ePortfolio as a Tool for ePortfolio as a Tool for Reflecting on Rhetoric Reflecting on Rhetoric across Disciplinesacross Disciplines

Gary RichmondGary RichmondHumanities DepartmentHumanities Department

LaGuardia Community CollegeLaGuardia Community CollegeThe City University of New YorkThe City University of New York

The Persuasive NoteThe Persuasive Note (A liberal arts cluster involving a (A liberal arts cluster involving a shared rhetorical approach)shared rhetorical approach)

Public Speaking Public Speaking Introduction to Music Introduction to Music Composition IComposition IThe Research Paper The Research Paper Integrating hourIntegrating hour

LaGuardia’s Learning LaGuardia’s Learning CommunitiesCommunities

Liberal Arts Clusters (1976)Liberal Arts Clusters (1976) New Student House (1991)New Student House (1991) ESL Pairs and Clusters (1990)ESL Pairs and Clusters (1990) First Year Academies (2001)First Year Academies (2001) Quantum Leap Math Academies Quantum Leap Math Academies

(2008)(2008)

The question we put to The question we put to ourselves:ourselves: “Can we broaden and deepen “Can we broaden and deepen students’ understanding of the students’ understanding of the formal power of rhetoric by formal power of rhetoric by making it the theme of our making it the theme of our cluster?”cluster?”

A student’s reflection on her A student’s reflection on her original connotation of original connotation of rhetoricrhetoric

“ “Rhetoric is a boring method Rhetoric is a boring method used only in oratory. used only in oratory. Unbelievably, this was my Unbelievably, this was my conception of rhetoric before conception of rhetoric before studying it in the persuasive studying it in the persuasive note cluster.”note cluster.”

Reflection on first hearing the Reflection on first hearing the expression ‘expression ‘rhetoric’ rhetoric’ in the clusterin the cluster

“ “Before taking the cluster of Before taking the cluster of courses rhetoric . . . generally courses rhetoric . . . generally meant nothing [to me]. I had no meant nothing [to me]. I had no clue as to what it meant. Every clue as to what it meant. Every time it was mentioned in class I time it was mentioned in class I would get all fuzzy as to the would get all fuzzy as to the meaning of it.”meaning of it.”

One student’s ‘working definition’ of One student’s ‘working definition’ of rhetoric a few weeks into the semesterrhetoric a few weeks into the semester

““[Rhetoric is] a[Rhetoric is] a powerful powerful notion of how we get our notion of how we get our thoughts and feelings thoughts and feelings across to others”across to others”. .

MethodologyMethodology

Our basic tool to elicit Our basic tool to elicit reflections on reflections on rhetoric rhetoric

An ePortfolio ‘Reflections’ page on An ePortfolio ‘Reflections’ page on students’ ePortfolios for depositing students’ ePortfolios for depositing critical and creative reflections on critical and creative reflections on rhetoric in our disciplines and rhetoric in our disciplines and interdisciplinarily.interdisciplinarily.

The Center for Teaching and The Center for Teaching and LearningLearning

A discipline specific reflectionA discipline specific reflection

Public Speaking: “[While] rhetoric is used every time Public Speaking: “[While] rhetoric is used every time we try to express our ideas . . . its use . . . in public we try to express our ideas . . . its use . . . in public speaking is very clear because it shows how Cicero’s speaking is very clear because it shows how Cicero’s five canons and Aristotle’s rhetorical appeals help in five canons and Aristotle’s rhetorical appeals help in structuring and delivering a message. The canons structuring and delivering a message. The canons and appeals are helping me in the building of a and appeals are helping me in the building of a strong case where I can be more persuasive by strong case where I can be more persuasive by having valid arguments, an understandable having valid arguments, an understandable arrangement, an ornamental style, an effective use arrangement, an ornamental style, an effective use of memory, and an eloquent delivery.”  of memory, and an eloquent delivery.”  

Discipline specific reflectionDiscipline specific reflection

Music: “Music composers [. . .] intend to Music: “Music composers [. . .] intend to create powerful music to persuade the create powerful music to persuade the audience to listen and like their audience to listen and like their compositions . . .    Since the purpose is to compositions . . .    Since the purpose is to create unique, logical, powerful, and create unique, logical, powerful, and beautiful music . . .  to captivate and beautiful music . . .  to captivate and influence an audience, rhetoric, the art of influence an audience, rhetoric, the art of persuasion and its elements, plays an persuasion and its elements, plays an important role in this process.”important role in this process.”    

