Global Digital Modernisms
Global Digital Modernisms was my fall 2014 course at Georgia Tech. The website contains the syllabus, assignments, postings about class sessions, and sample student work.
Responses from Students:
“The world of modernism that existed in the early twentieth century was vastly interconnected. This course revealed just how much the authors of the time impacted not only the writers of today, but each other. Ezra Pound, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and E.M. Forster come up multiple times as mentors, inspirations, and leaders. The exchange of ideas that transcended movements, countries, and social circles was interesting to examine as themes and philosophies kept reoccurring. The multiple faces of modernism that were presented also made the course more complex and eye-opening. We were able to explore a wide variety of works from the Harlem Renaissance poems of Claude McKay to the Indian songs of Sarojini Naidu. The diversity of ideas challenged me to consider how each of these artists forged their own paths in the movement during a time of such dramatic social and technological change.”
"I would definitely recommend this class . . . It is a lot of work, but in the end you will become a better scholar, and you will not regret making this decision."
"I initially believed that this class would discuss in detail things like the Great War, the 'Roaring Twenties,' and maybe include a few small pieces on some social issues of the time. What I walked into was very nearly the opposite. We discussed in great detail racial issues, social barriers, the issues of clashing ideas, the society of the young versus the society of the old, and the complications humanity faces once it is introduced to new technology. We did not stay within the temporal confines of a single decade, nor did we solely reside within the political and geographical boundaries of the United States."
"At the end of the semester, looking back, I can say that I am honestly stunned about what I learned in this class. The information and personal accounts that were written into fiction have shattered any and all ideas I had of this short lived but extremely influential time in human history."
"Although I am not an aspiring poet, I do feel that engineering requires a large amount of artistic creativity to be successfully implemented. An engineer at heart is the mechanical artist."
“In a modern and rapidly developing world, it is often difficult to keep up with the changes. There is a distinct lag between technological advances and their implementation in education. However, this was not the case for this course covering the topic of global digital modernism. This course has taught me how to use several programs that I have previously not used for class. During this class, I learned how to use several electronic methods of communication such as prezi, blogs, and google maps. By the end of this course, not only could I use each of these applications individually, but I could also effectively combine them to create a quality project that would appeal to a specific audience.”
“The focus of this class is ‘Global Digital Modernism,’ and it truly lived up to the title. All of the texts we read were written during the early 20th century during the modernist era. . . . Modern literature attempted to break with societal standards and warp our expectations. It made an effort to capture the new fast paced world that was ever-changing and developing.”
“It is most logical to interpret this era of literature using the most recent innovations in technology. This is where the ‘digital’ aspect of the course comes into play. The majority of this course was completed online, which was a big change and adjustment for me. Essays were submitted as blog postings, projects always had a bonus technological element such as a map or prezi or video, and class discussions were posted on chat sites or Twitter. Before entering this course, I already had a lot of experience with using research to craft a project with an argument. I knew the revision process and understood how to incorporate and credit the work of others into my projects. I could create an argument that would specifically address an audience. This course assisted me in further developing these skills, but its major advantage was the experience it gave me with technology. Incorporating technology into a multimodal project is a weakness of mine that I was not even aware of before this course. This class forced me to address my aversion to electronic assignments and opened my eyes to the vast possibilities for interaction and discussion available on the web. By making all of these digital components accessible to the whole world, we reached the ‘global’ aspect of the course. Through technology, people around the globe can exchange ideas and connect to the text together . . . We were able to experience this first hand when we had a video chat with Dr. Elkin who is a professor in Paris, France. She was able to offer us insight into the city which assisted in our interpretation of Jean Rhys’s novel Good Morning Midnight. Like this novel, all of the novels we read were written by authors with diverse backgrounds all over the world with characters placed in various countries. In this way, not only was our discussion global, but also the novels we were discussing.”
Responses from Students:
“The world of modernism that existed in the early twentieth century was vastly interconnected. This course revealed just how much the authors of the time impacted not only the writers of today, but each other. Ezra Pound, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and E.M. Forster come up multiple times as mentors, inspirations, and leaders. The exchange of ideas that transcended movements, countries, and social circles was interesting to examine as themes and philosophies kept reoccurring. The multiple faces of modernism that were presented also made the course more complex and eye-opening. We were able to explore a wide variety of works from the Harlem Renaissance poems of Claude McKay to the Indian songs of Sarojini Naidu. The diversity of ideas challenged me to consider how each of these artists forged their own paths in the movement during a time of such dramatic social and technological change.”
