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Teaching in FAC 221Over the past fifteen years, computer-integrated pedagogy has become a major force in composition studies. Moving from simply adding word-processing into the classroom environment, CIC (Computer-Integrated Composition) has today led to an almost complete rethinking of the methodology and, indeed, ideology of the writing course. In considering teaching in a network classroom, one is faced with multiple possibilities-and multiple dilemmas. Those who teach in the English Department's computerized classroom take advantage of the possibilities while always ensuring that the technology serves their instructional goals. For further information, the journal, Computers and Composition (in the library or on-line) is an excellent source for both the history and current thinking of the field. Each semester, English Department faculty teach eight to ten sections of English 101 in FAC221, the computerized classroom. The room is designed to accommodate the different types of activities that can go on in a CIC classroom. The computers themselves are located around the exterior walls and are all connected to the LAN (Local Area Network) and via the ethernet to email and the World Wide Web. The computers are situated such that students can work either by themselves or collaboratively. In much the same way, students can work together at the small tables that are clustered together in the middle of the room. Furthermore, this design accommodates lectures, classroom discussion, group-work projects and other non-electronic activities. The instructor's station contains a computer and a large writing surface. In addition, the room contains a ceiling-mounted digital projector that enables the instructor to project anything from the computer (class exercises, lecture notes, sample papers, Web pages, etc) onto a screen behind the instructor's station. The projector is also connected to the VCR housed in the cabinet below the instructor's station. The English Department has written instructions for using this facility. These handouts and other information about using the classroom are available from the Director of English 101. For students, FAC 221 is equipped with current software programs, including word processing programs, graphical applications, and web-authoring tools. Access to the internet and its many resources is available through either Netscape or Internet Explore. A good place to begin is Calvin's English department page devoted to English 101 issues (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/engl/101.htm). Calvin's Information Technology department supports Blackboard software for class announcements; archived class materials; individual, group and full-class email; class web links; on-line submission; quizzing; polling; and grading. Blackboard allows instructors to survey class use by student, day, date, and time. Contact CIT for more information about Blackboard. When FAC 221 is not being used as a classroom, it is open as a writing lab Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-6:00 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-6:00 p.m. During these lab hours an assistant is always on duty to offer directions in using the computers as well as advice about writing. These tutors are hired and trained by the Director of English 101. The Director of English 101 monitors the equipment in FAC 221 and serves as a resource person for instructors using or interested in using the facility. Over the past fifteen years, computer-integrated pedagogy has become a major force in composition studies. Moving from simply adding word-processing into the classroom environment, CIC (Computer-Integrated Composition) has today led to an almost complete rethinking of the methodology and, indeed, ideology of the writing course. In considering teaching in a network classroom, one is faced with multiple possibilities-and multiple dilemmas. Those who teach in the English Department's computerized classroom take advantage of the possibilities while always ensuring that the technology serves their instructional goals. For further information, the journal, Computers and Composition (in the library or on-line at http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~ccjrnl/) is an excellent source for both the history and current thinking of the field. Each semester, English Department faculty teach eight to ten sections of English 101 in FAC221, the computerized classroom. The room is designed to accommodate the different types of activities that can go on in a CIC classroom. The computers themselves are located around the exterior walls and are all connected to the LAN (Local Area Network) and via the ethernet to email and the World Wide Web. The computers are situated such that students can work either by themselves or collaboratively. In much the same way, students can work together at the small tables that are clustered together in the middle of the room. Furthermore, this design accommodates lectures, classroom discussion, group-work projects and other non-electronic activities. The instructor's station contains a computer and a large writing surface. In addition, the room contains a ceiling-mounted digital projector that enables the instructor to project anything from the computer (class exercises, lecture notes, sample papers, Web pages, etc) onto a screen behind the instructor's station. The projector is also connected to the VCR housed in the cabinet below the instructor's station. The English Department has written instructions for using this facility. These handouts and other information about using the classroom are available from the Director of English 101. For students, FAC 221 is equipped with current software programs, including word processing programs, graphical applications, and web-authoring tools. Access to the internet and its many resources is available through either Netscape or Internet Explore. A good place to begin is Calvin's English department page devoted to English 101 issues. Calvin's Information Technology department supports Blackboard software for class announcements; archived class materials; individual, group and full-class email; class web links; on-line submission; quizzing; polling; and grading. Blackboard allows instructors to survey class use by student, day, date, and time. Contact CIT for more information about Blackboard. The Director of English 101 monitors the equipment in FAC 221 and serves as a resource person for instructors using or interested in using the facility. |
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