Orientalism etc' Online: Blogs, Wikis, and Connect

1
Orientalism (etc.) Online Blogs, Wikis,and
Connect

• 4th Annual COMM Writing Conference
• Adelphi, MD
• July 27-8, 2007
• Lisa Bernstein and Richard Schumaker

2
Our question

• How do we facilitate meaningful student
  engagement?
• In the teaching of controversial, culturally
  sensitive content
• Our focus is literature but this material can
  appear in any writing class
• English 303
• English 354
• English 454
• English 406
• Various film classes in the European Division

3
Our thesis

• Connect, Blogs, and Wikis allow teachers and
  students to
• Engage in complex, emotionally charged,
  culturally sensitive material
• Interact creatively and spontaneously
• Take intellectual and personal risks
• Articulate relationships between course content
  and own lives

4
Invaluable Source

• Chaucer http//chaucer.umuc.edu/
• Laddie Odom lodom_at_umuc.edu
• http//chaucer.umuc.edu/gtwiki/index.php/Nora27s_
  Future
• http//chaucer.umuc.edu/engl354wiki/index.php/Hist
  orical_Context

5
Questions at the margins

• Do we need these tools?
• What exactly do these tools provide?
• Does WT need these tools?
• General question how do the tools relate to f2f
  teaching?...

6
Students point of view

• Not familiar with basic terms
• History
• Geography
• Religious presuppositions
• Insecurity
• Insensitivity

7
Teachers point of view

• Strong background and investment in subject
• Reached conclusions
• Often is unfamiliar with students
• UMUC diversity of student population
• UMUC situationunfamiliar course

8
Consequences

• Reluctant dialogue
• Frustration
• Ineffective teaching
• Dampened curiosity

9
Five strategies

• Contextualize
• Multimedia
• Interaction
• Progressive approach
• Tone

10
Connecting to Casablanca

• http//breeze.umuc.edu/r56635155/

11
Women as Other

• http//breeze.umuc.edu/womenwriters/

12
Wikis

• http//chaucer.umuc.edu/gtwiki/index.php/Nora27s_
  Future
• http//chaucer.umuc.edu/engl354wiki/index.php/Hist
  orical_Context

13
Conclusions

• Who? Reflection on the audience
• I-tunes v. Iliad
• Review available tools
• Reflection on
• Goals of course
• Your teaching values

14
Contacts

• Lisa Bernstein lbernstein_at_umuc.edu
• Richard Schumaker rschumaker_at_umuc.edu