celebrity gossip, academic style

It seems the whole (academic) (digital) world is abustle with syllabus talk: on Twitter, in the blogs, in the Chronicle, people are soliciting suggestions for readings, posting their syllabi, asking for ways to assess reading, advocating ‘teaching naked,’ (that is, without technology). I’ve enjoyed reading about Chuck Tryon’s modifications, along with his list of other blogs currently in the process working through syllabi, UT-Dallas Emerging Media Prof David Barry’s Twitter feed, which reveals that the university is training TAs to advise their lead professors to be wary of social media (because Facebook will harm anyone over 40!), media studies prof. David Silver’s how-tos, and Swarthmore History Professor Timothy Burke’s analysis of why more professors don’t put their syllabi online. Finally, the newly launched Professor Hacker website (stated goal: productivity and pedagogy in a digital age) has all sorts of interesting, valuable posts as we gear up for classes — I particularly like this one on Setting Expectations on the First Day.

There are many reasons to post a syllabus: it allows other people to get ideas, whether they know you or are searching for your course through a Google search. Some ideas are novel — and worthy of emulation, or thought, as evidenced by my inclusion of a class blog for this time around, along with other modifications that I’ll discuss more at length below. If you really want a motivation to put your syllabus online, see the Burke post above. You might start viewing it as an imperative. Or you might be bashful about it, as I am now.

Now, since this blog has a readership equally split between current academics and those who, while not currently enrolled in school, have lived through myriad undergrad classes, I’m hoping I can get a mix of responses.

Here’s the link to the syllabus, at home the RTF 314: History of the Moving Image class blog. If you don’t like the funky formatting, it’s also available in draft .doc format here.

I’ll offer a few caveats:

*This is a 60-student lower-level class. Most of the students are either already RTF majors or aspiring to be so. Most are primarily interested in going into some aspect of production — lots of aspiring screenwriters, producers, directors, cinematographers. They generally really love recent movies but are reticent to engage with older ones.

*The class is “History of the Moving Image.” Basically, it’s film history. There are other courses that cover the history of broadcasting/cable TV. Since it’s only one semester, we’re quite restricted as to how much we cover — I wish we could do much more international film history. But so it is.

*This is the third time that I’ve taught the course (once as a TA; once on my own). I’ve found that the Film History readings are expansive….yet most students really dislike them, especially if I’m covering the information in class. Thus I’m using them sparingly — and assigning the 2nd edition, rather than the brand-spanking-$120-new-edition — to cut down on student frustration with the extra text. You’ll see I’ve marked points where they can choose to read to supplement — but that I’ll be doing a lot of lecturing on the topic in class.

*The big paper is an in-depth star studies. Since I do star studies myself, it allows me to work really closely with the students and enrich myself in the process. The overall slant of the class is towards stars — which explains the star-heavy reading.

*Two other Ph.D. students teach 314 — and we have to coordinate our screenings together. This is a blessing and a curse. I love having other teachers to bounce ideas off of — but it also constricts what you can cover and when. So when you see the massive jump between Blonde Venus and Casablanca, that’s what’s going on.

*While I am a media studies academic, I’m sheltering a former composition instructor on the inside. Thus the attention to pitches, drafts, revision: I find that students at a large university rarely work with a professor on a one-on-one basis outside of their introductory composition class, or perhaps with TAs or in upper-division specialty courses. I know it’s crazy, but I worked on drafts with half of my students last year, and the difference between their papers and those who didn’t work with me was truly staggering. What’s more, the students who worked through drafts really loved the process and the product — something they’ve told me in person, through email, and on evaluations.

*The mid-term and the final are essay-esque; the final is take-home.

*I’m most interested in your opinions to the value of the SUPPLEMENTAL SCREENINGS and QUIZZES. I used supplemental screenings for extra credit last year, and many students took advantage of the opportunity, but one of the things that I find really important about any film history class in generally increasing the number and type of movies that our students see. Which is part of the reasoning behind the Paramount Screenings at the beginning of the semester: there are so few chances to see something like Lawrence of Arabia in restored 70 mm in an actual picture palace.

As for the quizzes, I’m just desperately trying to come up with a way to ensure that the students actually do the reading. I’ve tried pop quizzes, I’ve tried reading responses, I’ve tried discussion board. None are ideal. Grading quizzes twice weekly takes up a lot of time. So does reading through 60 reading responses. But I’m thinking I might try the Blackboard quiz function — which grades the quizzes for you and enters them into the gradebook. Anyone with thoughts/experience on Blackboard quizzes or on how to compel students to read on a daily basis, please share. I’ve given them two ‘gimmes’ — basically I’ll drop the two lowest scores — for those days when there’s just not enough time. I know those days, even as a graduate student.

Otherwise, I’d love to hear thoughts, ideas, criticisms, questions. And if readings or ideas strike your fancy, steal away.