ENGL 1101—Communicating in the Community: Analyzing Gender and Sexual Politics through Service-Learning

Fall 2009

Instructor: Dr. Andrea Wood
Office: 303 Skiles
Office Hours: MWF 2:05-2:55 or by appointment
Class Meeting Times: P6 MWF 1:05-1:55/E 3:05-3:55/M 4:05-4:55
Classroom Location: Skiles 314
Email:
Course Overview / This first-year writing course revolves around analyzing gender and sexual politics through service-learning. We examine the rhetoric and argumentation used in a variety of documentaries, academic articles, and media to present different views on critical issues including, gender and sexual discrimination, domestic violence, sexual assault, equality in the workplace, representations of gender and sexuality in media, HIV/AIDS activism, public policies on sex education, hate crimes around sexual orientation, and related topics. In addition to developing their ability to critically analyze texts, students participate in a mandatory service-learning project over the course of the semester to enhance their understanding of material covered in the class, and gain insight into how civic engagement can lead to change in the community. At the beginning of the term, students are assigned to work in small groups on multimodal projects designed to aid a variety of non-profit organizations in Atlanta. Most of the assignments for this course are collaborative and directly related to the service-learning projects, for which each student completes 15-20 hours of service throughout the term.
At the end of the semester, each group will work together to develop a 30-minute multimedia presentation about their experience. This presentation will explain: 1) the origins of the organization they worked with and its purpose in the community, 2) how students worked with and assisted the organization in a meaningful way, 3) what students learned from the experience, 4) how students came to understand connections between academic course material and their civic engagement, 5) what benefit their work provided for the organization and in turn the community. Students will also be expected to display in this presentation images, video clips, or other evidence of some of the work they did with their organization during the semester, as well as any materials they produced for their respective projects (i.e. a brochure, a social networking site, a promotional video, etc.). These final presentations will be given in a conference room or other appropriate venue on campus. Members of the administrative and academic Georgia Tech community, as well as project supervisors from the partnering organizations, will be invited to attend these presentations.
In addition to the main service-learning project, groups in this class will spend 7 weeks working on fundraising for the annual AIDS Walk Atlanta scheduled for Sunday, October 18th. Attendance at this event is mandatory for all students.
Course Rationale / The Writing and Communication Program at Georgia Tech embraces service learning and community based education as central to its mission. As experts in rhetoric, writing, and communication, we recognize the power of our particular discipline to transform the communities within which we live and work, and we therefore accept some responsibility to use our training, knowledge, and experience outside the classroom. One of the ways we exercise this responsibility is through service learning. Service learning classes may send students out to work at a soup kitchen for the homeless or in a tutoring center, and then write reflectively about their experiences, or have students contribute directly to the marketing or information infrastructure of these organizations by creating brochures, generating web content, designing websites, or writing grant proposals and other documents. These courses provide students with increased civic and urban awareness, an enhanced understanding of issues in the community, and a renewed sense of citizenship, as well as developing professional communication and collaborative strategies that will assist them in any field of work or study.
Why do service-learning in 1101?
Students often learn best by doing, and service-learning is a teaching strategy that provides them with ample opportunities to put their abilities to the test in diverse environments and practical situations that extend beyond the borders of the traditional classroom.
At the same time, many of the experiences students have while performing service require them to develop their written, oral, visual, electronic, and non-verbal (WOVEN) communication abilities, a fundamental objective of 1101. For example, while engaging in service students have opportunities to:
  • Enhance their problem solving and analytical abilities
  • Learn how to make changes and become part of a solution
  • Improve their understanding of civic responsibility and what it means to be a global citizen
  • Address societal problems in an informed, committed, and positive manner
  • Develop strong communication skills in a variety of public, private, professional, and academic contexts
  • Use and enhance their unique abilities and talents in creative ways
  • Learn how to work collaboratively in groups, delegate responsibilities, and manage projects
  • Understand appropriate communication etiquette when addressing a variety of audiences
  • Develop a professional persona and build character
  • Enhance their resumes
Why focus on analyzing gender and sexual politics through service-learning?
Gender and sexual politics are frequent topics in contemporary local, national, and global discourses that students will encounter in their academic, personal, and professional lives. Consequently, this course aims to raise student awareness and knowledge about relevant critical issues such as gender and sexual discrimination, domestic violence, sexual assault, equality in the workplace, representations of gender and sexuality in media, HIV/AIDS activism, public policies on sex education, hate crimes around sexual orientation, and related issues. Service-learning offers students the chance to better understand the theoretical and material dimensions of gender and sexual issues that affect the lives of people around the world.
Additionally, service-learning courses often have a disciplinary or thematic focus that intersects with a professor’s area of expertise. I hold a PhD in English from the University of Florida with a specialization in “Feminisms, Genders, and Sexualities,” and I am very knowledgeable about critical theories and issues relating to gender and sexuality.
Certain subjects covered in this class may make some students feel uncomfortable, but we will work to explore our discomforts in productive and analytical ways. Challenging topics often spark some of the most insightful critical thinking because they allow students to examine and evaluate differing and often polemic arguments that emerge around such issues. At the same time, however, students are encouraged to see me if they are having any difficulties with material we are covering.
Students who have questions or concerns about the course focus or service project requirements should see me as soon as possible. Additionally, they may consult with Dr. Andrew Cooper (Writing and Communication Program Coordinator) or Dr. Rebecca Burnett (Writing and Communication Program)
Partner Organizations / Because the thematic focus of this course revolves around analyzing gender and sexual politics, all of the organizations we are partnering with have a tangible connection to these issues in terms of the communities they serve, the programs they run, and/or the resources they provide.
Non-profit Partners
  • ANIZ [
  • GoGirlGo! [
  • Partnership Against Domestic Violence [
  • Positive Impact [
  • Safe Girls Strong Girls [
  • The Center for Working Families [
  • United4Safety [
GT Campus Partners
  • Pride Alliance
  • The Women’s Resource Center [

