the rubric & worksheet***

Steps in creating a literacy definition essay. Consider level of Tech for composing.

How can make these perspectives multimodal?Script: Narrative of 1 -2 page in lengthImages: found or your ownPlan: Storyboard or sketchesTechnology level: HiTech e.g. Video

MidTech e.g. PowerPoint LowTech e.g Poster

Wed

Planning and Drafting- conferences Tech demos (PowerPoint; Screen Capture; other)

Planning and drafting (see progress work sheet)For a specific audience

Week 7Mon

Rubrics for assessing the projectTech demos (PowerPoint; Screen Capture)

- Students (peer share) their knowledge

- IT person group-share

Planning and drafting

Wed

Cont’dSneak Preview of Drafts due

Citing sources

Week 8Mon

In Class Presentations Vote for sample to send to IGP coordinator for feedback

Wed

Reflections and plans Projects Due

End of Module 2

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Module 2: Assignment & Project Sheet

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Instructions: Read this entire document before you begin any assignment.

Academic Journal Assignment 3You have read the first 2 pages on the chapter on literacy. Write (in your journal) about 300 -500 words answering the following questions:

1. How has a piece of writing you did impacted you and others (immediate community / wider community)?

2. How do you view your own literacy using a narrow definition of literacy (the ability to read and write) p. 68-69?

3. Do you agree with the narrow definition? Why? 4. Describe what knowledge or skills, in your view, characterizes a literate person

vs. and illiterate person. (Don’t settle for the narrow definition “ability to read and write).

After you have posted your work on the blog, please read and respond to at least 2 of your classmates. You may complete your responses outside of class.

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Literacy Definition Project (Multimodal)We have explored the literacy, and you are aware that literacy is not easily defined. However, you have ideas of what literacy does, what events and activities are considered as having to do with literacy. Now you have an opportunity to extend a limited definition of literacy. The essay you compose is for girls ages 17-14 at Guam Island Girl Power.

Click the link below to begin thinking about the meaning of literacy in the 21st century.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ZRDRPqoXoYou also, get a chance to use multimodalities in your writing, not just texts.

What counts as multi-modal?

Here’s an example of one.See http://hebrewbible.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/multimodal-products-ideas-for-final-essay-project/

“To learn more about Anything that can be used to capture and send your message: think advertisements, audio files (.mp3), blogs, collages, comic books, interviews, phone conversations, lectures, field observation, photos, blogs, posters, presentations, charts, graphs, skits, films, videos, television shorts, websites, performances and so on”.

Here are some ideas (listed below from: http://hebrewbible.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/multimodal-products-ideas-for-final-essay-project/

Photo essays:  Use online hosts like Photobucket or Flickr to construct a photo stream that corresponds to literacy interpretation.

Audio short:  Use an audio editing software like Garage band or Audacity to string together audio sources, including your own voice. 

Twitter list:  Use Twitter to make a list of other feeds/sources of information in a given knowledge sphere.

Video:  Use video editing software to create a documentary, interview, etc. Collage:  Produce some art that can be scanned in to a digital format/ or use Pixlr to

make to create a collage digitally Conversation:  Use Skype to call someone and record the conversation.  Then, edit it

and bring it in with other artifacts. Screen cast:  Use the free software Jing to make a screen cast and then turn what

you have into a video or make it part of a video.

Where should we get content?“Anywhere you can!  Use your imagination.  You can draw. You can use a camera. You can record conversations, interviews. You can use the internet – Creative Commons. And so on! Just be sure that you use graphics (other visuals) and technology as you see fit to demonstrate your definition of literacy. Include an accompanying paragraph to defend this definition. Include at least 2 sources – you can use the textbook as one source.” (Please find instructions on how to cite at http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/index.htm )This essay should be understood by a young audience ages 7-14, so think of appeal creativity, but also appropriate language and content.NOTE: Make the project small enough to be completed in the time given (3 weeks).

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Work /Progress Sheet***

Audience:

Topic:

Purpose/Main focus:

Your literacy definition:

Opposing definition/s:

Multimodal tools you plan to use. Think: How will you compose the essay? Video / Poster / PowerPoint, collage & you need use at least 2 modalities- e.g. images, text, sound etc.

What technical help do you need? Who in the class can help you?

Write or sketch your plan for what is going to be happening in your visual presentation. (Make it as complete as possible (colors, describe sound, show texts etc.)

What do you need help with?

Use the grading rubric to see if you are on track. What are you concerns?

(Worksheet inspired by Selfe “Mulitmodal” p. 155-156)

Final Draft Grading RubricsFocus and Unity

1.

Does the project address one topic (literacy)? ______/20

2.

Does the project provide an obvious focus using 2 or more multimodal tools?

______/20

3.

Is there strong balance of images, texts (sound) that support the focus?

______/20

4.

Are there any images that offer a counter-argument? ______/15

5.

Does the accompanying paragraph provide adequate information about why you choose this definition? Is there supporting documentation (2 citations?)

______/20

6.

Do the combination of elements: text sound, video, narration, and visuals contribute to a recognizable style in the project?

Audience6.

Is the essay composed for an elementary to high school age audience (7-14 IGP audience)?

______/25

Writing7.

Are appropriate writing, content, and layout strategies demonstrated?

clear visuals age appropriate visuals creative layout clear legible fonts – size and color clarity of Thought appropriate subject/verb Agreement

______/20

Total Score _____/180

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Works Cited

Deans, Thomas. Writing and Community Action: A Service-Learning Rhetoric with

Readings. New York: Longman, 2003.

Gebardt, Richard. “The Subject is Writing”. JAC 1. 1980. Web.

Gee, James Paul. “Literacy, discourse, and linguistics: introduction and what is

literacy?” A Critical Sourcebook. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2001. pp. 533.

Print.

Jeffrey, Grabill. Writing Community Change:  Designing Technologies for Citizen

Action. Cresskill, N.J.: Hampton Press, 2007.

Selfe, Cynthia. Multimodal Composing: Resources for Teachers. NY: Hampton.

2007.

Selfe, Cynthia. ‘The movement of air, the breath of meaning: aurality and

multimodal

composing.” College Composition and Communication, 60. 2009. pp. 616-

663. Web.

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