For our November unit “Technology and _____ ,” we will be attempting to answer questions about technology that pertain to our interests outside of technology. The goal is that, by the end of the unit, we will have discovered an answer (or a thesis) to the questions we are asking. Along the way, we will be attempting to answer these questions via blogging. By the end of the unit, you will have made six blog posts on your tech blog. We will also be commenting on one another’s blogs.

Our unit’s culminating assignment is a celebration blog post that reflects on the blogging experience and how it changed your thinking about your topic and about writing and publishing.

How this unit relates to our last unit: you’ll apply your knowledge of the six aspects of rhetorical situation to the design and posts in your tech blog.

How this unit relates to our next unit: in our fourth unit (“Research Essay”), you’ll use your journey into your topic as initial research for the next unit’s research paper. You’ll also use your journey as an outline for an evolving thesis in that paper.

Our month’s objective: by the last class of the month, each student will

• have a blog whose design and entries demonstrate a spirit of exploration concerning his tech topic
• have a thesis statement that has evolved at least twice based on research, reading, and other students’ feedback
• have completed introductory research regarding her tech topic: her own mind, popular writing, and some academic writing

Artwork: “technology” by Backdoor Survival. Used by permission.