MALAS 500D: Art, Film, and Lit

These are formalized reflections on the week's readings which will be posted to a discussion thread on Blackboard (log into Blackboard, click on "communication," and then on whatever week you are responding to. We'll go over the process in class). You will be a member of either Group A or Group B. Beginning on the second week, one group will write a Reading Response of three hundred to three hundred and fifty words (300-350) to the assigned readings. These responses may focus on one reading, or link two or more of the readings, including previous reading assignments. However, while they may reference earlier readings, these responses should focus primarily on the readings for that week. Then the second group will write a shorter, two hundred and fifty to three hundred word (250-300) Peer Response to a Reading Response. (Please put your word count on the bottom of each post.) These two groups will alternate throughout the semester.

The first group (Reading Response) will post their work to Blackboard by 10:00AM Sunday. The second group (Peer Response) will post their response by 10:00AM Tuesday, etc. Thus, each group is responsible for posting their writing by 10:00AM on its assigned days. Responses will guide our class discussion. Reading Responses may point out and discuss crucial terms and concepts, challenge or extend ideas developed in previous discussions or in the critical readings, or link the readings in surprising ways. Peer Responses will critically engage, challenge, or extend the ideas raised by that week's Reading Responses. Both responses should be cordial and collegial, even (or especially!) when disagreeing with classmates. You will want to be generative, opening up discussion, not foreclosing it.

You may want to (and are encouraged to!) continue discussing ideas once you've met the minimum requirement. In other classes, I've had discussion threads continue for weeks. These discussions are for your benefit, so enjoy them. Contributing often and articulately certainly won't hurt your participation grade.

The schedule is as follows:

Week Three
Sept 13 Group B Reading Response
15 Group A Peer Response

Week Four
Sept 20 Group A Reading Response
22 Group B Peer Response

Week Five
Sept 27 Group B Reading Response
29 Group A Peer Response

Week Six
Oct 4 Group A Reading Response
6 Group B Peer Response

Week Seven
Oct 11 Group B Reading Response
13 Group A Peer Response

Week Eight
Oct 18 Group A Reading Response
20 Group B Peer Response

Week Nine
Oct 25 Group B Reading Response
27 Group A Peer Response

Week Ten
Nov 1 Groups A Reading Response
3 Groups B Peer Response

Week Eleven
Nov 8 Group B Reading Response
10 Group A Peer Response

Week Twelve
Nov 15 Group A Reading Response
17 Group B Peer Response

Week Thirteen
Nov 22 No Posts This Week

Week Fourteen
Nov 29 No Posts This Week

Week Fifteen
Dec 6 No Posts This Week