"I would definitely recommend this class . . . It is a lot of work, but in the end you will become a better scholar, and you will not regret making this decision."
"I initially believed that this class would discuss in detail things like the Great War, the 'Roaring Twenties,' and maybe include a few small pieces on some social issues of the time. What I walked into was very nearly the opposite. We discussed in great detail racial issues, social barriers, the issues of clashing ideas, the society of the young versus the society of the old, and the complications humanity faces once it is introduced to new technology. We did not stay within the temporal confines of a single decade, nor did we solely reside within the political and geographical boundaries of the United States."
"At the end of the semester, looking back, I can say that I am honestly stunned about what I learned in this class. The information and personal accounts that were written into fiction have shattered any and all ideas I had of this short lived but extremely influential time in human history."
"Although I am not an aspiring poet, I do feel that engineering requires a large amount of artistic creativity to be successfully implemented. An engineer at heart is the mechanical artist."
“In a modern and rapidly developing world, it is often difficult to keep up with the changes. There is a distinct lag between technological advances and their implementation in education. However, this was not the case for this course covering the topic of global digital modernism. This course has taught me how to use several programs that I have previously not used for class. During this class, I learned how to use several electronic methods of communication such as prezi, blogs, and google maps. By the end of this course, not only could I use each of these applications individually, but I could also effectively combine them to create a quality project that would appeal to a specific audience.”
“The focus of this class is ‘Global Digital Modernism,’ and it truly lived up to the title. All of the texts we read were written during the early 20th century during the modernist era. . . . Modern literature attempted to break with societal standards and warp our expectations. It made an effort to capture the new fast paced world that was ever-changing and developing.”
“It is most logical to interpret this era of literature using the most recent innovations in technology. This is where the ‘digital’ aspect of the course comes into play. The majority of this course was completed online, which was a big change and adjustment for me. Essays were submitted as blog postings, projects always had a bonus technological element such as a map or prezi or video, and class discussions were posted on chat sites or Twitter. Before entering this course, I already had a lot of experience with using research to craft a project with an argument. I knew the revision process and understood how to incorporate and credit the work of others into my projects. I could create an argument that would specifically address an audience. This course assisted me in further developing these skills, but its major advantage was the experience it gave me with technology. Incorporating technology into a multimodal project is a weakness of mine that I was not even aware of before this course. This class forced me to address my aversion to electronic assignments and opened my eyes to the vast possibilities for interaction and discussion available on the web. By making all of these digital components accessible to the whole world, we reached the ‘global’ aspect of the course. Through technology, people around the globe can exchange ideas and connect to the text together . . . We were able to experience this first hand when we had a video chat with Dr. Elkin who is a professor in Paris, France. She was able to offer us insight into the city which assisted in our interpretation of Jean Rhys’s novel Good Morning Midnight. Like this novel, all of the novels we read were written by authors with diverse backgrounds all over the world with characters placed in various countries. In this way, not only was our discussion global, but also the novels we were discussing.”
“The incorporation of technology into literary analysis permeated every aspect of this class, including the lecture. Often times during class we would face two tasks at once in order to create more discussion and draw more from the texts. For example, we would divide the class into two parts and create an inner and outer circle with those groups. The inner circle would verbally discuss the texts while the outside group would nonverbally and electronically comment on the text in a group chat that would be projected onto the board. This incorporation of different modes of communication allowed us to make connections we would not have previously. It made the text fresh and brought it into a different light. We also connected electronically to the rest of the world during class by using a site called lit genius. This website contains chapters from various texts that can be accessed and annotated by the public. Since this is available to anyone, some of the annotations are not as insightful or credible, but occasionally a well-researched comment will appear in the text and allow in-depth analysis that I had not previously considered. We used the site to study James Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. By adding our own annotations to this site, we improved the quality of the analysis and hopefully helped future students and scholars examining the text.”
"For project 3, I focused on James Joyce’s novel Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man. I chose this novel because it is set in Ireland, which is the home of my ancestors, so and I have always been fascinated by its history. As I researched the history and geography of Ireland, it became apparent that these greatly influenced Joyce’s work. Several historical events in Ireland’s past can be paralleled to Joyce’s plot. These events created a certain mood in Ireland that is reflected in Joyce’s character Stephen. As I wrote my essay, my ideas began to change as I realized how significant Ireland’s impact had on Stephen’s character. My initial intent was to discuss Joyce’s role in relationship to Ireland. However, by analyzing this aspect, I discovered how much Stephen’s character reflected Ireland’s turbulent history. It changes the entire analysis of the novel by understanding Irish history."
