Rhonda Cobham-Sander, professor of Black Studies, English, Latinx and Latin American Studies at Amherst College, runs a course almost entirely on a digital platform called Digital Africas. In the course, students examine the impact of the internet on African literature, exploring how African writers utilize digital platforms and incorporate digital technologies into their work. The students critically respond to the literature digitally on WordPress and Facebook.
A three-day symposium convening writers, editors, and experts on emerging African literature came about as a result of Cobham-Sanders’ course design, and was integrated into the course, with students attending, meeting panelists, and writing about the experience.
The course is described in an Amherst news release.
Methods
The class is assigned readings including “fictional works in print, serialized narratives on blogs, and literary products that circulate via social media.” They then produce blog posts responding to these works on a WordPress site. The students are asked to respond to one another’s posts throughout the semester.
The students are also required to self-assess. At the end of the semester, they complete a self-evaluation that by and large determines their final grade in the class. Evaluation of each student by other students in the class, required within the self-evaluation questionnaire, also plays a role in grade assignment.
Examples
Please refer to these additional resources.
A blank self-evaluation form and an example self-evaluation filled out by an Amherst student. The student’s self-evaluation describes examples of blog posts produced by students throughout the course.
A sample response and grade assignment from Cobham-Sander.
Learning Goals
- Explore emerging literature now utilizing digital and internet technologies.
- Increase student comfort with digital platforms.
- Self-assessment as a means to increase student engagement.
