Schedule-Spring 2017

Monday, January 9  Welcome to the course. Overview of course themes and assignments.

  • For next class: Read prompt for Unit Five, the “This I Believe” assignment. Listen to a selection (at least three) of “This I Believe” broadcasts at thisibelieve.org. Review Civic Issues (CI) blog topics.  Read: “Shitty First Drafts” and “Self and Character” – on Canvas under TIB Readings.

Wednesday, January 11  Discussion of narrative and introduce notion of “stance.” Listen to and discuss “This I Believe” examples. What qualities do you like in the samples? What would you like to emulate?

  • For next class: Under your RCL blog category, write an entry that includes at least two ideas for your “This I Believe” podcast, share your thinking about your Passion Blog (are you changing topics? how can you improve? what are your goals for this blog for this semester?) and post two ideas for your Civic Issues blog.

Friday, January 13  Listen to RCL “This I Believe” in class from This is RCL. Generate ideas/strategies for successful aural composition. Review and comment on class members’ RCL entries.

  • For next class:  Decide on “This I Believe” topic and start drafting script. Make decisions about your Passion and Civic Issues Blog topics.

Monday, January 16  No class. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Wednesday, January 18 Library Instruction Garage Band 140W Pattee

Friday, January 20  Bring laptops! Draft workshop of “This I Believe” scripts; check in with instructor about topics, writing. Civic Issue blog groups will be assigned. Talk about delivery for podcast.

  • For next class: Complete full draft of “This I Believe” script and post under RCL category.

Monday, January 23 No formal class. In lieu of class, conferences in my office, 120 Burrowes Building, Desk B.  Sign-Up Here

Monday, January 23  Introduction to Unit Six; Defining civility and introducing deliberation. Class discussion about the state of civility and deliberation in America, types of problems confronting local, state, national level.

  • For next class: Start revising “This I Believe” scripts for recording
  • By 5pm Wednesday: Red Bloggers post their first Civic Issues post by Wednesday at 5pm
  • For Wednesday:  Canvas Readings: “Conversation and Discussion” and “Stasis”; Read info on topic* (either climate change or making ends meet)

Wednesday, January 25 In-class examination of topic* focusing on breakdowns in communication and reasons for them, with particular attention to exploration of values and experiences in shaping attitudes. How can stasis inform your writing? How does deliberation adjust and address these?

  • For next class: Prepare first Passion Blog entry; post by 8am Friday.
  • Post responses to group’s Civic Issue post by 8am Friday.

Friday, January 27  Blogging, Week 1; Deliberation groups form and discuss and problematize topic choices.

  • Record “This I Believe” podcast, due on Wednesday, February 1 at 11:59 PM on Canvas.
  • Groups begin researching topics; read/examine sample issue guides
  • For next class:  Read “Naming and Framing….” (https://www.kettering.org/wp-content/uploads/Naming_Framing_2011-.pdf)  and “Traits of Effective Framing” on course home page.

Monday, January 30  Bring laptops; deliberation groups meet to work on topics. Discussion of framing (ie avoiding the “Goldilocks” problem) and demands your topic imposes on the deliberation.

  • For next class: “This I Believe” podcasts due on Wednesday at 11:59 PM on Canvas.
  • By 5pm Wednesday: Blue Bloggers their first Civic Issues post.

Wednesday, February 1  Groups present topics and approach ideas to class; critique/feedback

  • Prepare Passion Blog post; post by 8am Friday.
  • Post responses to group’s Civic Issue post by 8am Friday.
  • “This I Believe” due today by 11:59pm on Canvas
  • Groups continue to work on research/topics

Friday, February 3  Blogging, Week 2; Groups touch base

  • Over weekend: Continue working on deliberation research and writing
  • Read Moderator packet

Monday, February 6 Revisiting approaches, research; checklisting thoroughness of packet contents.

  • Prepare draft of issue deliberation guide, due Friday, Feb 10th in class.  Post PDF for class review.
  • By 5pm Wednesday:  Red Bloggers prepare Civic Issues post

Wednesday, February 8  Discussion of moderating

  • Prepare Passion Blog post; post by 8am Friday.
  • Post responses to group’s Civic Issue post by 8am Friday.

Friday, February 10  Blogging, Week 3; Review deliberation guide drafts

  • Revise deliberation guides; bring revision and copies of menu to class on Monday
  • Prepare practice deliberation

Monday, February 13  In-class practice deliberation

  • By 5pm Wednesday:  Blue Bloggers prepare Civic Issues post.

