learning journals – 10%

Individual Learning Journals are critical components of our online version of the class. Essentially, the Learning Journal is a reflective journal that chronicles your learning experiences with: a) the course objectives, b) assigned readings, c) individual assignments, d) community of fellow learners.

You are the expert on your own learning, and this class should be a kind of journey. The Learning Journal is intended to give you an opportunity to reflectively capture that journey. Please feel free to chronicle the problems and failures (e.g. readings you had difficulty with, concepts that didn’t make sense, assignments that didn’t seem to work for you) as well as your successes.

The Learning Journal in this class is private.  Only you and the instructor can read the entries. Email or share with me your journal. YOUR JOURNAL ENTRY IS DUE by 11:59pm, Saturday.

  • Your submissions must use in-text quote and paraphrases from the course readings. ***CITE CORRECTLY***
  • Your submission should be at least 200 words.
  • In beginning posts, state your personal learning goal for the assignment/readings of the week as a way to make your learning “authentic.”
  • Explain what ‘big idea,’ concept or issue from this week had the greatest impact on your thinking. Why?
  • Explain how this idea, concept, or issue will influence your practice as a scholar and/or arguer going forward.
  • In concluding posts, summarize your learning by synthesizing, analyzing, and reflecting on what you learned and how you did it.
  • How have your ideas and opinions evolved as a result of our discussions? How has your participation in our discussions impacted you personally?
  • Periodically review our course objectives and reflect on what you are learning.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

To become savvy arguers and agreeeers by performing the following:

  • compose argumentative texts that analyze the communication put forth in a variety of texts
  • compose essays that are logical, coherent, and shows critical thinking
  • make use of appropriate writing conventions
  • make arguments that build upon and cite scholarly research
  • understand the decisions that go into writing for different audiences
  • locate and evaluate resources in the library and on the web
  • learn to thoughtfully and respectfully evaluate and engage the arguments of others