Make sure that you've read the syllabus, particularly the section on assessment, and the prompts for the final portfolio and self-assessment before completing this assignment. I also recommend that you read "What Are Multimodal Projects?" from Writer/Designer before getting started.
The weekly Multimodal Experiment prompts will ask you to apply the concepts from the theory that we discuss on Tuesdays in a hands-on way. They're designed to get you creating, and thinking about the implications of multimodal choices. The experiments are designed more to push you to try out new approaches, skills, and forms of media, rather than to have you submit a polished project. Think of them more as works in-progress than final drafts. You're also encouraged to expand your weekly experiments into major projects, or to incorporate parts of these experiments into your projects. You'll include a selection of your experiments in your final portfolio, and they'll also help you get feedback from me early and often.
Your first Multimodal Experiment will be slightly different, as instead of creating or designing something based on theory, you'll instead be reflecting on your experience with multimodal design in general, and looking forward to your plan for this semester. This response will form the basis of your portfolio agreement and our initial check-in meetings, so think through the questions carefully.
Part 1: Your Experience with Multimodal Composing
In the first part of your response, talk about the experience you've had with multimodal composing, or composing with some combination of text, visuals, sound, gesture, and space. What kinds of projects have you created? What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to writing and design? What aspects of multimodal composing are most challenging for you, and which are the most entertaining or engaging?
Choose a multimodal project that you've created and talk through your thoughts looking back on it. What worked well? What limitations were placed on you as a creator? What might you change if you were to revisit that project? What modes did you focus on, and which did you pass over?
Part 2: Your Course Goals
For the second part of the response, talk about what you want to cultivate and build in this course. What existing skills do you want to develop, and what new kinds of media do you want to work with? Outline what you would consider to be your own goals for the semester. Feel free to draw on the existing course goals listed on the syllabus to get started, but make them your own. Talk about what it would mean to make progress on each for you.
Look at the guide for the final portfolio and discuss what preliminary goals you want to set for that portfolio. Include both specifics about texts you want to include (for instance, do you want to include more Multimodal Experiments and fewer in-class writing?) and the qualities you want the portfolio to demonstrate (for instance, do you want your portfolio to show off your range as a designer, or to improve your writing on the sentence level?). In other words, what do you want to work to include in the final portfolio this semester, and what do you want that portfolio to say about you? If you have any specific ideas about changes you want to make to the portfolio agreement, add them here.
As you compose the second part of this prompt, think about how this course can serve your ongoing personal and professional goals. If you're interested in building up social media platforms, consider how your portfolio could showcase your social media experience. If you're an art, design, or advertising major, consider how the assignment could help you build up a professional portfolio you could use on the job hunt. If you're in a STEM field, consider how your portfolio could help you practice data visualization or showcase technical skills. Overall, how can this portfolio be both useful and fun for you in the long and short term?
This is a challenging first response, as it asks you to define and articulate your goals for the semester. If you're still unsure, or debating between multiple directions forward, feel free to say that, or to add in questions you have for me. This is just a starting point, as we'll meet to discuss this further and you'll have chances to update your goals throughout the semester, so don't feel like you need to have all the answers.
If you get stuck, feel free to reach out via email, or to drop in during Thursday's open class time or my office hours.
Submit your response through Moodle, either as a link to a blog post on your class website, PDF, Google Doc, or Word file, by Sunday, August 30 at 10pm.
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