Devitt mentions using genres badly or mixing genres and they way that can impact the reader's experience. Can you think of any examples of when mixed genres worked really well to communicate in a given situation?
As Dirk explains the importance of locations in more detail, we can understand how the shifting of location might alter the writing we produce (composition vs phycology class). Considering that we want to prepare our students for the writing they will encounter all throughout their education, not just in our classes, what kinds of things should we take into consideration when designing assignments?
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteBecause we talked about it early, Firefly/Serenity is a great example of blended genres and one of my all time favorite examples of mixing the western/science fiction genres together. I think it works great because the setting of space lends itself well to the danger and lawlessness that the western genre thrives in, as well as giving tons of potential for fresh ideas in a more or less exhausted genre (westerns).
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI love your second question and am so excited to see someone else for ransom letter #2! Both Dirk and Devitt point to the idea that designing assignments to help students navigate different genres, rather than simply learn one genre, can offer longstanding benefits. I'm not sure exactly what that looks like for a given assignment, other than returning to the emphasis on process. I'm going to think about it some more.