“Without communication skills, it is impossible to get one’s ideas across; more importantly, it is difficult to understand others’ arguments and perspectives. For this reason, I consider my growth as a communicator throughout this semester an integral part of my college education. This course saw my first experiences working multi-modally, helped me discover what my own strengths and weaknesses are- opening up pathways for further improvement of those weak areas- and expanded my abilities as I reached the overall goals of the class.”
"Although this is my last English course required for my major and college plan, the class has inspired me to continue to develop my skills. It has also helped me to realize that although I may not be analyzing literature in my career, I will need to communicate as effectively and thoroughly as I learned in this class."
"The first project . . . that we were assigned immediately threw me out of my comfort zone. I was nervous at first, but after we started working I realized that the mapping project was something I could definitely take on. My group mapped the first section of Good Morning Midnight, by Jean Rhys, using Google maps. Although I am a self-proclaimed novice when it comes to technology, my vision for the map put me in charge of constructing it. I spent some time experimenting with the software, and I was so happy with the end product when I finally finished it with my group. This use of technology in an English class was new to me, but our success made me excited and confident for the next time we incorporated technology."
"The technology I experienced in this class made it the most applicable English course I have ever taken. It had the traditional discussion and thought-provoking reading that I believe is important for all students: engineering or otherwise. It not only helped me learn about new technologies that I may use in the real world, but it also gave me the confidence to overcome my technological challenges, which I will definitely take advantage of in school and beyond. This aspect of the class helped me very much to grow as a student."
"Finding one’s own voice was another objective of this course. Dr. Golden was more than encouraging in class, which gave all students, including myself, the confidence to write what they really believed, rather than what they thought the instructor wanted to hear. After taking this course, I realize that previously I had mostly synthesized what other critics wrote, rather than becoming one myself. This really came through for me in artifact 3. I wrote that I didn’t believe that flâneurs could exist in a city, disagreeing with almost every critic that we read on the subject, and with our discussions in class. I used pieces of the book to back up my claims and refuted many scholarly papers. This was exciting for me, and I am glad that I got positive feedback on my work."
"One thing I worked on during this class was transforming my writing from early stages of an idea to a final product. Instead of disregarding blog postings as a minor piece of my grade as I would have in high school, I took extra time to work on them. This paid off as I worked on my projects later, drawing on ideas that I had developed in the blog postings. This saved me time as I learned to adapt information into different formats for different uses. It also made me feel as if all the work we completed in class was useful, rather than just busy work."
"Developing a proficiency for the art of communication draws several similarities with mastering the art of combat – it requires a rigorous journey centered on the development of certain skills necessary to achieve ultimate mastery. Thus it became evident that my road to becoming an effective communicator was much like a journey towards mastery of the sword. Without proper fighting technique, progression was out of the question. Without superior intellect on the battlefield, respect was hard to garner. As I entered my first class of English 1102, I found myself in what now resonates with me as Sword Training 1102. I was a mere novice sitting amidst a sea of intimidating and seemingly experienced writers and swordsmen. Although I was unaware of it at the time, this was going to be one of the most important experiences of my life."
“As I began gathering ideas and constructing a script for the production, a strategy for what lay ahead, I found myself developing an argument in a notably clear and unique manner. The entire premise of this strategy stemmed from a sense of dissatisfaction in the preliminary process of data-collection. The novel in question, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, concludes with protagonist Stephen leaving his home in Ireland. This very idea that the ending lacked a sense of conclusion to the story became my source of inspiration. With a plethora of experience under my belt, I wrote on, predicting, to the best of my ability, Stephen’s reactions to situations in order to finalize a script. Using a combination of animation, music, and editing, I transformed this script into a small-scale movie. I even began to surprise myself at the elegance with which my lunges and jabs struck the enemy as my video took form.
When this last quest reached its graceful conclusion and the course came to a close, I knew I had finally accomplished what I had set out to do: I had obtained a more than rewarding level of as a communicator and swordsman. I knew I was ready for anything.”
