Rhetoric and Technology – ENC 6421

Prompt 1

Several of these articles show sensitivity towards the concerns of professional/technical writers while
several others are quite oblivious to those concerns. Take one writer-aware article from this semester and contrast it with a writer-oblivious article. Any reading from any week is fair play, but you must work with at least two texts.

Prompt 2

Explore  the relationship between professional/technical writing and computers and composition. Reference at least two of this week’s readings in your exploration.

Thanks,

mwz

Prompt

Is cyberspace a safer space than physical space? Think about the claims that are discussed in these readings, and the ways in which these readings position themselves in relation to the issues surrounding a consideration of safety (what is it? why is it important? and so on). Reference at least two of the readings in your discussion.

Prompt 1
Is “passing” a threatening prospect? If we are playing with identity in cyberspace, wouldn’t we want to “try on” another ethnicity (or class or gender) as a way to explore and
explode difference? Or does the presumption of understanding (based on a simulation) just make you see red? Please refer to at least two of the readings in your discussion.

Prompt 2

Why does access dominate our discussions of race and class online? What (if anything) should we being doing to respond to the dearth of discussion beyond access? Please refer to at least two of the readings in your response.

Best,

mwz

Prompt 1:

How do (or would) these writers connect design and space? Given the connections you see, how does cyberspace fit into or disrupt their notions of design and its space? Reference at least two of the readings in your discussion.

Prompt 2:

Drawing on at least two of the readings, explain what is rhetorical about the visual turn.

Thanks,

mwz

Prompt 1:

How do (or would) these writers connect design and space? Given the connections you see, how does cyberspace fit into or disrupt their notions of design and its space? Reference at least two of the readings in your discussion.

Prompt 2:

Drawing on at least two of the readings, explain what is rhetorical about the visual turn.

Thanks,

mwz

Prompt 1

What do iPods and The Flaming Lips have to do with writing studies? In other words, I want you to dis/connect rhet/comp and sound. Please refer to at least two of the readings in your discussion.

Prompt 2

Design an assignment for your writing class or deliverable for your job that uses sound and blurs the boundaries between producers and consumers. Please refer to at least two of the readings in your discussion of why this assignment or deliverable might be a good addition to your pedagogy/portfolio.

Prompt 3

To use play as a critical concept, you need to think about its possibilities for meaning. Consider the notions of play described in our readings this semester (readings from this week and past weeks are fair game), and answer questions such as: How does play operate in this piece? How does it differ from other writers’ notions of play? Are any of the play definitions in/compatible? Is the author using play overtly in the piece? Critically? Reference at least two of the readings (from any week) in your discussion.

Thanks,

mwz

Prompt 1:

(How) does wireless technology have the potential to impact writing pedagogy? Please reference at least two of the readings in your discussion.  

Prompt 2:

Does unplugging really matter? That is, is the wireless turn really a substantial departure from wired experience? Please reference at least two of the readings in your discussion.

Thanks,

mwz

Prompt 1

In reading these selections I was struck by their focus on re/definition. Which keywords and phrases would McAllister, Bogost, and/or Gee identify as crucial to a rhetorical perspective on gaming? Is there overlap between any of the three discussions? If yes, which definitions hold the most importance across readings? If not, can we attribute these discrepancies to disciplinary affiliation? Something else? Please build your discussion on at least two of the readings.

 Prompt 2

Why do video games fall under the purview of rhetorical studies?  Please build your discussion on at least two of the readings.

Thanks,

mwz

Prompt:
How do communication technologies disrupt/alter/affirm our disciplinary notions of collaboration and/or community? Please explicitly reference at least two of the readings to back your position.

Thanks,

mwz

Prompt 1:
Does the integration of distance education into college offerings threaten to de-skill the writing teacher? Please explicitly reference at least two of the readings to back your position.

Prompt 2:
Who is best served by distance education technologies? (Certain) writing students? (Some) Writing teachers? The institution? Professional interests? Someone else? What does that mean for composition? Please explicitly reference at least two of the readings to back your position.

Thanks,

mwz