Component Type	Contact Hours
Lecture	3

Enrollment Component	Per Semester	Per Section	Multiple Sections?	Comments
Lecture	35	35	No	N/A

SIS Program Code	Program Title	Required or Elective?
16ENGLBA-16ENGLLLT	English Literature	Elective
16ENGLBA	English BA	Elective
16ENGLBA-16ENGLCRW	English BA- Creative Writing	Elective
16ENGLBA-16ENGLFLM	English BA- Film	Elective
16ENGLBA-16ENGLLWR	English BA - Language, Writing , and Rhetoric	Elective
16ENGLBA-16ENGLTED	English BA-Teacher Education	Elective
16ENGLBA-16ENGLM	English BA- Minor	Elective

Catalog Description

Introduction to how the interactions among technologies, media, and literature shape the cultural past. The course pursues studies of fictional and non-fictional texts through several disciplinary perspectives including literary criticism, communications, media theory, and history. Technologies and literary and historical eras considered will vary.

Justification for each revision:

Recent changes to both the University’s Strategic Plan, which calls for “enhanced interdisciplinary scholarship to address the grand challenges of society,” and the General Education Program (GEP) demonstrate NC State’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research and teaching. As was noted in the 2014 Report of the MLA Task Force on Doctoral Study in Modern Language and Literature, concurrently interdisciplinary approaches have enriched literary study as well, and “innovative understandings of human experience, past and present, and of the challenges we face are emerging in the work of our scholars,” (9) including faculty in NCSU’s English Department. By tapping into underutilized strengths within our faculty and providing a formalized offering incorporating the interdisciplinary approaches to literature many English professors already bring into the classroom, ENG 339 is one of a series of courses being proposed by the English Department to make our contributions to interdisciplinary inquiry more visible, while also meeting the needs of students seeking courses that fulfill the Interdisciplinary Perspectives GEP requirement. Given NC State’s historic strengths in STEM, the topic of this course seems especially appropriate for our student body and we imagine that its technological focus might be of particular interest to engineering and computer science majors. Further, in addition to meeting the needs of the general undergraduate population, increasing our interdisciplinary offerings will provide English majors with a better sense of contemporary literary scholarship.

Does this course have a fee?

List amount and justification for fee:

Is this a GEP Course?

Yes

GEP Categories

Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Humanities Open when gep_category = HUM

Each course in the Humanities category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Engage the human experience through the interpretation of culture.

Measure(s) for the above outcome(s): Describe the assessments that will be used to determine if students have achieved the outcome. Including a relevant example assignment/question/prompt is encouraged for clarity.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 2:
Obj. 2): Become aware of the act of interpretation itself as a critical form of knowing in the humanities.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Make academic arguments about the human experience using reasons and evidence for supporting those reasons that are appropriate to the humanities.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Mathematical Sciences Open when gep_category = MATH

Each course in the Mathematial Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Mathematical Sciences Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Improve and refine mathematical problem-solving abilities.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Mathematical Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Develop logical reasoning skills.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Natural Sciences Open when gep_category = NATSCI

Each course in the Natural Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Natural Sciences Objective 1:
Obj.O 1) Use the methods and processes of science in testing hypotheses, solving problems and making decisions

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Natural Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Make inferences from and articulate, scientific concepts, principles, laws, and theories, and apply this knowledge to problem solving.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Social Sciences Open when gep_category = SOCSCI

Each course in the Social Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Examine at least one of the following: human behavior, culture, mental processes, organizational processes, or institutional processes.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Demonstrate how social scientific methods may be applied to the study of human behavior, culture, mental processes, organizational processes, or institutional processes.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Use theories or concepts of the social sciences to analyze and explain theoretical and or real-world problems, including the underlying origins of such problems.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Interdisciplinary Perspectives Open when gep_category = INTERDISC

Each course in the Interdisciplinary Perspectives category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Distinguish between the distinct approaches of two or more disciplines.

Identify and distinguish between approaches to literature and cultural history from disciplines
including English, Communications, History, and Media Studies.

