Engaging the Hype of Hypertext: What Students Learn by Creating Mock Commercial Web Pages Dr. David S. Hogsette Department of English ©1997 by David S. Hogsette. All rights reserved.

11/17/2015Dr. David S. Hogsette2 Rationale for Web Authoring Assignments in Writing Courses Allows for writing to diverse, external, “virtual” audiencesAllows for writing to diverse, external, “virtual” audiences Provides opportunity to engage and analyze extensive collaborationProvides opportunity to engage and analyze extensive collaboration Encourages an examination of emerging electronic discourses: hypertext and hypermediaEncourages an examination of emerging electronic discourses: hypertext and hypermedia Provides opportunity to discuss how technology affects the act of creating and reading “texts”Provides opportunity to discuss how technology affects the act of creating and reading “texts” Provides opportunity to engage on-line research and to discuss the complications of intellectual propertyProvides opportunity to engage on-line research and to discuss the complications of intellectual property

11/17/2015Dr. David S. Hogsette3 Technical Facilities HardwareHardware –Computer writing lab with LAN and Internet connection –College web server –Scanners SoftwareSoftware –Web Browser –HTML editor –Graphics editor

11/17/2015Dr. David S. Hogsette4 Web Authoring Assignment in Technical Writing Mock Web authoring company (student project groups)Mock Web authoring company (student project groups) Modeling business and professional communication (proposal writing, interoffice memos, individual and group progress reports)Modeling business and professional communication (proposal writing, interoffice memos, individual and group progress reports) Group browsing and evaluation of corporate Web sitesGroup browsing and evaluation of corporate Web sites Collaborative construction of corporate Web site for fictitious company, Amadeus IncorporatedCollaborative construction of corporate Web site for fictitious company, Amadeus Incorporated Formal presentation of projectFormal presentation of project

11/17/2015Dr. David S. Hogsette5 Sample Student Pages

11/17/2015Dr. David S. Hogsette6 Web Instruction Emphasized that prior experience was not requiredEmphasized that prior experience was not required Students first used the Web as a resource to supplement course workStudents first used the Web as a resource to supplement course work Gradually began critical analysis of Web discursive genres, designs, and rhetoricGradually began critical analysis of Web discursive genres, designs, and rhetoric Initiated Web authoring with story board layout and designInitiated Web authoring with story board layout and design Introduced basic HTML codingIntroduced basic HTML coding Introduced Netscape Gold WYSIWYG editorIntroduced Netscape Gold WYSIWYG editor Provided extensive class time for Internet browsing, collaborative group meetings, and Web page constructionProvided extensive class time for Internet browsing, collaborative group meetings, and Web page construction

11/17/2015Dr. David S. Hogsette7 Assessment of Student Work Develop design principles collaboratively with students based on critical evaluation of Web sites (criteria for grading)Develop design principles collaboratively with students based on critical evaluation of Web sites (criteria for grading) Establish criteria and assessment weight in conjunction with course goals and available resources (technology, support, and time)Establish criteria and assessment weight in conjunction with course goals and available resources (technology, support, and time) Incorporate portfolio model, self- assessment, and public presentationIncorporate portfolio model, self- assessment, and public presentation

11/17/2015Dr. David S. Hogsette8 Assessment of Web Assignment Development and Instruction Solicit continual and specific student feedbackSolicit continual and specific student feedback Reflect critically on pedagogy and course goalsReflect critically on pedagogy and course goals Integrate Web assignments with pedagogy and course goalsIntegrate Web assignments with pedagogy and course goals Keep Web authoring in proper prospective through comparison to writing in other media and the students’ academic needsKeep Web authoring in proper prospective through comparison to writing in other media and the students’ academic needs