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Cool Classes

ENG 295 (01): Dear World: Digital and Public Writing

Mar 8, 2022

Course name: ENG 295 (01) Dear World: Digital and Public Writing (Special Topics in Creative Writing)

Instructor:  Jill Moyer Sunday, Chairperson for the English and Foreign Languages Department, Director of the Writing Center and Assistant Professor of English

...We're being challenged to think critically about social media, which has given me such a different perspective, even when I'm mindlessly scrolling through TikTok."

Ashley Gary

About the course: When the world erupts around us, how do writers respond? From Twitter stories to spoken word poetry to editorials to letters to blogs, this course will examine authors who were called to write to the world and the many inventive genres they explored. While we examine their craft, we’ll be practicing our own digital and public writing. 

Instructor commentary: “I've been intrigued by voices emerging over the past few years to respond to national and world crises. The impetus for the course comes from a communications scholar named Henry Jenkins who is chief advisor to the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Journalism. Jenkins asks questions about the ethics of public writing, especially social media platforms, and he urges writers to engage in the civic imagination. The steps are simple: First, envision a better world. Second, act on that vision. Our class is focusing on creating a writerly brand, a public identity, that works toward creating a better world. Students are developing plans for social media platforms, writing and performing occasional poetry (think Amanda Gorman's poem written for presidential inauguration), and composing letters to the world that take form as columns, editorials, and blogs.” - Jill Moyer Sunday

Student commentary: “The reason I decided to take Digital and Public Writing is because so many writing jobs are currently focused on digital platforms. This is a relatively new line of jobs, so I felt it would be good to hone my skills in this area. So far, the class has proven to be very useful for that. It's also incredibly interesting, because we're being challenged to think critically about social media, which has given me such a different perspective, even when I'm mindlessly scrolling through TikTok. Jill is a very talented person, and taking this class with her has been both informative and eye-opening.” - Ashley Gary, creative writing major from New Freeport, Pennsylvania 

The Department of English & Foreign Languages

As a student in the Department of English & Foreign Languages, you will cultivate reading, writing, speaking, and research skills. You'll be prepared for successful careers and meaningful lives grounded in Christian faith and service.