Choosing a Service Project / Early in the semester, students will read through all of the service project proposals and then create a priority list with rationales, ranking projects in order of preference. I will endeavor to place students with one of their top three project choices.
When determining which projects they are most interested in, students should consider the following:
  • Level of interest in the project
  • Skills/abilities needed for the project
  • Project objectives and outcomes
  • Organization mission and purpose
  • Organization location

Types of Service Projects / All service projects for the course meet particular needs of the organizations. At the same time, they also require students to use and develop different aspects of written, oral, visual, electronic, and non-verbal (WOVEN) communication we cover in the course.
Project Examples:
  • Creating a corporate sponsorship package
  • Designing a brochure for a specific program
  • Producing official documents for organization clients [membership packets, confidentiality forms, etc.]
  • Creating a PSA-style skit-based video
  • Developing a short documentary video with interviews
  • Researching and improving web content for an organization website
  • Organizing a legislative breakfast
  • Digitizing photos and other artifacts; creating a multimedia presentation with this material to be used at an annual holiday party
  • Organizing an Open House and creating an Open House Playbook to be used by multiple organization networks

Expectations about Student Behavior / Students are required to conduct themselves professionally at all times while working on their service project. When conducting service out in the community, students should remember that they are not only representing themselves as adults but also as Georgia Tech students.
With this in mind, students are expected to:
  • Be punctual at all times
  • Develop a reliable schedule and manage their time appropriately
  • Follow all the rules and regulations of their organization regarding safety, confidentiality, etc.
  • Complete work on time and in the required format
  • Be able to think independently and take initiative on their own [NOTE: Project supervisors will prepare students for service tasks, but students must be aware that these individuals have other responsibilities and will expect groups to be able to work without the need of constant direction and supervision]
  • Use appropriate professional etiquette when communicating with members of their organization, clients, etc.
  • Travel to and from their organization in groups of two or more, especially when completing service hours in the evening
  • Keep and maintain individual time logs for service hours completed [a form will be given at the beginning of the project]
  • Learn to work well with others and develop a strong team ethic
  • Communicate effectively and regularly with all group members throughout the semester
  • Learn to delegate responsibilities and work collaboratively
  • Maintain a professional attitude in all of their service work, personal interactions with organization members and clients, and collaborations with group members
NOTE: If a group member is not behaving according to these expectations then another member of the group should contact me immediately.
Service Hours
Requirement / Each student is required to complete 15-20 hours of documented service for their organization. Failure to complete the requisite number of service hours will result in a deduction from the final grade for the course. I have tailored our schedule to account for this by ensuring that the time needed to complete weekly homework and other assignments is balanced with anticipated service hours.
All students must begin their service hours in Week 3 and complete them by the beginning of Week 13.
NOTE: Student must complete service hours on a weekly (1-2 hours) or biweekly (2.5-3 hours) basis. Students may not complete large chunks of time in one day to meet the service hours requirement. The learning objectives of the project necessitate regularity and consistency in service so that students can gain a more comprehensive understanding of their organization, its programs, the communities it serves, and the purpose of the group project itself.
What counts toward service hours:
  • Time spent at organization orientation
  • Scheduled meetings with project supervisor
  • Time spent working at the organization
  • Time spent attending organization events [there will be a 3 hours of service limit imposed on such activities; additional time spent at events will not count toward service hours]
  • Time spent video taping or photographing material for a project
What does not count toward service hours:
  • Time spent traveling to and from the service organization
  • Time spent meeting with me regarding the service project [i.e. conferences, etc.]
  • Time spent in class
  • Time spent meeting with fellow group members away from the organization
  • Time spent completing the final product [i.e. editing a video, finishing a website, completing a brochure, etc.]
Students will have two weeks after completing their service hours to finish their project material and prepare their final presentation. This time does not count toward service hours. Rather, it is considered time required for assignment completion since I will be evaluating and grading the final product and the final presentation for a grade.
Why Service Learning Matters / As the Learnand Serve America government affiliated website explains:
Service-Learning builds character
