Writing as a social act: Creating a blog for Eng 120-510

One of the student learning outcomes for English 120 is writing as a social act. Students should be able to describe the social nature of composing, particularly the role of discourse communities at the local, national, and international level, but what does this really mean? How do you get students to understand writing as a social act?

This class has challenged students to find a relatable charity, an organization that gives back to the community in some way that speaks to the individual. From an initial list, class members have chosen their charities, scheduled volunteer activities, and even created funding pages for their charities.

Although I spent a great deal of time working within the Methodist Church, and as a result have a deep understanding of the fundraising process, including the psychology behind giving, this has proven to be a difficult task. Perhaps its the temporary nature of my involvement with my chosen charity, or perhaps it's simply defiant characteristics of my personality that has me hesitant to fully commit to my chosen charity. Maybe I chose the wrong charity. I'm not sure, but I am sure that this process will result in new skills and abilities with writing.