We’ll be holding virtual synchronous screenings via OpenTogetherTube on Mondays at 8PM. OpenTogetherTube allows you to respond to videos as we watch, cheering your fellow editors on when we’re watching student work. These collective, (if virtual) experiences are a key part of the class. You will be responsible for discussing the screenings in your weekly online discussions on Teams.
Every week, you'll have a Weekly Mix assigned: a combination of academic readings, popular readings, and sometimes video essays/multimedia. All of these readings will be linked from the course site. There is no text book for this class. The Weekly Mix is the core through-line in the class, and you need to have completed the weekly mix before class in order to participate in class discussions and online discussions. I've tried not to overwhelm with too many readings with the intent that you'll actually be able to read/watch them by class. A tip for how to approach these readings etc: try to pick out 3 key quotes that speak to you, 2 connections you make with the readings (personal connections, with other classes, with other things we've talked about etc.), and 1 question you have (either clarifying or expansive). If you do this for each piece, you can feel confident that you're sufficiently prepared for class. [I borrowed this 3-2-1 rule of thumb from the awesome Shawna Shapiro from our Writing & Rhetoric program.
Every week, we’ll have an asynchronous discussion on Teams or Flip where you will respond to and draw connections between the readings and screenings, and respond to one another. You can choose to respond via video on Flip or via text in the Teams discussion channel. Either are fine and equivalent. I will post a few prompts to get you started, but you’re welcome to take the conversation in other directions. Once you have made your initial response, respond to at least one fellow classmate’s comment. Any extra responses beyond those first two count as extra credit! Feel free to embed images, video, links, etc. No need to be overly formal in these conversations. Have fun with it!
After each completed vexercise assignment, you’ll respond to a series of prompts about your process and experience, what you learned, what you might wish you did differently, etc. If you wish, you can self-assess as part of your reflection, using bloom’s taxonomy. These reflections are due as assignments on Teams two days after each vexercise is due. There will also be periodic reflections for the weekly discussions, likewise due on Teams as assignments.
Part way through the semester, I’ll break you into groups based on interest in particular genres/subgenres of fan video. We’ll devote 2-3 class sessions to your sharing your insights onto the subgenres based on specific readings and your own research. Together you’ll prepare a 15-20 minute presentation + discussion questions or some type of activity. If you’d like to do an editing oriented activity, please reach out to Fayza, Lauren, or myself so we can help with the planning.
Attendance and Participation are key dimensions of this class. I know speaking in class is not equally comfortable for all, and I do take this into consideration, but I encourage you to do your best to make yourself feel comfortable participating in our class conversations in person, online, or both. I hope you’ll feel comfortable wrangling with ideas, supporting one another in your creative endeavors and giving thoughtful feedback, and being good listeners to one another. Attendance at the online screenings is also important; through the shared experience, our weekly online screenings contribute to the collective experience of this class and also will facilitate thinking about online fan (video) cultures.
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