The Five Canons, Audience, & Earbuds:Adding Podcasting to the Computers & Writing Classroom

Jennifer L. Bowie ▪ Assistant Professor ▪ Georgia State University

Computers & Writing 2008 ▪ May 25, 2008 ▪ UGA @ Athens, GA

Overview

• Podcasting 101?• Considering podcasting in the

C&W classroom• Rethinking the old in new ways• Integrating podcasting into C&W

classrooms• Conclusions

Podcasting 101• Podcast: iPod + broadcast• Digital media files distributed over the

internet• RSS feeds: subscriptions and delivery• Often played on portable media players

– Not just for iPods• Time-shifted & location-shifted• Started as grassroots/independent now

with many companies & organizations• Increasing popularity

Podcasting 101: Popularity• In 2007 13% of US population

has listened to a podcast

• Another form of “writing” and media– Part of technological literacy– Another form our students may need to

master• Old/new form of writing and rhetoric

– Traditional form (think Greeks)– Current “popular” from (presentations,

speeches, …)– Digital with “universal” access

• “Better” knowledge distribution model• Lessons learned may help other forms

Considering podcasting in the C&W classroom

Rethinking the old in new ways: The 5 canons• Invention: "discovering the best available

means of persuasion” (Aristotle) – What to say? – What topoi? Take testimony for example

• Arrangement: the order of discourse– Is there a genre/subgenre? – If so, what is the genre?

• Music before? After? • Which point first? • Intro? Outro?

• Style: the artful expression of ideas appropriate to one’s purposeHow will it be said?

• Ethos & pathos become key• Things to consider: Dictation, accents, jargon, word

choices, expression, speed

• Memory: “treasury of things invented” (Ad Herennium), Recall of topoi often drawing on kairos and grounded in audience and circumstances– Scripted podcasts: may delve into memory– Unscripted podcasts: just like the good ‘ol ancient days

• Delivery: public publication/presentation of discourse. How it is said: presentation of argument with effective gestures, tone, words, movement, and images– Oral roots in new ways:

• Editing• Sound levels• Voice modulation• Music• Visuals & album art• Performance

– More “traditional” print/web based concerns• Transcripts/ text forms of the content• Websites and associated “places” for the podcasts

Rethinking the old in new ways: The 5 canons

• Audience:– Their voice makes it more personal and increases

their investment– Words, accents, music, length, …, and overall

message more deeply considered– Better audience “visualization”

• Purpose:– Often becomes more than “just another paper I have

to write”– Can portray in “more” ways: music, tone, word choice,

speed,…– Easily leads them into the next step

• Context:– Suddenly user/listener/reader/ context matters

• Will they be at their computer? Driving? Running? Cooking? Folding laundry?

– Considers what matters and works for the user’s context

• Tone: Tone now means something

Rethinking the old in new ways:Audience, purpose, context, tone

Integrating podcasting into C&W classrooms: • Option from list of various media• Class weekly review• Regular individual podcast• Student selected topics (related or not)

– News– Class review/reflection– Provided topics– Research papers

• New approaches to old genres• Media & message comparisons• Professor response• Peer review

Conclusions

• Fits into the goals of a C&W classroom

• Provides new ways for students to consider, rethink, understand, and apply old concepts

• Easy to incorporate• Leads to improved writing and

investment

Thank you!• Jennifer L. Bowie jbowie@gsu.edu

– Professional website: http://www.rhetcomp.gsu.edu/~jbowie/

– Screen Space Podcast & Blog: http://www.screenspace.org/

– Presentation slides & handouts: http://www.rhetcomp.gsu.edu/~jbowie/presentation/

• Image: Digital Media Galaxy http://www.digitalmediagalaxy.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/podcast.jpg