Critical Essay:
Considerations of newspaper serialization often serve as traditional ways of understanding the literature of this period. Beyond such insight, how does the historical development of the railroad, telephone, telegraph, and developing modes of surveillance inform our understanding of Victorian literature? Among others, consider the influence of the railroad on works by Dickens, Rossetti, and Wordsworth as well as Twain’s depiction of speaking on the telephone. To what degree are Henry James’s insights on surveillance still relevant today? Use insights from the historians and communication scholars we’ve read such as Stanley, Kate, Punch, and Keep.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Identify and apply authentic connections between two or more disciplines.

Identify, analyze, and apply applications of and cross-connections between disciplines producing scholarship on literature and the historical past, such as English, Communications, History, and Media Studies

Critical Essay:
Delineate multiple disciplinary approaches to a single course text and discuss their relative interests, strengths, and weaknesses one by one.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Explore and synthesize the approaches or views of two or more disciplines.

Develop and execute critical and creative syntheses of the methodologies of the two disciplines listed above.

To assist CUE in evaluating this course for inclusion on the Interdisciplinary Perspecitves list, please answer these additional questions.
1. Which disciplines will be synthesized, connected, and/or considered in this course?

English and Communication

2. How will the instructor present the material so that these disciplines are addressed in a way that allows the students "to integrate the multiple points of view into a cohesive understanding"?

Though interdisciplinary in nature, this course is inherently cohesive through its focus on a common topic. Our readings and discussions of fictional and non-fictional texts will encourage students to consider how the interactions among technologies, media, and literature shape the cultural past from a variety of disciplinary perspectives (listed above), which will be reinforced by in-class exercises and assignments asking them to apply and synthesize these approaches. See the attached syllabus for details.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Visual & Performing Arts Open when gep_category = VPA

Each course in the Visual and Performing Arts category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Deepen their understanding of aesthetic, cultural, and historical dimensions of artistic traditions.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Strengthen their ability to interpret and make critical judgements about the arts through the analysis of structure, form, and style of specific works.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Strengthen their ability to create, recreate, or evaluate art based upon techniques and standards appropriate to the genre.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Health and Exercise Studies Open when gep_category = HES

Each course in the Health and Exercise Studies category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Acquire the fundamentals of health-related fitness, encompassing cardio-respiratory and cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, muscular flexibility and body composition.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Apply knowledge of the fundamentals of health-related fitness toward developing, maintaining, and sustaining an active and healthy lifestyle.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Acquire or enhance the basic motor skills and skill-related competencies, concepts, and strategies used in physical activities and sport.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Gain a thorough working knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of the spirit and rules, history, safety, and etiquette of physical activities and sport.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Global Knowledge Open when gep_category = GLOBAL

Each course in the Global Knowledge category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to achieve objective #1 plus at least one of objectives 2, 3, and 4:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Identify and examine distinguishing characteristics, including ideas, values, images, cultural artifacts, economic structures, technological or scientific developments, and/or attitudes of people in a society or culture outside the United States.

Please complete at least 1 of the following student objectives.
List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Compare these distinguishing characteristics between the non-U.S. society and at least one other society.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Explain how these distinguishing characteristics relate to their cultural and/or historical contexts in the non-U.S. society.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Explain how these disinguishing characteristics change in response to internal and external pressures on the non-U.S. society.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

US Diversity Open when gep_category = USDIV

Each course in the US Diversity category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to achieve at least 2 of the following objectives:
Please complete at least 2 of the following student objectives.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Analyze how religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age identities are shaped by cultural and societal influences.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Categorize and compare historical, social, political, and/or economic processes producing diversity, equality, and structured inequalities in the U.S.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Interpret and evaluate social actions by religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age groups affecting equality and social justice in the U.S.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Examine interactions between people from different religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age groups in the U.S.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Requisites and Scheduling

What percentage of the seats offered will be open to all students?

100

a. If seats are restricted, describe the restrictions being applied.

N/A

b. Is this restriction listed in the course catalog description for the course?

N/A

List all course pre-requisites, co-requisites, and restrictive statements (ex: Jr standing; Chemistry majors only). If none, state none.

N/A

List any discipline specific background or skills that a student is expected to have prior to taking this course. If none, state none. (ex: ability to analyze historical text; prepare a lesson plan)

none

Additional Information

Complete the following 3 questions or attach a syllabus that includes this information. If a 400-level or dual level course, a syllabus is required.

