My first academic writing "cruise" was a success. I really enjoyed the journey with my "crew."This is the first time that I taught a course in this manner. At the end of the creative writing course, we were able to publish a book of my students' writings, titled, Community College Students’ Literary Collage.
I am planning to document the voyage as I did for my first training cruise. My blog is still available for those of you who are interested in how I managed to steer our first adventure. To read it, click HERE.
This time around, I am teaching a Composition course, this time around, it's a digital course. I am using the metaphor of a cruise for my course. I am the "captain" of the ship and my students are the "crew." I am responsible for making sure that they learn how to work on this training ship so that they can sail on their own academic ships and become writers with something substantive to share.
As captain, my goal is to enhance my students' writing skill. I will be keeping a log of our journey each week to note our progress. Here is my first installment:
MAY 6, 2015 PRE-WEEK AND WEEK ONE
The Winter Cruise was completed on May 1; commencement ceremony was on May 2. Then, the new semester began on May 6.
Well, as Captain, I shall not be taking anyone on the ship. There are several who would want to be trained on the ship, but personal circumstances do not allow for this. So, instead of my having crewmembers actually on the ship, I shall be holding sessions digitally. So, I shall use my Spring and Summer just cruising with a trained crew. I plan to let the First Officer gain experience by commanding this Spring/Summer cruise. And I shall focus on working with my digital crewmembers.
After the commencement ceremony, I immediately began preparing for the digital crew. Some of the digital crewmembers have taken digital training for basics in English 101. So, several recognize that taking an online course is more challenging than one may think. And having commandeered several digital training sessions, I know that it is very important to have announcements and files prepared and available for online crew. Some are anxious and will contact me a few days before the session is scheduled to begin. So, I really have to be “on my toes.”
So, before May 6, the first day of the scheduled begin of the semester/session, I posted key information on Blackboard. I made certain that announcements would be available that would provide the following information:
- A general welcome
- Request for information about each crewmember:
- full name
- address
- telephone number
- e-mail address
- three things they would like to learn in this digital cruise
- what grade they received with the other captain
- the name of the captain
- any fears or concerns
The announcement on Blackboard directs the crew to visit the Discussion Board of Blackboard where they will find a “Welcome” podcast and the syllabus for this digital cruise. Upon doing all of the readings, they are directed to send their answers to me. When I receive these answers, I know they have at least read two of the posts I have made on Blackboard. Then, I send a link to the Orientation Test. This test covers all of the key directions and orientation materials they should have read. This is my effort at insuring that each member has read some of the posts and the information in the syllabus.
Is this captain naïve? Oh no, no matter how much I try, there are some who manage not to read all of the necessary information that will help them function well in this online cruise. So, I have added a requirement with this digital experience. Everyone must earn at least 80% or higher on the Orientation Test. Thus, if they have to retake the test again and again, they are to do so at least until the deadline date. And if a crewmember still has not passed with the test with 80%, I still expect him/her to continue to retake the test until that grade is attained.
The first week of the digital training really was made up of reading assignments. And as explained in the above, there is the Orientation Test, which is digital-based. This makes much easier on me. The answers are given to the student and calculations are automatically done with the scores sent to me and to the student/crewmember simultaneously. This really saves time for me.
The previous sixteen weeks was a cruise in which the crewmembers signed up for a Creative Writing Cruise. There is a definite difference between members who are focused on a creative approach and those focusing on composition. Those interested on the creative approach tend to volunteer and want to be a member of the cruise. Unfortunately, several who sign up for the Composition Cruise, especially online, sign up for this cruise because individuals’ concentration of study requires this type of cruise. And so, there may not be the same commitment to learn and work intensely. Still, always, I start a Composition Cruise with high hopes and high expectations.
Well, let us see how this digital experience develops.
See you next week!
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