"For project 3, I focused on James Joyce’s novel Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man. I chose this novel because it is set in Ireland, which is the home of my ancestors, so and I have always been fascinated by its history. As I researched the history and geography of Ireland, it became apparent that these greatly influenced Joyce’s work. Several historical events in Ireland’s past can be paralleled to Joyce’s plot. These events created a certain mood in Ireland that is reflected in Joyce’s character Stephen. As I wrote my essay, my ideas began to change as I realized how significant Ireland’s impact had on Stephen’s character. My initial intent was to discuss Joyce’s role in relationship to Ireland. However, by analyzing this aspect, I discovered how much Stephen’s character reflected Ireland’s turbulent history. It changes the entire analysis of the novel by understanding Irish history."
“Without communication skills, it is impossible to get one’s ideas across; more importantly, it is difficult to understand others’ arguments and perspectives. For this reason, I consider my growth as a communicator throughout this semester an integral part of my college education. This course saw my first experiences working multi-modally, helped me discover what my own strengths and weaknesses are- opening up pathways for further improvement of those weak areas- and expanded my abilities as I reached the overall goals of the class.”
"Although this is my last English course required for my major and college plan, the class has inspired me to continue to develop my skills. It has also helped me to realize that although I may not be analyzing literature in my career, I will need to communicate as effectively and thoroughly as I learned in this class."
"The first project . . . that we were assigned immediately threw me out of my comfort zone. I was nervous at first, but after we started working I realized that the mapping project was something I could definitely take on. My group mapped the first section of Good Morning Midnight, by Jean Rhys, using Google maps. Although I am a self-proclaimed novice when it comes to technology, my vision for the map put me in charge of constructing it. I spent some time experimenting with the software, and I was so happy with the end product when I finally finished it with my group. This use of technology in an English class was new to me, but our success made me excited and confident for the next time we incorporated technology."
"The technology I experienced in this class made it the most applicable English course I have ever taken. It had the traditional discussion and thought-provoking reading that I believe is important for all students: engineering or otherwise. It not only helped me learn about new technologies that I may use in the real world, but it also gave me the confidence to overcome my technological challenges, which I will definitely take advantage of in school and beyond. This aspect of the class helped me very much to grow as a student."
"Finding one’s own voice was another objective of this course. Dr. Golden was more than encouraging in class, which gave all students, including myself, the confidence to write what they really believed, rather than what they thought the instructor wanted to hear. After taking this course, I realize that previously I had mostly synthesized what other critics wrote, rather than becoming one myself. This really came through for me in artifact 3. I wrote that I didn’t believe that flâneurs could exist in a city, disagreeing with almost every critic that we read on the subject, and with our discussions in class. I used pieces of the book to back up my claims and refuted many scholarly papers. This was exciting for me, and I am glad that I got positive feedback on my work."
"One thing I worked on during this class was transforming my writing from early stages of an idea to a final product. Instead of disregarding blog postings as a minor piece of my grade as I would have in high school, I took extra time to work on them. This paid off as I worked on my projects later, drawing on ideas that I had developed in the blog postings. This saved me time as I learned to adapt information into different formats for different uses. It also made me feel as if all the work we completed in class was useful, rather than just busy work."
"Developing a proficiency for the art of communication draws several similarities with mastering the art of combat – it requires a rigorous journey centered on the development of certain skills necessary to achieve ultimate mastery. Thus it became evident that my road to becoming an effective communicator was much like a journey towards mastery of the sword. Without proper fighting technique, progression was out of the question. Without superior intellect on the battlefield, respect was hard to garner. As I entered my first class of English 1102, I found myself in what now resonates with me as Sword Training 1102. I was a mere novice sitting amidst a sea of intimidating and seemingly experienced writers and swordsmen. Although I was unaware of it at the time, this was going to be one of the most important experiences of my life."
“As I began gathering ideas and constructing a script for the production, a strategy for what lay ahead, I found myself developing an argument in a notably clear and unique manner. The entire premise of this strategy stemmed from a sense of dissatisfaction in the preliminary process of data-collection. The novel in question, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, concludes with protagonist Stephen leaving his home in Ireland. This very idea that the ending lacked a sense of conclusion to the story became my source of inspiration. With a plethora of experience under my belt, I wrote on, predicting, to the best of my ability, Stephen’s reactions to situations in order to finalize a script. Using a combination of animation, music, and editing, I transformed this script into a small-scale movie. I even began to surprise myself at the elegance with which my lunges and jabs struck the enemy as my video took form.
When this last quest reached its graceful conclusion and the course came to a close, I knew I had finally accomplished what I had set out to do: I had obtained a more than rewarding level of as a communicator and swordsman. I knew I was ready for anything.”
Mapping Jean Rhys's Paris