Title and author of any required text or publications.

see attached syllabus

Major topics to be covered and required readings including laboratory and studio topics.

see attached syllabus

List any required field trips, out of class activities, and/or guest speakers.

see attached syllabus

Consultation

Instructional Resources Statement

This course will not require allocation of any additional resources of faculty, facilities, or equipment. Several members of the English department faculty are qualified to teach this course, including Jennifer Nolan-Stinson and Paul Fyfe, and intend to do so as a part of their regular teaching commitments.

Course Objectives/Goals

Student Learning Outcomes

Having completed this course and its requirements, students will be able to:

1. explain the concerns of the Victorian era and its literature for changing forms of communication;

2. write thoughtful and structured papers using peer-reviewed criticism about these concerns as they manifest in particular texts;

3. analyze how twenty-first century telecommunications mediate and reshape our understanding of the cultural past.

Student Evaluation Methods

Evaluation Method	Weighting/Points for Each	Details
Quizzes	15%	Expect intermittent pop quizzes at the beginning of some class periods. Quizzes, though sometimes annoying, are necessary in a reading course to keep us honest. They shouldn’t be terribly hard, and will serve to evaluate your progress with and comprehension of the reading assignments.
Discussion	15%	Class discussion, by definition, is a select group of active participants in a course of study. Seminars are not lectures. They thrive on the participation of their members. This means engaging with the reading material and with your peers. Participation includes but is not limited to speaking up in class. While thoughtfully participating in our in-class discussions is strongly encouraged, this course will also seek to provide alternative and creative forms of participation and response. Please do your best to take advantage of them.
Project	15%	Students will be assigned to one of four groups, and each group will be responsible for our collaborative online timeline, posting discussion questions, or a specified assignment (i.e. homework) before a designated class. Groups will rotate, so that students can expect to contribute every other week. These assignments are meant to call attention to what you think are particularly interesting or complex aspects of our reading, and to provoke thoughtful responses from your fellow students.
Short Paper	55%	Two significant papers are required in this course. Assignments will be provided in advance.

Topical Outline/Course Schedule

Topic	Time Devoted to Each Topic	Activity
Reading Schedule	Weekly	Week 1 Introduction • Twain, “A Telephonic Conversation” • Christopher Keep, “Technology and Information: Accelerating Developments” Week 2 Railway Mania • [Stanley], “Opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railroad” • Dickens, “A Flight,” “Railway Dreaming” • Rossetti, “Travel Sonnets” • Wordsworth, “On the Projected Kendal and Windermere Railway” Week 3 Detecting the Future • Eliot, The Lifted Veil • Doyle, “The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter” Week 4 The Romance of Telegraphy • “Kate: An Electro-Mechanical Romance” from Lightning Flashes and Electric Dashes • Punch, selections on the Atlantic cable • “The Atlantic Wedding-Ring.” Blackwood’s Oct 1858: 458-61. • “Within a few hours…” London Times July 27, 1866. • “The success of the Atlantic cable…” London Times July 30, 1866. Week 5 Secrets and Surveillance James, In the Cage Week 6 Playing with History Twain, Connecticut Yankee, Preface-Chap XXIV (5-189) Week 7 Hello Central! Twain, Connecticut Yankee, Chaps XXV- XLIV (190-356) Week 8 Global Networks Verne, Around the World in Eighty Days First paper due Week 9 Electro-Magnetic Spiritualism Corelli, A Romance of Two Worlds Week 10 Historical Induction Kipling, “Wireless” Week 11 Iterating the Victorian Future Wells, The Time Machine Week 12 History with a Difference Gibson and Sterling, The Difference Engine: First, Second, and Third Iterations (3-246) Week 13 Neo-Victorian Computing Gibson and Sterling, The Difference Engine: Fourth, Fifth Iterations and Modus (247-486) Week 14 Remaking the Past Grimly, Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein Week 15 Writing Workshop Week 16 Final paper due

Syllabus

ENG_339_Syllabus_5575.doc

Additional Documentation

Additional Comments

Justification for this request

History

Viewing: ENG 339 : Literature and Technology

Last approved: Fri, 16 Dec 2016 09:01:48 GMT

Last edit: Thu, 15 Dec 2016 21:01:36 GMT