Comparing/contrasting rhetoric Comparing/contrasting rhetoric in different disciplinesin different disciplines

“ “Rhetoric in English . . . is different Rhetoric in English . . . is different from that of music and speech from that of music and speech because it is not a presentation. It is because it is not a presentation. It is not heard by the ear. It is seen by the not heard by the ear. It is seen by the eye. The structure and style is eye. The structure and style is different. The way that it is received different. The way that it is received by the person is more personal [in the by the person is more personal [in the sense that] you can always go back sense that] you can always go back and look at it again.”and look at it again.”

TransdisciplinaryTransdisciplinary ‘secondary illusions’‘secondary illusions’

““Susanne Langer . . . spoke of there being two Susanne Langer . . . spoke of there being two different types of illusions in art, primary illusions different types of illusions in art, primary illusions [such as] the colors in painting; and secondary [such as] the colors in painting; and secondary illusions, [such as] “color” in music. The idea of a illusions, [such as] “color” in music. The idea of a secondary illusion of art in music goes further secondary illusion of art in music goes further than just color. These illusions are what give a than just color. These illusions are what give a

piece of music its own musical identitypiece of music its own musical identity.”.”

A student’s extrapolation of rhetoric into A student’s extrapolation of rhetoric into mathematical and scientific domainsmathematical and scientific domains

“ “It is interesting to see how rhetoric is not only It is interesting to see how rhetoric is not only present in music, composition, and oratory, but present in music, composition, and oratory, but also in an exact science like mathematics. also in an exact science like mathematics. Learning about rhetoric in this cluster has Learning about rhetoric in this cluster has made me realize that the formulation and made me realize that the formulation and testing of a hypothesis . . . is like the use of a testing of a hypothesis . . . is like the use of a theme, instances, and conclusions in a musical theme, instances, and conclusions in a musical composition; or a thesis statement and composition; or a thesis statement and supporting details in an essay or speech.”supporting details in an essay or speech.”

Charles S. Peirce –Charles S. Peirce –The founder of The founder of philosophical pragmatism developed philosophical pragmatism developed by William James,by William James,John Dewey, and others,John Dewey, and others,argued that the argued that the methodology of methodology of scientific inquiry scientific inquiry represents a kind of represents a kind of

theoretical rhetoric.theoretical rhetoric.

Rhetoric seen in non-academic activitiesRhetoric seen in non-academic activities

“ “One of the things I learned about One of the things I learned about rhetoric was that it can be applied to rhetoric was that it can be applied to almost anything. It turns out that some almost anything. It turns out that some of my favorite hobbies draw from a of my favorite hobbies draw from a rhetorical rule book.”rhetorical rule book.”

(tentative)(tentative) Results of our inquiry to Results of our inquiry to datedate

A student reflection late in the term:A student reflection late in the term:

“ “Through my participation in the cluster I Through my participation in the cluster I have learned that rhetoric is a useful tool in have learned that rhetoric is a useful tool in order to enhance my communication skills. order to enhance my communication skills. Its figures, appeals, canons, and elements Its figures, appeals, canons, and elements have helped me understand how to have helped me understand how to structure and deliver a clear and persuasive structure and deliver a clear and persuasive message. What we write, say, or express message. What we write, say, or express has more power if we use rhetorical has more power if we use rhetorical methods and means in the communication methods and means in the communication process.”process.”

Rhetoric: The Missing Link in education?

“Though weeks ago I didn’t even notice its absence, rhetoric is a sorely missed aspect of elementary education. Grade school [and high school] teaches one to write [and speak] mechanically functional [and] stylistically pleasing prose. Unfortunately, one is never [taught] how to give these properly spelled [and] pleasant sounding words any impact. Rhetoric is the missing element to give a work the needed “oomph” to get a point across.”

Future researchFuture research

• First we need to inquire into the specific ways First we need to inquire into the specific ways and the extent to which studying rhetoric and the extent to which studying rhetoric impacts the quality of student work. impacts the quality of student work.

• Further assessment can be achieved by, in Further assessment can be achieved by, in English for example, evaluating student English for example, evaluating student achievement on the final exam in the light of achievement on the final exam in the light of their first diagnostic essay.their first diagnostic essay.

• Comparable assessment models can also be Comparable assessment models can also be applied in our speech and music courses.applied in our speech and music courses.

“I love rhetoric and learning about it.” 

Special thanks to the co-author of “The Special thanks to the co-author of “The Rhetoric of Teaching and Learning Rhetoric of Teaching and Learning Rhetoric,” John Silva, to our cluster Rhetoric,” John Silva, to our cluster colleague, Gustavo Moretto, and to the colleague, Gustavo Moretto, and to the peer readers and editors ofpeer readers and editors of In Transit: The In Transit: The LaGuardia Journal of Teaching and LaGuardia Journal of Teaching and LearningLearning..