This document discusses integrating new media into composition classrooms to foster collaboration and critical thinking. It provides examples of how blogs, wikis, social media, and virtual worlds like Second Life can be used for activities like discussion forums, peer reviews, research, and interactive projects. Two sample activities are described: a Second Life scavenger hunt to build literacy and teamwork, and a billboard creation/presentation assignment addressing visual rhetoric and audience. The document emphasizes planning, moderation, and reflecting on how new media activities link to course goals.

1. Integrating New Media in
the Composition
Classroom
Fostering Collaboration and Student-Centered Critical
Thinking

2. What is New Media Anyway?

3. Collaboration and New Media
Possibilities of New Media Effective Collaboration
“Teachers create social “Technological literacy
structures in which reinforces the value of
students learn to take over teaching students to think
the authority for learning of themselves not just as
as they gain the ability and critics but as designers of
confidence to do so.” knowledge.” --- Cynthia
---Kenneth Bruffee Selfe

4. Why New Media?

5. Recorded
history of
discussions for
later reflection
and analysis

7. Commentary
and discussion
on works-in-
progress

8. The Ability to
reach outside
the physical
limitations of a
classroom
environment

9. A Few Other Rewards
Power dynamics have the ability to shift
Real time (and public) interaction may encourage for thoughtful
interactions
Instructors are able to interact with students in a de-centered way.
Students are able to interact outside of their classroom identity.
Possibility of empowering students who may be “experts” regarding
certain platforms (or delegating such roles to students)
Time to reflect before responding
Because of our current technological culture, students may feel more
comfortable interacting with their peers and with an instructor via
electronic means.

10. New Media Platforms
Blogs:
Uses: Journals,
Discussion, Course
housekeeping,
Collaboration forum,
Research Starting pt,
Exploration of
rhetorical choices,
Portfolio
Presentation.

11. Wikis:
Uses: Discussion and
collaboration forum,
portfolio
presentation,
workshops/ peer
reviews, and private
conferences.

12. Facebook:
Uses:
Student/Student &
Instructor/Student
communication,
brainstorming,
sharing of resources
and media.

13. Twitter:
Uses: Research via
tracking scholars/
words/ phrases/
institutions,
discussion forum,
sharing of resources,
brainstorming
notepad, community
formation,
synthesizing ideas/
making connections,
interviewing tool,
creation/invention
tool.

14. Second Life:
Uses: Space for more
physical and interactive
activities, explorations
of rhetoric of identity/
audience/ physical
space, explorations of
interactive text,
discussion and
collaboration forum,
recording of discussions
(voice, text, and/or
video), research via
exploration/interviews/
visiting campuses of
other universities,
libraries, museums etc,
creation projects (i.e.
billboards/ ads).

15. “There’s something about spatial connection and a sense of
being somewhere that seems to build personal connection
that doesn’t take place as easily with 2D tools such as Skype.
Second Life simulates face-to-face interaction while
incorporating new levels of interactivity” – Profdan Netizen
“Someone said to me that when you visit a build that isn’t
in use when you visit, you can’t fully see the intentions of its
creators” – Logos Sohl
“I think one of the powerful aspects of reading and creating
literature in this medium is the way you can remove the
purely linear nature of written text and allow students to
explore in any direction.” --- Csteph Submariner
“Have a basic project for first-timers. That way they can have
a positive experience right away.” – LoCE99CH8

16. Considerations
Ask yourself why you want to integrate new media with
a lesson or course.
Consider Institutional capabilities, limitations, and
policies. [Note: Always be prepared to make a case to
peers, students, and your superiors.]
Consider the background of your students.
Do research and be well-prepared.
Moderate and guide activities.
Be sure to reflect on the new media activity (Create
obvious links to the lesson/course).

17. Sample Activity
Assignment: Second Life Scavenger Hunt
Course Goal: Understanding “Literacy” as it applies to
gaining knowledge/language in accessing a community/
institution. Secondary goals: Team building/
collaboration,
creating a foundation for using new media in the course,
and general ice breaking.

19. Description: After students complete an orientation of Second Life,
they will increase their literacy of this immersive environment by
searching the virtual world in small groups for “note cards” containing
paragraphs of a literacy narrative. Each “note card” also contains
“landmark” coordinates to another location in addition to clues as to
the specific location of the next note card. Once students have
gathered the complete essay/story, they then must work together at a
class rendezvous location to compile the story in some kind of
coherent order. There may be more than one way to organize the
essay and some additional writing may be needed to link together
sections. After all groups have compiled their pieces, the instructor
should moderate a discussion regarding the definition of literacy as it
pertains to the Unit 1 assignment and how becoming acquainted with
Second Life is an applicable example of gaining literacy. In addition,
the discussion should address the construction of the literacy narrative
from note cards and the logic behind the order each of the groups
chose. This exercise will help students understand literacy in the
context of English 101 as well as the flexibility of narratives (esp. open
form prose).

20. Sample Activity
Assignment: Billboard Creation and SL Presentation
Course Goal: Understanding visual and verbal/textual
rhetoric, the role of audience, and the rhetoric of spaces.
Secondary goals: team building/collaboration, practice
with SL and other online media as well as additional
software (optional).

21. Description: Having already been introduced to Second Life
during the literacy narrative unit, your students should have a
basic understanding of how to navigate virtual environments.
This assignment will focus on acquiring creation skills within
Second Life for the purposes of understanding rhetorical
strategies in advertisements. Working in groups, students will
create an original billboard advertisement for either an
established product/service or one for one of their own creation.
In addition to creating an ad, students must choose a location in
Second Life in which to place the ad (if only temporarily).
Groups must then present the rational behind the rhetorical
strategies of their ad and their choice of location. This exercise is
designed to help students recognize angle of vision, rhetorical
strategies, and how audience, venue/market, and physical space
play a role in determining perception.