Wednesday, February 15  In-class practice deliberation

  • Prepare Passion Blog entry
  • Make last revisions to Deliberation Guide

Friday, February 17  Blogging, Week 4;

  • PROMOTE EVENT!!!!!!!
  • Review Unit Seven Assignments on course website

“Deliberation Nation” takes place February 20 to March 2

Monday, February 20 Discuss Unit 7 Assignments – Discuss differences between deliberation, persuasion and advocacy. Look at examples and consider Rhetorical Situation, and role of Kairos and Stasis in messages and messaging.

Wednesday, February 22     Discuss Issue Brief Characteristics – claims, evidence, feasibility; motivational sequence strategy

Friday, February 24  – NO FORMAL CLASS

  • Read Issue Brief examples and Dow “Politicizing Voice” (course site, main page).

Monday, February 27  Discuss readings.  FINAL Deliberation Guide DUE by class. Hard copy and upload to Canvas. 

  • By 5pm Wednesday: Red Bloggers prepare Civic Issues post

Wednesday, March 1  View/discuss advocacy example elements/effectiveness; identify and discuss kairos/stasis

  • Prepare Passion blog post

Attend one additional deliberation event

  • Failure to participate in another event will result in a 10% deduction in final grade for this assignment.

Tuesday, February 28th—DELIBERATION GROUP     (3:30-5:00)

Wednesday, March 1—DELIBERATION GROUP  (3:30-5:00)

Wednesday, March 1—DELIBERATION GROUP  (7:00-8:00)

Thursday, March 2— DELIBERATION GROUP    (3:30-5:00)

Friday, March 3  Blogging, Week 5 – NO CLASS  –Post your deliberation reflection before 11:59 p.m.  on your Civic Issues blog. (This deliberation blog post replaces the gap in blogging for Feb 27-March 1.)

  • For March 17th: Write post-deliberation report, complete peer review;

Spring Break

Monday, March 13  Watch The 13th in class

Wednesday, March 15  Finish Watching The 13th

  • RCL – Post link to advocacy organization website and summarize: exigence, audience, constraints, and level(s) of stasis being addressed.
  • Prepare Passion Blog post
  • Post-Deliberation report and peer reviews due

Friday, March 17  Blogging, Week 6; Discuss The 13th as an advocacy piece.

DELIBERATION PEER EVALUATIONS AND POST-DELIBERATION REPORTS DUE BY CLASS TIME ON CANVAS.

Monday, March 20  Discuss selected RCL blog examples of advocacy organizations’ websites.

  • By 5pm Wednesday: Red Bloggers prepare Civic Issues entry

Wednesday, March 22  Review citation practices for scholarly papers; Discuss Issue Brief format and use of endnotes

  • For next class: Prepare Passion Blog post

Friday, March 24  Blogging, Week 7

  • Draft Issue Brief; be ready to identify exigence you’re responding to, intended audience, your thinking about choices for framing the issue, and how that facilitates a positive response to your claim and argument at a defined level of stasis. Also be ready to discuss advocacy project ideas.

Monday, March 27  Issue Brief and Advocacy Project.

  • Blue Bloggers prepare Civic Issues entry.

Wednesday, March 29  Infographics

Friday, March 31  Issues Brief Workshop Blogging, Week 8

  • For Monday – Bring examples of work your Advocacy Project is striving to emulate.

Monday, April 3  Small-group discussion of modal choices and audience for individual advocacy projects; Discuss more sample advocacy pieces.

Wednesday, April 5 Introduction to Unit Eight: Presenting Yourself.

  • For next class:
  • Finalize Issue Brief for submission on Friday.

Friday, April 7  Review Issues Brief

  • Issue Brief due  in class and in the Canvas by class time.

Monday, April 10  Introduction to Unit Eight: Presenting Yourself; review platforms available for e-portfolio creation, brainstorm purpose(s) and audience(s) for e-portfolios

Wednesday, April 12  Bring laptops and assignments for inclusion in e-portfolios; discussion of revision/editing process

Friday, April 14  Advocacy Projects

  • For next class: Finish advocacy projects – DUE MONDAY, APRIL 17th.

Monday, April 17  Present Advocacy Projects

  • All Advocacy Projects are due by class today.

Wednesday, April 19  Present Advocacy Projects

Friday, April 21  Additional tips, pointers, and possibilities for e-portfolio design; Work on e-portfolios in class

Monday, April 24  Portfolio conferences

Wednesday, April 26  Portfolio conferences

Friday, April 28  Last day of class. Work on e-portfolios.

E-portfolios are due Monday, May 1 at noon on Canvas.