What are you learning?
After browsing the learning outcomes defined for this course, I have found myself to be engaging with the following outcome the most: discern a text’s literal content, identify and analyze its rhetorical strategies, and extrapolate its historical and cultural implications. I think this outcome has been the basis of what we have done in class through our class discussions. I have found myself working with and proving that I am perform this outcome the most. For every text we have read so far, we devote class time to getting to the bottom of what the text is about, what it is arguing about the historical and cultural implications of the time, and the rhetorical strategies the author uses to frame his/her argument. This skill is something that I have used throughout all my courses at UNE, and even in high school. I am able to better understand a text if I know what it is literally talking about, and then I can begin to analyze it for its cultural or historical importance. Acquiring this skill has definitely made me a more critical reader and writer. Personally, I love the feeling and satisfaction of when I am able to figure out the meaning of a text and start to analyze its importance… it’s similar to the feeling of piecing all the puzzle pieces together. Once I have done this, I am able to dig deeper and get to the not-so-obvious meaning (which is the fun part)!
This is interesting, Olivia–I’m so glad you are seeing this learning outcome in such a pronounced way. I think it really is our bread and butter; all else becomes possible when one can do these things, and being able to transfer those skills from class to class–and develop and hone them further–is what you are increasingly doing. Nice!