I apologize for the lateness of this post.
Since I’m coming in at the end of this discussion I don’t want to reiterate what many have already said more eloquently that I myself could, so I’ll keep this short.
I’m both attracted and repelled by teaching visual arguments (as are many of us). I am not good at creating my own visual arguments, since this was not something that was emphasized when I was in school.
For the purpose of my English 1000 class, I may include several activities or assignments that involved reading visual arguments. From observing English 1000 classes I’ve begun to think that this is a great way to teach analysis. I think it’s easier for many learners to analyze visual media than it is to analyze words, especially dry or dense words. I envision asking the class (as a whole) to collectively “read” some visual arguments and talk about what makes them effective.
I am toying with the idea of asking students to do a visual mockup of their paper—make their argument visually. I can see how this would appeal to some students, and perhaps help them focus their thinking, or isolate their main argument. However, I can also see how this could be very painful (and time-consuming) for other students.
In the interest of accommodating many styles of learning (and thusly alienating everyone equally?) I will probably ask students to use visual argument in some capacity. But, like Joe, I see visual argument as a way to support a growing understanding of written argument. I recognize that this is not a progressive stance to take but since the University is asking us to teach written arguments, that is what I will teach.
3 comments:
I also think it may be easier for some students to analyze visual arguments than written ones, and, perversely, that's one of the reasons I really want to emphasize written ones. They will be required to analyze written arguments over and over again--in college, as well as the 'real' world. English 1000 seems like a great place to make them practice...
I will certainly concentrate on the written argument in class though I must sat that this article has helped me to appreciatet what the visual argument can do. Darren's presentation gave us a sense of that with the advertisments that he handed out in class. The visuals seemed to immediately grasp our attentin and get us going on discussing argument.
Claire, I think you make some interesting points. Doing a visual argument of their own written argument may be just the way to combine the two ideas effectively, but I also agree with Leta. What service are we providing if the students can already interpret visual arguments due to so much exposure to them? Shouldn't we then promote the written? I don't know b/c I just agreed with Andrew that acadame emphasizes alphabetical literacy. I feel caught in the middle of changing styles which makes me wonder where we and this whole generation will really be. We seem to be missing out on something valuable for the future b/c it is only on the verge of changing. It is extremely frustrating. I also agree that it may be only on the verge of changing simply b/c we don't have experience yet with visual arguments. I dread doing mine b/c I simply don't quite know how, which makes me feel I'll be ineffective for the classroom in this respect.
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