Research conducted by RMC Research Corporation (2005) found that students who participated in the Partnerships in Character Education project (character education project integrating service-learning components) in Philadelphia reported gains on the civic engagement measure from fall 2004 to spring 2005. Participating students also reported greater increases in pro-social behaviors, such as altruism, caring, respect, and ability to choose between right and wrong, than their peers in the comparison group.
Service-Learning increases student engagement
Service-learning includes several strategies that research (e.g., Brewster & Fager, 2000) has identified as likely to increase student engagement, such as:
  • Highlighting ways that learning can be applied in real-life situations
  • Helping students feel that their schoolwork is significant, valuable, and worthy of their efforts
  • Allowing students to have some degree of control over learning
  • Assigning challenging but achievable tasks
  • Stimulating students’ curiosity about the topic being studied
  • Designing projects that allow students to share new knowledge with others.
Recent research on service-learning has documented positive effects of service-learning participation on student engagement and has begun to explore the hypothesis that engagement may mediate the relationship between service-learning and academic achievement (Meyer, Hofshire, & Billig, 2004). Student engagement may represent a key area of impact for service-learning which, in turn, affects a range of positive outcomes for young people.
A Brief History of Service-Learning in Higher Education / As the Learnand Serve America government affiliated website explains:
“Community service and civic engagement have a long history on American campuses beginning in the 19th century and finding revitalization in the 1960s, 1980s, and today. For example, community service activities in Greek-letter organizations and campus faith-based groups have had an enduring presence on campuses. The civil rights movement of the 1960s, and the formation of the Peace Corps in 1961, and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) in 1965 brought a new passionate energy to activist education by engaging young people and giving them real opportunities to make a difference in the world. It was during this time period that the early pioneers of the service-learning movement began to emerge and attempted to combine 'service' to 'learning' in a direct and powerful way.
In 1969, these pioneers and others concerned with higher education and community service met in Atlanta to discuss the pros and cons of service-learning and the importance of implementing these types of programs in American colleges and universities. Sponsors included the Southern Regional Education Board, the City of Atlanta, Atlanta Urban Corps, Peace Corps, VISTA, and the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The participants in the conference came up with the following recommendations:
  • Colleges and universities should encourage students to participate in community service, help to make sure that academic learning is a part of this service, and to give academic recognition for that learning.
  • Colleges and universities, private organizations, and federal, regional, and state governments should provide the opportunities and funds for students wanting to participate in service-learning.
  • Students, public and private agency officials, and college and university faculty should all participate in the planning and running of service-learning programs.
Since that first conference service-learning scholars and participants have been advocating for these same recommendations, and the vibrant and vital discussion of the best practices and ideas for service-learning continues to this day.”
Rationale for Atlanta AIDS Walk Fundraising / Context
As the AIDS Walk Atlanta website explains:
“On Sunday, October 18, 2009, thousands of individuals, organizations and corporations will unite in the spirit of caring and giving by participating in the largest and most visible fundraising event for AIDS in the southeast, AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run. Their participation will make it possible for AID Atlanta and 8 other AIDS service organizations to continue the work to stop the spread of HIV and optimize the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS.
Now in its 19th year, AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run, funds such programs as HIV primary health care, case management, HIV testing and counseling, as well as supports AID Atlanta’s education program which provides more than 80,000 prevention contacts annually. Over 25,000 clients in the metro Atlanta area receive assistance as a result of the funds raised by AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run.
The Atlanta metropolitan area has the 5th highest number of AIDS cases in the country in 2007. More and more of our friends, neighbors, and co-workers are infected each year. These facts are disturbing, but we can find some comfort in the fact that there are several organizations in our area that provide much needed care to those infected with HIV.”
Why we are doing fundraising
One enduring aspect of service in the community is philanthropy. In examining some of the history behind service in America, students will also consider how philanthropy and concepts of “giving” continue to play central roles in national and global cultures. We will discuss important figures like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and others whose philanthropic actions and philosophies have helped shape our understanding of “giving” time, skills, and resources to the local, national, and global community today. Students will gain a theoretical and material understanding of philanthropy through class discussions and fundraising for a cause in the Atlanta community.