Spring Class Schedule ’15

Topic and Activites Reading Assignment Due Writing Assignment Due
1/13 Introduction to RCL II
1/15 Discussion of Unit FiveDiscussion of “stance.”Schedule a time  for conferences starting on Monday. 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. Under your RCL blog category, write an entry that includes at least two ideas for your “This I Believe” podcast, two ideas for your Passion Blog, and two ideas for your Civic Issues blog.Paterno Fellows Collegiate Laws of Life Essay Contest entries due Friday, January 16. (Optional) 
1/20 In lieu of class, students will conference with instructor (10-minute session) to review “This I Believe” drafts and blog topic ideas. Review feedback on your RCL blog entry. Decide on “This I Believe,”  Passion, and Civic Issues Blog topics. Complete full draft of “This I Believe” script and post under RCL category. (To maximize the effectiveness of your conference I recommend finishing your draft before your meeting with me.)
1/22  Draft workshop of “This I Believe” scripts. Practice voice modulation and oral delivery strategies. Civic Issue Blog teams formed. Brief introduction to Think Tank and Deliberation Unit. Revise “This I Believe” script for in-class workshop and post under RCL blog category. In another RCL blog entry, announce your topics for the Passion and Civic Issues Blogs.
1/27 Discussion of Chapter 8 and 9 and more discussion of Unit 6 Assignments and Think Tank projects. Read Chapter 8 and 9 of Rhetoric and Civic Life, “Conversation and Discussion” (pp. 163-187) and “The ‘Nasty Effect:’ Online Incivility and Risk Perceptions of Emerging Technologies” (pp. 188-205). Polish “This I Believe” scripts for recording.
1/29 Class-time to brainstorm Think Tank name and project team deliberation topics Passion Blog for all and Red Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due. Think of deliberation topics.“This I Believe” podcast due in ANGEL dropbox by midnight. 
2/3 Teams announce topics for deliberation.  Discuss readings. Work on researching and framing deliberation topics. Teams select deliberation event dates/times. Read “Naming and Framing Difficult Issues to Make Sound Decisions,” “Traits of Successful Framing,” and “Core American Values,” under the Resources Tab. Groups decide for Tuesday on deliberation topic
2/5 Blogging, Week 2. Work on researching and framing deliberation topics. Passion Blog for all and Blue Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due
2/10 Discuss reading. Deliberation guide workshop among teams Read “Framing for Deliberation” under Resources tab. Teams create and print 14 copies of deliberation guide for in-class workshop.
2/12  Blogging, Week 3. Teams plan their introductory presentation for their deliberation event. Read “Letter from Birmingham Jail”and “Malcolm X’s speech at the Founding Rally of the Organization of Afro-American Unity”Both Articles are on Angel Passion Blog for all and Red Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due. Teams revise deliberation guide based on feedback.
2/17  Discuss reading. Teams do a presentation run-through for partner team. Facilitating practice. Read “Facilitating Deliberations” under Resources Tab. Teams prepare their ten-minute presentations to deliver to partner team.
2/19 Blogging, Week 4. Teams revise and practice presentations. Passion Blog for all and Blue Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due. Teams work on their presentations for next week’s public events. All team members should promote the event this weekend.
2/24 50 Deliberations takes place February 23 to March 3.TBA
2/26 Blogging, Week 5. Introduction to Unit Seven: Persuading and Advocating: Issue Brief and Advocacy Projects. Discuss differences among deliberation, persuasion and advocacy. Look at examples of effective persuasion and advocacy campaigns. Passion Blog for all and Red Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due.
3/3 Issue Brief Proposal assigned Consider topics for Issue Brief and Advocacy Projects
3/5 Blogging, Week 6. Discussion of deliberation events and post-deliberation reports.Issue Brief Proposal Due Passion Blog for all and Blue Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due
3/10 Spring Break
3/12 Spring Break
3/17  Look at sample issue briefs. Revisit kairos as an element of persuasion. Deliberation teams confer to write post-deliberation report.
3/19  Blogging, Week 7. Persuading with (info-)graphics. Passion Blog for all and Red Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due
3/24  Review citation practices for scholarly papers. Discuss Issue Brief format and use of endnotes. Start drafting issue brief. Team-written post-deliberation report due in ANGEL dropbox before midnight. 
3/26  Blogging, Week 8. Final tips for issue brief drafting and brainstorming for advocacy projects. Review advocacy organizations’ mission, web presences, messaging strategies. Passion Blog for all and Blue Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due. Schedule a conference time for next week.
3/31  No formal class. Conferences for issue brief and advocacy project. No blogs this week. For conferences this week: draft issue brief and post to your RCL category by the time of your conference. Also be prepared to discuss advocacy project ideas
4/2  Dr. Keifer-Boyd will visit to discuss her Wikipedia-A-Thon project. No blogs this week.
4/7 Peer-Review Day for Issue Briefs.Discuss sample advocacy pieces. Small-group discussion of modal choices and audience for individual advocacy projects. Bring your fully completed draft to class for Peer-Review day. Advocacy groups must plan at least two meetings to begin working on their materials. Groups must send a selfie of their meeting.
4/9 Blogging, Week 9. Discuss more sample advocacy pieces Passion Blog for all and Red Bloggers’ Civic Issue entries due. Issue Brief due as a Word document before midnight in  the ANGEL dropbox and emailed to Kyle as a PDF.
4/14 Introduction to Unit Eight: Presenting Yourself. Review sample e-portfolios and platforms available for e-portfolio creation. Brainstorm purpose(s) and audience(s) for e-portfolios. Read Unit 8 assignment under Assignments tab on course website. Work on advocacy projects
4/16 Blogging, Week 10. Students work on e-portfolios in class. Passion Blog for all and Blue Bloggers’ Civic Issues entries due.
4/21  No formal class. Work out of class to finish advocacy projects. sign up for extended  office hours
4/23 Additional tips, pointers, and possibilities for e-portfolio design. Work on e-portfolios in class. Advocacy projects due by 2 PM on Saturday, April 25.
4/28 Review advocacy projects. Work on e-portfolios. Bring laptops.
4/30 Last day of class. Review advocacy projects. Work on e-portfolios E-portfolios are due Monday, May 4 at noon

 

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